Christ redeemed us from more than just sin and the law; He redeemed us from poverty and sickness, because those things are supposedly included in the blessing of Abraham. Rashi to Genesis 17:1 as explained by Beer Yitzchak. This is also the explanation of Rav Saadia Gaon. Rabbi Joseph Solveitchik takes a different approach and explains that Gods creation is not fully complete, but God will partner with Abraham and they will both be creators (Chumash with commentary based on the teachings of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik. , The Canaanites will live in the coastal plain of the land of Canaan otherwise not occupied by the Philistines, the lowlands (shfela) of Canaan and its valleys, and the Jordan valley. The other tribes will inhabit the central mountain range. Hence, the . King James Bible. , Gods verbal promise is now replaced by a visual covenant, albeit within the context of a vision. This vision will provide the Israelites with something tangible that they can hold onto during their prolonged period of servitude. In this vision, Abraham is informed that only after a period of harsh exile will his, The covenant itself is contracted in a way that contracts were commonly made at that time. An animal was cut up and the parties would pass between the pieces. By doing this they were saying: I should be like these animals if I do not fulfill my word. In fact, the usual Hebrew verb for making a contract is to , a contract. In this instance, God Himself passes between the pieces as a , is clearly symbolic, yet its aspects are puzzling. The. This blessing is called the blessing of Abraham because God gave it to Abraham as a promise in Genesis 12:3: "in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed" ( Gen. 12:3 ). And I will bless thee, 3. The blood that was left poured out at the foot of the brazen altar (Leviticus 4:18). Joy Chinonyerem is an ardent follower of Christ who believes in Living the Christian Life according to the tenets set by Christ himself. Through you, all the nations of the earth refer to the Galatians Scripture. When Abram was ninety-nine years old, YKVK appeared to Abram, and said to him: I am El Shedai, walk before me and be perfect. Yet there is also another far-reaching message this passage wishes to convey and which could only result from Abraham and Sarah being called on at an old age. God always bless you and use you to winning a soul. 14. This Blog is about our spiritual life in Jesus Christ and Him in us who believe on Him and applying this existence to our physical world. Abraham begin in Genesis 12: 1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of The faith of Abraham led to his justification, and that is the blessing of Abraham that we share today. Gen 12:1-7. Speaks of territorial base. "6@FBuR[RmNxZZ} 4 QJJ 0H@TX01P* cKs^B8a What To Do While Waiting For Breakthrough, MAKING GOD FAMOUS: Honouring God As Apostle Paul. One way of looking at this sentence is to consider part of it as being in brackets: In other words, the Israelites will be in servitude and oppression but not for all these 400 years. Blessing number four. & 6. , Abraham introduces his concerns by pointing out that Eliezer, him. God interrupts him and tells him that this one, him, but only a biological descendant. Jacob bought land from the ruler of Shechem when he returned from Paddan-Aram and also built an altar there. Under its trees, Jacob buried the alien gods still in the possession of his family. , What is the purpose of this covenant? Or to put the question another way - circumcision is to be a. them. 0000025195 00000 n Until this time, Lot, Abrahams nephew, had accompanied him on his travels from Ur. However, their newly acquired wealth from Egypt brings conflict into their relationship. Their herdsmen argue and Abraham suggests they separate. He no doubt intended that one of them go northwards and the other to the south. However, Lot rejects altogether the mountain range and chooses instead to go eastwards towards the well-watered plain of the Jordan and the city of Sodom. However, there is no specific mention in the Bible of a trial such as this. Nor is there mention of Abraham engaging in similar destructive activities against pagan worship while in Canaan. Abraham doubtless announced his beliefs to all around him, but otherwise seemed to live in comfortable harmony with the pagans around him, as did his son and grandson.. An alternative explanation suggests itself. Abraham is acting as a trailblazer for the Jewish people and pointing out the geo-political and religious significance that Shechem will have in the future. 