Deeper Reflection
The divine call to Abram has a twofold command, represented by two imperatives – “Go from your country” (v.1) and “so that you will be a blessing” (v.2). Each imperative is followed by three promises from God: “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great” (v.2); and “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonours you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (v.3).The idea of blessing is central to the promises God gave to Abram, with the key word “bless” occurring five times in verses 2 to 3. Abram will ultimately be the channel of God’s blessings to “all peoples on earth” (v.3b, NIV). “And it appears that at this point a more spiritual significance of ‘blessing’ is in mind.”³⁵ God promised Abram great personal blessings in order that he might ultimately be a blessing to all peoples / the families of the earth. And God’s promise that “in your offspring all the nations / families of the earth shall be blessed” was subsequently reaffirmed to Isaac and Jacob (Gen 22:18; 26:4; 28:14).From the New Testament perspective, God’s blessing comes through faith in Jesus Christ, the offspring of Abraham: “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘In you shall all the nations be blessed.’ So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.” (Gal 3:8-9) To bless the nations, the Church must keep on preaching Christ!

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³⁵ Allen P. Ross, Creation & Blessing: A Guide to the Study and Exposition of Genesis (Baker Academic, 1997), 263.