And he [Abraham] believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. [Genesis 15:6] Chapter 4 of the Book of Romans is dedicated to Justification by Faith, using the case of Abraham as the locus classicus. How did Abraham become righteous? Just by believing God, when all the evidence in the natural was […]

2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”  3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!” 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, […]

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” [Genesis 15:1, E.S] When you brag on God, He’ll always show up mightily in your favour. The passage starts with “After these things”. After what? After Abraham refused the riches of […]

21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth,  23 that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I […]

🌻18 Then Melchizedek King of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the Priest of God Most High.  19 And he [Melchizedek] blessed him [Abraham] and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he [Abraham] gave him […]

14 Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.  15 He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north […]

11 Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way.  12 They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. 14 Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in […]

🌲16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered [Genesis 13:16] 🌲5 Then He [God] brought him [Abraham] outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” […]

14 And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward;  15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.  16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if […]

10 And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar.  11 Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each […]