Tuesday
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 to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.
So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”
(Numbers 6:22-27, NIV)
Following the Exodus from Egypt, God instructs Moses to take a census of the tribes of Israel and orders him to arrange the tribes in a particular formation around the “Tent of Meeting.” God then sets apart the tribe of Levi and instructs them to serve with Aaron and his sons as priests with responsibility for doing the work of the tabernacle. A total of 8,850 Levites between the ages of 30 and 50 years old are consecrated in this fashion for priestly service.
God instructs Moses to tell Aaron and his sons to announce the priestly benediction recorded in today’s verses. In Biblical literature, a blessing is a very special type of speech. It is something that God can do for us, and yet we can also do for God! In these verses God blesses his people; yet in the Psalms, the writers often bless God.
Jahweh is making it clear to His people that He has a covenant with them, that they bear His name, and that He will bless them. What was the nature of His blessing? Shalom (verse 26).
The promise of God is first of all protection. “The Lord bless you and keep you.” The word “keep” means watch, guard and shelter. “The Lord make His face shine upon you.” This graphic expression is the Hebrew way of describing one’s emotions. For example, Genesis 4:5 tells us that when God refuses Cain’s sacrifice, Cain’s face is “downcast” or “his face fell.” On the other hand, a favorable disposition is often described by a facial expression that “shines.” Internal attitudes are reflected by outward appearances. In today’s verses, God is pleased with His chosen people and will “turn his face” toward them as a sign of favor.
All of this graciousness and blessing from God issues forth in one conclusion: the gift of peace. God, in His own pleasure, wants His people to have peace. God’s desire for His people today has not changed. His wish for us is shalom.
Prayer
Lord, help us to live a life of obedience so that you will “turn your face” toward us and bless us. Thank you for desiring to give us the gift of shalom. You indeed are a God of grace and love! Amen.