by Jeremy Lallier

Abraham was willing to obey God even when it meant losing the son for whom he had waited so long, and God responded with an incredible promise. First, God swore by the greatest authority of all—Himself—and promised that “multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies” (Genesis 22:17).

This moment in history is significant. At this point, the physical blessings promised to Abraham became unconditional. No matter what decisions Abraham’s descendants made, they would inherit the physical blessings described in verse 17.

History (both biblical and secular) has borne witness to the fact that God fulfilled this promise through the nation of Israel—Abraham’s descendants. The primary recipients of these physical blessings have been the United States and the British peoples. These two world powers are identified prophetically as the sons of Joseph (Genesis 49:22-26).

One of the interesting elements of these promises is that the descendants of Israel would “possess the gate of their enemies.” This refers to strategic land and sea passages. This blessing was fulfilled in strategic land and sea passages such as the Panama Canal, the Suez Canal, the Strait of Gibraltar and Hong Kong, which have been controlled by the United States and Britain (though many have been lost over time, also in fulfillment of prophecy).

The study of the fulfillment of the physical blessings to Abraham is fascinating. To learn more, read “Who Are the United States and Britain in Prophecy?”

Tomorrow on the Daily Bible Verse Blog: “The Seed of Blessings.”