“The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” This is the third part of the Aaronic Blessing which we will study today. This is part of the blessing that God commanded Moses to teach Aaron and his sons to speak over Israel.
The way a person speaks is very revealing of their true character.
There is a scripture that says: “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Colossians 4:6)
Sometimes though; we speak out of turn without even realizing what we are doing.
This can happen when men try to pronounce blessings on their own; without the instructions of God.
Thus; the instructions are given here in Numbers; Chapter 6.
God does not waste his words. When he says something; you can always believe it is necessary and it has a purpose.
THE TONGUE CAN BE DESTRUCTIVE
The tongue is often destructive instead of helpful.
Sometimes this happens by mistake; even when a blessing is intended; but it could just as easily become a curse if we are too careless with our words and if we are not led by God.
Suddenly the very clear matter of simple, good speech becomes faded and gray and we aren’t sure how we should actually respond to words that are mistakenly given and not well-thought-out with prayer.
“HAVE A BLESSED DAY!”
Regardless of that fact; most of us Christians are in the daily habit of saying a particular greeting out loud to one another without even thinking about the words.
Perhaps this thought first came to us in a rote form by a trendy customer service greeting from a store; like the saying the check-out people at some establishments are known for calling out to their customers, such as “have a nice day!”
We don’t really know the exact origination.
All we know is that the saying has become very popular and it is often used. The greeting I refer to here is: “Have a blessed day.”
Mind you; this greeting is usually said with all good intentions and a kind attitude and a nice smile. There is nothing intentionally harmful about it.
Yet; there is no name or origination for this blessing.
There is no source of higher power mentioned when we hear these commonly-spoken words.
Why would we automatically assume that this statement is a blessing that comes from God?
FIDELITY TO THE ORIGINAL
That particular greeting is so vague and very unlike the blessing we read about in Numbers Chapter Six; which we are still looking at and studying today.
I learned a concept years ago from a man named Josh McDowell that has stayed with me and carried me through many a rocky road. That saying is; “fidelity to the Original.”
We KNOW that the Aaronic Blessing originated directly from God. There is no confirmed information on where the other blessing originated.
God gave specific instructions on how to say the Aaronic Blessing. God never mentioned the other statement that is often quoted as a blessing.
So; is it okay for us to be casually throwing less specific blessings around at each other as we go about our daily lives?
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the COME AS A CHILD BIBLE STUDY which we hold on this blog every Thursday.
You never know where God is going to take us next!
Sometimes the road is full of curves and twisty turns and surprises which we did not expect. Things can get a bit bumpy and the journey can seem confusing at certain points and destinations.
I did not expect to stumble upon this rather negative thought about blessings when I first embarked on this lesson; but there it was staring me right in the face and offering me the challenge of prayerfully seeking the truth and following it.
Isn’t that what God wants us Christians to be doing?
THE SOURCE IS UNKNOWN
Still; many of us mutter the words to a familiar but unknown blessing back and forth to each other throughout the day; most of us thinking we are doing something pious and good and Christian; but is it really?
We utter these words to each other like a common courtesy; such as “thank you” or “you are welcomed.”
Are they truly courteous words?
I never really thought too much about this until recently when I read an article written by a young man named Greg Taylor. Mr. Taylor is on a mission to stop the use of the words “Have a blessed day.” Here is a reference link to the article I read by him: https://www.thejourneychurch.faith/blog/numbers6.
IS THIS NEGATIVITY?
My first thoughts were – he is a very negative person with a very limited outlook on life. However; I gave him the benefit of a doubt and considered his reasons.
He points out that “have a blessed day” is a passive blessing with no stated source.
This proves to be an accurate statement when you do the research.
The word “blessing” is used a lot in the bible and there are specific blessings that are given in scriptures; but the two words “blessed” and “day” are not once used together; nor is anyone in the scriptures ever known to have uttered the words “Have a blessed day!”
Should that really matter?
BLESSINGS ALWAYS MATTER
Some question this vaguely worded blessing because God isn’t mentioned at all.
To take the power of God out of the words of a blessing implies that people have the same power as God.
Whoa!
We certainly don’t want to imply anything like that.
Maybe there is a way we can reword this to make it more beneficial?
Mr. Taylor has decided that he will begin to use different words. He will now say: “May God bless and protect you.”
This statement has a source of the blessing which is God.
It is said like a prayer; requesting that God bless and protect.
I have to agree with him!
He dares all of us to try it; so I think I will.
Sometimes it is simply necessary to rewrite the script.
This rewording reminds me of the beginning of the Aaronic Blessing from God where the first line says “May God bless you and keep you.”
