God promised Abraham that his own son would be his heir and that his descendants would be as countless as the stars of heaven.
In Genesis 15, God told Abraham that Lot would not be his heir; instead, a son from his own body would be. Then God brought him outside and said, "Look now toward heaven... So shall thy seed be." Les Feldick teaches that this is a twofold promise: the earthly nation of Israel was pictured by the dust, while the stars point to a heavenly people of faith.
Genesis 15:5 — This is the verse where God makes the promise that Abraham's seed will be as the stars of heaven — the direct answer to the question.
Genesis 15:4 — This verse identifies Abraham's heir as coming from his own body, making the promise personal and specific.
Genesis 13:16 — This parallel promise of seed like the dust of the earth provides the earthly counterpart to the heavenly star promise.
In Genesis 15, God spoke to Abram and said, "This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir" (Genesis 15:4). Then God brought Abram outside and told him, "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" (Genesis 15:5). Earlier, in Genesis 13:16, God had promised, "And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered." The Bible records both of these promises without explicitly explaining the symbolic meaning of the dust or the stars.
Les Feldick teaches that Genesis 15 contains a "twofold promise." The earlier comparison of Abraham's seed to the dust of the earth points to the nation of Israel and earthly promises, while the stars in Genesis 15 point to the heavenly Body of Christ. He says God has divided everything in Scripture between these two areas: Israel is earthly with earthly promises, and the Church is heavenly with heavenly promises. He also explains that this is where Paul, in Galatians, shows that believers are Abraham's seed — not by Jewish blood, but by the spiritual promises made to Abraham. Abraham, though part of the Old Testament program, is used by Paul as an example of faith for New Testament believers. Les further notes that the broader Abrahamic covenant in Genesis 12 promised a great nation, a land, and a government, and that Genesis 15 adds the promise of a son from Abraham's own body and a seed as the stars.
God promised Abram that his heir would not be Lot, but a son who would come from Abram's own body. God then brought him outside and said, "Look now toward heaven... So shall thy seed be." Les Feldick describes this as mind-boggling to an old man whose wife was old and who had never had a child.
Les points to the two comparisons God used. In Genesis 13:16, Abraham's seed is compared to the dust of the earth, which Les connects with the earthly nation of Israel. In Genesis 15:5, the seed is compared to the stars of heaven, which Les connects with the heavenly Body of Christ. He says God has divided everything in Scripture between these two areas.
Les teaches that Paul draws on this Genesis 15 promise in Galatians to show that believers are "of the seed of Abraham." He clarifies that this does not mean Gentiles become Jewish by blood; rather, through the spiritual promises to Abraham, believers experience these grace-age promises. Abraham, though part of the Old Testament program, is used as an example of faith.
Les reviews the covenant God made in Genesis 12: God would make Abraham a great nation, place him in a geographical area of land, and one day be his king and government. He says Israel was to be the vehicle through which God would bring the whole plan of redemption to the human race. Les also notes that parts of the covenant were added as God continued to reveal it, including further additions in Genesis 17.
Earthly Israel and Heavenly Church Distinction
Les sets the foundational contrast that Israel's promises are earthly while the Church's promises are heavenly, which underlies his interpretation of the stars in Genesis 15.
The Twofold Promise and Believers' Inclusion
Les explicitly calls Genesis 15 a twofold promise and says Paul uses it to show that believing Gentiles are Abraham's seed through spiritual promises.
Dust of the Earth vs Stars of Heaven
Les draws the analogy between God's dealings with earth and heaven, contrasting the dust in Genesis 13 with the stars in Genesis 15.
Abraham Believed the Star Promise
Les recounts how God promised Abraham that his offspring would be as countless as the stars, an astonishing promise to an old childless man.
Two Seed Promises in Two Realms
Les shows both promises side by side: "Count the dust of the earth" for Israel and "Count the stars in heaven" for the body of Christ.
The Broader Abrahamic Covenant
Les reviews the Genesis 12 covenant promises of nation, land, and government as the context into which the Genesis 15 star promise fits.
Abraham's Heir From His Own Body
Les repeats God's promise that Abraham's heir would come from his own innermost being and that his seed would be as the stars.
The Covenant Promised a Nation
Les points out that in Genesis 15 the covenant is restated: Abraham was promised that he would become a nation.
Genesis 15:4: And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
This is God's first specific promise in Genesis 15 that Abraham's heir will be his own biological son.
Genesis 15:5: 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.
This is the central promise that Abraham's descendants will be as countless as the stars.
Genesis 13:16: And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.
This earlier dust promise provides the contrast Les uses between the earthly nation and the heavenly people.
God promised Abraham that he would have a son from his own body to be his heir, and that his seed would be as numerous as the stars of heaven. Les Feldick explains that this is a twofold promise — an earthly seed like the dust (Israel) and a heavenly seed like the stars (the Body of Christ).
God used the stars to show Abraham the number of his descendants. Since no one can count the stars, the point was that his seed would be beyond numbering. Les sees this as a picture of a heavenly people, not just the earthly nation of Israel.
Les Feldick teaches yes, through the spiritual promises to Abraham. He says this is where Paul gets the truth in Galatians that believers are of the seed of Abraham, not by Jewish blood but by grace-age promises.
Watch the Teaching: Abraham Believed God — Romans 4 & Justification by Faith