Theology Thursday
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.
Revelation 22:14
Genesis has a lot about blessing. God promises that Abraham will be blessed and all nations blessed through him. But we often have a confused relationship with this word blessed. What does it mean to be blessed? What does it mean for Abraham? What does it mean for us?
Blessing begins with the garden. God makes Adam & Eve and gives to them His Word (He speaks to them), a beautiful and abundant place to live in, a good purpose and peace. Adam & Eve are truly blessed. But of course, they lose/reject the blessing.
But God’s promise to Abraham sets God’s people on a course back to ultimate blessing. But along the way this will look like different things. For Abraham it will mean the joy of safety, of many children, of an enduring legacy and the knowledge that from him will come the ultimate blessing for all nations.
For Israel, blessing will look like the promised land where God will be present with them in the Holy of Holies. He gives them His Word through the law and material blessings. They have a purpose - to be a light to the Gentiles and to be God’s people. If they trust Him He will continue to give them peace and security from outside nations and amongst each other. Again, they don’t but that’s what the blessing looks like.
But what about for Christians? In Jesus and the New Covenant, the promised blessing takes place in stages. Firstly, believers and blessed with every spiritual blessing in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3). We have God’s Word (which we can hear/understand) to know Him. We have forgiveness of sins. We have God’s presence in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We can follow His good ways through the transformative work of the Spirit. We have a purpose to do good work through the strength that Jesus Christ gives and we have a people to belong to. We can have true joy because of these things. But it’s not all perfect yet.
We wait in hope of a future blessing. Where the material will be added to the spiritual and the spiritual will be multiplied to even greater heights than what Adam & Eve experienced. We will be truly blessed in the new creation. We will know God’s Word more deeply than ever and reflect on it for eternity. We will see God face to face and dwell with Him truly. We will have ultimate peace with God and with each other. We will have food to enjoy and a universe to explore. Through all these things we will have joy forevermore in God’s garden city.
For Today:
Pray:
Praise the Father for His grace to us in the promised blessing. Give thanks for Jesus Christ who deserves the blessings but shares them with the undeserving. Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you and others rejoice and hope in the blessings of God.
Revelation 22:14
Genesis has a lot about blessing. God promises that Abraham will be blessed and all nations blessed through him. But we often have a confused relationship with this word blessed. What does it mean to be blessed? What does it mean for Abraham? What does it mean for us?
Blessing begins with the garden. God makes Adam & Eve and gives to them His Word (He speaks to them), a beautiful and abundant place to live in, a good purpose and peace. Adam & Eve are truly blessed. But of course, they lose/reject the blessing.
But God’s promise to Abraham sets God’s people on a course back to ultimate blessing. But along the way this will look like different things. For Abraham it will mean the joy of safety, of many children, of an enduring legacy and the knowledge that from him will come the ultimate blessing for all nations.
For Israel, blessing will look like the promised land where God will be present with them in the Holy of Holies. He gives them His Word through the law and material blessings. They have a purpose - to be a light to the Gentiles and to be God’s people. If they trust Him He will continue to give them peace and security from outside nations and amongst each other. Again, they don’t but that’s what the blessing looks like.
But what about for Christians? In Jesus and the New Covenant, the promised blessing takes place in stages. Firstly, believers and blessed with every spiritual blessing in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3). We have God’s Word (which we can hear/understand) to know Him. We have forgiveness of sins. We have God’s presence in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We can follow His good ways through the transformative work of the Spirit. We have a purpose to do good work through the strength that Jesus Christ gives and we have a people to belong to. We can have true joy because of these things. But it’s not all perfect yet.
We wait in hope of a future blessing. Where the material will be added to the spiritual and the spiritual will be multiplied to even greater heights than what Adam & Eve experienced. We will be truly blessed in the new creation. We will know God’s Word more deeply than ever and reflect on it for eternity. We will see God face to face and dwell with Him truly. We will have ultimate peace with God and with each other. We will have food to enjoy and a universe to explore. Through all these things we will have joy forevermore in God’s garden city.
For Today:
- Do you see what it means to be blessed now? In the new creation?
- What blessing are you thankful for now?
- What blessing are you most looking forward to?
Pray:
Praise the Father for His grace to us in the promised blessing. Give thanks for Jesus Christ who deserves the blessings but shares them with the undeserving. Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you and others rejoice and hope in the blessings of God.
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