A0415_The Lord Bless You
Date: 4th January 2009 (Sunday AM) Ref: A0415
Place: Kambah P.S.
Title: The Lord Bless You
Text: & Numbers 6:22-27
Illust: Everybody has a story to tell, a circumstance, an upbringing a personal struggle or trial. Marlon Brando a famous Holywood actor might have been a great actor, but he was a pig of a man, self centred & egotistical. – His children were messed up. Cursed in a way by their father’s lack of any real concern for them. – Marlon Brando’s mother was a drunkard & he lived in a fractured home. – A messed up family. – Despite all the money – Marlon was mostly broke, there was no real blessing no peace. – This New Year I want you to be blessed.
I. God’s Blessings
A. Blessing
i. In our text this is called the Aaronic Blessing. – It is the blessing with which Aaron & his sons, the priests, are to bless the people
What is a blessing? – Dictionary defines it as:
To invoke divine favor upon.
To confer well-being or prosperity on,
To endow, as with talent
This is our typical understanding, but I want to look a little bit deeper:
The Hebrew word is בָּרַךְ which along with the idea to favour also carries the meaning of:
kneel down, i.e., to be or go to a stance in which one is on the knees as contrasted with standing on the feet, with the back straight or bent (2Ch 6:13; Ps 95:6+), note: in context this position can be a position of worship or humility; (hif) make kneel, cause to take a kneeling stance
ii. A sense that you are blessed by one who is greater & there is encumbered upon us a sense of humility. To kneel in the presence of the one who blesses, to appreciate the gift – That’s what blessing is a gift, favour.
iii. But even deeper the English word blessing has an interesting etymology
Word History: The verb bless comes from Old English bl dsian, bl dsian, bl tsian, "to bless, wish happiness, consecrate."..., it can be shown to derive from the Germanic noun *bl dan, "blood." Bl dsian therefore literally means "to consecrate with blood, sprinkle with blood."
Consecrated, God blesses us, we are consecrated by Him & to Him – Ultimate blessing (favour) the consecration that we are washed clean of all of our sin in the blood of the lamb.
1 Peter 1:2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. (NKJV)
B. His Children
i. & Vs 22-23 – God speaks to Moses & gives him instructions for blessing the children of Israel. God wants His people to be blessed. He lays out the formula to be followed.
ii. Important this AM that you lock into your spirit that, if you are saved, washed clean by the blood of Jesus then you are a child of God.
1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! (NKJV)
iii. It is the New Year, we have just come through Christmas, As a parent, I want to bless my children, favour them, give them things that will help them, that will bring joy – I an earthly father want to bless my children, God our heavenly father so much more wants to bless you His children
Matthew 7:11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (NKJV)
God wants to bless.
Psalm 115:13 He will bless those who fear the Lord, Both small and great. (NKJV)
II. Three Fold Blessing
A. Bless & Keep
i. & vs 24 – The Lord wants to Bless you, to favour you, to endow you with talents, to consecrate, sanctify you. – This is His will for you this coming year & every year.
ii. The 2nd part of this clause is: The Lord bless you and keep you;
שָׁמַר ~ 1 to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
What a wonderful blessing, God is going to look after you this year, He is fully aware of everything that is happening in your life & He watches over you to protect you – to “keep you” ~ & Psalm 121:4-7
B. Shine His Face Upon Us
i. & vs 25 – There is the temptation many times when you part from someone you may not like & they depart with a cheery “See ya later” to mutter under our breath “not if I see you first” – The intention that we would hide our face, not to be seen. Turn and walk the other way.
ii. Blessing is to have God’s face shine upon you. His face; that is the very nature of His personality & His presence, - Throughout scripture when God hides His face from His people, when He turns away destruction & death follows. – When He shines His face on them there is blessing & favour.
Psalm 44:3 For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, Because You favored them. (NKJV)
When it is dark you go into a room – 1st thing is turn on the light – The shining light reveals things. When God’s face shines on you, His Glory, shines: He reveals things to you, destiny, purpose, guidance, direction. – Pitfalls & traps revealed.
Sin revealed so it can be repented of – find mercy & forgiveness - Blessing
iii. This is what is meant by the 2nd part of this blessing; “And be gracious to you” – To find divine favour & mercy.
C. Lift Up His Countenance to Us
i. & vs 26 – This is almost the same as the previous clause, in fact the word for countenance is the same Hb word for “face” however it is in a much stronger form grammatically, implying a more personal & individual attention
ii. Like He is fixing His gaze intently upon you, He is intensely interested in you, You are special in His eyes.
iii. The climax of the blessing is found in the final part “And give you peace” :
שָׁלֹום ~ 1 completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.
iv. Peace of mind, peace in the midst of difficult circumstances, perfect peace – What a blessing, - The desperate desire of so many people for peace, is a blessing that God will bestow on you, His child.
Psalm 29:11 The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace. (NKJV)