The Blessing
Numbers 6:24-26: 24 ‘“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.”
It is strange that this Corona Virus seems to have isolated us in many ways, and yet at the same time has made us appreciate that we are part of a global community….. and that theme seems to have been picked up by those of us writing these messages, and we seek God’s guidance on what to write. Maggie – hope and a global coming together to sing the Hymn, “Amazing Grace”, Monica bringing us together in the Unity of the Spirit and Peter sharing a personal testimony of the idea of us “gathering” with our spiritual family as Jesus escorts us from this world into the next.
I spent an evening listening to a number of different versions of “The Blessing” which God has used to unite His people, and for me, it has helped me to truly appreciate the Global nature of His Church and the heavenly family that I am part of ….. the same tune, the same words, but in different languages and by people who outwardly may look quite different.
If you haven’t listened to “The Blessing”, and even if you have, I would encourage you to listen afresh – there are many versions, but this is one you could try: click to open Youtube of The Blessing.
The inspiration for this song comes from a number of passages in the Old Testament:
Numbers 6:24-26: 24 “‘“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.”’
Exodus 20:6 - 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Deuteronomy 7:9 - 9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.
Psalms 103:17-18 - 17 But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— 18 with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
I first heard “The Blessing” as the UK version and all done by people singing from their homes. Stickers came up to state which Church they were members of, until the pictures became so small that their churches became invisible and actually irrelevant….. they were God’s people singing a proclamation upon their nation for God to bring His Blessing!
His promise to keep us
His promise to look upon us
His promise to never forget us
His promise to give us peace
His promise to LOVE US for a 1000 generations…..actually FOREVER!
Can we ask this same Blessing for the people we are with as we read or listen to this message? For those people we may not be with at the moment, but whom we love and long for God’s Blessing to be upon them.
Let’s stop reading, pause the recording… and speak a Blessing over the people we are with, the people we love……. Just speak Numbers 6 over them…. or speak as God leads you……
Numbers 6:24-26: 24 “‘“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.”’
THANKS, AND GOD BLESS YOU!
As I thought about this message more, and appreciated ever more deeply the wonderful, huge family we are a part of, God brought the heavenly vision of John, as described in Revelations into my mind…..
Rev 7: 9-10 - 9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
From the beginning of the Bible to the end, we see God’s salvation plan working through, despite our, all too often, human failings messing things up. And yet God’s unfailing love comes back again and again to pick up humanity and once again set us on the right path. And this is not just a mass rebellion against the will of God, but our own personal failure as we go against God’s will, and in disobedience fall into sin. I feel sadness in my heart as I write these words, I know I have…. and, no doubt, will again sin against God and to bring Him sadness, but ….
“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
And I will…..YOU WILL…. be amongst that great multitude of saints who are shouting these words before the throne of God, with brothers and sisters from EVERY NATION, TRIBE, PEOPLE AND LANGUAGE - the blessings of the Old Testament coming to fruition through Jesus Christ, our Saviour!
What a brilliant God we have!
What a wonderful family we have!
Let me finish with the closing verses of Revelations 7:
Revelations 7: 13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” 14 I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. 16 ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’[a] nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’[b] ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’[c]”
What a blessing!
Questions to ponder:
How do you feel knowing that God has a blessing for you?
How does it feel to ask God’s blessing to come on others?
A wonderful ending…. no more hunger, thirst, heat, etc…. but how can we help others pass through such earthly trouble periods …… physical, emotional and spiritual hurts?
