would invite you to turn in your Old Testament to the book of beginnings again to the book of Genesis we are again in the section of the book of Genesis called the patriarchal period sorry I lost the word there for a minute but we are coming again closely to the end of the first section of the patriarchal period that follows the primeval period, and that is the story and narrative of Abraham himself. But again, we come to Genesis 22, but we also again today are going to look at the link between chapter 12 and 22 as the bookends of Abraham's story in his journey of faith as God has called him out. So we come again we want to read Genesis 12 to be reminded of Abraham's call and the promises and blessings that God has given to him from Genesis chapter 12 verses 1 through 3 and then we will be turning to chapter 22 and reading the last part of that chapter from verse 15 all the way to the end of the chapter to verse 24. But again we seek the Lord's help. in our time of need, even as we come to his holy word, but especially his holy word as a means of grace to fill us with his grace, that he would use this means that he has given to us, this primary means of grace through his word by the spirit to fill us up, to cause us to overflow with his grace, that we may take it as a blessing to us as we grow in it and share it with others. those that we come in contact with, that we would share the good news of God's grace in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Well, let us again come to our Lord in prayer, seeking his help. Our Heavenly Father, we pray that you would be with us, your people. You have promised to us to bless your word, Lord, as a means of grace. You have provided, you've ordained it. You have set it in a place where you would pour out your blessings for it. And so through it. So we pray, Lord, that you would do so. We pray that your will be done. On Earth, as it is in heaven. Through the reading in the proclamation of Your Word. Help our hearts to be enlivened by it, Lord, that we would experience and hear from our Savior Jesus Christ through the power of the Spirit, that we would hear His Word and it would ignite our faith, our zeal, our passion to go forth and to share this Word with all those that we come in contact with. That Your Word would go forth and be a rock that would strike at the kingdoms of this world at the heart of man and build your kingdom in his heart and through his heart to all this land. So Lord, we pray that you would bless your word to us this day. And we pray it all on him who is the blessed one, your son, Jesus Christ. Amen. So if you would, please now stand for the reading of God's holy word. Again, beginning in chapter 12 of Genesis, verse 1 through 3, Now the Lord had said to Abram, get out of your country from your family and from your father's house to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and I will curse him who curses you. And in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Now turning again to Genesis 22, beginning in verse 15 to the end of the chapter. Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven and said, by myself, I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son. Blessing, I will bless you. And multiplying, I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore. And your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.' So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham dwelt at Beersheba. Now it came to pass after these things that it was told Abraham, saying, Indeed, Milcah also has born children to your brother Nahor, Huz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlah, and Bethuel. And Bethuel begot Rebekah. These eight, Milca bore to Enehor Abraham's brother. His concubine, whose name was Reuma, also bore Teba, Graham, Thahash, and Ma'akah. Thus ends the reading of God's holy word. The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of our God endures forever. Please be seated. Have you ever had someone say to you, you have a one-track mind? Perhaps you have described someone else this way. What does that mean? Well, it means that you are intensely focused on one issue or topic with respect to all others. There's one thing that drives you, one particular issue that you always come back to. You are like a train which is locked upon the tracks and will not be diverted from its course. Sometimes this is a negative thing, but it can also be positive. People who are purpose-driven seek to do all things with that one goal in mind at all times. Your mind is set, it is locked, it is focused and connected to that one track which is leading to the purpose or goal that is to be achieved. Well, as we come one more time to complete our study of Genesis 22, we have what could be described as the Lord's one-track mind in regard to his ultimate purpose and plan for calling Abraham, blessing Abraham, bestowing his promises upon Abraham, and for his testing Abraham. As we have journeyed with Abraham throughout these chapters in Genesis, we have revealed before us God's chief or ultimate resolution, which he always comes back to. He begins in Genesis 12 stating this purpose when he calls Abraham out and blesses him. And as we will see this morning, God ends with this firm, solid resolution at the climax of Abraham's testing at the peak of Mount Moriah, the place God had commanded Abraham to come in order to fully, finally settle his promises, blessings, and purpose. in and through this man of faith. This will be our final sermon in Genesis 22. It is a very rich chapter, as we have seen. It is the climactic summit of Abraham's journey of faith, and we have had several aspects of God's redemptive purposes illuminated for us here on this, what is called the Mount of Seeing. But