Genesis 15:5

What is the meaning then of the expression "he brought him outside"? The prophet is as it were led out, so that he goes outside of the body and sees the limitations imposed by the flesh that is his garment and the infusion of the Holy Spirit who makes a kind of visible descent. We too must exit from the confinement of this our temporary dwelling. We must purify the place where our soul dwells from all uncleanness, throw out every stain of wickedness, if we wish to receive the spirit of wisdom, because "wisdom will not enter a wicked soul." Abraham believed, not because he was drawn by a promise of gold or silver but because he believed from the heart. "It was reckoned to him as righteousness." A reward was bestowed that corresponded to the test of his merit.

Abraham, styled "the friend," [Isaiah 41:8] was found faithful, inasmuch as he rendered obedience to the words of God. He, in the exercise of obedience, went out from his own country, and from his kindred, and from his father's house, in order that, by forsaking a small territory, and a weak family, and an insignificant house, he might inherit the promises of God. For God said to him, "Get you out from your country, and from your kindred, and from your father's house, into the land which I shall show you. And I will make you a great nation, and will bless you, and make your name great, and you shall be blessed. And I will bless them that bless you, and curse them that curse you; and in you shall all the families of the earth be blessed." [Genesis 12:1-3] And again, on his departing from Lot, God said to him, "Lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you now are, northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see, to you will I give it, and to your seed forever. And I will make your seed as the dust of the earth, [so that] if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall your seed also be numbered." [Genesis 13:14-16] And again [the Scripture] says, "God brought forth Abram, and spoke unto him, Look up now to heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them; so shall your seed be. And Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness." [Genesis 15:5-6] On account of his faith and hospitality, a son was given him in his old age; and in the exercise of obedience, he offered him as a sacrifice to God on one of the mountains which He showed him. [Genesis 22:9]

He brought him outside and said to him, "Look toward heaven and number the stars, if you can," and he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." For the just and the elect are rightly compared to stars, not only because, like the stars, they cannot be counted by men; but also because they are exalted with heavenly happiness, because they transcend the base and low desires of this life with great sublimity of mind; because they shine among the reprobate as lights in the world, holding the word of life. Of such it may rightly be said in the end: "Star differs from star in glory, so is the resurrection of the dead" (1 Cor. 15:41). But what he said, "So shall your offspring be," he does not say only of those elect who were to be born corporally from his lineage but also of us, to whom it is said by the Apostle: "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed" (Gal. 3:29). Hence, he first heard while being situated inside: "But one who will come from your body will be your heir." Obviously for those who were to emerge from his seed, who were also to become co-heirs of the promised blessing and inheritance. Afterwards, bringing him outside, he commands him to number the stars, if he can; saying, "So shall your seed be," undoubtedly because of those who were not to be procreated from his body, but were still to be gathered as his seed from the whole world; in accordance with what the Lord himself said in the Gospel to the believing centurion, who not carnally but spiritually pertained to the seed of Abraham: "I say to you that many will come from the east and west, and will sit with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 8:11). For he brought him outside so that he might learn that he was yet to receive the seed of blessing in the breadth of the whole world. He commands him to look toward heaven and number the stars, so that he might know that he was to be enriched with this inheritance in the heavenly homeland.