Abram honestly expresses his doubts

God speaks to Abram’s fears and doubts with a promise

After Abram’s victory over a coalition of four kings (Genesis 14:13–16), there was a reason for concern. Spiritual or Military combat victory invites counterattacks, and Abram’s forces were significantly smaller compared to the armies he had just defeated. In that moment of potential anxiety, God appeared to him in a vision and spoke directly to his fear.

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward (Genesis 15:1).

In Addition, God reassured him that He was his reward, after he denied a reward from the king of Sodom [Genesis 14:21-24]. This shows us how privileged we are, that God Himself is our reward.

 

A shield represents protection in battle. God assured Abram that he did not need to fear retaliation or any enemy, because God Himself would stand as his divine protector.

But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head (Psalm 3:3).

In the previous chapter (Genesis 14:21–24), Abram refused material rewards from the king of Sodom, showing his faith that his prosperity and honor would come from God alone. God then confirmed that Abram had not lost out by denying earthly wealth; instead, God Himself was Abram’s reward. This illustrates that the greatest blessing for a believer is not possessions or worldly gain, but God’s presence, favor, and covenant relationship.

 

Abram honestly expresses his doubts

Even though Abram was blessed with protection from enemies, wealth, influence. His heart longed for a son. In the Jewish culture, having a child was not only a matter of personal joy but also tied to identity, inheritance, and the fulfillment of God’s promise to make Abram a great nation [Genesis 12:2]. So, when Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless?” He was acknowledging that all the material blessings and victories were incomplete without the promised heir.

But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir! (Genesis 15:2, 3).

 His words reveal two key truths: Human desire meets divine promise, believers can recognize blessings and boldly bring before God the deepest unmet desires of their hearts. Additionally, Abram’s prayer is not polished or ceremonial, it is raw, personal, and honest. He doesn’t pretend to be content when he is not. He lays bare his frustration, even to the point of questioning. Instead of hiding his struggle, he voices it directly to God. This honesty is a wonderful example of real prayer. God desires truth in our innermost being [Psalm 51:6].

 

God speaks to Abram’s doubts with a promise

Even when we know God’s promises, we need reminders and reassurance, especially when circumstances seem to contradict the promises. Abram had already received the promise of descendants [Genesis 12:2; 13:15–16], but years had passed, and he remained childless. In his weariness and longing, he began to wonder if perhaps Eliezer of Damascus, his servant, would be the heir.

And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir (Genesis 15:4).

At that moment, God renewed His promise, making it more plain that Eliezer would not be his heir but one who would come from your own body [Genesis 15:4]. The reminder removed the misunderstanding, as Abram might have thought God meant a spiritual heir or an adopted one. But God specified that the promise was literal and biological: Abram’s own son would inherit, not his servant. Additionally, God gave more detail than before, sharpening Abram’s understanding. This showed that God’s promises are not vague, and when doubts arise, He is gracious to provide clarity.

 

Though God confirmed this promise, its fulfillment was delayed another 15 years. This waiting period tested Abram’s patience and faith. It teaches us that while God’s promises are certain, their timing is His, and waiting is often part of His plan to mature our trust in Him. Yahweh keeps his promises because he is a covenant keeping God. Yahweh promised to bless his descendants through Isaac. God promised Abram to bless him with a son 5 times in a span of 25 years. Sure enough, God was faithful.

And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises (Hebrews 6:11-12).

What unsettles human beings the most is time. We live within time, and measure progress by it. When promises seem delayed, our natural tendency is to doubt, grow weary, or even assume God has forgotten us. That is why the writer of Hebrews urges believers not to become sluggish or discouraged, but to show diligence, faith, and patience until the end. For Abram, the promise of a son did not come immediately. From the time God first spoke [Genesis 12:2] to the birth of Isaac was about 25 years. To Abram, that must have felt like an eternity. But from God’s perspective, the delay was part of shaping his faith, preparing him for the weight of the covenant, and ensuring that when the promise was fulfilled, it was clearly a work of God, not human effort.

 

God promised Abram (later Abraham) a son multiple times throughout his life, and the fulfillment of these promises took several years. Here’s a breakdown of the promises and the years before Isaac's birth:

1. First Promise (Genesis 12:2-3): God promises Abram that He will make him a great nation, but there is no direct mention of a son. This is the first indication that Abram would have descendants.

2. Second Promise (Genesis 13:14-17): After Abram and Lot separate, God promises Abram that his descendants would inherit the land and that they would be as numerous as the dust of the earth. Still, the promise doesn't specify a son yet.

