In verse 1 God says he'll be a shield for Abram. He will be Abram's shield and his reward will be very great. Abram has just been using shields. So the image is timely. God uses the everyday things to speak to us if we would listen. We hear it, often we do not stop to listen.
My commentator says the reward God gives that is very great is himself. But Abram's mind immediately goes to his lack of an heir, a son. To him at that moment the most important thing is that Sarai has not born him a son. God is not the most important thing.
God has already promised him descendants, many of them. But God wants Abram to see He is the most important thing, or person. The best gift is not the son, but God himself, the fact that he has a real relationship with the living God. The child is secondary.
How much do we get caught up in earthly desires and things we think we absolutely need, cannot live without. They become momentarily more important than our relationship with God.
God is gently teaching Abram here.
Vs. 5, Abram believed and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. That is simply grace right? That is how our belief in Jesus is reckoned. It is a gracious thing.
Vs. 13. God has plans for Abram, but it has to time out. God is absolutely just. He judges righteously all the peoples. They are important to him too.
The Amorites were sinful but God was forebearing. He waited until they were even more sinful before he finally judged them. Ours is a pretty sinful generation. But the iniquity of the Americans is not complete (vs. 16). It will happen though, it will happen if we do not repent. I pray for that repentance for our nation, for our world. If we do not repent we will be judged as the Amorites were, as the Israelites later were. It seems inevitable but I believe it is not actually.
Vs 8 Abram asks how he can be sure? God responds by using an image common at that time between equals to make a treaty. Both pass through between the animals cut in half. The animals imply what will happen to anyone who breaks the treaty.
But God passes through on his own, perhaps the heat cooks the meat as he passes through. God makes this pact on his own. He swears his loyalty in a way that Abram understands. Abram sleeps through it all. He is a passive participant.
God uses contemporary images to renew his covenant with Abram. He strengthens the relationship. Abram believes.
God goes out of his way to speak to Abram and work to strengthen their relationship. I believe he does the same thing for us. We only have to listen and believe.
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