Abraham, Father of Faith Part 5 “Confirming the Covenant”
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1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
Introduction
Introduction
Abram had been called by election, separated by Grace, and he had an unconditional covenant.
He had faith, now he needed confirmation of his faith.
How God deals with Abraham is how he deals with his seed.
Notice then, Abraham called by election, and God giving him the covenant of grace unconditionally. You know, when God makes a covenant with man, man breaks his covenant.
You make a promise to God, nine times out of ten you’ll not do it. When God made a covenant with man in the garden of Eden, “This you do, and if you do this,” there’s an “if” in it. Man turned right back around it and broke his covenant with God.
God was determined to save man. So instead of saying “if,” He was no “if” to Abraham: “I have.” You see the assurance? “You’ll come to me in a old age. I’ve already settled it, not ‘If you’ll do anything.’ I’ve already done it.” Then it’s got to be sure.
And not, “Abraham, if you backslide, or Abraham, if you’ll keep My Word, Abraham, if you’ll do this or you’ll do that.” God said, “I have already done it.”
Oh, you say, “I’d like to be Abraham. Oh, Brother Branham, if I had that assurance, then I would certainly rest perfectly quiet.” Why, you’ve got the same assurance and the same covenant.
The covenant was not only to Abraham only, but to his seed after him. Amen. If you begin to see that, then Divine healing becomes easy.
Any the other promise that God has given becomes easy when you see that it’s not you; it’s God. God has give the promise, so then you don’t get restless. 56-0427 - "Faith"
God was so sure of Abraham, that he did not have a backup plan.
God was sure, Abram needed to be sure.
God didn’t need to hear a voice. He didn’t need to be assured of victory. He didn’t need to be served communion. He didn’t need to make a sacrifice. He didn’t need a seal of circumcision, He didn’t need to see the sign of the Son of Man, but He provided all of these things for Abraham, and He provided all of these things for us.
1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
“I am thy shield.” If God is your shield, how is the devil going to hit you? See? See? “I am your shield, and your exceeding great reward.” 54-1212 - "He Swore By Himself"
He said “I Am your protection and provision”. Your shield and your reward.
2 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
He needed confirmation.
3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
My current condition doesn’t match the promise. I believe Lord, but how?
4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Abraham belongs to God, He believes God, He’s separated from his kindred, but now God will confirm His covenant through the blood with the end result being the Seal of Circumcision, which is a type of the Holy Ghost.
After the covenant is confirmed in Chapter 17, and Abram is changed to Abraham, in chapter 18 He is visited by Elohim, and Abraham and Sarah have their bodies changed back.
What He done to Abraham, He did to his seed. 61-0416 - "Abraham And His Seed After Him"
1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Imputation - Placing in an account.
Paul argues that his righteousness did not come from circumcision, but from faith.
9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
Jump to v. 16
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
There had to be a supernatural event to make the promise sure. Not to God, but to Abraham and his seed.
The very phenomena of Sarah’s womb being dead, before Isaac come. God just let it go on. She was sixty years old when she got the promise. She was ninety years old before the seed ever was conceived in her. Perfectly, absolutely phenomenal!
And the man that’s born again, is a phenomenal. Hallelujah. It’s not accepting, or raising up your hand like this. It’s a gift of God. Phenomenal!
Born again, taken out of this world in the realm of senses. Yes, sir. Why, because you deserve it? Because God promised it, that the promise might be sure, according to the election. 53-0325 - "Israel And The Church #1"
There’s a time for raising your hand to accept Christ, but there needs to be a supernatural birth to confirm your faith.
7 And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.
8 And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?
I want to be sure.
9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.
Bro. Branham taught that the sacrifices were divided to show the Old and the New Testament, but the turtledoves were not divided because they were a type of divine healing.
Divine healing has always been by faith, in the Old and New Testament.
11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.
Now, but notice what he done here. He took these three animals and cut them apart, and laid them, piece by piece. And then Abraham got back.