 

3. Third Promise (Genesis 15:1-6)

   In this instance, God directly promises Abram a son. Abram expresses concern about not having a child, and God reassures him that his heir will be his own biological son, not Eliezer of Damascus (his servant). God also tells Abram that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars. 

   - At this point, Abram is around 75 years old (Genesis 12:4).

4. Fourth Promise (Genesis 17:1-8) 

   When Abram is 99 years old, God appears to him again and makes a covenant with him. God changes Abram’s name to Abraham and promises him that he will be the father of many nations. He also reiterates that Sarah (Abram's wife) will bear him a son. 

   - At this time, Abram is 99 years old, and the promise of a son is reaffirmed.

5. Fifth Promise (Genesis 18:9-15) 

   Three visitors (angels) come to Abraham and Sarah, and one of them repeats the promise that Sarah will bear a son within the next year. Sarah laughs at this idea because of her old age, but God affirms that nothing is too difficult for Him.

Isaac's Birth: 

Isaac is born when Abraham is 100 years old and Sarah is 90 (Genesis 21:1-3), about **25 years** after the initial promise (Genesis 12:2-3) and approximately **14 years** after the fourth promise (Genesis 17:1-8).

- Number of promises: At least five times (though some of the promises are reiterated multiple times).

- Years before Isaac’s birth: Approximately 25 years after God first promised Abram a son.

Abram’s response of faith to God’s promise

 

Abram’s response of faith to God’s promise

Abram started by believing, hence God accounted him righteous.

And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6).

The first task for our salvation is believing in God, then other things follow.

 

There are 4 types of righteousness, two of them are erroneous while two are complementary.

Performative righteousness and comparative righteousness is what the Pharisees practiced. If the two would work, then Abram would not be justified till he was circumcised [Romans 4:9-10].

 

Performative righteousness: - This is what the Pharisees practiced. Pelagians believe that by nature people can do good works that God looks upon with favor

Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in heaven (Matthew 6:1).

It denies we are by nature sinners (depraved); second it makes our good works apart from grace meritorious before God. But the Bible denies both

The Pharisees were content with outward acts of piety but paid little attention to the state of their hearts (Matthew 23:25–26). Righteousness greater than that of the Pharisees, therefore, does not ignore externals. It is one that also cares about the disposition of the heart.

 

Comparative righteousness: the human tendency to evaluate one's own moral and ethical standing by comparing oneself to others.

But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away [Isaiah 64:6].

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men— extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess (Luke 18:11-12).

 

Infused righteousness: Infused righteousness should always precede practical righteousness. After justification, there is our part to press on with sanctification. Infused righteousness means that God imparts grace to a person so that this person can do good works. Faith always produces love. So works follow, but they are not the basis of justification nor the mark of assurance. That's the Gospel of the Reformation. Christ alone for us alone to save us alone by faith alone.

 Practical righteousness

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you (Matthew 6:33).

 

20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20).

This is a righteousness that has met all of God’s demands in the law. This is the righteousness that is imputed to us in our justification (2 Cor. 5:21). When we believe in Christ, His perfect obedience is put on our record, and God declares us righteous in His heavenly courtroom. We do not contribute anything to this righteousness.

 

But Jesus may be talking about what we can call a “practical righteousness.” This kind of righteousness is the general conformity to God’s law that we work out in our sanctification. We can be called righteous in the sense that we seek to love God, obey Him, and repent when we fall short. This kind of righteousness is not enough to get us into heaven, but it is the evidence of saving faith in the One who has merited heaven for us, Christ Jesus [James 2:14–26].

 

Abram’s doubts surface again

Abram’s journey of faith is human and relatable. After God reaffirmed His promise of a son, He also promised Abram the land [Genesis 15:7]. But Abram, still struggling with the gap between the promises and the reality. So Abram asked God how he would know that he would inherit the land [Genesis 15:8]. Faith does not eliminate questions. Faith is trust in God despite our questions. Abram trusted, but he also wanted reassurance. Instead God rebuking Abram, God responded with the covenant ceremony [Genesis 15:9–21]. This was God’s way of saying: “I will bind Myself by covenant.”

And he said, “Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it? (Genesis 15:8).

Abram had all the reasons to doubt because, beyond the promise, he had nothing else to show for it.

 

Abram prepares to make a covenant with God

In those days, covenants were made by the sacrificial cutting of animals, with the split carcasses of the animals lying on the ground. The covenant was made when parties to the agreement walked through the animal parts together, repeating the terms of the covenant.

God not only promised Abram the inheritance and about his future generations. Though for their sins, they would suffer in Egypt for 400 years.

On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates (Genesis 15:18).