Classic Episode - The One Who Walked Through the Smoke and Fire

Today’s classic episode is, The One Walked Through the Smoke and Fire. As you listen be blessed, empowered and transformed in Jesus name.

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Transcript

00:00 Intro music and voice over.

Welcome to jesus loves the world podcast. For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name! 

00:21 Speaker

Today’s classic episode is, The One Walked Through the Smoke and Fire. In ancient times there were many rituals and customs devised by humanity for various purposes.

According to historical texts, an animal was sacrificed and cut into two equal parts. This ritual was both gruesome and bloody. It was to act out or seal a covenant relationship between two people, becoming one in both agreement and identity. Both parties were to walk through the sacrificial pathway of the dissected animal as a symbolic act of the covenant. The two became one united in promise and identity. 

So let us back into time. When such customs were not only practiced but embraced. There was a man named Abram.

He made the preparations. Abram cut three animals down the middle, into two equal parts. He placed each piece on opposite sides to the other. Abram became weary, so lay down and fell into a deep sleep. Great horror and darkness came over him. 

This was the complete opposite to God’s promise of life and light. In this God reveals to Abram the plight of a rebellious people and what will take place. Then Abram awoke. 

What God did next was something so special that it penetrated into the depths of the heart and mind of Abram.

Prior to this moment, God had rescued Abram’s nephew from captivity. Abram had an encounter with the High Priest whose name is Melchizedek. Melchizedek brought out bread and wine and pronounced a blessing over Abram. Then God spoke to Abram in a vision.

Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

God reveals and identifies Himself to Abram personally. The Lord God Almighty assures Abram there is no fear as He is His protection and defender. God gives all of Himself including HIs identity. He is the most exceedingly great reward, the Lord God Almighty. 

This was the third time the Lord had spoken to Abram about His promises. Twice before God said, I will give you and your descendants the land which you see. Your descendants will be so many they cannot be numbered. 

In response Abram engages with God. Abram says, ‘you have not given me any children.’ God replied, an heir will come from your own body. Abram and God continue in conversation.

Genesis 15:5-8 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. Then He said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.” And he said, “Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?”

Abram believed in the Lord. This belief is an action of trust. In the context of this verse Abram’s trust is based upon the assurance of who God is. Through their relationship, Abram has known and experienced the Lord God Almighty. Abram has come to know that God protects and defends like a loving father and reassures and nourishes like a loving mother. There is such an intimacy in their relationship that Abram can trust God. 

Abram asks in verse 8 ‘Lord God how will I know that I will inherit it…’ referring to the land that God had promised three times that He would give. Abram asks for a sign, so He will know and inherit according to God’s promise. In response to Abram’s request, God instructs Abram to bring a three year old heifer, a three year old female goat, a three year old ram, a three year old turtle dove and a three year old pigeon. As was the custom, Abram cut the heifer, goat and ram in two and placed each piece on opposite sides. It is important for us to understand that God did not instruct Abram to do this. All we know is that Abram did it and God met him where he was at. 

For God does not need the sacrifice. 

Abram and humanity needed the sacrifice, to know the cost has been paid and compensation given. Humanity needed the sacrifice so that we could believe we have been cleansed and qualified. We need the sacrifice to be able to receive and inherit. 

So God reached down to Abram and humanity’s lowest point of need. Then it happened.

Genesis 15:17-18 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. On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates—

The Lord made a covenant with Abram in a way Abram could receive. So Abram would know and be able to receive, God Himself walked through the two parts of the sacrifice in the midst of smoke and fire. Abram was not required to walk through the death, blood and suffering. 

God in this moment took Abram’s place. As his protector and deliverer God walked through the gruesome brutality of humanity. The covenant between Abram and God was assured. Abram can now open his mind and heart to receive. 

The Lord God Almighty, the all powerful, all knowing lowered Himself to the lowest point of humanity’s need. God has done everything for humanity, so that we can receive everything He has done for us to inherit. 

