"The Priestly Blessing: Part Two"
Welcome Back
Thank you for returning to learn more about the blessing which God gave to His people Israel, and through them, to all those throughout the world who earnestly seek out Elohim and who, by Faith in Y’shua His Son, have become (through ‘grafting’, as Sha’ul writes), a part of the Commonwealth of Israel – or the Body of Believers. (see Romans chs. 9-11 for more information)
In Part 1 we began looking at the Aharonic or Priestly Blessing because of the passage from Luke 24:44-53 which records Y’shua’s ascension into heaven 40 days after His resurrection and just 10 days prior to the Talmidim receiving the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) in the Upper Room on the day we commonly know as “Pentecost”. Of course, this day was also the 6th of Sivan, and was the Jewish Festival day of Shavuot – but that is another teaching. (By the way, you can learn more about all the Moedim / Festivals by inviting Brian to come and speak at your congregation / group. see: ‘Educational Themes’ or ‘contact us’ for more information).
After familiarizing ourselves with the setting and situation of the Ascension, we began an overview of the Blessing itself, which we believe Y’shua would have given His Talmidim, looking at some of the details, its special qualities, and some of the general things it’s nice to know before proceeding into this more intense study.
Now, in this second segment, we will look directly at the passage found in the 6th chapter of the Book of B’Midbar, commonly known as “The Book of Numbers”.
In English, the name of the book was chosen because the book opens and closes with two different census takings – a recording of the numbers of people involved in the Exodus. God commands the first census to be taken while the Israelites are still camped at the foot of Sinai, before they break camp to set out on the trek to the Promised Land. It was a wise move, to take stock as it were, particularly of those men who were of fighting age – between 20 and 50 years of age – because (they thought) they were headed into the new land right away and expected to be doing battle with the Canaanites and others in The Land.
The Second census takes place in the region of Moab, after 38 years of wandering, and several battles. The Israelite nation is now about to enter the Promised Land. During the last 38 years the entire group has changed. We are now dealing with the second generation of Israelites. (The first had died off through battle, hardship, and Divine discipline because of the sin of disobedience at Kadesh Barnea.) Now, the people know still more battles will be forth-coming, but also, and more importantly, the leadership (now shifting to Y’hoshua) will need to know how much land to allocate to the various tribes. (Notice that in both censuses, the method of counting the Levites is different. This is because they were not to go to battle, and because they could not inherit land.)
The Hebrew name of this fourth book of Torah is more descriptive of the whole story. The name is B’Midbar, which means “In the Desert”. Besides the census takings, which sort of act
In Part 1 we began looking at the Aharonic or Priestly Blessing because of the passage from Luke 24:44-53 which records Y’shua’s ascension into heaven 40 days after His resurrection and just 10 days prior to the Talmidim receiving the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) in the Upper Room on the day we commonly know as “Pentecost”. Of course, this day was also the 6th of Sivan, and was the Jewish Festival day of Shavuot – but that is another teaching. (By the way, you can learn more about all the Moedim / Festivals by inviting Brian to come and speak at your congregation / group. see: ‘Educational Themes’ or ‘contact us’ for more information).
After familiarizing ourselves with the setting and situation of the Ascension, we began an overview of the Blessing itself, which we believe Y’shua would have given His Talmidim, looking at some of the details, its special qualities, and some of the general things it’s nice to know before proceeding into this more intense study.
Now, in this second segment, we will look directly at the passage found in the 6th chapter of the Book of B’Midbar, commonly known as “The Book of Numbers”.
In English, the name of the book was chosen because the book opens and closes with two different census takings – a recording of the numbers of people involved in the Exodus. God commands the first census to be taken while the Israelites are still camped at the foot of Sinai, before they break camp to set out on the trek to the Promised Land. It was a wise move, to take stock as it were, particularly of those men who were of fighting age – between 20 and 50 years of age – because (they thought) they were headed into the new land right away and expected to be doing battle with the Canaanites and others in The Land.
The Second census takes place in the region of Moab, after 38 years of wandering, and several battles. The Israelite nation is now about to enter the Promised Land. During the last 38 years the entire group has changed. We are now dealing with the second generation of Israelites. (The first had died off through battle, hardship, and Divine discipline because of the sin of disobedience at Kadesh Barnea.) Now, the people know still more battles will be forth-coming, but also, and more importantly, the leadership (now shifting to Y’hoshua) will need to know how much land to allocate to the various tribes. (Notice that in both censuses, the method of counting the Levites is different. This is because they were not to go to battle, and because they could not inherit land.)
The Hebrew name of this fourth book of Torah is more descriptive of the whole story. The name is B’Midbar, which means “In the Desert”. Besides the census takings, which sort of act
The Original Hebrew (Remember to Read from Right to Left)
The Transliteration:
And The English Interpretation:
The Opening Words - An Introduction:
The Blessing is only part of the passage under study from B’Midbar. Prior to the blessing itself, we are given some brief introductory words spoken by God, and recorded by Moshé – explaining, as it were, what is occurring.
Our passage is introduced thusly: “HaShem spoke to Moshé, saying: ‘Speak to Aharon and his sons, saying: “So shall you bless the Children of Israel, saying to them:”’” (Stone Edition Art Scroll Chumash Nu 6:22,23)
Also, at the end of the passage, the conversation is summed up by God as He shares some final words with Moshé which we will examine later . Consequently we have what amounts to a ‘Prelude’ and a ‘Postlude’ or Epilogue. This technique is often found in scripture, and seems to act like book-ends to a passage. There are two reasons for the use of this literary device.
The first is to set the given passage apart from the other material, indicating that while, as noted in ‘Part One’, it may be related to its surrounding material, it also stands alone. For this reason, for instance, it is not necessary to go back, (or to include later verses) in order to get a sense of continuity or context… there may not be any context. Secondly, the book-end effect indicates that this passage is of great import to the community involved, to the reader or to the overall story. In other words, when we see something in ‘book-ends’, it should be well noted.
The ‘prelude’ to the blessing also has some subtle indications for us in at least two ways. Note that in the first phrase we see clearly outlined the chain of command laid out for us – and not just for us, but for the people under Moshé’s leadership. Clearly, God is in overall control. It is God who is speaking this command. Moshé is shrewdly indicating his role as leader and spokesperson in the wilderness wandering. God speaks to him, and to him alone. Not even Aharon is spoken to directly by God. This is a warning to those who may be influenced, as some were to be, by the grumbling and complaining of other ‘would-be’ leaders who would challenge Moshé’s authority. God speaks to Moshé, Moshé speaks to Aharon, Aharon and Moshé together pass the word on the Aharon’s sons, the next generation of Cohenim, and finally to the general population. Without Moshé, there was no conduit to God.
The second rather subtle point is the use of the word translated “saying”. At the very least, when a word or phrase is repeated in the Hebrew, it is done to create emphasis and importance. In my Stone Edition Art Scroll Chumash (Hebrew / English Torah and Commentary), the English translation indicates that the word “saying” is used three times. [See underlining in the printed version above] (In the Hebrew, it is clearly evident at least twice). The commentator (Or HaChaim) points out that the repetition indicates that “not only was Moshé commanded to convey this commandment to the Cohanim of his generation, but they, in turn, were commanded to convey this charge to their offspring in all future generations, so that the priestly blessing would always be pronounced by the Cohanim.” (page 762) If the English version is accurate in the triple repetition, however, and remembering that ‘three’ is the divine number, it amounts to another subtle indication that both the command and the blessing is coming directly from Elohim, thus confirming the point of his authority which Moshé is trying to make before the crowd.
The Blessing Itself
Notice that the blessing is broken into three distinct lines. This is particularly clear in the original Hebrew. We noted in part one how the number three, the Divine number, indicates, once more, the source of the blessing, and how the three repetitions of “Lord” both affirms this, and brings stability and consistency to the overall blessing because it is always the fulcrum around which the actions of the blessing take place.
We can now enlarge on this last concept a bit. Each of the three lines of the blessing contains a blessing pair. Scholars have argued about the purpose of this. Does each line indicate two specific blessings, with the second being a sort of follow-up act by God: first this, then this, as it were? Some Torah investigators have claimed that the conjunction vav' (transliterated as V’) can be understood as “then”. In this case, the first act is actually a general blessing, the second a more focused one? The other approach is that the primary blessing of each line creates a setting in which the second action is more like the result of the first, so that the blessing is experienced as a single unit, but in a cause and effect relationship.
For myself, I can see both sides to these arguments, and I suspect they are interchangeable. In the first line, for instance, the acts of blessing seem more like the former, a general blessing and a follow up action by God, as we will see. The second line could technically be either pattern, while the third line seems to be more of the latter pattern – where the first action creates the atmosphere for the fullness of the second action of blessing. None of this, of course takes away from the blessing itself, and I will leave it to the reader to decide which you may feel is the proper understanding here.
