Genesis 22:17-18 - I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.

Mankind continued in their sin until God destroyed everyone except for Noah and his family – eight people. Then the day came that God chose one man to make a nation from whom this “seed of the woman” – the Messiah – would be born. This man was Abraham.

God could simply have given Abraham many children and said the Messiah would come through one of these many children, but instead God gave Abraham a very specific promise. Even though Abraham had several children after he was an old man, God gave him one special son, miraculously born of his wife who was also too old to have children, and promised the Messiah would come from this man – Abraham’s son, Isaac.

Isaac had two sons, Esau and Jacob, and God again promised the nation that the Messiah would come from just one of them - Jacob. 

*What promises of God do you have trouble believing will be fulfilled completely?


Prayer: Lord God, may we keep our eyes focused on You during this Advent season. Help us to see through Your Word, the incredible plan, begun long ago, to come to this earth as a baby and to die for the sins of all people so that all people might have a chance to live with You through eternity. We love you Lord! In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.