Lech Lecha
8 Heshvan 5758
November 8, 1997

Being a Blessing

I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all people on earth will be blessed through you.
Genesis 12: 2,3

The story of Abram's (his name would be later changed to Abraham) call to "Get up and go", is another beginning in the book of beginnings. It is this passage that the Jewish people look back to as their beginning.

One of the central elements of God's word to Abram is "the blessing."

The term blessing in the Scriptures is very rich. It refers to be full of life. Ground that produces an abundant harvest is blessed; ground that produces nothings is cursed. So if someone is blessed, his life is fruitful. So was to be Abraham's life.

Blessing or cursing is something that comes from God. He, as the originator and provider of all life, gives and takes life as he pleases. Abraham's chosen-ness is seen in his being blessed by God.

In his case this blessedness was seen in God's making him into a great nation. More than that, God would bless others - both individuals and peoples through Abram.

The New Covenant refers to this promise as the gospel (Good News):

The Scriptures foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you" (Galatians 3:8).

The promise to be a blessing to the whole world is found in Abraham's and his people's calling to be the ones through whom God is revealed. This calling is fulfilled in Abraham's greatest descendant, the Messiah.

No one has ever seen God, but the only begotten God, who is at the Father's side, has made him known" (John 1:18).

The greatest blessing is to come to know the Giver of blessing. It is only through him that we can know true life.

But it doesn't stop there. Just like Abraham was called to be a blessing to others, so are we. As we come to know God like Abraham did, we will be used by God to make him known to others, so that they too might be blessed and be a blessing.


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