“‘If you will return, O Israel,’ declares the LORD, ‘Then you should return to Me. And if you will put away your detested things from My presence, and will not waver, and you will swear, ‘As the LORD lives,’ In truth, in justice and in righteousness; Then the nations will be blessed in him, and in him they will glory'” (Jer 4:1-2).

The second half of verse 2 contains wording that specifically and intentionally recalls God’s promise to bless all the nations of the world through the seed of Abraham (see Gen 22:17-18; 26:4). But the allusion to this very familiar promise poses an exegetical challenge: who is the “him” in Jeremiah’s allusion through whom God’s blessing will flow? Since God is speaking to Israel in the first person (“I”), “him” can be seen as not referring to God in that context. And since Israel is referred to in the second person (“you”), “him” also cannot refer to them.

So, Who Is “Him”?

And here we find a subtle, yet extremely important clue to the way in which ancient Israel, or at least the prophets of Israel, interpreted God’s promise to Abraham. No doubt there is a collective aspect of God’s promise, and Israel has been and continues to be a blessing to the nations even in our unbelief. But the fullness of the promise can only be realized, not through “us,” but through “him”! Yeshua, and Yeshua alone, is the key that unlocks the doors of all God’s promises to each one of us personally, to our people collectively, and through us to the rest of the world!

But the fullness of the promise can only be realized, not through “us,” but through “him”!

“May his name endure forever; May his name increase as long as the sun shines; and let men be blessed in him; let all nations call him blessed” (Ps 72:17).

“Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as referring to many, but rather to one, ‘And to your seed,’ that is, Christ” (Gal 3:16).