In the covenant God made with Abraham, a profound commitment was established through what is known as a self-maledictory oath. A malediction is a curse, literally evil speech, and in this oath, a person promises harm to himself if he fails to fulfill his end of the agreement. God swore that what had been done to the divided animals in the covenant ritual would happen to Him if He failed to keep His promises. By passing through these divided animals, the God of all creation vowed that He would be cut asunder if He did not accomplish what He promised, swearing by His own existence since there was nothing greater to swear by. This agreement held immense significance, deeply linked to Jesus Christ's crucifixion. Had Christ's body been divided during His death, it would have implied that the self-malediction had come to pass, signifying that the Covenant-Maker was paying the price for failure. Therefore, it was imperative that while the Savior's blood was shed to seal the New Covenant, His body had to remain unbroken to satisfy the promises made to Abraham. In His sovereignty, God ensured this balance was perfectly maintained.

The concept of a self-maledictory oath, as seen in Genesis 15, is a profound and ancient method of affirming the absolute certainty of one's word. This oath, made by Christ Himself, represents a dire prediction against Himself, forfeiting everything if He fails to keep His word. In this context, Christ was declaring that He would give up salvation and His divinity if He did not fulfill His promise. Such an oath underscores the gravity of the covenant made with Abraham, intertwining the sacrifice of Jesus Christ with this solemn pledge during the events symbolizing Passover and the first day of Unleavened Bread. In Genesis 15, during the preparation for what is observed as the Night To Be Much Observed, the narrative illustrates the 14th as representing the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Passover day. As the sun dipped below the horizon and the 15th began, marking the Night To Be Much Observed, God uttered the prophecy of 400 years of captivity and the promise of release for Abraham's descendants. This timing aligns precisely with the moment, 430 years later, when Israel departed from Egypt. The passing between the split pieces of the sacrificial animals signifies the actual taking of the self-maledictory oath, with God symbolically signing His life behind the covenant. This act, combined with the presence of the lamp and the smoking furnace, represents the divine purpose and perfect agreement in this transaction, emphasizing the significance of the first day of Unleavened Bread in commemorating God's unwavering commitment and providence.

The timing of Christ's crucifixion on the afternoon of Abib 14 points to a significant event centuries before the Passover in Egypt, aligning with the promises God made to Abraham and the preparations for their covenant. During the daylight portion of the 14th in Abraham's day, a conversation about inheriting the land occurred, followed by Abraham dividing and arranging animals at God's command in preparation for the covenant. This covenant, made in response to Abraham's question about the land, encompasses far more than a geographic location, reflecting all that God had previously promised. If the Creator God was willing to swear to His own destruction with regard to the land, it assures the fulfillment of all other promises as well. Christ's sacrifice, confirming the New Covenant, occurred on the anniversary of God's covenantal promise to Abraham, at the same day and hour, drawing attention to the eternal inheritance promised to Abraham and his spiritual seed.

The concept of the self-maledictory oath is a profound element in understanding God's precise timing and unwavering commitment to His promises. This oath, as seen in Genesis 15:13-18, is a solemn vow where God pledged to Abraham that if He did not keep His word, a severe penalty, implied to be death, would be paid. This rare and significant oath, noted by researchers to appear only once more in the Bible in Jeremiah, underscores the absolute certainty of God's covenant with Abraham, made on the selfsame day that marked the beginning of the Night to be Much Observed. This event, occurring precisely as the sun went down and darkness fell, was timed by God to coincide with the first holy day, emphasizing His control over time and the reliability of His word. The self-maledictory oath, enacted right before Abraham's eyes, was designed to impress upon him and future generations the trustworthiness of God's promises, linking directly to the anniversaries and memorials observed on specific dates like Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. This oath serves as a powerful reminder that God is faithfully in control of time, ensuring that His purposes are fulfilled exactly as appointed, even across centuries into eternity.

During the daylight hours of the 14th day of the first month, we reflect on the profound significance of God's covenant with humanity. In the making of a covenant, when the sacrificial animal's parts are separated, the two parties walk through the midst of the parts as an affirmation of the binding agreement. Here, we see the burning torch representing God Himself, guaranteeing the covenant for both parties. This act underscores the divine assurance of the covenant's fulfillment, connecting directly to the events of this sacred day and the night to be much observed after sunset on the 15th. Jesus Christ, as the torch of freedom, alone has guaranteed the New Covenant for all men, liberating us from the deceits of satan and establishing the foundation for all loving relationships.

In the solemn context of God's covenant with Abraham, as recorded in Genesis 15, a profound ritual underscores the gravity of the promise. Covenants of great significance were often sealed by preparing a sacrifice, cutting it into two pieces, and laying them out on the ground. The parties involved would pass between the divided carcass, symbolizing their commitment to the agreement. This act represented a self-maledictory oath, a pledge that they would suffer the same fate as the divided sacrifice—being cut in two—if they failed to uphold their word. They placed their lives at risk, committing themselves to forfeit their life if the covenant was broken. After passing through, the carcass was burned, signifying their acceptance of the terms. In this particular instance, only God is shown passing between the divided sacrifice. This act reveals His utmost seriousness in meeting the requirements of the covenant. It also indicates that He did not hold Abraham or his descendants to the same stringent obligation as He held Himself. The promise, therefore, was to be fulfilled by God's grace, not by human works. The smoking oven and burning torch, symbols of God's presence, likely consumed the sacrifice as He passed through, demonstrating His acceptance. This burning by fire from an invisible source further affirms His commitment, mirroring other instances where He ignited sacrifices from heaven. Thus, the self-maledictory nature of the oath, borne solely by God, emphasizes the unilateral assurance of His faithfulness to the covenant promise.

In the covenant with Abraham, God alone passed between the sacrificed pieces as a smoking furnace and a burning lamp, demonstrating that the promise did not depend on Abraham's actions. This act was a self-maledictory oath, where God bound Himself to the agreement, guaranteeing the promise without any condition on Abraham's part. This one-sided commitment ensured that the covenant could not be changed or have anything added to it, establishing an unchangeable promise. God's assurance to Abraham, sealed by Himself, underscores that the fulfillment of this everlasting covenant rests solely on His faithfulness, extending both physically with land and spiritually with blessings to all nations. This unchangeable promise, confirmed through Christ, remains the foundation of God's relationship with His people, offering eternal inheritance to those who belong to Christ.