God’s Covenant with Abraham

October 1, 2017 Background Scripture: Genesis 15 Lesson Passage: Genesis 15:1 – 6, 17 – 21 The lessons this month will examine some covenants that God established between Himself and others. Some of the covenant relationships established by God involved individuals and some involved groups. All of the covenants are of interest to us because they teach us something about God as well as the characteristics of holy living. Today’s lesson highlights the covenant God established with Abraham. This covenant is of particular interest because the Bible speaks of Abraham as the father of the faithful. That is to suggest that all who come to saving grace by faith are considered the spiritual children of Abraham. That means that we are joint-heirs with Abraham pertaining to spiritual things. This lesson details the third occasion of the Lord speaking to Abram about a covenant. After the first two occasions, Abram’s actions are recorded that indicate that he believed God’s statement concerning blessing him. In today’s lesson, God told Abram that He was going to do something that seemed physically impossible. It is here that we see Abram’s faith. The scriptures state that Abram believed in the Lord and the Lord reckoned Abram’s belief in Him as righteousness. Abram’s faith in the Lord’s ability and willingness to do the impossible for his sake brought him into right standing with the Lord. On that day, Abram’s right standing (righteousness) with the Lord was based solely on his belief and trust in the Lord and with that he became the spiritual father of all who are made right with God through faith. However, unlike the other occasions when God spoke to Abram, this time God went a step further. God instructed Abram to prepare the ground around him so that the covenant could be sealed or established in blood. Abram was instructed by God to bring five types of animals that God specified. Abram divided the large animals in half and arranged them so that the covenant partners could travel between the pieces and seal the covenant. Abram had to fight off the scavengers to keep them from the sacrifices. While Abram protected the sacrifices and waited, he fell asleep. Abram awoke to see a smoking pot and a flaming torch passing between the pieces of the sacrifices. The covenant had been sealed and God, alone, had passed between the pieces of the sacrifices indicating that He, alone, was the guarantor of the covenant. Abram and his heirs would be beneficiaries of the covenant but Abram did not have to do anything else to secure the agreement. Abram’s faith in the Lord was all he was required to have and that’s all he brought to this covenant. Everything else required to uphold this covenant was dependent on God and God had endorsed it by passing between the sacrifice pieces as a symbolic statement that He would be even as those sacrifices if He failed to uphold the covenant. What’s better than a covenant agreement with God? A one-sided agreement that God has pledged to uphold and He is the only one accountable for upholding is the ultimate covenant! Robert C. Hudson September 11, 2017