Only Pagan Idols Needs What You Have To Offer (The Abrahamic Covenant Part 1)

it's really good to see a couple visitors and those of you who have been with us for a little

bit just want you to know you are in our prayers we pray for each one of you every week and for

those that God will continue to bring as well it's only because he's alive and he's ministering

among us that we come come here that's the only reason so to give you a place of kind of the place

where we're at with our teaching series is that we have preached through the book of John in the fall

we'll continue preaching through a book of the Bible that'll be our normal pattern but we've had

a special treat I think this spring which is to do a series on covenant theology our confession

states that God was pleased to reveal himself by way of covenant and so we're seeing through the

Bible how God has revealed himself the first covenant happened between Father Son and Holy Spirit outside

of time and space and that's the covenant of redemption then we saw how the Lord made a

covenant with mankind with Adam as the first federal head after Adam we saw the covenant that the Lord

made with Noah and all the earth and now we're going to continue with the covenant that the Lord makes

with Abraham the covenant with Abraham begins earlier like in Genesis chapter 12 and it continues

Genesis 12 · chapter mention

really till Genesis 22 27 it just keeps going but we're picking one key passage one key chapter as

our focus for today so today's sermon text is all of Genesis chapter 15 Genesis 15 verses 1 through 21

Genesis 15 · chapter mention Genesis 15 · chapter mention

I read this believing that this is God's inspired inerrant infallible clear and sufficient word it's God's

very own word for his very own word for his people when I'm done reading I'll say this is the word of the

Lord if you receive it as that you can say thanks be to God

Genesis 15 after these events the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision do not be afraid Abram

I am your shield I am your exceedingly great reward but Abram said Lord God what can you give me

since I am childless in the air of my house is Eleazar of Damascus Abraham continued look you have

given me no offspring so a slave born in my house will be my heir now the word of the Lord came to him

this one will not be your heir instead one who comes from your own body will be your heir he took

him outside and said look at the sky and count the stars if you are able to count them then he said to

him your offspring will be that numerous Abram believed the Lord and he credited it to him as righteousness

he also said to him I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to

possess but he said Lord God how can I know that I will possess it he said to him bring me a three-year-old

cow a three-year-old female goat a three-year-old ram a turtle dove and a young pigeon so he brought

all these to him cut them in half and laid the pieces opposite each other but he did not cut the

birds in half birds of prey came down on the carcasses but Abram drove them away as the sun was

setting a deep sleep came over Abram and suddenly great terror and darkness descended on him then the

Lord said to Abram know this for certain your offspring will be resident aliens for 400 years and in

land that does not belong to them and will be enslaved and oppressed however I will judge the

nation they serve and afterward they will go out with many possessions but you will go to your fathers

in peace and be buried at a good old age in the fourth generation they will return here for the iniquity

of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure when the sun had set and it was dark a smoking pot

and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the divided animals on that day the Lord made a

covenant with Abram saying I give you this land to your offspring from the book brook of Egypt to the

great river the Euphrates river the land of the Kenites Kenizzites Kadmonites Hethites Perizzites

Rephaim Amorites Canaanites Gergashites and Jebusites this is the word of the Lord

thanks be to God you may be seated

the grass withers the flower fades but the word of the Lord endures forever amen let's pray

Lord we believe in the Holy Spirit

we believe that the Spirit of God dwells in the people of God

we ask that your Holy Spirit will illumine our minds help us to see your truth in these words

that we've read from the Bible that you inspired that you breathed out through Moses

we pray Lord that as we see your truth we see the gospel being revealed by further steps

that it will be cut to the heart that we will repent and that we will come to you again Lord

in trusting faith today we ask this for your glory for our good for Christ's sake amen

I'm going to read you something off my phone from National Geographic

the article said TikTok specifically hashtag witch talk is fueling interest in the spiritual movement called neo-paganism

inviting you to immerse yourself in full moon rituals spellcasting and more

a resurgence in interest in pagan practices

reconstruction reconstruction reconstructing ancient pagan practices that includes crystals tarot cards

astrology and herbal magic has brought paganism from the fringes to the center

in 2001 134,000 practice paganism openly like that

now the number is over 1.5 million Americans

a pagan is a follower of a polytheistic or pantheistic nature

worshiping religion

you're worshiping the creatures the creation

anyone who denies that the triune God of the Bible

Yahweh the great I am is the only true God is a pagan

a pagan is anyone who worships something less than the true God

anyone who worships an idol is a pagan

even if they wrap that idol in biblical language

there's an ancient God with a lowercase g a fake God an idol

that was the head of the Sumerian pantheon

the name of this idol was sin

this this idol was represented by the moon

and the the moon changes throughout the month

so this God was a lowercase g God that changed

this was a fake God that was hungry for the offerings of grain and cattle and flocks

that would be given to the pagan priests

specifically if a woman was barren or a couple would child were childless

they would pray to this fake God

this was a God that was needy

a God that wanted you to bring things to that God

and to those priests so that in turn you would receive a favor from that fake God

it was transactional relationship

what's interesting is that the temple to this fake God of the Sumerian pantheon

it was located in Ur of the Chaldeans

this was the dominant God of the land that Abram and his father Lamech were from

in 1 Corinthians 10 20 we read

Paul's warning to the church

the things which the Gentiles sacrifice to

they sacrifice to demons

if you are not worshiping the one true God of the Bible

you are worshiping a demon

there's no other options available

so beloved congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ

this is probably the longest title I've ever picked for a sermon

here it is

only pagan idols need

what you and I have to offer

that's my message for you today

because I believe that's the point of Genesis 15

the true God is not like any of these idols

only pagan idols need

what you and I have to offer

I'm going to set up five contrasts as we walk through this passage

here's the first one

idols bait you with what you want

idols bait you with what you want

but Yahweh

He gives you all that you need

Yahweh gives you all that you need

notice how this chapter begins

we read in verse 1

after these things

Yahweh's word came in a vision

so is it a sound or is it a sight?

