We know that the New Testament (NT) is a missionary book; after all, this is where we read the Great Commission, and see Paul going to the nations. But is the Old Testament (OT) a missionary book?
Has it ever seemed strange to you that God dealt with one people Israel in the OT, but now with all peoples since Christ came? Some have even come to the conclusion that God’s real focus is the people Israel, and his acceptance of other peoples now is just a subplot to his main plot with Israel. This is not true! The OT is full of God’s purpose to call not one nation but all nations to himself. One example of this is the covenant God makes with Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3.
“(1) Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. (2) 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. (3) I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, [so that] in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'”
A Covenant of Grace
This is a covenant of grace. It was not based on what Abraham had done. God did not make this covenant with Abraham because he was such a great guy. Abraham was an idol worshiper (Joshua 24:2) of the Chaldeans (Gen. 11:27). God doesn't say: “Because you have done this..., I will bless you.” But God had mercy on them, and called them to himself. Nor is this covenant based on what Abraham would do later. God doesn't say: “Abraham, if you do this..., then I will bless you.” This covenant is not like the Law, which promised blessings & curses; this covenant promises only blessing! Abraham sinned, as we all do; you have only to read the rest of his story to see that he could not stand before God in his own goodness.
Rather, God says, “I will...” (v. 2). This is a statement of God's pure determination of will to bless. Regardless of what Abraham had done before, regardless of what Abraham would do in the future, regardless of who Abraham was in himself, God was determined to bless him. If God took into consideration anything that Abraham had done or would do, his blessing would be less; or rather, God would have to curse him. But since this covenant was based on God’s gracious nature, therefore it can be extravagant.
What makes grace grace? Grace is not merely unmerited favor or kindness. When you help a stranger in need, we might call that unmerited kindness because he did nothing to earn that kindness from you. But grace goes far beyond this. When you see an enemy in need, who has stolen from you, or injured you, or treated you with hatred or contempt, or killed your loved one, and you give him the help he needs with love in your heart & a desire to bless him, that is grace!
This is a covenant of grace because God solemnly promises to bless Abraham. Whenever God speaks it cannot fail, so if he says he will do something, it is a solemn promise. Thus, God binds himself & obligates himself to a sinner. What GRACE!
A Covenant of Blessing
This is a covenant of blessing. God says: “I will bless you...so that you shall be a blessing.” (v. 2) I don't read Hebrew, but I'm told by those who do, that this is actually a purpose clause: “so that...”. The ESV brings this out, and the Jewish Publication Society OT actually makes it a command: “and be thou a blessing.”
This marks a very important principle for us to keep forefront in our minds. Yes, God blesses us for his glory, but he also blessed us in order to make us a blessing to others. We are not Gospel culdesacs! God does not lavish his goodness upon us for our enjoyment & privilege alone, but so that we might be his instruments of blessing others. We are blessed in order to be a blessing. This is beautifully summed up in the words of Christ: “Freely you have received; freely give.” (Matthew 10:7,8)
In this way, God is glorified even more. If we alone are blessed, and return thanks to God, then God gets little thanks. But if we multiply the blessing, by being a blessing to others, and they join us in thanking God, then we have multiplied the thanks & praise that ascends to God. Do you desire to multiply God's praise? Then multiply his blessing.
Therefore, God did not separate Abraham because he was better than others, nor so that he might make Abraham better than others, but so that God could make him his instrument to bless others! As Peter Kuzmic put it, “Election is not a call to privilege, but a call to service.”
To be continued...
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