January 29, 2025

The first part of the book of Numbers is not the most exciting section of the Bible. After all, there are a lot of, well, numbers in it. Have you ever read chapter 7? It is 89 verses long and from verses 12-83 it repeats the same phrases over and over (which include numbers) but only changes the day, the name and the name of the tribe. You may be tempted to gloss over the whole section and get on to where there is a bit more action. But wait. If you skip this, you will miss the end of chapter 6 that says,

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall 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 lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Here in the middle of the law of God, God tells Moses to tell Aaron and his sons to bless the children of Israel. Bless them. Pray for them in front of them. Ask God to bless them and keep them. Ask God to make his face to shine upon them and be gracious to them. Ask God to lift up his face and give them peace. This last phrase sounds like God smiling upon them. But what is so fascinating to me is the fact that God tells Aaron and his sons not only to bless them but what to say in this blessing.

People of God, this is your God. He loves his children. He loves to bless his children. He loves to be gracious, to give peace to look upon, to smile upon, to pour out favor and to keep his own. And he says all of this in the middle of giving the law! So, how are we to understand the law? The law was not given by an angry God who wanted to crush people by frustrating them. The law was from a good God who loves to bless but who knows the seriousness of sin and the necessity of atonement.

This blessing in the Old Testament is made possible by the atonement accomplished by Christ in the New Testament. Oh beloved, enjoy grace. The God who commands leaders to bless his people has to be a God full of blessings for his own.

Grace and peace,

Bob

Sunday’s Text: Luke 10:21-24