Abrahamic Covenant – Len Bilén's blog, a blog about faith, politics and the environment.

Exodus 24, God’s covenant with Israel confirmed, Moses meeting with God on Mount Sinai.

St. Catherine’s Monastery, Mt. Sinai, Egypt with Mt Sinai in the background.

Genesis 22, Abraham tested, God will provide himself a lamb.

On the third day.

Isaac submitted willingly.

This is now the eighth name of God introduced.

On the stone on mount Moriah where Abraham offered up his son Isaac is now standing The Dome of the Rock. It was originally a church – shrine, but after the Muslim takeover of Jerusalem it has become a Muslim shrine. To justify the takeover of Jerusalem the Muslims claimed Muhammad made a night trip from Mecca to Jerusalem, called “The story of Isra” It is mentioned in the Quran [17:1] KHALIFA: Most glorified is the One who summoned His servant (Muhammad) during the night, from the Sacred Masjid (of Mecca) to the farthest place of prostration, whose surroundings we have blessed, in order to show him some of our signs. He is the Hearer, the Seer. The Isra’ story, greatly elaborated by tradition, relates that Muhammad made the journey astride Buraq (q.v.), a mythical winged creature, in the company of the archangel Gabriel. Muhammad meets Abraham, Moses, and Jesus in Jerusalem; he then officiates as leader (imam) of the ritual prayer (salat) for all the prophets assembled and establishes his primacy among God’s messengers. For the full story go to: “http://www.geocities.com/khola_mon/myth/Miraj.html”

The dome of the rock is on top of the temple mount, sacred by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike.

It is so important that it is also on the Iranian 1000 Rial bill.

In the Quran Abraham also offers up his son.

After explaining God’s intervention the Quran introduces the birth of Isaac, which to a Muslim means the son of Abraham offered up on mount Moriah was Ishmael.

Genesis 17, God’s people covenant with Abraham, the covenant of circumcision.

This is now the sixth name of God introduced.

The covenant is with Isaac, not Ishmael.

But Ishmael was still circumcised with Abraham, and his male household!

Genesis 15, God’s land covenant with Abram.

This is now the fourth name of God introduced. NIV translates it “Sovereign GOD”

The normal way of sealing a covenant is that both parties to the covenant pass between the halves of the sacrifice, as is described in Jeremiah:

The smoking oven and the burning torch symbolize God passing between the pieces. The most important thing to realize is that God walks through alone. Normally, both parties of the covenant would walk through together, showing that they both had responsibilities to keep in order to maintain the covenant. But when God walks through alone, He shows Abram that there is absolutely nothing Abram or his descendants have to do in order for God to keep this covenant.

It is a one sided covenant. God takes all the responsibility for fulfilling it upon Himself. No matter what Abram does or doesn’t do from this point on, God will keep His promise. No matter what Israel has or has not done in history, God will keep His promise. ( Jeremy Myers)