05: The Call of Abraham - Making a Covenant

The Present Truth : June 28, 1896

The fifteenth chapter of Genesis contains the first account of the covenant made with Abraham. “The word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not Abram; I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.”

Notice the statement that God said that He Himself was Abraham’s reward. If we are Christ’s, then we are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Heirs of what? —“Heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.” Romans 8.17. The same inheritance is mentioned by the Psalmist: “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance.” So here again we have a link to connect all God’s people with Abraham. Their hope is nothing else but the promise of God to him.

The promise, which God had made to Abraham, was not to him only, but to his seed as well. Therefore Abraham said to the Lord, “What wilt Thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house (or, “he that shall be possessor of mine house”) is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abraham said, Behold, to me Thou hast given no seed; and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.” Abraham did not know the plan of the Lord. He knew the promise, and believed it but as he was old, and had no child, he supposed that the seed promised to him must come through his trusted servant. But that was not God’s plan. Abraham was not to be the progenitor of a race of servants, but of free men.

“And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them; and He said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness.”  Genesis 15.4-6

“And he believed in the Lord.”  The root of the verb rendered believed, is the word “Amen.” Its idea is that of firmness, a foundation. When God spoke the promise, Abraham said “Amen,” or, in other words, he built upon God, taking His word as a sure foundation. Compare this with Matthew 7.24, 25