This more careful wording greatly improves the chances that the person receiving the greeting will truly be blessed; and it doesn’t really break any rules when an individual prays out loud for someone else to be blessed and protected. That is actually a very good thing.
Problem solved!
THE AARONIC BLESSING TEACHES US HOW A BLESSING IS SUPPOSED TO BE GIVEN
Whew; I don’t know how we got off on that tangent; but let’s get back to our subject of the Aaronic Blessing.
We have already discussed the first part in a previous lesson RECEIVING THE AARONIC BLESSINGS OF GOD. That part says; “May God bless you and keep you.”
This part of the Aaronic Blessing rightfully suggests that God is our “keeper.”
It reminds us of the scripture verse found in Psalm 121: Behold he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper….the Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.
In Hebrew the word “keep” means to hedge around something with thorns. Jesus used the same type of words in John 17 when he prayed “The Lord keep you!” In his earnest prayer; Jesus gives us a perfect example of how a blessing should be given.
OUR GRACIOUS SOURCE IS GOD
The second part of the blessing says “The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.“
The graciousness of God mentioned in this second part of the blessing again reminds us that God is the ONE true source of all blessings.
Whenever you receive something good in this life; you can be sure it is a gift of God. If a blessing does not state a source; it may not truly be a blessing.
If the source of your blessing isn’t from God; do not receive it because it would be pagan in nature.
God can use a person to deliver the message; but that person is merely the vessel by which the blessing is transported. The origination of any blessing must come from God or it has no power at all.
A THREE-FOLD BLESSING
The Aaronic blessing states the name of God three times.
This word given for the name of God that is used is in the original translations is “Yahweh.”
It is also interesting to note when we remove the name of God from the blessing’s words and when we only use the other Hebraic words; we are left with only twelve words; one word for each of the twelve tribes/sons of Israel.
The word “you” which refers to the people being blessed is used six times. Six is the number of man.
THE THIRD PART OF THE BLESSING
The third part of the Aaronic Blessing is worded: “The Lord Lift up his face upon you and give you peace.”
Here again; we are thinking of the face of God.
This time God’s face is mentioned in the context of “peace.”
One Rabbi interprets the meaning of this passage as referring to the eyes of God. When we are able to look into God’s eyes (face-to-face) and see our own reflection reflecting back out from God’s eyes; that will be the time we are able to feel peace.
Our reflection shining out from God’s eyes will prove to us that God is always looking out for us; always on the watch for what is going on with us; ever diligent to address whatever he sees in our lives that helps to achieve the goals of The Kingdom of Heaven.
He knows our purpose and our destiny; even when we can’t see it ourselves.
A PICTURE OF TRUE HOLINESS
When God looks at us face-to-face; we are able to behold true holiness. At this point, everything else feels insignificant and the whole truth of God becomes transparent to us.
This blessing is much better than any material blessing we might receive.
A spiritual blessing is something that only God can give. God uses his Holy Spirit to pass on these types of blessings. A person may deliver the message; but it is directly from God. This third part of the Godhead is revealed at the very end of the Aaronic Blessing. It is God’s Holy Spirit that passes on the spiritual blessings.
THIS BLESSING IS ALWAYS PLURAL IN NATURE
We should also note that when God words this prayer of the blessing for us; he uses plural pronouns.
It isn’t an individual blessing; but a blessing for ALL of God’s people.
God wants to give everyone protection, grace and peace. It is up to all people to submit to God’s ways and become receivers of the blessing. To receive a blessing; you simply have to show a response to God. Many raise their hands to receive. Some say “Amen.” Some pray and have a conversation with God.
UNDERSTANDING A CULTURE’S PRAYERS
We can understand more about the blessings of God and how they are passed on from the story of Jacob. God eventually changed Jacob’s name to Israel and as Israel was dying; he passed on blessings to all twelve of his sons. Previously we published a lesson about this. You may review it here is you like: https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/come-as-a-child-lesson-104-israel-blesses-joseph-ephraim-and-manasseh/.
A Rabbi named Rabbi Sacks is famous for saying “if you want to understand a people, look at its prayers.”
He points out the fact that the people of Israel have always only prayed to God for protection, grace and peace.
These blessings that founded Israel are the same blessings that founded America. They both asked God for the same thing; protection, grace and peace.
Other cultures are asking God for wealth and power and empires that are within their own control.
Israel has never asked for the power to control the world; only to live peacefully within the world.
This is what true holiness demands; and it is the desire that God will be seeking when he does return to us and we see him face-to-face.
May he find us always living under the blessing !