The International System of Units is a global standard for expressing the magnitudes or quantities of important natural phenomena
The International System of Units is a global standard for expressing the magnitudes or quantities of important natural phenomena. Also referred to as the metric system, the System of Units is commonly abbreviated as SI, which comes from the original French name, système international d’unités. If you read through this article, you will get an understanding of the reason as to why I am referring to Abraham as an international SI unit of Faith.
Do you ever wonder as to why Abraham was called the father of faith and a father of many nations? I was listening to a sermon and in between the readings of the verses mentioned, I found myself in the book of Genesis reading about the story of Abraham. In the book of Genesis, chapter 15:
Aging can come with its own set of challenges and difficulties, especially when it comes to health and mobility. Living in a nursing home offers a range of benefits specifically tailored to meet the needs of older adults.
Verse 1: After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision…
Abraham’s name was initially Abram, which in Hebrew means an exalted or a high father. Later on in Genesis 17 the great patriarch’s name was changed to Abraham when it was revealed he would be father of many nations. Now that you have a good understanding of his name and what it means, the verse continues to explain that the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision; I got curious to understand where, how and why the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision and I went on a Google hunt – visions were/are a common reality of waking dreams amongst people (prophets) that occurs even up to date. Just like reading the Bible, or praying/fasting, visions are normally a way of hearing from God too. The only time there is an absence of visions is when a prophet dies (1 Samuel 3:1) and other times due to the disobedience of God’s people (1 Samuel 28:6).
Verse 1: ….”Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”
The Lord went on to start this vision by telling Abram not to be afraid. If someone starts by telling me – fear not – I think I would first start by fearing what is coming next. As if that is not enough, the Lord says – I am your shield (even more fear!) and then he finishes by telling him that his reward shall be very great.
Just from reading the passages before this portion of the scripture, we understand that Abram was highly favored by the Lord, not only with long life but with possessions, land and great prosperity. He also had a beautiful wife named Sarai whom Kings wanted to have but could not mainly because the Lord kept her for Abram’s eyes only. It’s a tad disappointing to see that after a beautiful woman and so many other assets, the Lord told Abram that his reward shall be very great to mean that that which He would reward him with, is yet to come and it shall be a very great thing.
Verse 2 – 3:
But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.”
At this point, I am convinced that Abram had fully recognized that GOD was talking to him and that He is definitely not limited by anything including childlessness. All the same and with all the courage, he had to start by reminding God (first of all) that a very great reward would definitely mean that he would start with a child. As if that is not enough, he thought it important to use the word behold (the audacity was too loud here) and remind GOD (within the same moment) that He had not given him an offspring and that he had intended to have his servant, Eliezer, be his heir.
Verse 4:
And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.”
Going back to chapter 12, GOD had mentioned to Abram that He would make him a great
nation, and that He would bless him and make Abram’s name great. Fast forward to this moment, GOD knew that Abram would bring this up and He went on to elaborate precisely that his very own son would be his heir.
Eliezer, the servant, must have not been too far away from Abram at that point, and God knew that it would be important to mention that he would not be Abram’s heir. I also think that for Abram to tell God about Eliezer, he had probably discussed with his wife or family about Eliezer becoming the heir and they had started getting used to this sad affair.
Now, this was not the great reward God was referring to earlier on but within the same vision, GOD went into another dimension of the conversation by promising Abraham of a son.
Verse 5:
And he brought him outside…
I have tried to find a word to define this moment here but I could not, bear with me. Remember on the previous verse, when God was referring to Eliezer as though he was just nearby (this man) and for this reason, Abram in his physical flesh had a lot to distract him and he could only speak about what his physical eyes could see. In order to get Abram’s attention, God decided to bring him outside meaning that he was bringing him on to another vision within the first great reward vision he was having!
When you read the next few verses, you realize that these visions were happening during the day and for the Bible to specifically mention that He brought him outside, the literal translation of this message is that he was brought outside a tent but I think there is a deeper meaning of being brought outside by GOD.
John 4: 24 says that “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truthfulness.” The human spirit is the deepest part of a person. By means of this innermost part, we can contact God in the spiritual realm. Our soul perceives things in the psychological realm but our spirit perceives God in the spiritual realm. For the Lord to bring Abram outside, he must have taken him into the spiritual realm mainly because He wanted to show him something beyond that which He would be able to see even within his own body and soul.
Verse 5:
… and said, “Look toward heaven…
I just discovered recently that there are three heavens mentioned in the Bible. Psalm 104:12
speaks of “the birds of the heavens” – this would be the first heaven, the atmosphere of Earth.
In Isaiah 13:10 we find “the stars of heaven and their constellations”—a reference to the
second heaven, outer space. And Paul wrote that he was “caught up to the third heaven” (2
Corinthians 12:2)—the celestial kingdom.
Now, from earth, one can only see the first heaven with their naked eyes, which is just up to
the sky where the atmosphere of the earth is and where the birds or planes fly in. In order to
see the second heaven, one would need to use a telescope. One would imagine that with the
wealth that Abram had, he definitely had a telescope but the Bible would have mentioned it.
Nevertheless, GOD told Abram to look toward heaven and thus, this sufficiently explains that
when GOD took Abram outside, he went up to the heavens nearer where He could show him
the second heaven containing the stars.
Verse 5:
… and number the stars, if you are able to number them.”
As we were studying this portion with my husband, he reminded of the song we used to sing when we were young .. twinkle, twinkle little stars, how I wonder what you are. From the earth, we only get to see a few stars but scientists estimate that there are 200 billion to 400 billion — yes, that’s billion with a “b” — stars in the Milky Way galaxy. The Sun is just one of those 200 billion to 400 billion stars and the Milky Way Galaxy is just one of the many galaxies in the heavens (Isn’t it marvelous with God’s creation out here?) GOD asked Abram to count the stars, and because He knew Abram’s style of communication, he told him again to check if he can count them. Now with a trillion stars out here, it was
impossible for Abram to finish counting the stars but the very great reward GOD was earlier referring to would definitely start making sense at this point but still, this was not it!
Verse 5:
Then He said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Now this is the very great reward that GOD was promising Abram. One would argue that offspring would refer to the son that GOD mentioned to Abram but Galatians 3:16 says that the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say “and to offsprings,” meaning many people, but “and to your offspring,” who is Christ.
Verse 6:
And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
Abram believed the Lord for all that He said and even though he never lived long enough to
see his billionth descendants, GOD counted it to Abram as righteousness. As if that is not all,
to this very date, we know Abram as the father of many nations and a man of faith.
We live in a world where God is still speaking to us in many ways including visions. The days
of our lives are heavily distracted by the earthly things, to the extend that we forget that we
can still connect with GOD. Abram’s story of faith is proof that if we seek God’s kingdom first,
it will be credited to us as righteousness and all these other things will follow.
He is calling on to us every day and I firmly believe that GOD still speaks to us frequently and
that we ought to allow Him to lead us to higher levels of faith where He can show us great
rewards and that we would believe HIM so that it can also be credited to us as righteousness.
Now, do you see why Abraham is an international SI unit of faith? I hope you do!