God saves the ultimate revelation for last. which isn't a new revelation, but it is God's final resolution to his promise and purpose, which he began in Genesis 12. So here at the end of Genesis 22, God reveals his climactic resolution. God has resolved to do something in and through this man Abraham, who is indeed the father of Israel. God's special people, but God's purpose right from the beginning. And now, as we have revealed here again at the end, his purpose has not changed, but it is more sure, steadfast. Firm and immovable, it is resolute. We will not be derailed from this one, he will not be derailed from this one single tracker goal. But we must ask the question, what was all this for? Genesis 12 through 22, this journey of faith of this one man called out from among the nations and now at the end is put through this final ultimate test of his faith. What was it all for? What is God's resolution through it all? It is that he might bring blessing to all the nations of the earth. This is God's resolution. At the end of the Abrahamic narrative, this is why God called Abraham out, why he promised to bless him, why Abraham was required to endure this great test, that in him and through him, God might bring his promises and blessings to all the nations of the world. This is the answer to the why question. And this is what we have revealed here at the end and climax of the climactic chapter of Abraham's story. The God of heaven has resolved to do something in and through this man, bring salvation to the world. So here is our purpose statement for our message. God resolves to save the world through Abraham's seed. God resolves to save the world through Abraham's seed. This is God's resolution, which he reveals to us here in the final verses of Genesis 22. So let us consider the various ways in which God does reveal this truth, this resolution here. And we will consider this resolution under five points this morning. And the first point is the blessing. the blessing itself. From beginning to end, we heard it in Genesis 12, 3, when Abraham is called out from Ur of the Chaldeans, called out from among the exiled nations at Babel. God blessed Abraham, proclaiming promises to him, in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. But can it be demonstrated that this is God's ultimate resolution? There are many promises given to Abraham, but why is this one the ultimate resolution of God? Well, let us look at another blessing God promised as an example to Abraham here in Genesis 12, the blessing of his name, the blessing of his name. In verse two, he says, I will bless you and make your name great. But what name is he talking about? Because here in Genesis 12, his name is still Abram, meaning father of a people or exalted father. But in Genesis 17 5, God changes his name to what? Abraham. And what does Abraham mean? The father of a multitude of nations. This major event in Abraham's life, when God gives him a new name, changing his name to incorporate God's resolution to bless the nations through this man, God makes him the father of a multitude of nations, of peoples. So this specific blessing stands as God's ultimate resolution in which all the other blessings hang. Therefore, the specific blessing that we have here in Genesis 22 is to multiply his descendants. To multiply his descendants also feeds into the blessing to the nations. We see that the blessing in Genesis 22-17 incorporates both the language of God's promises in Genesis 13 and Genesis 15. I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is on the seashore." And Paul's words in Galatians 3 seeks to confirm this interpretation. He says in verse 7, Therefore know that only those of faith are sons of Abraham, and the apostle makes it clear that this includes the Gentiles, the nations. So the blessing is one of God's ways of clearly revealing his resolution to bless the nations through the blessing of Abraham himself. But not only do we have God's resolution revealed in the blessing, but secondly, by way of the oath, by way of the oath. How does God reveal that this is his resolution? He himself swears an oath to it, to Abraham. God's oath is highlighted in the text by way of preparation. by way of preparation. How does the narrator Moses prepare us to listen very attentively to what God is about to say next? How does Moses in this text say, he who has ears to hear, let him hear? Or how is Moses saying, truly, truly? That means listen to what I'm about to say. It is very important. Look at verse 15. After this event of Abraham, after the angel stops and gives the provision, Abraham names the place, all this. Verse 15, how does Moses prepare the way to listen carefully to what God is about to say? Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven. Our tendency might be to just gloss over those words. But what Abraham is doing by the Spirit, the author of Scripture, is he's preparing the way. He's wanting you to stop and listen to what he's about to say. We may be enamored by everything that has gone before, but this is preparing the way for the resolution, God's resolution, the ultimate and major theme of what is about to happen. So, again, this is the way by which he wants us to prepare to hear what the Lord himself is about to say. He is about to speak from his court in heaven. Notice the angel of the Lord speaks from heaven. Where? From where God's very throne is. He is speaking from his very throne. The covenant Lord is going to do something he has not done up to this point in Genesis. Even though God has made promises and blessed Abraham by his word, here he adds something in order to raise it to a greater level of significance, and that is, he swears by way of an oath that he will bless Abraham, and