Abraham Believed

In the first verse of this chapter we read that the word of the LORD came unto Abram. In John 1:1,2 Jesus bears the name, The Word. The pre-incarnate Jesus came to Abraham. Before anyone says, this can't be, let us remember what Jesus said in John 8:56, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad." in verse 2 Abram addressed the word of the LORD as Lord God. Could this have been the time when Abraham saw the Lord? Abraham believed he saw the Lord.

The Word of the Lord came to him to encourage him. It is amazing how much is said in the Bible to encourage the Lord's people. Abram was encouraged not to be afraid. He was promised the reward from the Lord.

Abraham was worried because he had no children. Abraham reasoned how could God make him a great nation, and how could God bless the nations of the world through him when he has no child? God assured Abram, in verse 4, that he was going to be blessed with an heir in his natural born son, and in verse 5 God assured him further by saying that if he could count (the word tell means to count) the stars, so would his children be, they being innumerable. We then read in verse 6, "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." The question is what did he believe? He believed God concerning his posterity which would bless the nations of the world.

He believed the gospel. In the book of Galations we read that the gospel was preached unto Abraham saying that in thee shall all of the nations of the world be blessed. Abram was believing more than just that God would yet give him a multitude of children. He was believing that God would fulfill His promise in blessing the world through his Son. In other words Abram was believing the gospel of his Son. Yes, Abraham believed the gospel.

Notice also that righteousness is imputed to Abram. We are told that Abram believed in the Lord and God accounted that to him for righteousness. Here is seen two closely related doctrines namely: justification and imputation. See the divine commentary on this in Rom. 4:20-25, "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. "Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."