Foreshadowing in Genesis -- Part I

I’ve been missing from here for a while, so I thought I should write something. I’m not really sure why I should write because I doubt anyone actually reads these things, but I feel like I should. So…I had Bible study last night, and we are studying Genesis and I think that I’ll share some things I’ve learned that I think are really cool.
First, I’d say to read the passage because I’m not quoting and I’m writing from memory of wording. Second, this will be in however many parts I need it to be, so stay tuned (all of the hundreds who read this [I’m in full sarcasm mode here]).

Genesis 15 :: God’s Covenant With Abram

The Hebrew word for Covenant means “to cut.” The purpose behind making a covenant with someone (all people would do this, not just God with His people) was to solidify a formal agreement between two parties. The greater party would bring the animal sacrifices and the lesser party would come prepared to make their promises. The parties would dig a trench and cut the animals from top to bottom in half and place the pieces on either side of the trench and let the blood flow into the trench. The greater party (and then the lesser party) would then walk through the blood. The point basically is that if the party breaks their promises, what was done to the animals could be done to the party that broke its promise.

In this passage, Abram brings the animals that God directs him to bring. He knows what is happening because this is a common practice. Without direction, Abram knows what animals to use and does what needs to be done. Then he waits for God because he knows that God is the greater party in this Covenant, and his promise goes first. As Abram waits for God, a dark cloud comes over him. As we discussed this in my Bible study group, we came to the conclusion that whether literal or a nightmare, Abram’s freaking out about what he’ll have to promise in return to God. But God speaks, offers His promise to Abram, and then God goes through the trench, between the halves.

And here is the key…a flaming torch and a smoking pot passed through. (Remember God following the Israelites through the desert after they left Egypt…cloud of smoke by day and a pillar of fire by night.) God did not go through the trench just once, for His own promise, He went through twice: once for His own promise and once for Abram’s. Here is one of the first references to what God will do to redeem His people. (The first, many believe, is in Genesis 3 where God curses the serpent.) Because it is impossible for Abram to keep his promises, which we don’t even know about until a few chapters later, God must keep the Covenant Himself; Jesus must die.

I just found this so profound…this Covenant with Abram that is so many thousands of years old is why I am able to be with God forever, because God keeps His promises to His people. Because Abram couldn’t keep his promise…to “walk before me [God] and be blameless” Genesis 17:1, God had to keep His promise and be murdered so that we could be blameless before God, through Jesus.

Teaser for next time…think about Genesis 22:16-18, especially 18.