promise of blessing

Genesis 12

² “I will make you into a great nation,    
and I will bless you; 
I will make your name great, 
   and you will be a blessing.
³ I will bless those who bless you, 
   and whoever curses you I will curse; 
and all peoples on earth 
   will be blessed through you.”

***

Yahweh's call to Abram is accompanied by a promise - a promise of blessing.

A promise that means:

• Abram will be a great nation

• Abram is to be blessed and his name made great

• Abram will be a blessing

• people's response to Abram will affect God's response to them, be it blessing or curse

• Abram (and the nation that he becomes) will be a channel of blessing through which all peoples will be blessed

Quite a thorough promise!  And how many times can you say 'bless'? Blessing is the primary theme, a blessing that surrounds Abram, his name (and reputation), and the nation that he will become.

All this is from God - Yahweh being the activator, the initiator, the giver of the promise.  Quite a contrast to the events in Babel - they sought to make their name great and their self-made plans were scuppered.  Here, God chooses to make Abram's name great.

And what a far reaching consequence this promise is designed to have!  Through him all peoples on earth will be blessed.

This is no mere blip.  This is the beginning of something, the hint of a master plan in the making.