The First Line
“May the Lord bless you and protect you”
The Word “bless” comes from the Hebrew root “barach” a verb which is related to the noun “berech” or knee, and which, without too much alteration, has the sense of “to adore on bended knee”. We can relate to this concept quite readily when we associate it with our action before God. We are created, in fact, to adore God on bended knee. Almost every Hebrew blessing begins: “Blessed are You, O Lord, Our God…”.
Where we might have some difficulty is in comprehending this action in reverse, such that the Lord is going to bless us. The extrapolation of this is to see God adoring us on bended knee. This would certainly be a unique situation. I don’t think we need to go that far, however. It should be enough for us to accept that - with this understanding - we see the tremendous privilege that we, as human beings - and as creatures made by God - enjoy. It is truly God’s desire to pour out His blessing upon us in our daily lives. This, after all, would be the reason that He has given us this blessing. I submit that we can better grasp this concept of God blessing us, simply as His “bestowing on us – his favour” – in some way.
This first blessing is clearly physical in nature. Here we note the general form of a blessing given to us. “May the Lord bless you”. There is a reason for such a generic approach to this segment of the blessing. Every blessing of God, in beginning, is tailored to the needs of the individual. Not withstanding the fact that, as we saw in part one of this teaching, God is reaching out to all His people, Israel; He is, at the same time, aiming the blessing at each and every individual in the nation. What were the needs of Israel in general, what were the needs of each person?
In this manner, the blessing of God is similar to the bestowing of the Gifts of the Spirit on a believer. (see 1 Cor 12:7-11 and 28-30) Each gift is given for a special purpose, often for a limited time, and usually in relation to their vocation for ministry. Similarly, the blessing received by the individual is related to his or her role in society, or place in the wider community, or by his or her vocation. Thus, the farmer may be blest with bountiful crops, the merchant with a thriving business, the student with great learning, the hungry person is blessed with food, the thirsty with water. [This was certainly the case with the Israelites during their time in the wilderness]. Furthermore, several examples may be found in scripture of the barren woman being blessed with a child under God’s will.
In some amazing sense, the First blessing is a return to the conditions in the Garden of Eden. There, God supplied every need that Adam and Havah could ever have had. There, and again now here, we see the desire of God to bless His children with every thing they require for life. We know from Moshé’s account of the Exodus journey that for 40 years, God supplied both food and water for everyone. While some did not appreciate all that God was doing for them and so complained, especially about the Manna, God continued to be “YHVH Jirah”, / “God who Provides”.
Did you know that, for the full period of the wandering in the wilderness, so the Talmud explains, the clothing and sandals of the Israelites did not wear out? And in almost every case, as long as the people were obedient to God, they enjoyed victory in every battle against the gentile nations they encountered. In the end however, as Moshé will explain in the land of Moab, opposite Jericho, in his farewell address to the people recorded in Deuteronomy, the blessings they have known for 38 years will take on a different appearance once they enter the promised land, but, Moshé says, God will remain with them to provide bounty in whatever way their needs will dictate.
In the early years, as the Israelites entered the land, and encountered the local inhabitants which were to be over-taken by the nation as per God’s command, (see Genesis 15:1-16) they fought hard and they knew victory over God’s enemies. Still today, it is amazing that such a small country, with a limited army, can be victorious over the nations who choose to fight them, or worse – threaten to annihilate them. After that period drew to an end, as they put down their roots and settled, their flocks and herds grew exponentially. Families also grew and thrived. Even today, for example, there are two growing seasons for the main grains – barley and wheat, as well as numerous other harvests of different crops. Today Israel is the fourth greatest country in the world of business of those nations that deal on the stock exchanges of the world. It is also an international leader in the area of modern technology, with numerous companies basing their head offices in “The Land”. Clearly, God’s blessing has been upon them.
All these physical blessings, however, are fragile and tenuous in nature. Prosperity requires both stewardship and guardianship so that the blessings given by God are not lost. This brings us to the second part of the first line.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
“May the Lord bless you and protect you”
To me it is an amazing situation in which we find ourselves at this point. God has promised to bless His people, but He will not then simply leave them to their own resources – He will stand with them through the challenges that come along.
Have you ever noticed that there is a natural tendency, once we have tasted any form of good measure – be it wealth, or power, or simply a comfortable state of living, we then tend to hoard it. We as human beings seem to fear the loss of anything of which we come into possession. This, of course, is the lesson noted by “Bilbo”, and later “Frodo” in Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” sequels. Both of them see how “Sméagol”, another Hobbit, turns into the nasty character “Gollum” because of his disproportionate love and greed around “his precious” ring.
Let’s face it, in today’s broken world it is easy to lose our blessings, at least those which are physical in nature. We face the possibility of theft and plunder by others – and we can also lose things through carelessness and misuse of our blessings. The resultant fear of loss makes us do strange things. Take for instance, the parable of the poor steward. When given a coin to put to use, he fears the severity of his master, and simply buries it in the ground. “At least” he surmises, “it will be there to return to the master when needed.” This action brings the Master’s response – “You wicked and lazy servant.” (Mt. 25:16). Fear of loss can be paralyzing for some. And it is not uniquely applicable to such blessings as wealth. Look at those who are blessed with positions of authority in order to serve mankind. Once in power, they begin almost immediately to think about how they can maintain their position. It may be a natural tendency for us to do this, but it is so unnecessary. Instead, we should consider first the source of our blessings and trust by faith that He who supplies, will also guard. That is the gist of what is being said here in this blessing. God promises not only to provide blessings for His people, but also to be vigilant on their behalf to protect both them (from danger and from carelessness) and to protect the items with which He blesses us.
Blessings, although fluid due to need or necessity, are also meant to be lasting. So many times we see those whose blessings seem to dissipate for whatever reason, gain other blessings back. God does not bless and ignore, He blesses and remains “with us”. Granted there are times, Scripture tells us, that God has turned away, or allowed discipline to happen to His people, but He never forsakes, He never abandons those who love Him. Our position, our relationship, with God, as creator and creature, as blesser and blessee is stable and secure as long as we live in obedience to God. That is His promise to us. This blessing is so clearly seen in the history of Israel. God is with that tiny nation, He is with each individual, and He is with those who, by His Divine grafting, are by faith in Y’shua, part of the Commonwealth of Israel, the Body of Messiah, the Community of Faith – by whatever name we may wish to represent the Kingdom of God here on earth.
But, Now, This Begs a Question: … WHY?
Why would God take the time to bestow and protect such blessings on a sometimes (often, in fact) ungrateful commodity called humanity?
At the root of God’s ‘reasoning’, for lack of a better term, is His undying Love for this humanity which is His creation. He is faithful to us, in spite of our disobedient behaviour. At the core of His Love, lies the desire for our spiritual well-being. In a nutshell, I believe that answers the question, though I feel it needs to be analyzed a little further. The blessings we have looked at so far have dealt, to a large extent, with the physical realm, but there is so much more to consider. Returning once again to the original life in the Garden of Eden, we catch a glimpse of God’s mindset. In Eden, God supplied all that was needed for life. I have this concept of Eden which is like my in-laws winter home in St. Petersburg, Fla. While visiting there once, back in the seventies, I found myself wanting some orange juice for breakfast. I stepped out into the back yard, picked a couple of fresh oranges off the tree and extracted the juice from them, which I totally enjoyed. It’s not hard to extrapolate from there, what a world in which God’s blessing would supply all our needs would be like. ‘Convenient’ comes to mind, ‘Stress-less’ also comes to mind. It would be a world in which we would not have to strive arduously just to survive. It would be a world where our time was free. From there, I believe that God would like us to have this gift of time, as a blessing, so that we could spend time ‘with Him’. As the old hymn puts it: “And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own; and the joy we share, as we tarry there, none other has ever known.”
I am reminded of Tevya, from the movie “Fiddler on the Roof”. His one desire was to have the time to spend meeting with the other men, the elders, in the village gate to study, to argue and to discuss the Holy Book. The prosperity and the freedom from fear and the knowledge of God’s protection is meant to give us the time we need to study God’s Word, to learn of Him and how we should live as His people – people of faith, people of “The Book.” I don’t know the source of it, (probably the Talmud) but there is an expression which runs: “Where there is no flour, There is no Torah”. In other words, if we have to strive for our food, there won’t be time to do our study and build our relationship with God.
Recently I took a ‘show of hands’ poll to see how many people studied God’s Word every day. A few put up their hands. I asked if it lasted an hour a day – a few hands went down. I asked if anyone made it to two hours a day… all hands went down. When I asked, “Why not?” most of the people agreed “They don’t have that much time”. Others said “There are too many demands on our time, on our lives”.
