by Jeremy Lallier

The great thing about having a few thousand years of historical retrospection is that it gives us a lot of perspective on prophecies like these. This particular promise, that “in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,” has been (and will be) fulfilled in various ways.

God began working with the nation of Israel, selecting them from among Abraham’s descendants to be His chosen people (Deuteronomy 7:6). They were given the covenant promises that set the stage for a very specific Seed of Abraham—Jesus Christ, the Messiah. It was the life and death of Jesus Christ that blazed the trail for both Jew and gentile to become members of the eternal family of God—easily the greatest blessing the world has ever been given.

The study of the 12 tribes of Israel also suggests that this scripture was in part fulfilled through the United States and Britain (the offspring of the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim, respectively). These nations have at times been a “blessing” to the world. These two nations helped save the world from central European aggression through two world wars and have provided billions of dollars of relief aid to various peoples and nations.

In other ways they have also had negative influences on the world, but prophecy tells us that all 12 tribes will one day again be the source of a worldwide blessing when they become a model nation of God-fearing believers (Zechariah 8:23).

Our article on “Promises to Abraham” examines in greater depth how God poured out physical blessings on Abraham’s descendants, as well as His plan to pour out spiritual blessings on the whole of humanity.

Tomorrow on the Daily Bible Verse Blog: “Pleading for the Seemingly Impossible.”