Sunday: The Faith of Abraham
Read Genesis 15:1-21 and Romans 4:3-4, Romans 4:9, Romans 4:22. How does Abram reveal what it means to live by faith? What is the meaning of the sacrifice that God had Abram perform?
God’s first response to Abram’s concern about an heir (Genesis 15:1-3) is that he will have a son from his “own body” (Genesis 15:4, NKJV). The same language is used by the prophet Nathan to refer to the seed of the future Messianic king (2 Samuel 7:12).
Image © The Classic Bible Art Collection – Formerly Standard Publishing at Goodsalt.com
Abram was reassured and “believed in the LORD” (Genesis 15:6), because he understood that the fulfillment of God’s promise depended not on his own righteousness but on God’s (Genesis 15:6; compare with Romans 4:5-6).
This notion is extraordinary, especially in that culture. In the religion of the ancient Egyptians, for instance, judgment was evaluated on the basis of counting one’s human works of righteousness against the righteousness of the goddess Maat, who represented divine righteousness. In short, you had to earn “salvation.”
God then sets up a sacrificial ceremony for Abram to perform. Basically, the sacrifice points to Christ’s death for our sins. Humans are saved by grace, the gift of God’s righteousness, symbolized by these sacrifices. But this particular ceremony conveys specific messages for Abram. The preying of the vultures on the sacrificial animals (Genesis 15:9-11) means that Abram’s descendants will suffer slavery for a period of “four hundred years” (Genesis 15:13), or four generations (Genesis 15:16). Then in the fourth generation, Abram’s descendants “shall return here” (Genesis 15:16, NKJV).
The last scene of the sacrificial ceremony is dramatic: “a burning torch that passed between those pieces” (Genesis 15:17, NKJV). This extraordinary wonder signifies God’s commitment to fulfill His covenant promise of giving land to Abram’s descendants (Genesis 15:18).
The boundaries of this Promised Land, “from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18, NKJV) remind us of the boundaries of the Garden of Eden (compare with Genesis 2:13-14). This prophecy has, therefore, more in view than just the Exodus and a homeland for Israel. On the distant horizon of this prophecy, in Abraham’s descendants taking the country of Canaan, looms the idea of the end-time salvation of God’s people, who will return to the Garden of Eden.
| How can we learn to keep focused on Christ and His righteousness as our only hope of salvation? What happens if we try to start counting up our good works? |
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We all know what a contract is ! Mortgage / Car loan etc!
A covenant is another term for a contract, typically a bi-lateral contract between you and the lender.
Now, what if your mortgage or car contract is NOT bi-lateral but uni-lateral ? You pay nothing for the goods. !
Smiling faces ? 😀
Well, this ceremonial covenant/contract was a UNI-LATERAL covenant between God and Abraham for the promise of a Son, from his own body, that would be a messianic King, without any obligation from
Abraham to the contract.
No wonder Abraham had such faith !
And since that Messianic King has arrived and has overcome Satan, Sin and death, he can do the same IN US with his might power that has prevailed!
Philippians 1:
6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good work *in you* will carry it on *to completion* until the day of Christ Jesus.
..
9 And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in *knowledge* and every kind of *discernment*
Shalom
🙏
Larry, you wrote:
Does that mean that the covenant would still hold if Abraham turned his back on God and joined the idol worshipers around him and moved into a city similar to Sodom?
What did God mean by what He said in Gen. 17:1,9? (See the whole chapter for context.)
Do the references in Heb. 11:8, 17 cast any light on this subject?
Bible scholars have noted that this type of ceremony was typical at that time in history, where both parties would pass through the sacrifices as a bilateral covenant on penalty of death..
In this case it was just God's agency, hence a uni-lateral covenant....google it !
God made several covenants with Abram/Abraham.
I remembered it, way back when ! Sorry !
Also ...
This covenant is sometime regarded as a shadow of the covenant in the Godhead (Father and Son) before the founding of the world for SONS in his image. .... Ephesians 1:3-4. Revelation 13:8
This sacrifice in Gen 15:9-18 reminds me somewhat of other sacrifices where the person built an altar, laid the animal on it and the LORD sent down fire from heaven and consumed the offering. Here Abraham provided the offering as requested, cut them in half and stayed between them and chased away the birds of prey and then after announcing the covenant the LORD accepted the offering by consuming them.