At the welcoming assembly for my second year of seminary, our senior student pointed to our school crest and the motto emblazoned there. “It reads ‘Verbum Domini Manet’, he said, and then he took some liberties and declared, “It means ‘jump in the deep end’. [It doesn’t mean that at all, of course… it means the “Word of God Endures”.] His point however, was not lost, at least not on me – if you want to get something out of your time here, get involved! That was what he was saying. This sentiment is also echoed in the blessing we say each Shabbat at the Torah Study: “Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who sanctifies us with Your commandments, and commands us to engross ourselves in the words of Torah.” (This prayer is found at the top of this page, by the way). “Engrossing” one’s self in Torah or Scripture Study may seem like a distant and unachievable hope for us in today’s world, but it can be done, if one is truly dedicated.
Our passage is introduced thusly: “HaShem spoke to Moshé, saying: ‘Speak to Aharon and his sons, saying: “So shall you bless the Children of Israel, saying to them:”’” (Stone Edition Art Scroll Chumash Nu 6:22,23)
Also, at the end of the passage, the conversation is summed up by God as He shares some final words with Moshé which we will examine later . Consequently we have what amounts to a ‘Prelude’ and a ‘Postlude’ or Epilogue. This technique is often found in scripture, and seems to act like book-ends to a passage. There are two reasons for the use of this literary device.
The first is to set the given passage apart from the other material, indicating that while, as noted in ‘Part One’, it may be related to its surrounding material, it also stands alone. For this reason, for instance, it is not necessary to go back, (or to include later verses) in order to get a sense of continuity or context… there may not be any context. Secondly, the book-end effect indicates that this passage is of great import to the community involved, to the reader or to the overall story. In other words, when we see something in ‘book-ends’, it should be well noted.
The ‘prelude’ to the blessing also has some subtle indications for us in at least two ways. Note that in the first phrase we see clearly outlined the chain of command laid out for us – and not just for us, but for the people under Moshé’s leadership. Clearly, God is in overall control. It is God who is speaking this command. Moshé is shrewdly indicating his role as leader and spokesperson in the wilderness wandering. God speaks to him, and to him alone. Not even Aharon is spoken to directly by God. This is a warning to those who may be influenced, as some were to be, by the grumbling and complaining of other ‘would-be’ leaders who would challenge Moshé’s authority. God speaks to Moshé, Moshé speaks to Aharon, Aharon and Moshé together pass the word on the Aharon’s sons, the next generation of Cohenim, and finally to the general population. Without Moshé, there was no conduit to God.
The second rather subtle point is the use of the word translated “saying”. At the very least, when a word or phrase is repeated in the Hebrew, it is done to create emphasis and importance. In my Stone Edition Art Scroll Chumash (Hebrew / English Torah and Commentary), the English translation indicates that the word “saying” is used three times. [See underlining in the printed version above] (In the Hebrew, it is clearly evident at least twice). The commentator (Or HaChaim) points out that the repetition indicates that “not only was Moshé commanded to convey this commandment to the Cohanim of his generation, but they, in turn, were commanded to convey this charge to their offspring in all future generations, so that the priestly blessing would always be pronounced by the Cohanim.” (page 762) If the English version is accurate in the triple repetition, however, and remembering that ‘three’ is the divine number, it amounts to another subtle indication that both the command and the blessing is coming directly from Elohim, thus confirming the point of his authority which Moshé is trying to make before the crowd.
The Blessing Itself
Notice that the blessing is broken into three distinct lines. This is particularly clear in the original Hebrew. We noted in part one how the number three, the Divine number, indicates, once more, the source of the blessing, and how the three repetitions of “Lord” both affirms this, and brings stability and consistency to the overall blessing because it is always the fulcrum around which the actions of the blessing take place.
We can now enlarge on this last concept a bit. Each of the three lines of the blessing contains a blessing pair. Scholars have argued about the purpose of this. Does each line indicate two specific blessings, with the second being a sort of follow-up act by God: first this, then this, as it were? Some Torah investigators have claimed that the conjunction vav' (transliterated as V’) can be understood as “then”. In this case, the first act is actually a general blessing, the second a more focused one? The other approach is that the primary blessing of each line creates a setting in which the second action is more like the result of the first, so that the blessing is experienced as a single unit, but in a cause and effect relationship.
For myself, I can see both sides to these arguments, and I suspect they are interchangeable. In the first line, for instance, the acts of blessing seem more like the former, a general blessing and a follow up action by God, as we will see. The second line could technically be either pattern, while the third line seems to be more of the latter pattern – where the first action creates the atmosphere for the fullness of the second action of blessing. None of this, of course takes away from the blessing itself, and I will leave it to the reader to decide which you may feel is the proper understanding here.
The First Line
“May the Lord bless you and protect you”
The Word “bless” comes from the Hebrew root “barach” a verb which is related to the noun “berech” or knee, and which, without too much alteration, has the sense of “to adore on bended knee”. We can relate to this concept quite readily when we associate it with our action before God. We are created, in fact, to adore God on bended knee. Almost every Hebrew blessing begins: “Blessed are You, O Lord, Our God…”.
Where we might have some difficulty is in comprehending this action in reverse, such that the Lord is going to bless us. The extrapolation of this is to see God adoring us on bended knee. This would certainly be a unique situation. I don’t think we need to go that far, however. It should be enough for us to accept that - with this understanding - we see the tremendous privilege that we, as human beings - and as creatures made by God - enjoy. It is truly God’s desire to pour out His blessing upon us in our daily lives. This, after all, would be the reason that He has given us this blessing. I submit that we can better grasp this concept of God blessing us, simply as His “bestowing on us – his favour” – in some way.
This first blessing is clearly physical in nature. Here we note the general form of a blessing given to us. “May the Lord bless you”. There is a reason for such a generic approach to this segment of the blessing. Every blessing of God, in beginning, is tailored to the needs of the individual. Not withstanding the fact that, as we saw in part one of this teaching, God is reaching out to all His people, Israel; He is, at the same time, aiming the blessing at each and every individual in the nation. What were the needs of Israel in general, what were the needs of each person?
In this manner, the blessing of God is similar to the bestowing of the Gifts of the Spirit on a believer. (see 1 Cor 12:7-11 and 28-30) Each gift is given for a special purpose, often for a limited time, and usually in relation to their vocation for ministry. Similarly, the blessing received by the individual is related to his or her role in society, or place in the wider community, or by his or her vocation. Thus, the farmer may be blest with bountiful crops, the merchant with a thriving business, the student with great learning, the hungry person is blessed with food, the thirsty with water. [This was certainly the case with the Israelites during their time in the wilderness]. Furthermore, several examples may be found in scripture of the barren woman being blessed with a child under God’s will.
In some amazing sense, the First blessing is a return to the conditions in the Garden of Eden. There, God supplied every need that Adam and Havah could ever have had. There, and again now here, we see the desire of God to bless His children with every thing they require for life. We know from Moshé’s account of the Exodus journey that for 40 years, God supplied both food and water for everyone. While some did not appreciate all that God was doing for them and so complained, especially about the Manna, God continued to be “YHVH Jirah”, / “God who Provides”.
Did you know that, for the full period of the wandering in the wilderness, so the Talmud explains, the clothing and sandals of the Israelites did not wear out? And in almost every case, as long as the people were obedient to God, they enjoyed victory in every battle against the gentile nations they encountered. In the end however, as Moshé will explain in the land of Moab, opposite Jericho, in his farewell address to the people recorded in Deuteronomy, the blessings they have known for 38 years will take on a different appearance once they enter the promised land, but, Moshé says, God will remain with them to provide bounty in whatever way their needs will dictate.
In the early years, as the Israelites entered the land, and encountered the local inhabitants which were to be over-taken by the nation as per God’s command, (see Genesis 15:1-16) they fought hard and they knew victory over God’s enemies. Still today, it is amazing that such a small country, with a limited army, can be victorious over the nations who choose to fight them, or worse – threaten to annihilate them. After that period drew to an end, as they put down their roots and settled, their flocks and herds grew exponentially. Families also grew and thrived. Even today, for example, there are two growing seasons for the main grains – barley and wheat, as well as numerous other harvests of different crops. Today Israel is the fourth greatest country in the world of business of those nations that deal on the stock exchanges of the world. It is also an international leader in the area of modern technology, with numerous companies basing their head offices in “The Land”. Clearly, God’s blessing has been upon them.
All these physical blessings, however, are fragile and tenuous in nature. Prosperity requires both stewardship and guardianship so that the blessings given by God are not lost. This brings us to the second part of the first line.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
“May the Lord bless you and protect you”
To me it is an amazing situation in which we find ourselves at this point. God has promised to bless His people, but He will not then simply leave them to their own resources – He will stand with them through the challenges that come along.
Have you ever noticed that there is a natural tendency, once we have tasted any form of good measure – be it wealth, or power, or simply a comfortable state of living, we then tend to hoard it. We as human beings seem to fear the loss of anything of which we come into possession. This, of course, is the lesson noted by “Bilbo”, and later “Frodo” in Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” sequels. Both of them see how “Sméagol”, another Hobbit, turns into the nasty character “Gollum” because of his disproportionate love and greed around “his precious” ring.
Let’s face it, in today’s broken world it is easy to lose our blessings, at least those which are physical in nature. We face the possibility of theft and plunder by others – and we can also lose things through carelessness and misuse of our blessings. The resultant fear of loss makes us do strange things. Take for instance, the parable of the poor steward. When given a coin to put to use, he fears the severity of his master, and simply buries it in the ground. “At least” he surmises, “it will be there to return to the master when needed.” This action brings the Master’s response – “You wicked and lazy servant.” (Mt. 25:16). Fear of loss can be paralyzing for some. And it is not uniquely applicable to such blessings as wealth. Look at those who are blessed with positions of authority in order to serve mankind. Once in power, they begin almost immediately to think about how they can maintain their position. It may be a natural tendency for us to do this, but it is so unnecessary. Instead, we should consider first the source of our blessings and trust by faith that He who supplies, will also guard. That is the gist of what is being said here in this blessing. God promises not only to provide blessings for His people, but also to be vigilant on their behalf to protect both them (from danger and from carelessness) and to protect the items with which He blesses us.
Blessings, although fluid due to need or necessity, are also meant to be lasting. So many times we see those whose blessings seem to dissipate for whatever reason, gain other blessings back. God does not bless and ignore, He blesses and remains “with us”. Granted there are times, Scripture tells us, that God has turned away, or allowed discipline to happen to His people, but He never forsakes, He never abandons those who love Him. Our position, our relationship, with God, as creator and creature, as blesser and blessee is stable and secure as long as we live in obedience to God. That is His promise to us. This blessing is so clearly seen in the history of Israel. God is with that tiny nation, He is with each individual, and He is with those who, by His Divine grafting, are by faith in Y’shua, part of the Commonwealth of Israel, the Body of Messiah, the Community of Faith – by whatever name we may wish to represent the Kingdom of God here on earth.
But, Now, This Begs a Question: … WHY?
Why would God take the time to bestow and protect such blessings on a sometimes (often, in fact) ungrateful commodity called humanity?
At the root of God’s ‘reasoning’, for lack of a better term, is His undying Love for this humanity which is His creation. He is faithful to us, in spite of our disobedient behaviour. At the core of His Love, lies the desire for our spiritual well-being. In a nutshell, I believe that answers the question, though I feel it needs to be analyzed a little further. The blessings we have looked at so far have dealt, to a large extent, with the physical realm, but there is so much more to consider. Returning once again to the original life in the Garden of Eden, we catch a glimpse of God’s mindset. In Eden, God supplied all that was needed for life. I have this concept of Eden which is like my in-laws winter home in St. Petersburg, Fla. While visiting there once, back in the seventies, I found myself wanting some orange juice for breakfast. I stepped out into the back yard, picked a couple of fresh oranges off the tree and extracted the juice from them, which I totally enjoyed. It’s not hard to extrapolate from there, what a world in which God’s blessing would supply all our needs would be like. ‘Convenient’ comes to mind, ‘Stress-less’ also comes to mind. It would be a world in which we would not have to strive arduously just to survive. It would be a world where our time was free. From there, I believe that God would like us to have this gift of time, as a blessing, so that we could spend time ‘with Him’. As the old hymn puts it: “And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own; and the joy we share, as we tarry there, none other has ever known.”
I am reminded of Tevya, from the movie “Fiddler on the Roof”. His one desire was to have the time to spend meeting with the other men, the elders, in the village gate to study, to argue and to discuss the Holy Book. The prosperity and the freedom from fear and the knowledge of God’s protection is meant to give us the time we need to study God’s Word, to learn of Him and how we should live as His people – people of faith, people of “The Book.” I don’t know the source of it, (probably the Talmud) but there is an expression which runs: “Where there is no flour, There is no Torah”. In other words, if we have to strive for our food, there won’t be time to do our study and build our relationship with God.
Recently I took a ‘show of hands’ poll to see how many people studied God’s Word every day. A few put up their hands. I asked if it lasted an hour a day – a few hands went down. I asked if anyone made it to two hours a day… all hands went down. When I asked, “Why not?” most of the people agreed “They don’t have that much time”. Others said “There are too many demands on our time, on our lives”.
At the welcoming assembly for my second year of seminary, our senior student pointed to our school crest and the motto emblazoned there. “It reads ‘Verbum Domini Manet’, he said, and then he took some liberties and declared, “It means ‘jump in the deep end’. [It doesn’t mean that at all, of course… it means the “Word of God Endures”.] His point however, was not lost, at least not on me – if you want to get something out of your time here, get involved! That was what he was saying. This sentiment is also echoed in the blessing we say each Shabbat at the Torah Study: “Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who sanctifies us with Your commandments, and commands us to engross ourselves in the words of Torah.” (This prayer is found at the top of this page, by the way). “Engrossing” one’s self in Torah or Scripture Study may seem like a distant and unachievable hope for us in today’s world, but it can be done, if one is truly dedicated.
I recently read an obituary in the Globe and Mail (Thurs July 19, 2012). Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv had died in Yerushalayim the previous day at the age of 102 years. This highly respected, former judge (who retired in 1974 from the rabbinical appeals court) had “devoted his life to Torah [and Talmudic] study… he rejected worldly possessions and chose instead to live modestly in a tiny Yerushalayim apartment where people lined up, seeking advice, blessings, and rulings on religious issues… his authority was accepted by all but the most fringe groups of Judaism.. he told his students that the secret to his long life is never to get angry and never take things personally or to heart – except Torah Study – which should be taken straight to the heart.” What a truly amazing legacy to leave the world.
To illustrate my point a little further, look at the blessings which Ya’acov gives to his sons prior to his death in Egypt. (Genesis 49) Two in particular stand out related to this teaching (vss. 13 to 15). First of all, note that, although younger, Zebulun’s blessing precedes his brother Issachar. His blessing speaks of prosperity in the fishing industry along the coast. Then comes Issachar’s blessing. Although it appears to speak of labour – it is actually speaking of the burden of the yoke of the Torah. Issachar was recognized as a student of the Word. My SEASC commentary reads: “Ya’acov gave precedence to Zebulun because Issachar’s Torah learning was made possible by Zebulun, who, by engaging (and being blessed) in commerce was able to support Issachar.” (pg 279) As you read further in the Torah, you will notice that the two brothers are always mentioned together, indicating that the supportive relationship lasted through-out their lives.
This last example brings to light a second purpose for God’s blessing us. We are not only called to come closer to Him, (although this is the primary purpose, I believe). We are also called to ‘come closer’ to our fellow human beings. We do this through acts of charity – the spreading around of the blessings which God has bestowed on us. A friend of mine has a bumper sticker on her car which reads, in part: “practice random acts of kindness.” These are the mitzvot / the good deeds for which we are responsible.
When we reach out to help others, we are doing God’s work in this world, and those efforts will also bring us closer to God. The Rev’d Clive Pick teaches about this concept through television appearances and speaking engagements. He claims that “we are blessed, in order to bless others”. He also points out that one way to safeguard your blessing is to share it with others. The more we bless those in need, the more we will experience further blessing from God. “This”, Clive might say, “is in accord with Malachi 3:10, which states: ‘Bring your whole tenth [tithe] into the storehouse, so that there will be food in My house, and put me to the test,’ says Adonai Tzva’ot, ‘See if I won’t open for you the floodgates of heaven and pour out for you a blessing far beyond your needs.’”
The freedom we enjoy, due to God’s blessing resting upon us, and the promise of His protection over us and our blessings, leads us into the second line of the Blessing.
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The Second Line
“May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you”
This is the wording found in the CJB, the NASV and the NIV bibles. In other interpretations of this line, we might find: “May the Lord Illuminate His countenance for you.” This is how it is translated in the SEASC, for instance. Clearly the Hebrew word “panav” is used both in this line and the next. In each of the initial versions noted above except the NASB, the use of “face” is maintained in both lines 2 and 3, while in the Chumash the use of “countenance” is repeated, while in the NASV, it begins with face, then switches to “countenance” for the third line. In either case, the use of the term “panav” tells us something: This second blessing is meant to be figurative.
The fact that it is figurative (metaphorical) in its wording, however, should not cause one to assume that the blessing itself is not real. If we were reporting on the first flight of the Wright Brothers and we used phrasing such as, “We watched as this giant bird lifted itself clumsily off the ground, its wings outstretched…” we know full well that what flew that day was no ‘bird’ at all – but it doesn’t mean that the flight never took place – only that the author was creative in his story-telling. So too, here. We know that God does not have an actual “face”, but the use of this language helps us to see what God is promising in His blessing of the people, and – at the same time – it serves to personalize our relationship with God.
