The more I study scripture, the more I discover that there are no great men and women of God in the Bible. There is only one hero and that is the Lord himself. Even the greatest man or woman fails in Scripture and any success they do have is not of themselves but is completely the work of God’s grace.
So as we return to Abraham’s story again we need to be reminded that he was a sinner like you and I but God’s grace turned him into a man of faith. He does the same with you and I.
We return to Abraham this morning and we begin by looking back. Our text says “After these things.” What things? His great step of faith. Remember what happened in chapter 14? Abraham had rescued his nephew Lot and all the people of Sodom from foreign invaders. Abraham then meets this amazing man – Melchizedek – priest and king who is representative of the Lord Abraham worships. Abraham gives to him 10% of everything he has. He worships the Lord and is blessed.
It’s one of the high points in Abraham’s life. Everything falls into place. God gave him victory over his enemies. He is encouraged in his faith by this “priest of the most high God.” He walks in faith by giving a tithe. And receives a blessing from the Lord.
But then we turn to the next chapter and suddenly things aren’t so wonderful. How do we know that? Notice what the Lord says to Abram in a vision: “Do not fear, Abram.”
Yes, things were wonderful and he was blessed and encouraged but no sooner had Melchizedek left the picture and already Abram is filled with fears. And the Lord knows it! Oh, how the Lord knows what fears lie beneath the surface. He knows that Abram still is filled with terror. Of what?
Listen to these words to God from Abram: vs. 2 “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And then in vs. 8 “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall posses it (the land)?”
It’s an amazing thing that Abram had a much easier time rescuing his nephew against the odds than trusting in God concerning his own personal life. He trusted in God in faith going out against an army with only 318 men. There was no question of fear or doubt at all. But it’s true to life.
So often it’s easier for us to help others and risk our neck to help a brother or sister in need. But when it comes down to following God trusting in God concerning my own personal family, my career, my home, my personal calling – it’s a whole other story. It’s terrifying to put your personal life and family into the hands of God. It’s a big risk!
You see Abraham knew the promises of God: “I will make of you a great nation.” And “To your offspring I will give this land.” Abram had received these promises when he was in his early 70’s. Now he’s in his 80’s and he has neither a son nor any land. He has spent around 10 years in the land of promise with no sign of any child and having to live on the southern border as a nomad because there were Canaanites possessing the land.
As some point you begin to ask questions and have doubts. Faith can last a few years and even five to eight years for someone really trusting. But who can wait for 10 years??? “What happened to the promise of God? What did I do wrong? Did God decide to find someone more worthy? Maybe I’m supposed to take some kind of action.”
What does Abram need? What do you need in moments of doubt and fear? A shield! The Lord says: “I am a shield to you; your reward shall be very great.”
Why is a shield needed? Because Abram is under attack. His fears. His worries. His doubts. They are all like a deadly sword that means to cut him in half. They are like the flaming arrow that will pierce his heart. Fear, doubts, worry are some of the most effective weapons against us. They can cut us down faster and make us ineffective as quickly as an arrow to the heart. And then we’re dead or wounded or paralyzed.
Our own mind tells us that we’re not going to make it – logic can be a destructive force. You’re going to get to the end of your life and will have accomplished nothing! You will be a failure! We are thin skinned and need protection.
What is the shield?
A shield is the difference between life and death. Without it in battle you don’t have much of a chance. What does God mean when he says “I am your shield”? He reveals what he means in response to Abram’s questions: “This man (Eliezer) shall not be your heir, your very own son shall be your heir….look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them…so shall your offspring be.” Is this something new? Just a few years ago God had told to Abram these words: “I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted.” (13:16)
What is God doing? He is repeating his promises. He is speaking the word of promise to Abram. To Abram, time was the biggest enemy – he was getting older and older and God wasn’t doing anything. But is God limited by time? Does 10 years mean anything to God? They are like a drop in a bucket.
If you’re 80 and you think that you’ve seen it all and done all God has planned for your life, then you better think again. I know people that BEGAN to get involved in mission work after retirement. They started travelling to Russia or to Poland in the summers and working with children and youth.
