Christ in all the scriptures Genesis 15

 Genesis chapter 15

"And it came to pass, that when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.  In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram..."  Genesis 15v17-18

The modern concept of a covenant, or "deal", as the slang would say it, is of the exchange of papers signed between two parties to agree the stated terms, the breaking of which, by one or other of the parties will incur penalties.  The penalties are usually monetary, and, at the breakdown point, compromises can be made.  The usual term for this is "settled out of court".  However in the olden days it was much more binding.  The term was "cut a covenant", and referred to the procedure as follows.  An animal would be taken of the flocks or of birds, and killed and cut in two, both pieces of the carcase placed on  tables, with a walking space between them.  An independent adjudicator would then ask both to walk through between the tables, uttering the words, "So shall be done to the man who breaks this covenant!"  Thus the covenant was "cut" and sealed in blood.  The breaking of the covenant meant the death of the one who broke it.  In this way we understand the powerful meaning of a covenant in holy writ.  Very few covenants were ever broken.  This is the meaning of the ritual performed here.  

The concept of God making covenants with mortal men is a theme that runs throughout scripture, and no such covenant would be possible without the Mediator Jesus Christ, and here we view Him in symbolic form.  The Covenant is twofold in the chapter; to do with the Seed (v1-6), and then the Land (v7-21).  God made a covenant with Abram, the ramifications of which are still future, and will come to pass, for it it sealed in blood.  Nothing, and no one can prevent Abram's seed being multiplied as the stars of heaven, or of them taking possession of the promised land.  Clearly, as the later scriptures reveal, the seed is much greater than one nation, Israel, and the land is much greater than the boundaries outlined here-refer Romans chapter 4.  The principle stands that Adonahy (the title used in v1 of the chapter-Sovereign Lord, the covenant keeping God who is able to effect His purposes against all opposition) has made a covenant signed in blood and ratified by His word!  We learned in chapter 4, that no approach to God can be made without blood being shed.  Here the principle is ratified "Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtle dove and young pigeon"-v9.  The sacrifice of these refer to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ-Hebrews 10v4-12.  The details are specific and have meaning.   

The repetition of three years old is significant.  It is said that at three years old the animal is at its prime in stature and strength.  Applied to Christ it signifies the virility of His offering.

The heifer represents Him in suffering service; the she goat of stubborn resolve in the face of difficulty; the ram of strength and virility; the turtle dove of harmless and mournful innocence and purity; the young pigeon of the homing instinct, that quality of seeking its place of rest.  Each of these can be applied to Christ and the thoughts are developed throughout.

All these qualities of character would be to no avail, were the animal not killed and the blood shed-"without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins".  And so it says, "And he took unto them all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another, but the birds divided he not"-v10.  Meticulous care is taken in scripture to preserve the fine details of the typology of Christ.  They say that it is impossible to divide birds without breaking bones, and "no bone of Him shall be broken!"

The ceremony took place in darkness, v12; it was when the sun went down, and a deep sleep fell upon Abram.  It was described as "an horror of a great darkness".  It was when the sun went down at midday, and there was darkness over all the land from the sixth to the ninth hour that Jesus suffered the horror  of the darkness of Calvary when all our sins were laid upon Him-the four gospels!  God enshrouded the scene in darkness for no human being can conceive the horror of those hours.  God's covenant with Abram, and all who believe was sealed in the context of a perfect sacrifice, an agonising death, and a hidden sorrow that only Divine beings could endure.  Well did the hymnwriter pen the words of the chorus, "Oh make me understand it, help me to take it in; what it meant to thee, the Holy One, to take away my sin!"

It was there in the darkness of those hours, that God walked in the midst of the sacrifice, symbolised by the smoking furnace (the wrath of God against sin), and the burning lamp (the presence of the glory of God).  It was there and then that Christ took the sins of the world, and God was satisfied, and His promises are forever secure.  All through this, Abram was in a deep sleep, so he played no part in the ritual.  The covenant is unconditional, it depends on God, and not on Abram or any of his seed.  What God has done, and what He has secured in Christ is ours for the taking.  For us, like Abram it is all about this, "He believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness."  This is the message of Genesis 15, it is the same message all the way through.