The Genesis 12:3 Promise | Who Is Blessed & Cursed?

Genesis 12:3 promises that those who bless Israel will be blessed, and those who curse Israel will be cursed.

• “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

The Genesis 12:3 promise is a covenant promise. This verse describes the beginning of God’s relationship with Abram (who later became Abraham), marking the earliest history of Israel.

God commands Abram to leave his home and promises to make him a great nation and bless him. Genesis 12:3 is God’s further promise to bless those who bless him and curse those who dishonor him, extending a blessing to all peoples through him.

These promises are unconditional and not dependent on Abram’s actions or character. Further, the Genesis 12:3 promise for “those” who interact with Israel.

We see a “cause and effect” through this promise. If people bless Israel, they are blessed, if they curse Israel, they are cursed.

The Bible refers to cause and effect regarding…

• Sin (Romans 6:23)
• Mocking God (Galatians 6:6-7)
• Sowing (Proverbs 22:8)
• Believing in the Messiah (John 3:16)
• Obedience (Deuteronomy 28:14)
• Disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:15-28)
• Treatment of others (Luke 6:30)

As stated, there is a biblical cause and effect for nations that bless or curse Israel. 

Zechariah 2:8-9 says…

• “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me.’”

In other words, Yeshua the Messiah, was sent to the nations. The Lord judges the nations on how they interact, treat, and deal with Israel, the apple of His eye. 

The Genesis 12:3 promise includes this: If a nation touches Israel’s borders, they poke God in the eye, provoking Him to shake His hand against them. The Word clearly tells us that there are negative consequences for the nations that come against Israel.

The Biblical Cause and Effect in Current Events

At the end of August 2021, which marked the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Ida hit land. Is there a biblical cause-and-effect principle to discover in this event, and others like it?

Let’s look at the history…

Hurricane Katrina hit 8 days after the United States pressured Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to evacuate Jewish families from the Gaza Strip under a disengagement plan in southern Israel in 2005. 

• Eight days later, Katrina hit. 

On August 27, 2021, President Biden and Prime Minister Naftali Bennet met. It is known that Biden endorses a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

• As Bennet was flying from the United States back to Israel, Hurricane Ida hits. 

Below is a list of biblical cause-and-effect situations that center on how Israel was treated in the last 80 years. 

The key to understanding the Genesis 12:3 promise is this: Whatever is happening in the spiritual is manifested in the physical. As Believers and those who understand and walk in the Issachar anointing, we know how critical it is to understand the times. 

We are to look past the physical into the spiritual. Stand with Israel, not based on emotions, feelings, or personal opinions, but because God’s Word is clear. He will bless those who bless her and curse him who curses her. 

Furthermore, as individuals who stand with Israel, we can have hope even when our nation isn’t aligning with God’s Word. Why? Read Genesis 12:3… “‘I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’”

He will bless those (plural) who bless Israel. But He will curse him (singular) who curses Israel. Therefore, no matter what the nations might do, you have personal responsibility and a call to stand with Israel. This releases heavenly protection upon you and your family, even when the nation may be in confusion and chaos. 

A Look at the Past 80 Years | The Genesis 12:3 Promise Manifested

Below is a short list of the Genesis 12:3 promise, the cause and effect of blessing and cursing Israel.  You can get a more extensive list here. 

September 1938

• Cause—Lord Neville Chamberlain met with Adolf Hitler, signing the Munich Agreement. 
• Effect—September 21, 1938, one of the most destructive and powerful recorded hurricanes struck Long Island and Southern New England, killing an estimated 700 people. The brunt of the storm hit a section of Long Island that was home to the Nazi supporting U.S. Bund party.

August 1992

• Cause—The Madrid Conference moved to Washington D.C., and peace talks resumed. 
• Effect—One day later, Hurricane Andrew hit Florida. There was an estimated $30 billion in damage, and 180,000 left homeless across the state.

January 1994

• Cause—President Bill Clinton met with Syria’s President Hafez al-Assad in Geneva. They discussed a peace agreement with Israel that included giving up the Golan Heights. 
• Effect—Within 24 hours of this meeting, the 6.9 Northridge earthquake hit Southern California. There was an estimated $20 billion in damage, 57 people died, and more than 5,000 were injured. 

November 1998

• Cause—Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat met with U.S. President Bill Clinton in Washington. He proposed a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as the capital and began raising money. Forty-two nations agreed to give Arafat $3 billion. President Clinton pledged $400 million, and the European nations pledged $1.7 billion.
• Effect—That same day, the Dow Jones average plunged 216 points. On December 1, the European Market had its worst day in history. Hundreds of billions of dollars of market capitalization were wiped out in the U.S. and in Europe.

April 2008

• Cause—Then former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, a strong advocate of the BDS movement, met with leaders of Hamas, announcing to the world that the terrorist organization dedicated to killing Jews is “committed to peace.” 
• Effect—One year later, he was diagnosed with cancer, and melanomas were found in his brain and liver. After only a few months of treatment, the doctors pronounced him cancer-free. Pembrolizumab, a drug developed in Israel, was part of his treatment.

August 2017

• Cause—President Trump’s Middle East negotiating team, led by Kushner and Greenblatt, visited the region in an attempt to jump-start peace talks. 
• Effect—Ten days later, Hurricane Harvey made landfall, slamming the Corpus Christi region of Texas with 130 mph winds and 13-foot storm surges.

When you look at these events through a prophetic lens, you can see the Genesis 12:3 promise and principle in action. There are both natural, physical, and financial disasters that follow cursing Israel. 

As a body of Believers, we are the ones who must stand firm in the Word of God, believing and taking heed to every jot and tittle (see Matthew 5:18). As we draw nearer to the last hour, the Spirit of God is speaking to each of us, telling us how to align ourselves, our families, and our nations according to His will. It is our choice how we will respond. 

Declare Joshua 24:15 Today

“And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Decide to align with God’s Word, serving Him, blessing Israel, and encouraging others to do the same.