God calls Abraham and promises salvation for all people
You learn from the history book, that people on earth have lived for many thousands of years. The countries of the Ancient East are among the oldest countries in the world. This year you will learn specifically about Egypt, but the maps of your school textbook also show the country between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The main city of this country was Babylon.
God makes promises to Abraham
In this country, in the city of Ur, about 2 000 years before the birth of Christ, there lived a man named Abram. God chose him from among many people and gave him a great task. The first book of Scripture tells about it., called the Book of Genesis.
God commanded Abram to leave his homeland and go to the far land of Canaan. He said to him :
Go out of your native land and from your father's house to the country, which I will show you. For I will make you a great nation, I will bless you and make your name famous : you will become a blessing…
The peoples of the whole earth will be blessed through you " (Gen. 12, 1a-3).
Abram put his trust in God and went to earth, which God had pointed out to him. And when he was in the land of Canaan, God said to him :
"I give this land to your offspring" (Gen. 12, 7a).
Here Abram waited for his promise to be fulfilled. God kept his word. Abram had a son, whose descendants grew into a nation. God looked after this nation in a special way. In a difficult situation, he came to his aid.
As a sign, that God chose Abram, changed his name to Abraham. This new name meant, that Abraham would be the father of many nations.
What the Promise to Abraham Means ?
Why are we listening to God's words today?, that speak of Abraham ? That's why we listen to them, because they also apply to us. This is evidenced by the Scriptures. New Testament.
After the Annunciation, Mary thanks God for it, that God had fulfilled his promise to Abraham, because she became the Mother of the Savior. St.. Matthew, in his Gospel he begins the lineage of Jesus Christ from Abraham, and St.. Paul calls Jesus Christ a descendant of Abraham. It means, that the promise to Abraham did not only apply to his own son, but also to his descendants. It was completely fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God's foretold descendant of Abraham.
The blessing promised to Abraham and to the peoples of all the earth signifies salvation. And the nations, how God has promised salvation, it's all people, who believe in Christ and are baptized. So the promise to Abraham refers to Jesus Christ and His Church, to which God calls all nations.
The Polish nation participates in Abraham's promise
A thousand years ago, the Polish nation also heard, that the promise to Abraham had been fulfilled. He believed God and was baptized. From now on we, Polish people, we participate in salvation, which Jesus Christ did, descendant of Abraham.
How will I answer God ?
In year 1966 on the ramparts of Jasna Góra, we thanked God for it, that we belong to these nations, who received through Abraham the promise of salvation.
How often I thank God for this great gift ? How can I thank God for keeping His promise to Abraham ?
I will pray often with the words of the hymn, with which we thanked God for the Millennium of the Baptism of Poland :
"We praise you God, To you Lord eternal glory,
You, the Father of heaven's gate, The whole earth glorifies you…
You through the circle of the earth, from the depth of my heart, how much he can,
The voices of the peoples agreed, praises the sacred song of the Church”
■ Think :
1. What God Commanded Abraham ?
2. What God promised Abraham ?
3. Why did God change Abram's name to Abraham ?
4. To whom the promise to Abraham applied ?
5. Since the Polish nation participates in the promise made to Abraham ?
■ Remember :
4. What God promises to the nations by calling Abraham ?
Through the calling of Abraham, God promises salvation to all nations.
5. Who has saved all nations, promised by God to Abraham ? Jesus Christ accomplished the salvation promised by God to Abraham.