As we are blessed both spiritually and physically in life by the LORD, these blessings may take on various forms. However the basic framework or principle of how blessings are given, and how we receive them, is illustrated in the above passage. May the LORD bless and keep us. May the face of JEHOVAH shine upon us in His grace and give us peace. The Old Testament context of this passage, as well as how this may be applied to the gospel and our own salvation will be the focus of this article.

Old Testament Context

When Moses received the first covenant from God on Mount Sinai, one area revealed by the LORD was the importance of Aaron and his sons as priests. The priests had a special role in the offering of sacrifices as well as giving a ‘priestly’ blessing in the name of the Lord. It was Aaron and his sons who were instructed to bless the children of Israel with the above words (Numbers 6:24-26). In doing this ‘they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them' (Numbers 6:27). As we find instances then in the Old Testament when the priests blessed the people, it is likely these words were spoken by them. One example is in Leviticus 8 and 9 when Aaron and his sons were consecrated as priests and then offered sacrifices. ‘Then Aaron lifted his hand toward the people, blessed them, and came down from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and peace offerings’ (Leviticus 9:22). What did this blessing by Aaron include? It is likely that these words of blessing to be used by priests were given to Moses by the LORD at the same time as the other guidelines regarding the priesthood. The Scriptures do not specify that Aaron actually spoke, or the words he may have used on this occasion of blessing. However, we do know that the Lord did give the priests these words to use, and it is safe to assume they were often used by them when blessing the people.

Gospel context and application

The LORD bless you and keep you. The blessing and keeping of the LORD are brought forward into the gospel through His Son and His Holy Spirit. Through Christ (the seed of Abraham) all families of the earth have been blessed (Genesis 12:3, 22:18, Galatians 3:16). God blesses Christians through Christ with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3). The LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The face of the LORD has shone upon mankind and the grace of the LORD is shown unto mankind in the face of Jesus Christ. ‘For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ’(2 Corinthians 4:6).

The Lord bless you and keep you. The blessing and keeping of the Lord are shown in baptism, when we put on Christ (Galatians 3:27) and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). We are now blessed with a personal Savior and a personal gift - the Holy Spirit to keep us in the way of truth. This same Spirit guided the apostles into all truth (John 16:13). We use this same truth of the Scriptures written by the apostles and prophets to be ‘transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord’ (2 Corinthians 3:18). As the Spirit of God dwells in us (1 Corinthians 6:19, 2 Corinthians 1:22 ), the Father and Son do as well. ‘… If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him’ (John 14:23). The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. By giving us His Holy Spirit (Comforter), the LORD indeed lifts His countenance upon us, keeps us by the power of God through faith for salvation (1 Peter 1:5), and gives us peace (Philippians 4:7-9).

It is interesting to note the similarities between the priestly blessing of Numbers 4:24-26 and Paul’s words of entreaty and blessing for the saints at Thessalonica in 1 Thessalonians 5:23. While in the latter case the words sanctify and preserve are used rather than bless and keep, the same ideas of encouragement and holiness are conveyed. These same words are directed to each congregation of Christ’s church and individual Christian today.

‘Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and

may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at

the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (1 Thessalonians 5:23).