God "cuts a covenant" with Abram. Though Abram doesn't know it, God knows that in cutting this covenant, the Lord will have to CUT HIMSELF. To keep covenant with mankind, extraordinary measures will have to be employed. Eventually, He'll have to sacrifice HIMSELF.
Watch 7 minutes here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA