Happy Birthday, ResLife

Notes on Numbers 6:24-26

Aaronic Blessing:

Ps 67 “To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song. 1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah 2 that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. 3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! 4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah 5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! 6 The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. 7 God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!”

Psalm 121 “A Song of Ascents. 1 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.”

Introduction:

Roy Gane: “Old Testament ‘Lord’s Prayer’

Insight into how Hebrew poetry works: Incredible symmetry to it...

Three Lines:

First line: 3 words: 12 syllables

Second Line: 5 words: 14 syllables

Third line: 7 words: 16 syllables.

Hebrew Letters: 15, 20, 25

“If one subtracts the thrice-repeated name of the Lord, there are twelve words left, no doubt symbolizing the twelve tribes of Israel.” Wenham

No need to repeat God’s name, but it’s repetition is important:

The Lord is embedded in the blessings.

Outline:

Lord is subject with 2 verbs:

Bless, keep

Shine, be gracious

Lift up, give

“The first clause of each line (invokes) God’s movement towards his people, the second clause, his activity on their behalf.” P.D. Miller

Part I: Bless and Protect

The Lord’s Movement towards them

Bless

Children, property, land, good health, and his presence

All about grace

Protection

Part II: Shine and Gracious

Shine

“When God smiles on his people, they can be sure that he will be gracious to them, that is, he will deliver them from all their troubles. He will answer their prayers and save them from their enemies, sickness and sin.” Miller

Horse and His Boy: Experience of being in the presence of Aslan.

“Benevolent look on God’s face” Miller

Psalm 4:1 “1 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!”

Ps 6:2 “2 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.”

Ps 41:4 “4 As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you!””

Ps 51:1 “1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.”

Be Gracious

Part III: Lift and Peace

To lift up one’s eyes or face means to pay attention

Raising your face to give one’s attention

Moving his face towards yours.

Staring contests are so uncomfortable!

Gen 43:29 “29 And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!””

Psalm 4:6 “6 There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!””

Ps 34:15 “15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.”

Peace=Shalom: “More than the absence of war. It means well-bing, health, prosperity, and salvation: in short, the sum total of all God’s good gifts to his people.” Miller

Each line builds on the next, climax/trajectory of the prayer=peace

Each line produces a ‘crescendo’ effect, “culminating in the word peace.”

Conclusion:

v. 27: “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel and I will bless them.”

Beginning=bless

Ending=put

v. 27=Put and bless

1979: Two miniature scrolls with about twenty lines scratched into their surfaces had apparently been worn about the neck on the cords through central holes. Dating to the end of the seventh century B.C. or the beginning of the sixth century, they are among the earliest quotations of any scriptural passage.” Roy Gane

Priests NO longer place the name of God onto Israel.

You’ve been marked by God’s name!

You’ve been given the blessing

God’s love and favor!