6 In all thy ways 0000003188 00000 n Abundant Life Crusades, If we could be God promoted Abraham to a position of great importance not to stroke his ego but so that though Abrams wealth and reputation, he would be a blessing to those around him. is a keyword in this passage and this fourth blessing is built around the issue of inheritance. In fact, Abraham was one of the wealthiest men of his time. He wants us to have life and more abundantly. Some Word of Faith teachers see a three-fold blessing of Abraham available to Christians today: a material, financial blessing; a physical blessing; and a spiritual blessing. Abraham's call, therefore, was forward-looking. Finally he dies and his bones are taken to be buried in Canaan. 11 0 obj <> endobj xref Abraham's seven-fold blessing in Genesis 12:2, 3: - 1. Abraham falls on his face in subjugation, and laughs to himself in wonderment (although not in disbelief). Sarah is well passed the age of giving birth to children. Abraham suggests that Ishmael be chosen instead - to which Elokim replies: Indeed Sarah your wife shall bear you a son;and you shall call his name Isaac;and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. As for Ishmael, I have heard you;behold, I have blessed him, and I will make him fruitful, and I will multiply him exceedingly;he will beget twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time the next year. ' Genesis 18:18 Verse Concepts Answer Jesus Christ, His Name appears nowhere, Dear Dr. Eugene Kim, References: a. Dr. Gene Kim video serving God https://youtu.be/LV6j0rB0yos See his comments to Andrew Sheets b. Dr. Gene Kim Teaching video on Trinity c. Dr. Gene Kim Teaching video on 501c3 conspiracy I earnestly pray you receive this opportunity to correct your errant ways. Invest and expect the hundred-fold blessing. , Abrahams siring in his old age is fully elaborated in the Torah and there must be messages here. One is that these tribes have a place in the Near East just as do the offspring of Isaac. Another may be that these nations were once raised in the household of Abraham and would have picked up religious sparks from their upbringing. Some time in the future, they will seek their true roots and by embracing his ideas will once again become part of the extended Abrahamic family. The commonalty of nations rather than their differences also flows from the story of Noah and his forming the common ancestry of man.. "The tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. God will equip us with strength that comes from that which every joint supplies in the community of believers we call the Body of Christ. Genesis 12:2 And I will make of thee a Accordingly its meaning is - there is sufficiency within Me for every creature and I have the wherewithal to care for you. He promised to curse those who curse Abraham. But these glaring issues addressed below must be addressed. . 0000021858 00000 n So in today's vlog, I teach about how God sovereignly chose to lift a man up out of obscurity, kiss his life with an eight-fold promise, and ultimately bring the same blessing to you through Christ Jesus. in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.May we as children of God receive all God have for us through our Great God and Copyright (c) 2021 | Walking By Faith | GuCherry Blog by Everestthemes. And thou shalt be a blessing; 5. Genesis 12:2 and make thy name great, Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: All nations will be blessed through you. So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith (verses 69, emphasis added). 3. You are a gifted and brilliant young man. the protection and pledge of God is grave. , Of course, the very fact that Abraham was able to dialogue with God and question His justice was only possible because of Abrahams appreciation that YKVK is a personal God who listens. I. Thus, hard on the heels of the allusions to Eden in 24:5-6, Numbers 24:7-9 unites the blessing of Abraham with the promise of a king from Judah, and Adam's royal status might be a relevant precursor for the model of kingship in view. for me with His own precious blood. The blessing of Abraham is misunderstood by many Christians and church leaders. In this sermon outline we How by the power in us, which is This world was not created for any specific people or nation but for all mankind. YKVK is the epitome of loving-kindness. He wishes only to give. But He can only provide in abundance to nations that warrant it. Abraham is to be the means by which God can bring beneficence to all humanity.. You have to be born into to it by receiving Jesus. God's Promise to Abraham. in our live to serve him. thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that 0000001668 00000 n Our lights need to shine in the sin dark world. I will bless you. This is the fulfillment of the blessing of Abraham and Gods promise that through Abraham all peoples (Gentiles) would be blessed. BELOW ARE NOTES TO SHOW HOW WE ARE THROUGH GOD'S GRACE ABLE TO BE HIGH PRIESTS AND BE EQUIPPED BY BLESSINGS TO CARRY OUT OUR PRIESTLY DUTIES. From this seed came the people of Israel, whom God promised to bless. