DAY TWENTY SIX - BIG PICTURE IN A YEAR - THE CREATION

“God blessed them..”

Genesis 1: 28

Reading: Genesis 1: 26-31; Revelation 22: 3

All people after Adam inherited his sin nature - we call this original sin. But today, let’s focus on original blessing. From the first chapter of the Bible to the last, God blesses humanity. The blessing of God is a theme like few others in Scripture, encompassing the entirety of God’s goodness to humanity.

Despite this, the blessing theme is not generally well understood in Christian usage.

Although the early part of the book of Genesis is structured according to blessings and curses, the introductory section of Genesis (1:1–2:3), that we are dealing with this month, speaks of God’s blessing three times (1:22, 28; 2:3), where the aquatic and avian creatures, mankind and the seventh day are all blessed. There is no mention of a curse. Curses are only introduced later - and it is only at the very end of the story, in Revelation 22: 3, that we read that the fulfillment of God’s plan will result in a situation where there will “be no curse.” 

Back to blessing. What does it mean to receive divine blessing? What does it mean to be a blessed one? How can the aquatic and avian creatures, mankind, and the seventh day all receive God’s favor in the same manner? While contexts vary, a basic definition of the nature of blessing, at least within Genesis, is this:

Blessing is the bestowing of privilege, right, responsibility, or favor upon some portion of the creation, by God or by one whom He has blessed. In relation to humanity, to be blessed is to be one of God’s own people with all the benefits that brings: in other words, the blessing of God is His relational presence in one’s life.

Cain understood this. After God cursed him, Cain summarized the curse as a loss of both benefits (being driven away from the ground) and access to God—“from your face I shall be hidden” (Genesis 4:14; 1 John 3:12–15). The curse of God alienates one from God’s presence, while the essence of divine blessing is “I will be with you”. Never ever forget that God blessed humanity in the beginning - He fully intended to presence Himself with mankind in life.

Prayer

Thank you speaking blessing over humanity Lord.

For the family

Explain

Explain, in simple words, what it means to be blessed by God. And explain that someone that has already been blessed by God can pass that blessing on.

Engage

Spend time placing your hands on your children and speaking wonderful Divine blessings out over them. Bless them with every good thing you know God would wish to bless them with. Speak these out loudly and with confidence that God backs up every word you speak.