Now, that was the sacrifice. And he watched until the sun was going down. And fowls come down out of the air, on Abraham’s sacrifice, vultures. And Abraham cast them out, shooed them away.
What’s this a type of? Abraham’s Seed in the last day, casting out devils from the Sacrifice, casting away from the Sacrifice.
God promised it, the Sacrifice, Christ, the same yesterday, today, forever, and all them unbelieving spirits trying to devour It. The man of God, the Abraham’s Seed, stands there casting out the devils, away from It! 62-0705 - "Jehovah-Jireh #1"
How do we cast out devils? By preaching the Word.
And give us power today, Lord, through the preaching of the Word, to cast every devil of doubt and superstition and fear, from the people’s hearts and mind. That those who are bound by flusterations and doubt might be brought into the arms of Christ. 60-1002 - "The Kinsman Redeemer"
We don’t save or heal, that’s already finished at Calvary, all we can do is cast out devils by preaching the Word.
Bro. Branham said he would have been saved when he was twelve but a spirit hung over him telling him not to go.
He commissioned His Church to cast them devils out. There you are. “In My Name they shall cast out devils. You ain’t going to heal nobody, but you’re going to cast the devil away from them so they can accept the healing I’ve already done.” That’s right.
Preachers stood on the platform and preached the Gospel, devils scatter. The man come to the altar, under conviction, say, “I want to get saved.” He never saved the man; he cast out the devil, that’s right, and the man got saved. 52-0224 - "Believing God"
God still confirms His Word the same way.
The natural seed failed, and accepted law instead of grace, but:
But there is a Seed, royal Seed with the Word, stands true, casting out devils, doing great signs and wonders, getting all the unbelief away from the Word, keeping the Sacrifice clean, keeping the Word holy, keep It reverenced; not put anything with It, add anything to It; just keeping it away, standing on guard, letting nothing touch It. 62-0705 - "Jehovah-Jireh #1"
12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
Bro. Branham said the deep sleep was a type of death, and the horror of darkness was hell. Without His mercy all of us would be there.
13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
17 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.
He was torn apart on Calvary, and the Pillar of Fire came down after His body was broken and was separated into His church.
Now the Spirit that is in you must dovetail with that Spirit.
They’d kill an animal, stand in between it, tear the piece of goatskin apart, one took one…And when the covenant was confirmed, they brought the pieces together and they had to dovetail just exactly.
Now, what God is showing him here is this, on these sacrifices, is speaking of Christ; that how God took Jesus to the Calvary and tore Him apart, and received the body up into Heaven and sent the Spirit down upon us, that the same Spirit was on Him has to be on you to dovetail with the Body, to be the Bride at the end time. 65-1128E - "On The Wings Of A Snow-White Dove"
And now we, in this, we find that when they made this covenant in them days, they drew it out on a piece of sheepskin, or leather. And then they killed an animal, and stood between the pieces. And cut it, this their covenant, or in two, their words; pulled it in two, like that.
(Tear a piece of paper in two)
And when they come together, these had to dovetail exactly the very same. Had to meet, piece by piece, so it could not be duplicated.
Now we see in this, also, in this covenant, that He showed there what He would do, how God would tear apart Christ Jesus. And the body was raised up and sets on the right hand of God and the Majesty on High, and the Spirit of Christ was brought down upon the earth. 64-0403 - "Jehovah-Jireh #2"
29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
John 15:5 (KJV 1900)
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
“A little while and the world seeth Me no more. The world,” there the Greek word kosmos, which means world order, “sees Me no more. Yet ye shall see Me, for I,” I being a personal pronoun, “I’ll be with you, even in you, to the end of the world,” making Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever. 64-0403 - "Jehovah-Jireh #2"
He still confirms His covenant with believers.
He is still a supernatural God.
To believe the Word, is to receive the Word and let It become Life. Now, God showing there how He was confirming this covenant. It’s has to be that way.
The Church! Not an organization, not a denomination; but the individual and God has to become the same Spirit. That’s God’s purpose, in the beginning. 64-0403 - "Jehovah-Jireh #2"
The turtledove and pigeon were not torn asunder but they were related. Eve came from Adam’s side.
