Genesis 15:6

Verse Study Devotion, Genesis 15:6

“Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.” – Genesis 15:6.

 In the first verse of chapter 15 we read the phrase, “After these things. What was meant by the words ‘After these things’? We see the answer in the previous chapter.

“And the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah and the king of Admah and the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) came out; and they arrayed for battle against them in the valley of Siddim, against Chedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goiim and Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell into them. But those who survived fled to the hill country. Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food supply and departed. They also took Lot, Abram’s nephew, and his possessions and departed, for he was living in Sodom. Then a fugitive came and told Abram the Hebrew. Now he was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, and these were allies with Abram. When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the people.” Genesis 14:8-16.

There were four kingdoms who came together to battle five other kingdoms. However, this would not have been as important an issue to Abram if his nephew Lot had not been taken captive. When he heard what had happened to Lot, he went after him to bring him home, with the assistance of 318 well trained men. They defeated the captors of Lot and brought him home along with all his property. And he brought back the women who were taken captive as well. The writer does not provide any details on how Abram and his men managed to fight them so successfully, except for the fact that it was a nighttime battle.

Now, after all these battles and rescues that occurred in chapter 14,  we read in chapter 15.

“After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.’” Genesis 15:1.

The word of the LORD came to Abraham in a vision. It is probable that Jesus referred to this when He said,

“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”  John 8:56.

God’s speaks to Abram saving: “Fear not!” God tells him this as assurance so that he would not be afraid. However, Abram does not have his back to the wall. Actually, he has just come back unscathed from a situation filled with danger. He could have given into fear, but he did not. God was speaking to the fearless one saying, “Fear not!” And this is somewhat similar to what would occur to Zacharias regarding John the Baptist.

“Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.” Luke 1:12-13.

God also tells him that He is both his shield, and his reward would be great. God was going to be with him and will protect him like a shield. He would also provide a reward greater than he could ever imagine. And what would that reward be? First, let us look at the next two verses.

“Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.” Genesis 15:2-3.

The one thing Abram was concerned about and needed most was an heir, a male heir. Rather than waiting for God to respond, Abram attempts to answer his own question: Will Eliezer his servant be his heir? Will Abram have to make his own solution because of a divine oversight? God has delivered his enemies into his hand, but is he able to deliver a son into Abram’s household? In essence the concern voiced by Abram in verse 2 is not advanced by his concern voiced in verse 3. In both verses Abram is perplexed as to why God has not given him a child. All that is different is a change in vocabulary when Abram addresses his lament to God. In verse 2 he laments that he is childless and in verse 3 that God has not given him any offspring. Nothing is mentioned regarding adoption, but it does declare that servants such as Eliezer could inherit property. We read something regarding this in the book of Proverbs.

“A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share in the inheritance among brothers.“ Proverbs 17:2.

Abram is concerned he will not be able to leave such an inheritance to a person in his line. He does not wish to leave behind him a situation fraught with legal complications. He would rather leave all he has to a son. However, he tells God that he has no son so he must give it to someone born in his house, his servant.

Next, we see God’s answer to Abram.

“Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, ‘This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.’ And He took him outside and said, ‘Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’” Genesis 15:4-5.

God assures Abram that Eliezer will not be the heir. That role will be given to Abram’s own flesh and blood. Again, God speaks to Abram regarding a promise of a future son. This promise, however wonderful, will be severely challenged by a hurdle, Sarai’s inability to conceive. (See chapter 16 regarding this). We now discover that the words of God came to Abram while he was inside his home, for He took him outside. Also, this vision is received at night, for Abram is told to look up and count the stars. The emphasis here now shifts from “your own flesh and blood” (verse 4) to the many descendants (verse 5). This theme of mass numbers of offspring appears frequently in Genesis with comparisons to the stars, also sand at the seashore (Genesis 22:17), and the dust of the earth (Genesis 13:16). And this promise does mean that Israel was destined to become the most populous nation of the Mediterranean world.

Now we come to our focus verse.

“Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.” Genesis 15:6.

 In response to these promises, Abram believed in the Lord, believed in the truth of that promise God had made to him, resting upon His power and faithfulness. In other words, Abram believed God could and would do what He promised. This, of course, was not the first time that Abram had put his trust in God’s word. Let’s look back at Genesis 12.

“Now the LORD said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house to the land which I will show you; And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so, you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.’ So, Abram went forth as the LORD had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.” Genesis 12:1-4.

