The earliest prophecies about the Savior were more general and vague. We knew that this Messiah would be a descendant of Abraham. Whomever it was, this person would bless all nations and peoples. This was a promise made to Abraham.
So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. (Genesis 12:4-8 NIV)
As is always the case with true prophecies, there is another sign, miracle, or prediction that is more short term. This short-term prediction, when it comes true, helps validate the longer-term prediction that would take place in the future. So, for example, the Israelites in Jesus' day had reason to believe that all nations would be blessed through Abraham's seed. They knew this would happen because the earlier prediction, "To your offspring I will give this land," had already come true. They had already seen proof that they were God's chosen people and that God was good for His promises. Now, they looked forward to His fulfillment of promises for their day. They were watching for the Messiah, the Savior, who He had promised to send.
How about you? Have you seen God fulfilling His promises in the past? Does it help you trust His promises even today? Do you have any specific promises of God that you trust?
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