‘After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”’ (Genesis 15:1 ESV).
After Abram had led an army to rescue his nephew Lot from captivity, and had refused to take his portion of the spoils, “the word of the Lord came” to him, saying, “Fear not.”
Abram perceived this “word” in a “vision.” A vision is a thing seen, but how does one see a spoken word? Surely this Word is the preincarnate Christ, whom the apostle John described in his gospel saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
So the Word came to Abram, calling him by name, seeking to alleviate his fears and offering him solace. But what was it that Abram feared? Abram had not voiced any fears. Yet, the Lord knew his heart, so there must’ve been anxiety there. Did the Lord say, “I am your shield,” because Abram feared the reprisal of the kings he’d defeated in rescuing Lot? Did the Lord promise him a “great reward” because Abram now regretted refusing to take his portion of the spoils?
Perhaps. But more likely the source of Abram’s fear was revealed in his response to the Lord when he said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir” (Gen. 15:3). Abram was getting older and his great fear was that he would die without the Lord having given him a son.
In response, the Word came to him again saying that his servant wouldn’t be his heir, but that his “very own son” would be his heir, indeed his offspring would be like the stars of heaven. And Abram believed the LORD, “and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Gen. 15:6).
Soon God would give Abram a son in his old age. Yet the fulfillment of the Lord’s promise to be his shield and his great reward wouldn’t be fully realized until centuries later when the ultimate offspring of Abraham was given, namely, Christ Jesus. For Christ Jesus is the promised Seed of Abraham (Gal.3:16) and the Word made flesh (John 1:14). And all who believe in Christ are children of Abraham by faith too. Therefore, “Fear not!”
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for Jesus. He is our shield and our very great reward. We need not fear for Jesus is ours and we are His. Thank you for the confidence and freedom from fear we have in Jesus. For in His name we pray, amen.