One’s face seems to be a prominent feature in our relationships with others, as we will see in a moment. I was recently reminded of this during a memorial service for a friend in which part of the 27th Psalm was read. I also realized that the first part of this second line of the blessing could easily be considered God’s response to the oft- spoken prayer of many of us who are going through turmoil in our lives or are seeking answers to our needs for a real relationship with our God, just as the Psalmist is. The 27th Psalm is a pleading prayer for God’s companionship, but interestingly it is also a declaration that God is faithful in His relationships and, as such, is the only true source of light and salvation for all who seek Him out. Such affirmation is made in the beginning of this psalm, but after such a moving testimony, the psalmist inserts this prayer: “Listen Adonai, to my voice when I cry: show favour to me and answer me. My heart said of You, “Seek my face.” Your face, Adonai, I will seek. Do not hide Your face from me, don’t turn your servant away in anger. You are my help; don’t abandon me; don’t leave me, God my Saviour. Even though my father and mother have left me, Adonai will care for me. Teach me Your way Adonai.” (vss 7-11a)
So what does it mean to say “May the Lord illuminate his face…”? One image that always springs to mind first for me comes from my childhood, when we used to hold a flashlight under our chin, and throw light on our face to scare our fellow campers. In a rather simplistic, low-tech way that image may still work for some. However, today, I liken it more to the image of Moshé coming down from Sinai’s heights where he had been meeting with God. In ‘Exodus’ we read: “And it came about when Moshé was coming down from Mount Sinai…that Moshé did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him (Elohim/Adonai). So when Aharon and all the sons of Israel saw Moshé, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.” (34:29-30) The same thing used to happen to Moshé when he met with God in the Tabernacle. It was not that an external light was shining ON his face, but rather that a light emanated FROM within Moshé – his face was ‘radiant’.
It is interesting to note that Y’shua is described in a similar manner after His meeting with Moshé and Elijahu on the mountain top, though more than His face shone: “And [Y’shua] was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun and His garments became as white as light.” (Mt 17:2) Notice also, that in the Revelation given to Jochanan, we encounter a similar description: “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Yerushalayim, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.” (Rev 21:10,11) The similarities in these accounts are too connected to be ignored. Anything that comes into contact with Elohim Himself seems to glow with a radiant light. In other places, Yochanan points out that God is light, and those who know God, walk in the light. Look how Y’shua is introduced in Yochanan’s Gospel: “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” And later, he writes of Yochanan the Immerser, saying: “He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every human being was coming into the world.”
Finally, look at the opening words of scripture. For years and years I read this passage and missed its significance regarding “Light”. Genesis 1:1 reads: “In [the] beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be Light.’ God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. He called the light ‘day’, and the darkness he called night’, and there was evening, and there was morning: the first day.” Now, what WAS that Light really? – because I want to point out to you three things: 1/ The Name of God used here is in the plural form (Elohim - ending in 'im')
2/ God, the creator is continually speaking to a partner in creation: which includes the Ruach ha Chodesh / Holy Spirit but goes beyond HIm; (see especially 1:26 "Let us make man in our image" ) and
3/ the sun, moon and stars – those light bearing or reflecting bodies which mark off the days and nights – are not created until day four. Could that initial Light have been Y'shua in pre-incarnate form?
The point of all this is to show that wherever God is to be found, Light is there. Light seems to come from within Him and it shines all around Him. The Jewish people speak of God’s “Shekinah Glory”, the surrounding environment of pure Light which is also described as “The Glory of God, or God’s Holy Presence.
I also appreciate the concept that, as Yochanan says, “The Darkness has not understood it.” This world in which we live is still enveloped, to a large extent, in darkness. Darkness speaks of ignorance and a lack of knowledge. Thanks to my grade five history text book, I have a lasting concept of Africa as “The Dark Continent”. It was labelled this because, before its exploration, no one knew anything about it, the world was ignorant of all its beauty and splendour. When we go without knowing God, we live in the same kind of dark ignorance. But we can fix that, or at least, God can help us fix that.
Clearly, in Scriptural terms, “Light” has to do with knowledge, enlightenment, and awareness, while Darkness speaks of ignorance, superstition, or simply a pagan environment. This concept is certainly echoed in cartoons when the hero gets a good idea, a light is turned on over his head. Similarly, when a person gains some clarity of thought on an issue, we say “the light has dawned on them.” In Psalm 119, particularly in the section labelled “nun” (verses 105-112), the author indicates that The Word of God “is a lamp unto his feet, and a light unto his path”. In other words, the Scriptures bring Wisdom to those who study them carefully. The psalmist also writes: “Thy Word I have treasured in my heart.” (vs 11) and “With all my heart I have sought Thee; Do not let me wander from Thy Commandments.” (vs 10).
To put it plainly – to Study Torah is to seek the face of God. Light or illumination comes to us when we engage ourselves in pure or true study of the Scriptures. With a greater understanding of God, we enter into the Shekinah Glory of God. Now we begin to comprehend what was meant when I pointed out that each line of the blessing is accumulative. The second line begins to build upon the first line. We are blessed by God and He protects us and our blessings, so that in stead of striving to manage our worldly existence, we can strive to come closer to God in Study. When we obey this invitation, God is steadfast to us and He illuminates His face so that our striving is made easier. He illuminates His face so that in the midst of the darkness, we can more easily ‘find’ Him. “Here I Am” He cries to us, “right here. Come and meet me.” In my Stone Edition Art Scroll Chumash, Sforno (an Italian born, 1475-1550, scholar of the Torah and Talmud, full name: Obadiah ben Ya'acov Sforno) is quoted on this issue: “Illumination refers to the light of Torah… for the commandment is a lamp and Torah is a light. May God enlighten you so that you will be capable of perceiving the wondrous wisdom of the Torah and of God’s intricate creation. Having received the blessing of prosperity, we have the peace of mind to go beyond the elementary requirements of survival.” (pg 763) When we thus move beyond the doorway of our study, into the pure illumination of God, we begin to realize there is so much more for us – more to understand and more to enjoy in terms of ever-increasing blessings.
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“May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you”
So it is that we move into the second half of this second line of the Priestly Blessing… into the graciousness of a loving God. God’s ‘grace’ can best be described as His ‘undeserved favour’. Over the years this attribute of God’s blessing has been interpreted by the sages in many ways. One way of looking at it, as the Sifre, a collection of Midrashic commentary on B’Midbar and D’varim does, indicates that the passage is saying that God will enable one to find favour in the eyes of others. In the case of Israel as a whole, for instance, the teaching is that after God blesses Israel with material and spiritual blessing, He will enable the nations to evaluate Israel favourably. One can also apply this understanding to an individual as well. A person (or a nation) can have a host of positive attributes but unless he is appreciated by those around him, his relationship will not be a positive one. Meanwhile other sages take a different approach. Ramban interprets the blessing to say that Israel, [or the individual] will find favour in God’s eyes. Other commentary points out that it means that God’s grace enables one to have Torah knowledge, wisdom and understanding. R. Hirsch (1808-1888) would support this thinking according to the SEASC (pg 763).
Here’s what makes sense to me, again building on the concept that the blessing is accumulative. As we study God’s Word, we draw nearer to God. We gain knowledge of God and of His will for us as His people. We also begin to gain some awareness of His nature. Just as Sforno says, though, as God illuminates truth for us, we also move into the realm of wisdom and comprehension regarding the true nature of God; and now God’s favour, His Grace, or Graciousness, provides insight as to what to do with the knowledge we are accumulating.
For the Messianic believer, we realize that the greatest gift of God’s favour, or grace if you prefer, is the everlasting atonement we have through the once-for-all-time sacrifice of Messiah Y’shua on the Tree of Shame. This atonement – (at-one-ment) is the result of ‘undeserved favour’ and it moves us into the eternal kingdom of God, partially realized here and now, and that which remains to be fulfilled in the “Acherit h’Yamim” (end of the days) and the “Olam Habah” (world to come).
God is willing (in fact desires) to be gracious to us by bestowing on us His favour – an act which has culminated in His self-sacrifice in the person of His Son Y’shua, the greatest gift of graciousness, and an action which has gone beyond favour to bestowing on all believers His forgiveness. I believe that this act of God, rather than allowing other nations to evaluate us “properly”, instead enables us to see God, and His creation, and other nations in a different way, it enables us to respond to them differently and this different response then enables them to respond to us in a more positive manner. Just as we have thus been granted God’s favour, we can share that favour with others – even our enemies, and then we are able to enjoy the favour of others because we are able to live differently ourselves. In other words, being in God’s favour promotes our being in favour with others and experiencing a more positive atmosphere. This reality now opens the door to the third line of the blessing.
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The Third Line
The Lord lift up His countenance to you and give you Shalom.”
Once again we must realize that this blessing is figurative in nature. As discussed earlier, the word translated ‘countenance’ is “panav”, the same word as we saw above interpreted ‘face’. It speaks of the countenance, or face, of God which is beyond our comprehension. We deal with this quandary as best we can – with simple human imagery – because that is simply what we can grasp. We are thus dealing with God “face to face” as it were, meeting Him “eye to eye” even though we agree that God has no face, or if He does, we can’t imagine it. I believe, therefore, that one can best appreciate this aspect of God’s blessing through a series of familiar examples.
