Title Blessing like this (Numbers 6:22-27)
We Christians have this in others. It is said in the bible: Let's read it together.
Romans 12:14 - “Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.”
Blessing others is the right thing for us Christians to do toward the world, and it is also the right ethic of Christianity. The word here literally refers to a person who rushes to harm me, inflict damage on me, and kill me. It says to make even such a person an object of blessing.
During World War II, British and German soldiers were fighting fiercely. It was so fierce that a hand-to-hand battle finally ensued, when a British soldier stabbed a German soldier with a bayonet. A soldier pierced by a sword dies. Then he took out a Bible from his pocket and handed it to the soldier who stabbed him, saying: “My friend, I give you this, read it and be saved,” he said, and closed his eyes.
Of course, it's a rare story, but I think that German soldier was a true Christian. It was because he was not a curse of hatred and anger toward the enemy who killed him, but a person who blessed him to read the Gospel and receive salvation.
In that sense, if we explain our Christian mission, it can be said. I am not a person who curses, fights, and curses people who hurt me and harasses me, but I am a person who forgives and loves my enemies and lives with a heart to bless them. That's why the Bible commands it this way.
Romans 12:20,21 - “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. In so doing you will heap coals of coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
I hope that you will take this time to listen to the Word and keep it in your heart.
Today's text explains the role of the priests in the Old Testament, and the priest is a person who blesses all the people. Let's read it together.
27-“Thus shall I bless the children of Israel in my name, and I will bless them.”
In other words, the priests of the Old Testament are people who were established to bless the people in the name of God. Therefore, if the priest fulfills his role well, the people's lives will be peaceful and they will receive blessings. That is why the priest is to offer sacrifices for atonement without ceasing, and to offer peace offerings and grain offerings without ceasing.
There is also this about the work of the priest. Gold bells were attached to the black hem of the priest's robe. When the priest moves within the tabernacle, a bell sounds. If you hear that sound, the priest lives, and if you don't hear that sound, the priest will die. What does it mean? If a priest prays without ceasing on behalf of the people and offers sacrifices for atonement, he will live; otherwise, if he does not work, he will die. This is what this article is talking about. The priest is to bless the people without ceasing. If you stop blessing, even the priest must die. This is a very important word.
However, this does not apply only to the priests of the Old Testament. Because all of us Christians living in the New Testament age are all spiritual priests. Please read the scriptures.
1 Peter 2:9 - “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the goodness of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
All of us saints are priests. Therefore, you must become a priest and fulfill the role of a priest. It is the role of praying, loving, and blessing for others. How, then, are we to bless?
1. We must bless God to protect us.
24-“The Lord bless you and keep you”
Here, the word to pray for “protection” is to keep the blessings you have received. Because what and how much we receive is important, but more important is keeping what we receive and using it effectively.
The word “protect” means , . It means that you put up a fence to protect it thoroughly so that evil enemies do not see it and invade it.
After “Adam and Eve” ate the forbidden fruit, they were expelled from the Garden of Eden. And God said that he would keep the fruit of life in the Garden of Eden with cherubim and a flaming sword. Here, the word “protect” is the word used at that time, and it means to thoroughly guard and protect the blessings God has given us.
According to the Bible, when God protects the one he loves, he neither sleeps nor sleeps. It is to do so thoroughly without taking your eyes away for even a moment. Therefore, you must know that the blessing of protecting you is great.
Psalm 121:4 - “He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”
I hope that this year will be more blessed by God's protection than any other year. I wish you a year of prayer for others.
2. We must bless the light of God's face.
25-“The Lord wants his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.”
The word “Jehovah’s face” here symbolizes God’s holy disposition and will, and refers to “the glory of God.” And the phrase “You shine with her face” is reminiscent of a mother looking at her sleeping baby with her eyes of love. In this way, it means that the shining glory of God is always directed toward us. So, God's “light of face” is the greatest blessing.
