Biblical Vision Of Commitmentಮಾದರಿ

Our God’s undying commitment to Us

This passage (Gen 15:7-17) makes very little sense if we purely look at it from our 21st century lens. Why did God ask Abraham to cut animals into half and keep them on either side? Why did God appear in the form of a smoking fire pot and walk through it? This act makes sense only within the cultural tradition of the near east during Abraham’s time.

In those days when two parties (usually rulers) made an agreement with each other, they did this exact ritual. They cut a certain number of animals in half and put them on either side and walked through them. What it signified was that if either one of the parties broke their promise to one another, then the fate of these animals could fall on them. The person who did not keep to their end of the agreement could be ripped into half like the animals in the ritual.

But in the story we see that once the promise between Abraham and God was made, it was only God (in the form of a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch, verse 17) that goes through the pieces. Which means that if either of the parties did not fulfil their end of the covenant then only God would be the one who would end up with the fate of the animals. That the punishment for not keeping the promise by either of the parties would fall solely on God.

On the cross of Calvary, we see exactly that. Though throughout the Old Testament we see God being faithful to His covenant promises, the Israelites time and again fail Him and do not keep their end of the promise. They go behind false gods and despise Yahweh. And in the New Testament we see the climax of this covenant (As stated by NT Wright in his book, ‘The Climax of the Covenant’). Jesus's death on the cross was the absolute way in which God showed his faithfulness to His people. He suffered on our behalf because we have not been faithful to the true God of this world.

Now the family of God are not those who are biologically born as a Jew but rather those who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ (John 1:12-13). As the family of God we are called to be committed to Him. Our God is one who suffered on our behalf. He took the wrath upon Himself, though the fault was our own, not His. Let us be committed to our God who is absolutely committed to us.