You can't sign a contract without dead animals

In Genesis 15, Abram is starting to experience doubts/fears, which is understandable at this point. Abram’s fears were likely partly due to the war in which he had just fought. He has new enemies and gave up the reward offered by Sodom. Due to Abram’s honorable rescuing of his nephew and desire to give credit to God rather than owe an evil king anything, Abram gave up worldly riches and security. God comes now to tell Abram that this is always the right decision. God tells Abram, “Don’t be afraid. I am your shield, your very great reward.”

But Abram is all, “What can you give me? I remain childless.” This is a strong example of how much people in the ancient days (and today in Eastern societies) look to the family as their hope for the future. Abram is growing spiritually, but he still relies on what his culture relies on for security, a legacy, a meaningful life, and significance beyond death. He says, “If you can’t give me kids, what can you give me? What else is there?” It’s okay that Abram asked this. He’s expressing his doubts to God. Faith is better, but if you don’t have that, honesty is a fine second choice. Abram wants to believe and is asking God to work with him on his heart. You don’t want to nitpick at everything and make a virtue out of skepticism, but you also need to be able to honestly doubt. God allows this, even if some churches don’t.

God re-promises an heir for Abram.  Abram believed the Lord and God credited Abram’s faith to him as righteousness. God was doing that even back then, before Jesus (probably still through Jesus, even then). When people trust in God and genuinely want to align themselves with God’s will and plan for creation, it’s as good as righteousness to God. Flash forward to this Romans 4 verse: ‘…not being weak in faith, Abram did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a 100), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ This was not written for his sake alone, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him.”

This strong showing of faith is evidence of Abram’s growth. While Abram’s body is decaying, he is being renewed and strengthened spiritually every day. In Christianity, the outside world sees us winding down, checking out, and decreasing in power. But we know about the “real world” and know that as our bodies from this world age, the spirits and who we actually are increase in power and are being refined through experience and faith daily. Abram is 100 years old, but he is much more of a powerhouse than he was when his muscles were strong and his back was straighter. Everything is working toward that eternal world. I’ve just found the verse I’m thinking of: “Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. Therefore, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen.” 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18.

We all fear getting old. Many of us fear being unable to have children or getting too old before we can. We want to be desirable, attractive, and healthy. Time is short. So we get new cars, toupees, non-sagging boobs, facelifts, and wrinkle cream, trying to hold onto what is being ripped from us at a fast rate. But we really don’t have to be afraid, because this will be undone. That’s easy for me to say, at 25, but that doesn’t make it less true. We just have to wait through a literal ugly period. What we need to be worrying about is character and preparing ourselves for the next world. Everyone in Abram’s world thought his story was coming to a close, but we know it’s just starting because of God’s promises. This isn’t some sad old man with nothing left to do and no children. This is a guy coming into his own and doing his most important work just before the curtain closes.

God also said, “I am giving you this land.” Abram doubts this. God said, “Bring me animals.” Abram did so, cut most of the animals in two and arranged the halves opposite each other. Apparently, contracts in those days were sometimes made by the sacrificial slicing of animals (thank you, Google). See also Jeremiah 34: 18-20, where someone has to walk between the pieces of animals in order to sign the contract. Too bad we don’t do that today. That would make studying contract law a heck of a lot more interesting.

God is “cutting” a covenant here with Abram, giving him title to this land. The contract signing required the parties to “act out” the consequences of breaking the covenant. It means, “If I break this covenant, let the same bloodshed fall on my animals and me.” Abram doubts God’s words, so God is saying, “Fine, I’ll sign a contract.” Abram cuts the animals and waits for God to walk through them, as you do, I guess.  

Abram fell asleep and a “thick and dreadful darkness” came over him. (Interestingly, when Jesus is crucified in Mark, the Bible says, “darkness came down over the land.”) When the sun set, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. That’s how the Lord “walked through them”, signing the contract. Abram never walks through. Abram doesn’t have any duties under the contract. God is just going to do this because he is God.

God was saying, “If I don’t fulfill this promise, may I be torn in two pieces.” If Abram’s blessings didn’t come to pass, God was saying, “Let me no longer be immortal, but be cut off.” In Isaiah, the suffering servant was going to be “cut off from the land of the living,” so we know it is possible for God to suffer this consequence. Eventually, he is going to have to, but for another covenant and for another free gift. God is serious about Abram’s descendants getting that land and he’s serious about the Jewish people being numbered like the stars. No matter what Abram does, Abram is going to get this unconditional blessing. Some people say that the God of the Old Testament is different from the New Testament God, but look at this.

God is already saying, “I can bless you at my expense, if need be. You do nothing, you are blessed, and everything falls on me. You don’t have to do anything. This is a one-way covenant.” The way this God acts is the way the New Testament God acts. You are blessed, and you never do anything. You don’t have to always be faithful or be devoid of doubts. It’s nothing you do. Lots of people want to control everything and attain our own righteousness, but we’re already taken care of. That’s what’s different about Christianity. The Bible says faith is a gift. Abram didn’t find God. God found Abram in his idolatry and father’s house, chose him, and brought him out. God just comes in, gives you a destiny, makes great promises, signs a contract (sometimes in blood), and then delivers. Think about what you’ve been promised and relax. Your end of the contract has been carried out.

No new post next week. I'm going out of town.