Genesis 15

GOD’S FULLER REVELATION TO ABRAM, Genesis 15:1-21.

The narrative of this chapter is remarkable for its visional symbolism and far-reaching lessons of divine revelation. Here, for the first time, occurs that profound expression, “the Word of Jehovah,” significant of the self-revealing of God through Him who “was in the beginning with God.” John 1:2. This “Word” is the more impressive here as coming to Abram in “a vision . ” Possibly Abram lay down to sleep under the open sky, heavy and despondent over the uncertainty of the divine promises touching his seed . In his dreams the Lord speaks loudly to him, and impresses the spoken word by a soul-stirring vision of his power . Comp . Numbers 12:6. He arouses from his sleep with the profound spell of the vision still upon him and gives utterance to the words of Genesis 15:2-3. Then “behold,” (Genesis 15:4,) the WORD again speaks, and pledges him an heir, and under the power and leading of this Word, he cannot sleep, but rises and walks abroad under the night sky; and again the WORD tells him to look on high and number the stars, if he would know the number of his posterity. Genesis 15:5. The fulness and force of the revelation dispel all doubt, and he passes from the gloomy state of dubious “fear” (Genesis 15:1) to the righteousness of faith. Genesis 15:6. All the rest of the night he seems to have communed with God, and with the break of the morning asked to have his faith deepened and intensified into knowledge, (Genesis 15:8,) and in answer to that yearning, the covenant, by means of five representative sacrificial offerings, (Genesis 15:9,) is visibly established between Jehovah and Abram. Genesis 15:10-18. Here we note the symbolism of cutting a covenant. All day long the “Friend of God” is busy in preparing the victims, and keeping off the birds of prey, (Genesis 15:11,) and the shadows of another evening begin to gather round him, when he falls into a deep, prophetic, trance-sleep, (Genesis 15:12,) in which his soul is made to feel the terror of some of the dark aspects of his vision. Along with that sense of horror comes the verbal prediction of Israel’s bondage and exodus, together with the doctrine that God is the great ruler and judge of nations. Genesis 15:13-16. The whole vision closes with the movement of smoke and fire symbols of God’s presence between the pieces, (Genesis 15:17,) thus sealing the covenant, and giving Abram to “know of a surety” (comp. Genesis 15:8; Genesis 15:13) the promise of his great inheritance, and ten Canaanitish nations are mentioned as types of world-powers to be destroyed before the ultimate triumph of the chosen seed.