The Blessings Of Abraham

In May of 2021, as a result of the Israel-Hamas Conflict, representatives from the far left group known as “The Squad,” tried to denounce our closest ally Israel, calling it an “apartheid state,” which means a racist state. Within days, the same anti-Israel sentiment spilled into several major U.S. cities.(1) For example, college students were at Times Square for a pro-Israel demonstration when a Jewish man heading to the same rally was beaten and kicked while anti-Semitic slurs were hurled at him. A Brooklyn man was charged with arson after attempting to set a synagogue and Jewish school on fire. In Boca Raton, Florida, a van drove through a pro-Israel rally with the words “Hitler was right” written across the window, as those inside waved a Palestinian flag and one wore a shirt with a Nazi symbol on it. In Los Angeles, people got out of a car outside a restaurant and began asking who was Jewish. The words “Dirty Jew” were heard, and then glass bottles were thrown at the table.(2)

It seems that Israel is always at center stage in the world scene, and that’s because God is at center stage, and Israel is backed by God; and throughout history people have hated the Lord and His people. One day, all history will culminate in the Holy Land as Israel takes center stage yet again for the commencing of the apocalypse and the return of Christ. The Bible says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance” (Psalm 33:12). This goes for both Israel and her allies. Our country will be blessed so long as we support Israel, but should we stop, our nation will perish. This morning, we’re going to look at what’s called “The Blessings of Abraham,” which are the blessings extended to those who serve and obey they Lord. These blessings apply to both individuals and nations; but in helping us in our daily walk with the Lord, we’re going to be looking primarily at how these blessings apply to believers.

Blessings for the Seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:7-9, 13-14)

7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham . . . 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

This is an interesting passage of Scripture for believers in understanding who we are in Christ. We see mentioned here the “sons of Abraham.” The Jewish people are typically known as the children of Abraham and God’s chosen people. In Deuteronomy 7:6-8, we’re informed of Israel, “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers” – particularly to father Abraham.

Israel was chosen as God’s elect; however, we read in Galatians that the qualification for being included in the seed of Israel is “faith” (v. 7). Verse 9 of our passage declares, “So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.” In Deuteronomy chapter 7, verse 8, the Lord said Israel was chosen “because the Lord loves you.” You see, the people of Israel were not selected because they were “more in number than any other people” (Deuteronomy 7:7), and they were not singled out because they were born into a specific bloodline. The people were chosen because they were people of “faith,” and thereby, they were blessed with Abraham, because Abraham was a man of faith. You see, it’s all about faith! The Israelites were a people of faith, and faith was their inheritance – not bloodline or circumcision – and all who are of faith are considered to be the spiritual seed of Abraham!

So, two good questions are: “What did Abraham have faith in,” and “What are we to have faith in?” In Hebrews 11:12-39, we learn that all the patriarchs of Israel lived by faith. In Hebrews 11:13, we are told, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, [and] embraced them,” and then, Hebrews 11:39 tells us, “All these [patriarchs], having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise.” So, the patriarchs, including Abraham, lived by faith in “a promise that was far off,” and, thereby, they “obtained a good testimony.” They were “justified by faith,” as we read about in Galatians 3:24.