Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-01
Covenant Confirmed.

Abram, supported. sustained and
strengthened by the promises of the star
ry heavens. proclaimed. nourished and
nurtured himself in God by forming an
alliance with the Lord: that is the basis
of the title by which the AIohammedans
know him today. THE Friend of God"
He sought for a sign and Jehovah made a
covenant.
In Hebrew the making of a covenant
means to cut covenant, for the sign that
seals the agreement is symbolically rep
resented by the cutting of the flesh and
the interchanging of flowing blood that is
the sign that henceforth their life is one
The slain animals represented the parties
TO the covenant, while the flowing to-
gether of the blood of the slain victims
represented the idea of the unity that
resulted from their agreement. The two
parts represented the two parties and tho
passing between the parts meant the az
sumption of the obligations. though
they were invoking the judgments OF God
upon themselves. If they failed to keep
their agreement, to part them into pieces
This ancient and solemn method was the
method of making contracts binding CEN
turtles before the written stipulation be-
came the method of making a valid con-
tract.
The fact that God made covenant
with Abram is very suggestive. THAT on
any terms a mightier than the mightiest
mortal potentate may link his resources
to the fortunes of single feeble man,
as to guarantee to him the friendship and
assistance of heaven. is most inspiring.
and has in a thousand instances shown
itself to be the most sustaining of be-
liefs.
The symbolism of the story of the cove
nant making is not only sublime, but also
suggestive. 1t spoke a prophetic message
of the coming centuries when his descend
ants strangers i'm another land, would
suffer and yet develop amid great bitter
ness of soul, bleeding beneath the task
masters whip until loaded with great
wealth. they would come forth to possess
the land that God had given him, while he
himself would pass out of time. going TO
his fathers. in peace The darkness rep
resented the long period OF bondage and
affliction Of the Hebrew people; the fowls
that We're attracted by the carcasses, the
foes that would have devoured them; the
effort which drove them away, the faith
and prayer of those who defended Gods
people and uiumphed over their enemies.
like Joshua and David.
During the vigis OF the night for
the first time since the fall the eyes
OF men looked upon the symbol OF the
divine presence and the glory OF God in
"a smoking furnace. and burning lamp
that passed between those pieces" The
darkness and the light We're both evil
dences of the divine presence, who is
never completely known or never COM
pletely hidden The smoke fire was rot
Illuminated to Abram. although what WAS
smoke to him has become light to us.
The twofold aspect of God. by which the
hearts that love Him to them He Is glory
and 10Y while to those who do not love
him He appears as threatening darkness.
The fact that only God walked between
the carcasses shows tnat the new cove
nant was one-sded. God assumed all the
obligations and we have only to accept
the gift of divine favor and mercy. 1t
was a great compact that God entered
into that night with Abram but He ful-
filled il to the letter. and there is yet To
be a still greater fulfllment of the
covenant that God made with Abram,
for .He is faithful that promised" II
we act on faith. as did Abram, We will
enjoy the friendship of God and in all
the actual experiences of life. The
promises of God will surely be fulfilled.
bringing joy TO the faithful lovers OF
Christ and darkness and despair 10 those
who reject the new covenant of Christ's
blood.