So often we get angry at God because we want something NOW. I want my family NOW. I want a job NOW. I want this church to grow NOW. And we simply aren’t willing to wait upon the Lord. You need a shield of God’s promises!
How do you use this shield?
1. Read it! Read it! Read it!
The more fears, the more doubts, the more lack of faith the more you need to read the Scripture. Oh how little we actually take advantage of this shield that is right at our disposal day and night. Why not? You might feel you know the Scriptures – that it can’t tell you anything that will help you in this situation.
But what does God say? 1 Peter 1:23 “for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.” It’s hearing the word that caused you to have new life in the first place. It’s not your ability, a pastor’s charisma, your mother, a friend or someone else who explained it. They were used as tools of God. But its the WORD itself that had the supernatural ability to change your heart.
Romans 10:17 “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
1 Thess. 2:13 “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.”
I am amazed at all the popularity of health clubs today. But not only that – also eating healthy. It’s wonderful! People exercise day after day, buy their vitamins eat healthy and then hopefully the results are that they have a buff physical condition.
But why do we not do the same with the Scriptures? It is our spiritual nutrition for growth. And not only for growth but it protects us as a shield from the daily onslaught of fear, worry, and doubt. And yet we for the most part tend to ignore it or give it just a minor tip of the hat. 5 minutes a day. You work out for 5 minutes a day and get in shape? I don’t think so!
2. Receive it! Faith! (6)
Verse 6 is one of the most amazing verses in the Old Testament: “Then he believed in the LORD; and He (the Lord) reckoned it to him (Abram) as righteousness.” Notice the result of hearing the word – faith! If you read this in Hebrew the word for ‘believed’ is ‘aman.’ It means “It’s gonna happen!” “I’m absolutely certain.” “It’s a sure deal.” It’s a word that was used in Greek the same way and then we started using it in English. Today our word “Amen” comes from this Hebrew word. Every time we conclude a prayer we say “amen” which is supposed to mean: “I know it’s going to happen.” “I believe God will answer.”
Here we find it for the very first time in the Bible. Notice that faith comes solely from the supernatural Word of God. What do you do if you have doubts? If you’re not sure that God is real or that he really hears you? Read and study the Scripture.
When Abram believes these promises what was the amazing result? He was reckoned as righteous. Did he obey the commandments? Did he make a sacrifice? Did he do anything? No. He simply trusted that God would do what he said he would do. And he was saved!
Paul spends a whole chapter talking about this in Romans 4. Listen to what he says beginning in verse 20: “No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was counted to him as righteousness. But the words ‘it was counted to him’ were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
So if Abraham was made righteous just by trusting God’s promise. You also are made righteous just by trusting God’s promise that Christ died for you and gives you eternal life. And that goes for every single promise of the Scriptures!
And then to reinforce God’s faithfulness to his promises, he has Abram prepare a special covenant ceremony as they often did in ancient times.
He took five animals for sacrifice. First a heifer which is slaughtered and cut in two equal portions, then a goat and a ram which he also cut into two portions. Finally he killed two pigeons. In what is believed to be an ancient covenant ceremony these two halves of the animals were laid down in two rows. And the two parties were to first make their contract agreement with each other and then seal the agreement by walking between the slaughtered halves of the animals. In essence saying, “if I don’t keep my agreement, may I be slaughtered as these animals.”
In this case God gives Abram the covenant promises concerning the land – in great detail (vs. 13-16). And then listen to verse 17 “When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.” God in the form of a smoking fire pot and flaming torch seals the covenant. Does Abram pass through the pieces? No. God tells him – no matter what I keep my promises! Nothing can revoke my promises to you.
What does he want from Abram? Receive! Receive my promises for you! You can’t make the land become yours. You can’t make your wife suddenly able to have children. You can’t assure that you will be a blessing to the nations. GOD CAN.
One of the hardest things that we have doing is receiving. There is no free gift. There is no free ride. There must be a payment of some kind. But faith has nothing to do with payment. “For by grace you have been saved, not of yourselves, it is a gift of God, not by works lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9) If this is true, why do we worry? Why do we fret?
Read the Word of promise. Receive the Word of promise for you!
Romans 8:29-32 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
