God’s Forever Promises to Abram
(Genesis 15)
After Abram and his nephew Lot went their separate ways, Abram stayed in the hills of Canaan. Even though God had promised to give Abram a huge family, many years had passed and Abram still did not have even one child. Abram was getting older, and he started to wonder how God's plan would ever work.
One night, God spoke to Abram in a vision. God told him, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield and your very great reward." But Abram was honest with God. He asked, "O Lord, what will you give me? I still have no son to inherit my name. A servant born in my household will be my heir." Abram was worried that his promised blessing was taking too long, so he had started thinking about handing his inheritance to a servant named Eliezer of Damascus instead.
But the word of the Lord came to Abram again, saying, "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." God took Abram outside into the cool night air. "Look up at the sky," God said. "Count the stars, if you can. That is how many children and grandchildren you will have." Even though it seemed impossible for an old man to have a baby, Abram believed the Lord. Because he trusted God's word, God counted his faith as righteousness. This means God declared Abram "right" with Him simply because Abram believed Him.
Then God reminded Abram of another promise. He said, "I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it." Abram asked, "O Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?" To answer him, God told Abram to prepare a special ceremony. Abram brought a heifer, a goat, a ram, a dove, and a young pigeon, and cut the larger animals in half, laying the halves opposite each other. In those days, when two people made a covenant or a "forever promise," they would walk between the rows of animals together. They were saying, "If I break my promise, let what happened to these animals happen to me." Birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. God told him that his descendants would be strangers in a land not their own for four hundred years, but that God would bring them out with great possessions. When the sun had set and it was very dark, Abram saw something amazing. A smoking firepot and a flaming torch passed between the pieces of the animals all by itself. This was God. By passing through the pieces alone, God was showing that He would keep the promise no matter what. God took the whole responsibility on Himself. That night, God made a solid, unbreakable covenant with Abram, promising to give his descendants the land from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates.
A Curious Question
In those days, two people usually walked through the animals together to make a promise. Why would God choose to pass through the pieces all by Himself while Abram watched from the dark?
Jesus Connection
When God walked through those pieces alone, He was making a one-sided promise. He was saying, "Abram, I will keep this promise even if you or your children fail." This points us directly to Jesus. We all broke our promises to God by sinning, but Jesus came to do what we could not. On the cross, Jesus took the punishment for our broken promises. Romans 4 tells us that this same faith, believing God's promise instead of earning it, is exactly how we are made right with God today. Just as God took the responsibility for the covenant in the dark night with Abram, Jesus took the responsibility for our salvation so that we could be counted as righteous through faith in Him.
Discussion Questions
- If you were Abram looking at the millions of stars, would it be easy or hard to believe God's promise? Why?
- What does it mean to "believe" God? Is it just knowing a story is true, or is it something more?
- Why is it good news for us that God is the one who took the responsibility for the promise?
"So What?" What Can I Do?
- Talk to God About the Wait: This week, when you feel worried about something you're waiting on, talk to God about it. You can say, "God, I don't know how this will work out, but I choose to trust You because You always keep Your Word." That is what it means to have faith like Abram.
- Look for Reminders of God's Promises: Find one thing this week, like the stars at night or a promise from the Bible, that reminds you God is a faithful promise-keeper.
- Be Honest With God: Just like Abram asked God questions instead of hiding his doubts, tell God honestly when you're struggling to trust Him. He can handle your honest questions.
Memorize God's Word
"And he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness." ~ Genesis 15:6
Hand Motions:
- And he believed: Place both hands over your heart.
- the Lord: Point both hands straight up to the sky.
- and He counted it to him: Tap your forehead as if thinking or counting.
- as righteousness: Make two thumbs up and hold them out in front of you.
Praying with Kids
Dear Father, thank you for being a faithful promise-keeper. We are so glad that we can trust You even when we are waiting for an answer. Just like Abram looked at the stars and believed Your Word, help us to trust You with our worries and fears this week. Thank You for the Jesus Connection and for taking the responsibility to save us. We love You, Lord. Amen.
Craft or Activity
Promise Stars Night Sky
This activity helps children visualize the vastness of God’s promise to Abram. By creating their own starry night, they take home a physical reminder that God is a faithful promise-keeper who does the impossible.
Materials Checklist:
- Set the Scene: Give each child a sheet of black construction paper and have them use glitter pens or white crayons to swirl "wind" or "clouds" onto their night sky.
- Write the Promise: Provide a small strip of paper to each student. Ask them to write down one promise God has made to us, such as I will never leave you or I love you.
- Attach the Promise: Help the children use a glue stick to secure their written promise to the center of the black paper.
- Add the Stars: Let the children place as many star stickers as they want across the paper. Remind them that just as the stars are too many to count, God’s blessings and family are bigger than we can imagine.
- Repeat the Truth: As they work, walk around and repeat the "Main Truth" from Genesis 15:6: Abram believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.
Effective Teaching Techniques
- The "Uncountable" Visual: Before you begin, show a small jar of glitter or a bowl of beads. Ask the kids to guess the number. This is a perfect way to introduce the concept of "too many to count" before you talk about the stars.
- The Walking Ceremony: To make the ancient custom clear, set up two chairs or cones. Walk through them alone while the children watch. Explain that usually, two people walk together, but God went through alone to show He takes the responsibility for the promise.
- Simplicity for Little Ones: If you are teaching younger elementary kids, don't worry about them writing specific promises. Just let them focus on the star stickers and the wonder of how many people are in God's family.
- Connect to the Heart: As you teach about Abram's wait, remind the children that God isn't just a character in a book. He is the same promise-keeper today as He was on that dark night in Canaan.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why did Abram doubt he would have children?
- Abram was already old and still had no son, even though God had promised to make him into a great nation. He wondered how that promise could still come true.
- What did God mean by counting Abram's faith as righteousness?
- It means God declared Abram right with Him simply because Abram believed His promise, not because Abram had done anything to earn it.
- Why did God pass through the animal pieces alone instead of with Abram?
- By walking through alone, God was showing that He was taking full responsibility for keeping the covenant, even if Abram or his family ever failed.