this is similar to the book of Revelations

I heard and then I saw

it's a sound and a sight

it's a revelation from the spiritual realm

to a man like Adam that has senses

and he's a spirit

and it's Yahweh's word

it's Yahweh's message in this vision

Yahweh

maybe we should use this word more

Yahweh means

I am who I am

creator of all that exists

the first mover

above all

that is not God

that's what Yahweh means

and Yahweh's message

came to Abram

in a vision

Yahweh knows

the heart of man

he knew Abram's heart

we can infer

Abram was feeling

Lord

I have no shield on earth

well this is during the bronze age

of history

you can look up online

a Sumerian shield

in the bronze age

it would be a large

bronze shield

that would give you

an extreme advantage

in hand to hand combat

in other words

if you don't have a shield

you have no chance

at winning

the Lord says

don't be afraid Abram

I am your shield

in the chapter right before this

the Lord had already given

Abram

a Gideon like victory

over these four wicked kings

that had swept through

the plain

of the land of Canaan

the Lord

the Lord had shown his power

he had been his deliverer

and Abram

Abram's heart is still

fearful

isn't that true for us

we can look

and see very recently

ways that God has answered

so many prayers

he has been

so faithful

every morning

his mercies are new

but yet

for some reason

our hearts fear

and there is much

that we can fear

every day

there's plenty to fear

but these fears

are like

artillery from hell

and each little fear

it has an effect on us

in this body

even just in our brain

our amygdala

get inflamed

our focus

is taken hostage

we're unable

to absorb

truth

no wonder

this is such a strategic

weapon

of Satan

through these little

darts of fear

he can render

believers

essentially useless

unless the Lord

becomes your shield

this is why

Paul wrote to the church

in Ephesus

Ephesians 6

16

take up

the shield

what is the shield

take up

the shield

of faith

with which

you will be able

to quench

all the fiery

darts

of the evil one

and the psalmist

testifies

this is real

Psalm 1830

Yahweh's word

is tested

he is

a shield

to all those

who run

to him

Abram

is surrounded

in this land

his last

interaction

was with

the king

of Sodom

Sodom

was a land

of wickedness

and he's

the king

over all

that wickedness

he stood

there

protecting

the ability

of these people

to be extremely

wicked

and after

the Lord

gave Abram

this great

victory

the king

of Sodom

said

Abram

you keep

the loot

Abram

said

no

I don't

want you

to have

anything

over me

to be able

to say

I'm the one

who made

Abram

rich

that's

just like

the gods

of the

nations

that's

how demons

work

it's

quid pro quo

bring me

a sacrifice

and I'll

have your

back

that's

the mindset

of the king

of Sodom

and the Lord

is showing

Abram

you're a man

of faith

following my

call on your

life

you are not

like the

world

I am not

like those

idols

the Lord

ministered to

Abram

through

Melchizedek

his name

means the

king of

righteousness

and the

city over

which he

ruled as

king and

priest is

Salem

which means

peace

and here

the Lord

is saying

Abram

not only

am I

your shield

I am

your exceedingly

great reward

how so

Melchizedek

a priest

of God

most high

he's a

shadow

of the air

that will

come through

you

he's a

shadow

of the

great

I am

who will

take on

flesh

from your

line

that's how

I will

be

your

exceedingly

great

reward

and he

blessed

you

he blessed

you in

this land

your

heir

the great

I am

from my

line

he will

bless

the

nations

including

those of

wicked ones

who are

now under

the

binding

of

Satan

reward

is also

covenantal

language

covenants

require more

than one

party

a covenant

is more

loving and

more personal

than a mere

contract

and it's also

more binding

and there's

more at stake

than a mere

relationship

and a covenant

sets up

obligations

it sets up

sanctions

there are

terms that

must be

fulfilled

those are

the covenant

obligations

and then there

are sanctions

that are

positive or

negative

there are

blessings

for obedience

and there are

curses

for disobedience

and this

first verse

is really a

thesis statement

of what the

Lord will

illustrate in

the rest of

this chapter

Abraham

I am

your shield

in this

covenant

I am

your reward

in this

covenant

I am

all that

you need

and he's

about to

show

Abraham

how this

is so

our

confession

states

God was

pleased

to stoop

down

so to

speak

and express

his saving

grace

by way

of covenant

John Gill

took this

interpretation

as well

the Lord

would reward

Abraham

in a way

of grace

with greater

and better

