In furtherance of our study of the blood covenant or exchange of loyalties, we will be taking a look at Genesis 15: 7-21, where God cut a blood covenant with Abram to assure him that he meant what he had said.
In this saga, God struck up a conversation with Abram, saying: I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.
And Abram inquired, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? or by what shall I know that I shall inherit it? or how can I be sure that you will give it to me?
Responding, God said take me or prepare for me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. 10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.
Put differently, He cut them down the middle [into halves] and laid each half opposite the other; or Abram brought them all to God. Then Abram ·killed the animals and cut each of them into two pieces [L split them down the middle], laying each half opposite the other half. But he did not cut the birds in half. (Message)
Note the five animals enumerated above are God’s representatives in this covenant. Abram understood this and the above text says …Abram cut each of them into two pieces [L split them down the middle],laying each half opposite the other half…
You see, when Abram cut the animals in twos and set each half opposite the other, he created a trail of blood, which is called the “The Blood Way”. The Blood Way is where the people cutting the covenant or their representatives performed the “walk of blood” and pronounced the blessing and curses associated with the covenant.
Gen 15:17 says… 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. 18 In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land…
I will like to draw your attention to the words “smoking furnace”, and burning lamp” in the above text.
You see, fire (burning lamp) and smoke often represent God. Thus, smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces, signifies God performing the walk of blood by passing through the trail of blood or the blood way.
In cutting a covenant, when one passed between the pieces of the sacrifice (carcasses or the blood way), one vowed to keep an agreement or suffer the same fate as the animals.
Therefore, when God passed between the pieces of the sacrifice or (carcasses), God vowed to keep his word or agreement to Abram or suffer the same fate as the animals. These words or agreement is what Paul refers to as the “blessings of Abraham”.
You see, blood covenant signifies an absolute and an unbreakable guarantee of a man’s word. Nothing short of a blood agreement could have convinced Abram that God was going to bless him.
Genesis 17:4-5 informs us that God changed his name from Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of multitude), thus guaranteeing the agreement of the covenant… As for Me, behold, My covenant (solemn pledge) is with you, and you shall be the father of many nations.5 Nor shall your name any longer be Abram [high, exalted father]; but your name shall be Abraham [father of a multitude], for I have made you the father of many nations.
Genesis 17:11 says …And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be of a token the covenant betwixt me and you.”
Note the last phrase in this construction, “and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.”
The covenant was between God and Abraham, circumcision was the token or sign, proof or a distinguishing mark of the covenant. For anyone to become part of this covenant they had to be circumcised.
The token or sign was instituted so that anyone who came after Abram would recognize they were not dealing with Abraham alone. They also had to contend with his covenant friend, God.
David understood this blood covenant or exchange of loyalty and walked in the reality of it, saying: Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy or taunt the armies of the living God? (1 Samuel 17:26)
Emmanuel Emeke Asiwe(Ps)
