Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them: The Lord bless you, and keep you; The Lord make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.’ So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them.” (Numbers 6:22-27, NASB)
The text above contains “The Aaronic Blessing,” or “Aaron’s Benediction.” Aaron, the brother of Moses, was chosen along with his sons by God to be high priests to Israel as they wandered through the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. This portion is just one of many instructions (613 commandments) given by God to Moses, and recorded in the first five books of the Old Testament, the Book of Moses.
You’ve no doubt heard these words before. Many clergy use these verses as benedictions. The words contained herein are some of the nicest things one human being can say to a fellow image-bearer of God! “The Lord bless you, and keep you.” I don’t think there’s anything better than to wish God’s blessings on someone. If God makes one happy, that’s the ultimate, especially if it’s God that is the source of joy. If God is keeping you, that means He is Protector. There is no better source of joy and protection than my God!
“The Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you.” Wishing God to smile at you is a fine compliment. How is God gracious to us? He sent Jesus, His Son, so that if we believe in Him, we will have everlasting life in fellowship with Him! Jesus took the punishment we all deserve for our sins. That’s the ultimate in grace!
“The Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.” Wishing God’s good graces on you, and His Shalom! What could be better? God’s Shalom is perfect peace, not the “peace” we humans consider. It denotes a sense of well-being, of perfect calm. In a word, it’s “Indescribable!”
Last, there is God’s promise when Aaron and his sons deliver this blessing on the people of Israel: “So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them.” Perhaps this was God’s way of making sure Israel remembered Him. He had been warning them of the consequences of forgetting Him, and following worthless idols. Invoking His name on the congregation by the priests would serve as a reminder that they were to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, and might, and to love Him only. In turn, He would bless them!
The Aaronic Blessing might be the ultimate expression of God’s love for us. He said that when the priests of Israel delivered it, He would bless them. The Blessing translates to us today. It wishes God to bless us; to protect us; to give us grace; and finally, to give us peace! What more could we ask from the Creator of the universe, Who loves us so?