After his victory over the invading coalition, Abraham was concerned that his miraculous victory in battle was his full compensation for his accrued merits, thereby supplanting the other rewards G‑d previously promised him, namely: offspring and the Land of Israel. G‑d thereupon reiterated His promises to Abraham.
To Shine Like the Stars
הַבֶּט נָא הַשָּׁמַיְמָה וּסְפֹר הַכּוֹכָבִים אִם תּוּכַל לִסְפֹּר אֹתָם וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ כֹּה יִהְיֶה זַרְעֶךָ: (בראשית טו:ה)
[G‑d told Abraham,] “Look toward heaven and count the stars – if you can count them! That is how your descendants will be.” Genesis 15:5
Although the plain meaning of this statement is that the Jewish people will eventually be as numerous as the stars, its metaphorical meaning is that they will sparkle like the stars; their light is so bright that even those walking in the thick of night will not stumble. We are all Abraham’s “shining stars,” possessing sufficient moral and spiritual fortitude to prevent those around us from stumbling and to exert a positive influence on them.1
I think this passage is very literal. How many descendants Abraham has? Billions, is not just the Jewish people as they weren’t such when this was promised but also all the Christians, Muslims and every other Abrahamic religion. So as it is today Abraham has more descendants that we can physically count.
I think is important for the Jewish people to understand this, in order to fulfil their mission to be the light to the world!
Specially in this dark times, the Jewish state of Israel should be a shining example to the world!