Covenant God

And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. Genesis 15:17 KJV

God promises Abram, who was old and childless, an heir. And not only that, but promised him an innumerable amount of descendants that would inherit the land before him as well. Abram believed. And God counted it to him for righteousness. Then Abram and asks a fair question… how might he know that God would give him the right to the land for his descendants. God answered his question through cutting a covenant with him.

A covenant was an agreement between two parties, which involved the cutting and shedding the blood of animals. The sacrificial animals would be split in two. BOTH parties would walk through the “blood path” in the midst of the split carcasses. Often a torch would be lit as they walked through the pieces. A cut covenant was symbolic what it costs, as well as the fire of judgment should either party brake the solemn agreement between them.

In this instance, God the Father (represented as the smoking furnace [firepot]) and God the Son (represented as the burning [torch] lamp) were the parties that walked. The manifest presence of two members of the Godhead were “walking” in the midst, so Abram did not have to. God was prophetically showing Abram what the cost and judgment of his promise would be—the cutting, sacrifice and judgment placed on his only Son. God became both the initiator and the keeper of covenant for Abram; who would reap the benefits of the covenant, but in fact did not have to do anything, except believe.

The split carcasses represent the Old Covenant (the law) and the New [fresh/renewed ] Covenant (grace). The Son of God, Jesus Christ, walked the blood path for Abram. Christ shed his blood, being both the sacrifice and the future promise. He did not ask Abram to walk the blood path, because he would not have been able to keep his end of the covenant. Therefore, God did it all for Abram. For us.

God’s fiery presence is still calling individuals into covenant. Will YOU believe?

—Paul  

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