When God promised Abram a Seed to bless the world (Christ), and the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession, God “cut” a Covenant with him. He said, “Take for Me a heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.” So Abram took all these, divided them in the midst, and arranged each piece against the other: but the birds he did not divide. And when the fowls came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away” – (Genesis 12:9-11).
Covenants are not just promises, they are promises “cut” in blood. The sacrifice is divided in half and each party walks through. The idea is, “I have made these promises from my innermost being, with no hidden motives, and I will keep my part on pains of death.” Amazingly, when God cut this Covenant with Abram, God put Abram to sleep and walked through alone in the form of a Smoking Furnace (Consuming Fire on enemies) and Burning Lamp (Eternal Light to guide). God took the obligation to fulfill His promises entirely upon Himself. Abram needed only to believe.
When Jesus was born, He came to us as God’s Living Covenant… “I will give YOU for a Covenant of the people, for a Light of the Gentiles.” Jesus, at the Last Supper, explained of the cup… “This is the new Covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” Then He walked through death alone to forgive our sins and bring us into His eternal inheritance. But it’s not over. Our Living Covenant promised to return, rescue His Bride, judge evil powers, and establish His righteous Kingdom. No power on earth can stop Him. Our part, in this present darkness, is to believe, and to drive away the vultures who doubt such love and deny such power. For there never has failed, and there never will fail…
One word of all His good promise!