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. The distinction of being made a pillar in God's temple. We are part of a great family, the family of God.B. We signed our name (NOTE: The adjective efficacious is synonymous with "only begotten" John 3:16 KJV. God was not willing, however, to lay such heavy blessings on . 28. R Joseph Solveichik explains that Abraham was continually performing acts that bound himself eternally to the land such as building sacrificial altars and digging a grave for his wife (Chumash with commentary based on the teachings of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik. Abrahams role in this covenant is revealed at the very beginning of this passage: walk before Me and be wholehearted (Genesis 17:1), God is saying - you, Abraham, are to walk in front of me and be my representative to the world. This should be contrasted with Noah, who walked with God.39 What Abraham represents is not delineated in this passage, but is mentioned in the very next section. In brief, Abraham will teach notions of justice and righteousness (Genesis 13:19) to his children and they by their example will instruct the rest of the world. God is the epitome of justice and righteousness and He needs a representative on earth who will embody His attributes and by example bring these ideas to the rest of humanity., A number of interpretations of the phrase wholehearted(tamim) have been proposed. Nachmanides relates it to a similar use of this word in Deuteronomy when the Bible discusses forbidden magical practices and which concludes there with the phrase you shall be wholehearted with YKVK your God (Deuteronomy 18:13). Just as you are to avoid magical practices and retain your trust in Me, so also are you to walk before Me and maintain your belief in Me.40 Interestingly, this passage is introduced by YKVK. This chapter begins with a man by the name of Abram who was living in Ur of the Chaldeans a rocky and an unfruitful place. The blessing of Abraham was a benefit to Abraham himself. The History of Jewish, Christian and Islamic Messianism" of extreme interest. Abrahams first stop on arriving in Canaan is the city of Shechem, and he sets up an altar there in response to the vision he has received. Discipleship Lessons from the Life of Jacob Jacob travels to Goshen in Egypt. So where is his birthplace is it Haran or is it Ur of the Chaldeans? Cassuto solves this problem by suggesting that the word moledet means not birthplace, as commonly translated, but kindred or family circle and he brings other examples of its use in this way in the Bible. 4:13,14. However, there is no evidence from elsewhere in the Bible that bestowing blessing on others was important to Abraham. Radak suggests that the phrase. My brother I have no idea. 11. "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. At Babel men sought to make a name for themselves and it only ended up dividing then but through Abraham the whole world has been blessed and believer are united in Jesus Christ. I am a born-again Christian who truly believes the Jews are God's chosen people and abhor replacement theology. At first glance these two sentences seem similar to each other, but they do in fact express very different ideas. In the last but one sentence, Elokim promises to be a God to Abraham and his seed forever and this would include periods of exile. In the last sentence, He also promises to be their eternal God but in the land of Canaan. And in Galatians 3:13-14, Paul relates this blessing as being bestowed upon the Gentiles through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Lead us to our church.C. Question: In Genesis 12:1-3God promises Abram VI. what are the 7 blessings of abraham is the question of many christians in the world today. The Torah itself reveals that Abraham was not the only monotheist in the world at that time. Following Abrahams victory over the forces of King Chedorlaomer and his Mesopotamian coalition and his rescuing of his nephew Lot, Abraham is greeted by Malchizedek, king of Salem, who. He was faithful until the end. By a century later, Ur was ruled by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon and by about 500 BCE the city had become inhabited. The Chaldean occupation of Ur was therefore of fairly limited duration. If we take the date of the Exodus as 1406 BCE or thereabouts and the Covenant of the Pieces 430 years earlier, then Abraham lived in about the 1800s BCE, i.e. And through this promise, God binds Godself to this people forever. He grew up in a family that had turned away from the gospel, but Abraham "sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto [he] should be ordained to administer the same" ( Abraham 1:2 ). Tweet Pin It. The same prophets also began to hint at other, greater things such as an ideal Davidic ruler who would rule not only Israel but the whole worldand Gentiles would somehow be part of this kingdom (see Isaiah 9). them. This article