Getting the Blessing 

Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, “This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.” So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them. (Numbers 6:23-27)

The LORD bless you: This simple desire prefaces everything. God loves to bless His people, and He loves when His leaders long for the people to be blessed. God’s blessing always keeps in mind our greatest and highest good. We often expect God’s blessing in our life to mean a world of comfort and ease – but that certainly isn’t for our greatest and highest good. God knows how you need to be blessed, even if you don’t!

And keep you: To be kept by the LORD is a blessing indeed. Some are kept by their sin and desire; some are kept by idolatry and greed; others are kept by their bitterness and anger. But to be kept by the Lord ensures life, peace, and success.

The LORD make His face to shine upon you: To have the glorious, happy face of God shining upon you is the greatest gift one could have. To know that as God looks upon you, He is well pleased – not because of who you are, or what you have done, but because you are in Jesus Christ – there is no greater source of peace and power in life.

And be gracious to you: The idea is that God shows tender mercy and care for His people.

The LORD lift up His countenance upon you: The priest prays that God would look upon His people/ When God blesses, keeps, shines, and is gracious towards His people, any look He casts towards His people is filled with nothing but blessing. His loving attention is on the believer!

And give you peace: The Hebrew word is shalom, which is more than the cessation of hostility; it is God’s word for wholeness and goodness and total satisfaction in life. This is the abundant life Jesus promised (John 10:10).

Through the blessing, the three-fold repetition of LORD does not prove the Trinity, but it certainly illustrates it. God the Father blesses and keeps His children. God the Son makes God’s face to shine on us and brings us grace. God the Holy Spirit communicates God’s attention to us and gives us peace.

Notice God’s promise at the end: "And I will bless them." God promises to bless in response to this blessing. Every believer can know that we have a High Priest in heaven who ever lives to intercede for us and to bless us. Do you sense this blessing in your life?

Receive the blessing of Jesus – your High Priest – in your life today.

Written by David Guzik for Enduring Word.