When the same Spirit that dwelled in Christ dwells in us, He confirms His covenant to us.
When the covenant is manifested in our lives, it brings faith.
Abraham believed God, but He needed a confirmation, and God gave him what he needed.
How does He confirm His Word? His Word is the covenant.
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
And that is the general orders from Jesus Christ to be carried out until the day He returns. 53-0906E - "The Living Jesus Christ"
What if they left there and only told the story?
Preaching the gospel is much more than telling the good news.
Now Paul said that the Word came in power as well as voice. The Word preached actually demonstrated itself. Like a flaming, cutting sword it went to the consciences of men, and like a surgeon’s knife it cut out the diseases and set captives free.
Everywhere those early believers went, “they went preaching the Gospel (Word) and God confirmed that Word with signs following.” The sick were healed, devils were cast out, and they spoke in new tongues. That was the Word in action.
That Word has never failed in the mouths of believing Christians. And in this last age it is here stronger and greater than ever in the true Word bride.
Oh, little flock, you little minority, hold on to the Word, fill your mouth and heart with it, and some day God will give you the kingdom. An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages (2 - The Patmos Vision)
God still supernaturally confirms His Word, if you believe.
We find here, that after Abraham had done all these great things; believing God, holding to the promise, separating himself, and all along following out the way of carrying out the commandments of the Lord; we find out that God appeared to him at the altar.
And Abraham asked Him the question, he said, “Now, who is my heir but this Eliezer of Damascus? And now You promised me a Seed. And I want You to do something; I want You to confirm this promise to me.”
And God said that He would confirm it to Abraham, confirming the covenant that He had made between Him and Abraham.
Now He is going to give him a sign that it’s going to be true. That, even though he’s old, he’s about eighty-five now, but yet He is going to prove to him, by a sign, that He’s going to keep that covenant.
Oh, I’m so glad that God always gives us signs, because He…We ought to know, today, that the hour that we’re now living, there is supposed to be a sign in the earth at this time. We’re to look for that sign. 64-0402 - "Jehovah-Jireh #1"
When Jesus came to Jerusalem God confirmed His Word by manifesting His Word.
The people were gathered because they heard about Lazarus, and saw what God did there, and it attracted their attention to the mountain, where God was fulfilling His Word.
God has confirmed His Word in this day by the supernatural, just like He did to Abraham.
What’s happened upon Mount Sunset? God confirming His Word. That’s what all this noise is about. Notice, it’s God fulfilling His promised Word again, of Revelation 10:1 to 7, “And in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel’s Message, the mystery of God should be finished.”
The hidden mystery of Revelation 10:1 to 7, the last Message to the last church age. Fulfills exactly, in this age, Saint Luke 17:30, “The day when the Son of man shall be revealed.” 65-0725E - "What Is The Attraction On The Mountain?"
And the observatories and all of them in Tucson are still asking, research of science trying to find out what it is. So high they can’t be fog, mist, or nothing up there. “What did it? Where is it at?”
They’re just as puzzled of that supernatural Halo hanging yonder in the sky as they was when the Magis come in following a Star, saying, “Where is He that’s born King of the Jews?” What was it? God fulfilling His Word, “And there shall rise a star out of Jacob.”
And the God of Heaven promised the evening time would have evening Lights. Three years ago this mystery was a prophecy, “What time is it, Sir?” But now it’s history. It’s passed.
The promise is fulfilled. What time is it, sir, and what’s this attraction? God fulfilling His Word! He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever. 65-0725E - "What Is The Attraction On The Mountain?"
Conclusion
Conclusion
If God confirmed His Word to Abraham, and confirmed His Word to the church, it gives us faith to believe He will confirm His Word to us as individuals.
Some people think they don’t need these things, but Abraham did. I still do. God, confirm your Word, with signs following!
That same Pillar of Fire that went between the pieces of Abraham’s sacrifice is here today to confirm His Word.