The cutting and keeping of covenant is traced all through the history of man by archaeology and historical documents. During the 2000 years of God's laying the foundation by manifesting Himself through the family line, each generation taught the next. The Patriarchs lived so many years they could guarantee the accuracy of what was taught. At the time of the flood Noah was the only person in the genealogical line that had not lived in Adam's lifetime. What was taught concerning covenant was as God had taught Adam.

After the flood Abraham, who lived in the same area as Noah, was 56 when Noah died. Abraham's knowledge of covenant was so in line with God's teaching to Adam that his faith in God's willingness and faithfulness to cut a covenant with mortal man was accounted to him as Righteousness.

Let us look at the procedure of cutting the Abrahamic covenant. We see the age-old procedure called into action by God in this obedience to the ritual of the cutting of covenant. After the initial verbal approach which was always instigated by the protector (the one offering the covering of covenant), the instigator would designate the animal or animals that were to be used. These were cut into pieces and laid out in a pattern so the persons cutting the covenant would walk between the pieces and meet in the center facing each other.

Abraham was naturally puzzled at how the procedure would be carried out. Genesis 15:1-11 shows God’s verbal invitation to covenant and Abraham’s human concern as to how such a visual ceremony between two mortals could be finalized when one participant was invisible and eternal. God answers his questions and chooses the animals.

Genesis 15:1-11 (New Living Translation) 1 Some time later, the LORD spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.” 2 But Abram replied, “O Sovereign LORD, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. 3 You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.” 4 Then the LORD said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” 5 Then the LORD took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!” 6 And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith. 7 Then the LORD told him, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as your possession.” 8 But Abram replied, “O Sovereign LORD, how can I be sure that I will actually possess it?” 9 The LORD told him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 So Abram presented all these to him and killed them. Then he cut each animal down the middle and laid the halves side by side; he did not, however, cut the birds in half. 11 Some vultures swooped down to eat the carcasses, but Abram chased them away.

God patiently meets Abram where he was and lead him into the focus where he accepted that God could cut covenant with him. Then God proceeded with His request for the animals of His choice. Abram proceeded with the ritual by obeying and cutting the animals and laying out the pieces and protecting the pattern by driving away the vultures. Then God took over the ceremony and did it His way. Abram in his “deep sleep” could observe but not participate and God, the Father and God, the Son in the smoking fire pot and the blazing torch, moved through the pieces in Abram’s stead. Genesis 15:17 (New Living Translation) After the sun went down and darkness fell, Abram saw a smoking firepot and a flaming torch pass between the halves of the carcasses.

Romans 5:8 (New Living Translation) But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

God followed the keeping of covenant because He had instigated it as the means of bringing man into His image. He demanded that Israel follow His covenant in full obedience.

Jeremiah 34:18-19 (New International Version) 18 The men who have violated my covenant and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant they made before me, I will treat like the calf they cut in two and then walked between its pieces. 19 The leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests and all the people of the land who walked between the pieces of the calf…

I will not post a blog tomorrow but will be back Monday. The Lord bless you and give you understanding.