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God Establishes His Covenant with Abram.

Last week we considered the first few verses of this chapter where we met Abram struggling with the promises God had made to him. Then it was over the problem of offspring – God had spoken of many offspring but Abram and Sarai were not getting any younger and not even one child had been born to them.

The LORD didn't deal harshly with Abram but reinforced the promise already given with some illustrations from the stars in the sky. As more of God's word was made known to Abram so came more faith – faith comes by hearing the word of God.

Abram was not a perfect man and like us lacked the necessary righteousness to meet God's just requirements but God Himself supplied what Abram needed. As Abram took God at His word so the LORD credited this act of faith on the part of Abram as righteousness – thus showing us the way for all of us. We, like Abram, must trust God to do what He has promised. Specifically we are trust Him when He tells us about Jesus Christ the Saviour – all those who call upon His Name shall be saved. In doing so He joins us to Christ and Christ's perfect spotless righteousness is credited to our account.

The LORD in speaking further to Abram identifies Himself as the One who had safely led Abram from Ur of the Chaldeans to this new land of Canaan. Abram knows this God to the Almighty, the Most High. He knows that it is impossible to find anyone who is greater, higher or more important than this God. The encounter is set to be a serious affair indeed.

And the LORD having declared who He is reiterates the promise made that the land where Abram now finds himself will belong to his descendants.

Surely Abram will be ready to accept the Word of the LORD this time – after all having just questioned the LORD about the promise concerning offspring surely he won't go down the same line of questioning again? But Abram reveals himself to be something of a repeat offender doesn't he? Because the very next thing we read is of Abram asking for some confirmation that what the LORD is saying to him is actually true. "How can I be sure?" is the question on Abram's lips.

Do you think that it is highly unlikely that Abram would do the same thing twice in quick succession? If you do then you don't know human nature very well at all and the Bible most certainly does.

How easy it is for us to struggle repeatedly on the matter. One victory does not mean the battle has been finished for us.

So Abram is still struggling with trusting in God's Word and how does the LORD react to him?

Well we might expect a rebuke this time. How can you keep on doubting me Abram? Can't you just trust me to do what I say I will?

But no. The LORD deals patiently with Abram. He simply gives him a series of instructions that Abram can carry out. Once all is done then the LORD will move things along and make it yet easier still for Abram to trust Him.

The LORD is preparing to establish His covenant with Abram. If  we go back to the opening verses of ch.12 it would seem that the LORD has already  been dealing with Abram according to a covenant though the word was not used in that context. Here in ch.15 for the first time in the LORD's dealings with Abram that word comes to the fore.

Covenants in the Bible are not arrived at after some discussion or negotiation but rather the terms are laid down unilaterally by the LORD. Abram is not even offered the covenant on a take it or leave it basis. The LORD graciously comes to him and tells him just what He the LORD will do for Abram. Abram's response can only be that of humble submission and obedience. In order that Abram might believe the word of the LORD the Mighty God pledges Himself, upon pain of death, to establish the promises He has generously given to Abram.

Let's look at just what was involved.

Abram is told to take a selection of animals and birds and although it is not spelt out Abram clearly recognised that he was to offer them in sacrifice. The animals and birds mentioned are all later defined in the Law of Moses as being clean animals and thus acceptable for use in sacrificial worship. It is clear here that this sacrifice was not the fruit of Abram's religious imagination – he did what the LORD Himself required.

There is no altar but Abram cuts the animals in half and lays them out in two lines leaving a passageway between the two lines. This cutting is significant because the Hebrew way of describing the inauguration of a covenant is to speak of "cutting a covenant". Hereafter the shedding of blood becomes a usual feature as covenants are established.

This practice has continued over into the NT with the establishing of the new covenant in the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ as He was crucified at Calvary. There Jesus acted as the sole representative of His people and bore in His own body the wrath of God justly merited by His people because of their sin.

Back to Abram.

Having obeyed the instructions he had received there is nothing more that Abram can do but sit and wait. As he waits birds of prey appear in the skies and they swoop down towards the prepared sacrifices. Abram drives them off – the sacrifices must wait for the LORD to come and act.

