The LORD Blss You

Leviticus 5:14–19, 6:1–7, 7:1–10, 22:17–30, 24:1-9, Numbers 6:22-27, 28:9–15, Deuteronomy 21:1–9  
 
Numbers 6:22-27 Then the Lord said to Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing: 24 ‘May the Lord bless you and protect you. 25 May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. 26 May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.’ 27 Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.”
 
THIS may be one of Scripture’s most familiar passages. I’m not sure all who hear this blessing or benediction spoken in a worship service know it’s from the Bible. And I doubt few would think it is from Numbers – this book of the law. This is more evidence the law is God’s spoken love to enrich and protect his own.
   See how the LORD instructed Moses to, “Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing.” El Shaddai is the Loving Father, Good Shepherd and Helper to encourage and promise Israel, “I am with you.”
   How assuring to consider the LORD smiles on his own. What joy to know the holy God desires to be gracious to us whose first desire is to rebel against his rule. How good is the law to give us God’s truth, so we will be under his protection.
   “May the LORD smile on you,” is much more than a facial expression. It infers God’s face is toward us. Remember when Moses was on the mountain. God would not show his face because he is too glorious for Moses to behold. Such an encounter would have killed Moses. But here, God promises to come to be face-to-face with his own. This was his relationship with Adam and Eve before the sin. This is the love relationship God promises to restore to his own.
   In this personal very relationship, God will demonstrate the fullness of his favor. This is his blessing, his grace to choose his own to receive his salvation. His favor also is to attend to his people. He released Israel from slavery, fed them in the wilderness, judged their sins and blessed their obedience. His favor directs mankind through our sins and into his promises. God’s law doe does not chain down his people but releases us into the full love relationship he graciously offers to us. In this is God’s true, lasting peace.    Then God closes with a promise. “Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.” This is a very personal relationship between the holy God and his chosen people. In his sovereign authority he will bless us, as citizens of the Kingdom of God. He will keep us, make his face shine on us and give us peace because this is his will.  
          May God’s love bless you.