through Abraham, all the nations of the earth. The writer of the Hebrews focuses upon this, as we read earlier, for when God made a promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His resolution, His counsel, His word, Here in Genesis 22, he confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation. This is what the author of Hebrews says, the anchor of our soul as we are tossed to and fro in the seas of this world and the miseries of this life. Here is the anchor by which we hold. God did not need to take an oath. His Word is sure. He is a God of His Word. His Word is sure, true, and honorable every time He speaks. But He does so in order to condescend to our need. But this oath works to reveal that the Lord is resolute, that He is firm. He will not be diverted from this track, this one track that He is going along. He is steadfast and immutable in His promise to Abraham here. The oath constitutes the resolution. The oath constitutes the resolution. And again, what is that promise? What is His resolution? to bless the nations through Abraham. And notice also that God's oath is a response to Abraham's faith, is a response to Abraham's faith. Verse 16, by myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, Abraham's faith and obedience bookends this promise oath God takes. Note how God ends his promises blessing in verse 18, because you have obeyed my voice. So faith and obedience cannot be separated as James tells us in his epistle. We have already considered how Abraham's faith was authenticated as a true faith by means of his obedience to God's commands. especially this command here. As we have seen before, faith becomes the instrument God will use to bestow the blessing to the nations. They will be required to believe in God and his blessed one, his only son, Abraham's seed, who alone will bring God's salvation to every tribe, tongue, people, and nation on the earth. So what is required for the nations to obtain the promises of God? Faith. Faith that they cannot work up themselves. It too is a gift of God, but the requirement is faith. You must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, in the seed of Abraham. What kind of faith? The faith of Abraham. a faith like Abraham has exhibited here in Genesis 22. Not an unfruitful faith, but by a faith that works itself out in obedience to the God of the covenant. But lastly, it is also the place where Abraham dwells. It is the place where Abraham dwells. Interestingly, where is the place that Abraham returns to after this episode? Verse 19, Beersheba. We are told there that Abraham dwelt at Beersheba. Do you recall what Beersheba means? It means the well of the oath. This is where Abraham dwelt. In that place where God provides the necessities of life And he dwells in the place where God has fully and finally confirmed his oath to this man of faith to bless him. He's dwelling in that place. Yes, it's not the physical location of Mount Moriah where he is now, but he dwells in the oath that God has made. Do you dwell in the very promises and blessings of God as his people? Abraham did. you ought to. This is the only way you can live by faith and obedience is by dwelling in the very promises and blessings of God that are given through Abraham's seed. So here at the end of Genesis 22, God reveals his resolution to bring his salvation to the nations through Abraham. How? By both the blessing and oath that he has made to Abraham. But this is not the only means God uses to reveal this resolution. For Genesis 22, rather oddly, ends with this genealogy. It appears to be out of place. I mean, it's not even the genealogy of Abraham. It appears to just be stuck in here. But I believe it, too, is being used by the author to reveal God's resolution. So our third point is the family reunion. The family reunion. What do we do with this very short genealogy here at the end of Genesis 22? Well, first we need to understand that this is Abraham's extended family. This is Abraham's extended family, his relatives. What is going on here? Well, Abraham returns to Beersheba and somehow a message comes to him concerning his brother Nahor. We have a short catalog of Nahor's sons. But why? Why is it placed here? Well, interestingly, this works to resolve the Abraham cycle of stories. Abraham was called out from his father's household and was promised a son by God. But now God has not only given Abraham a son, but has worked to give him back to him in this event here in Genesis 22, where he was called to offer him up as a burnt offering. But now that the son has been given back to Abraham, it appears that now also his father's house is, in a sense, given back to him as well. He has both his son and his father's house returned to him. We saw that Abraham was called to forsake his father's house, his past. and here in Genesis 22, to offer up his only son as future. But now that he has passed the test, God gives both back to Abraham, in a sense, plus a whole lot more. So in this way, Abraham is now reunited with his extended family, with his brother Nahor, by this message that comes. But we will see that in the future there will be a greater reunion to come, for this short account also prepares us for the reunion of the family of Terah, both the lines of Haran, Abraham, and Nahor, by way of Rebekah. Milcah was Haran's daughter. She married her uncle Nahor, Ron died. So that line perished, but it still continues on through Nahor's line. But then we see by way of Rebekah, Nahor's granddaughter, here is the lineage of Rebekah given, who will become the bride of Isaac. But second, this genealogy also works to confirm God's promises. It works to confirm God's promises to Abraham through Isaac. Just as we saw with God's blessing Ishmael in Genesis 21, God appears to have blessed Nahor with 12 sons, eight by Milcah his wife and four by his concubine Rauma. Does this sound familiar? 