explains its biblical meaning and how you can freely receive it. Post Views: 96. Support Us Abrahams extended family is much larger though than its biological one, and the next verses have symbolic as well as their literal meaning: a father of Aram. He is now to be called , Not only will he be the biological father to many nations but also a spiritual father to an even greater number of people. The blessing of Abraham is also sometimes misused in prosperity theology to claim that believers today can be just as rich and successful as Abraham was.First, well take a look at the historical context of Abrahams blessing. Contact Us . But this so-called duplication can be readily explained. In the first instance, the communication was to Abraham alone and was via Elokim. This is because Isaacs birth has universal implications. Now husband and wife are informed as a couple by the angels of YKVK about this future pregnancy. This communication has personal and tribal implications, but not a universal one, and is part of the two YKVK and Elokim stories winding their way through the book of Genesis. Most of your teaching is rock solid. The number 8 in the Bible has the connotation of being one level above the holy. This is because the act of circumcision binds the Jew in the strongest way possible to a holy purpose. She is passionate about Walking by Faith, as commanded by the scriptures and uses her blog, Walking By Faith Blog, to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This was not due to any kind of merit on Abrahams part. When Jesus came on the scene, all of the pieces started to fit into place. Left after 10 years, nearly 10,000 followers, when new rules blocked my 1st amendment rights of free speech. In sum, Abraham was elected because he brought to the world knowledge of Elokim as the Ruler of the universe, and because he discovered the attributes of a personal God YKVK, and demonstrated by personal example how to relate to this aspect of God. This is the heritage he will pass onto his children: However, to promulgate these ideas to the world at large, Abraham will need a team and a forum. His team is to be his offspring and his forum the land of Canaan. How this is to b brought to fruition comprises the rest of this chapter. Yet there is an additional layer of prophecy contained within the Abraham stories. Everything that Abraham did will have significance in terms of later Jewish history - his travels and religious acts in the land of Canaan, and even his and his wifes laughter on learning about Sarahs future pregnancy. The blessing of Abraham finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the Seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16) and the Redeemer of the world.The rest of the Bible records how these promises were fulfilled and the blessing of Abraham advanced. 49. It could well be, therefore, that this is an expression of outspoken praise of God and His attributes, with or without an audience. This current journey can therefore be regarded a continuation of the prior one, which is why the Torah provides this information:. and Marge Abram Thanks a lot for reading. His Leaving started a chain of reactions. 9.First Paragraph. The Egyptian Exodus and Canaanite conquest - facts or fiction? 0000025096 00000 n Sefer Bereishis, p72, OU Press). Nachmanides, on the other hand, assigns no particular significance to this form of the verb and assumes it to be common idiomatic Hebrew usage. Join us on Thursday, as 7 pastors will determine the same blessing of Abraham described in Genesis 12:2-3, in your life today. Here God promises a revival in the life of every giver. The blessing given to Adam and Eve was contaminated by Satan's deception and now again reactivated to Abraham who would become the father of Jews and Gentiles in Christ. Tony's Sermons document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 - UCKG HelpCentre is a UK charity (1043985). The birth of Isaac is unnatural. The Bible does not call it this in plain terms, but describes it as a Abraham laughing in wonderment and his son being called Isaac from the same word to laugh. Postmenopausal women do not have children. Phil 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. *he never had to engage in wrong ways to gain wealth. (1) I will make you a great nation (2) I will bless you (3) I will make you name great (4) You will be a blessing (5) I will bless those who bless you (6) I will curse those who curse you (7) In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. To understand the principles discovered by Abraham, all of which will form the underpinnings of Judaism, a good starting point is an analysis of the seven blessings bestowed upon Abraham by God. I will bless those that bless you 6. Most nations are also endogenous to a land. Their country of birth defines their nationality and that country has been linked to that nationality from time immemorial. But this is not how it is to be for Abraham and his descendants. Everything is to be a gift from God and has to be earned children, land, and even agricultural sustenance on this land. Joseph Parker wrote Great lives are trained by great promises. below the signature of Queen Elizabeth the Queen of England. The Lord promises prosperity to every person who sows in faith into His Kingdom. There he meets and blesses Pharaoh, Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh, and his twelve sons. (GALATIANS 3:14), !