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            Happy New Year! Perhaps by the time you read this you will have heard this greeting and best wishes many times. And you have probably extended the same to many! Wishes are rare if indeed mentioned at all throughout the pages of scripture, but pronouncements of blessings are abundant.

Consider these three from Numbers 6: 24-26: (ESV)

  • The LORD bless you and keep you;
  • The LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
  • The LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

 

The Old Testament word translated as ‘bless’ with its derivatives appears over four hundred times in scripture. It implied life, health and prosperity. During Christmas time we read about the shepherds keeping watch over their sheep. The word ‘keep’ in this context draws a picture of protective hedges and shepherds close by constantly watching, ready to defend against anything that would attack the sheep. Remember, Jesus declared himself to be the good shepherd.

 

His eye is directed outward watching for possible enemies but his face shines upon you!  So respond! “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.”  May the Lord lift up his countenance, may he smile upon you as you desire in the new year to walk more closely with him. May he give you peace, the inner peace with God that is ours, and only ours, because of what was accomplished on Calvary.

I find it intriguing how this blessing, frequently referred to as the Arronic blessing, came to be. First, God dictates the blessing to Moses. Moses is to relay the blessing to Arron who in his priestly role as intercessor is to bless the people with these words. So the originator of the blessing is God, and the one who responds to the blessing, to bring it to pass is God! Could there be any stronger evidence that God desires to bless his people?

But in addition to that, we see in verse twenty-seven an amazing promise:   Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.”                   May you too be blessed in 2026!          Pastor Dave