What is the human part of the divine covenants? To love the LORD with all our hearts, minds, souls and bodies; to allow the Holy Spirit to transform our characters to be like Jesus Christ.
I believe that was Abraham's part because the LORD said it was Gen 17:1, 18:19, 26:5
Thanks, Shirley. Just one detail, though: I read in Gen. 5:17 "When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces." It seems like God, represented by the smoking fire pot," passed between the divided sacrifices, as was the custom for formal covenants at the time. The bible does not say what happened to the sacrifices. (I have not read anywhere what happened to such carcases in formal covenants of the time. Perhaps someone else has.)
It is also worth noting that God did not require Abraham to pass between the sacrifices, denoting that God held only Himself responsible for the terms of the covenant.
(Also see my comment below. )
Thanks, you are right it is not in the text, I picked up that Abraham walked between the parts and the fire consumed them from Patriarchs and Prophets PG 137
I should have checked my sources.
Ah, yes, Shirley, I should have followed my own advice of re-reading Patriarchs and Prophets for commentary before commenting myself.😉
It makes sense in view of the context of culture and Scripture.
The burning up of offerings by divine fire traces back all the way to the gates of Eden, with that being the sign that God accepted Abel's sacrifice. So that makes sense too.
Abraham "signing the covenant" in the acceptable way of the time by walking between the halves of the sacrificial animals harmonizes with all iterations of the covenant where God makes a promise requests a response of faith and faithfulness. In the scriptural context, Abraham's trust in God is "counted" for righteousness. (Gen. 15:60 cf. Rom. 4:3) The Lord said to him, "Walk before me, and be thou perfect/blameless," although not in the same passage. (Gen. 17:1,9) And He speaks of "keeping the covenant." There is no way of "keeping" if there are absolutely no conditions.
In the end, no human being could truly "be perfect" before the Lord, except Jesus Christ. And He is the One who ultimately fulfilled man's part of the covenant. At the same time, the Lord accepts our imperfect efforts at obedience as an offering of love to Him - a token of our faith in His promises.
I find Gen 26:5 very helpful in understanding the relationship between the LORD and Abraham.
Question from study guide :
How can we learn to keep focused on Christ and His righteousness as our only hope of salvation? What happens if we try to start counting up our good works?
Food For Thoughts:
Different denominations in the name of Christianity in the past 2020 + years have argued over righteousness by faith / faith alone etc..
Some even glorified their continual sinful ways, claiming the more you sin, the greater the imputed righteousness from Christ.
This is not the image of God that was envisaged by our creator.
2 Peter 1:1-12
It is true that all coming from the seed of the first Adam, after the fall, righteousness and God's image missed its goal of the indwelling Spirit of God (Fellowship, walk with God)
Scripture tells us the second Adam overcame sin and death for us.
I sometimes reflect to Genesis 1:2, where we are told that the Spirit of God moved in creation and brought order and design from disorder and chaos.
This seems like what the incarnate Word did in Flesh, to bring order to its chaos and disorder and made it to be a perfect temple to be inhabited by God.
1 Corinthians 15: 53-58. 2 Corinthians 5:1-7, Romans 8:3
If I could make a change to the question asked in this study, due to the constant debates about righteousness to us, in us, faith alone not works etc, I would change the WORDING of the question as follows:
Question: How can we learn to keep focused on Christ and His OVERCOMING POWER OF SIN and DEATH, as our only hope of salvation? What happens if we try to start counting up our own CARNAL NATURE !
Answer: by Begging for that Power/Spirit ever day to the glory of God !
Matthew 5:3-16
Thanks for those thoughts, Larry.
I like your re-worded question and your answer.
I'd also like to offer this from one of my favorite books, Steps to Christ, p. 70. It tells just how we may do what you suggest.
The context is really good too - especially the paragraphs that follow.
Thank you
🙏Amen
Yes, Great quote from sister White, and the same *spirit* of *loosing self* to *find the real self in Christ*, on the very last page of C.S. Lewis "Mere Christianity."
