In The Dark

In The Dark

Genesis 15:1

1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Has anyone in here ever been afraid or fearful?

Have you ever felt like you have been in the dark and you did not know what was going to happen?

You did not know where to go because you could not see because of how dark the situation looked.

What we need to realize is that the darkness is God’s secret place.

Ps 18:11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

Sometimes I might not know the result of what is going to happen but the good news is God does.

In our opening text, the Word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision.

This presents one of four ways, which God spoke to individuals in the Old Testament.

Numbers 12:6-8

Nu 12:6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.

8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

1. He spoke in visions.

2. He spoke in dreams.

3. He revealed Himself by speaking directly to the Prophets, mouth to mouth.

4. He spoke through the Word.

God was telling Abraham in verse one “to fear not”.

This shows that fear was present, he was afraid that enemies would kill him before the great promise of the Lord took place in His life.

God told Abraham “I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward”.

God was telling Abraham that he was eyeing the promise too much instead of the giver of the promise.

The Lord is always to be looked at as the reward, and then the promise is surely to come.

Too often, we get our eyes on the gift instead of the giver.

Genesis 15:2-3

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.

Abraham and Sarah would try to take things into their own hands to bring forth the promises of God.

They might have felt they were in the dark so they were going to do whatever it took to bring forth God’s Word.

Genesis 15:4-5

Ge 15:4 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.

Sarah and Abraham would try to take things into their own hands, when God makes a promise you can take it to the bank.

Abraham was worried about one son, and the Lord tells him his seed shall be as the stars of Heaven for a multitude and so it is.

Genesis 15:6

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

Abraham exercised faith believing what the Lord told him.

God counted it to him for righteousness.

This is one of the most important Scriptures in the entirety of the Word of God.

In this simple term, “Abraham believed the Lord.”

We find here the meaning of Justification by faith; Abraham was saved by grace through faith not by his good works.

There is no other way of salvation anywhere in the Bible.

Abraham still had to face the trials that life would throw at him, but with God, he would make it through.

I have entitled this today: “In The Dark”

8-17-04

I dreamed that I was in the dark. I had a feeling of hoplessness. I was afraid. All of a sudden, God’s presence came upon me. I started to shout, “Jesus”. I no longer felt hopeless. I was not afraid to be in the dark. I knew that no matter what, God was with me. I woke up and the presence of God was all around the room.

Interpretation

Sometimes we are in the dark, and we feel hopeless.

Sometimes if we are honest, we are even afraid of situations that arise in our lives.