When God told Abram to leave Haran, his homeland, and go into a land He was leading him to, he did not question what God told him. He simply obeyed God and left, traveling to a land he did not know. What faith he had in the living God.

Back to verse 6, the action of faith had preceded the meaning of faith. That is, by virtue of his earlier obedient responses to the words from God, Abram was putting his faith in God. When Abram trusted in God, specifically in God’s promise to him regarding descendants leading to the Messiah, God credited/accounted this belief to Abram’s account as righteousness. God told him, and Abram believed Him.

Now we move on in chapter 15.

“And He said to him, ‘I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it.’ He said, ‘O Lord GOD, how may I know that I will possess it?’” Genesis 15:7-8.

Now the Lord tells Abram He had taken him out of one land, Ur of the Chaldeans, to a land they will ultimately possess. And these words, along with His presence, perfectly satisfied Abram, which proved that He who spoke was supernatural and Divine.

Now, it is worthy of remark that Abram is the first man to whom God is said to have shown himself or appeared to. He asks a question of God; basically, how would he know He will possess this land? God then answers him in the next three verses.

“So, He said to him, ‘Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, and a three-year-old female goat, and a three-year-old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.’ Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. The birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.” Genesis 15:9-11.

When God called Abram out of his homeland and everything familiar to him, He gave him covenants. A covenant is a type of promise or contract, essentially a binding agreement between two parties. Therefore, He said to Abram, ‘Bring Me a three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.’ Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. Some birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and he drove them away. In ancient Near Eastern royal land grant treaties, this type of ritual was done to “seal” the promises or covenants made.

Then look what happened.

“It came about when the sun had set, that it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between these pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates” Genesis 15:17-18.

What I find interesting is that there were two who were involved in the transaction, but only one, God, walked between the animal parts. This makes it clear this was a covenant God made with Abram. God was giving to Abram’s descendants the land promised to His people.

Now I want to go back to verse 6. Are we righteous of our own accord?

When Abram trusted and believed in God, specifically in God’s promise to him and his descendants leading to the Messiah, God credited/accounted this belief to Abram’s account as righteousness. There are essentially two types of righteousness.

  • Righteousness we accomplish by our own efforts,
  • Righteousness accounted to us by the work of God when we believe.

Since none of us can be good enough to accomplish perfect righteousness, we must have God’s righteousness accounted to us by doing just what Abram did, he believed in the LORD. And God’s accounting is not pretending. God does not account to us a pretended righteousness, but a real one in Jesus Christ. We see this in the Book of Romans.

“What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.” Romans 4:1-5.

As Christians, we must be careful not to fall into the error of believing our righteousness, along with our righteous acts, is enough. Remember what Isaiah said back in the day.

“Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down, That the mountains might quake at Your presence, As fire kindles the brushwood, as fire causes water to boil—To make Your name known to Your adversaries, That the nations may tremble at Your presence! When You did awesome things which we did not expect, You came down, the mountains quaked at Your presence. For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear, Nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who acts on behalf of the one who waits for Him. You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness, Who remembers You in Your ways. Behold, You were angry, for we sinned, We continued in them a long time; And shall we be saved? For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls on Your name, Who arouses himself to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us And have delivered us into the power of our iniquities. But now, O LORD, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, O LORD, Nor remember iniquity forever; Behold, look now, all of us are Your people. Your holy cities have become a wilderness, Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and beautiful house, Where our fathers praised You, Has been burned by fire; And all our precious things have become a ruin. Will You restrain Yourself at these things, O LORD? Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?” Isaiah 64:1-12.

Notice here what Isaiah says about our righteousness, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment. Basically, Isaiah is speaking here about “self-righteousness”. Though self-righteousness is condemned throughout the Bible, we are, in fact, commanded to do good works. Paul explains that we cannot do anything to save ourselves, for our salvation comes only as a result of God’s grace. However, good deeds are still what we are called for.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10.

Our salvation is not the result of any of our efforts, abilities, intelligent choices, personal characteristics, or acts of service. Our salvation comes from our faith in Christ Jesus. However, as believers, we are “created in Christ Jesus for good works”, to help and serve others. While there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation, God’s intention is that our salvation will result in acts of service. We are saved not merely for our own benefit but to serve Christ and build up the church. This reconciles the seeming conflict between faith and works. Our righteous acts do not produce salvation but are evidence of our salvation. In the end, we must recognize that even our righteous acts come as a result of God within us, not of ourselves. On our own, our “righteousness” is simply self-righteousness, which is nothing more than “filthy rags.”

