This has always been a favorite passage of mine, and as I read it today, I wanted to spend a few moments dwelling on it.
First, it has always struck me that this blessing is somewhat oddly situated. It seems to be wedged between the instructions on Nazirite vows and a list of all the offerings that were brought when Moses set up and consecrated the Tabernacle. It has to be in this place for a reason, but after looking through a few commentaries I didn’t find a compelling explanation.
So let’s spend the rest of our time thinking about the blessing itself, the effects God intended it to have and some applications for us as believers under the New Covenant. Here are the elements of the blessing in order:
The LORD bless you and keep you. To live under the blessing (favor) of Yahweh, as the people of the covenant God is a privilege indeed. God’s blessings are generous - lavished upon those in whom He delights. They extend to all the material and spiritual provision that He supplies. He is also engaged to keep His people, which seems to mean guarding them from harm (e.g. from His enemies) and includes keeping them in the place of His covenant blessing.
The LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. Here, God is asked to make His presence and His pleasure (His shining face) known to His people. And arising from His pleasure in them, His grace upon them is requested. As always, this is His unmerited favor, coming upon them not because of anything that is in them but owing to everything that is in Him and the covenant He has entered into with them!
The LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. This is another step of amplification in the good things that are pronounced upon the people. Still talking of His face (His presence), He is asked to lift it toward His people - to pay particular attention to them. We know that the hiding of God’s face meant displeasure (see Psalm 27:9), but here God is asked to show His face to His people especially. In addition, He is asked to grant them peace - completeness and well-being. When someone knows this kind of peace from God and with God, it truly means an assurance of good-standing with Him - of redemption.
So what about the effects of this covenantal blessing? God tells Moses: “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” In other words, God will own them as His possession (as when we put our name on something - or on our children - so that others will know they belong to us) and He will most certainly bless them! The blessing comes upon the people on the basis of and as a confirmation of the covenant that God has entered into with them. It shouldn’t be thought of as a magic formula that somehow forces blessing out of God (and neither should our praying “in Jesus’ name” be seen in this way).
What an amazing blessing this is! How wonderful to know when it was pronounced on the people that it was God’s intention to bless the people and own them as belonging to Him! Isn’t this all Old Covenant-oriented, though? What are we to make of it under the New Covenant?
The writer to the Hebrews reminds us that the New Covenant is better than the Old one, being based on better promises, with better sacrifices, a better mediator/High Priest etc. We also know that in many ways, Old Testament Israel prefigured the New Testament Church. Based on these observations, and on the length, breadth, height and depth of the love that God has demonstrated for the Church, we can be confident that the enjoyment of all the things pronounced over God’s people in this passage may be ours in and through Jesus Christ, our Savior. In fact, since the Covenant under which we are in relationship with God is a better Covenant, its blessings are better blessings! So we may know in a better, richer and fuller way all the good things pronounced here over the Old Covenant people of God! And if this blessing emphasized God’s ownership by redemption of His Old Covenant people, it has to be more true of us, since we are His possession by virtue of a better sacrifice, of nobler blood!
Romans 1:7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 1:2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
These are not just nice-sounding words with which to open a New Testament letter. Paul is invoking rich covenant blessings on the recipients - those upon whom God has set His Name irrevocably. He is their God, they are His people. They are redeemed by Christ’s blood. So now, let’s go back and read this blessing again, realizing that all these good things are ours fully and eternally in Christ. Now that is something worth meditating on and rejoicing in!