12 sons? But again, if God has so blessed the non-promised line of Terah, how much more will he bless Terah's chosen son, Abraham, through Isaac? Think about it. As it now stands, Abraham only has one son left to him, Isaac. And he has almost just been slain on the altar as a burnt offering. So all of Abraham's hope is funneled in this one son of promise. Nahor has 12 sons, but God has just promised to multiply Abraham's descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand on the seashore. So what does this news of Nahor's children seek to do? To confirm God's promise to Abraham through this one son, Isaac. If God so blessed Terah's unchosen line, how much more will he bless Abraham, the chosen son of Terah? But the genealogy potentially has a third purpose as well here. As we come back to God's resolution to bless the nations, are not Nahor and his family part of the nations in exile to which Abraham was called out? What was the physical family and house representing the nations and families to which Abraham was called out of to leave the nations? It was this very family, the family of Terah. and his father's household, which is now there in this genealogy. Could it be that here at the end of Genesis 22 we begin to see another glimpse, like we saw at the end of Genesis 21, of the Gentiles coming in? We saw the covenant being made with Abimelech? So here God bookends this whole event of Genesis 22 with a glimpse of God working out his resolution. This is God's connection to the nations. This is Abraham's connection to the nations, a reunion of Abraham's seed and the nations that are in exile outside the land of promise being brought into the promise through the seed of Abraham. So this odd, seemingly out of place genealogy is doing a lot of things here. It has multiple purposes. But we must consider it within the context of Genesis 22, but also the whole context of the Abrahamic narrative. It is again linking us back to the beginning of Genesis 12, where Abraham was called out from his father's house and therefore from his connection to the nations. Therefore, it is the resolution to the whole Abrahamic narrative. So again, we see further confirmation of God's resolution to bless the nations. But fourthly, this promise, this oath, this blessing comes through the seed. The seed, Abraham's seed. This is more clearly revealed here in Genesis 22 than even in Genesis 12. Genesis 12.3, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Genesis 22.18, in your seed. all the nations of the earth shall be blessed." Now, of course, these are not in contradiction to one another, but the one is based upon the other, the one is built upon the other. But it is important to note this final wording, which explicitly mentions Abraham's seed. This will be important as we move forward into the other patriarchal narratives and throughout the history of Israel into the New Testament. Paul makes it quite clear. Galatians 3, 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He does not say, and to seeds as of many, but as of one, and to your seed, who is Christ." This is the apostolic testimony. Christ is the seed of Abraham. Christ is the seed of Abraham. This is such an important point that it appears in the very first verse of the New Testament Scriptures. In the first verse of the New Testament Scriptures, Matthew 1.1, the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. So what is Matthew doing? We may think that Matthew is presenting Jesus as the king of the Jews, the son of David, the son of Israel, Abraham's seed and son, and we wouldn't be wrong. But maybe we need to expand upon that. May we not also see that Matthew is presenting Jesus as the son of Abraham through whom God will bless the nations. who will bring the gospel of good news to the nations through whom God will save the world." It's interesting that Matthew, immediately in chapter 2, who comes to worship this son of Abraham? It's not the reigning king in Jerusalem at that time, Herod. It's not the scribes and the teachers of the law that know God's word. But it is men from the East who travel very far to worship this young boy. But one way is we can check this interpretation of Matthew is to look at how Matthew closes his gospel. And how does the gospel end? Matthew 28, with the Great Commission. The Great Commission. Here in Matthew 28, we have the seed of Abraham again on a mountain, verse 16, declaring to his disciples that all authority has been given to him in heaven and on earth. And he proceeds to commission these men to go and make disciples of who? All the nations. Now, having this perspective, if I were to ask you, where do we first hear the Great Commission proclaimed? It is not in Matthew 28, but it's all the way back here in Genesis 22 in God's resolution to save the world through Abraham's seed. And not only is the Great Commission first proclaimed here in Genesis, but so is the Gospel itself. So is the Gospel itself. Listen again to the Apostles' words from Galatians 3.8. