Back in chapter 12 God called Abram with the promise that He would make Abram a great nation and bless all people on Earth through him. We’ve traced some ups and downs that bring us to this point. While God made some promises to Abram along the way, this chapter formalizes a covenant between God and Abram. What may seem a little bizarre to us – cutting some animals in half and laying them out on the ground – follows the pattern of covenant ceremonies in the Ancient Near East. 
Genesis 15 is a key point in the entire storyline of the Bible, God’s plan of redemption for all people. We will explore exactly what a covenant is, and why the specifics of this chapter are important to help us understand God’s character. We will also see our place in the story, and the importance this covenant has for all who follow Christ.