Fly in the Ointment. Genesis 15:1-6

May the mumbling commence!

Abram and Sarai were walking faithfully with the Lord.  Things were good.  But still there was a fly in the ointment.  Read from Peterson’s The Message:

            After all these things, this word of God came to Abram in a vision: “Don’t be afraid, Abram.  I’m your shield.  Your reward will be grand!”

            Abram said, “God, Master, what use are your gifts as long as I’m childless and Eliezer of Damascus is going to inherit everything?”  Abram continued, “See, you’ve given me no children, and now mere house servant is going to get it all.”

            Then God’s Message came: “Don’t worry, he won’t be your heir; a son from your own body will be your heir.”

            Then he took him outside and said, “Look at the sky.  Count the stars.  Can you do it?  Count your descendants!  You’re going to have a big family, Abram!”

            And he believed!  Believed God!  God declared him “Set-Right-with-God.”  (Genesis 15:1-6)

Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:

"Do not be afraid, Abram.

I am your shield,

your very great reward." 

But Abram said, "O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?"  And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir." 

Then the word of the Lord came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir."  He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars – if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 

Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.  (Genesis 15:1-6)

God had promised Abram descendants without number.  But Abram and Sarai had yet to have their first child.  Who would be their heir?  That question niggled at the back of Abram’s mind… and it was beginning to affect his heart as well.  Abram thought highly of one of his servants, Eliezer.  Maybe he would be the one.

I like how Peterson starts off each Message from the Lord (although I wonder why he translated the two times in this passage differently).  Don’t be afraid.  Don’t worry.  God was underscoring his promise to Abram.

God knew that the faith of Abram was faltering.  So God renewed his promise to Abram.

And Abram believed.  I like the way that Peterson underscores that belief.  It was a belief that had to basis in concrete fact.  We live in a culture of science.  Without concrete facts, something cannot be believed.

With God, this is not so.  Our stubborn belief that God will do what he promises sets us right with God.  Thank you, Peterson.  That has a depth of meaning to me that transcends the broken “religious” word of righteousness.

But it is important to think about the heirs of our belief and the promises of God.  I don’t like the way Peterson deemphasizes that.  The repetition of the thought of inheritance and heir in the NIV is important.  In the sparse language of Hebrew, when a concept is returned to again and again, that means it’s important… essential NOT to forget.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out