The Blessing

These are the words of the blessing found in Numbers 6:24-26, which God instructed Moses to give to Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel.  They were to lift their hands over the worshipers in the synagogue service while they utter the words, “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’ “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:24-27).  To this day this beloved blessing is recited in temples and churches all over the world.  It is a prayer bestowed by a loving Father to each of His children. 

The blessing is phrased in the singular “you” not the plural because it is meant to have a personal application of the needs and desires of the individual, not one over an entire crowd.   

The three lines of the blessing are beautifully fulfilled in the Messiah.  First, may He “bless you and keep you”, speaks of how He “has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Messiah (Eph.1:3) and how He “is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy…” (Jude 1:24).  Secondly, may “His Face shine on you and be gracious to you”, speaks of His attention and pleasure towards us.  His graciousness is expressed in the verse from (Rom.5:8) “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Lastly, “the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”  With that attention comes complete peace, and wholeness which the Messiah fulfilled.  Rom.5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”. He is our Prince of Peace!  Enjoy!