Contemplative Bible Reading

Genesis 22:18 (New Living Translation)

18 And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.

An angel is talking to Abraham. Abraham had just followed God’s instructions to take his miracle son Isaac to a remote place and literally sacrifice the boy. Abraham showed faith—showed that he could live by believing things he could not see and that belief led him to obey God.

One result of Abraham’s obedience is stated above by the angel: Abraham’s descendants would bless all the nations of the earth. Huh? How? What?

Through twists, turns, victory, defeat, exile, return, being conquered and occupied, kicked to the dust, raised to glory, and all that stuff, the savior of mankind would come through Abraham’s descendants. That savior would not come at a peak of glory, but during a time of when the people were dominated by an occupying and evil-filled empire. And that savior would do nothing to the empire.

That savior, however, would save mankind from its disobedience. The great obedience of an old man on a desolate hillside with no human witnesses would lead to the cure of all disobedience of all time. Thanks be to God.