After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” (Genesis 15:1)
Abram needed a shield because he expected to be attacked. He needed a reward because he had denied himself a great reward offered from the king of Sodom.
Confession: Lord You are my shield, my exceedingly great reward.
Who was Eliezer of Damascus?
Eliezer of Damascus was probably the same “senior servant” in charge of all Abraham’s possessions who, many years later, was commissioned by Abraham to go and find a wife for his son, Isaac, from among Abraham’s own relatives in his native land (Genesis 24:1–9). Eliezer journeyed around 500 kilometres, where he found Rebekah in the town of Nahor in Mesopotamia. Eliezer was a faithful man, but not a biological son of Abram.
What does it mean “Horror and great darkness fell upon Abraham"?
11 And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. 12 “Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him” (Genesis 15:11-12).
I believe this is a prophetic reference to the crucifixion of Christ and the horror of darkness that He experienced on the cross as He established a New Covenant.
There is a hint in Genesis 14:18 “Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; He was the priest of God Most High”. This corresponds to the Passover meal that Jesus shared with his disciples before He went to the cross.
What happened at Christ's crucifixion?
A great darkness occurred. In Genesis 15, a great darkness and horror also occurred to Abraham. Perhaps, Abraham was made by God to experience a very small taste of the horror that Christ had to face in His crucifixion and burial.
Abraham had to drive away the vultures swooping on the carcasses. Vultures are unclean birds are symbolic of demons. This again is a prophetic reference to the spiritual battle that Jesus went through with demonic forces even as He was hanging on the cross. These demonic forces were perhaps hindering Him from accomplishing His God ordained mission.
What is meant by “The Iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full”?
But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." (Genesis 15:16)
The Amorites’ sin had not escaped God’s eyes. He was keeping track of the measure of their sins, and, during Abraham’s time, it was not yet “full.”
Rather than immediately wipe out the Amorites, God chose to wait for over four hundred years to bring judgment upon them.
They were given enough time to turn to God, and be forgiven just as the Assyrians in Nineveh did during the time of Jonah.
The Amorites did not take heed to the time of grace and would be displaced as God settled His chosen people in the land He had promised them.
Chapters
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 7
- Chapter 8
- Chapter 9
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 11
- Chapter 12
- Chapter 13
- Chapter 14
- Chapter 15
- Chapter 16
- Chapter 17
- Chapter 18
- Chapter 19
- Chapter 20
- Chapter 21
- Chapter 22
- Chapter 23
- Chapter 24
- Chapter 25
- Chapter 26
- Chapter 27
- Chapter 28
- Chapter 29
- Chapter 30
- Chapter 31
- Chapter 32
- Chapter 33
- Chapter 34
- Chapter 35
- Chapter 36
- Chapter 37
- Chapter 38
- Chapter 39
- Chapter 40
- Chapter 41
- Chapter 42
- Chapter 43
- Chapter 44
- Chapter 45
- Chapter 46
- Chapter 47
- Chapter 48
- Chapter 49
- Chapter 50