So that we may know and experience the Eternal One. Where we can receive our identity in Him.

God not only walked through the torn pieces of the sacrificial flesh, but He in Jesus became the torn pieces. The covenant between God the Father and God the Son of becoming the eternal sacrifice for humanity, opened the way for all humanity to believe and receive. 

As Jesus took the place of humanity and together with the Father they became two equal parts. The eternal covenant of life everlasting was in the death and resurrection of Jesus. In the gruesome bloody sacrifice, that satisfied humanity’s lowest point of need. Someone has to pay the cost. 

Jesus flesh was torn to shreds at the hands of humanity. 

John 19:1-2 So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe.

His flesh ripped apart by the instruments of torture devised by humanity. Jesus was whipped with metal pieces woven into the leather that gripped the flesh upon exit of the body. Thorns were pressed into His skull. Nails were driven into His body as He hung on that cursed tree. His blood poured down into the dust and dirt of humanity. 

Luke 23:44-46 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last.

Humanity’s shame was exposed. Jesus was an innocent man, yet they cried crucify HIm, crucify Him. Humanity’s need for a sacrifice was fulfilled by God Himself, who walked through the pathway of selfish humanity. He did it all so that we could not only believe, but receive our full inheritance. 

So many ask like Abram, how will we know?

Isaiah 53:5-6 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

By humanity He was wounded or pierced, bruised or crushed, chastised or corrected with corporal punishment and given stripes of exposed flesh with blows that cut deep to the bone. Why? Remembering He was an innocent man.

He did it all to pay the cost for or our transgressions or rebellion against each other and God. For our evil, perversity and guilt to be removed. He did it all so we could receive peace, complete wholeness and healing of mind, body, spirit and emotions. Where we can live in equal relationships with each other and with God.

It is the selfishness of humanity that chose to be one with good and evil that crucified Jesus. We needed the sacrifice. The torn apart flesh is the proof. His nail pierced hands and wound in His side are visible in His resurrected, glorified body. His life, death and resurrection was a public spectacle. Many witnessed and testified.

For the covenant between God the Father and God the Son is the covenant between God and us. 

The meaning of ‘the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all’  means come between, intercede or meet together. God not only walked through the sacrifice, but became the sacrifice so we could know, believe, receive and possess His full inheritance. His inheritance we have in part now and final completion when Christ Jesus returns. 

Our time now inheritance is rightness of God in Him. It is the great exchange. Where He took upon His human body all the offences of humanity. In receiving Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself we receive His identity, His rightness, His relationship with the Father. 

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

The great exchange is a work of God, fulfilled in the humanity of Christ. The corrupted seed of humanity, the guilt, rebellion, condemnation, death and bondage were defeated. God in Christ became human and identified with humanity and our need for a sacrifice. He did it all so we can become innocent, faithful, honoured and live in the freedom He has given. He did it all for us.

Where we can inherit the fullness of His victory for time now and our future inheritance for all eternity. His kingdom of righteousness or justice is ours in Him. Not humanity’s justice but a kingdom of equality and respect. An incorruptible eternal kingdom that we inherit in part each day in this life journey and receive ultimate physical inheritance upon Jesus’ return.

The old has passed away, the new humanity has come in Christ in His life, death, resurrection, ascension and return. As each day we surrender our selfish desires or self will to that of the Father’s will and take a moment to be still and receive from Him. More of His love, truth and power. 

For it is true. God walked through the sacrifice of Christ to raise us up into His life, identity and inheritance. Making the way for us to know and believe and receive more of Him each and every day. When any doubts come we simply give them to Jesus and take a moment to remember. In the enormous sacrifice in Jesus on the cross, God has paid the cost. 

For this is the great exchange of death to life, old to new, darkness to light, temporary to eternal. 

There is no greater love than the love of God. The covenant between God and humanity has been fulfilled for all eternity.

The choice is ours.

19:40 Outro music and voice over. 

For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name!