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); Post Reply It would seem to have this meaning, for example, in the following passage from the book of Ruth: In this passage, Naomi recognizes that God dispenses the ability to have children but can also take it away. Through Abraham all nations on earth will be blessed. 25. Abraham was a trailblazer for the direction of Jewish history. . Abrahams trust in God is also emphasized in other places in Genesis. At the Covenant between the Pieces, YKVK promises Abraham that he will have a biological child and his offspring will be as numerous as the stars of the heavens. The Seven-fold Promise of God April 11, 2012 God's promise to Abram when he was still in Ur of the Chaldeesbefore he left his homeland, his family, his comfort zone and traveled to Canaan by way of Haran: * The L ORD would make him a great nationIsrael and the Jews are that great nation. The Tanach Study Center. . Maimonides, the influential Jewish thinker and legal authority, wrote in his monumental legal work the Mishna Torah: But was Abrahams discovery of monotheism such a unique accomplishment that it merited God appearing to him in visions and offering to create from his seed a new nation? God's seven blessing to Abraham God's masterplan for a utopian society - righteousness, justice, and the way of God "Possessing" the land for the burial of Sarah Isaac and Ishmael - a story yet incomplete The moral and religious conflict between Judaism and Islam THE BINDING OF ISAAC-THE NON-EVENT THAT CHANGED THE WORLD This is part of what it means to be bound to God. Many commentators assume that Abraham was an outreach worker. It follows, therefore, that urban centers were precisely where he would go, since he could promote there his message of One God and attract followers to his cause. However, while there is midrashic interpretation that Abraham had such groupies, there is no mention in the Torah that this was the case. Meeting: The Cry Out Prophesying the 7 Blessings of Abraham with 7 Pastors Day and time: Thursday, 6 May at 8pm Location: Rainbow Theatre, 232 Seven Sisters Road, London, N4 3NX More info: Call or WhatsApp 020 7686 6000. `5oW(,74*hU\ Following Gods directive to walk through the land. (Ruth 1:20-21). that he would become a great nation but is not given a precise destination. In the second blessing, Abraham is told that he has arrived, that he will have offspring, and that the land on which he is standing has been allocated to these offspring. In this, the third blessing, God tells him that despite Lots leaving him, Abraham should have no concern about descendants. They will become more numerous than the dust of the earth. Moreever, from Bethel, Abraham has a panoramic view of the land of Canaan. This land will be his and his descendants for eternity. Abraham should now transverse this land, for it will be his. A further discovery of Abraham, possibly while still in Mesopotamia, is that God is the absolute measure of justice and righteousness, and as such is the model for all of human ethics. We do not join it. A tension has now been introduced into the story that will be keenly felt by Abraham and accordingly by the reader. Abraham and Sarah are infertile. In life, we are not saved by making promises to God but by believing Gods promises to us. If we are living in the centre of Gods will for our lives, those who seek to oppose us will be calling down the curse on their lives and those who assist us will be blessed.-Matt.10:41 Genesis 14:18-20 tells us the story of the first tithe in the Bible: Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. Even so, one of Jesus' disciples, Stephen, indicated that this call on Abraham's life happened many years prior. - Grace Tidings The blessing of Abraham is misunderstood by many Christians and church leaders. xuY |I6GIMIzh4zBzJ-m9D ESDn Bereishis, p84, OU Press). , 29. book I was reminded of the Holy Spirit that Jesus has signed the Book of Life v%`E\6 Abraham journeys from Haran until he reaches , Until now, Abraham has not been informed where he is heading. It is now explicit. He has arrived at the , . Moreover, until this time, he, Abraham, has been the sole object of Gods beneficence. Now God reveals that Abraham will have offspring, that these offspring will have a country, and that the land on which he is standing is the land