Introduction
In this study, “God and Jesus Appeared Together to Abram – Genesis 15“, we will explore a fascinating event described in the Bible, where, although many may not realize it, both God and Jesus appeared together before Abram. Throughout this article, we will examine the details of this episode, considering the symbolic elements in the text of Genesis 15, such as the “smoking oven” and the “flaming torch“, and discuss what these figures represent. We will also explore how this moment reveals profound aspects of the divine nature and the pre-existence of Jesus, challenging many traditional interpretations of the relationship between God and His Son.
When God and Jesus Appeared Together to Abram
Although many have read the book of Genesis, few are aware of the episode in which God and Jesus appeared together to Abraham. This may be expected, considering that such an event is described figuratively. It is necessary to pay close attention to the words used in chapter 15 to perceive the presence of these two Beings.
Alliance Made in Genesis 15
This chapter begins by describing a conversation between God and Abram. After this dialogue, the Lord gave His word that Abram’s descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky (Genesis 15:5), even though Abram was already old. It was during this episode that Abram believed the Lord, and this was credited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). To confirm this covenant, God instructed him to take some animals and cut them in half, except for the birds.
Genesis 15:9-10 – “And he said unto him, Take me a heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. And he brought all these unto him, and cut them in two, and laid the two parts opposite each other: but the fowl he did not cut“
Genesis 15: The Manifestation of Both
The account goes on to mention that birds of prey descended from the sky and descended on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. Abram was probably waiting for some further instructions from God, or even for Him to manifest Himself. Time passed until the sun began to set, and Abram fell asleep. It is at this moment that we find the account of God’s presence. Let’s see:
Genesis 15:17 – “And it came to pass, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace and a flaming torch passed between those pieces“
This is a very interesting point, because we can glimpse God and Jesus manifesting themselves together to Abraham!
The Oven and the Torch
It’s amazing how often we overlook the details! At times, the Bible compares God to the “consuming fire“. On this occasion, the text mentions that a “smoking furnace” passed between the cut animals. This “furnace” is a figurative reference to the person of God!
In addition to “fire” being a symbol applied to God on other occasions, there is another factor that confirms to us that it is indeed God manifesting Himself in this situation: the “darkness” that manifested at sunset. It is evident that, at sunset, the light fades, but if this is clear, then why describe such a manifestation? The explanation lies in the fact that this is the way God personally manifests Himself in the presence of human beings.
God Hiding in the Darkness
God’s use of darkness is intentional, because without it, His glory would consume any sinful being who stood before Him. And this was not the only time God manifested Himself in the midst of darkness throughout biblical history. There were two other instances when God had to act in this way. They were:
When God came down to give the Law to Moses.
Deuteronomy 5:22 – “These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly on the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice, and added nothing more. And he wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me“
When God came down to the foot of the cross to be with His Son.
Luke 23:44-46 – “And it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour, and the sun was darkened; and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And when he had said this, he breathed his last“
Who Was the Torch?
Now that we are sure it was God manifesting Himself there and that the “smoking furnace” is a figure of speech referring to Him, we need to discover who the other manifestation was that was present with Him. Let’s reread the text:
Genesis 15:17 – “And it came to pass, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace and a flaming torch passed between those pieces“
The above passage not only mentions a “smoking furnace” passing between the halves, but also a “flaming torch“. These are not a single symbol, but two symbols present in the narration. Notice that both figures used are of the same nature. The “furnace” contains fire, and the “torch” is also fire, meaning both are of the same nature. God and Jesus manifested themselves together to Abraham!
He Who Shares the Same Nature as God
No word in Scripture is without purpose. If someone describes the two figures as having the same nature, it means that the two beings present in the covenant made with Abraham also share the same nature. We know that God is a divine being. The question we must now ask is: Who in the Bible is presented as having the same nature as God, that is, the divine?
Colossians 2:9 – “For in Him [Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily“
The Bible declares that Christ possesses all the fullness of deity. This becomes evident since the Bible also presents Jesus as His only begotten Son.
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…“
Therefore, Jesus was present with His Father in the covenant made with Abraham. Both were present on that occasion. And God did not make this covenant alone; Jesus also passed between the halves of the animals. This is amazing, because this text also proves the pre-existence of Jesus, meaning that He already existed before His incarnation. To the One who came to this earth to give His life as a ransom for the repentant sinner!
Same Nature, But There Is a Difference
But this is not the only interesting detail that the text of Genesis reveals to us. Notice that, although two figures with the same nature are described, there is a factor that shows a difference between them, and this factor is greatness. To God, they attribute the “oven“, and to Jesus, the “torch“.
Oven -> God
Torch -> Jesus.
What does this information tell us? I think it is quite obvious. The “oven” is greater than the “torch“. This means that God is greater than Jesus. This information seems to contradict what many believe, namely that Jesus is God Himself or that He is on equal footing with God, as taught, for example, in the doctrine of the Trinity or in other Oneness beliefs. But we can also understand this detail through Jesus’ own words, when He said:
John 14:28 – “You have heard that I said to you, ‘I go away and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I go to the Father.’ For my Father is greater than I“
Conclusion: God and Jesus Appeared Together to Abram
The text is very clear, because Jesus Himself affirmed the difference in greatness between His person and that of His Father. Although many claim that Christ said such words because of His incarnation, we cannot use the same argument to explain the difference in the figures used in the manifestation to Abraham. Here is a reflection for us on the true position of God and that of Jesus, as well as the fact that both were present in the covenant made with Abraham.
May God bless the reader.
