In Genesis chapter 12 we see the beginning of God establishling a people for His own. And while we might think that God establishing His own people would create a nation that would go inward, God actually established this exlusive relationship for the purpose of blessing the entire world.
This worldwide blessing began with a personal call to a man named Abram.
In Genesis 12:2-3 the Lord said to Abrahm, “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…”
This initial blessing was an incredible promise and blessing to Abram. He would not only have a name that would go on for generations, the hope of every man during Abram’s days but he would be given an extraordinary promise. His descendents would become a great nation that would experience the blessings and protections of the living God.
In this blessing we see the personal nature of God who showers down his grace and mercy. Abram did not earn this blessing but rather God gave it out of his own choosing for His own glory. The first part alone shows us the intimate character of God. It shows us that God is relational and not distant. It shows us that God delights in working through people to accomplish His purposes.
But the promise does not end with God simply blessing individual man or an individual nation but it ends with God display his heart for the entire world.
God concludes this blessing in verse 3 with these words: “and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
As we consider the heart of God, these words reveal that his heart is an outward heart. His heart is that His name and made known among all peoples of the earth. The personal blessing to abram wasn’t to establish a nation that would be isolated from the world but rather a nation that would be a blessing to the world.
And this was not just a one time statement from God. In Genesis 26, God again reminded Abram of this blessing. God said, “I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed…”
Again, God concludes this blessing with the purpose of this great nation. They will be a blessing to entire earth.
How will Abraham and his descents be a blessing all people? The Messiah will come from Israel to offer salvation to the world. The calling of Abraham was to ultimately declare God’s salvation to the nations. When God called Abram he had the salvathat He sent His one and only son…” The sending of His Son began in this call to Abram as God’s Son would be a descedent of Abram.
What is interesting about this call of Abram is the Gospel is present in this call. Galatians 3:8 says, “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”
The outward call of God isn’t a New Testament concept. Twelve chapters into the first book of the Bible Scripture tells us that Gospel was revealed to Abraham.
When God draws a person to himself, it is not so that person can now huddle together with other Christians separate from the world. When God calls someone to himself to know salvtion through Christ it is so that person will now be apart of mission of Christ. The hope of the Gospel this new believer has now responded to is now the message this new believer has the joy of proclaiming. Just like Abram recieved a personal blessing that would be used to bless others, Christians are giving a personal blessing through salvation in Christ and Christians are to then become a blessing to others who do not know Christ.
In this call of Abram we see how God often works in the lives of His people. He starts with a few to bless many. The small acts of obedience are used to bless many. What act of obedience are you being called to that seems like it could only make a ripple in your life? Maybe God is going to use that small ripple and turn it into a huge wave of declaring God to the nations. Maybe you share the Gospel with an individual who will share the Gospel in another country leading many to Christ. Maybe you lead your only child to walk with God and your child and then your child’s life will be used to be a blessing to others. Our small acts of obedience can lead to worldwide blessings. And maybe we never live to see the impact of our blessing.
Abram did not give birth to a huge nation. He and his wife Sarah had one son whose name was Isaac. And even Isaac would not give birth to a huge nation. He would have two boys. It wouldn’t be until the third generation that the 12 sons of Israel would be born.
May the call of Abrahm remind us of the outward call of God. And as he personally blesses us, may we never believe that he wants that blessing to remain with us. He begins with a few to bless many. He drew you to Him so that you would be go out and bless many.
