The Star Promise

Genesis 15 is one of the most important chapters in the Bible because we read that God made a promise with one man Abram to make him the father of a chosen group people for God. But he remained childless for a long time after the promise. Abram said, “I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus, the servant” . God took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars and see if you can count them. So shall your descendants be.” Abram believed the Lord and it was counted to him as righteousness. The stars are reminders of a faithful God who fulfills His promise. When we are frustrated, disappointed or depressed, and have more questions than answers, it is human to question God and faith. But there is hope because God works behind the scenes to turn them into blessings. When we see terrorisms, war and mass killings of innocent people are increasing, we can look at the stars in the sky and believe in the 'star promise'.

In Genesis 14, Abram encountered a High Priest by name Melchizedek who appeared from nowhere. Abram gave him a tithe of his wealth showing his faith in God. We read in Hebrews Chapter 5 and 6 that Jesus Christ is the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, who does not have to offer sacrifice for his own sins, because He "is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens." Abram then meets King of Sodom who asked for Abram's posessions. Abram in fact saved the king of Sodom from his enemies and there was no reason to give away his wealth. Yet Abram gave him everything because he knew that God's promise is better than any riches. "The saints joyfully accepted the confiscation of their property, knowing that they had a better and permanent possession" (Heb 10:34).

The exceeding gift of God that God promised Abram would come to this world one day as Abram's descendant. "God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16). “If you belong to christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heir according to promise." (Galatians 3:29). The millions of stars in the sky stand there for the hopeless wordl as reminders of God's promise for a better future. Abram not only has physical descendants according to blood who are the Jews, but spiritual descendants according to faith, who are all believers in Christ. Together, these descendants are an astronomical number like the stars in the sky. Abram was justified by faith in God's promise and not by his work. "Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations" (Romans 4:18). The stars are a celestial reminder of God's promise and faithfulness.

Blessings

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