Gen. 15:1-12, 17-18 second cut
1) Abram means father is exalted. it is possible that the ram part refers to a deity, but that is strictly a guess by some.

2) "After these things" refers to the Melchizedek story in ch. 14.

3) It sounds as if Abram is being promised spoils of war of some sort

4) Abram is frustrated. What good are goodies if he has no one to give them to down the road?

5) Typically, God promises the stars in terms of abundance.

6) v. 6 is cited in the NT. I take it to mean that Abram's faith places him in right relationship with God. At the same time, Abram wants assurance, so it is certainly not the blind faith that many desire. this tension is a good place to speak of faith and doubt, not faith vs. doubt. the new epistolary book by Michael Jenkings, Austim Seminary, ahs a god discussion on this with the Jessica sections of the book.

7)Abram wants some sort of proof, a sign.Sometimes this is frowned upon, but at other times not. when is it putting god to the test?

8) This is a mysterious rite, walking through the divided animal. I take it as a curse. May we never be so divided. It takes the phrase to cut a covenant quite literally, no? could it be that we are two halves of a whole, undivided, but alone we would become a mere half?

9) God engages in the rite also. this is a great example of divine voluntary commitment to human needs