things

than Abraham

could even

know to ask

for and

want

God

would give

Abraham

himself

as

reward

see

idols

want to

bait

you and

me

they want

to dangle

something

that we

want

or at least

our flesh

thinks we

want

and the

Lord

gives you

himself

to meet

all of

your vast

needs

to have

the Lord

himself

as your

reward

it's

exceedingly

great

that's the

language in

verse 1

to have

God himself

as our

reward

it is

vastly

superior

it's

hugely

better

it's

enormously

advantageous

it's

awfully

good

you and

I have

had

pagan

thoughts

of God

we've

thought

that God

needs

something

from us

I'm sure

that even

in our

flesh

we have

thought

that we

can leverage

our

obedience

or something

we give

in exchange

for a

reward

that God

would give

us back

God is

teaching

Abram

and he

wants to

teach me

and you

I am

who I

am

I am

not like

any

other

God

or pagan

idol

I am

eternal

infinite

I am

the

unchanging

creator

and I

stoop

down

near to

you

to be

your

shield

and your

reward

oh

believer

I am

your

creator

all

heaven

and earth

is mine

already

I am

not in a

transactional

relationship

with any

of my

followers

I am

who I

am

and in

Christ

you get

me

you

you get

the

greatest

reward

you get

all that

you need

idols

bait you

with what

you want

but Yahweh

he gives

you

all that

you need

the second

contrast

is that

idols

can only

barter

they're

creaturely

and that's

all they

have to

work with

that's

their only

currency

is to

barter

and trade

to

barter

means to

swap

one thing

for another

some of

you are

following

the NBA

would you

trade one

Jokic

basketball

card

for three

Jason Tatum

cards

no

maybe five

right

would you

trade ten

chickens

for one

piglet

you gotta

weigh the

cost

you gotta

measure it

out

that's

how a

relationship

works

with an

idol

idols

can only

barter

but

Yahweh

Yahweh

alone

can

freely

bless

Yahweh

alone

can

freely

bless

we know

what's on

Abraham's

heart

here

he says

Lord

is my

slave

gonna be

the one

who gets

the inheritance

think of it

from Abraham's

point of view

he had left

this land

of his

fathers

in Ur

his father

went partway

and stopped

then Abram

left them

as well

so here

he is

a sojourner

without

relatives

and family

all alone

trusting

by faith

in God

and he

thought

he had

Lot

Lot's

dad had

died

and here's

his nephew

who could

get his

inheritance

and now

Lot

left him

went to

live in

Sodom

instead

so Abram's

all alone

but God

had already

told Abram

in Genesis

13

I will

make your

offspring

as the

dust

of the

earth

more than

any man

can count

you can turn

back to that

look at

Genesis

Genesis 13:16

13

verse 16

Yahweh

promised

Abraham

to have

offspring

like dust

and now

in verse 2

Abram

says

Lord

Yahweh

what will

you give

me

since I

go

childless

the pagan

gods

in Ur

I would

barter

with them

we would

go and

we would

ask the

God

at the

temple

to please

give us

a child

I go

childless

following

you by

faith

well the

Lord had

promised

children

like

dust

the particles

of dust

are so

small

you can't

count them

it's going

to be

numerous

and vast

dust

but when

you hear

dust

you also

think

of a man

who was

made from

dust

you think

of a mortal

man

on this

earth

an earthly

blessing

in our

confession of

faith we read

that God's

covenant is

revealed in the

gospel first of

all to Adam

in the promise of

salvation by the

seed of woman

and afterwards by

further steps

until the full

discovery was

completed in the

New Testament

so here we

have the

Lord revealing

his promise

to save

men made

of dust

like Adam

being fully

revealed and

taken even

higher

being elevated

look at verse

4 so back in

our sermon text

Genesis 15

Genesis 15:4

verse 4

behold Yahweh's

word came

when we see the

word behold

pay special

attention

this is like

underlining

making it bold

get your

attention

verse 4

the Lord

says one

who will

come out

of your

own body

will be

your heir

yes the

Lord will

give him

Isaac

the Lord

will give

him a

great nation

of Israel

but he's

talking about

one here

who will

be a

great heir

and as

he's giving

him this

promise of

a great

heir from

his own

body

from his

own line

the Lord

gives him

an illustration

of this

in verse

5

Yahweh

brought him

outside and

said look

now toward

the sky

and count

the stars

if you are

able to

count them

he's saying

consider these

stars study

them intently

so as to

learn from

them

and the

Lord says

so your

offspring

will be

he had

first said

your offspring

will be like

the dust

of the earth

creaturely

