So, I was doing a little online reading about the meaning within the blessing in Numbers 6:24-26, and I found this essay: The Priestly Blessing One of the things that Tim Hegg opens up is the possibility of a relationship between the words within each phrase. He suggests that it could read like this:
The LORD bless you, that is may he keep you;
The LORD make his face to shine upon you, that is may he demonstrate and
pour out his grace upon you;
The LORD lift up his countenance upon you, that is may he give you his peace.
God's blessing? He keeps us as in protects, cares for, holds secure (like the keep of a fortress), provides for.
God's shining face? His abundant grace demonstrated in His Son, poured out by Him for life ... OUR life to be redeemed. And, shining? His love for His Son, for us. His glory... His g-l-o-r-y.
God's countenance lifted up? As He looks upon us through those eyes of love and grace ... we receive peace that goes beyond anything the world can understand. Redeemed. Restored. Renewed.
In this blessing we receive a relationship with the LORD God himself, a covenant of His making... initiated by His love for us, fulfilled through Christ's love for us, and sealed by His Holy Spirit's love within us. Is this not verse 27? By this blessing God puts His Name upon us... we are His. This is abundance beyond what we can ask or imagine.
As we come to Him this Lenten season in humble repentance, may we see the gift of this blessing... and let us bless the LORD.
tears... actual tears.. This is a homily.. a blessing to me as if you were standing in the pulpit in front of me. Thank you Jean Devaty, Thank you for bringing me back, yet again. Unfamiliar with Tim Hegg, but my thanks to him as well. You are blessed to be a blessing, friend.
ReplyDeleteClick on "The Priestly Blessing" and it will link you to Tim Hegg's essay. Brilliant... simply brilliant.
ReplyDeleteThank you!! In our cbs study of Isaiah I am lead back to the 'word' and the power of His word, our words, the connection of the words, and now you write about the relationship of the words in the phrases. It seems this is what He is showing me too!
ReplyDeleteour memory verse last week ...Isaiah 50:4
New International Version (NIV)
4 The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,
to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.
the WORD that sustains!!
thank you again and I love reading your blog!
blessings,
Ruth