Confirming The Covenant Series

In this Genesis series, we can see that one of the themes running through the book is “blessing.” One of the meanings of the Hebrew word for blessing is “deep fulfillment.” When God created Adam and Eve they were in a blessed state - they were deeply fulfilled. However, as soon as they were exiled for turning away from God, they left this state of blessedness.

Having been deeply fulfilled by God and then leaving this state of blessedness, they were left with a vacuum. Now they and everyone after them were trying to “bless themselves” in order to have that same sense of deep fulfillment. This would explain why the world before the flood became exceedingly wicked in thought and action. It was the result of attempting to fill the incredible void that could only be filled by God Himself. This is why the people built the tower of Babel because in their quest for fulfillment they looked to build a name and reputation for themselves. This is why people today desire to achieve goals, create a legacy, accomplish great things, have bucket lists - all to find a measure of fulfillment.

Even Jacob wrestled with God and wouldn’t let go of Him until he blessed Him. I think Abram and those in his family realized, what you and I need to realize, that the deep fulfillment we have been looking for through work, relationships, accomplishments, in making money, being successful, can only be found when we put these desires into the hands of the Lord. In fact, we see that all these physical blessings (family and land) that will come through God’s covenant with Abram will be a catalyst for the New Covenant - the ultimate blessing (the coming of the Messiah), through whom all the families of the world would be blessed (Gen 12:2-3).

Please read Gen 15:1-21

1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying,

“Do not fear, Abram,

I am a shield to you;

[a]Your reward shall be very great.”

2 But Abram said, “Lord [b]God, what will You give me, since I [c]am childless, and the [d]heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 Abram also said, “[e]Since You have given me no [f]son, [g]one who has been born in my house is my heir.” 4 Then behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come from your own [h]body shall be your heir.” 5 And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your [i]descendants be.” 6 Then he believed in the Lord; and He [j]credited it to him as righteousness. 7 And He said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to [k]possess it.” 8 But he said, “Lord [l]God, how may I know that I will [m]possess it?” 9 So He said to him, “[n]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 Then he [o]brought all these to Him and cut them [p]in two, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. 11 And birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, [q]terror and great darkness fell upon him. 13 Then God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your [r]descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, [s]where they will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years. 14 But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with [t]many possessions. 15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age. 16 Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the wrongdoing of the Amorite is not yet complete.”

17 Now it came about, when the sun had set, that it was very dark, and behold, a smoking oven and a flaming torch appeared which passed between these pieces. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates: 19 the land of the Kenite, the Kenizzite, the Kadmonite, 20 the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Girgashite, and the Jebusite.”

There are three things we can see that God does in this chapter. He…