Daily Devotional · Numbers 6:22–27
The Lord Bless You and Keep You
Reflection
God gave Moses a specific blessing to pronounce over Israel — word for word. "Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites. 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 turn his face toward you and give you peace.' So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them." Every line of this blessing is an intensification. Bless and keep. Face shine and be gracious. Face turn toward you and give peace. Three times the name of the Lord. Six layers of blessing. The most significant phrase may be "the Lord make his face shine on you." In biblical culture, the face of a ruler turning toward a subject meant favor and acceptance. A ruler who turned his face away meant rejection and exclusion. The priestly blessing is a declaration: God's face is turned toward you. Noticed: "and I will bless them" — God takes ownership of the blessing. It is not the priests' power but God putting His name on His people. The human words carry divine weight because God is behind them. This blessing has been found on an ancient silver scroll in Jerusalem, dated to approximately 600 BC — making it one of the oldest surviving biblical texts ever discovered. These words have been spoken over God's people for three thousand years.
Background
The Aaronic blessing (also called the Priestly Blessing or Birkat Kohanim) is still spoken in Jewish worship to this day, where kohanim (priests from the tribe of Levi) extend their hands over the congregation. Many Christian traditions have also preserved this blessing in liturgy. The three-fold structure is seen as a parallel to the Trinity by many theologians.
Truth
God's face is turned toward you. Not away. Not neutral. Turned toward you with blessing. This is what the gospel declares: in Christ, the face that once turned away from human sin has turned back in grace, shining with the light of acceptance.
Application
Read the Aaronic blessing aloud over yourself, slowly, with your name in it: "The Lord bless [your name] and keep [your name]..." Let each phrase settle. Then speak it over someone in your life who needs to know God's face is turned toward them.