formed by

God's own

hand like

Adam

having a

body

now he's

adding to

that promise

he says

the offspring

from the

air that's

coming from

your line

this great

offspring will

not only be

like the

dust

they will

also be

like the

stars

they will

have a

body

they will

be mortal

but look

up at these

celestial signs

that rule

the night

they revolve

around the

sun

that's

how the

offspring

will be

this great

nation

that are

spiritual

that are

lifted up

to God

the Lord

the creator

of the stars

and all

he will

take on

a man's

body

and a

soul

unto the

person

of God

the son

God was

promising

Christ

to Abraham

and he was

promising it

freely

Abraham

believed in

the promised

seed

just like

Eve

by faith

our confession

clarifies this

that justification

of believers

under the

Old Testament

was in all

respects the

same as

justification

of believers

under the

New Testament

God freely

offers sinners

life and

salvation by

Jesus Christ

and God

requires faith

in him

to be saved

the Lord

gives to all

those he

ordained to

eternal life

his Holy Spirit

making them

willing and

able to

believe

the Lord

is promising

these great

blessings

to Abraham

and he only

requires one

thing from

Abraham in

response

and that is

faith

Abraham

obeys God

by believing

this promise

receiving it

by faith

look at verse

six

Abraham

believed in

Yahweh

Yahweh I

believe you

can take

dust like

me and

make me an

air like the

stars a

spiritual being

in the heavens

and God

credited this

faith to

Abraham for

righteousness

this is the

same promise

and the same

offer that God

gives you and

me today

Galatians 3

7 says

you who are

of faith

are children

of Abraham

we are

fulfilling

the prophecy

that was

clarified again

in Daniel

12 3

we who

receive Christ

by faith

we are those

who shine

as the brightness

of the expanse

those who turn

many to righteousness

who shine

as the stars

forever and

ever

the Lord

promises that

if you put

your faith

in Christ

he will bless

you spiritually

he will lift

you up with

Christ

and he requires

one thing of

you

that's faith

believe him

respond in

obedience

he says

oh believer

I am the

giver of life

and I am

building a

great nation

I'm taking

dust

and I'm making

it into

stars

you bring

your sin

and I give

you my

righteousness

in exchange

I love that

hymn that we

just sing

all the

fitness

God requires

is that we

confess our

need of

him

idols can

only barter

but Yahweh

alone

he can

freely bless

the third

contrast is

that idols

can only

disappoint

but Yahweh's

word

stands

forever

idols

can only

disappoint

they bait

you with

what you

want

and your

expectations

will never

be met

but Yahweh's

word

by contrast

it stands

forever

when he gives

himself with

his word

he will never

disappoint

his steadfast

love endures

forever

look at verse

seven

Yahweh said

to Abram

I am

Yahweh

who brought

you out

of Ur

of the

Chaldees

to give

you this

land

to inherit

it

Abram

said

Lord

Yahweh

how will

I know

that I

will inherit

it

with the

focus on

the land

I want

you to

drop your

eyes down

to verse

18

in that

day

we are

told

Yahweh

made a

covenant

with

Abram

saying

I have

given

this land

to your

offspring

so this

covenant

in Genesis

15

it is

mediated

with

Abram

as the

federal

head

representative

and it's

a promise

of land

this land

of Canaan

that the

Lord is

promising

to Abram

and the

Lord fulfills

this on

one level

with the

people of

Israel

but we

also need

to take

all of

the

counsel

of the

Lord

and shed

it back

on this

the Bible

says that

once the

Lord has

ratified

a covenant

nothing else

can be added

or taken

away from

that

so let's

turn in

our Bible

to Galatians

Galatians 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3

Jeremy

read this

for us

earlier

Galatians

3

we read

in Genesis

15

in that

day

Yahweh

made

a

covenant

with

Abram

saying

I

have

given

this

land

to

your

offspring

Galatians

Galatians 3:15

chapter 3

verse

15

says

once a

covenant

has been

confirmed

no one

makes it

void

or adds

to it

now

the promises

were spoken

this is

verse 16

to Abraham

and his

offspring

he doesn't

say

to descendants

as of

many

but as

one

to your

offspring

which is

Christ

the Lord

is making

a covenant

with

Abram

and

Christ

who will

come from

Abram

that's the

interpretation

Galatians

3

16

gives us

so now

we need

to understand

this covenant

of God

that can't

have anything

added or

taken away

from it

promising

the land

ultimately

to Christ

it's an

inheritance

a possession

that will

last

forever

and ever

and it's

