Messiah, Descendant of Abraham

Prophecy

Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. — Genesis 12:1–4

What an amazing promise! The Creator of the universe chose to make this everlasting and irrevocable promise to Abraham and his descendants. Speaking these words recorded in Genesis, the Almighty pointed to the greatest blessing of all, a blessing that would be for all the earth:

God would give His Son to die for sinners like us, that we might know forgiveness and eternal life.

Through two thousand years and forty-two generations, a new chapter in the sovereign Lord’s plan for humanity was beginning to unfold — and all the families of the earth would indeed be blessed.

Fulfillment

Jesus’ Geneology

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham… So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations. — Matthew 1:1, Matthew 1:17

Promise made, promise fulfilled! Writing to a primarily Jewish audience, Matthew outlined Jesus’ ancestry. The gospel writer wanted his Hebrew audience to clearly see that Jesus was indeed the long-awaited King of Israel, in the line of David, who would set God’s people free from captivity to sin and its consequences.

Yet Matthew did something unusual as he outlined the family tree. He named five women: Tamar, a Canaanite; Rahab, a Gentile; Ruth, a Moabite; Bathsheba, King David’s wife; and Mary, the teenage mother of Jesus.

Why? Because their stories, recorded in the Old Testament, demonstrate that God’s grace is available to all, regardless of gender, race, or personal history. In fact, even today God seems to delight in welcoming into His family those we might never expect.

This season, keep your eyes and heart open for unexpected ways that God will reveal to you the hope of Christmas.

His Blessing

When God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. — Hebrews 6:13–15

Our God loves to pour out blessings! He demonstrates His love to those of us who love Him — who show our love by obeying Him — when He provides and protects, when He guides our steps and goes ahead of us, when He walks with us through hard times and brings us to good and pleasant places. God blesses us with His constant presence. Whatever trials we face, nothing can separate us from His love. Whatever twists in the road, nothing can interfere with His sovereign power and goodness. Whatever missteps we take, He can redeem. Whatever hurts we experience, He can heal. Yes, our God loves to pour out blessings!

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Your Turn

We serve a promise-making, promise-keeping God! And He loves to do so in the most surprising, completely catch-you-off-guard ways! How has God fulfilled His promises in your life in ways you never could have anticipated? How does remembering how the Lord kept His word in your life renewed your hope? Join the conversation on our blog! We would love to hear your story of God’s goodness in keeping His promises! ~ Devotionals Daily