blessing

November 8, 2007: Psalm 57; Numbers 6; John 16

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,

The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up his countenance upon you and safeguard you in peace.

So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them."
(Numbers 6:24-26)

God is committed to blessing his people. This "Aaronic blessing" is the blessing par excellence: it is the blessing the priests says over the people and the father over his family.

In the beginning, God blessed the man and woman made in his image. This is, arguably, the principle theme of the Scriptures: the intention of God to bless his creation, and his consummating that original creation purpose through covenant. Creation, covenant, consummation. This is the biblical narrative, this is the thread that runs through the whole story from beginning to end. It is first an economy of (mutual) blessing, and not an economy of sin and redemption. The second serves the first.

I am going to develop this a bit more on the "dicristina" blog today, but

My point here is to emphasize that indeed God is committed to blessing. This blessing is in relationship with him. A shining face, countenance lifted up, these are ways of saying he is looking at you and over you with a radiant, smiling face, and with pride and confidence, with joy and delight. And this blessing is not material luxury or comfort, but about being kept by (in) God and guarded in his peace. It's about God, "so they shall put my name upon the people and bless them." Remember, God's name is all that he is, all his attributes, his honor, his character, his reputation...

Finally, it is all grace - this blessing is not connected to feasts or atonement or offerings... it's not "when the people get their act together" or anything like that, it's just that the priests were to put God's name on the people, to bless them, to remind and convince them what this relationship with God is about.

It's interesting, and encouraging, to read this whole section of John (14-16) in light of this theme (love, joy, peace, abiding in him, the Holy Spirit...).

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
(John 16:33)

If you want to hear the blessing in the Hebrew, check out the website below (actually, I think this is the website of the church that Ellie Striplin goes to at college...)
Aaronic blessing - MacLean Bible Church