HISTORY
I have 30 minutes to tell you the HISTORY of the World.
- 30 Minutes to reveal to you the Will of God
- 30 minutes to tell you what YOUR purpose in life is
Here we go!
1. In the beginning God created the world. And it was Good!
Notice: He started with the Universe - not just the earth. Then, He created the earth - not just Israel. Then, He created the Human Race - not the Chosen Race.
2. God created man in his own image. Male and female he created them. And it was Good! He told them, “fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
3. God gave man a choice. In the garden, He said, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17). Man chose poorly!
4. Next, we come to the story of Cain and Abel. Cain killed his brother Abel. Cain chose poorly.
(I take some comfort, though, seeing that the very first family of all time was dysfunctional)
5. Then, Lamech, killed a man – and boasted about it. Lamech chose poorly.
6. Then... the days of Noah. Genesis 6:5-6 tells us, “The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.”
7. In Genesis 11 is the story of the Tower of Babel. In Genesis 11:7-8, God says, “Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other." So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth. God SCATTERED them. Why? What did they do wrong?
In Genesis 11:4, the people said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be SCATTERED over the face of the whole earth."
Could the problem be - they cared more about their name than God’s Name?
Could the problem be - they cared more about their will than God’s will? (In Genesis 9:1, God had commanded them to “fill the earth”)
The people of the Tower of Babel chose poorly.
Then, we come to one of the most important passages of the whole Bible.
In Genesis 12:1, the LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.”
What we have here is the very first mission trip ever. Abraham was told to leave everything he ever knew, and go to a place he had never been. (Note: Abraham was called out of Ur. Ur was a great metropolis, with libraries and universities. He was sent to the Land of Canaan – a land full of idols. (This is the equivalent of being called out of New York, and sent to Africa.)
THE PROMISE
And then God gives Abraham a promise. In Genesis 12:2, God says, "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. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
God repeats this promise in Genesis 18: “Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him." (Genesis 18:18-19)
And then, after God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his one and only son (which I understand was a pretty easy test for Abraham because Isaac was a teenager. ), God repeated the promise a third time: “ I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." (Genesis 22:17-18)
I want us to break down this promise and see the significance of it, and see how it has played out over the past 4000 years.
There are three parts to the promise.
PART ONE OF THE PROMISE - I WILL BLESS YOU
The first part, God says, “I will bless you.”
There were three ways God blessed Abraham.
First, with land (referring to the Promise Land). That’s all I am going to say about that this morning.
Second, with descendents. God blessed Abraham with a son (in his old age) named Issac. Isaac, then, had Jacob and Essau. Jacob had 12 sons, one of which was Joseph who became the second most powerful man in Egypt. Joseph moved his entire family to Egypt during a severe famine. 400 years later, we read, “…the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them. (Exodus 1:7. Se also Acts 7:17)
500 years later, when King Solomon too the throne, he prayed, “Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. “ (1 Kings 3:8)
Even while in Exile, Jeremiah prophecies, “I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless as the stars of the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.'" (Jeremiah 33:22)
So Abraham, who left everything to follow God… who was fatherless until he was an old man, was blessed by the power of God and became the father to a great people to numerous to count (like stars in the sky… like sand on the seashore).
A third part of the first part of this promise was in reference to the coming Messiah. God said, “…through your offspring all nations will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” (Genesis 22:18) (This is NOT the first prophecy concerning the coming of the Messiah. See Genesis 3:15)
And the Bible tells us in Romans 4:3 & Galatians 3:6 & in James 2:23, “Abraham believed and it was accredited to him as righteousness.”
Abraham was BLESSED by God.
PART TWO OF THE PROMISE – YOU WILL BE A BLESSING
The Second part of the promise in Genesis 12 says, “And you will be a blessing”. Let’s see how this part of the promise has been fulfilled.
