Numbers 6::22-27 –
The Blessing – July 1, 2007-06-26
Intro: Today is
Canada Day and it is the 140th year that our nation has been
around. There are 32,000,000 of us from
every country in the world. God has
blessed us with freedom and peace. We
have been rated the best country in the world to live in. Our country is blessed because our
forefathers chose to follow godly principles.
1. Today I am
speaking from Num 6:22-27, the priestly blessing. I have supplied you
With material
pertaining to the Book of Numbers. I
could have spoken about, the 12
Spies, Aaron and
Miriam’s rebellion, Balaam, the defeat of
division of the
land. This book is rich with history, romance,
revenge, love, treachery
and
triumph.
a. The blessing we
are going to talk about is what Aaron and his sons would say over the
people. This is the same blessing that Jewish Rabbi’s
give over the Jews today. Talk
about Leonard
Nimoy.
b. Briefly lets talk
about how the Levites and Aaron’s descendents became & who they
were. Moses, Aaron and Miriam were from the tribe
of Levi. Levi was one of the 12
sons of
Jacob. Jacob called Levi cruel and self
willed. Levi and Simeon killed the
Shechemites when
Dinah their sister was defiled in Gen 34.
Talk about this.
c. The lesson we
learn is that God can make the best saints out of the most rough and
unpromising
material. Paul write in Eph 2:2, “such
were some of us, walking
according to the
course of this world, yet while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
We learn from the
gospels that Jesus came not to call the righteous but sinners.
2. This blessing is
comprised of three parts. But for a
moment let us look at what
the word blessing
means. The Webster’s dictionary says it
is to invoke happiness or
best wishes on
someone. The Hebrew word is Barak, which means to
adore, revere
and consecrate
oneself to the service of God. In the
case of the priestly blessing it
means to release
God’s benefits on another.
a. In the case of
this blessing, God promises to meet His people with blessing where
His name is
proclaimed and recorded.
b. This blessing has
a threefold promise. God’s providence,
grace and favour.
3. The first part is
the “Lord,
bless you and keep you.” This is
where God promises to
Preserve us from
evil. This is the goodness of God in
action. This is the blessing of
God in all
areas. Keep us Lord, you are our
defender. You are Jehovah Nissi my
Banner, my
protector.
a. This first part,
is personal. God wants to get intimate
with you. He knows your every
need. Ps 133:3 states that the Lord commands His
blessing, even life evermore.
b. When we talk about
God’s keeping power, he keeps us from sin, fear and the
dominion of the
devil. He promises to keep us near by
the power of His Spirit. Jesus
prayed that in
John 17:11
4. The
Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The face of God
Is the
personality of God turn towards man. It
could be wrath to destroy but in this
Case it is
shining with love, life and goodness.
God is smiling at us, He loves His
Children. God loves us church. Today we see God’s face in the face of
Jesus. David
Prayed in Ps
31:16, ”Make your face to shine upon your servant.” When God’s shines
On us we can see
clearly His love, favour grace and mercy.
a. When the second part of this blessing is
invoked or spoken it releases God grace on
us. It is God’s favour. We have within our reach the resources of
God. James Smith
writes, “Having
given us His son, how will He not also with Him freely give us all
things?”
b. Graciousness is a
conscious decision to overlook faults, failures and shortcomings.
God extends His
mercy to the sinner through Jesus Christ and gives us grace.
Gracious means
to be condescending, indulgent and benevolent.
God wants to
Give us His
riches and resources. When this blessing
is released. God gets close,
Shines His light and grace on us. Talk
about Jack Keys.
5. The
Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace. When the Lord turns His
Face towards
you. It means He will give you the
personal privilege of enjoying His
Presence. We have an audience of one. God is getting
personally involved with us.
When He turns His
face towards us we become aware of His nature, characteristics
And
expectations. This helps us to let go as
the writer of Hebrews says in Heb 12:1
“The weights and
sins that so easily hold us.” God wants
to have fellowship with us
And be our
friend. This blessing helps release it.
a. May He give you peace. Peace is contentment and absence of worry in
the midst of
of conflict,
war and strife. God has given the
ability to win because of the salvation
won for us
through Jesus Christ. Remember Jesus
came to destroy the works of the
devil, 1 John
3:8.
b. His power will be Shalom, God is Jehovah Shalom, the God of Peace. Peace which
is the sum of all
good. God has prepared and delivered
this to His people. We not
only have peace with God but the peace of God. We have God’s own peace ruling
and protecting
our hearts. This peace passes all
understanding. Phil 4:6-7, so we
don’t have to
have our hearts being troubled.
6. This blessing is
threefold which theologians tell us stands for the trinity. It also
Parallels the
Apostolic blessing which states, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
The love of God
and the Communion of the Holy Spirit.
a. The last verse
which states, So they will put my name on the Israelites and I will
bless them. This means to release the nature of
God on someone. God wants to
anoint us, enable
us, give us power, authority, wisdom clarity and boldness.
b. He wants to impart
through the indwelling Holy Spirit all the blessings of heaven.
So as we go into
communion and as we prepare to enjoy the Lord’s supper. Let us
Enjoy the
blessing of the Lord
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