“After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: ‘Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’ But Abram said, ‘O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ And Abram said, ‘Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.’ And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: ‘This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.’ And he brought him outside and said, ‘Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness" (Genesis 15:1-6, ESV).
Winners in Olympic games were awarded not only with medals. Their countries gave them also cash rewards. For example, for a gold medalist Singapore would give $738,000, Thailand $287,000, Japan $45,000 and US just $37,000.
Our government gave 10 million pesos or about $200,000. However, our gold medalist in the Philippines last Olympic was rewarded with the total amount of 33 million pesos, as other agencies and persons also gave something.
Speaking of reward, Jesus told his followers, “Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven…” (Luke 6:23.)
Does it mean we could not expect a reward from God here on earth?
Today, we will explore our topic…NO GREATER REWARD, as we focus on our text (Gen. 15:1-6).
As we proceed, we will realize that even during our time here on earth, we can already expect a reward from the Great Rewarder. So, what kind of reward can He give now?
In the previous chapter (chapter 14), we read the first war recorded in the Scripture. Four kings invaded Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot, the nephew of Abraham, was among the captives.
We learned that Abraham had an active concern for his nephew. Not only he was troubled by what happened to him, he did something to help.
There was also acknowledgement of God on the part of Abraham. Not only he regarded that God was All-Powerful, but also the One who enabled him to defeat his enemies and save Lot. Also, the Owner of all things. So, he gave to the priest at that time the tenth part of what he recovered.
And finally, Abraham displayed his self-abasement. He refrained to accept the material possessions offered by the king of Sodom. As Abraham realized the great significance of God, he felt his insignificance.
Now, in our text, we read that the word of God came to Abraham. And what did God say? He pronounced a reward to Abraham. Like him, who was been elected by God, we could have the same reward. We could enjoy that reward not only in the age to come, but even during our time.
So, what do you think is the kind of reward that the Sovereign God can give you now?
I – GOD CAN REWARD YOU WITH CONFIDENCE (v. 1).
We read verse 1, “After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: ‘Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’”
“After these things…” After God called Abraham to leave his country and promised to bless him. After he reached the promised land and went to Egypt and returned again to the place promised to him. After Lot separated from him and dwelt in Sodom. After the four kings invaded Sodom and Gomorrah, and Abraham saved Lot from captivity. After he turned down the material reward offered by the King of Sodom… After these things, Abraham again heard the voice of God “in a vision.”
He told Abraham, “Fear not…”
Abraham could fear that the four kings would retaliate against him. He could fear that any group from his place could attack him. He could fear that he was getting older and he had no offspring. He could fear that his riches would not go to his own child.
And the Sovereign God told him, “I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” God did not remove his fear or built his confidence by giving him many battalions of army. He Himself the Most High God, the Sovereign One declared that He was his Shield – His Protection. And Abraham was assured that he would have great reward. However, in the NIV, it was translated: “… I am your shield, your very great reward.” In other words, this Sovereign Shield – God – is the “very great reward” of Abraham.
Abraham would not have to fear. His confidence was not just rewarded to him. His confidence was in the Reward – God Himself.
In the 1st chapter of 1 Samuel, there was a man named Elkanah. He had two wives: Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. However, when Elkanah would give something to Peninnah and his children, he would give double portion to Hannah, because he loved her.
Peninnah would always bully Hannah. We read in verses 7-8, “So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat.
And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, ‘Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?’"
The words of Elkanah were very meaningful to me, “Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
When my thought would drift to be longing for something, I would try to ascribe those words to God, “Am I not more to you than…?”
In his fear, Abraham could also hear God saying, “Am I not more to you than ten battalions of army to protect you? Am I not more to you than to be rewarded with ten sons?”
Believers or lovers of Christ, what do you fear?
Do you fear the future? To commit mistakes? Just to volunteer – especially in the church?
Or, should we be like the Marvel comics character defined as “man without fear” (the Daredevil)?
God’s Word tells us to have fear. We read in Psalm 33:8, “Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!”
But as we fear God, we could have freedom from other fears, as He rewarded us with confidence. It’s not the confidence in our ourselves. It’s not the confidence in the goodness of the situation, or other persons. It’s confidence in what God declares. He is our Shield. He is our Great Reward.
God’s Word may not come to us in a vision. Now, it comes to us in His written Word. Let us not just read it. Read it from end to end. And deposit a big amount of it in our memory bank.
So, when we experience fear, God could remind us: “Fear not. I am your Shield. I am your Great Reward. And I could give many rewards.”
What else is the kind of reward the Sovereign God can give?
II – GOD CAN REWARD YOU WITH THE BEST (vv. 2-4).
We read verses 2-4, “But Abram said, ‘O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ And Abram said, ‘Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.’ And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: ‘This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.’”
Eliezer was a trusted servant of Abraham. It was a practice in those days for couples without children to adopt a servant as an heir. And Abraham was willing and ready to adopt that practice. It was okey for him that his servant would be his heir.
But God wanted to reward him with the best. He said, “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.”
While Abraham could only perceive his limitation, God in His Sovereignty could bring about what is best for Abraham. He could enable Abraham to have his own son. God is able to reward him with the best.
The tendency of the many is to settle for the least. And so, if they want to have or to do something, just to have it or just to accomplish it, it’s already okey for them. They measure it just according to their own human perspective.
