0742. Israel's Affliction Foretold

Israel’s Affliction Foretold

"And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him" (Gen_15:12).

God often spoke to His servants in mysterious ways. The scene before us, was one that must have ever remained impressively upon the mind and heart of Abram.

As yet Abram was childless. God had, however, given to him a reiterated promise that he was to have a child, and, that in that child he was destined to become the father of a great people.

1. Genesis 15 opens with one of these personal talks between God and Abram, in which God brought Abram forth and said unto him, "Look now toward Heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them; and He said unto him, So shall thy seed be." And, Abraham "believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness."

2. The second scene is in Gen_15:7-11. Abram took an "heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon." He took these and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another; but the birds he divided not. When the fowls came down upon the carcasses Abram drove them away.

3. The third scene is that described in our key verse. Abram falls into a deep sleep, and as he sleeps a horror of great darkness comes upon him.

4. The interpretation of all this might have troubled us, had not God clearly told its meanings.

(1) There was a surety given, concerning Abram’s seed, which was established by the Lord in the sacrifices in their arrangement, and finally in God’s passing between them.

(2) The fowls swooped down upon the carcases of the sacrifices, and the "horror of great darkness" fell upon Abram, signifying that Abram’s seed would enter into their possessions through great sufferings.

(3) In the words of the Lord God, which followed Abram’s awakening, it was plainly stated that Abram’s seed should be afflicted four hundred years.

Thus we understand that the fact that satan would persecute Abram’s seed, was not unknown to Jehovah. Indeed none of satan’s strategies past, present or future were ever hid from our omniscient God.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, each in turn, realized that there was a mighty hand set against them. But it was not until the twelve sons of Jacob began to multiply exceedingly, that satan threw all of his mighty powers against the people whom God had chosen to be a people unto Himself above all the people on the face of the earth.

The trials in the land of Egypt were exceedingly sore. Taskmasters stood over God’s sons and wore their lives away with cruelty.

Year by year the shadows darkened, as Israel’s night grew blacker. Four hundred years, at last, had passed, and their God sent forth His deliverer, Moses, and led His people out of Egypt.

Satan’s first great stroke was broken and the children of God were delivered.

Moses, who delivered the people, stands forth in the lime light as a type of the "greater than Moses," our Lord Jesus Christ, Who came and bruised satan, and Who will yet, one day, bring full deliverance from satan’s wiles.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR