Blessing
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September 14, 2014 |
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 "And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed" (Genesis 12:3).
Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee
God said that Abraham would be the fountain of blessing. He was also called the friend of God. He was a person who was most loved and blessed by God. Anyone following in the steps of his faith can enjoy such great blessings as those of Abraham. Their souls will prosper, everything will go well with them, and they will enjoy good health.
Let's look into why God chose Abraham to become the father of faith and allowed for him to receive His great love and amazing blessing.
1. God reckoned his faith as righteousness and blessed him
God created the heavens, the earth, and all things in them, and made Adam, the first man. Since then He has been cultivating humans in His providence. After Adam's fall, God elected proper persons in each era and managed events of human history.
One of them was Abraham as the father of faith. Such people who were used importantly by God, as Abraham, were those who had been particularly thoughtful and had a special kind of inner heart towards God, even before they were chosen.
Abraham (then, Abram) also had a distinctively special faith such that Genesis 15:6 says, "Then he [Abram] believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness". That is why God chose him and gave him vision.
When God spoke, Abraham obeyed Him immediately and never doubted what God said, even when the situations seemed to go wrong.
The 12th chapter of Genesis illustrates a good example. God told Abram to 'go forth from his country, and from his relatives and from his father's house, to the land which He would show him' (v. 1). He obeyed just as he was told without giving it a second thought. There was no delay and no excuse. In fact most people would find it hard to leave home, family, and relatives and depart for a strange place, without even knowing the destination. But Abram just obeyed.
Knowing this character of his vessel, God promised him that He would make him a great nation and he would be a blessing (Genesis 12:2; 15:4-5).
2. God made him a proper vessel for blessing through trials
After inspiring him to dream concerning the promise, God then allowed him to undergo trials. Just as athletes have to patiently undergo training to be eligible for the national team, Abram would now have to become qualified for the promised blessing by passing the trials
In the course of the trials Abram said only, "yes". He believed God's promise of the blessing and patiently waited without any complaints or begrudging. Then God again gave him an amazing word of blessing: "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you will be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I will make you the father of a multitude of nations" (Genesis 17:4-5).
God provides a way of escape or surmounting trials and causes all things to work together for good. An example of this is shown in Genesis 12. As Abram went down to Egypt, he thought he might be killed by Egyptians because his wife Sarai was a beautiful woman.
Instead of relying on God, he used his fleshly thought and said she was his sister. She ended up being taken into Pharaoh's house. Because of Sarai, God struck Pharaoh and his house with great plagues. Pharaoh sent her back to Abram right away. As a result of this incident Abram gained great understanding and came to have faith with which he could commit everything to God.
Though Abram was going through a major difficulty he suffered no loss. In fact, he even gained substantial gain in possessions.
No king could belittle him and blessings came upon him anywhere he went as promised in Genesis 12:3.
For such men of obedience, God offers the way of escape during trials and He is with them. Though the reality may seem harsh and they may appear to be in constant trouble, they will eventually receive blessings in the end. Abram was the one who enjoyed blessing even in trials by obeying God and showing faith in Him.
In those days people in Canaan suffered water shortage. Abram, however, acquired plenty of water anywhere he went and was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. At one time he even led out his '318 trained men born in his house' when he went out to save his nephew, Lot, who had been taken captive.
Because Abram obeyed God his people as well as his land could enjoy blessings together. He was honored by the kings around his land and enjoyed all kinds of blessings on the earth—wealth, fame, power, health, and children.
3. His character of vessel was worthy of God's blessing
Abram received amazing blessings from God because he had such a great 'quality of vessel'. In the routine of his daily life He produced the fruit of spiritual love as in 1 Corinthians 13 and he bore the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit mentioned in Galatians chapter 5.
For instance, he did everything in goodness and love. He didn't hate and harbored no enmity with anyone. He did not seek to find fault in others. He just served everybody. He didn't feel sad or get angry in any kind of difficulty since joy was borne in him. He rejoiced always because he trusted God completely.
Abram made peace with everybody. He pursued peace to exist between his wife Sarai and Hagar. It was extended to and among all people from senior to subordinate around him. He dealt with things that happened in life neither emotionally nor partially, but he attempted to maintain a patient attitude and hear the voice of God.
Abram was also a kind man. He and his nephew Lot became so rich that the land couldn't sustain them and they had to separate. Senior as he was, he let his nephew choose a better land saying, "Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the left." Most people think superiors or seniors should choose a better thing first, but Abram gave the right of choice to his nephew with kindness.
He achieved goodness as well. As Lot was in danger with the fall of Sodom, Abraham interceded for the people (Genesis 18:22-32). It happened after Abram was blessed to receive the name "Abraham" from God. Abraham earnestly prayed and received God's promise that He wouldn't destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if there were ten righteous men. But the cities fell because there were not even ten. God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out in the midst of the collapse.
Abraham was faithful enough to obey God and give his only son as a burnt offering who he had gained at the age of 100. He was faithful in all aspects, even teaching his son well and having good relations with servants and neighbors. He was peaceful and gentle having no trouble with anybody and enjoyed helping and serving others. He controlled himself so he didn't behave imprudently or go beyond a certain limit.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it is not hard to receive blessing like that Abraham enjoyed. Things are much likely to go wrong if you use your own thoughts. However if you commit everything to God, ask Him, and obey Him, He will take the responsibility for leading you to blessing, just as He did for Abraham. I pray in the name of the Lord that you will follow the example of Abraham and enjoy great blessing.
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