William Funkhouser, MDiv, ThD, President and Founder of True Devotion Ministries.

Genesis 15:6

Verse of the Day: Genesis 15:6

“Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.” – Genesis 15:6

Abram was told by God not to be afraid for He would shield Him.  Moreover, Abram would be given a great reward.  However, Abram responded to God with by asking “What will you give me, for I am childless, and my heir will be Eliezer my servant.  (In nomadic tribes, if a man was childless, his heir was his chief servant).  Then we read in verse 4, “Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, ‘This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.’”  Then He tells Abram that if He could count the stars, that would be the number of his descendants.

What is amazing about this story is that Abram was somewhere between 75 and 85 years old, while Sara would have been between 65 and 75 years old, long after the age of childbearing.  However, as we see in our focus verse, Abram believed God, and because he believed, God declared Abram righteous.

There are two things we can glean from this.  First, God can do anything no matter how impossible it may look to be.  If God promises us something, it will come to pass.  There is no doubt.  So, you can look at the promises of God throughout the scriptures and know that they can and will be done.   And second, this is a beautiful picture of the gospel.  If we truly believe that Christ died, was buried and then rose again for us, then our salvation is sure.  Note Jesus’ words in John’s gospel, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16  Do you truly believe?  If so, then God has declared you righteous.  Rejoice!

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Romans 10:14

Verse of the Day Devotion: Romans 10:14

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” Romans 10:14 

Paul here in this verse is writing to the Church at Rome regarding the Jews and their inability to understand the message of salvation.  He declares in an earlier verse, “For I bear them witness that they (the Jews) have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” Romans 10:2-4.

The Jews, whose forefathers had received the law from God turned to the law as a basis of their salvation. But the prophet Joel states the following, “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls.” Joel 2:32. As noted in this verse, it is not the doing of the law but calling out to God.  Jesus said it like this, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16. But because the Jews held to the law due to the traditions of the leaders and elders, they could not accept Christ as the Messiah because He did not act as they thought the Messiah would.

There were many in the first century that did not believe that Jesus was the Son of God.  In fact, all the religious practices of that time believed their gods demanded a following of specific rules in order to be saved.  It was not just the Jews.  However, going back to the Jews, they believed the law was the path to their salvation.  So, what is our focus verse saying.  To all Christians it is saying the following.  First, that how can they call on Jesus if they do not believe?  Putting this another way as Albert Barnes so clearly stated, “How could they call on one in whose existence, ability, and willingness to help, they did not believe?”  Good question.  Then he goes further.  And how can they call on someone who they have never heard of.  There were many in that day who had never heard of Him.  And then lastly, how can they hear of Him if no one tells them?

Paul is calling Christians, then and now, to tell people of the saving knowledge of Jesus, showing that He was the long-awaited Messiah.   Quoting Isaiah, he says “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’” Isaiah 52:7. Isaiah is saying that God richly approves and is delighted in those who go out and declare the good news of the love of God and His great salvation.  In one of Jesus’ last words He says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20. He is calling all His disciples to go out and spread the good news.  We are the ones who, in our focus verse, are the preachers, the ones He has called to let everyone know who the true God and Savior is.  Some are called to go into nations and places far away, others to our neighbors, friends, co-workers and those whom we meet.  We must tell them, for if we do not, who will?

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Genesis 15:6

Verse of the Day Devotion. Genesis 15:6

“Then he believed in the LORD; and He credited it to him as righteousness.” – Genesis 15:6

After Abram rescued Lot from captivity, God gave a promise to Abram in a vision. “After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.” Genesis 15:1. There was a good reason for God to say this. Abram had just defeated a much larger army made up of a partnership of four kings. He had reason to be afraid, expecting an attack of retribution, but God promised him a great reward. And as we see in the next verse, he has a greater desire which he believes could not be fulfilled. “But Abram said, Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Genesis 15:2. To Abram, having a son to carry on the family line was more important than anything else. During that time, if there was not a son to carry on the line, it would fall upon the head servant of the house, who would then be the heir.

Then we read in verse 4, “Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.” Genesis 15:4. What is amazing is that Abram was somewhere between 70 and 80 years old, while Sara would have been between 60 and 70 years old, both long after the age of childbearing.  However, as we see in our focus verse, Abram believed God, and because he believed, God declared Abram righteous, and then shows him something else. “And He took him outside and said, now look toward the heavens and count the stars, if you are able to count them. And He said to him, so shall your descendants be.” Genesis 15:5. God told him that the number of stars was a picture of the number of his descendants; innumerable. We see this same idea in Hosea. “Yet the number of the sons of Israel will be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted” Hosea 1:10a.

