BEMA Episode Link: 10: Walking the Blood Path
Episode Length: 44:55
Published Date: Thu, 01 Dec 2016 01:00:00 -0800
Session 1
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings work through Genesis 15–17, continuing to look at the evolving partnership between God and Abram.

Walking the Blood Path Presentation (PDF)

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History of male circumcision — Wikipedia

The Epic of Eden by Sandra L. Richter

Sandra Richter, Ph.D.

George DeJong, Under the Fig Tree

The Anchor Bible Dictionary, Volume I

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Legacy Episode Content

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 10: Walking the Blood Path - Study Notes

Title & Source Summary

Episode: BEMA 10: Walking the Blood Path (E10v24)
Scripture Coverage: Genesis 15-17
Main Theme: The evolving partnership between God and Abraham, exploring covenant relationships, trust, and God’s faithfulness despite human failure

Key Takeaways

  • God meets us in our frustration and doubt, responding to our questions even when we’re cranky with Him
  • Sometimes God withholds answers because giving them would cause us to mess up our own story
  • Blood path covenants were ancient Near Eastern betrothal agreements where the greater party protected the lesser party
  • God walked the blood path twice - both for Himself and for Abraham - showing His willingness to pay the price for human failure
  • Circumcision served as a covenant sign that removed power hierarchies and social distinctions within God’s family
  • Our mistakes have consequences that become part of God’s story, but He works redemptively through them
  • God shapes His partners gradually through their failures and successes, not demanding perfection upfront

Main Concepts & Theories

The Pattern of Review and Narrative Understanding

The BEMA approach emphasizes understanding the Bible as a chronological narrative rather than isolated passages. Genesis 1-11 serves as the “preface” establishing foundational principles, while Genesis 12 onward tells the story of God finding a partner willing to trust His story.

Abraham’s Character Development

Abraham demonstrates a pattern of choosing others over self-preservation:

  • Rescuing his barren niece Yiska (Sarah)
  • Letting his nephew Lot choose the best land
  • Building altars and pitching tents (mobility and worship) rather than building towers and settling down (like Babel)
  • Rescuing Lot from the kings
The “And Abraham Said” Literary Device

When Scripture repeats “And Abraham said” within the same conversation, it indicates a pause or break where God said nothing. This reveals Abraham’s growing frustration and God’s strategic silence.

Blood Path Covenants in Ancient Culture

These were betrothal agreements between a greater party (father) and lesser party (bridegroom):

  • Animals were cut in half and arranged opposite each other
  • Blood formed a path between the pieces
  • Both parties walked the path, making vows
  • The lesser party (bridegroom) went first
  • If either failed their promise, the other could “walk in their blood”
The Deep Sleep Connection

Abraham’s “deep sleep” (Hebrew: tardema) parallels Adam’s deep sleep when Eve was formed - both involve God creating partnership/betrothal relationships.

The Egypt Problem

Abraham’s trip to Egypt wasn’t necessarily sinful, but it had consequences:

  • He brought Egypt back with him materially (goods, servants including Hagar)
  • He brought Egypt back in his heart (tendency to rely on his own plans)
  • This led to the Hagar situation and future complications
  • God would later struggle more to get “Egypt out of His people” than to get “His people out of Egypt”
Circumcision as Social Equalizer

The chiastic structure of Genesis 17 centers on circumcision, which served to:

  • Remove power hierarchies (Avram = “exalted father” became Abraham = “father of many”)
  • Eliminate possessive relationships (Sarai = “my princess” became Sarah = “princess”)
  • Create equality when people stand naked together - no distinction between slave and free
  • Establish a “kingdom of priests” (circumcision was associated with Egyptian priesthood)

Examples & Applications

Real-World Covenant Parallels

Modern marriage ceremonies echo ancient covenant-making with vows, witnesses, and symbolic acts. Wedding rings serve as visible signs of covenant commitment, similar to circumcision as a covenant sign.

Contemporary Trust Issues

Like Abraham’s demand for “collateral” from God, we often want guarantees before trusting. God sometimes withholds information because premature answers lead to poor decisions - like giving a teenager complete freedom before they develop wisdom.

Power Dynamics in Relationships

The Hagar situation illustrates how unchecked power leads to abuse. Modern applications include workplace harassment, family dynamics, and social justice issues where those with power must actively work to protect the vulnerable.

Consequences vs. Condemnation

Abraham’s mistakes had real consequences (the Hagar situation, future conflicts) but didn’t disqualify him from God’s purposes. This models how our failures become part of God’s redemptive story without defining our ultimate destiny.

