1420. 'You will be a blessing' means that every single thing comes from the Lord. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'a blessing'. Blessing has reference to every form of good - in the external sense to bodily, worldly, and natural forms, in the internal sense to spiritual and celestial forms. 'Being a blessing' means the Source of every form of good and the Giver of this, an attribution that cannot possibly be made to Abram. From this it is also clear that 'Abram' represents the Lord, who alone is a Blessing. So also with the attributions made to Abraham further on, such as,
Abraham will surely become a great and numerous nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed. Gen 18:18.
Concerning Isaac,
In your seed will all the nations of the earth be blessed. Gen 26:4.
And concerning Jacob,
In you all the families of the earth will be blessed, and in your seed. Gen 28:14.
That nations are not able to be blessed, nor were they blessed, in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and in their seed, but that they were blessed in the Lord, may become clear to anyone. This is clearly stated in David,
His name will be for ever, before the sun His son's name; and all nations will be blessed in Him Ps 72:17.
This refers to the Lord. In the same author,
You set Him to be blessings for ever. Ps 21:6.
This also refers to the Lord. In Jeremiah,
In Him the nations will be blessed, and in Him will they glory. Jer 4:2.
From these places it is now clear that 'a blessing' means the Lord, and when He is called a Blessing that it means that from Him come all celestial and spiritual things which alone are goods. And because they alone are goods they alone are truths as well. To the extent therefore that celestial and spiritual forms of good are present in natural, worldly, and bodily forms, the latter are good and are blessed.
This page is part of 
© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church