Tell It Like It Is: Genesis 15:1-3

Righteous people are always concerned with the truthfulness of God’s word.  If we are righteous, we know God’s word to be true.  We know God’s promises can be trusted.  Our righteousness beckons us to be concerned with and believe God’s promises.

After the battle, God comes to Abram and tells him to fear not.  Many people think Abram fears retribution.  After all, if Abram won a battle because the troops of the four kings were tired from their earlier victory, why wouldn’t someone else be able to march into his territory and take him out now that his troops were tired?  This logic makes sense.

Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s any truth in that line of thinking.  Look deeply at Abram’s response.  Abram doesn’t respond to God’s call with a worrisome explanation about reprisal.  He doesn’t explain that he is afraid of being attacked in retribution.  It’s simply not on his mind.  Abram knows he did the job that was necessary and he did it properly.  There would be no return attack.

Instead, Abram asks God what He plans on giving him.  Abram has plenty of wealth.  He has a secure place to call home.  He has friends and allies.  He has plenty of servants and seems to be having a good lifestyle.  He has so much he gave away some of his wealth to Melchizedek and he refused to take on the wealth of Bera.  He doesn’t need any more of that kind of thing.

Abram even asks God what the point of more wealth would be.  He doesn’t have an heir.  If he were to die right now, his chief servant would inherit his wealth.  As Abram lay down after the battle, his mind is on the future, not the present.

There is more to consider than just this.  Notice Abram doesn’t mention Lot.  Lot is his own kin.  Lot could have been the heir.  Since Abram doesn’t mention him, it feels like Lot is out of the picture.  Lot made his choice to dwell among the world instead of dwelling with Abram.

Even worse, the whole reason Abram went out to battle was to rescue Lot.  Abram risked everything to bring Lot back to safety, and Lot still does not follow Abram.  In several chapters we’ll discover that Lot chose to return to Sodom.  Lot chose Sodom and the throes of civilization over Abram, his nomadic faith, and his relationship with God.  That doesn’t mean Lot has no relationship with God, it just means that Lot has walked away from being a part of God’s promise to Abram.

Abram is honest with God.  He speaks his mind.  He doesn’t put on a happy face.  He doesn’t stoically bury his concern deep within.  Abram tells God his concern about not having any offspring. 

This is truly an act of faith.  Abram might not say it, but he’s showing concern about God’s bigger promise of a redeemer.  Righteous people are always concerned with the truthfulness of God’s Word.