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

  • Ancient Near Eastern Covenant Practices: Study suzerain-vassal treaties and their relationship to biblical covenants
  • The Theology of Divine Silence: Explore other biblical instances where God’s silence serves a purpose
  • Egyptian Influence on Hebrew Culture: Investigate how the patriarchs’ time in Egypt shaped later Hebrew practices
  • The Development of Priesthood: Trace the connection between circumcision, priesthood, and the kingdom of priests concept
  • Literary Devices in Hebrew Narrative: Study chiastic structures and other Hebrew literary techniques
  • The Hagar Narrative: Examine themes of social justice, abuse of power, and God’s care for the marginalized
  • Abraham in the New Testament: Explore how Romans 4 and Galatians use Abraham as a model of faith

Comprehension Questions

  1. What does the repeated phrase “And Abraham said” in Genesis 15:2-3 tell us about God’s response strategy, and why might God have chosen silence in that moment?

  2. Explain the significance of God walking the blood path covenant twice. What does this action reveal about God’s character and His relationship with humanity?

  3. How does the chiastic structure of Genesis 17 support the interpretation that circumcision was meant to eliminate power hierarchies within God’s covenant family?

  4. In what ways did Abraham’s experience in Egypt create long-term consequences for his family story, and how does this principle apply to our own life choices?

  5. Compare and contrast the ancient blood path covenant with modern marriage ceremonies. What universal principles about covenant relationships do both practices reveal?

Personal Summary

Genesis 15-17 reveals a God who meets us in our frustration and doubt while strategically guiding our spiritual development. Abraham’s journey from demanding answers to trusting God’s timing illustrates the messy reality of faith partnership. The blood path covenant demonstrates God’s willingness to bear the consequences of human failure, prefiguring the Gospel message. Meanwhile, the institution of circumcision shows God’s commitment to social justice and equality within His covenant community. This narrative reminds us that God uses our mistakes redemptively while gradually shaping us into the partners He needs to bless all nations. The story challenges us to trust God’s timing, acknowledge the real consequences of our choices, and work actively to eliminate power imbalances that lead to injustice.

BEMA Episode 10 Study Notes: Walking the Blood Path

Title & Source Summary

Episode: BEMA 10: Walking the Blood Path (2016)
Scripture Focus: Genesis 15-17
Main Topic: Examining Avraham’s evolving partnership with God through covenant-making, focusing on the blood path covenant ritual and the progression of God’s expectations as His people mature in faith.

Key Takeaways

  • God sometimes remains silent to protect us from making decisions that would derail our story
  • Demanding answers from God can lead to partial information that we misinterpret and act upon incorrectly
  • The blood path covenant demonstrates God’s willingness to pay the price for our failures
  • God meets us where we are but always calls us forward to take the next step
  • As we mature in our relationship with God, His expectations increase accordingly
  • Consequences from past mistakes (like Avraham’s trip to Egypt) can influence future generations
  • Trust requires walking forward without having all the answers

Main Concepts & Theories

The Blood Path Covenant (Genesis 15)

The blood path covenant was an ancient Middle Eastern betrothal ritual where:

  • Five animals (heifer, goat, ram, dove, pigeon) were arranged with the larger animals cut in half
  • Blood drained into the center, forming a “blood path”
  • The lesser party walked through first, pledging their life if they broke the covenant
  • The greater party followed, making the same commitment

In Avraham’s case, God walked through for both parties, symbolizing that He would pay the price for both His own faithfulness and Avraham’s inevitable failures.

Hebrew Narrative Technique: Repeated Dialogue Markers

When the text repeats “and [person] said” without response, it indicates:

  • Separate conversations with time gaps between them
  • The first statement received no divine response
  • Growing frustration or persistence in the second attempt

This appears in Avraham’s demand for answers about his descendants and later in Hagar’s interaction with the angel.

