Peter Barnes: The Father of Faith, Genesis 12:1-3, 15:1-21 (29 March, 2020, pm)
Abraham’s background was paganism – Josh.24:2. Yet God calls him His friend (2 Chron. 20:7; Isa. 41:8; James 2:23) and he becomes the father of all believers (Rom. 4:11).
1. A promised land, a great nation, and worldwide blessing.
– 12:1-3; Heb.11:8. Abraham is Mr Nobody, but God says that one day all the nations of the earth would find blessing through him.
2. God’s reassurances to Abraham.
– 15:1-3. He has the wobbles. God takes Abram outside to look at the stars – 15:4-5. There will be a multitude in heaven – Rev.7:9.
– 15:6; justification by faith. Calvin preached four sermons on this verse.
– 15:7-8. Abram believes, but he wants assurance. God gives Abram a strange command – 15:9-11. The animals (the heifer, the goat and the ram) were cut in two, but the birds were not. Genesis 15:13-16 is a prophecy – ‘wait till the iniquity of the Amorite is complete’. For the ten Amorite or Canaanite people groups, see Lev.18:24-28.
3. God cuts a covenant with Abram.
– 15:17-21. See Jer.34:18-19. God is saying to Abram: ‘I have given you promises of descendants and land, and if I do not deliver on these promises, may I be cut up like this heifer, this goat and this ram.’ God’s Son in fact bore that covenantal curse of death in order to save His people.
4. From Abraham to Christ.
-Luke 1:68-73; John 8:56; Matt. 8:11; Gal. 3:29. A cut-up God, if I can put it like that, is the guarantee of salvation through faith in Christ.