HOW WILL I KNOW? (8 OF 52)
Scripture: Genesis 15:7-21
This content is part of a series.
How Will I Know? (8 of 52)
Series: Discipleship Part Three
Christopher B. Harbin
Genesis 15:7-21
It can be difficult for us to trust. We want assurances. We want contracts. We want a way to hold people accountable, for we fear that others will not follow through. We believe we have to protect ourselves from others' lack of trustworthiness. At times, this is due to watching another's track record. At times, it is because we look at our own past. At other times, it is that others have failed us on multiple occasions. Then again, we may simply not trust that those making promises even have the wherewithal to fulfill their promises. When it comes to God, are we any better at trusting God to be faithful? How do we know that God will be faithful?
The ancient world with its reliance upon animal sacrifices is far removed from us. That makes it difficult for us to understand the meaning of sacrifice, much less the specific purposes and meanings of one kind of sacrifice over another. We read of animal sacrifice, and we tend to assume it is all about placating God's wrath directed towards us. If we move beyond that concept, we may take sacrifice to be either about gaining God's attention to present some request or making amends for our sin. There was much more to sacrifice in the ancient world, however. In today's passage, we encounter a specific use of sacrifice dealing with ratifying a covenant, treaty, or some important agreement.
The custom here was to split the carcasses of animals lengthwise, such that the parties to an agreement might walk the line between the halves, saying, ''So may it be done to me should I break my bond.'' It was a plea for the gods to watch over the two parties affirming their agreement with one another. The gods were to enforce the agreement's terms on pain of death. This was how ratifying treaties and important contracts was done. It was a practice with the force of today's legal contracts overseen by our court systems.
Yahweh g ...
Series: Discipleship Part Three
Christopher B. Harbin
Genesis 15:7-21
It can be difficult for us to trust. We want assurances. We want contracts. We want a way to hold people accountable, for we fear that others will not follow through. We believe we have to protect ourselves from others' lack of trustworthiness. At times, this is due to watching another's track record. At times, it is because we look at our own past. At other times, it is that others have failed us on multiple occasions. Then again, we may simply not trust that those making promises even have the wherewithal to fulfill their promises. When it comes to God, are we any better at trusting God to be faithful? How do we know that God will be faithful?
The ancient world with its reliance upon animal sacrifices is far removed from us. That makes it difficult for us to understand the meaning of sacrifice, much less the specific purposes and meanings of one kind of sacrifice over another. We read of animal sacrifice, and we tend to assume it is all about placating God's wrath directed towards us. If we move beyond that concept, we may take sacrifice to be either about gaining God's attention to present some request or making amends for our sin. There was much more to sacrifice in the ancient world, however. In today's passage, we encounter a specific use of sacrifice dealing with ratifying a covenant, treaty, or some important agreement.
The custom here was to split the carcasses of animals lengthwise, such that the parties to an agreement might walk the line between the halves, saying, ''So may it be done to me should I break my bond.'' It was a plea for the gods to watch over the two parties affirming their agreement with one another. The gods were to enforce the agreement's terms on pain of death. This was how ratifying treaties and important contracts was done. It was a practice with the force of today's legal contracts overseen by our court systems.
Yahweh g ...
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