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Covenant requirements
Topic Started: June 25, 2012, 1:10 pm (1,464 Views)
frankdh
Citizen of Heaven
A covenant could be established by cutting a calf in half and having the parties to the covenant pass between the halves.

Jer 34:18 And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof,


When God made a covenant with Abraham He required a lot more livestock be halved.

Gen 15:9 And he said unto him, Take 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.
Gen 15:10 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.

Does anyone know if there is a significance to requiring the extra livestock?
Edited by frankdh, June 25, 2012, 1:11 pm.
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Hootmon
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I know that different animals were needed for the different types of sacrifices, but I dont know if that particular mix is significant or not.
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frankdh
Citizen of Heaven
I've been looking into the requirements for the various sacrifices. So far they don't shed any light on why God chose so many of them to confirm His promise.

I your opinion, would 2 Tim. 3:16 create a demand there be a significance?

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
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M. Hawbaker
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Perhaps quantity = emphasis?

Goods such as livestock were the equivalent of money in those days.

Being asked to sacrifice that many valuable animals might have been a test to show if Abram was truly serious about entering into a covenant with God.

In modern terms, it wouldn't take much to convince most people to make a commitment of $1 to a cause, but they would have to be much more serious about that cause to get them to invest $1,000,000.
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frankdh
Citizen of Heaven
God had already committed to His promise back in Gen. 12. Making the covenant dependent on Abraham's willingness to commit finances seems inappropriate for me. Especially since Abraham was not required to pass between the halves too, which is normally the act that commits a party to the covenant.

But it might indicate God's efforts to emphasize His commitment. Abraham had asked for proof that he would inherit in Gen. 15:7. And Heb. 6:16-17 outlines both God's willingness to display a commitment and the unique problems resulting from Deity making such an attempt. Going beyond the usual requirement to establish a covenant could serve that purpose.

Emphasis could make for a pretty comfortable fit, IMO. Thanks.
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Hootmon
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I wonder if 'walking between the halves' was symbolic of the 'strait way' that few find...
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frankdh
Citizen of Heaven
I heard a speaker some years ago that said by passing between the animal halves the parties were saying let me be divided like these animals if I break this covenant.
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frankdh
Citizen of Heaven
Gen 15:10 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.

Abraham did not divide the birds.

Lev 1:17 And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

A prohibition against dividing birds wasn't codified until the law was given.

I wonder if this is an indication Abraham had some foreknowledge concerning what the law would require or if God patterned the law in a way that was compatible with some prior tradition.
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BHIles

frankdh
June 26, 2012, 5:15 pm
I heard a speaker some years ago that said by passing between the animal halves the parties were saying let me be divided like these animals if I break this covenant.
This is True.

God was placing His divinity and actual existance on the line that if He ever broke His commandement He would be ripped in two. Of course the very idea of God lying would cease His authority to be God and to even ponder the consequences is beyond the realm of my mind. God cannot lie, so I don't hink it a point to ponder. However the covenant gives us confidence in Who He is and His commitments are true eternally. IT is so important for man to have some things that are concrete, unchangeable and close their mind to any opposing thought period. Many, even believers oppose closing the mind to other thoughts but scripture tells us to and Paul worried why a beleiver would ever entertain antichrist thoughts.
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frankdh
Citizen of Heaven
BHiles,

I couldn't agree more that this promise cannot be questioned by one of faith.

Heb 6:13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
Heb 6:14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
Heb 6:15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
Heb 6:16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
Heb 6:17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

The confirmation mentioned in v 17 establishes the seed of Promise, Jesus Christ, as guarantor of the promise. It means God interposed Himself between Himself and Abraham. Jesus' intercessory role is established in this oath. The way, the door, mediator, advocate and many other titles given to Jesus stem from this very commitment.
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