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand saying, in you all the nations shall be blessed. He doesn't mention the multitude of Abraham. He doesn't mention that he would make Abraham a great nation. He doesn't mention that he would bless Abraham, make his name great. He doesn't mention that he would bless Abraham and those who curse Abraham, he would curse or give them the gate of his enemies What does the Apostle say here that the Gospel is? It is that in you all the nations shall be blessed. That is the Gospel that was preached to Abraham. This is the Gospel proclaimed all the way back in the Book of Beginnings in the Old Testament. God saving the Gentiles, the nations, through the seed of Abraham. And so all those who are united to Jesus Christ by faith are Abraham's children, as the Apostle argues here in Galatians. But not only do we have God's resolution here in Genesis 22 confirmed by the Apostle Paul's definition of the gospel and by the Apostle Matthew's first verse in Great Commission, but we also have it confirmed in the most popular and well-known verse in the Bible. Children, what is the most popular verse in the Bible? Do you know it? You'll see it at the back of stadiums during football games, plastered very largely. It's John 3.16, is it not? For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life. But we need to understand how controversial this statement would have been in the context and to the audience to whom it was spoken. So the problem is we are Gentiles, and we read the scripture like Gentiles. But let us first be good exegetes and go and see, okay, who is speaking here? It is Jesus speaking. Who is he speaking to? John 3. He's speaking to Nicodemus. He's speaking to a Jew, to a Jew of Jews, to a Pharisee, but not just a Pharisee, one whom Jesus says calls the teacher of Israel. Now listen again to what Jesus says. He's speaking again to this Jew, this Pharisee, the teacher of Israel, for God so loved the world. Not just Israel, God's chosen people. And this term world in this context would have been understood as the Gentile world. In other words, the nations. God so loved the nations that he gave his only son. It would have been a staggering statement as Jesus declares it here. And before declaring this to Nicodemus, Jesus said, and as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And how do we know that that whosoever would include the Gentile world? Well, listen, as Jesus uses the same word picture in John 12, saying, if I if I am lifted up, From the earth, I will draw all men to myself. And that is all kinds of men, not just from the Jewish world, but men from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. But before moving on from John 3.16, I also want you to see that Genesis 22 is actually the basis for Jesus' statement here in John 3.16 and what has become the most popular verse in the Bible. Why do I say this? Because, as I mentioned last week, there is a shift in focus here in Genesis 22 from Abraham the father to God the father. Genesis 22 is not actually highlighting the salvation of the Son, but of the Father. And is that not what John 3.16 is doing as well? Listen again. For God so loved the world, the nations. Who is Jesus talking about? He's speaking about God the Father. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." Who is the subject doing the action here? It is God the Father. So it is God the Father's provision. He is the one who will provide the Lamb. His Lamb. He is the one on the Mount of the Lord that will provide. And why does He give His Son? Out of a love for the world, for the nations. The Gospel comes straight from God the Father. So this destroys this theology that says that Jesus is the good God of the New Testament and that the Father is the bad God of the Old Testament. Never. This is the Father who loves you and is the one, as he is the one who has given his one and only Son for you. Genesis 22 and John 316 is God's resolution, salvation for the world, blessing to the nations, all the nations through whom Abraham's seed. But I also want to show you that the place of God's blessing, the same thing that we considered last week, the sanctuary, our fifth point, is not only to Israel, the Jews, but it is also for the sake of the nations. Our fifth point, the sanctuary. We already connected the dots last time we were together between this place where God calls Abraham to come to sacrifice his son. It is Mount Moriah And Abraham names it prophetically, Jehovah-Jireh. And the people of Moses' day were still proclaiming it, in the mount of the Lord it shall be provided. And we know this is the place God will build His sanctuary, the temple, because of what the chronicler says in 2 Chronicles 3.1. Mount Moriah is Mount Zion. So this causes us to ask, what does Solomon's temple represent? What does Zion represent? This too is all for the sake of the nations. We can see this if we consider Solomon's dedication prayer for the newly built temple on this very mountain. Listen to his prayer concerning this place. This is as he prays to the Lord as he dedicates this place that he has built for God's name. Moreover, concerning a foreigner who is not of your people Israel, but has come from a far country for your name's sake, for they will hear of your great name in your strong hand and your outstretched arm. when he comes and prays toward this temple, here in heaven, your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, that all peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by your name." And then he rounds off that prayer by proclaiming this in verse 60 of 1 Kings 8. that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord, Yahweh, Jehovah, is God, and there is no other." God's sanctuary is for the sake of the nations. God's name would be published through this temple, this sanctuary, and it is going to draw in the nations. God's name would be published to draw in the nations when they hear about the Lord's glorious name and deeds. And it is amazing that we even see this come to pass in Solomon's own day. For after this prayer, we read of the Queen of Sheba coming because she heard from the ends of the earth. about the Lord's house, manifesting this truth that the nation shall be drawn to God's house in Zion. They will pray to God in this place and God will hear their