God tells Abram through a vision not to fear because He is his shield and is Himself a great reward to Abram. He protected him in the battle with the kings and has provided him with many material possessions. Of the most importance though, He gave him his salvation. Jehovah God will tell Abram’s son Isaac (Genesis 26: 24) and grandson Jacob (Genesis 46: 3) the same thing; FEAR NOT. They all were blessed to carry the covenant and pass it to the next generation of Hebrews. Abram had material blessings but no posterity through which to pass them down to the next generation. What good would all this be? God had promised him that many people would be born through his offspring (Genesis 13: 16) but he did not have an heir. So he asked God if his heir would be Eliezer his servant from Damascus. This would be in accordance with ancient practice if one died without a birth heir. He thought that one born in his house like Eliezer would be the one to receive the covenant and pass it to the next generation. But he was puzzled since Eliezer was not a Hebrew. Then came God’s promise to Abram. God’s Word came to him again and said no it would not be Eliezer but one that came through his own loins.
