What promise in Genesis 15 ties Abraham to us?
Genesis 15:5 contains the promise that ties Abraham to us. Unlike the earlier dust promise, God gives this promise directly and face to face, bringing Abraham forth to receive it. This distinct promise connects Abraham's covenant experience to us today.
Les explains that in Genesis 13, God promised Abraham descendants as the dust of the earth, but in Genesis 15:5, God does something totally different. He gives Abraham a promise that ties him to us. Les suggests God dealt with Abraham face to face, even taking on human form, as seen when He called him out of Ur (Acts 7, optomai). This direct encounter underscores the unique nature of the promise in Genesis 15:5, which connects Abraham's covenant to us.
And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
What did Les mean when he said God 'brought him forth' to Abraham in Genesis 15:5?
In Genesis 15:5, the phrase describes a direct, face-to-face encounter between God and Abraham, not merely an inward impression. God came down and took on human form, dealing with Abraham eyeball to eyeball. This visible appearing also occurred at Abraham’s calling out of Ur and is evident again in Genesis 18.
Why is the promise in Genesis 15 different from the earlier covenant promise to Abraham?
The earlier covenant promise in Genesis 12–13 emphasized numerous physical descendants—Abraham's seed as the dust of the earth through Isaac and Jacob, forming the nation of Israel. In Genesis 15, God does something totally different: He gives Abraham a promise that ties him to us, a distinct promise beyond the earlier national focus.
More Questions
How did God deal with Abraham when He brought him forth in Genesis 15?
When Genesis 15 says 'He brought him forth,' Les believes this means that the Lord dealt with Abraham on a face-to-face, eyeball-to-eyeball basis.
What does the dust of the earth represent in God's promise to Abraham?
The dust of the earth represents Abraham's earthly offspring, who came through the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.