Genesis 15 “After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
But Abram replied, “O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Abram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This one will not be your heir, but one who comes from your own body will be your heir.” And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
The LORD also told him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” But Abram replied, “Lord GOD, how can I know that I will possess it?”
And the LORD said to him, “Bring Me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a turtledove and a young pigeon.”
So Abram brought all these to Him, split each of them down the middle, and laid the halves opposite each other. The birds, however, he did not cut. And the birds of prey descended on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him.
Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own; they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will judge the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will depart with many possessions. You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a ripe old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, behold, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the halves of the carcasses. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates— the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.
Many of us may have heard of the term “cutting covenant” without having any idea of its significance. In Abraham’s time, when covenants were being made, men would split an animal. Each man would then walk between the split carcass as a sign that if he broke that covenant, the same thing should be done to him as had been done to that animal! When God made this covenant with Abraham, God has Abraham slaughter one of every animal and bird traditionally used in sacrifices. Once Abraham has split the carcasses, God comes. But rather than having Abraham walk through the carcasses, God Himself passes between the split halves, indicating that God is responsible for keeping the covenant.
What does this graphic scene of covenant – cutting have to do with forgiveness? When God cut covenant with Abraham, he was also establishing that same covenant with Abraham’s descendants. Was God fully aware that those descendants would rebel and fall away from Him? Yes. That’s why God didn’t ask Abraham to pass between the carcasses as well. God knew that even Abraham would fail, that no human on earth would ever be faithful enough to earn his or her way into heaven.
Even as God was cutting covenant with Abraham, God was already providing ways in which men could return to him. Look at the right hand side of the illustration; there is Jesus on the cross. Abraham didn’t know anything about Jesus, but Jesus knew about Abraham. God was already preparing to forgive the sins of those who would truly repent.
APPLICATION: Make up your mind that you are going to forgive those around you who offend you, even before anything happens. Remember that God in His mercy has already forgiven you; therefore, you can forgive others.
PRAYER: Father God, thank you for your boundless love and forgiveness. Lord, help us to truly turn from our sins, to confess them to you, and to trust that you don’t keep records once we have done so. Help us not to keep records of the offenses we forgive in others. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment