God’s Blessing to Abram

1/11 Reading Portions: Genesis 12; Matthew 11; Nehemiah 1; Acts 11

Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)

1/11 Reading Portions: Genesis 12; Matthew 11; Nehemiah 1; Acts 11

Genesis 12:3

“I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse,
and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

BLESS

I’m not offended when a minister tells me I’m off my rocker for seeing Christ everywhere in Scripture. I don’t blame them. I missed this reference to the Lord Jesus Christ for many years. Abram, whose name means “mighty father,” was called out by the heavenly Father to a land that he knew not. Jesus, whose name is called “everlasting Father” (Isa 9:6), was called out of heaven by the heavenly Father to sojourn in land that He knew not. The blessing almighty God pronounced upon Abram was a prophetic foreshadow of the ultimate blessing surrounding the LORD’s Messiah. Those who blessed Jesus would be blessed of the Father. Those who dishonored Jesus would be cursed by the Father. And by Christ’s atoning sacrifice on Calvary’s tree, all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Truly, every blessing from God the Father is rooted and grounded in one’s relationship to Christ. Yet this blessing is ours just as much as it was Abram’s. Perhaps more so, because ours comes from our gracious salvation in Christ Jesus. Being the recipients of God’s blessing through others is a humbling experience. Our sovereign God, however, delights to bless those who bless us. Moreover, He delights to bless others through us. Giving and receiving in Christ, by blessed stewardship of His gracious resources lavishly bestowed on some of us, becomes a gospel blessing and witness unto all of us— giving as Christ gave, and receiving as if given by Christ Himself. And for those who dishonor us, we need not be anxious over it. The Lord will judge them in the final judgment in that Day… or He may use us as a witness for Christ, that they may be blessed with eternal life. Hallelujah! What Savior!

Abram, he was blessed of God,
Which exalts Jesus Christ;
Christ blessed us with a life of faith,
Bought with the most precious price.