David Bahn – Reflections

Genesis 15:1-6

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:

2 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

The word which we translate “righteousness” is a word rich in meaning. “Tsadiq” or “tsadaq” depending on what reference you use, means right, just, to be righteous, justified, or declared righteous. The idea of being declared righteous by faith is not merely a New Testament idea. We see it here in the account of Abram. God has made the promise to him prior to this time, and Abram has now grown weary of ever seeing it come to pass. God, however, takes the opportunity to renew the promise (first given in Genesis 12) and promises, also that he – God himself – would be his shield and then promises that Abram’s offspring would be as many as the stars Abram could count in the night sky. 

For some reason Abram believed the Lord. The Holy Spirit moved him to put himself under the promise and word that God had spoken and align himself with that promise from his heart. In that moment he was in a right relationship with God: believing God’s promise and living toward that promised future. 

Faith is much more than grasping facts. Abram knew that God had promised him a son. Faith embraces the truth of God’s word and looks at all of life through the word and promise of God.

What word and promise of God do you need to embrace today? How might you – by the Holy Spirit’s power – believe God’s promise, trust his word, and enjoy the favor of God’s declaration? You are in a right relationship with God and declared to be so by his Word for Jesus’ sake whose perfect faith and trust in God is our righteousness.