For example, one would like to build a fence around his property. He decided to have a concrete fence. In building it, however, instead of using iron bars to strengthen the hollow blocks, it’s acceptable for him to use pieces of split-bamboo.
So, after it is done, his property is fortified by concrete wall strengthened by bamboos!
Believers and lovers of Christ, do we have that kind of tendency?
Abraham had that kind of tendency. It’s part of our damaged human nature. But our Holy and Perfect God does not have that kind of tendency. Realize that no one is really good, but God alone.
What is good in our human eyes is far below than His Heavenly standard. Whatever He gives or rewards is really good and even best.
He gave to us His only Son. By living on this earth, suffering and dying for us. He did not just pay for all our sins. He clothed us with His own perfect righteousness.
What happened to His Son was the worst thing that could happen to an innocent human being, if we try to view it through the lens of our human understanding.
But what is good in our human eyes is far below, far different than God’s Heavenly definition.
And He wants that we should not be satisfied with just the kind of goodness, according to our own eyes. It should not be measured just by convenience or comfort, or what is pleasing in our human eyes.
Because of Christ, our damaged human nature is restored. Paul told the Corinthians, “… if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17).
As new creation, we are able now to desire and perform not only what is good in our own eyes. We are able to desire and perform what is also best, what is good or perfect in God’s eyes.
Jesus said, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48).
We are commanded to be perfect. We cannot achieve that in our lifetime. But we can always aim for perfection. We can pray, plan, perform the best that we able.
Also never forget that our Heavenly Father is Perfect. Even now He can reward us with the best.
What else can the Sovereign God reward you?
III – GOD CAN REWARD YOU WITH HOLINESS (vv. 5-6).
We read verses 5-6, “And he brought him outside and said, ‘Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness."
One of the significant verses in Genesis or in the entire Bible is verse 6, “And he (Abraham) believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness” or God declared Abraham as justified or He made Abraham holy.
There were instances before that God told explicitly or implicitly Abraham that he would have offspring (Gen. 12:2, 7 and 13:16). Yet, we could not read that Abraham confessed his belief. Only in verse 6, of chapter 15 that he believed. And because of his belief, what did God do?
In the NIV, it is translated: “…he credited it to him as righteousness.” In other several translations, as in ASV: God “reckoned…” or regarded, considered “…it to him as righteousness.”
When Abraham obeyed to leave his country, when he reached the promised land, left it and returned to it, God did not consider his actions as righteous. When he built an altar, defeated his enemies, saved Lot and offered tithe, God did not declare him righteous.
Only when he really believed what God said that he became acceptable to Him. He imputed His righteousness to him. He was finally rewarded with holiness.
In John 1:12, we read: “But to all who did receive him (Jesus), who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…”
In James 2:23, we also read: “…and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness’ -- and he was called a friend of God.”
When we believed in God or in Jesus, He gave us the right to become His children – holy or righteous, obedient; not anymore enemies, but friends.
Now, Paul told the Christians in Rome, “That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring – not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all” (Rom. 4:16).
Anyone in our time, “who shares the faith of Abraham” shares also the righteousness or holiness that God rewarded to Abraham.
Believers and lovers of Christ, do we share the faith or do we have the same kind of faith of Abraham?
Perhaps, we believed God and left something, just like what Abraham did when he left his country and hoped for God’s blessing. Perhaps, we believed God that He granted us success in our endeavor, as Abraham won over the four kings. Perhaps, we believed God that He is the Owner of all things, so we give our tithe, like what Abraham did when He gave the priest the tenth part of all of what he recovered from the four kings.
And we could have believed God that we are here every Sunday, as Abraham built an altar to God in order to worship, or just to honor God.
We could believe and accept that God is the Most High God, the Ruler and Owner of all things. We could believe and accept that Jesus is the Most Holy One. We could believe and accept Him. But does He accept us? Is our worship, our tithe, or whatever “obedience” we do acceptable to Him?
Is our belief like that of Abraham, when God imputed His righteousness to him? Is our faith God-given, by grace, that we are declared justified and made acceptable to Him?
Paul wrote the Corinthians, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? -- unless indeed you fail to meet the test! (2 Cor. 13:5).
If you are not sure if your faith is God-given, before you pray for anything, petition God to grant you the belief wherein you could experience the great joy of loving Jesus more than anything else, wherein you could rejoice because you are accepted by the Holy God, for you are rewarded with holiness.
CONCLUSION:
As we close, why would God reward us, especially with holiness?
Why would He reward Abraham with material blessings? Why would God give His very Self to Abraham as the Reward? Did any action of Abraham merit a reward?
Before we are made acceptable, justified or righteous or holy by God, our every righteous deed is filthy as rags in His Holy sight. Whatever that comes out from the unholy, even the so-called faith, falls short in the Glory of God.
So, we really need the faith that comes from God. Genuine belief ought to be granted by the Holy God.
If ever we received a reward now, the reward itself is just a blessing from God. Or, it’s a reward through the sacrificial work of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
We cannot boast about our good performance. What we can do is to praise God for His grace. We deserve to suffer His wrath. Yet, He blessed us with no greater than Himself, who could reward us with confidence, who could reward us with the best, and who could reward us with holiness.