prayers and he will bless the nations. The Lord through the prophet Isaiah declares the same thing in Isaiah 56, the sons of the foreigner who joined themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants. Everyone who keeps from defiling my Sabbath and holds fast my covenant, even them, the foreigner, the nations. the outcasts, even them I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar." This isn't just Old Testament, my friends. Jesus proclaims it in Mark 11, 17, saying to the Jews, to Israel, is it not written, my house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations? a house of prayer for all nations. And we saw that this sanctuary, its sacrifice, and now the prayer that will be offered by the nations ultimately comes through Christ, through Abraham's seed. He is the foundation upon whom is built God's sanctuary and through whom the prayers of the nations come to the Father's ears. It is as the nations are united to him, the seed of Abraham, that we all can pray our Father who art in heaven. So we see that wherever we look, we see God's resolution to bless the nations through Abraham's seed. So when we look at the greater context of Genesis 1 through 11, and the nations are scattered abroad over the earth, exiled from God's presence and blessing, what is God's response? What is God's response to humanity's sin and rebellion and exile? It's to call forth one man. through whom he will bless with a seed who will bring salvation to all the nations of the world. So in Genesis 12, God calls Abraham out to bring resolution to this problem of alienation between God and the nations, all the peoples upon the earth. When we look at the climactic moment of Abraham's life here in Genesis 22, what is the resolution? Blessing to the nations. So this is God's resolution here in the story of Abraham. So we move from the nations which are in exile to the Abraham story. Why? Because God has resolved to save the world through Abraham's seed. So what does that mean then for the purpose of Israel? Well, how can we find what Israel's purpose is? Well, look back at the origin. Look at the source of that special people. Look at the father of Israel, Father Abraham. And from beginning to end, it is very clear that God's purpose is to bless the nations. The focus is on the nations, and Abraham, and Israel, and the special people that are called by God, they are a means to that great end. Does God have a one-tracked mind? It appears so. And thank God that he does. For without it, you would still be dead in your sins and trespasses. separated from the covenant of promise without Christ and God in the world. But thanks be to God for his one track mind and for his resolution. For God so loved the world that he has resolved to save the world through the seed of Abraham. And by faith, you need to see yourself in this resolution. For God the Father so loved you that he provided, gave, offered up as a burnt offering, and sacrificed upon the cross his one and only beloved Son, the Son of Abraham, that you might believe in him and be united to him by faith that you should not perish but have everlasting life. And not only this, but God too has called you, like Father Abraham and his seed, to be a blessing to the nations. This is why, as you are united to Abraham's seed and to Abraham himself as your father in faith, are called to bless the nations with this good news. Blessed to be a blessing. So what is the admonition to you here this morning? To proclaim it. To sing it. To take joy in it. To go forth making disciples. Fulfill the Great Commission. Go out gospelling the gospel. This is the good news to the world. A world that is in death and sin and darkness. God so loved the world of sinners. It is God demonstrated his love for us in while we were sinners that Christ died for us. It was why we were rebels and enemies of God that he sent forth his son. That he might save us. That he might save the nations. So go out, proclaim it, sing it, go forth, fulfill the great commission. Gospeling the gospel of Jesus Christ, Abraham's seed, for it is in him and him alone that blessing will come to the nations and the world will be saved. Do you believe God's resolution? It is revealed here in Genesis 22 with you in mind. God's one track mind, his resolution includes you. Believe it. Trust it. Be faithful to it. Take comfort in it. Here is your hope. Here is your salvation. God has resolved to save the world through Abraham's seed. Amen. Let us pray. Our Heavenly Father, we stand in awe of your word. The word that you have confirmed, that you have made steadfast, even in the midst of this world, and we are tossed to and fro in the waves of the sea, you are immutable. You are unmovable. You are unchangeable. You have established a rock in Zion upon which you are building your kingdom. Lord, we pray that we would Believe and rest and hope and be faithful to your resolution. That you would bless the nations through the seed of Abraham and thank you, O Lord, that you have done so. We live on this side of you providing the sun. We no longer say in the Mount of the Lord it will be provided, but in the Mount of the Lord it has been provided. and you have blessed the nations and you continue to bless the nations. Lord, help us to be faithful to this end as we are united to Christ and through him to you by the power of the Spirit, that we in the power of the Spirit would go forth and proclaim it to the nations, to the ends of the earth, that your kingdom would be built and all the glory of the nations would come into your sanctuary and give you praise and glory and honor as they worship you through the King that you have anointed and set up, Jesus Christ, your Son, in whom we pray all these things. Amen.