Yes — God promised that all families of the earth would be blessed in Abraham, and Les Feldick teaches that this promise was ultimately fulfilled through Israel's Messiah, Jesus.
In Genesis 12:3 God tells Abraham that in him all families of the earth would be blessed. Les calls this the epitome of the whole covenant and stresses that it reaches the entire human family, not just Israel. The blessing was accomplished when Israel's Messiah was crucified and became the object of faith for the whole world.
Genesis 12:3 — This is the specific promise that all families of the earth would be blessed in Abraham.
Genesis 12:2 — God's promise to make Abraham a great nation and a blessing sets up the all-encompassing promise in verse 3.
In Genesis 12:1-3, God speaks to Abram and tells him to leave his country, his kindred, and his father's house and go to a land God would show him. God then promises: "I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing." God continues, "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." The verse directly says that all families of the earth would be blessed in Abraham. It does not limit the blessing to Israel alone, though the context shows that the promise is made to Abraham as the head of the nation that would come from him. The Scripture itself does not fully explain the mechanism of that blessing in Genesis 12; it simply states the promise.
Les teaches that the phrase "in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" is the very epitome of the Abrahamic covenant [Clip 1]. The blessing is not for Israel only, but for the whole human family [Clip 1] [Clip 4]. He explains that God's ultimate purpose was that Israel's Messiah would be crucified and become the object of faith for the whole world [Clip 2]. Les also notes that from Abraham's own viewpoint, the promise meant that God would use the nation of Israel to bring the nations a knowledge of Himself. Abraham did not have a full view of the cross, even though the Old Testament was full of prophetic utterances that Christ would die [Clip 3]. Israel was the nation God called to be the vehicle through which He would bring about the whole plan of redemption for the human race [Clip 6]. Les emphasizes that this promise has never been abrogated. God has not taken it away, Paul never refuted it, and God has not changed His mind [Clip 4] [Clip 7].
Yes. Les asks, "You think God changed His mind?" and answers, "No, He hasn't changed His mind." He says God has never taken the promise away and Paul has never refuted it. From the time the promise was given until Paul went to the Gentiles, Israel enjoyed the fatness of the root of Abraham [Clip 4] [Clip 7].
Les teaches that the way the blessing reached the world was through Israel's Messiah. The Messiah would be crucified and then become the object of faith not just for Israel but for the whole world [Clip 2]. Israel was chosen as the vehicle through which God would communicate and bring about the whole plan of redemption for the human race [Clip 6]. From Abraham's perspective, the promise meant Israel would eventually bring the nations a knowledge of God [Clip 3].
Les points out that from Abram's viewpoint — not necessarily God's — the promise meant God would use the nation of Israel to come back into the mainstream of the nations and bring them a knowledge of Himself. Abraham did not have a full view of the cross, but the Old Testament already contained prophetic utterances that Christ would die [Clip 3].
Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord? Genesis 18 & God in Human Form
laughing, for she was afraid. Now she knows who she's dealing with. For she was afraid, and he said, the Lord did, nay, but thou didst laugh. But you know, this is all within God's sovereign will, because you know, what does the name Isaac mean? Laughter. That's what the word Isaac actually means, translated out of the Hebrew.
The Epitome of the Covenant
Les calls Genesis 12:3 the very epitome of the whole covenant promise and stresses that the blessing is for the whole human family, not just Israel.
Salvation Through Israel's Messiah
Les teaches that the promised blessing was accomplished when Israel's Messiah was crucified and became the object of faith for the whole world.
Abraham's Limited View
Les says Abraham understood the promise as God using Israel to bring the nations a knowledge of Himself, while Abraham did not yet have the full view of the cross.
A Promise Never Abrogated
Les teaches that Genesis 12:3 has never been taken away or refuted, and the blessing extends to all the families of the earth, not just Israel.
The All-Encompassing Promise
Les emphasizes the phrase "all the families of the earth" as the all-encompassing promise within the Abrahamic covenant.
Israel as the Vehicle of Redemption
Les explains that God called Abraham to bring forth a nation distinct from all others, and that nation was to be the vehicle through which God would bring redemption to the whole human race.
God Has Not Changed His Mind
Les asks whether God changed His mind about the promise and answers no, pointing back to the unchanged Abrahamic covenant.
Genesis 12:1: Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
God begins His call to Abram, separating him from his country and family as the starting point of the covenant.
Genesis 12:2: 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:
God promises to make Abram a great nation and a blessing, which leads to the promise that all families will be blessed in him.
Genesis 12:3: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
This is the direct promise that all nations and families of the earth would be blessed through Abraham.
Yes. God promised in Genesis 12:3 that in Abraham all families of the earth would be blessed. Les Feldick teaches that this blessing ultimately came through Israel's Messiah being crucified and becoming the object of faith for the whole world.
Yes. Les says the promise has never been abrogated and that God has not changed His mind. He also points out that Paul never refuted the promise and that Israel's privileges continued until Paul went to the Gentiles.
Les teaches that Abraham did not have a full view of the cross. From Abraham's perspective, the promise meant Israel would bring the nations a knowledge of God, though the Old Testament was already full of prophecies that Christ would die.
Les teaches that it means the whole human family, not just Israel. The blessing is the salvation that would come through Israel's Messiah, who would be crucified and become the object of faith for people everywhere.
Watch the Teaching: Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord? Genesis 18 & God in Human Form