Chiastic Structure in Genesis 17

The circumcision covenant is arranged as a chiasm with circumcision at the center, emphasizing:

  • The permanent, unforgettable nature of this covenant sign
  • The evolution from God keeping the covenant sign (rainbow with Noah) to giving it to His people
  • Increased responsibility and expectations as the partnership matures
Progressive Revelation and Responsibility

God’s relationship with humanity shows increasing expectations:

  • Noah: God keeps all covenant responsibilities
  • Avraham: Shared responsibility with permanent covenant sign
  • Modern believers: Even greater expectations given 4,000 years of additional revelation plus Christ and the Holy Spirit

Examples & Applications

Avraham’s Egypt Experience and Its Consequences

Avraham’s decision to trust Egypt during famine had lasting consequences:

  • He brought Egyptian wealth and slaves back with him
  • Hagar, an Egyptian slave, became part of the Ishmael storyline
  • This illustrates how “it’s easy for God to get us out of Egypt, but harder to get Egypt out of us”
  • Our past compromises can affect future generations
God’s Strategic Silence

Sometimes God withholds information because:

  • We would make poor decisions with partial knowledge
  • The journey of faith requires trust without complete understanding
  • Character development happens through uncertainty and dependence
Modern Application of Covenant Progression

Just as God increased expectations for Avraham, modern believers should consider:

  • How much more revelation we have through Scripture, Christ, and the Holy Spirit
  • Whether we’re growing in spiritual maturity or remaining static
  • What “next steps” God might be calling us to take in faith

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

  • Comparative Religious Studies: Research other ancient covenant-making rituals and their similarities to biblical practices
  • Theological Development: Trace how the Abrahamic covenant develops through Isaac, Jacob, and into the New Testament
  • Cultural Anthropology: Study modern Bedouin cultures that still practice blood path-type covenants
  • Literary Analysis: Examine other chiastic structures in Genesis and their theological significance
  • Historical Context: Investigate the relationship between ancient Sumerian culture and Hebrew covenant practices

Comprehension Questions

  1. Why did God remain silent after Avraham’s first complaint about having no children, and what does this teach us about divine timing in our own lives?

  2. Explain the significance of God walking through the blood path for both parties in the covenant. How does this foreshadow later biblical themes?

  3. How do Avraham’s consequences from trusting Egypt demonstrate the principle that “it’s easy for God to get us out of Egypt, but harder to get Egypt out of us”?

  4. What is the significance of circumcision being at the center of the chiasm in Genesis 17, and how does it represent an evolution from the Noah covenant?

  5. Given that God’s expectations increase as His people mature in faith, what implications does this have for modern believers who have access to the full biblical revelation and the Holy Spirit?

Brief Summary

This episode explores three critical chapters in Avraham’s journey, focusing on how God responds to human demands for certainty and security. The blood path covenant in Genesis 15 reveals a God willing to bear the consequences of human failure, while the circumcision covenant in Genesis 17 shows the progression toward shared responsibility as faith matures.

The key lesson is that God meets us where we are but never leaves us there - He always calls us forward to the next step of faith. Sometimes this means walking without all the answers, trusting that God’s strategic silence protects us from making decisions that would derail our story. As we grow in our relationship with God, His expectations increase, challenging us to live up to the greater revelation and empowerment we’ve received through Christ and the Holy Spirit.

The episode demonstrates that faith is not about perfection but about persistent forward movement in partnership with God, learning from our mistakes while trusting in His ultimate faithfulness to fulfill His promises.

