COVENANT BY SACRIFICE
By Rev. Samuel Arimoro
Main Text: Genesis 15:1-18
Key Verse: “In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.” (Genesis 15:18)
Supporting Texts: Exodus 24:3-8; Hebrews 9:16-22; Psalm 50:5; Romans 12:1; Luke 22:20
INTRODUCTION
Throughout Scripture, covenant is never casual; it is sacred, binding, and costly. Whenever God establishes covenant with man, sacrifice is involved. Blood, surrender, and commitment form the foundation upon which covenant stands.
In Genesis 15, God entered into covenant with Abram through a sacrificial process that confirmed His promises. The cutting of animals and the divine manifestation passing between the pieces signified the seriousness and irrevocability of the agreement. Covenant was not merely spoken; it was sealed through sacrifice.
Even today, the principle remains the same. While Christ has fulfilled the ultimate sacrifice, believers are still called into covenant living through surrender, obedience, and consecration. Covenant by sacrifice reveals that divine promises are accessed through commitment and alignment.
1. COVENANT REQUIRES DIVINE INITIATION
Every true covenant begins with God’s initiative, not human ambition. God is the One who calls, promises, and establishes terms.
a) God speaks assurance (Genesis 15:1)
God declared Himself as Abram’s shield and exceeding great reward. Covenant begins with divine revelation of God’s character and promise.
b) God responds to honest questions (Genesis 15:2-3)
Abram expressed concern about his childlessness. Covenant relationship allows transparency and dialogue with God.
c) God confirms His promise (Genesis 15:4-5)
God reaffirmed that Abram’s seed would come from his own body and be as numerous as the stars. Covenant rests upon divine promise, not human calculation.
d) God counts faith as righteousness (Genesis 15:6)
Abram believed the Lord, and it was counted to him for righteousness. Faith is the foundation upon which covenant stands.
Biblical Example: In Exodus 3:7-10, God initiated covenant deliverance with Israel by revealing Himself to Moses and declaring His intention to rescue His people.
2. COVENANT IS SEALED THROUGH SACRIFICE
Sacrifice is the visible sign that covenant is binding and serious. Without sacrifice, covenant lacks depth and permanence.
a) Specific sacrificial instruction (Genesis 15:9)
God instructed Abram to bring particular animals. Covenant requires obedience to divine instruction, not self-designed worship.
b) The cutting of the sacrifice (Genesis 15:10)
Abram divided the animals and laid the pieces opposite each other. In ancient covenant practice, this symbolized the cost and seriousness of the agreement.
c) The shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22)
Scripture declares that without shedding of blood there is no remission. Sacrifice establishes legal and spiritual validity.
d) God passes between the pieces (Genesis 15:17)
The smoking furnace and burning lamp signified God’s presence sealing the covenant. Divine participation guarantees covenant fulfilment.
Biblical Example: In Exodus 24:6-8, Moses sprinkled blood upon the altar and the people, declaring it the blood of the covenant, confirming Israel’s binding agreement with God.
3. COVENANT DEMANDS TOTAL SURRENDER
Covenant is not partial; it requires wholehearted devotion. Sacrifice represents yielding everything to God.
a) Guarding the sacrifice (Genesis 15:11)
Abram drove away the birds that attempted to consume the offering. Covenant demands vigilance against spiritual opposition.
b) Presenting your body (Romans 12:1)
Believers are called to present themselves as living sacrifices. Covenant living involves daily surrender.
c) Separation from darkness (Genesis 15:12)
A deep sleep and great darkness fell upon Abram, yet God spoke clearly. Covenant sometimes requires trusting God in uncertain seasons.
d) Obedient response (Psalm 50:5)
God gathers those who have made a covenant with Him by sacrifice. Commitment distinguishes covenant participants.
Biblical Example: Hannah surrendered Samuel to the Lord after receiving him, demonstrating that covenant often requires giving back to God what He first gave you (1 Samuel 1:27-28).
4. COVENANT PRODUCES GUARANTEED PROMISES
When covenant is sealed by sacrifice, it activates divine assurance and generational blessing.
a) Promise of inheritance (Genesis 15:18)
God granted Abram’s descendants the land. Covenant establishes tangible promises.
b) Future prophecy declared (Genesis 15:13-14)
God revealed the future captivity and deliverance of Abram’s seed. Covenant includes prophetic insight into destiny.
c) The new covenant in Christ (Luke 22:20)
Jesus declared the cup as the new covenant in His blood. Christ’s sacrifice eternally sealed redemption.
d) Eternal mediation (Hebrews 9:15)
Christ is the mediator of the new covenant, guaranteeing the inheritance promised to believers.
Biblical Example: Through the sacrifice of Jesus, believers receive forgiveness, adoption, and eternal life, proving that covenant sealed by sacrifice carries everlasting power (John 3:16).
CONCLUSION
Covenant by sacrifice reveals the seriousness of relationship with God. From Abram’s divided offerings to Christ’s ultimate sacrifice, Scripture consistently shows that covenant is sealed through surrender and blood. God’s promises are not casual statements; they are binding commitments confirmed through sacrifice.
As believers, we are called to respond with faith, obedience, and total surrender. When you live a life laid on the altar, you position yourself to walk in the fullness of covenant blessings. Sacrifice may be costly, but covenant reward is eternal and unshakable.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Father, bring me into deeper covenant relationship with You in Jesus name.
2. Lord, give me grace to live a life of continual sacrifice before You in Jesus name.
3. Father, strengthen my faith to believe Your covenant promises in Jesus name.
4. Lord, remove every spirit of compromise from my life in Jesus name.
5. Father, help me to guard my covenant commitment diligently in Jesus name.
6. Lord, establish Your promises firmly in my destiny in Jesus name.
7. Father, empower me to walk in obedience to every instruction You give in Jesus name.
8. Lord, let the sacrifice of Christ manifest fully in my life in Jesus name.
9. Father, make me a partaker of every covenant inheritance prepared for me in Jesus name.
10. Lord, let my life continually honour You as a living sacrifice in Jesus name.