First of all can you, dear reader, put yourself in the position of one whose life-partner reads the newspaper at the breakfast table, or who, while at the dinner table, looks beyond you to the television as you speak to him or her about your day or about something the kids have done, or some dilemma at the office? Perhaps you can imagine a teenage son or daughter who has earphones plugged in or who is texting all the while you are trying to converse with them. Doesn’t it make you just want to shout out in desperation, “LOOK AT ME WHEN I’M TALKING TO YOU!”
The third line of the Priestly Blessing opens with a promise from God. I will meet you ‘face to face’ and when you speak to me; I will give you my full attention. In other words, we do not have a God who is rude to His people. “When You want to meet with me, I will not be too busy for you, I will not be on the phone, I will not be texting a friend, I will not be playing a video game. In a manner of speaking, we could understand this third line of the blessing to open with the words: “May you always be assured of the Lord’s rapt attention.” When He lifts his face toward us, God is showing that intent to listen and we can be certain that He will indeed hear us.
A second example looks at the blessing’s promise another way. Perhaps at some time, you have been invited to a large gathering – a fancy soirée, or an important business or political get-together. You arrive to find that, just as you suspected, there is no one here that you recognize. You wander around the room, smiling uneasily at stranger after stranger. You feel uncomfortable, like a fish out of water. “Why did I come?” you ask yourself. A nod here, a glance there, perhaps a lift of your glass in faint salute or acknowledgement, but nothing helps you feel any easier about the situation. And then at last, across the room, you see a face you recognize, and suddenly all the anxiety dissipates and you find yourself thinking “Ahh, finally, someone with whom I can visit and share and have some real fellowship. Suddenly, you feel everything will be all right after all.”
When we read, “May the Lord lift up His face to you…”. God is promising to be a familiar face for us – that when we experience His presence with us we can rest assured that everything will be satisfactory, and that we need not worry. There is something comforting about the presence of God in the lives of His children. Like a loving parent, God is there to comfort us, to erase our fears, to overcome our self-inflicted short comings. In this crazy mixed-up world, what more could one ask for?
And there is yet a third way to describe this third line of the blessing. We know that the eye is the window to the soul. It’s an old saying, and likely quite correct, in that our eyes give others some insight into who we are, or what we may be like ‘deep down’. But the eyes are only part of the greater picture. We also know that when we are a little uneasy, or proud, or even fearful in certain situations, we often dress ourselves in masks. These take several different forms – masks of bravado hide our low self esteem, for instance. A mask of frivolous happiness helps cover a person’s deep depression or general malaise, while a mask of over efficiency will often disguise someone’s uneasiness in a new or unfamiliar setting such as a new job. Our masks, though not necessarily always hiding just our face, will generally do just that. The reason we wear masks (and we all do at one time or another) is to cover over something that we want to hide – it conceals something about us, so that we can maintain control over some part of the situation in which we find ourselves.
You see, if the eyes are the window to the soul, the face is the betrayer of our mind, of our thinking process. Sometimes those betrayals are miniscule, barely noticeable to the untrained eye and yet as we examine the face of those to whom we are speaking, our minds will pick them up subliminally and register them in our sub-conscious, and we will form an opinion of how our conversation is being received.
To illustrate my point a little further, look at the blessings which Ya’acov gives to his sons prior to his death in Egypt. (Genesis 49) Two in particular stand out related to this teaching (vss. 13 to 15). First of all, note that, although younger, Zebulun’s blessing precedes his brother Issachar. His blessing speaks of prosperity in the fishing industry along the coast. Then comes Issachar’s blessing. Although it appears to speak of labour – it is actually speaking of the burden of the yoke of the Torah. Issachar was recognized as a student of the Word. My SEASC commentary reads: “Ya’acov gave precedence to Zebulun because Issachar’s Torah learning was made possible by Zebulun, who, by engaging (and being blessed) in commerce was able to support Issachar.” (pg 279) As you read further in the Torah, you will notice that the two brothers are always mentioned together, indicating that the supportive relationship lasted through-out their lives.
This last example brings to light a second purpose for God’s blessing us. We are not only called to come closer to Him, (although this is the primary purpose, I believe). We are also called to ‘come closer’ to our fellow human beings. We do this through acts of charity – the spreading around of the blessings which God has bestowed on us. A friend of mine has a bumper sticker on her car which reads, in part: “practice random acts of kindness.” These are the mitzvot / the good deeds for which we are responsible.
When we reach out to help others, we are doing God’s work in this world, and those efforts will also bring us closer to God. The Rev’d Clive Pick teaches about this concept through television appearances and speaking engagements. He claims that “we are blessed, in order to bless others”. He also points out that one way to safeguard your blessing is to share it with others. The more we bless those in need, the more we will experience further blessing from God. “This”, Clive might say, “is in accord with Malachi 3:10, which states: ‘Bring your whole tenth [tithe] into the storehouse, so that there will be food in My house, and put me to the test,’ says Adonai Tzva’ot, ‘See if I won’t open for you the floodgates of heaven and pour out for you a blessing far beyond your needs.’”
The freedom we enjoy, due to God’s blessing resting upon us, and the promise of His protection over us and our blessings, leads us into the second line of the Blessing.
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The Second Line
“May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you”
This is the wording found in the CJB, the NASV and the NIV bibles. In other interpretations of this line, we might find: “May the Lord Illuminate His countenance for you.” This is how it is translated in the SEASC, for instance. Clearly the Hebrew word “panav” is used both in this line and the next. In each of the initial versions noted above except the NASB, the use of “face” is maintained in both lines 2 and 3, while in the Chumash the use of “countenance” is repeated, while in the NASV, it begins with face, then switches to “countenance” for the third line. In either case, the use of the term “panav” tells us something: This second blessing is meant to be figurative.
The fact that it is figurative (metaphorical) in its wording, however, should not cause one to assume that the blessing itself is not real. If we were reporting on the first flight of the Wright Brothers and we used phrasing such as, “We watched as this giant bird lifted itself clumsily off the ground, its wings outstretched…” we know full well that what flew that day was no ‘bird’ at all – but it doesn’t mean that the flight never took place – only that the author was creative in his story-telling. So too, here. We know that God does not have an actual “face”, but the use of this language helps us to see what God is promising in His blessing of the people, and – at the same time – it serves to personalize our relationship with God.
One’s face seems to be a prominent feature in our relationships with others, as we will see in a moment. I was recently reminded of this during a memorial service for a friend in which part of the 27th Psalm was read. I also realized that the first part of this second line of the blessing could easily be considered God’s response to the oft- spoken prayer of many of us who are going through turmoil in our lives or are seeking answers to our needs for a real relationship with our God, just as the Psalmist is. The 27th Psalm is a pleading prayer for God’s companionship, but interestingly it is also a declaration that God is faithful in His relationships and, as such, is the only true source of light and salvation for all who seek Him out. Such affirmation is made in the beginning of this psalm, but after such a moving testimony, the psalmist inserts this prayer: “Listen Adonai, to my voice when I cry: show favour to me and answer me. My heart said of You, “Seek my face.” Your face, Adonai, I will seek. Do not hide Your face from me, don’t turn your servant away in anger. You are my help; don’t abandon me; don’t leave me, God my Saviour. Even though my father and mother have left me, Adonai will care for me. Teach me Your way Adonai.” (vss 7-11a)
So what does it mean to say “May the Lord illuminate his face…”? One image that always springs to mind first for me comes from my childhood, when we used to hold a flashlight under our chin, and throw light on our face to scare our fellow campers. In a rather simplistic, low-tech way that image may still work for some. However, today, I liken it more to the image of Moshé coming down from Sinai’s heights where he had been meeting with God. In ‘Exodus’ we read: “And it came about when Moshé was coming down from Mount Sinai…that Moshé did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him (Elohim/Adonai). So when Aharon and all the sons of Israel saw Moshé, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.” (34:29-30) The same thing used to happen to Moshé when he met with God in the Tabernacle. It was not that an external light was shining ON his face, but rather that a light emanated FROM within Moshé – his face was ‘radiant’.
It is interesting to note that Y’shua is described in a similar manner after His meeting with Moshé and Elijahu on the mountain top, though more than His face shone: “And [Y’shua] was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun and His garments became as white as light.” (Mt 17:2) Notice also, that in the Revelation given to Jochanan, we encounter a similar description: “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Yerushalayim, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.” (Rev 21:10,11) The similarities in these accounts are too connected to be ignored. Anything that comes into contact with Elohim Himself seems to glow with a radiant light. In other places, Yochanan points out that God is light, and those who know God, walk in the light. Look how Y’shua is introduced in Yochanan’s Gospel: “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” And later, he writes of Yochanan the Immerser, saying: “He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every human being was coming into the world.”
Finally, look at the opening words of scripture. For years and years I read this passage and missed its significance regarding “Light”. Genesis 1:1 reads: “In [the] beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be Light.’ God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. He called the light ‘day’, and the darkness he called night’, and there was evening, and there was morning: the first day.” Now, what WAS that Light really? – because I want to point out to you three things: 1/ The Name of God used here is in the plural form (Elohim - ending in 'im')
2/ God, the creator is continually speaking to a partner in creation: which includes the Ruach ha Chodesh / Holy Spirit but goes beyond HIm; (see especially 1:26 "Let us make man in our image" ) and
3/ the sun, moon and stars – those light bearing or reflecting bodies which mark off the days and nights – are not created until day four. Could that initial Light have been Y'shua in pre-incarnate form?
The point of all this is to show that wherever God is to be found, Light is there. Light seems to come from within Him and it shines all around Him. The Jewish people speak of God’s “Shekinah Glory”, the surrounding environment of pure Light which is also described as “The Glory of God, or God’s Holy Presence.
I also appreciate the concept that, as Yochanan says, “The Darkness has not understood it.” This world in which we live is still enveloped, to a large extent, in darkness. Darkness speaks of ignorance and a lack of knowledge. Thanks to my grade five history text book, I have a lasting concept of Africa as “The Dark Continent”. It was labelled this because, before its exploration, no one knew anything about it, the world was ignorant of all its beauty and splendour. When we go without knowing God, we live in the same kind of dark ignorance. But we can fix that, or at least, God can help us fix that.
Clearly, in Scriptural terms, “Light” has to do with knowledge, enlightenment, and awareness, while Darkness speaks of ignorance, superstition, or simply a pagan environment. This concept is certainly echoed in cartoons when the hero gets a good idea, a light is turned on over his head. Similarly, when a person gains some clarity of thought on an issue, we say “the light has dawned on them.” In Psalm 119, particularly in the section labelled “nun” (verses 105-112), the author indicates that The Word of God “is a lamp unto his feet, and a light unto his path”. In other words, the Scriptures bring Wisdom to those who study them carefully. The psalmist also writes: “Thy Word I have treasured in my heart.” (vs 11) and “With all my heart I have sought Thee; Do not let me wander from Thy Commandments.” (vs 10).
To put it plainly – to Study Torah is to seek the face of God. Light or illumination comes to us when we engage ourselves in pure or true study of the Scriptures. With a greater understanding of God, we enter into the Shekinah Glory of God. Now we begin to comprehend what was meant when I pointed out that each line of the blessing is accumulative. The second line begins to build upon the first line. We are blessed by God and He protects us and our blessings, so that in stead of striving to manage our worldly existence, we can strive to come closer to God in Study. When we obey this invitation, God is steadfast to us and He illuminates His face so that our striving is made easier. He illuminates His face so that in the midst of the darkness, we can more easily ‘find’ Him. “Here I Am” He cries to us, “right here. Come and meet me.” In my Stone Edition Art Scroll Chumash, Sforno (an Italian born, 1475-1550, scholar of the Torah and Talmud, full name: Obadiah ben Ya'acov Sforno) is quoted on this issue: “Illumination refers to the light of Torah… for the commandment is a lamp and Torah is a light. May God enlighten you so that you will be capable of perceiving the wondrous wisdom of the Torah and of God’s intricate creation. Having received the blessing of prosperity, we have the peace of mind to go beyond the elementary requirements of survival.” (pg 763) When we thus move beyond the doorway of our study, into the pure illumination of God, we begin to realize there is so much more for us – more to understand and more to enjoy in terms of ever-increasing blessings.
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“May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you”
So it is that we move into the second half of this second line of the Priestly Blessing… into the graciousness of a loving God. God’s ‘grace’ can best be described as His ‘undeserved favour’. Over the years this attribute of God’s blessing has been interpreted by the sages in many ways. One way of looking at it, as the Sifre, a collection of Midrashic commentary on B’Midbar and D’varim does, indicates that the passage is saying that God will enable one to find favour in the eyes of others. In the case of Israel as a whole, for instance, the teaching is that after God blesses Israel with material and spiritual blessing, He will enable the nations to evaluate Israel favourably. One can also apply this understanding to an individual as well. A person (or a nation) can have a host of positive attributes but unless he is appreciated by those around him, his relationship will not be a positive one. Meanwhile other sages take a different approach. Ramban interprets the blessing to say that Israel, [or the individual] will find favour in God’s eyes. Other commentary points out that it means that God’s grace enables one to have Torah knowledge, wisdom and understanding. R. Hirsch (1808-1888) would support this thinking according to the SEASC (pg 763).
Here’s what makes sense to me, again building on the concept that the blessing is accumulative. As we study God’s Word, we draw nearer to God. We gain knowledge of God and of His will for us as His people. We also begin to gain some awareness of His nature. Just as Sforno says, though, as God illuminates truth for us, we also move into the realm of wisdom and comprehension regarding the true nature of God; and now God’s favour, His Grace, or Graciousness, provides insight as to what to do with the knowledge we are accumulating.
For the Messianic believer, we realize that the greatest gift of God’s favour, or grace if you prefer, is the everlasting atonement we have through the once-for-all-time sacrifice of Messiah Y’shua on the Tree of Shame. This atonement – (at-one-ment) is the result of ‘undeserved favour’ and it moves us into the eternal kingdom of God, partially realized here and now, and that which remains to be fulfilled in the “Acherit h’Yamim” (end of the days) and the “Olam Habah” (world to come).
God is willing (in fact desires) to be gracious to us by bestowing on us His favour – an act which has culminated in His self-sacrifice in the person of His Son Y’shua, the greatest gift of graciousness, and an action which has gone beyond favour to bestowing on all believers His forgiveness. I believe that this act of God, rather than allowing other nations to evaluate us “properly”, instead enables us to see God, and His creation, and other nations in a different way, it enables us to respond to them differently and this different response then enables them to respond to us in a more positive manner. Just as we have thus been granted God’s favour, we can share that favour with others – even our enemies, and then we are able to enjoy the favour of others because we are able to live differently ourselves. In other words, being in God’s favour promotes our being in favour with others and experiencing a more positive atmosphere. This reality now opens the door to the third line of the blessing.
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The Third Line
The Lord lift up His countenance to you and give you Shalom.”
Once again we must realize that this blessing is figurative in nature. As discussed earlier, the word translated ‘countenance’ is “panav”, the same word as we saw above interpreted ‘face’. It speaks of the countenance, or face, of God which is beyond our comprehension. We deal with this quandary as best we can – with simple human imagery – because that is simply what we can grasp. We are thus dealing with God “face to face” as it were, meeting Him “eye to eye” even though we agree that God has no face, or if He does, we can’t imagine it. I believe, therefore, that one can best appreciate this aspect of God’s blessing through a series of familiar examples.
First of all can you, dear reader, put yourself in the position of one whose life-partner reads the newspaper at the breakfast table, or who, while at the dinner table, looks beyond you to the television as you speak to him or her about your day or about something the kids have done, or some dilemma at the office? Perhaps you can imagine a teenage son or daughter who has earphones plugged in or who is texting all the while you are trying to converse with them. Doesn’t it make you just want to shout out in desperation, “LOOK AT ME WHEN I’M TALKING TO YOU!”
The third line of the Priestly Blessing opens with a promise from God. I will meet you ‘face to face’ and when you speak to me; I will give you my full attention. In other words, we do not have a God who is rude to His people. “When You want to meet with me, I will not be too busy for you, I will not be on the phone, I will not be texting a friend, I will not be playing a video game. In a manner of speaking, we could understand this third line of the blessing to open with the words: “May you always be assured of the Lord’s rapt attention.” When He lifts his face toward us, God is showing that intent to listen and we can be certain that He will indeed hear us.
A second example looks at the blessing’s promise another way. Perhaps at some time, you have been invited to a large gathering – a fancy soirée, or an important business or political get-together. You arrive to find that, just as you suspected, there is no one here that you recognize. You wander around the room, smiling uneasily at stranger after stranger. You feel uncomfortable, like a fish out of water. “Why did I come?” you ask yourself. A nod here, a glance there, perhaps a lift of your glass in faint salute or acknowledgement, but nothing helps you feel any easier about the situation. And then at last, across the room, you see a face you recognize, and suddenly all the anxiety dissipates and you find yourself thinking “Ahh, finally, someone with whom I can visit and share and have some real fellowship. Suddenly, you feel everything will be all right after all.”
When we read, “May the Lord lift up His face to you…”. God is promising to be a familiar face for us – that when we experience His presence with us we can rest assured that everything will be satisfactory, and that we need not worry. There is something comforting about the presence of God in the lives of His children. Like a loving parent, God is there to comfort us, to erase our fears, to overcome our self-inflicted short comings. In this crazy mixed-up world, what more could one ask for?
