It is said that there is a scarlet thread running through the Bible that points to Christ from the beginning (Genesis) to the end (Revelation). This is true enough. It speaks of God’s redemptive plan from the very beginning of humanity’s fall when sin entered the world, and we became desperately in need of saving.
To give a very broad brushstroke of this scarlet thread, I want to look at the blessing of Abraham, which is a crucial moment in redemptive history. But, first, let’s look at its historical context. This divine blessing is recorded for us in Genesis. “Now the Lord said to Abram (Abraham), ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 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’” (Gen 12:1-3). Abraham is blessed, but not merely for his own sake. Yes, he will prosper. He will be the father of a nation. But, we also discover that “the nations of the world” will be blessed through him.
The ultimate fulfillment of this Abrahamic blessing is found in Jesus Christ. We read in Galatians, “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, ‘And to offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to your offspring,’ who is Christ” (Gal 3:16). The blessing of Abraham is ultimately fulfilled not in the mere establishment of a nation but through a new redeemed people who place their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.
The Bible records how this blessing of Abraham leads us to Christ. Abraham gains a great reputation and prospers. His descendants became numerous and even became the nation of Israel (God’s chosen people). The Lord sends prophets who foretell of the coming Messiah (Christ). They were pointing to Jesus. When Jesus came, all the prophecies culminated in the only One who could perfectly fulfill them since, after all, they were speaking of Him.
God’s plan to save humanity is Jesus. We read, “He (Jesus) himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). The tree was often used as a synonym for “cross” in first-century Judaism. The unique, substitutionary, sin-bearing death of Jesus is described here as healing. The healing mentioned is not physical but the forgiveness of sins. Jesus’ death and resurrection should lead to a profound change in the lives of those who place their trust in Him, believers. Those once separated from God due to sin are through faith in Christ and His finished work on the cross reunited as His people given new life and a new destiny, eternity with Him.
No doubt, the blessing of Abraham was a benefit to Abraham himself. He prospered in many ways. His descendants were blessed by becoming a nation, Israel. Both Abraham and his descendants had a unique role to play in redemptive history. They were blessed. But, they too would bless the nations through Jesus, a descendant of Abraham, from the nation of Israel, Who offers salvation to all who receive Him as Savior and Lord.
Interestingly, the Scriptures teach us that we are made right with God through faith (belief) in Christ. Further, those who have faith are spiritual children of Abraham. God’s intent from the beginning was not merely to save Abraham’s physical descendants, Israel, but Gentiles (non-Jews) as well. As Paul rights, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Gentiles). For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith’” (Rom 1:16-17). This fulfills the blessing spoken by God to Abraham, that all nations would be blessed through him. In this sense, the Abrahamic blessing is our blessing (those who are in Christ) as well. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone!)