The LORD Bless You [Numbers 6]


22Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

 23"Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, 'Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them:
    24The LORD bless you, and keep you;
    25The LORD make His face shine on you,
         And be gracious to you;
    26The LORD lift up His countenance on you,
         And give you peace.'

 27"So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them."

 

I have been pondering the word "bless" over the last week and so it made me smile when I came to these verses.  What does it mean to be blessed?  My pondering started when I read Ephesians 1 and the word appeared three times in one verse:

 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

 4just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.

I looked up the definition for the Greek (New Testament) word and was surprised by the meaning.  It means "to be spoken well of (adoration)."  I have to say that I find myself meaning something different when I use the word.  I am usually thinking of gifts, something given.  Using the definition instead of the word helps to redirect my thinking so here is the Ephesians verses. 

God is well spoken of and adored as God and and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has spoken well and adored us with every spiritual adoration and fine speaking in the heavenly places in Christ.

Hummm.  Now as I read the Numbers verses I wondered what Hebrew definition is.  It means "to kneel, by implication an act of adoration, praise, salute."  So adding that idea to the verses:

The LORD adore/salute you and keep you.

I hope that this warms your heart this morning as it does mine. 

Father, we praise You that You are a God who adores us and keeps us.  You make Your face shine on us and You are gracious to us.  May we walk in the peace You are giving us as You lift our countenances.   Thank You that You are adored and well spoken of in response to Your adoration of us.  We do adore and praise You. 


Verna McCrillis, 7/12/2010