“For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life”.
Hebrews 9:22
In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
THE BLOOD COVENANT WITH ABRAM - Genesis 15 & 17
Read Ge 15:1-18
“COVENANT is a contract or agreement between two parties. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word ‘berith’ is always thus translated.
‘Berith’ is derived from a root which means "to cut," and hence a covenant is a "cutting," with reference to the cutting or dividing of animals into two parts, and the contracting parties passing between them, in making a covenant”. (Easton’s Illustrated Dictionary)
Some Aspects of this Covenant
1.Promises
2.Responsibilities
3.Names
4.Protection
5.Obedience
1. PROMISES
Genesis 15:5
5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars-- if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
Genesis 17:4
17:4 "As for me, this is my COVENANT with you: You will be the father of many nations.
Genesis 17:7
7 He also said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it."
2. RESPONSIBILITIES
BLESSINGS AND CURSES
Jeremiah 34:18
18 “The men who have violated my covenant and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant they made before me, I will treat like the calf they cut in two and then walked between two pieces”.
GOD'S PART: Genesis 17.4,9
4 "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.
ABRAM'S PART
Genesis 17.4,9
9 "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come.
3. NAMES
Ge 17:5-7
5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.
ELOHIM
“The word (El) was the name of the prominent Canaanite god, whose name was either derived of or became the common word for god in general. The plural of this word is ELIM = gods.
With the addition of the letter HEH , creating the word ELOHIM, the Hebrews not only stated essential monotheism (by naming a single God after the plural word "gods") but also marked their God as theirs: ELOHIM”. (Hoffman, Joel M., Ph.D. “In the Beginning: A Short History of the Hebrew Language”)
ELOHIM gave to Abram part of HIS own name (the letter heh). Also, we see the verb "brh" (Barah) emerging in the heart of the new name: ABRAHAM.
Barah is the root verb of BERITH: covenant.
Abraham is a "father of a multitude", but he has in his own name God’s covenant, bringing to everyone the heart of his new life: He belongs to God!
At the other side...
Ge 17:7 : I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
4. PROTECTION
Ge 15:1 “After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield, your very great reward."
5. OBEDIENCE
10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised.
23 On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him.
Read 1Peter 1:18-25 - The Precious Blood of Christ.
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