Abram has to learn patience as he waits for the promised offspring to arrive and he will have to learn to wait too for the land to become the possession of his descendants. Here he has to wait for the LORD to come to finalize the cutting of the covenant ceremony. The birds of prey represent perhaps threats to this waiting process – doubts and questionings – and these doubts etc. must be driven off as well.

As the light of this second day begins to disappear a deep sleep falls upon Abram. But this is no ordinary sleep – he remains conscious of what is going on around him but he cannot any longer be active. As he falls into this coma he is conscious of being surrounded by a darkness which is deep and dreadful. Abram is terror struck.

Now why should this be? What is going on? What are we to make of it all?

This darkness is meant to speak to us of the LORD himself coming near. He will not be content merely to make Abram aware of His promises He wants Abram to be conscious of His presence! That cloud and darkness are often associated with the LORD's presence is clear from other parts of the Scripture. When Moses, the author of these words, had led the people of Israel out of Egypt the Angel of God interposed himself between Israel and Egypt in cloud and darkness (Ex.14:20). As the Law was given on Mt. Sinai the summit of the mountain was enveloped in thick cloud and smoke (Ex.19:16-18) so much so that the people themselves were terrified (Ex.20:18). When Moses remembered that event in writing Deuteronomy he spoke a mountain that burned with fire, and he spoke eloquently of it being wrapped in darkness, cloud, and gloom. The LORD spoke out of the midst of that fire.

So we see Abram in his coma confronted with the presence of the LORD Himself. And encounters with the great and awesome God who is King over all the Earth is no easy thing to bear! How glib we can be in talking of God! When He breaks through and makes Himself known it is no trifling matter!

And so the LORD having come speaks and in speaking He makes clear what is going to happen to His promise to grant the land to Abram's descendants. Yes, it will be given to them but it will not be done for hundreds of years yet. Abram's descendants will experience much suffering before their time comes though as for Abram he will die peacefully in his old age. A timely encouragement for a man with a significant number of enemies!

The sun has gone down now and a natural darkness seems to replace the supernatural one. The scene is has been set and the action is to be completed.

Abram looks on – remember that is all he can do – and the LORD acts.

A smoking fire pot appears and so does a flaming torch. These two items are meant to represent the Living God and to indicate to Abram what this God is doing. The smoking fire pot reminds us that our God is a consuming fire and the flaming torch that he Is Light, the Light of the world.

These items then process up and down between the two lines of sacrificial animals. Abram has questioned the LORD as to how He can be sure that the LORD will keep His word and the LORD condescends in this remarkable way to guarantee everything to Abram. This is what the gesture signifies. The LORD is effectively saying that He should be treated as those divided animals if He did not keep His word. The covenant is established in exceedingly strong terms and the action has all been from the side of the LORD!

The promises are clearly reiterated in solemn detail.

The NT picks up and develops these ideas further.

Abram in Gen.15 has been concerned about a promise concerning a tract of land. The NT widens this firstly to go beyond the borders of Israel as Jesus declares that the meek shall inherit the earth. But in the Book of Hebrews the vision is enlarged still further: Yes, Abram had been looking for a physical territory but his spiritual vision went beyond this.

Heb.11:10 "For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God."

And again in vv.13-16 we read:

"These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city."

Where are you fixing your hopes? Are you too looking for that heavenly country? Jesus the instigator of the new covenant has pledged to return to take His disciples home to be with Him in that new heavenly country. He has shed His blood to secure the salvation of those sinful people His Father has given to Him. That His work is successful and fully approved is clear for all to see in His resurrection from the dead!

What assurances God granted to Abram here in ch.15 and what assurances God grants to the believer in Jesus Christ. Let us press on with patient faithfulness. If delays come in the accomplishment of the promises of God that does not mean the promises have failed. Abram's descendants had to wait a long time and they had to suffer too. It all looked as though God's promises had failed them but no. At the right moment God acted delivering His people from slavery in Egypt and leading them to the land of Promise.

We may have to wait – so far it's been 2000 years. We may have to suffer – many of our Christian brothers and sisters have and suffered and many more are suffering at this very moment. But the promises of God are firm and secure!

2Cor.7:1 "Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God."

Amen!

2Pet.1:3-4 "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire."