Western thinking is quite different than Jewish culture.  Understanding a Blood Covenant in its Biblical context requires an understanding of Jewish culture. 

    The Jews believed that marriage started at betrothal.  Women were treated as chattel.  A man purchased a bride from her family as westerners would purchase an automobile from a friend.  The amount paid for the bride was called the dowry, and the transaction usually took place between the father of the bride and the father of the bridegroom. 

Betrothal

“The spicy scent of smoke and roasting meat wafts through the cool night air and mingles with the voices and bustling activity.  Tonight, these nomads are celebrating the betrothal of a son and a neighbor's daughter.  Both families, including grandparents and distant relatives, are gathered together in the encampment.

      The women and young girls are wearing richly embroidered dresses.  Golden coins, fringing the edges of their veils chime musically as they move.  The men's festive headdresses, fastened around their foreheads with braided ropes, ripple softly in the breeze. 

      The chatter and laughter increases as the families gather around the fire lit area.  The women have been baking bread and brewing sweet tea. As the ceremony begins, the voices gradually diminish as the fathers of the bride and the bridegroom come into the center of the fire lit area, each leading a goat.  The animals struggle as they fight the guiding hands.  The fire blazes higher as someone throws more sticks on it. 

      Each man draws a long knife from his sash.  The people lean closer.  Knives gleam-silver and flash in the firelight, and red blood spurts.  The dying animals kick, jerk and then lie still.  Then the two fathers, robes splattered, hold the severed throats of the animals so that the blood pools in a shallow depression of the rocky soil. 

      The crowd stirs slightly again after the dramatic moment of slaughter.  The two men lay the drained carcasses on either side of the darkening pool.  Then slowly, deliberately, each man takes off his sandals and walks barefooted through the pool of blood.  The hems of their robes drip red, and their bloody feet mark the path. 

        “Tonight this covenant has been sealed in blood” say the two men.  “May I pay with my life if this covenant is broken,” each says to the other.”[1] 

The Abrahamic Covenant

      A Blood Covenant takes on new meaning when we hear God speaking to Abram on the plains of Mamre.  “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.  And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?”  Eliezer had a son born in Abram's house. 

“And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.  And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.  And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.  And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” (Genesis 15:1-6). 

      Dear friends, if God spoke to you audibly: “Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them... So shall thy seed be,” would you believe Him?  How about if your wife was 66?  Miracles require faith.  To be the “father of a great nation” Abram would have to have descendants.

Dear friends, I do not know exactly how God spoke to Abram, but the scriptures tell us: “ABRAM BELIEVED IN GOD, AND GOD COUNTED IT TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS!” 

What did Abram really believe?  HE BELIEVED THAT GOD HAD THE POWER TO WORK MIRACLES!  Do you believe that God can change your carnal nature and make you “a new creature in Christ?”  Do you believe that God can set you free from carnal affections, worldly ambitions, evil temper, hatred and pride?

Do you believe that God can give you dominion over tobacco, alcohol, pornography, gambling, abortion, gossip, bitterness and every other unholy, lustful temptation of the flesh? 

Have you ever seen one of God's prophecies fail?  Has God ever let you down? 

God spoke to Abram and said: "I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it." 

Abram said: “Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?”  Abram was 75 and his wife was 66 when they left Haran.  To be the father of a great nation requires children! 

    “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.  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.  And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.” (Genesis 15:7-11). 

Abram drained the blood of the animals into a path on the ground.  He drove off the fowls, and resisted Satan's attempts to destroy this covenant. 

    “And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.  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; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.  And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.  But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.” (Genesis 15:12-16). 

This magnificent Blood Covenant required faith that went beyond the human life span.

“And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.  In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.” (Genesis 15:17-18). 

    TO MAKE THIS COVENANT WITH ABRAM, GOD CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND WALKED THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THOSE SACRIFICED ANIMALS!  WHAT KIND OF A GOD WOULD DO THAT? 

