Look Now Toward Heaven

Genesis 15:1-6 "After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield [magen  {pronounced maw-gane'} shield, defense], and thy exceeding great reward [sakar  {pronounced saw-kawr'} salary, wages]. [2] And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? [3]  And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. [4]  And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. [5]  And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. [6]  And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness."

"After these things". Our text starts with just three words, but these three words speak volumes to us. Abraham, the Father of Faith, had just come from doing battle with Chedorlaomer. Chedorlaomer, the King of Elam, had attacked and conquered all the kingdoms around him. He had also attacked and conquered Sodom, where Lot, the son of Abraham's dead brother, Haran, (Genesis 11:27) lived; and had taken Lot as a captive. Abraham took off after the mighty armies of Chedorlaomer:

Genesis 14:14-16 "And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. [15]  And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. [16]  And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people."

And, with a much smaller force (though blessed by God) Abraham attacked and retrieved his nephew from the Atilla the Hun, from the Napoleon of this era. God gave Abraham the liberty to overcome a vastly superior force - and Abraham brought his nephew, as well as all the other captives, home.

"After these things". Abraham had also been met by Melchizedek, the prince of Salem;

Hebrews 7:1-4 "For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; [2] To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; [3]  Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. [4]  Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils."

Considered by many to be an Old Testament manifestation of Jesus Christ (though I will not be dogmatic about this) - and gave this mysterious figure a tithe of what he had won in battle. Abraham had won a battle, against all odds. He had met a Godly figure, and been blessed. Yet now Abraham sat in the desert by night, looking out over his flock,

And as the night progressed Abraham began to ponder, and to wonder, as to why God had not fulfilled His promise.

Genesis 15:1-3 "After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield [magen  {pronounced maw-gane'} shield, defense], and thy exceeding great reward [sakar  {pronounced saw-kawr'} salary, wages]. [2] And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? [3]  And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

It had been ten years since God promised Abraham a land of his own, and a nation from his loins. As Abraham looked out over his sheep, and felt the cool night wind of the desert gently blow over him, a coolness of desolation perhaps overtook him. You see, when we are focused on our Father's business, when we are fully laboring in the fields of the Lord, our minds are occupied by our labor. But there are times when the necessities of life catch up. There are times when we have to pause in the Lord's harvest, and tend to the things which are more mundane. We have to watch the flock.

And as we watch the flock by night, and the cool of the desert hits us, we begin to think ...

" ... why has so much time passed? Didn't God promise me a nation? Didn't he promise":

Genesis 12:1-3 "Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: [2]  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: [3]  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."

"Lord, I know I heard your promise. Yet, where is it? Now the time has passed and it is "after these things", and I sit. Where is the Promise?"

Though Abraham did not speak these words, they were in his mind unspoken. The night was dark, and a little thrill of fear came into Abraham's heart. "What if I imagined it all? What if? What if Chedorlaomer comes back? Will I be able to defeat him again?" Fear comes in the night of our lives, when we are still. Though God has blessed before, will He continue to bless?

As Abraham waited, and looked at the "reality" of his situation: ten years since the Promise, the Promise was not fulfilled - God came to him. Abraham had not come to God, but God came to Abraham. Abraham had not lifted up his concerns before Heaven, but Heaven came down to him when the Almighty regarded his concerns. As the Lord came, he made two wonderful statements.

Genesis 15:1 "... Fear not, Abram ..."

These words had to be comforting to a pilgrim watch his sheep in the middle of the desert. Here on these plains there was grass for the animals, yet no walls to hide behind. Abraham had no great armies to protect him, just a few hundred servants that would be useless if the full weight of Chedorlaomer were to return. Could that be his armies out there in the darkness? What was that snapping, was it the sound of a wild animal foraging, or that of an advancing army?