In the life of Abraham:
• Abraham’s servants were blessed by association with Abraham (Genesis 24:35)
• Abraham’s neighbors were blessed by association with Abraham (Genesis 21:22)
• Abraham’s neighbors saw “plainly” that Abraham was blessed by God (Genesis 26:22)
• Abraham’s enemies were conquered (Genesis 14:19-20)
• Sodom & Gomorrah were blessed because of Abraham (Genesis 14)
In the life of Abraham’s descendent, Isaac:
• Abraham’s son, Isaac was blessed (Genesis 25:11; 26:12-14)
• Rebekah was blessed (Genesis 25:21)
• The Philistines were blessed through Isaac’s well digging (Genesis 26:15-29) *See Perspectives, p 36
• The Philistines recognized God was the source of Isaac’s blessing (Genesis 26:18-29)
In the life of Abraham’s descendent, Jacob:
• Laban’s business was blessed through Jacob (Genesis 30:27, 30)
In the life of Abraham’s descendent, Joseph:
• Potipher was blessed through Joseph (Genesis 39:5)
• Potipher understood that the source of the blessing was God working through Joseph (Genesis 39:3)
• Pharaoh and all of Egypt was blessed through Joseph (Genesis 47:7-10)
• “People of all the earth” were blessed as they came to Egypt to buy grain (Genesis 41:47)
• The people acknowledged how blessed they were telling Joseph, “You have saved our lives” (Genesis 47:25)
In the life of Abraham’s descendent, David:
• David’s kingdom was blessed
In the life of Abraham’s descendent, Solomon:
• Solomon’s kingdom was blessed!
1 Kings 10 says, “King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift--articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules…. The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones…”
Then.... things got confusing in Israel. This Great Nation - Called by God, Chosen by God, Led by God, Blessed by God... Began to turn to other gods. Which led to EXILE (which we will talk about in a minute, but first, let’s look at the 3rd part of the promise.
PART THREE OF THE PROMISE – ALL PEOPLES ON EARTH WILL BE BLESSED THROUGH YOU
“All peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3)
“All nations on earth will be blessed through him” (Genesis 18:18)
“…and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed…” (Genesis 22:18)
QUESTION – WHY WAS ABRAHAM CHOSEN?
Why was Abraham called by God? Why was Abraham chosen?
(The Answer: So that all people on earth would be blessed through him)
QUESTION – WHY WERE THE ISRAELITES CHOSEN?
Take it a little deeper. Why were the Israelites God chosen people? What were they chosen for?
We see in Genesis 12 and Genesis 18, they were chosen to be a blessing.
Exodus 19:5-6 says it best: “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.'
Deuteronomy 7:7-8 says this: “The LORD did not set his affection on you and CHOOSE you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Isaiah talks about God’s Chosen one. Is it talking about the messiah? Or about ALL of the Israelites? It says, "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.
… This is what God the LORD says-- "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles (Isaiah 42:1, 6)
It seems clear to me that the Israelites were chosen to be a blessing. They were chosen be a kingdom of priests and to be a holy nation. They were chosen to be a light to the Gentiles.
God says in Exodus 20:24, “Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you.” This is WHY God chose the Israelites. Their job was to exalt the name of God. Their job was to declare the Name of God among a culture that exalts their own name. What God SCATTERED in Genesis 11 (because mankind was attempting to make a name for themselves), NOW, God is GATHERING through His Chosen People. This is what they were chosen for! This is why Abraham was called to leave his land, and go to a land that God would show him. This is why the Israelites were set apart. John Stott writes, “Election is not a synonym for elitism. On the contrary... God chose one man and his family in order, through them, to bless all the families of the earth." (John R.W. Stott, "The Living God Is A Missionary God")
But the Israelites FAILED!
This is why God says in the Book of Hosea:
"Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, (ISRAEL HAD BEEN UNFAITHFUL TO GOD. THEY DID NOT OBEY. THEY WERE NOT A NATION OF HOLY PRIESTS!) because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD." So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.
Then the LORD said to Hosea, "Call him Jezreel, (JEZREEL- means “To SCATTER”) because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel. In that day I will break Israel's bow in the Valley of Jezreel." Gomer conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then the LORD said to Hosea, "Call her Lo-Ruhamah, (LO-RUHAMAH - means “Not Pitied”) for I will no longer show love to the house of Israel, that I should at all forgive them. Gomer had another son. Then the LORD said, "Call him Lo-Ammi, (LO-AMMI - means “Not My People”) for you are not my people, and I am not your God.
