神藉着基督与亚伯拉罕立约，坚立祂的应许
因为亚伯拉罕发现，要相信神关于地的应许很难，神就不得不与他立约。就神而论，祂无须这样作。亚伯拉罕若立即相信神对地的应许，创世记十五章就会比现在的简短多了，也无需那里所题的许多事：母牛、母山羊、公绵羊被劈开，斑鸠、雏鸽被献上，亚伯拉罕沉睡，惊人的大黑暗临到他身上，神如同冒烟的炉并烧着的火把经过肉块，以及神题到那四百年。以上这许多事，似乎没有一件是可悦的。那不是在日出的时候，乃是在日落的时候；神不是慈爱的来临，乃是如同冒烟的炉并烧着的火把。
创世记十五章的事件，是一个约的完成，是神立约的记载。神所立的第一个约是与挪亚立的（创九8～17），有虹为记号。创世记十五章这里是神与人所立的第二个约。
三只牲口表征钉死的基督
在神与亚伯拉罕立约时，神吩咐他取一只母牛，一只母山羊，一只公绵羊，一只斑鸠和一只雏鸽（创十五9）。三只牲口，每只都是三岁，劈开分为两半；但两只鸟没有劈开，要使它们活着。神乃是藉着这些与亚伯拉罕立约，含示亚伯拉罕要这样才能达成神永远的目的。在豫表上，人献给神的一切东西都是基督的豫表。根据这原则，这五样东西无疑也都是基督的豫表。
基督首先是被钉死的基督，被劈开的基督，其次是复活的基督，活着的基督。我们若看见这点，就会明白那三只被劈被杀的牲口，乃是豫表钉死的基督。钉死的基督就是成为肉体，在祂的人性里活在地上的那一位。约翰一章说，话就是神，话成了肉体（约一14），然后说到这一位是神的羔羊（约一29）。神的羔羊是神的话成为肉体的那一位。所以在创世记十五章，那三只牲口应当表征在祂的人性里为我们钉死的基督。
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God’s Covenant with Abraham (3) – Gen. 15:9
God Confirms His Promise by Making a Covenant with Abraham through Christ
Because Abraham found it difficult to believe God’s promise concerning the land, God had to make a covenant with him. As far as God was concerned, He did not need to do this. If Abraham had immediately believed God’s promise for the land, Genesis 15 would have been much shorter, and there would have been no need for the many things mentioned there: the heifer, the female goat, and the ram being cut in two; the turtledove and the young pigeon being offered; Abraham’s deep sleep; the great darkness falling upon him; God passing through the pieces like a smoking furnace and a flaming torch; and God’s mention of the four hundred years. None of these things seem pleasant. It was not at sunrise, but at sunset; God did not come in a loving manner, but like a smoking furnace and a burning torch.
The events of Genesis 15 are the fulfillment of a covenant and the record of God’s covenant-making. The first covenant God made was with Noah (Gen. 9:8–17), with the rainbow as the sign. Genesis 15 records the second covenant God made with man.
The Three Animals Signify the Crucified Christ
When God made the covenant with Abraham, He commanded him to take a heifer, a female goat, a ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon (Gen. 15:9). The three animals, each three years old, were cut in two; but the two birds were not cut, so that they might remain alive. God made the covenant with Abraham through these things, implying that this was the only way for Abraham to fulfill God’s eternal purpose. In type, everything offered by man to God is a type of Christ. According to this principle, these five items are undoubtedly types of Christ.
Christ is first the crucified Christ, the Christ who was cut in two, and then the resurrected Christ, the living Christ. If we see this, we will understand that the three slaughtered and divided animals signify the crucified Christ. The crucified Christ is the One who became flesh and lived on earth in His humanity. John 1 says that the Word was God and the Word became flesh (John 1:1, 14), and then speaks of this One as the Lamb of God (John 1:29). The Lamb of God is the Word of God become flesh. Therefore, in Genesis 15, those three animals signify the Christ who was crucified for us in His humanity.