Original Notes

  • Review
    • Preface: Genesis 1-11
      • Retelling of folklore that they were used to
      • This god is not who you believe that he is; He is good.
      • He’s a god that knows when to say enough.
        • When to stop creating and when to stop detroying
        • When we don’t stop when we should, we begin to destroy relationships
      • We bear his image.
      • When the story begins to feel hopeless, we are introduces to Avram who says, my name is not more important than another person’s dignity.
    • Genesis 12
      • G-d gives Avram land and the expectation we have is that Avram will settle and build a tower.
        • However, Avram builds a different tower, a tower to G-d, an alter, and he pitches tents instead of settling.
      • Avram struggles from time to time though.
        • Temporarily loses Sarai to Pharoah.
  • Genesis 15:1-6
    • Avram is frustrated with G-d because he’s still childless and he asks G-d where his decendants will come from.
      • “But Avram said … And Avram said…” < G-d doesn’t respond and Avram demands an answer.
        • In the Hebrew, this repetition implies a lack a response to the first question and a period of time between the two. We cannot assume how long between questions but G-d certainly doesn’t answer the first question.
      • G-d gives Avram a little insight but Avram still misunderstands and Avram and Sarai bring Hagar into the story and mess the story up.
        • Marty: “Sometimes I think I want answers but G-d knows I don’t need them.”
  • Genesis 15:7-12
    • How does Avram know what to do when G-d asks him to bring the animals?
      • This is a common covenant typically used during engagements between the father of the bride and the groom.
        • The lesser of the two parties, wearing a white robe and stomping, walks through the blood path between the animal halves splashing blood on his robe. This signifies, “If I don’t take care of the bride, or my half of the covenant, you made do in my blood, what I am doing in the blood of these animals.”
        • The greater of the two parties, does the same. This signifies, “If I don’t give you a worthy bride, you may do this in my blood.”
        • It’s a covenental agreement that if I don’t keep my end of the bargin, I will put my life on it.
      • Avram being the lesser of the two parties should go first.
        • We know that Avram does NOT because birds of prey came down and he drove them away implying the carcasses have been there a while and Avram has done nothing so far.
          • When reading this story with a cultural eye, he gets stuck in a corner of his own making. He realizes who he’s dealing with and that he cannot deliver on his own end of the bargin and he’s going to screw the covenant up if he makes one.
          • G-d forces Avram into a deep, terrifying sleep.
            • Then G-d passes between animals as both a torch (fire) and a smoking firepot (smoke).
              • We see the precense of G-d represented as fire and smoke many times through out the scriptures.
              • When the Israelites are lead through the wilderness.
              • In the tabernacle, a cloud over the holy of holies and fire by night.
            • G-d walks through on his behalf AND on behalf of Avram.
              • G-d essentially tells Abvram, “I know you’re unable to hold up your end of the bargin. I know you’re going to make a mistake. So, when that happens, I’ll be the one to pay the price.”
              • This is an incredible lesson for Avram to learn. He’s being crabby and groucy.
              • G-d shows him grace.
            • Why does G-d foretell the slavery in Egypt?
              • We learned in Gen 12 that Avram messes up and stops trusting the story.
              • When he goes to Egypt, he brings Egypt with him figureatively AND literally.
              • He leaves with goods, wealth, slaves, etc.
              • He also ends up sleeping with Hagar who is Sarai’s Egyption slave.
              • The consequences of his mistake will shape Avram in the stories to come.
              • From RVL: The biggest challenge will not be getting Avram and his people out of Egypt, it will be getting Egypt out of his people.
              • Avram has left Egypt with all of this wealth and riches and he’s put his trust in that Egyptian wealth instead of in G-d and G-d’s story.
              • G-d now tells Avram in the middle of this struggle that he will take care of Avram and his decendants but the problem is that his decendants are going to carry that seed of Egypt in them and they’re going to have to struggle to get that seed out of them.
  • Genesis 16
    • The “and he said” device shows up again in the Hagar story when the Angel of the Lord speaks to Hagar and she doesn’t respond a handful of times.
  • Genesis 17:1-21
    • Chiasm
      • A [3] Avram fell facedown
        • B [5] No longer will you be call Avram; your name will be Avraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. [6] I will make you fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.
          • C [7] everlasting covenant
            • D [8] foreigner
              • E [9] for the generations to come
                • Center: [10] Every male among you shall be circumcised
              • E’ [12] For the generations to come
            • D’ [12] foreigner
          • C’ [13] everlasting covenant
        • B’ [15] “… you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. [16] I will belss her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; king of peoples will come from her.”
      • A’ [17] Avraham fell facedown
    • This repetition is similar to Noah’s covenant
      • Noah’s covenant was made with Noah, and the earth, and everything on the earth (even us???).
      • Avram’s covenant is made with Avram, his decenands, and all those that come after him (Hebrews and Jews).
    • The center of this chiasms is “Every male among you shall be circumcised.
    • Avraham finally realizes that his decendants will come from Sarah.
    • This story is deliberately connected to G-d’s covenant with Noah.
      • In a Suzerain-Vassel covenant, the Vassel is responsible for keeping the sign.
      • In Noah’s covenant, G-d doesn’t want Noah or his decenands to forget the covenant to G-d puts the Bow in the sky where it cannot be lost.
      • We now see an evolution between G-d and his people. He gives the sign to his people to keep with circumcision.
        • Brent: Would Avraham even know what circumcision was?
        • The idea of circumcision is that it was such a defining mark and nobody else would do that.
      • This sign will require a step of obedience and by this we see G-d extending his expectations and responsibility of his people.
        • Marty: This causes me to pause and realize we are 4000 this side of Avraham’s covenant and 2000 years this side of Jesus Christ, how much more (kal v’chomer treat for his listeners) does G-d expect out of us today understanding our of the resurrected Christ, about grace, about love, and about self control. He meets us where we are at but expects us to continue to be better and calls us forward to take our next step of faith.

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