Thanks. Mere Christianity is one of my favorite Christian classics. I remember recommending it to one of my 11th-grade students in high school. He didn't seem to have much motivation for English, but he was interested in the supernatural, including Christianity. The book really spoke to him even more than I had expected. I believe many of our readers could also benefit from reading Mere Christianity. For those who can appreciate irony,The Great Divorce is another good one. What's stuck in my head is the image of the "great lady" walking easily on the green grass of heaven, while her pompous human husband, now tiny, struggled to get through the huge jungle of unbending spears at her feet.
Many Christians have the idea that when you walk by faith, it is a 'walk in the park' so to speak. They expect that faith is accompanied by positive feelings and an absence of significant obstacles and challenges. Then when their experience lacks these things, they feel they have lost their faith.
When I look at Abraham's experience, including Genesis 15:1-21, I see a realistic portrayal of faith. God promises Abraham, and Abraham questions how these things can/will be. Even after the text notes that Abraham was righteous on account of his faith, Abraham still had questions. And Abraham also experienced horror amid great darkness. This is not describing a 'walk in the park' experience - but a walk through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4).
There are times where faith is a 'mountain-top' experience. But there are also many times when faith is accompanied by deafening silence and even feelings of horror. Those are the times where faith is being exercised and stretched - where we are reaching out to God with our fingertips when all seems hopeless and lost.
If you are struggling amid faith-straining, faith-stretching experiences, I would encourage you to keep pressing forward into God - He will never leave your or forsake you even when it may feeling like it at times (eg, Hebrews 13:5, 1 Peter 5:7). It is in those times that our faith is being 'forged'. Keep holding on - you are being upheld by others you don't know in intercessory prayer, even when you don't know and can't feel that is happening.
Thank you brother Phil for clearly showing the difference between walking by faith and walking by feelings. I wrongly assumed that Abraham’s mistakes were lapses in his faith. Abraham did not turn his back on GOD or leave or stop believing in GOD (lapse in faith), rather he chose to ‘co-labour’ with GOD but in his own way rather than waiting on GOD’s way.
I think the lesson author misses something when he writes that "God then sets up a sacrificial ceremony for Abraham to perform. Basically, the sacrifice points to Christ’s death for our sins."
I understand that the English phrase "make a covenant" is most often a translation of the Hebrew phrase kārat berît, which literally means "cut a covenant." The verb kārat means “cut off, cut down, and berit means "treaty, agreement, promise, covenant." So why did they "cut" a covenant?
Nowadays, a contract is signed by the two parties before witnesses or a Notary Public. That makes it binding. For the people in Abraham's day, the process was a bit different. As I understand it, the typical covenant ceremony would involve cutting up a sacrificial animal into halves and laying it down, bloody side up. The parties would then walk between the halves in ratification of the covenant. The cut animals also represented a warning as to what would happen to the party that would break the covenant.
So it looks to me that the great Creator God of the whole universe stooped down low to use a human covenant ceremony to assure Abraham of the seriousness of His covenant. In this case, He used four cut animals that would later also be used as sacrificial animals.
It also makes no sense to me that "The preying of the vultures on the sacrificial animals (Genesis 15:9-11) means that Abram’s descendants will suffer slavery for a period of “four hundred years.”
The reason it does not make sense is that Abraham drove the vultures away, and they did not prey on the sacrificial animals. The statement in the lesson seems like unwarranted conjecture to me.
What remains is that our mighty God stooped to make a covenant with a Abraham, as a representative of humanity, using human ceremonies. He Himself, represented by a burning torch, passed between the covenant animals, making Himself responsible for the terms of the covenant. He did not require Abraham to walk between the animals, seeming to indicate that God took full responsibility for the terms of the covenant.
Amen ... 🙏
Thank you Father, in the spirit of Sonship in Christ !
Agree. And the Trinity was torn apart for our transgression. Christ was forsaken.
Very True .....
But some thoughts in the past entered my mind, had not we experienced sin and it's painful and mortal consequences, we may have been questioning and pondering forever in eternity.
Like for example your parents tell you not to put your hands near the hot stove, when you (we) are a child. A child's enquiring mind is going to investigate this hot stove and put his hands on the stove. So now he is fearful of it, the rest of his mortal life.