In response to all these promises, we read in our focus verse. “Then he believed in the LORD; and He credited it to him as righteousness.” Genesis 15:6. Notice the wording ‘believed in the Lord’. The action of faith preceded the vocabulary of faith. In other words, by virtue of his earlier obedient response to a word from God, Abram was putting his faith in God. And this was the case even though he saw this impossible, because of his and his wife’s age, which was well beyond childbearing age. It was deemed an impossibility as far as Abram was concerned, but because God promised him many offspring, Abram believed and trusted God that He would bring it to pass.

There are two things we can glean from this.  First, God can do anything no matter how impossible it may seem to be.  If God promises us something, it will come to pass. There should be no doubt about this.  So, we can look at the promises of God throughout the scriptures and know that they will  come to pass.   And second, this is a beautiful picture of the gospel.  If we truly believe that Christ died, was buried, and then rose again for our salvation, and we accept it and live our lives as such, then our salvation is sure.  Note Jesus’ words in John’s gospel, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16  Do you truly believe, and does your belief reflect the light of Christ to others?  If so, then God has declared you righteous and His promises will be fulfilled for you. Let us all who truly believe rejoice!

 William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, President and Founder of True Devotion Ministries.

John 4:50

Verse of the Day Devotion:  John 4:50   

“Jesus said to him, go your way; your son lives. The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he started off.” – John 4:50

Over the next week we will be looking at seven miraculous signs performed by Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of John.  These signs show that Jesus was not just some ordinary man but was truly the Son of God.  The second sign which we will look at today is where He healed the son of a nobleman who was deathly ill.

In the beginning of the John chapter four, we find Jesus knew the pharisees were greatly irritated because Jesus was doing more than John the Baptist.  “When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were.)” John 3:1-2. Many of the Jewish leadership were upset with John the Baptist and what he had done, and to find out Jesus was making more disciples than John had, they we more displeased with what Jesus was doing. And probably because of this He decided to go to Galilee and chose to go through Samaria and it is at this time that He ministered to the Samaritan woman at the well.

After this event with the  Samaritan woman, Jesus arrives again in Cana, and there He meets a royal official of Rome, probably one connected by birth with Herod Antipas.  Herod was tetrarch of Galilee from 4 BC to 39 AD and not properly a ‘king’ at all; but he was popularly considered one. “And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.” Mark 6:14. This nobleman, finding out that Jesus was in Galilee, went to Him regarding his sick son asking for His help. “When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him, and was requesting Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death.” John 4:47. Both here and in verse forty-nine this official is requesting Jesus come down and heal his son.  It appears that he is approaching Jesus out of desperation, not concerned with who He was, but having heard that Jesus can perform miracles. 

Now Jesus responds in a somewhat confrontational fashion. “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.” John 4:48. And this was not just intended toward this man, but to the Galileans as a whole. The Samaritans had believed without any miracle. The Galileans, he said, were less disposed to believe him than even they were and though he had performed miracles enough to convince them, yet, unless they continually saw them, they would not believe. Then in the next verse, He asks Jesus again. “Sir, come down before my child dies.” John 4:49. Then Jesus tells Him, “Go your way; your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he started off.” John 4:50. This brings out an interesting thought. God may not do it how we want in answering our prayers, in this case having Him go home alone rather than Jesus going with him.  As Colin G. Kruze writes,   “It is also worth noticing that although Christ does not grant his desire, He gives him far more than he asked. For he receives the assurance that his son is even now well. So our heavenly Father often does not comply with our prayers in every detail but goes to work in an unexpected way to help us, so that we may learn not to dictate to Him in anything.”

The royal official, after hearing the words of Christ, headed back home.  And while heading home, he was met by some of his slaves. “And as he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living. So, he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. They said therefore to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So, the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives”; and he himself believed, and his whole household.” John 4:51-53.

This man’s son was healed. However, the story does not end there. John adds, so he and his whole household believed. His faith in the promise of Jesus concerning his son’s healing and seeing that faith rewarded led the official to greater belief in Jesus and resulted in his whole household coming to believe in him. And in those days, normally when the head of the house believed, the rest of the household followed. And I believe this was a reason Jesus performed this and other miracles, and this is a great example.  The fact that the royal official and his household believed and exercised true faith in Jesus I believe shows this may be what John, in including this information, wanted his readers to understood.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.