God Cuts a Covenant

The Lord God is a Promise - Making God (Gen 15:7)

Explanation: Abram was concerned about two things. He wanted to know about his seed and about his seeming lack of inheritance of the land. God answered Abram through promises. He promised Abram that his descendants would be so numerous, they would not be able to be counted (v.5). In verse 7, God reminded Abram that he was brought out of his pagan homeland in order that God might give him and his descendants the Land.

Application: Like Abram, we need to be reminded that God makes promises. He is not obligated to, but He has chosen to make them. When He fulfills His promises, He receives the Glory for making it come to pass, and we benefit because it is for our good.

Even in our belief, we sometimes struggle with seeing how God will bring about His promise (Gen 15:8)

Explanation: Abram has just made an incredible statement of belief (v. 6), so this is NOT about his inability to believe that God can do it. This is Abram’s struggle with understanding how God is going to bring it to pass. Abram is surrounded by many different pagan nations who are currently controlling the promised land (see verses 19-21 for list of nations).

Example: Moses encountered God in the desert and came to understand that he was to lead God’s people out of Egypt. After his first encounter with Pharaoh, however, the working conditions for the Israelites were made harsher and his own people were blaming him. Moses turns to God and said, “why did you ever send me?”

Argument: God does not desire for us to be anxious or fearful. He wants us to trust Him and obey Him because He has shown Himself to be trustworthy.

Application: The God of the Bible is NOT whimsical or given to change His mind. He is the all powerful Creator God of the Universe and He is the One who knows the end from the beginning.

In our struggles of faith, we CAN gain confidence by reminding ourselves who God is. We can look to His Word and remind ourselves that we are not the only ones who struggle with understanding. Even as we look at this account of Abram’s life, we too can come to understand that God will give us what we need to keep on serving Him.

God is gracious in that He is willing to reassure us with His covenant faithfulness (Genesis 15: 9-10)

Explanation: God graciously reassures Abram by initiating and carrying out a covenant ceremony. God doesn’t answer Abram’s question directly, but instead, tells Abram to get certain types of animals and then to slaughter and arrange them. This makes ZERO sense to us, but Abram would have understood immediately. God was telling Abram to prepare for a covenant making ceremony.

Covenants in the Ancient Near East were very important and only made for significant events. The animals would be slaughtered and then separated, leaving walking space between the halves. The two parties entering into covenant together would both walk through the pieces while making the covenant. The importance is seen that if one party does not fulfill his covenant obligation, then he would end up like one of the slaughtered animals. Cutting a covenant was a sacred act and bound the parties to the agreement.

Application: Look at Psalm 105:7 - 15 and see how God used this Covenant to reassure His people.

God works out His Covenant in His time, not ours and we are to wait upon the LORD (Gen 15:11)

Explanation: Abram was told to prepare for the covenant ceremony, and he did so. It was night when God took Abram outside to view the stars (v. 5), so it is likely that the preparations for the ceremony took place the next morning. The text doesn’t give a specific time for the beginning, but time passes after Abram slaughters the animals and waits on God to show up. We know this from the gathering of the birds of prey that show up. Not only are they flying overhead, but they are coming down on the carcasses .

Argument: A pastor named Alan Cairns draws attention to verse 11 and asks, “why is this statement included?” He points out that many other details are not included, so why this one? What is the significance. Cairns gives two answers: 1) that God’s time is not our time and 2) evil forces will try to consume that which is devoted to God.

Application: On our part, we are called to be faithful as we wait on God to act. This does not mean that we sit and do nothing. Waiting on God is not an excuse to be lazy or apathetic. The text reveals that when the birds came down, “Abram drove them away.” We are to be active in guarding against the evil that comes against us.

Charles Spurgeon, the famous English Pastor of the late 1880’s has an entire message centered around this verse. He sees the birds as those things that would distract us from worship, whether they be business, sports, family issues, or even things going on in the church.

Bottom line: we are easily distracted from the importance of worship. It is therefore, our responsibility to protect the importance of worship.

God cuts an Unconditional Covenant to display His Glory and His Power (Gen 15:12-17)

Explanation: The text informs us that God puts Abram in a deep sleep as the sun was setting. God shows up to do what only He can do, and He is ensuring that Abram will not take part in the binding and making of the covenant. God speaks to Abram while he is sleeping and God relates how Abram’s descendants will become slaves in Egypt for 400 years. God also tells Abram that his children will come back into the Land with great wealth and that He, God, will judge Egypt for their oppression of the Israelites.

Then God shows up in the form of a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch. Possibly Abram was allowed to view this while he was having the vision and the smoke would form a barrier from God’s perfect Holiness. What a contrast with the darkness of the night! God obligates Himself and takes on the covenant curses in the case of failure. What a powerful assurance God gives to His servant Abram!

The Abrahamic Covenant that God cuts in Genesis 15 serves as a type for the ultimate fulfillment of God’s covenant promises. In the Abrahamic covenant, God unconditionally promises the land and the descendants. The promised seed was the Messiah, and when Messiah had come, He took on the covenant curse on Himself at Calvary. Jesus did not fail to fulfill HIS obligations, but He took the place of the slaughtered animals to do what only He could do on behalf of we who are unable to meet God’s righteous standard on our own.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Conclusion: Those of us who are IN Christ can be thankful we have a Covenant Keeping God! We have confidence that He is faithful to His Word and He will bring us safely home. But what about now? What is it that we are doing while we wait? Are we protecting that which is to be devoted to God? Are we actively driving evil forces from our families? Are we guarding our hearts and eyes from the things of the world? Are we actively seeking to maintain the Unity of the Spirit in our fellowship? Are we preparing our hearts beforehand so that we can maintain a Christ-centered focus during our time of worship? We have been empowered by the Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of Christ and we CAN do this things as we seek to honor God with all of our life, not just the Sunday morning portion of it.