So in some respects we learn the consequences of sin by experience and learn the hard way by pain and death. So in Christ we can learn to HATE sin and its effects on us and our families and on the world and on the body of worshippers, and in the Godhead.
The eternal covenant in the Godhead *before the founding of the world* !
Amen 🙏
A fail safe plan for sin !
Luke 14:28-30 God uses forsight !
Hello Inge,
You may find the following references of interest.
"Grant, Treaty, and Covenant" by John V. Oaklands in Ministry Magazine. I found this article relatively recently.
"The Covenant of Grant" in the Old Testament and in the Ancient near East by M. Weinfeld. Mr. Weinfeld is a noted Old Testament scholar.
Chapter 18, "Promise and Covenant," Genesis by E. A. Speiser. This is a commentary on Genesis 15 by a noted Old Testament scholar.
Genesis 15 is intriguing. About a decade ago, I studied it in depth for a sermon that I was preparing. (There was no full-time pastor at the church I was attending, so members of the congregation took turns doing sermons.) There are many speculations about the meaning and symbology of this chapter in Genesis.
My understanding is as follows:
God used rituals and ceremonies of the ancient Near East with which Abram would have been very familiar, but used them in a radically different way to reveal to Abram the nature of his character and the reliability of his promises. In a covenant between equals, both parties would walk between the halves of the animals. This was a form of sympathetic magic in which those walking the bloody path between the halves would invoke their gods and call curses on themselves, if they broke the covenant.
However, if the covenant was between a sovereign and a vassal, only the inferior would walk that path. Abram’s natural expectation would be that he (and only he) would walk the path he was preparing for the covenant ritual.
As soon as the sun goes down and darkness prevails, Abram is put into a trancelike state. In this state, he is incapable of doing anything but observing what transpires. In the dark of night, a brazier and a flaming torch appear and pass between the halves. Verse 17 parallels verse 12, that is, Abram experiences a great overwhelming terror as he witnesses his God walking the path between the halves of slaughtered animals.
In essence, God is invoking a curse on himself if he does not fulfill the promises given to Abram. However, I believe that more was involved in this ritual, hence, the terror that Abram felt. There is really nothing in the text (Genesis 15:16-16 and 18-19) that should fill Abram with terror. His descendants are enslaved, but will leave slavery blessed and to receive God’s promised land. So what could it be that causes this terror?
My thought is this: The curse that God was invoking was not what would happen to him if the covenant was not fulfilled. Instead, it was that which must occur to fulfill the promise to Abram, that is, God would die a horrible death at the hands of his enemies, those being the literal descendants of Abram who would be instrumental in causing his death. That would be terror for Abram.
Moreover, Speiser’s commentary provides strong evidence that the brazier and blazing torch are linked to an Akkadian incantation to ward against witches’ powers to subvert a covenant. But God also turns this ritual on its head. Instead, this is God’s declaration that the power of his love displayed on the cross will be light in darkness, overcoming despite all that the Serpent can hurl against him. That this love would be rejected by his descendants would also be terror to Abram.
In his letter to the Galatians, Paul writes that God preached the gospel before to Abraham. (Galatians 3:8 referencing Genesis 12:3.) The fearful scenes of the battle on the Via Dolorosa and at the cross, which were revealed to Abram, precipitate the great overwhelming terror he feels. The cross is the nexus of the conflict between Christ and Satan. But the good news is the triumph of God’s love in the worst situations. This was the case in Abram’s life and it can be ours as well.
Just a thought and my apologies for the length of this comment.
Richard
Thank you so much, Richard! This sheds much light on this strange-to-us ritual in Genesis 15.
And no apologies needed for a long comment when the content justifies it. 😊
Hi Richard
I find that you have done an excellent job of illustrating a core principle that has much wider application across scripture - "God used rituals and ceremonies of the ancient Near East with which Abram would have been very familiar, but used them in a radically different way to reveal to Abram the nature of his character and the reliability of his promises." This is at odds with our mind's attempts to understand something via assuming similarity (as its default) rather than difference from the outset. I find your proposal is also consistent with God's ways being "higher" (radically conceptually different) than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9) and that God is trying to help us progressively grasp and grow in our understanding of such. I believe that if we kept the principle you mentioned at the forefront of our minds when studying scripture, our studying and learning - and therefore application of such - would be significantly enriched.
