Promise Verse: So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them. – Numbers 6:27
The priests shall recommend them to Me as my own people and bless them. I gave a recommendation letter to the authority telling this couple had undergone marriage counselling, rehearsal and other needed things. The priests are to recommend people to God. Another word for prayer is recommendation. The priests are to call on the name of the Lord for the Lord to bless the people.
God used some people in history that He heard their prayers and intercession.
- Joseph was one such man. His brothers plotted such evil to even kill him. He forgave them. He went to Pharaoh to intercede for them.
- Samuel is another man that God wanted to hear his prayers. The Lord was looking fo Ohpni and Phinehas. But they were involved in wickedness. The Lord looked out for Eli. He shut off the lamps in the temple. God found a young Samuel. Samuel represented a priest and the prophet of God.
(1 Samuel 3:1) The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground.
(1 Samuel 7:8) They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.”
(1 Samuel 7:13) So the Philistines were subdued and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines.
Samuel prayed for Israel.
(Romans 5:19) For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
- This man is Abraham, Moses, Samuel and me.
In the preceding chapters and the preceding section of this chapter, we see how God has
- Placed the people around Himself: God kept the tabernacle and all the tribes to camp around the Tabernacle. (Numbers 2:2) “The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard and holding the banners of their family.”
- Count the people name by name: (Numbers 1:2) “Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. For some people it is boring to read names. How good you feel when your name is in the Bible. (Romans 16:13) Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.
- Organised the service: (Numbers 3:6) “Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him.
- Cleansed the camp: God gave the blood sacrifice for the washing of their sins. (Numbers 5:2) “Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has a defiling skin disease or a discharge of any kind, or who is ceremonially unclean because of a dead body.
- Determined the true position of the dedicated servant: (Numbers 6:23) “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
Blessing:-
- God the Father: (Numbers 6:24) The Lord bless you and keep you;
- God the Father will bless His people. He will keep the people. There are dangers all around. There are people who will come to harm you. They will waste your time. The enemies have come and speak ill about you. Lord, do you look at my situation?
Psalm 121:4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
Psalm 121:5 The Lord watches over you – the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
Psalm 121:6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
Psalm 121:7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;
- God the Son: (Numbers 6:25) the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
- The Father God dwells in unapproachable light.
John 1:9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
- God the Holy Spirit:
- Numbers 6:26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
- John 20:21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
- Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
“The Lord” expression comes three times and proves and illustrates the Trinity. Six times the word “You” shows the Lord is concerned about you and wants to bless you.
- “The LORD bless you,”: God’s blessing is wished for all spheres of our life; fertility and multiplication (Genesis 1:22; Genesis 1:28), above all in the spiritual life.
- “And keep you;”: Protection against dangers and decline in order to receive the good.
- “The LORD makes His face shine on you,”: We need the light from his face (Psalm 4:6; Psalm 44:3; Psalm 90:8).
- “And be gracious to you;”: Showings of favour, mercy, goodness.
- “The LORD lift up His countenance on you,”: By making us feel affection, that we are a pleasure for Him.
- “And give you peace.”: Shalom: not only absence of war, but prosperity, justice and well-being.
- “Invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I [then] will bless them.”: God connects His Name with His people and blesses them as a whole.
In the New Testament: (2 Corinthians 13:14) May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.