Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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2. To affect him the more with this promise, he took him out, and showed him the stars (this vision being early in the morning, before day), and then tells him, So shall thy seed be, Ge 15:5.
(1.) So numerous; the stars seem innumerable to a common eye: Abram feared he should have no child at all, but God assured him that the descendants from his loins should be so many as not to be numbered.
(2.) So illustrious, resembling the stars in splendour; for to them pertained the glory, Ro 9:4. Abram's seed, according to his flesh, were like the dust of the earth (Ge 13:16), but his spiritual seed are like the stars of heaven, not only numerous, but glorious, and very precious.
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.
6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for
righteousness.
Abram's firm belief of the promise God now made him, and God's favourable acceptance of his faith, Ge 15:6.
1. He believed in the Lord, that is, he believed the truth of that promise which God had now made him, resting upon the irresistible power and the inviolable faithfulness of him that made it. Hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Note, Those who would have the comfort of the promises must mix faith with the promises. See how the apostle magnifies this faith of Abram, and makes it a standing example, Ro 4:19-21. He was not weak in faith; he staggered not at the promise; he was strong in faith; he was fully persuaded. The Lord work such a faith in every one of us! Some think that his believing in the Lord respected, not only the Lord promising, but the Lord promised, the Lord Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant. He believed in him, that is, received and embraced the divine revelation concerning him, and rejoiced to see his day, though at so great a distance, Joh 8:56.