I also agree with your thoughts that the great horror/terror that Abraham experienced was related to the presence of a darkness that was more than just the sun not being in the sky. I too believe Abraham, in essence, experienced the 'Cosmic Conflict' context of the more localised 'covenant' - as per John 1:5 and John 3:19-20 principles.
Richard thank you for sharing this deep insightful light on the significance of what to us is an obscure ritual. GOD be praised for this platform.
Richard – thank you for the information related to ritual worship and covenants. I want to point out that Scriptures of the New Testament state clearly that: ”we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Eph.6:12 KJV
It also advises the believer in the true God to live according to: ”..whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think of these things . . . , and do them as they are the physical part of the spiritual ‘Way of Life’ by faith - Phil.4:7-9
Scripture states that it is the Creator God who made the Covenant with man; He reveals Himself spiritually through the Covenant to establishes His kingdom here on earth. This is HIS spiritual kingdom based on faith in HIM alone; and He started it with Abraham’s descendants for the world to know – Gen.17:6-8.
Like you and Phil mentioned, it is what is not seen that needs to be addressed – wholeheartedly believe in the true God and do His will, or go astray after your own imaginations guided by the forces set against the Creator. 'Wholeheartedly' means to segregate yourself from this world spiritually in all your ways.
Engaging in 'rituals' is part and parcel of spiritual engagement with the heavenly powers of well as with powers of this world. I find that some use 'prayer' as a form of a ritual. It is needful for the Holy Spirit to guide us in our life’s endeavors, as the earth has been and still is filled with 'agents' of deception of the prince of darkness of this word.
For the pagan believer, rituals in our day and time are performed to tab into these unseen forces to conjure spirits to appear or bring about that which the follower of these religions expects.
But we know who we trust, who we love and turn to - we know better!
This post is a bit too long but these things moved me as I contemplated Sabbath's and Sunday's lessons, so thank you for letting me share….
By this point in our Abram story, he's been listening to God and mostly saying "yes". To review, during the previous 5-6 years, Abram left Haran to go anywhere God led (he obeyed), there built an altar (he obeyed), left Canaan for Egypt and lied (he disobeyed), offered Lot first choice of land upon their return to Canaan (he obeyed), rescued Lot from war (he obeyed), offered Melchizedek tithe (he obeyed), and resisted temptation to take spoils (he obeyed). From our 3rd person perspective, it looks like Abram is solid in his faith.
Now we reach Genesis 15 where God comes to Abram again. Abram must have been feeling "down", perhaps second-guessing events. Sabbath's lesson says Abram was full of fear in this episode. Or deep fears were there all along, suppressed, and just beginning to surface. (Maybe I should have kept the Sodom loot that was mine by rights? Those northern kings could regroup and come after me…was I too submissive there at the end with King Bera? I'm feeling so old and tired. Did God really say I'd father a son with Sarai? Am I hearing God correctly? The only children being born in our household are to the female slaves. Maybe my servant Eliezer will end up being my sole heir if God doesn't answer this promise to father nations soon - if that really was what He said…..)
God breaks in to Abram's thoughts with a vision and says, "Don't be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward" (Gen. 15:1). And Abram answers, "Thank you so much, God, that is all I need to know." Nope. Abram doesn't say anything like that. His answer is our memory text: "Lord God, what will You give me?"
I once read that our prayer requests fall into 7 categories: (1) physical needs like food and finances; (2) wisdom - to have discernment to see the big picture; (3) knowledge of God and His ways in various situations; (4) compassion, encouragement, protection and support, esp. in times of trial, suffering and enemy attack; (5) healing and health; (6) truth and detailed insight for every step of the way; (7) desire to be fruitful in our Christian life and to do great things for God.
