Walk In Newness of Life Pt. 17 Jehovah answers Abraham with a Unique Treaty.

Abraham's steps of faith as he walks in newness of life are going to take a dramatic turn because God is going to do something powerful and marvelous. He has established a covenant with Abraham that remains in effect today. It is a covenant of faith patterned after a common legal contract called a king and vassal treaty. 

We must look at the elements of this treaty to see the similarities with Genesis 15, and note the one great difference in how this treaty is administered. 

A king and vassal treaty sealed by sacrifice.

King & Vassal treaty is an agreement between a king who is the stronger party and a vassal who is the weaker party.  The stronger party always dictates the terms and conditions of the treaty by setting forth the benefits of abiding by the covenant terms, and penalties for failing to uphold the terms of the agreement. In Biblical terms, the covenant lists all of the blessings for obedience and all of the curses, connected with violating the covenant terms.  

A King and Vassal treaty always required a blood sacrifice to certify the agreement. The king and the vassal would kill an animal and cut or divide it in half. In fact, in business circles you may hear someone speak of "cutting a deal" and this springs from the king and vassal treaty. 

Then they walked between the sacrificed animals holding hands. This symbolized each party acknowledging that they would be cut up like the sacrificed animals if either party did not comply with the terms of the agreement. The  fate of the offending party would be the same as the fate of the dead animal for failing to live up to the treaty's conditions.

Blessings for obedience; judgment for disobedience. 

Deuteronomy 28:1-2  And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 2) And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. 

Right before the Hebrews entered the promised land, Moses taught a new generation all of the law of God. Genesis 28 contains 14 verses describing the blessings for Israel being faithful and abiding to the conditions set forth by God. You can see the element of the Hebrews receiving protection and aid from Jehovah that is like the king and vassal treaty.

Deuteronomy 28:15  But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: 

However, Moses also listed out all the curses of divine judgment that would fall upon the nation if they failed to obey and keep the covenant with God. It took 53 verses to describe all the punishment for failure to abide by the terms of the law. You also see the element of the Hebrews being judged if they fail to adhere to the terms of the covenant just like a king and vassal treaty. 

 

The king provides protection and aid.

A typical king and vassal treaty finds the king agreeing to protect the vassal from enemy attacks. The king also agreed to provide aid to the vassal as needed. Aid from the king could be in the form of building roads, providing the tools needed for farming and caring for livestock. It could include building or repairing city walls and gates or establishing a method for adjudicating  claims in a legal setting. 

The vassal serves the king and obeys his laws. 

The vassal agreed to serve only the king and to obey the laws of the king. Sometimes the vassal might be required to perform the tasks of agribusiness in the kings properties, or to provide his army with food. 

In our next post we will see how the role of the king and vassal specifically relates to what happened with God and Abraham.

God's Answer to Abraham's question.

Genesis 15:9-11  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. 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. 11  And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away. 

We already studied about the significance of the various animals sacrificed for this covenant. We already noted above, the symbolism of the cutting of the animals in half and laying them in order, represents the solemn agreement entered into by the king and vassal. Failure to live up to the terms of this treaty meant death for either the king or the vassal. 

I would also note that the livestock (ram, she goat and heifer) were required to be three years old. How long did Jesus Christ minister on earth before He went to the cross to be our sacrifice? Three years!

The text tells us that the fowls came down to defile and engorge themselves on the carcasses but Abraham drove them away. The word "fowls" refers to birds of prey like hawks. The word "drove" is only found three times in the Bible. Twice it speaks of God blowing, causing the grasses to wither away and the waves of the ocean to roar. This word suggests that Abraham took swift action, springing to his feet perhaps using a staff to force the fowls to fly away. 

Abraham had an unsettling evening. 

Genesis 15:12  And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. 

As the sun was setting, "a deep sleep" fell upon Abraham. This was not ordinary sleep caused by great weariness and exhaustion. This sleep was from God. The first time this phrase is found is Genesis 2:21 when God sent Adam into "a deep sleep" in order to take one of his ribs and make a woman named Eve. This is why we understand that God sent this deep sleep, similar to causing a prophet to have dreams about future things while they slept. 

A great darkness fell upon Abraham that also brought a feeling of "horror." The word "horror" refers to something that terrifies us. The "great darkness" refers to something that God will show Abraham that contains some measure of evil events. 

Jehovah tells Abraham what will happen.

Genesis 15:13-16  And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 14) And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. 15) And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. 16) But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. 

The meaning of fowls attempting to eat the sacrificial animals is interpreted for us by God. Abraham's children, the Hebrews, would go live in Egypt and end up being enslaved four hundred years. This is what happened during the lives of Jacob and his twelve sons who became heads of the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 37 to 50). 

Historical fulfillment of Genesis 15.

Exodus 1:11-14  Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12) But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. 13) And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: 14)  And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour. 

The words "afflict"  and "serve" are used twice in this text from Exodus that tell us about the historical fulfilment of Abraham's vision from Jehovah. It is the same word found in Genesis 15. The context of the word shows us that the Hebrews were forced to do slave labor. The word "serve" means forced servitude while the word "rigor" means to treat with harshness and cruelty. The phrase "hard bondage" refers to slaves being severely mistreated by fierce, vehemently cruel taskmasters and forced to perform exhausting work to the point of physical suffering.

Thus, the great darkness and horror of evil tidings and the fowls are explained for us. However, Jehovah also announced blessing that would follow the four hundred years of captivity and Abraham received assurance that he would live a long life and go to his fathers in peace. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

Sometimes we have questions that we seek guidance from God to show us the way forward. Abraham certainly had such questions. God had promised that he and Sarah would have their own son, but they were both older and it seemed that time was running out. 

Abraham asked a question about the inheritance that God promised to give him, because in ancient near Eastern law, his eldest servant would inherit all things belonging to Abraham. 

God's answer was telling Abraham to make a specific sacrifice. Abraham faithfully did what Jehovah told him to do. Then, he waited and diligently protected the purity of the sacrifice by driving the fowls away. 

God graciously spoke to Abraham about his own life and his seed that would multiply. 

We will see the fulfillment of the king vassal treaty in our next post, but I think there is some simple truth for us to think about in this lesson.

First, we too will have hard times that make us wonder if God knows about our crisis. We may even question whether or not God really cares about us. The answer to this is to go back to what God says in His Word, and believe, like Abraham did. Faith is needed when times are tough and trails or tribulation press in on us. Faith is needed when we have anxieties or doubts. God is true to His word. 

Second, we must faithfully do what God has called us to do by worshiping, witnessing, maintaining a worthy walk, working for Him and being in the Word. Abraham had to wait a while after he obeyed God by sacrificing the various animals. We too, often must wait to hear from the Lord through prayer and His word. 

Third, Abraham was guaranteed the fulfillment of God's promises but he had to wait until some time after the Lord called him home, to see it all completed. So it is with the believer today. We see things darkly, not clearly. We walk by faith and not by sight. We put our hand in our Father's hand and trust that He will do as He said He would. 

We are awaiting the return of Jesus Christ at the "rapture" of His church. We may pass from this life, still waiting for the rapture because God still wants to save people. Like Abraham we will be in His presence when we are absent from our body, and every promise will be literally fulfilled by our patient, loving Father.

We can trust Him with everything!

Bob