Next to a false pre-tribulation rapture misapplication of scripture, this verse is probably one of the most misapplied and misunderstood verses in the Bible today by Christian Zionists, and dispensationalists who have been mislead to believe that this promise was passed onto Yaakov or Israel, but the Scriptures do not say that at all. This false belief is largely attributed to the Scofield Reference Bible from which your modern day Christian Zionists and dispensationalist teachers obtained their false belief system.
This does not mean to impy that I am not for blessing Israel, because I most certainly am, or that as Bible believing Christians, we should not bless Israel. We as Christians bless Israel by giving them the Gospel of Christ, as He commanded, and not going against God's Word where God specifically tells us there will be severe consequences if you or a nation does where Israel or Jerusalem is concerned.
It is the misrepresenting and misapplication of the above verse that is being addressed here. Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East surrounded by arab tyrants, and Israel gave the world the Holy Scriptures known as the Hebrew Scriptures, which is more than enough to be on Israel's side. But certainly, there are several more very good reasons to be for Israel, but that is a different topic for another time. Now, let's take a look at these verses in their full context to determine where Christian Zionists and dispensationalists grossly error and misapply the scripture:
Gen 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:
Gen 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:
Gen 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.
- I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Gen. 12:3
The LORD said to Abraham, “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you” because the Messiah would be a descendant of Abraham (the seed of Abraham). Furthermore, those who would be redeemed by the Messiah would have the same faith as Abraham and would inherit his blessing:
So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith (Gal. 3:9). Psalm 72 states quite plainly that it is through the Messiah that all nations will be blessed. The psalmist wrote and prophesied of Jesus Christ, the receiver of the blessing in the following scripture:
- Endow the King [Messiah] with your justice, O God, the Royal Son with your righteousness. He will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice...May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed. Psalm 72:1,17.
To think that God’s blessing may be received by the natural descendants of Abraham irrespective of their unbelief and rebellion implies that God’s blessing may be received by those who remain at enmity with God. Yet a growing number of Christians are insisting that Gentile believers are obligated to "bless" unbelieving Israel in order to receive the Lord's blessing. Just as it is impossible to curse those who are blessed by God, it is impossible to to impart the blessing to those who are under the curse for their own disobedience unless they repent and believe. Every promise that God has made is fulfilled in Christ ( 2 Corinthians 1:20). There is no blessing apart from him. More at Messianic Good News
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name..Philippians 2:8,9
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