撒但和他的使者如同空中的鸟，要使基督无效
当祭牲豫备好了，有空中的鸷鸟下来，想要吃这些祭牲（创十五11）。这表征撒但和他的使者要使基督对教会生活成为无效的（加五2，4）。今天撒但和他的使者（林后十一13～15），竭尽所能的要来夺去基督徒为着教会生活而对基督的享受（西二8）。亚伯拉罕如何赶走那些鸷鸟，我们也必须把撒但和他的使者赶离基督为着教会生活对我们的所是。
立约的神经过祭牲的肉块
亚伯拉罕劈开牲囗，把一切祭牲摆列好之后，“日头正落的时候，亚伯兰沉沉的睡了；忽然有惊人的大黑暗落在他身上。”当亚伯拉罕在这样的光景中，神来了。十七节说，“日落天黑，不料有冒烟的炉，并烧着的火把，从那些肉块中经过。”神不是非常慈爱的来临，乃是如同冒烟的炉并烧着的火把。炉是为着炼净，火把是为着光照。在黑暗的光景中，神来炼净并光照。
在教会生活中，这事常常发生。忽然间，日出变成日落，黑夜落在我们身上，许多圣徒打盹，失去功用，各面都有苦难。在这样受患难的时候，我们会开始怀疑说，“这是怎么回事？我们有甚么不对么？在这样的时候，神总是像炉一样炼净我们，把我们烧尽；也像火把一样光照我们。人们常对那些在教会生活中的人说，“你们怎能有这么多亮光？在你们中间真是有光！火把真是发亮！”光主要的是来自苦难。请看亚伯拉罕的光景：日头落下，黑夜来临，亚伯拉罕沉睡，而神来临，不是作安慰者，乃是如同炉焚烧，火把光照。一面神焚烧我们，我们受苦；另一面祂光照我们，我们在光底下。在这样的时候，我们即使在黑夜，也会非常清楚。
在这样的光景中，神经过祭牲的肉块，那就是神的立约。神如同冒烟的炉并烧着的火把经过一切的祭牲，这样与亚伯拉罕立约。神这样藉着与亚伯拉罕立约，坚定祂对亚伯拉罕的应许，以达成祂永远的目的。
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God’s Covenant with Abraham (5) – Gen. 15:11-12
Satan and His Angels Are Like the Birds of the Air, Trying to Make Christ Ineffective
When the sacrifices were prepared, birds of prey came down to eat them (Gen. 15:11). This signifies that Satan and his angels want to make Christ ineffective for the church life (Gal. 5:2, 4). Today, Satan and his angels (2 Cor. 11:13–15) do their best to come and take away the believers’ enjoyment of Christ for the church life (Col. 2:8). Just as Abraham drove away those birds of prey, we must also drive away Satan and his angels from what Christ is to us for the church life.
The Covenant-Making God Passes Through the Pieces of the Sacrifice
After Abraham divided the animals and laid them out, “when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, behold, a horror of great darkness fell upon him.” In such a situation, God came. Verse 17 says, “And it came about when the sun had set, that it was very dark, and behold, there appearing a smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between these pieces”. God did not come in an obviously loving way, but as a smoking furnace and a burning torch. The furnace is for refining, and the torch is for enlightening. In a dark situation, God comes to refine and enlighten.
In the church life, this often happens. Suddenly, sunrise turns into sunset, and night falls upon us. Many saints become drowsy and lose their function, and there are sufferings on every side. In such times of trial, we may begin to doubt and say, “What is going on? Is something wrong with us?” At such times, God always refines us like a furnace, burning us away; and He also enlightens us like a torch. People often say to those in the church life, “How can you have so much light? There is truly light among you! The torch is really shining!” Light comes mainly from suffering. Look at Abraham’s situation: the sun set, darkness came, Abraham fell into a deep sleep, and God arrived — not as a comforter, but as a burning furnace and an enlightening torch. On one hand, God burns us, and we suffer; on the other hand, He enlightens us, and we are under the light. At such a time, even though we are in the night, we are very clear.
In such a scene, God passed through the pieces of the sacrifice; that was God’s covenant-making. God passed through all the sacrifices like a smoking furnace and a flaming torch, thus making a covenant with Abraham. In this way, by making a covenant with Abraham, God confirmed His promise to him to fulfill His eternal purpose.