1 Kings 9:3 - “I will sanctify this house that you have built, and I will put my name in it forever, and my eyes and my heart will always be there.”
God's glory shines on those you love. He sets his eyes on the temple where the saints are gathered, watches them, and gives glory to them. So the darkness does not allow access. There is no failure, and the pain is not unaware. Therefore, it is a great blessing that the glory of God's face illuminates us.
The greatest spiritual curse is that the glory of God leaves us. God is turning his face. Then we are under a curse and everything will fail. So David prayed.
Psalm 51:9-11 “Turn your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew in me an upright spirit. Do not cast me out of your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.”
May the glory of the Lord shine on me and renew the Spirit within me. When the glory of the Lord leaves, the Holy Spirit leaves, and when that happens, I cannot live. Please do not let the glory of the Lord depart from me.
Therefore, it is the greatest blessing to pray that the glory of the Lord will never depart and rest upon us. I pray that you will become such blessed saints.
3. We must bless the giving of peace.
26-“May the LORD turn his face upon you, and give you peace.”
Here, the word means a much more special and active interest in God. And through that interest, the blessing of God's peace will come. Therefore, you should know that “the blessing of peace” is the most important blessing. Because no matter how rich the world is, it is nothing without peace.
There is a book called "Joshua Leafman" written by a novelist. The main character goes to the old man who grants his wish and makes his wish. “What do you want?” This young man answers. “① Health, ② Wealth, ③ Beauty, ④ Talent, ⑤ Power, and ⑥ Honor.”
After hearing the young man's wishes, the old man said: “Young man, do you think it will satisfy you? Without peace there is nothing to enjoy.” The young man, who had attained enlightenment at these words, said to the old man: “Then please give me peace. There is no need for anything else,” he asks.
That is why God said that he gives sleep to those he loves.
Psalm 127:2 - “The LORD gives sleep to those he loves.”
Sleep here does not mean physical sleep, but peace. It is because you need to be physically and mentally peaceful to achieve a good night's sleep.
So where can you find this peace? Who is giving this peace? It is only God. Because true peace belongs only to God. That is why the Bible exhorts us to do so.
Philippians 3:6-7 - “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Then the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
John 14:27 - “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.” You can find this peace when you are in God. Please believe that we receive this blessing when we are in God.
A theologian named “Donald Dayton” said, “The most beautiful heart in the world is a heart of blessing.” He also said, "The heart that wishes for blessings is the most beautiful and good heart because it is a heart of consideration for others, a heart of giving, and a heart of love."
The reason this world is getting darker and bleaker is because you don't have a heart to bless others. There are many people who want to take things from others, but not many people who want to give. There are many people who want to harm others, but not many people who want to help. There are many who curse others, but few who bless. So, the world is getting harder and darker.
We Christians have a mission to make this chaotic world a warm and gentle world.
And another important point is that when we bless others, not only will they be blessed, but we will also be blessed.
27-“Thus shall I bless the children of Israel in my name, and I will bless them.”
In other words, when we bless others in God's name, God always responds, and therefore also blesses those who do so. Because blessings are given by those who receive them, so that others can be blessed.
There is a famous hymn lyricist called “Fanny Crosby”.
, , etc., who wrote about 2,000 hymns. But this man was not a normal person. He lost his sight at the age of six months and was blind for the rest of his life. But his poetry is always lively, hopeful and bright. No one who reads his poetry gets the feeling that he is blind. Then people who meet him say they are surprised. How can such a bright song come out of a person who lives in darkness without seeing the light like that? is to do
But he said he had a secret. He said he always greeted everyone he met. That is, it was his greeting to bless. He lived until the age of 92, and it is said that he left these words.
That's right. We should know that when we bless others, not only will they be blessed, but that is the secret to being blessed in the end.
In that sense, I hope that today will be a time to make this decision.
,
Because this is how I live, and the way we all live. I pray in the name of the Lord that you will have such a blessed year.