¹ After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. "  ² But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" ³ And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."  ⁴ Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." ⁵ He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."这事以后，耶和华在异象中有话对亚伯兰说，亚伯兰，你不要惧怕，我是你的盾牌，必大大地赏赐你。亚伯兰说，主耶和华阿，我既无子，你还赐我甚么 呢，并且要承受我家业的是大马色人以利以谢。亚伯兰又说，你没有给我儿子。那生在我家中的人就是我的后嗣。耶和华又有话对他说，这人必不成为你的后嗣。你 本身所生的才成为你的后嗣。于是领他走到外边，说，你向天观看，数算众星，能数得过来么。又对他说，你的后裔将要如此。创15：1-5

shield 盾牌，My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. 我的神，我的磐石，我所投靠的。他是我的盾牌，是拯救我的角。撒母耳记下22：3

sovereign 至高无上的，主权的，sovereign state 主权国家。

who will inherit 是从句，修饰the one,

inherit 继承，His son inherited the estate. 他的儿子继承了产业。另外两个相关的词：heritage 传统，The House Church is our spiritual heritage from God. 家庭教会是我们从神那里获得的属灵传统。a right of inheritance 继承权。

estate, 房地产，产业。real estate, 房地产，中介，There is no shortage of bad real estate advice from TV agents. 电视上的那些有关房地产的馊主意多得不得了。

Eliezer，他是亚伯拉罕的管家，后来在24：2-3中又出现，去亚伯拉罕的老家给以撒找媳妇。后来他为以撒找到了利百加。24：15

heir 继承人

coming from your own body, 分词结构，修饰a son。

offspring 后代，子孙，注意，这是个集合名词，many offspring, 许多后代。又是复合名词：inside，outside,

Questions:

1.      How did the word of the Lord come to Abram?

2.      What did the Lord say to Abram in the vision?

3.      Do you think that Abram was afraid in some way?

4.      If Abram remained childless who would inherit his estate?

5.      What did Eliezer do in Abram's household?

6.      Who did the Lord say would inherit Abram's estate?

7.      How many offspring did the Lord say Abram would have?

8.      What did God say to Abram?

9.      Why do you think that Abram might be afraid since he was following God?

10.  Do you see any difference between the Word of God and the word of God? (The Word of God means the whole Bible.)

11.  Why did Abram need the shield?

12.  When you have a test, what is your great reward?

13.  If a woman is childless, does she feel painful?

14.  Do you have some estate to inherit? If so, what are you going to do with it?

15.  Do you know that we are heirs of the Kingdom of God, which he has promised to those who love him? (James 2:5)

16.  Do you look up at the heavens sometimes in summer? Do you count the stars?

17.  How do you feel when you look up at the stars?

18.  Do you think that Abram believed God’s promise that he would have his own child?

19.  Does Abram have offspring as many as those stars in the sky?

20.  Are you a heir of Abram?

首先，神向亚伯兰保证，神会保护他，盾牌是用来保护人的，这样神就给了他安全。人生存首先要获得的是安全感，人积累财富的目的实质上也就是为了有安全感。 个人有了财富，就不怕金银风暴。国家有了原子弹就不怕强国的入侵。那么，基督徒的安全感从何而来？这里告诉我们，真正的基督徒依靠的乃是神自己。撒迦利亚 书告诉我们：“万军之耶和华说，不是倚靠势力，不是倚靠才能，乃是倚靠我的灵，方能成事。”4：6很可惜，有的基督徒不明白这真理，而是去投靠政府了。亚伯兰有苦楚，他便向神倾诉。注意，抱怨与倾诉是不同的。神不喜欢我们抱怨，但我们苦楚他愿意倾听。亚伯兰年纪那么大了，他已经不再奢望能有孩子，但是神给 他约却是叫他难以置信，他不仅会有个孩子，而且他的后代要像天上的星星那么多。今天全世界的基督徒都是亚伯拉罕属灵的后代，这样算起来，至少是20亿，的 确数不胜数。神的这个允许也是给我们今天中国的基督徒，中国的基督徒也一定会多得如天上的星星。

不过，仍旧有许多人也应该归于星星的行列，但目前还没有，这就需要我们去给他们传福音了。