Bearing God's Name: Why Sinai Still MattersSample

The Priestly Blessing

As the Israelites get ready to leave Sinai, God directs Moses to train the priests in their most important task of all—the climax of their ministry. It’s known as the priestly blessing—the tiny part of Numbers we’ve incorporated into our church services because it is beautiful. We may have heard this gospel blessing time and again. But it is more profound if we read it with Israel, against the curse of their long years of thankless toil in Egypt, in light of the freedom so newly given, as the culmination of their new vocation as Yahweh’s representatives. God is so determined to bless His people that He includes it in Aaron’s job description. 

Here is the good news: 

The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

“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.”’” (Numbers 6:22-26 NIV)

And the wonder of it all is that they’ve done so little to deserve it. They have whined, complained, doubted, rebelled, and cowered in fear when they should have trusted. But God is unwilling to drop the promises He made to Abraham. He is committed to His plan to bless. 

In the following verse, Yahweh concludes His instructions: “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them” (Numbers 6:27 NIV, emphasis added). In blessing them by His name, He is essentially placing His name upon His people. Yahweh had already claimed them as His own at Sinai. Now He institutes an official blessing to serve as a regular reminder. From this moment on they are identified as His. 

This blessing recalls the command not to bear Yahweh’s name in vain (Exodus 20:7). It is the clearest indication in Scripture of Yahweh actually putting His name on His people. They bear His name, dedicating their lives to His service.