(1) Gen 15 - I wonder if I'm losing my "modern vision". Abram has just recovered his nephew Lot from "the four kings" (e.g. Kedorlaomer of Elam, Tidal of Goiim, Amraphel of Shinar & Arioch of Ellasar) who've routed the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim & Bela (Cities of the Plain?); Abram has tithed to Melchizedek king of Salem & renounced the king of Sodom when God says to Abram in a vision:
"Do not be afraid, Abram.If Abram had been a modern I suppose he would have been expecting material wealth, riches, or perhaps power; land and dominion.
I am your shield,
your very great reward."
I use to think Abram was "talking back" at Yahweh when he responds:
"O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless...? You have given me no children..."Before proceeding to Yahweh's words, I'm stuck on the significance that Abram sees his "shield" & "reward" as children.
(2)"Look up at the heavens and count the stars - if indeed you can count them - So shall your offspring be." (vs 15:5): Note how Yahweh uses the stars, the heavens, here. If there is any anthropomorphism whatsoever going on then whenever Abram should look to the heavens he might be reminded of God's promise to him to be his shield & reward or he sees in the evening lights future generations of godly offspring; even the Church.
And if Abram's belief, in accepting Yahweh's assurance, is "credited to him as righteousness" (15:6) then could the stars (many, if not most, can still be viewed on any clear night) possibly be for us a display of the fruit of righteousness; of a kind of faith? Just a thought - not wanting to diminish the thrust of Psalm 8.
(4) "a thick & dreadful darkness came over (Abram)" (15:12) - there's the term "dreadful" which I think C. S. Lewis addresses in his discussion on the numinous in his book The Problem of Pain. I think the same Hebrew word is used by Jacob when he wakes up from his vision of the stairs leading to heaven and utters "how dreadful is this place" (some translations replace "dreadful" with "awesome") (see Gen 28:17)
(5) 2010 - After Abram has asked, "What can you give me since I remain childless...?", he asks again, "O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?". The LORD directs Abram to bring Him sacrifices: a heifer, a goat and a ram each 3 yrs old along with a dove & a young pigeon. After Abram offers the sacrifices, the "thick & dreadful darkness came over him".
Then the LORD said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved & mistreated 400 years".
Imagine asking God for reassurance of His promise(s) and getting a dream in which God tells you something like "Your grandchildren & their grandchildren & their...for 400 years your descendants will be slaves; beaten & starved & ..."
Abram is designated the Father of those who have faith. Heb 11:10 reads, "For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God." And Abram lived in tents (as did Isaac & Jacob-"heirs of the same promise").
Matthew 5:27-18
(1) "oaths...let your 'yes' be 'yes'" (5:33-36) - Here (after the Sermon on the Mount) Jesus warns of breaking oaths but points out that oaths aren't necessary if we simply say what we mean & mean what we say... "anything beyond this comes from the evil one". I still got "talked to" for admonishing a group of singles to heed this warning & apply themselves similarly to their dating practices...especially the young men.
Psalm 6:1-10
Proverbs 1:29-33
Years Read
2015, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
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