Connect John 8:56 with Genesis 12:3 regarding God's promise to Abraham.

Opening Scriptures

“Your father Abraham was overjoyed to see My day. He saw it and was glad.” (John 8:56)

“I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you; and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3)

---

Abraham’s Promise: The Seed and the Blessing

• God’s covenant with Abram (later Abraham) launched a worldwide plan of blessing.

• The phrase “all the families of the earth will be blessed” looks beyond Israel to every nation.

• Paul later clarifies that this “blessing” is ultimately delivered through one specific “Seed”—Christ (Galatians 3:16).

---

Abraham Rejoicing in Jesus’ Day

• Jesus testifies that Abraham “saw” His day.

• How did Abraham “see” it?

– Through the covenant promises (Genesis 12:3; 15:5–6).

– Through prophetic foreshadowings such as the sacrifice on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:8, 14).

• Abraham’s faith allowed him to look forward, grasp God’s redemptive plan, and celebrate it in advance.

---

Jesus as Fulfillment of the Promise

• The blessing to “all the families of the earth” is realized in Christ’s redemptive work:

– Salvation offered to every tribe, tongue, and nation (Revelation 5:9).

– Justification by faith for Jew and Gentile alike (Romans 3:29–30; Galatians 3:8–9).

• Jesus declares Himself the object of Abraham’s anticipation, affirming both the reliability of Genesis 12 and His own divine mission.

---

Implications for Us Today

• The promise is literal, global, and centered in a real historical Savior.

• Faith, as modeled by Abraham, fixes its eyes on God’s Word and rejoices before the fulfillment is visible.

• Believers become living participants in the Genesis 12:3 blessing by proclaiming and embodying the gospel of Christ (Acts 3:25–26).