Day 13

“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 peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”  — GENESIS 12:2-3

The Old Testament from Abraham on is the story of God getting the right people in the right place for the right purpose. Keeping these three components together was to accomplish the end purpose of making Israel a blessing to the world by bringing the seed of Abraham – Christ – to the world.

 “Go to the land I will show you,” God said to Abram, speaking of the Place; there, “I will make you into a great nation”, speaking of the People; then, “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you”, speaking of the Purpose.  Like a three-legged stool, if one leg does not function, the stool will collapse.  

Much of the Old Testament is about keeping these three components together. The right people in the wrong place lose the right purpose. The right people intent on the right purpose, but in the wrong place, likewise forfeit the blessing that would be theirs. 

Many of the Old Testament stories and truths foreshadow and illustrate New Testament doctrine, ‘For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ’ (2 Corinthians 1:20). As all roads lead to Rome, so all scripture leads to Christ and only finds its fulfillment – its ‘Yes’ in Him. The great danger is that we can enjoy being the people of God, and enjoy living out of His resources, but forget the purpose for which he has left us here! Or we can be taken up with the purpose, but not live out of His resources, so function in the wrong place and leave no lasting fruit. The right people today are those who are ‘in Christ’. Paul writes in Galatians 3:29, “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” The Abrahamic covenant led to Christ. “The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ” (Galatians 3:16-17).  

The place in which we are to live is not a piece of physical geography, but is our spiritual union with Christ. The writer of Hebrews describes it as a land of rest in the sufficiency and strength of God. The purpose remains the same – that we might be a blessing to the world. As we rest in the full sufficiency of Christ, our lives will overflow in blessing and benefit to the world around us.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I see the parallels between the Nation of Israel and your people today. Thank You for your indwelling Spirit that brings us into a place of resting in your sufficiency, and for the privilege of becoming a blessing to others.

TO REFLECT UPON: If I look at the people, the place and the purpose as a three legged stool, are they all strong and stable in my life or is a leg buckling, inhibiting God’s agenda for me?