Genesis 12:2-3: “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee and curse them that curse thee.”
I have heard many Christians who firmly insist that the church is the new Israel, that all the blessings of Israel also apply to the church. I’m not saying I buy into this theory but if you are one who does you may be interested in this little study. If you are telling me that all the blessings of Israel are for the church today, then would not this promise follow with us as well? Those who bless us, will be blessed, those who curse us will be cursed? Will we be a blessing to the world as well? Do you really want to play that role? If you believe this, and you believe we have the same promise like Joseph that not only was he blessed by God when he submitted to God’s will but his employers also prospered as well as his family, then let me explain what the sages teach this blessing others mean. Remember Potiphar prospered because of Joseph, Joseph was still a slave and eventually thrown into prison while Potiphar continued his life’s journey a prosperous man.
Let’s look at this blessing others business more closely. First God will make you a great nation. The word nation is gavah which means a person or people. God will make you a great person or a great people. The word great is gadol which is great in kindness, charity and love. If we obey God’s laws, walk the halakah which is walking in his righteousness, he will make us a people of great love and kindness. Both words start with a Gimel which has the picture of someone running to another person to offer kindness. We will be a people who will spend our lives reaching out to offer love, hope and kindness. Not too long ago Israel released from their prisons three thousand terrorist, many who were murderers, to save the life of one Israeli soldier. In other surrounding nations these terrorist would have been executed on the spot, yet Israel allowed them to live, Israel is a nation that offers love, hope and kindness. Some of the greatest medical advances and research, some of the greatest scientist who have contributed great things to mankind and helped us become a great nation are Jewish.
Then God says that we will be a blessing to others. The word for blessing is barak, like in – never mind. What is it to be a blessing to others? The word blessing (barak) in its primitive form means a gift or present. Rabbi Sholomo Yitzchaki explains in the Talmud that the correct rendering of this passage should be: the blessings are entrusted to your hand.
In other words, we are God’s great Santa Claus. We are the vessel from which God distributes His blessings. From the time I was a child I have heard people say this nation would go down the tubes, we would go bankrupt, communism would rule, we would run out of food and resources, yet for the most part we are still well feed, free and our economy, although troubled, is still one of the best in the world. I believe that is because we have been blessing Israel and the Jewish people and in return God has continued to bless us. The Jewish people can still find a friend and a handout in America.
There is an old rabbinic story of a gifted tailor who could have made great wealth serving the rich. However, he served only the poor. He would travel from village to village offering his services to those who could not afford a good tailor. He made just enough money to survive with a little left over for a small savings in case there was a real economic disaster when even the rich could not pay him.
One day he came to a village where he met a Jew who earned his living by collecting taxes for the local nobleman. The tax collector shared his woe with the tailor. He told how he owed the nobleman $400 pieces of silver and he was about to thrown into the dungeon. The nobleman’s daughter was getting married and he charged the tax collector to find a tailor to make the wedding garments and if he could not find an adequate tailor he would call in the debt and throw him in the dungeon. The nobleman was not satisfied with any of the tailors the tax collector could find and now he faced the dungeon. The tailor offered to make the garments. As he was such a gifted tailor, the nobleman was very pleased. On top of that the tailor took all his savings over many years and paid off the tax collectors debt.
The tailor now had no money left for any economic downturn and right after this there was an economic downturn where there was no business for a tailor from the poor or rich. Without his savings the tailor was forced to beg for food. He stopped a local business man and asked for a donation that he might purchase some food. The businessman asked: “What will I get for giving you charity?” “I will give you my blessing” said the tailor. The businessman laugh and said: “The blessing of a fool.” But he gave the tailor some coins. That very day the businessman had a major breakthrough in his business and he went back and gave the tailor another donation and he had another breakthrough. Then other businessmen started to give the tailor a donation and receive his blessing and they too prospered. They found his blessings really worked.
So, if you believe we are a spiritual Israel and those who bless us will be blessed, then what that means is that if we walk the righteous life before God he will grant us the right to be a spiritual Santa Claus. If our employers bless us their business will prosper. If our families bless us we can give them blessings (gifts) from the Father. It just doesn’t guarantee that we will be blessed.
In many respects our nation is far more blessed than Israel. We do not live in constant fear of attack by foreign nations, we enjoy much more security than Israel, and war is distant to most of us in America where in Israel it is a constant threat to each citizen. Terrorism is not as prevalent in America as in Israel. We are a nation that stands against anti-Semitism and the right for Israel to exist, we have worked hard to support Israel, and our largest foreign aid still goes to Israel and as a result of blessing Israel God has blessed this nation. Those who bless Israel will be blessed but Israel, like the poor tailor, the donor found greater blessings in return while the tailor remained just a poor tailor. If you want to be a spiritual Israel, then you may be just a poor tailor making everyone who blesses you prosperous with you getting little in return.
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