It is often said that we are a visual generation and need to see
things with our eyes as well as our ears. Well turns out God though that was
true thousands of years ago. Abram has just believed God that his, barren family
line, will not just continue but explode like a massive firework, filling the
sky with brightly coloured twinkling lights. Why then does he need help
believing that God will come true on his promise of land asking:
"How am I to know that I shall posses it?"
Why does he need help in believing this? Is it a bigger promises?
Is he tired out from believing the one before? Can he only believe one
impossible thing before breakfast? It's hard to understand his thinking in
theory but easy to relate to his predicament in practice. If I can believe God
for my forgiveness surly I can believe him for everything else, yet each faith victory stands alone as a hard won
battle. If I believe God for one thing today, you can be sure there will be
fresh fights of faith tomorrow. What is extraordinary here is not Abram's
difficulty in accepting what God says but God's willingness to help him do so.
The unfolding drama of these verses is intense. Animals are collected,
killed, cut in half and laid out like landing lights on a runway. The light
fades as the sun sinks in the sky evoking the anticipation that comes when the house
lights of a theatre begin to dim. An even greater darkness descends and Abram
falls into a deep sleep.
A voice speaks out of the blackness "know for certain...".
Here is the key. The drama is played out so that Abram would "know for
certain". The darkness, the voice and then the fire and the smoke. I
wonder as I read if the fiery touch moved between the carcases bobbed, as if
held by a person or persons or whether it floated, gliding smoothly. From what
I can work out a fire pot was a sort of earthen pot used for cooking bread so
it is not easily carried and yet I bet its motion was more personal then
mechanical.
Why? because fire represents the presence and power of God. Moses
heard God out of a burning bush. Gods people knew his presence through a pillar
of fire in the desert. And Jesus baptised his people with fire at Pentecost.
Going further here is tricky.
There are various theories as to what all this animal cutting and
fire flickering means. It could point to the future animal sacrifices or God
calling down a cruse on himself if he breaks his promise as symbolised by
walking through the partitioned animals. ie If I slip up I'll get chopped up. I'm
not sure what to make of these but this scene certainly stamps a memorable
image on the mind. My best shot is that God is speaking a blessing ("I'll
give you the land") from the context of judgment and sacrifice (standing among
the animal sacrifices). All God's promises are ultimately made in the person of
his son. God speaks his promises to us form the context of his crucified son.
If I push it a bit further and risk allegorising I'd say the fire represents
the Spirit who illuminates and applies Jesus sacrifice to us but that might be
going a bit too far.
Interestingly, the pronouncement of blessing actually starts off in
an unexpected direction (as if anything here is expected!). Before Abram' decedents
inherit the land along with ample resources to populate it, there will be 400
years of affliction. The promise if fulfilled through and out of suffering and affliction.
It seems to me the promises of God are often fulfilled in this way as God
brings life from death. Jesus' death on the cross and subsequent exultation did
not open up comfortable chartered jet to glory but a painful path following in
his footsteps. The suffering of the servant of the LORD through which God's people
emerge with great riches.
I do not think that the captivity in Egypt is a punishment on Gods
people. At least here the bad guys are the Amorites, who will get far worse
before God brings his judgment down upon them and released the land to his
people.
In the war against unbelief God brings out a very big gun called
"covenant". A binding and rather specific promise of a certain piece
of land and a sober warning about hardship ahead. When he made a new convent Jesus did the
same, very graphically breaking the bread in two. "This is my body",
he said, "broken for you". As he took wine he said "this is the covenant
in my blood". These things where given to us to remember what he did, when
on the cross the house lights went down once more and in complete darkness
Jesus bore our sin and shame. Then, 40 days later, the fire came.
PS.
I love the word for today emails I get. This is that they draw out
of this passage:
All our fears basically come down to these two questions:
First: 'Lord, will you protect me?' Second: 'Lord, will you provide for me?'
With Abraham, God addresses both: '..."Do not be afraid...I am your
shield, your very great reward"' (Genesis 15:1 NIV). The words, 'very
great reward,' literally mean, 'I am your unfailing, inexhaustible, ever
increasing source of supply.' Awesome! You don't have to go to anybody else for
protection or provision; God's got you covered! And notice what happened next.
God entered into a covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15:17); He said to him: 'I'll
take care of you and your descendants as long as you live.' But there was a
problem. 'Then birds of prey came down on the [sacrifice], but Abram drove them
away' (Genesis 15:11 NIV). There's a lesson here. Even though God has promised
to take care of you, you must drive away the worries satan sends to prey on
your mind. How do you do that? By standing squarely on the promises God has
made to you in His Word. (The Word For Today,
http://www.ucb.co.uk/, daily devotional readings are available for the UK and
Republic of Ireland.)
I think the first bit about "protection and provision"
is helpful. I wonder if that touches deeper issues of identity and fears that
we are unloved and unvalued. I hadn't thought of the birds has having that significance
but they must be in the story for some reason.
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