God Demonstrates That He Realizes His Promises
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
7/22/2018 PM
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Text:
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Genesis 15:7-21
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Psalters: |
172, 260, 238, 376 |
- The sign.
- God used a ceremony of that day to demonstrate how His promises of children and land would be kept.
- Three animals and two birds, all used as sacrifices in the ceremonial law; animals were in their prime.
- Those making an agreement were to walk between the two rows.
- The nature of God’s covenant is one of intimate communion, a sharing of one life.
- The certainty of God’s promises to Abram is seen in that God alone passes between the rows of dead animals.
- God’s covenant with His people is unilateral, both in its establishment and realization and in its maintenance.
- Abram fell asleep, and drove away the birds of prey.
- God declares to this undeserving, but elect Abram, that He will be his God and he would be Jehovah’s.
- First, there was a horror of darkness fell on the scene, making Abram fearful.
- Then God passed through the rows of animals as a smoking furnace and a burning lamp.
- The smoking furnace is judgment and the burning lamp is light (salvation).
- Psalm 97:2 equates “clouds and darkness” with “righteousness and judgment.”
- Abram learned.
- Canaan, though inhabited by the Amorites, would be Abram’s when God would justly remove them.
- God made plain that His promises (to give Abram the land) are closely connected with the covenant.
- It is a great comfort that God alone establishes and maintains His relationship with us.
- Our sins and wretchedness makes us think that the fulfilling of His promises is impossible.
- But God alone establishes and maintains His covenant with His people by grace alone in Christ alone.