Page 22 - Biblical Theology Textbook - masters

5
And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward
heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to
number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your
6
offspring be.” And he believed the LORD, and he
counted it to him as righteousness.

7 And he said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you
out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to
possess.” But he said, “O Lord GOD, how am I to
8
9
know that I shall possess it?” He said to him, “Bring
me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years
old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young
pigeon.” And he brought him all these, cut them in
10
18
half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half…. On that day
the LORD made a covenant with Abram, …

This validation was based on the splitting of animals. Those making this covenant prepared a sacrifice
by dividing a heifer, a goat, and a ram into two halves, then both parties, hand in hand, passes between
the divided carcasses. This symbolized the seriousness of their intentions in that the divided carcasses
represented what would happen to them if they did not keep their oath! They placed their lives at risk.
The carcasses were then burned, symbolizing their acceptance.

The smoking oven and burning torch symbolize the Lord. In many instances in the Bible, God represents
Himself through the image of fire (i.e., the burning bush and the pillar of fire). The sacrifice in Genesis 15
is interesting in that only God passes between the divided carcasses because, in reality, this is an oath of
only one party, God, to keep His promise. It was an unconditional covenant. Abraham sat by and
watched. In this specific case, Abraham has agreed to nothing, but God has bound Himself with utmost
seriousness to meet the requirements of His promise in full. This promise will be fulfilled only because of
God's character and grace.

The Covenant of Marriage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9UfyBHl4O4

21