Numbers 06:22-27 The Priestly Blessing

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Text: Numbers 6:22-27

Introduction

1. In a book filled with “numbers”, we find a beautiful blessing, which has been called “the Lord’s Prayer of the Old Testament”:

“The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)

2. As noted in Numbers 6:22-27, it is the blessing of the Lord with which Aaron and his sons were to bless the children of Israel…

a. Aaron and his sons made up the priesthood for Israel

b. Therefore this passage as often been called “The Priestly Blessing”

3. In this passage, I believe we learn things about the Lord which are just as true today…

a. Even though we do not live under the Old Covenant, with its Aaronic priesthood

b. We do have a “High Priest”, who desires to bless us just as richly!

Body

I. THE PRIESTLY BLESSING DEFINED

A. “THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU”

1. The word “bless” means to confer well-being or prosperity

a. The promise of such blessings was conditional – Deuteronomy 28:1-6

b. Failure to meet God’s conditions brought curses, not blessings – Deuteronomy 28:15-19

2. The word “keep” means to provide and care, to guard and protect

a. A beautiful psalm which speaks of God’s care is Psalm 121:1-8

I will lift up my eyes to the hills From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; Hebrews who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; Hebrews shall preserve your soul. The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.

b. Like a shepherd guarding and providing his sheep, the benediction calls upon God to keep watch over Israel

B. “THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON YOU, AND BE GRACIOUS TO YOU”

1. To “make His face shine” may be an idiom…

a. Indicating God’s smile of favor on His people, evidenced by His being “gracious

b. Note how it is used elsewhere –

Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies’ sake. (Psalm 31:16)

Restore us, O God; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved! (Psalm 80:3)

Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. (Daniel 9:17)

2. To “be gracious” means to bestow favor, especially that which is unmerited

a. The parallelism of this benediction suggests this favor refers to the blessing and keeping by the Lord mentioned previously

b. Perhaps emphasizing that such blessings are unmerited, even though conditional

C. “THE LORD LIFT UP HIS COUNTENANCE UPON YOU, AND GIVE YOU PEACE”

1. To “lift up His countenance” may be similar to smile

a. As such it suggests pleasure and affection

b. Also approval and recognition

2. The word “peace” is not just the absence of war, but a positive state of rightness and fullness of well-being

a. For the nation of Israel, God had promised peace if they were faithful – Leviticus 26:6

I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid; I will rid the land of evil beasts, and the sword will not go through your land. (Leviticus 26:6)

b. There was also peace for the individual who trusted in God – Isaiah 26:3

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3)

II. THE PRIESTLY BLESSING TODAY

A. “THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU”

1. Indeed the Lord does desire to bless us!

a. Today, those blessings come through Jesus Christ – Ephesians 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3)

b. They come especially to those described in Matthew 5:3-12

2. And the Lord desires to provide and care for us!

a. As described by Jesus in Matthew 6:25-32

b. But this care is conditional, the condition described in Matthew 6:33

B. “THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON YOU, AND BE GRACIOUS TO YOU”

1. Just as all spiritual blessings come through Jesus, so God’s grace is now manifested through His Son – cf. John 1:17

For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)

2. Yes, God desires to show His smile of favor upon us, but it is imperative that we not receive it in vain! – cf. 2 Corinthians 6:1-3

We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: “IN AN ACCEPTABLE TIME I HAVE HEARD YOU, AND IN THE DAY OF SALVATION I HAVE HELPED YOU.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. (2 Corinthians 6:1-3)

C. “THE LORD LIFT UP HIS COUNTENANCE UPON YOU, AND GIVE YOU PEACE”

1. Through Christ, peace with God is now possible – Romans 5:1

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1)

2. And as we continue to pray, God bestows peace through His Son – Philippians 4:6-7

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

Conclusion

1. We have been talking about “The Priestly Blessing”…

a. How God wanted to bless Israel under the Old Covenant

b. Through His priests in the Aaronic priesthood

2. We have noted that the same sort of blessings are available today…

a. But the blessings of God are bestowed through His Son, Jesus Christ

b. Who today is our “High Priest” – cf. Hebrews 4:14-16

3. The point of this lesson is simple, yet profound: If you desire “The Priestly Blessing” today, you must be in Christ and He must be your High Priest; for that is how God is blessing His people today! (cf. Ephesians 1:3)

4. Are you in Jesus Christ? How does one get “into” Christ, where they can receive the blessings He offers as our High Priest? Consider what is said in Galatians 3:26-27…

“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:26-27)