The Israelites were judged and found wanting because of their unfaithfulness to God. However, God does not leave us hopeless. In Hosea 1:10, God says, “Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.' The people of Judah and the people of Israel will be reunited, and they will appoint one leader and will come up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel.” Even if Israel would be unfaithful. God is still faithful. God is still passionate about blessing “all peoples on earth,” with, or without the Israelites!
JESUS IS ABRAHAM’S OFFSPRING
The ultimate fulfillment of the 3rd part of the promise came through Jesus. When it says, “Through your offspring” all nations would be blessed – the Bible makes it clear, this is talking about Jesus. This is why Matthew begins his Gospel with the genealogy of Jesus… “the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). Paul writes in Galatians, “He (Jesus) redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus…” (Galatians 3:14). And John 3:16 says, ““For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall be blessed! (It doesn’t actually say “blessed”. It say “shall not perish but have eternal life.” But how much more blessed can you get than that?)
Everything points to Jesus. Why? because Jesus points to God! John 14:9 says, “ ...Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father…” John 17 says “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. “ Jesus came to GATHER what had been SCATTERED: For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." And Jesus warned..."He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not GATHER with me SCATTERS. (Matthew 12:30)
Remember Exodus 20:24? “Wherever I cause my Name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you.” Jesus says, “And every one that has forsaken houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. (Matthew 19:29)
But don’t miss this. YOU, TOO, ARE ABRAHAM’S OFFSPRING!
Galatians 3:29 says, “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Romans 4:16-17 says, “Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.”
Romans 9:8 says, “ In other words, it is not the natural children who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.”
Ephesians 2:11-18 tells us, “remember that at that time you were separate (SCATTERED) from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two (Gentiles & Jews) one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross... He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father...” (We were SCATTERED. But through Christ we have been GATHERED to God).
1 Peter 2:9 says, “…you are a CHOSEN PEOPLE, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. “
QUESTION: WHAT ARE WE (THE CHURCH) CHOSEN FOR?
(Notice: The New Testament never uses the term ‘chosen’ to describe the Jewish people. It is only used of those who follow Jesus.)
We (the Church) have been chosen to tell the world about God! So the world will know… So the world will praise His Name… So the world will HONOR HIM! So the world will be blessed!
John 15:16... You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.
Acts 1:8... you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
1 Peter 2:9-10... But you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Once you were not a people (Lo-Ammi), but now you are the people of God;
once you had not received mercy (Lo-Ruhamah), but now you have received mercy.
This is WHY we exist!
This is what the Jews got wrong. My fear is WE ARE GETTING IT WRONG!
We think we come to Christ simply so that we can be blessed.
NO! We have been blessed - to be a blessing....
so that all peoples on earth will be blessed!
How self-centered are we? How similar are we to the unfaithful, adulterous Jews in the Old Testament? I believe it was John Piper that originally pointed this out to me. Look at how we see the Bible. Everyone knows Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God…” But what does the rest of the verse say? “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (which tells me, when we truly stop and revere the name of God, the earth will take notice.)
Psalm 96:3 tells us to, “Declare his glory AMONG THE NATIONS, his marvelous deeds among all peoples .”
Psalm 97:1... “The LORD reigns, let THE EARTH be glad”
Psalm 98:4... “Shout for joy to the LORD, ALL the earth, burst into jubilant song with music”
A friend sent me a comic this week. It read:
“If you are a disciple of Jesus, God has a WONDERFUL PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE, just like he did for Jesus’ original disciples:
(Then as you scroll down you are introduced to each one of the disciples and told how they had been martyred: Andrew was crucified, Peter was crucified upside down, James was executed by the sword, Bartholomew was skinned alive, Thomas was speared to death.)
It concludes by saying, “God indeed has a wonderful plan for your life: To preach the Gospel and make disciples… just like these men did. It is why they were killed. The same Jesus who personally called these men to this task calls us to do the same. Even if it hurts. (…and it might hurt)”
THE CLIMAX
After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. - Revelation 7:9
This is the heart of God
This is HIS STORY!
From Genesis to Revelation we find God redeeming His people through the Israelites, through Christ, and through the Church
God loves the world
God sent his Son to save the world
God is sending you to tell the world (We cannot save the world, but we can point to the One who can)
“And all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” – Genesis 12:3
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