GOD'S COVENANT WITH ABRAM, Sarah Barry
FAITH CREDITED AS RIGHTEOUSNESS
Passage: Genesis 15:1~6  
Key verse: 6
The Lord’s Covenant With Abram
15 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram(A) in a vision:(B)
2 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord,(F) what can you give me since I remain childless(G) and the one who will inherit[c] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?(H)” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant(I) in my household(J) 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.(K)” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars(L)—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[d] be.”(M)
6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.(N)
Footnotes
- Genesis 15:1 Or sovereign
- Genesis 15:1 Or shield; / your reward will be very great
- Genesis 15:2 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Genesis 15:5 Or seed
Cross references
- Genesis 15:1 : 1Sa 15:10; 2Sa 7:4; 1Ki 6:11; 12:22; Jer 1:13; Eze 3:16; Da 10:1
- Genesis 15:1 : Ge 46:2; Nu 12:6; 24:4; Ru 1:20; Job 33:15
- Genesis 15:1 : Ge 21:17; 26:24; 46:3; Ex 14:13; 20:20; 2Ki 6:16; 2Ch 20:15, 17; Ps 27:1; Isa 7:4; 41:10, 13-14; 43:1, 5; Jer 1:8; Hag 2:5
- Genesis 15:1 : Dt 33:29; 2Sa 22:3, 31; Ps 3:3; 5:12; 18:2; 28:7; 33:20; 84:11; 119:114; 144:2; Pr 2:7; 30:5
- Genesis 15:1 : Ps 18:20; 37:25; 58:11; Isa 3:10
- Genesis 15:2 : ver 8; Isa 49:22; Jer 44:26; Eze 5:11; 16:48
- Genesis 15:2 : Ac 7:5
- Genesis 15:2 : S Ge 14:15
- Genesis 15:3 : Ge 24:2, 34
- Genesis 15:3 : S Ge 12:5
- Genesis 15:4 : Gal 4:28
- Genesis 15:5 : Job 11:8; 35:5; Ps 8:3; 147:4; Jer 33:22
- Genesis 15:5 : S Ge 12:2; S Jer 30:19; Ro 4:18*; Heb 11:12
- Genesis 15:6 : Ps 106:31; Ro 4:3*, 20-24*; Gal 3:6*; Jas 2:23*
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. I am your very great reward (1)
After his great victory and his clear decision to reject political power and wealth, Abram went home and thought about his own situation. Lot had returned to Sodom. Fear and a sense of loss crept into Abram's heart. At this time, God's word came to him in a vision. God himself was Abram's shield--his sure protector. God himself was Abram's everlasting portion and great reward.
2. So shall your offspring be (2-6)
Then Abram laid before the Lord his real problem--he had no heir. What good were great possessions to him if he had no son to inherit them? So God took him out of his small, dark tent, and told him to look up and count the myriads of stars which the Creator God had hung in the heavens. This Almighty God promised to give him a son from his own body, and descendants as numerous as the stars. Abram believed God. Heavenly sunlight shone into his dark heart. God forgave his fear and doubt, and his relationship with God was made right.
Prayer: Lord, you are my shield and great reward.
One Word: Faith credited as righteousness