Choose to Receive Blessing

Bible Study

Numbers 6:24-26 ESV

Several years ago I attended a church that practiced giving a blessing at the end of every service.

While the sermons were relevant and helpful, my favorite part of the service was the blessing we were given at the end of the service.

Numbers 6:24-24 tells us, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”

This particular blessing was my favorite. It’s known as the Aaronic Blessing given to the people of Israel.

The first phrase is three words in Hebrew and tells Israel ‘bless and keep’.

The second phrase expands the blessing with five Hebrew words. The purpose is to personalize the blessing for each person who hears (or reads) it. It is personal because the promise is that the face of the Lord will shine on you. At the same time the blessing includes a promise of God’s graciousness. Once again it’s a personal promise that God will look upon a man or a woman shining the light of God on them and giving the gift of grace.

The blessing really did bless!

The third thought expands it further. May God look on His people as God blesses, keeps, shines, and gives gracious favor on His people. The focus is given to the people of God.

God lifting His eyes on means more that looking favorably on them. The Hebrew language is pungent with flavor. It’s a bit like taking (English) mild milk chocolate words and filling the Hebrew words with thick with dark chocolate. God wants Aaron to give a blessing that is filled with passionate loving attention to those who have turned to God.

God smiles on His people.

God loves them and is offering favor on them.

This loving God wants to answer their prayers. God wants to be gracious. God desires to deliver them from their troubles and protect them from their enemies.

These aren’t empty hollow words. They are filled with power and love.

God wants them to experience peace.

Finally as we step back and look at the blessing we see it comes from The Lord, and The Lord, and from The Lord.

Father.

Son.

Spirit.

In the same overall theme the Lord uses the word YOU six times. WE are the recipients. The children of God ARE the FOCUS.

Deborah

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