Connect Deuteronomy 10:22 with God's covenant to Abraham in Genesis 12:2. Tracing the Promise • Genesis 12:2 records God’s covenant words to Abram: “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” • Deuteronomy 10:22 looks back on that promise: “Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy in number, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.” • These verses stand as bookends—Genesis announces the promise; Deuteronomy celebrates its partial fulfillment. From Seventy to a Multitude 1. Genesis 46:27 notes that only seventy members of Jacob’s family entered Egypt. 2. Exodus 1:7 reports their explosive growth: “But the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly; they became exceedingly numerous.” 3. By the time Moses speaks in Deuteronomy, the people are poised to enter Canaan, numbering “as numerous as the stars” (echoing Genesis 15:5; 22:17). 4. God’s faithfulness is underscored: what He declared to Abraham in Ur has been historically verified in Israel’s census lists (Numbers 1–4; 26). Purpose of the Multiplication • The increase was never an end in itself. Genesis 12:2 specifies the goal: “so that you will be a blessing.” • Deuteronomy reiterates this missional identity. Israel is called to “love the LORD… walk in all His ways… serve” (10:12), modeling covenant life before the nations (Deuteronomy 4:6–8). • The New Testament broadens the blessing through Christ, the promised Seed (Galatians 3:16), gathering “a great multitude that no one could count” (Revelation 7:9). Key Takeaways • God’s word is sure; centuries do not erode His promises. • Numerical growth testified to divine faithfulness, not human prowess. • The covenant blessing moves outward—first to Israel, ultimately to all families of the earth (Genesis 12:3; Acts 3:25–26). • Deuteronomy 10:22 invites gratitude and obedience, grounding present duty in past grace and future hope. |
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