“…and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 12:3b
God chose Abram. He plucked him up from a pagan place and gave him a new name, a new purpose, and a promise of greatness. Through Abram, God would grow a nation and a people for Himself. Of all the people on earth, Abram was chosen for blessing and honor. Genesis 12:1-3 chronicles the Abrahamic Covenant. It marks the establishment of God’s chosen people and His relationship with the Jewish people.
But it’s not all about them. It was never intended to be all about them.
Note the phrase in verse 3: all peoples on earth. This little phrase captures God’s missional heart, conveying His plan to use His chosen people to reach all people.
God’s unconditional promise to Abraham is fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the reason Matthew began his gospel with a genealogy that highlights the two greatest heroes of the Jewish faith, David and Abraham:
This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David,
the son of Abraham.
Matthew 1:1
Matthew’s gospel was intentionally written to present Jesus as the Messiah to the Jewish people. Stressing His lineage to Abraham was key in his evidence. No burying the lead here. Matthew states right up front – Jesus is the Messiah and here’s why!
Yes, Jesus is Jewish. He is the Jewish Messiah. But the blessing extends beyond the Jewish people. God chose Abraham and the Jewish people to be His tool for reaching the world. This was not Plan B – it was His heart and His plan all along. It’s right there in Genesis 12: ALL PEOPLES ON EARTH. Friends, all means all! That includes you and me! We are grafted into the blessing.
The Messiah was for all.
The message of salvation is for all.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is for all.
Luke picked up the threads of Genesis 12 when he wrote in Acts 3:25:
And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant
God made with your fathers.
He said to Abraham,
‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’
There it is again: all peoples on earth.
The promise is for you and me! It’s for us, too! Don’t miss the blessing, my friend … take hold and hold on! God keeps His promise. He is faithful!
Have you accepted the blessing of Jesus?
The Old Testament is filled with prophecy about the Messiah to come. When those dots are all connected, the image that emerges is Jesus. Only He “checks the box” on every single one of the Old Testament prophecies. We invite you to listen to this week’s devotional video as Laura talks geography and taxes – then, we hope you’ll celebrate how God is sovereign over both! Only God could orchestrate events and circumstances to ensure that Jesus of Nazareth was also the Messiah born in Bethlehem!
All of us at Cross My Heart Ministry wish you and your family a blessed and wonderful Christmas as we celebrate the miraculous birth of our Savior!
