The Manifold Blessings of God to Abram… and Us
A Devotional Series from Genesis
Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
8/15 Reading Portions: 1 Samuel 5-6; Romans 5; Jeremiah 43; Psalm 19
Genesis 12:2-3
“And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 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.”
BLESSINGS
God blessed Abram with incredible, manifold blessings in His call to him. There are too many to mention in a single devotional. Here are just a few. First, Abram was a blessing to worldly folk, to children outside of God’s messianic promise by being a blessing Ishmael, Hagar’s son (Gen 16:10; 17:20). Moreover, Abram was a blessing to his six children through Keturah after Sarah’s death, giving those children gifts when he sent them away (Gen 25:6). Second, Abram was a blessing to his progeny by God’s election in graciously allowing Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob’s children’s children the privilege of being the lineage from which the promise of Messiah would come (Gen 17:21). Third, Abram became a spiritual father and thus blessed everyone who believes in Christ through faith (Rom 4:16; Gal 3:8-9). Fourth, Abram became a blessing to God by exercising the faith imparted to him by God (Heb 11:6). Fifth, by Abram’s blessing God in the exercise of His faith, He is most blessed indeed, for the greatest blessing a fallen descendant of Adam can receive is trusting God, following God, and loving God with reverent fear. It is written,
O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you! Psalm 84:12
These exact blessings are ours in Christ. By trusting Christ Jesus, following Him, and loving Him in godly fear, we become a blessing to all, reflecting the Light of Jesus (John 8:12) as lights in the world (Matt 5:14-16) while He rules and reigns upon His heavenly throne. Moreover, you and I as Christian believers in Jesus are blessed in every promise fulfilled in Christ; as it is written,
For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him. That is why it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God for His glory. 2 Corinthians 1:20
At the risk of sounding repetitive from the Department of Redundancy Dept., every one of these promises of God to Abram are ours in Christ Jesus!
Hallelujah! What a Savior!