"Fear not, Abram". God has not given His people fear. The Scripture plainly tells us:

2 Timothy 1:7  "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

We have not been granted a spirit of fear. The covenant that God made with us is not a covenant of fear, but a Covenant of Promise, and because of that a Covenant characterized by power, love, and a sound mind. We have no spirit of fear, but the Spirit of Adoption:

Romans 8:15  "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

Knowing that GOD HAS PROMISED, and since He has promised WE WILL INHERIT. Why should we have no fear? Because:

Genesis 15:1 "... I am thy shield ..."

Our great God, Jesus, He is our shield. In the midst of the darkness Jesus is:

Psalms 84:11  "For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly."

... both SUN and SHIELD. Though the night is dark, and though we may heart sounds in the darkness, as long as we look Heavenward toward Jesus the darkness will be dispelled by the Sun. As long as we look Heavenward toward the right hand of His power, we shall be shielded from those that would harm us.

Psalms 91:2-7 "I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. [3]  Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. [4]  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. [5]  Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; [6]  Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. [7]  A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee."

What better Shield than our Jesus? What better Light than our Lord? Though often we do not know why God tarries, it is enough to know that God is in control.

Genesis 15:1b-3 "After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am ... thy exceeding great reward [sakar  {pronounced saw-kawr'} salary, wages]. [2] And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? [3]  And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

While God tarries, we must look toward Heaven. Yet, why does Jesus often tarry? Why, when Joseph and Mary left Jerusalem to go home, did the young Jesus tarry in the Temple? Why would He cause such panic to His earthly parents, who had to look for Him for three days -

Luke 2:46  "And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions."

before they could find Him? Surely Jesus meant not to cruelly torment His earthly guardians, but why tarry? Why did Jesus tarry when Mary and Martha begged Him to come to Lazarus' aid:

John 11:5-6 "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. [6]  When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was."

only leaving to go to his rescue on the third day after He heard of the illness? Why? Why does God tarry? Why did Jesus lay entombed for three days, resurrected only on the third day? Could not the Father have raised Him immediately from the dead? Could not Jesus have died on the Cross, then come back in one day? Yes, I know that it was prophesied that He would remain entombed three days, as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days, but WHY!?

Often, dear children, we do not know why. Yet, rather than look into the why and the wherefore, shouldn't we look Heavenward? God tarries for His own reasons, for reasons that He does not have to share with us. Perhaps God tarries because He gently and carefully molds us into a vessel that can worthily enjoy the Promise.  Perhaps God tarries because, like a great Conductor, He has all of the music, all of the composition, and knows how each part of creation works together for His good. The drummer might wonder, "Why do I wait to strike my drums?", yet the great Conductor knows the best time - the most harmonious time to strike. The trumpeter may think, "Why must I wait to sound the clarion call? Why can't I sound that call now?" Yet, unless we look Heavenward, toward the Great Conductor, we may make a clear sound that is only discordant because it has come out of time.

Look Heavenward.

Abraham was capable of bearing children and, in accordance with Eastern tradition, he could have born children through any of the servants of his household. This is what Abraham meant when he said:

Genesis 15:3 "And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir."

As God tarried Abraham began to think, "Any one of these servants could have children from me. Any one of these servants could have a child that would be my heir, and God could use that just as well as a child out of Sarah." Yet God said,

Genesis 15:4  "This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir."

No, the child would have to come through Abram and Sarai, Abraham and Sarah - but only at the right time. In Genesis 16 we see Abraham rushing matters, having a child through Hagar - yet this child, Ishmael, would grow into a nation that would harass rather than bless the future Israel.

Look Heavenward. Wait.

The plan was God's, and the Covenant that Jesus made with Abraham - well, that was God's as well. While God tarries, Abraham was to look Heavenward. This is dramatically illustrated in what follows in the context. In Genesis 15:5 the Lord told Abraham:

Genesis 15:5  "And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be."

... to look upward into the night sky, and see the stars. As Abraham looked upward he saw a countless number of stars, and as he watched the Lord promised him that:

"So shall thy seed be".

Abraham asked the Lord,

Genesis 15:8  "... Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?"

Abraham was not disbelieving God, but he was asking God to calm his heart, to assure him that, though he waited, this thing would be certain. The Lord had Abraham do something interesting. In ancient times, when two parties wanted to make a contract or a covenant with one another, they would do what was known as "cutting a covenant". When you "cut a covenant", you took an animal, sacrificed it, and then cut it in half (unless it was a bird, which was not to be divided). BOTH PARTIES then walked between the cut pieces, signifying that they had entered into contract with one another.

This covenant was considered sacred, and inviolable. Both parties who walked between the cut pieces of the sacrifice were bound to their oath. To break this oath was considered evil, sacrilegious, heathen.

God told Abraham:

Genesis 15:9-10 "And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. [10]  And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not."

Abraham prepared a sacrifice OF EVERY ANIMAL WHICH WAS NORMALLY SACRIFICED TO GOD, and God had him "cut them in half". The pieces were laid on the ground so that both parties, both God and Abraham, could walk between them. Abraham did as God asked. Then he waited.

And waited.

And waited.

As Abraham waited for God to tell him, "Now, you walk between the pieces, Abraham", time passed. Abraham looked Heavenward, and saw carrion birds descending to take the sacrifice. He ran to them, and shooed the birds off. Abraham made this sacrifice while the stars were out, and waited through the next day. Until God bade him go, he could not go. Sarah perhaps watched Abraham from the camp, ridiculing him for standing guard over this dead sacrifice. Perhaps his servants watched in wonder, thinking their master had gone mad.

Look Heavenward, Abraham.

As Abraham waited, and guarded the sacrifice, a deep sleep came on him. As he slept, entranced, he saw Israel enslaved, then raised up as a great nation from Egypt. God allowed him to see the future, and calmed his heart. Though fifteen more years would pass before Isaac would be born, God was still in control.

And as Abraham waited, and looked Heavenward, we are told:

Genesis 15:17-18 "And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. [18]  In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram .."

Abraham waited for God to tell him to walk between the pieces of the sacrifice, but God never asked Abraham to do this. No, GOD ALONE walked between the sacrifice. God alone cut the covenant with Abraham. God alone made the contract, for God alone was in control of Abraham's existence.

And though Abraham would make many mistakes, as would Israel, and you, and I ... God in Christ is still in control of our lives. Which brings us to the final point, and that is:

Genesis 15:6  "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness."

Romans 4:20-22 "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; [21]  And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. [22] And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness."

Genesis 15:6 is, indeed, the key verse of the entire Old Testament. Abraham's name had not yet been changed from "Abram" to "Abraham", and yet ..

" ...he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness."

Abraham had not yet been circumcised, and it would be another FOUR HUNDRED YEARS before the Law was given, and yet:

" ...he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness."

Neither circumcision nor the Law nor baptism, nor any ritual nor any thing had anything to do with Abraham's imputed righteousness, other than the fact that HE BELIEVED in God. In fact, Abraham was still - at this stage of the game - a Gentile. Yet, by believing in God ...

not some vague concept of God, but in God our Savior ...

Abraham was saved. The Law did not save Abraham, but faith in the Writer of the Law. Circumcision did not save Abraham, but faith in the One who commanded the rite.

Galatians 3:13-17 "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: [14]  That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. [15]  Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. [16]  Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. [17]And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect."

Abraham looked Heavenward, believed, and was blessed both now and in eternity. We can do no less if we expect to enjoy the abundant blessings which our Lord has reserved for us through Jesus Christ our Lord.

While God tarries, we must believe in Jesus! While God tarries, we must trust the Father! While God tarries, we must be empowered by the blessed Holy Spirit! We cannot put our trust in our own works, our own abilities, but only in God our Savior.

Blessed be the wonderful name of Jesus!

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