What would be the best words to do the greatest good to the people that we love the most?
You may have said this yourself; you’ve certainly heard it said: “You took the words right out of my mouth!” In other words, there aren’t other words. If you hadn’t said it, I would have said exactly the same thing! But as we near the end of Numbers 6, the Lord puts words right into our mouths! How many thousands of times has this benediction been used as if they were our blessings on others? But they’re really from the heart of God. He doesn’t put a copyright on this; He wants them used lavishly. And every time they are properly used, He happily fulfills the promises. This Priestly Blessing is perhaps the Old Testament version of the Apostle’s Blessing in 2 Corinthians 13:14, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.” But here it is, free of charge, for us to use on God’s behalf: “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” (Num 6:24-26). Is it not the Father “who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing” (Eph 1:3)? And is it not in the Son that “we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (v 7)? And isn’t it “the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession” (vv 13-14), so giving us peace? And all this blessing upon blessing so it redounds “to the praise of the glory of His grace” (v 6; see also vv 12, 14)—that is, Father, Son and Spirit. You see how this works? Every blessing that comes down should be turned into praise that goes up, so our enrichment results in His glory. Let’s luxuriate in the blessings of this day!