a covenant

that God

makes

that is

gracious

Abram

is receiving

this freely

by God's

grace

now

I'm going

to pull

a catechism

question

from the

Westminster

larger

catechism

because

it summarizes

this truth

very well

I believe

the question

is this

with whom

was this

covenant

of grace

made

the answer

is the

covenant

of grace

was made

with Christ

as the

second

Adam

and in

him

all

the

elect

as his

seed

so as we

search our

Bibles and we

see what is the

offspring

all of the

promises attached

to you and

your offspring

we're told that

even in this

first promise

of a land

by grace

it's given to

Abram by faith

in Christ

in Christ's

seed

as the

offspring

the

conclusion

I believe

we have to

draw from

this

covenant

transaction

is that

the

covenant

of grace

is made

between

the

triune

God

and his

elect

in Christ

that's what

the covenant

of grace

is

so the

only

souls

in the

covenant

of grace

are those

to whom

Christ's

redemption

has been

applied

are you

in the

covenant

of grace

you are

if Christ

has applied

his redemption

his finished

work

to you

you're

receiving

his grace

Romans 8

19

says

for the

creation

waits

with eager

longing

for the

revealing

of the

sons

of God

all of

creation

wants to

see who

are these

who will

be heirs

of God

who will

be like

the stars

who are

those that

Christ

purchased

their

redemption

and how

do you

know

you know

when the

Holy Spirit

applies this

redemption

to these

believers

Acts 3

25

we read

that God

promised

Abraham

through your

offspring

all peoples

on earth

will be

blessed

this is only

possible

through Jesus

Christ

through Jesus

Christ

who comes

from the

line of

Abraham

all the

peoples

of the

world

will be

blessed

who believe

in him

while you're

there in

Galatians

would you

look back

at verses

2 and

3

Galatians

Galatians 3:2

chapter 3

verses

2 and

3

what Paul

is getting

at with

the church

in Galatia

is this

you know

from the

story of

Abraham

he's justified

by faith

not by

works

you know

that

but look

at what

Paul writes

in verses

2 and

3

did you

receive

the spirit

by works

of the

law

or by

hearing

of faith

you

received

the word

you received

the gospel

you first

believed

and were

justified

the same

way as

Abraham

are you

so foolish

having

begun

in the

spirit

are you

now

completed

in the

flesh

the same

God

who

justifies

you

by faith

he wants

to grow

you

and sanctify

you

by that

same

principle

of faith

and grace

not by

your works

your works

don't get

you into

the covenant

of grace

or the

kingdom

of God

and your

works

are not

what keep

you in

the covenant

of grace

why is that

it's because

you are

Christ's

reward

Christ is

the one

who will

receive the

land

and the

nations

based on

his

personal

perfect

and perpetual

obedience

the only way

that the

word of the

Lord can

stand

forever

in this

covenant

as if

Christ

fulfills

it

Christ

is the

one

who has

to

merit

and

fulfill

the

covenant

obligations

in order

to receive

the blessings

so that

the word

of God

will stand

true

idols

can only

disappoint

but

Yahweh's

word

it stands

forever

the fourth

contrast

is this

idols

make you

slave

for

your

worth

to

them

you

have

to

slave

and

work

to

make

an

idol

happy

to

get

something

back

but

Yahweh

he gives

you

terms

that you

cannot

keep

all his

terms

do

is

humble

you

as

unworthy

when you

hear the

high stakes

of the

holiness

of God

and what

he requires

the effect

it should

have

is not

I can

do that

better

than

anyone

else

it should

be

I cannot

do that

just like

anyone

else

I can't

I'm

unworthy

I have

to receive

from him

freely

let's

look at

verse 9

the Lord

says to

Abraham

bring me

a heifer

that's a

female cow

that's

three years

old

and a

female goat

a ram

a turtle

dove

and a

young

pigeon

these are

the exact

same

animals

that God

will later

require

in the

sacrificial

system

he's

foreshadowing

how he

will make

atonement

and give

the people

a picture

of the

sacrifice

that would

wipe away

sins

in the

finished

work of

Christ

in verse

10

Abraham

obeyed

he brought

these things

and divided

them in

the middle

and laid

each half

opposite the

other

but he

didn't

divide

the

birds

so

Abraham

takes

these

animals

he cuts

them in

half

and he

lays

one half

on either

side

of this

aisle

just like

we have

an aisle

down the

middle

here

and the

blood

from these

animals

is draining

down into

the center

so there's

going to be

a little

pond of

blood

from all

these

different

animals

mixing

together

right in