ABRAHAM'S COUNTLESS DESCENDANTS

 

Unknown Numbers

Anne Adams

Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!” Genesis 15:5 (NLT)

Ever hear of the word googol? 

You may have since along with its derivatives, it’s not unusual. 

It’s a mathematical term and defined as the digital number one followed by a hundred zeroes. 

After being coined by a nine year old boy, the word googol has come to mean any large number.

Edward Casner, a mathematics professor at Columbia University in the early 20th century, wanted to stimulate children’s interest in math, so one day he asked his young nephews to come up with a word that could describe any large number. 

It was nine-year-old Milton who suggested googol. 

After Professor Casner used it in a book in 1940, the word became widely used to describe a large and even uncountable number.

And that’s the same concept that occurred when God promised Abram would have not just a much-desired son but even more – an indeterminate number of descendants. 

In fact, Abram’s progeny would equal the number of stars in the sky – which was a picturesque way of saying an uncountable number.

God probably won’t promise us that many descendants, but his assurances to us in all other areas are just as reliable and dependable as they were to Abram. 

After all, for Abram, behind that uncountable number was God’s perfect planning and provision for his people, the Jews. 

And in the same way, God guides and provides for us in every way - which makes his assurances as certain and sure as his character.

Anne Adams is a retired church staffer now living in Athens, Texas. She writes a newspaper historical column and has been published in many Christian and secular publications. Contact