that has been granted to his seed.. However, there is no evidence from elsewhere in the Bible that bestowing blessing on others was important to Abraham. Radak suggests that the phrase and you shall be a blessing is not an imperative but a promise. Maimonides rules in his Mishna Torah (Mishna Torah, Hilchos Terumos chapter 1) that only land captured by the people, as in the days of Joshua, has the agricultural laws of the land of Israel incumbent upon it, such as tithing. Land captured by an individual, even if part of the inheritance of Abraham, would not have these laws. I've been thrilled by his ministry. No. Elohim also promises Abraham that this covenant also will bring beneficence in its wake. First, and God has pointed this out previously within His aspect of YKVK, Abrahams seed will become extremely numerous. However, the reason for this is different than when promised under the aspect of YKVK. For YKVK, Abrahams descendants are to become a large nation so that they can populate the land of Canaan. In this covenant given by Elokim, they are to be fruitful in order to fulfill their universal mission. Mesorah Publications Ltd. 9.First Paragraph. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. And in Galatians 3:13-14, Paul relates this blessing as being bestowed. In terms of the ancient world, he was a success: he was well-respected, he was healthy, and he had many descendants. Notice what was said of Abraham in the latter part of his life: Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.. Answering her questions and her doubts. 0000002068 00000 n Luke 4:17-18: Jesus opened the book and read: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised." list only seven of the blessings given to or through Abraham. 0000016502 00000 n All the families of the earth will be blessed God has always love to deal with Man in covenants.A covenant is an agreement between two people sealed by an oath of blood.Gods blessings are free but are conditional.If the blessings are unconditional,then it is called a promise.This means you have a part to play to commit His integrity to play His.Abraham had obeyed God to sacrifice his only Son and leave his country and family to strange land before the blessings were released ;In response,God then made him a blessing to all generations.God takes Obedience pretty seriously. | 7. We should know that God keeps his word and will perform everything he claims He will do. In verse 7 Paul explains that it is those who have the kind of faith that Abraham had that are truly children of Abraham, even if they are Gentiles. GALATIANS 3:14 - THAT THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM MIGHT COME ON THE GENTILES THROUGH JESUS CHRIST; THAT WE MIGHT RECEIVE THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT THROUGH FAITH. https://www.thethirdheaventraveler.com/2021/10/why-satan-hates-only-begotten-son-and.html, https://www.thethirdheaventraveler.com/2019/04/we-saints-are-now-in-jesus-seated-in.html, To be a Good Soldier for Jesus We have to Know our Authority and Responsibility in order to Strive Lawfully (thethirdheaventraveler.com), Who are you Amir Tsarfati? and then continues his journeying southward. At this time there is a famine in the land and Abraham elects to go southwards to Egypt. In Egypt, his wife narrowly escapes having relationships with the Pharaoh when she is forcibly taken into his harem.. See more articles in the category: Wiki . Your email address will not be published. (Chumash with commentary based on the teachings of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik. I will make your name great 4. #6 - I will uphold My covenant between Me and you and your offspring after you, throughout their generations, as an everlasting covenant to be a God to you and to your offspring after you. The major Bible texts of the three promises. 1. Elohim also promises Abraham that this covenant also will bring beneficence in its wake. First, and God has pointed this out previously within His aspect of YKVK, Abrahams seed will become extremely numerous. However, the reason for this is different than when promised under the aspect of YKVK. For YKVK, Abrahams descendants are to become a large nation so that they can populate the land of Canaan. In this covenant given by Elokim, they are to be fruitful in order to fulfill their universal mission. Through Abraham the whole world was blessed because Jesus is a descendant of Abraham. So we see that Abraham call had a purpose and his obedience to this call will bring great blessings. Commenting on this verse, a midrash says the following: The book of Joshua emphasizes that Abrahams family was pagan, and this is the background that he broke away from: Not surprisingly, therefore, most commentators see Abrahams greatness in his appreciation of God as being the Creator and Master of the universe and his bringing of monotheism to the world.