Genesis 15 marks a turning point in God’s dealings with ai/”>Abram, where He formalized His promises through a covenant. Genesis 15:5–6 records:
“Then He brought him outside and said, ‘Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.’ And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”
This covenant is significant for several reasons. First, it confirmed God’s earlier promises to Abram: a land, a great nation, and blessing for all nations through his lineage (Genesis 12:1–3). Abram had no children at this point, yet God assured him that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars.
Second, this passage introduces the principle of justification by faith. Abram “believed in the Lord,” and God credited that faith as righteousness. This foundational truth is reaffirmed in the New Testament (Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6) as the basis for salvation, not works but faith in God’s promise.
Third, the covenant ceremony itself underscores God’s unchanging commitment. In Genesis 15:9–10, Abram prepared the sacrifices as God instructed, and then in verse 17 we read:
“And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.”
In ancient practice, both parties walked between the divided animals to seal an oath. Here, only God ( represented by the smoking oven and burning torch) passed through the divided animals, showing that this covenant was unconditional. Its fulfillment depended solely on God’s faithfulness.
The covenant in Genesis 15 established the foundation for Israel’s future and ultimately pointed to Christ, the true fulfillment of God’s promise. It reveals that God’s plan of redemption is rooted in His grace and faithfulness, and it calls believers to trust Him completely.