There is more to this covenant than Abram having children.  God was planning something far more important - a wedding - not an ordinary wedding - a miracle wedding! Therefore it is imperative that we understand this covenant. 

The Promised Land was not just the "land of milk and honey."  It was the dowry.  It was not just an inheritance for Abram’s seed.  It was symbolic of the Land of Sanctification.

The great nation was not just Abram's descendents.  It was the bride!  It was not just Abram's faithful children.  It was the Israel of God!   

The Bridegroom was not just “the shadow of the Almighty,” He was God's “only begotten Son!” 

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1). 

Abram might not have fully understood the covenant that he was entering into, but “being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: [20] He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.” (Romans 4:19-20). 

Sarah was over 90 years old when Isaac was born.  Did Abraham believe in a miracle working God?  Yes he did, but many today hardly even know what it means to be born again or set free from the bondage of sin or what a blood covenant is let alone what is meant by the Land of Sanctification. 

The Conditions of Salvation

The Blood Covenant that God made with Abraham is called the Abrahamic Covenant.  It is the foundation of all salvation in the New Testament!

God, speaking to Abram, said that this covenant is “between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations.” (Gen. 17:7). 

The Abrahamic Covenant, like the New Testament Covenant, had severe conditions, but it also had fantastic blessings. 

To accept God's offer of salvation, man must enter into Christ's Blood Covenant, and as we study the Abrahamic Covenant you will see how it relates to the New Testament covenant with Christ as the Blood Sacrifice. 

The First Condition

“Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation.” (Gen. 12:1-2). 

This first condition tells us something about Abram.  Abram lived among spiritual heathens.  Even his relatives were corrupt, but Abram wanted to be holy and righteous. 

The first condition was to forsake all, and go where God said to go. “Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him.” (Gen. 12:4).

The Blood Covenant of the New Testament has the same condition.  “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” (2 Cor. 6:17).  God's people do not pitch their tents toward Sodom and Gomorra.  They are called out!  They are in the world, but not of the world!  To be one of God's children we must separate ourselves from the unrighteousness of the world.  Light has no fellowship with darkness. 

Jesus said: “whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33).  To enter into Christ's Blood Covenant, we must confess our sins, repent and forsake the things of this world.  We are called to live a separated life.

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14). 

The Second Condition

"I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect." (Gen. 17:1). 

God is no respecter of persons.  He is not interested in physical perfection for there is no one who is physically perfect, but in contrast THERE IS NO ONE WHO CANNOT BE SPIRITUALLY PERFECT! 

Jesus said: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48). 

SPIRITUAL PERFECTION IS NOT A MATTER OF BEING PHYSICALLY PERFECT!  IT IS A MATTER OF WALKING IN ALL THE LIGHT YOU HAVE! 

Walk before me, and be thou perfect, is a matter of obedience - anyone can obey God! 

Abram did not have all the light we have today, but he could walk in all the light he had.  If God shed new light on his path, he had to walk in that new light. Abram had to continue obeying. 

This same condition is found in the New Testament.  Paul says: “We also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4).  God's covenant keepers walk “in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” (Luke 1:6).   We are commanded to “walk in love” (Ephesians 5:2), and “walk as children of light.” (Eph 5:8).  He that is saved “ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” (1 John 2:6).  We are commanded to “Walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:16). 

Paul says “mark them which walk” (Philip. 3:17), and if they walk according to the ensample Paul gives us, then they are saved, and in 1 John 1:6, John says that those who profess to be saved and walk in darkness are liars. 

The Third Condition

"And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations." (Gen. 17:9).

    To keep God's covenant, Abraham had to keep obeying God.  GOD DID NOT SAY: ONCE IN THE COVENANT, ALWAYS IN THE COVENANT!

    This covenant was not just for Abraham, but also for thy seed after thee in their generations.  Those who wanted to receive the blessings that Abraham received would also have to keep the conditions of the covenant. 

