The Promise of God Giving the Land to Abraham's Descendants (Gen. 15:13-14, 15-16)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 07-07-2006

My Worship Time                             Focus:  Promise of the Land for his Descendants

Bible Reading & Meditation                        Reference:  Genesis 15:13-14, 16-17

            Message of the verse:  “13  God said to Abram, ‘Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years.  14 ‘But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions. 16 ‘Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.’

17  It came about when the sun had set, that it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between these pieces.”

           

            In these four verses God reaffirms a promise that He had given to Abraham at an earlier time, and that was that the promise land would be given to Abraham and to his descendants, and God gives more of the details in these verses.  In verse verses 13-14 God tells Abraham that his descendants will be strangers in a land, which is Egypt, for four hundred years and then God will judge them for making Israel their slaves.

           

            Verse sixteen is a very interesting verse in that in it God says that Israel will spend those four hundred years in Egypt because the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.  God has a plan and nothing will stop His plan.  It seems to me that when Israel went into Egypt they were just a family and when they came out of Egypt they were a nation and then God would use them to bring about his judgment on the nations in the land that would be given to Israel.  God’s patience is also seen in this verse, but his patience for the Amorites would run out in four hundred years, as the cup of His wrath for them would be filled and then judgment would follow.  One has to wonder how full God’s cup of wrath is for our country.

           

            Verse 17 records the event of God going through the pieces of the sacrifices as He had promised to do and thus the promise to Abraham was made unconditionally to Abraham from God.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I can praise the Lord that He is in control of all things, and that He is a patient God, and that He will take care of His children. 

The Word of God has been refreshing to me as I read and studied it this morning.

My Steps of Faith Today:  By faith believe that God is in control of the circumstances that my family is going through at this time.  Continue to trust God to give us all the grace to deal with these circumstances.