Jesus answers, "In Me all your needs are met. I AM all you need." (1) I AM the Bread (physical needs) - Jn. 6:35; (2) I AM the Light (wisdom) - Jn. 8:12; (3) I AM before Abraham was (knowledge of God) - Jn. 8:58; (4) I AM the Good Shepherd (care) - Jn. 10:11; (5) I AM the Resurrection and the Life (healing) - Jn. 11:25; (6) I AM the Way, the Truth, the Life - Jn 14:6 (life's GPS); (7) I AM the True Vine; whoever abides in Me will bear much fruit (productivity) - Jn. 15:1.
Back to our story, Jesus is telling Abram in prayer, "I AM everything you need. I AM your protection. I AM your reward. The answer to quiet your anxieties is not in knowing when or how I will act . The answer you seek is being with Me. Sticking with Me. All my gifts to you are Me. The boy child I promised you is Me. I AM the Word you're hearing, Abram, and I AM flawless (Prov. 30:5 NIV)". Rather like Nicodemus in John 3, who had also been listening to and following God's Spirit for a while, I think a truth is dawning on Abram. Abram wants to fully believe and that's why he is asking, "How do I get this baby? So many circumstances here make this physically impossible!" Nicodemus said, "How do I become a baby? It is physically impossible to crawl back into my mother!" Mary said, "How can I birth a baby? I haven't been with a man." Through time, God's people ask this question.
Last week we saw Abram putting down spiritual roots, now it is time for him to bust a green sprout! "Look at the stars and count them, Abram. That's how many times my promise will be fulfilled to you. Is already filled. I AM the baby. I AM your bloodline. I AM the Son who carries you forward. Listen to the wind, now here now there, Nicodemus, that's how my Spirit is moving in you at this very moment, causing you to be born again. Look up. Expand. The power of the Most High is overshadowing you. Fill all the Earth with our love story. Bless all the Earth with our union."
I think Genesis 15:6 is recording a big conversion moment! "Abram believed IN the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness." [Is believing "in" the Lord (KJV) different from believing the Lord (NIV)? James 2:19] Jesus said, "Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad" (Jn. 8:56). Could this be the joyful moment Abram first "saw Jesus's day"? The day he realized the promise wasn't about something for him to do, but about someone for him to believe in (Acts 16:30-31)? He "strengthened in faith" (Rom. 4:20-22). "You mean I don't have to work this out, God?" I'm imagining Abram's excitement building as the light begins to dawn that God the Word, right here and now, is all he needs. Abram had been acting righteously for years, but those good works did not satisfy his soul or make him a righteous person (Rom. 4:2-3). This Holy Spirit's burst of grace in the heart, helping a willing Abram let go of everything except Jesus, helping him open his heart door wide to let God in all the way, is a pivotal moment (Ezekiel 36:26; Jas. 1:18) "Let it be, according to thy word." (Luke 1:38) I have decided to trust in Jesus, no holding back, no holding back.
Now Abram presses God further in this vision, like grandson Jacob years later wrestling with the angel. "I'm being tempted to doubt some more. More of Your grace, please. How can I know I'll possess the land? When so much time goes by I'll again start thinking these visions are just my imagination in overdrive. I don't have any tangible confirmation that we've shared this transformative moment, nothing in writing and signed." God in His mercy made His promises visible for Abram, a formal covenant in the style of the culture of the time, to give Abram peace about this and to make what was happening inwardly, official outwardly. A marriage ceremony. A baptism.
“Looking at Abram’s faith and life in light of the developing relationship between him and his God, one can only imagine what real stamina and commitment - faith - it took to remain faithful. Though he left Mesopotamia, he still was surrounded by peoples observing long established religious traditions based on their faith to bring about that which they believed to bring the favors of their gods.
I understand 'faith' as believing in a truth without visible evidence. Christian faith is based on Trust in the Truth of God's Word; trusting God’s Truth and Wisdom expressed by His 'Word' to be true - to bring about that which He says 'it' will do when faithfully applied and lived by.
God spoke to Abram to follow Him, forsaking all other gods, removing himself from the land of powerful religious influences, and consecrating himself to believing only in Him and what He tells him that He would do.
How can we learn to keep focused on Christ and His Righteousness” as our only hope of Salvation?” By keeping our heart, mind, eyes, ears, and mouth consecrated to trusting the 'Word of our heavenly Father'; giving our life to be guided by His Word and Hands when living our life by faith.