    The same condition is true in the New Testament.  Jesus said “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matt. 16:24).  To follow Christ, one must continue.  Jesus said, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.” (John 8:31).  The believer must continue to obey.

“If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matthew 19:17).  “If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.” (John 8:51).  “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15).  “If a man love me, he will keep my words.” (John 14:23).  “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love.” (John 15:10).  

            Paul said: “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” (1 Cor. 9:27). 

John said: “Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.” (1 John 2:3).  “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” (1 John 5:3).  No one can love God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength and not obey His commandments. 

John ties together the keeping of the commandments with faith in Jesus Christ: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” (Rev. 14:12). 

Jesus said: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 7:21,23). 

Christ's Blood Covenant takes on new meaning when John says “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7).    

Only those who walk in the light enjoy the cleansing power of the Blood. 

Those who claim that the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth them from all sin while they walk in darkness are liars, and they will not enter into His rest!

The Fourth Condition

“This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised… it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you… my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.  And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.” (Genesis 17:9-26). 

To remain in the covenant, Abraham and his descendents had to obey the covenant conditions.  THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS ONCE IN THE COVENANT, ALWAYS IN THE COVENANT!  The uncircumcised were cut off from the nation, and from God.  They forfeited their covenant rights. 

ABRAHAM PROVED HIS FAITH BY OBEYING THE COVENANT CONDITIONS! 

In the New Testament, circumcision of the flesh is replaced with circumcision of the heart; “circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.” (Col. 2:10-11). 

Circumcision of the heart is Sanctification.  It is the cutting away of the carnal nature.  No one can be set apart for God's holy purpose without the carnal nature being changed. 

Jesus said: God has the power to sanctify.  “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thes. 5:23). 

Sanctification changes the believer’s carnal nature.  “This is the will of God, even your sanctification.” (1 Thes. 4:3).  The unsanctified soul in the New Testament is like the uncircumcised soul in the Old Testament. 

The Fifth Condition

“And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham... Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering...” (Genesis 22:1-2). 

The fifth condition required Abraham to sacrifice his promised son as a burnt offering. To say that this was a severe condition would be the understatement of all history. AGAIN, THE COVENANT WAS NOT ONCE IN THE COVENANT, ALWAYS IN THE COVENANT!

To stay in the covenant, Abraham had to continue to obey.  He had walked thus far in the Light, but to continue, he had to keep obeying! 

The question was: DID ABRAHAM LOVE HIS SON MORE THAN HE LOVED GOD?  WHO'S WILL WAS ABRAHAM GOING TO SERVE? 

Each of us has a will, and we can understand how we would feel in Abraham's shoes.  Each of us can therefore relate to the fantastic blessing that God bestowed upon all of mankind in the next few verses. 

“And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said... Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? [8] And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering...” (Genesis 22:7-8). 

Summary

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). 

When Christ died on Calvary, He took Isaac's place on the altar and fulfilled Abram's vow concerning the Blood Covenant: “MAY I PAY WITH MY LIFE IF THIS COVENANT IS BROKEN!” 

“All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).  Christ's precious Blood Sacrifice on Calvary paid the price for everyone who has ever broken the Abrahamic Covenant.  As the result, EVERY HUMAN BEING OWES CHRIST THEIR LIFE! 

To be reunited with the Christ who washed us from our sins in his own blood, we must enter into His Blood Covenant!  Come out from among them, Be ye separate, Touch not the unclean thing, Walk in the Light, Be ye therefore perfect, Keep the commandments and Love God with all of your heart, mind, soul and strength.  

Paul says: “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Rom. 12:1).

   To stay in the Covenant, one must walk in the Light!  A living sacrifice must continue to serve.  “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10). 

THE KEY TO ETERNAL LIFE IS DWELLING IN THE SECRET PLACE OF THE MOST HIGH AND HAVING JESUS LIVING IN YOU!  IT IS THE COVENANT KEEPERS WHO DWELL IN THAT LAND AND HAVE ETERNAL LIFE!