God having a vision for the world vs executing His eternal counsel?

[Johan]

I am part of a WhatsApp group where a pastor posts a short (5-minute) devotional talk three times a week. The current series focuses on Abraham. Two things in the talks caught my attention, and I would like to hear your opinions on them.

First, the pastor refers to "God's vision for the world," specifically that His name be glorified across the globe. My question is: Is it correct to speak of God having a vision for the world? An organization may have a vision statement, which typically outlines its aspirations and goals—something it strives to achieve but may not necessarily attain. However, God does not strive toward achieving a vision. Instead, He acts according to His eternal counsel, which will undoubtedly be accomplished.

Second, the calling of Abraham is described in Genesis 12:1–3:

Now the LORD said to Abram,
“Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

When referring to this passage, the pastor interpreted and applied it to mean that in our relationships with others, we should strive to be a blessing to them. While there is certainly some validity to this application, isn’t the main reason Abraham is described as a blessing—and why all the families of the earth will be blessed through him—that the Saviour would be born from his lineage and that the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all people (Galatians 3:14)?

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Both your observations have merit, in my view. The first statement misrepresents God and his works over creation. The second mistakes Abraham (likely along with most characters in the Bible) for being primarily an example, either to emulate or avoid. Christ is missing from both regards, as 1) the reason there is a world at all, and 2) as the blessing of Abraham to the world, a thing he in no way "strove" to accomplish.

 

[Johan]

Both your observations have merit, in my view. The first statement misrepresents God and his works over creation. The second mistakes Abraham (likely along with most characters in the Bible) for being primarily an example, either to emulate or avoid. Christ is missing from both regards, as 1) the reason there is a world at all, and 2) as the blessing of Abraham to the world, a thing he in no way "strove" to accomplish.

Thanks, Bruce. Yes, you hit the nail on the head! I have heard several of the pastor's sermons over the years, and in practically 100% of sermons from the OT, he makes some very indirect association with Christ. For example, in a series of sermons on the Judges, his connection with Christ is that Israel's moral and religious state is on a downward spiral, which calls for Christ. I never understood how and why he made this connection when, in my opinion, it should be clear that through the work of Judges, Christ (the Angel of the Lord) preserves His church despite the nation's poor moral and religious state. What worries me is that through sermons and devotional talks like this, congregation members start to think that this is what the OT is about, viz., that the OT only points in some obscure way to Christ and not that Christ is active in the OT church.