Numbers 6:22–27 (NIV) 22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 "Tell Aaron andLord sons, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: "The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. 27 "So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them."
Why is this blessing valued? 1.We want God's blessing. 2. It's given by God. 3.It expresses his nature.
The Priestly Blessing 1. The Lord Bless + Keep you Blessing:
Favor: The enjoyment of God.
Fulfillment: Contentment in God's goodness.
Fellowship: Rejoicing connectedness
Keep You: Shamar: to keep, watch, preserve, guard. To exercise great care over: "to guard" or "to give attention."
Isaiah 27:2–3 (NLT) 2 "In that day, sing about the fruitful vineyard. 3 I, the Lord, will watch over it, watering it carefully.Day and night I will watch so no one can harm it.
"In his garden, he is the gardener and guardian."
Psalm 91:1–7 (NLT) 1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. 3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. 4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. 5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. 6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. 7 Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you.
2. Face shine upon you + be gracious to you. Numbers 6:25 (NLT) May the Lord smile on you.
Psalm 34:5 (NIV) Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
3. Turn his face toward you + give you peace.
Peace: Shalom- A state of tranquility or wholeness.
Psalm 55:22 (NIV) Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
We can have peace because his attention is on us to care for us! We experience peace when we focus our attention on him.
Isaiah 26:3 (NIV) You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
"So they will put my name on them"
Jesus Provides the Blessing: Luke 24:50–52 (NLT) 50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy.
Hebrews 7:24 (NLT) Because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever.
Jesus is the declared blessing over us!
Ephesians 1:3 (NLT) All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.
1. Jesus keeps us. John 10:27–30 (NLT) 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father's hand. 30 The Father and I are one."
Jesus provides eternal protection and preservation.
2. Jesus delights in us. John 1:16–18 (ESV) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
Jesus is the Father's favor.
Luke 12:32 (NLT) It gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
3. Jesus gives peace. John 14:26–27 (NLT) 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. 27 "I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.
When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive peace of mind and heart.
Colossians 1:19–22 (NLT) 19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross. 21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
Application: Priesthood of the believer. 1 Peter 2:9 (NLT) You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God...
We are not just recipients of blessing; we are participants.