And there is yet a third way to describe this third line of the blessing. We know that the eye is the window to the soul. It’s an old saying, and likely quite correct, in that our eyes give others some insight into who we are, or what we may be like ‘deep down’. But the eyes are only part of the greater picture. We also know that when we are a little uneasy, or proud, or even fearful in certain situations, we often dress ourselves in masks. These take several different forms – masks of bravado hide our low self esteem, for instance. A mask of frivolous happiness helps cover a person’s deep depression or general malaise, while a mask of over efficiency will often disguise someone’s uneasiness in a new or unfamiliar setting such as a new job. Our masks, though not necessarily always hiding just our face, will generally do just that. The reason we wear masks (and we all do at one time or another) is to cover over something that we want to hide – it conceals something about us, so that we can maintain control over some part of the situation in which we find ourselves.
You see, if the eyes are the window to the soul, the face is the betrayer of our mind, of our thinking process. Sometimes those betrayals are miniscule, barely noticeable to the untrained eye and yet as we examine the face of those to whom we are speaking, our minds will pick them up subliminally and register them in our sub-conscious, and we will form an opinion of how our conversation is being received.
There is an illustrative scene of exactly this in Rowan Atkinson’s recent movie “Johnny English Reborn”.
While presenting his bravest behaviour, a new gadget used by a behavioural psychologist who is examining ‘English” reveals the facial contortions of a person experiencing extreme fear. The inner fear, of course, is controlling how English approaches his role as a super-spy hero, and leads to his bungling in many situations.
The point is this – our faces indicate our supposedly hidden attitudes toward something or someone. In today’s language we would say that there are ‘bio-feedback’ indicators all over our faces. As we read the face of another person, we may witness anger, shame, pride, boredom, perhaps love and admiration or on the other hand: disgust and disinterest.
When God’s countenance is “lifted up” to us, it is as if we see something revealed about God Himself. This part of the blessing, building on what has gone before, (namely that we have found favour with God) will actually expose God’s desire to be open to us: “I will lift up my face to you so that you will be able to see into my heart and my mind and you will find there only love and compassion for you.” There will be no hidden disappointment, no anger nor turning away of His attention.
While presenting his bravest behaviour, a new gadget used by a behavioural psychologist who is examining ‘English” reveals the facial contortions of a person experiencing extreme fear. The inner fear, of course, is controlling how English approaches his role as a super-spy hero, and leads to his bungling in many situations.
The point is this – our faces indicate our supposedly hidden attitudes toward something or someone. In today’s language we would say that there are ‘bio-feedback’ indicators all over our faces. As we read the face of another person, we may witness anger, shame, pride, boredom, perhaps love and admiration or on the other hand: disgust and disinterest.
When God’s countenance is “lifted up” to us, it is as if we see something revealed about God Himself. This part of the blessing, building on what has gone before, (namely that we have found favour with God) will actually expose God’s desire to be open to us: “I will lift up my face to you so that you will be able to see into my heart and my mind and you will find there only love and compassion for you.” There will be no hidden disappointment, no anger nor turning away of His attention.
I remember an old sketch of Y’shua which portrayed Him laughing, head tossed back, and every care absent. This is how I like to imagine our Saviour – his very soul is laid out before us – no hidden agenda, no disguises, no reproaches – just pure joy and compassion grounded firmly in the love of Creator and Redeemer for His created and redeemed. Such a friendly, warm face lifted up to us puts us in an atmosphere of all encompassing peace.
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The Lord lift up His Countenance to you and give you Shalom.”
From the beginning of this blessing, we see that God first gives us, of His own volition, a blessing in accordance with our needs and then He promises to safeguard both us and the very blessings we enjoy at His hand. This frees us up somewhat so that we can relax from the pressures of life in general and begin to learn of Him, seeking Him in our lives. As we obey this call upon us, God reveals himself to us, bringing light into our lives and meeting us part way as does the Father who runs out to meet and greet his returning (formerly prodigal) son. Then, undeserved by us, God also wraps us in His favour, delivering us from our past iniquities and assuring us of our forgiveness, and establishing forever our “at-one-ment” with our Creator God. It is in this new relationship, this atmosphere of favour, or Grace if you prefer, that we can discover true Peace.
What is Peace?
I happen to believe that all humanity is searching for one thing in our lives. Ask any contestant in a Miss Universe Pageant, ask any child, ask any soldier, ask any politician what their greatest desire is, and I am sure that the majority would say “peace”. It appears to be the foundation on which all the other things we work toward seems to rest.
In Messiah Y’shua, God Himself has established peace for us in this world – or at least – the possibility of peace. Peace is available for anyone who will reach out and accept it. Actually, I prefer the Hebrew word which is translated as peace in Scripture: that word is “Shalom”. The reason I prefer Shalom, is that when we think of peace, we tend to think it means “the absence of war” and we generally stop at that frame of reference. Shalom, on the other hand, encapsulates so much more than simply freedom from the wars of jealous and greedy leaders and nations. To me, Shalom can best be described as an atmosphere, or an environment, of complete well-being.
Actually the concept of Shalom is multi-faceted. It encompasses such umbrella-like notions as harmony and balance which, going far beyond such ideas as freedom from turmoil, also includes freedom from fear, freedom from doubt, from inner conflicts, from confusion and much more. At the same time, Shalom embraces such things as Freedom itself, and Mercy and Justice. In trying to describe Shalom, Reb Sha’ul, in his letter to the congregation at Philippi, wrote: “And the Peace of God which surpasses all comprehension, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with the Messiah Y’shua.” Even the great Rabbi, whose life was completely taken over by explaining and delineating the teachings of the Torah and the Living Word, Y’shua Himself, could not find words which did the concept of Shalom justice.
I am, generally speaking, a fairly contented and peaceful person, who has spent many years trying to follow the Lord’s teachings and the lessons of Scripture – granted not without many a slip – but I can count on one hand, the number of times I have experienced true and complete Shalom, and those times have been fleeting, just a few minutes in duration. Once was on a drizzly day in the school yard where I taught, as I walked back from the staff-room to my “portable’. Another was when I was attending Wycliffe College, (my Seminary), when I was waiting for word about my ordination to the priesthood, and I felt such a calm certainty that God was in control of whatever came along. The third time was sitting alone in a tiny chapel in Aurora, Ontario, when I felt everything was going to rack and ruin all around me. I was praying, and focussing on a stylized figure of Messiah Y’shua at the front of the room when I heard a voice, which I can only describe as Divine, within me say: “Everything will be all right. I am in control and I know what is coming. Simply place your trust in Me.” These experiences filled me with an inner joy which to me are the epitome of Shalom. It is this inner sense of God’s undeniable presence which He longs to bestow on us – His children. It is a sense, an intangible, yet very real feeling, that everything is in its place, and all is right with the world. It is that internal oneness of Body, Mind and Spirit. It is the unity between one of God’s creatures and every other creature on earth. In totality, it is the unity between one’s self and one’s Creator.
God’s Shalom is both the end, (that is: the goal) of all of God’s blessings and it is also the seal upon those blessings. In the days of knights and kings, long before the postal service we know and love today, when a message was sent from one castle or one realm to another, the king would seal the letter with wax and leave his insignia in the wax with his signet ring. In our case, God is promising all these mighty blessings to us, and then sealing them for our good with the final gift of Shalom. The means of this sealing of His blessing is the Messiah, God incarnate. We refer to Y’shua in many situations as “Sar Shalom” The Prince of Peace”. Furthermore, the blessing of His Shalom amongst us, especially when twinned with the concept of Shabbat, is a fore-shadowing of that which is yet to come – the Eternal peace of life in His Kingdom, beyond the end of time as we know it.
I mentioned earlier that the primary blessing in line one was (and is) given in accordance to our needs, that it is given depending on the situation of the recipient. The secondary blessings, lines 1b through 3a, seem to be a little more definite, yet are dependent on each step in the process. The culminating blessing however – that of Shalom in the life of the recipient is, I suspect, unchangeable, for it is the deepest of our needs and the one thing we all, in common, long for in our lives. While it may seem elusive, it is the solid-as-rock end of God’s greatest blessings which we can experience – especially as the realization and fulfillment of that foreshadowing quality, the final Shabbat.
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The ‘Internal’ Summary
Finally, God sums up the process of how these blessings will be experienced by God’s People. He says: “You will put my Name on the children of Israel, (Benim Israel), and I will then bless them.”
There is an order to God’s thinking in relation to His children. We stated earlier that it is definitely God Himself who does the blessing of the people of faith – not simply the Cohen or the Rabbi. The instruction is to put God's Name upon the people of Israel, (or by grafting, let us say, the community or commonwealth of faith), and then, as if in response, God will bestow His blessing – individually or corporately, as He sees fit. This is an interesting thought.
I am reminded of the action of Immersion, or Baptism. When the candidate for baptism is anointed with the water, whether by full immersion or by ‘sprinkling’, we say they are cleansed and ready to take on the Name of God. We then consign (that is make the sign of the cross) on them, or simply lay hands on them, and in so doing we are, in essence placing the Name of God upon them. We say that they “are marked as Messiah’s own for ever.” This action of cleansing and consigning is the rite by which one enters into the commonwealth of all believers, an environment in which, although perhaps not exclusively, we can experience and enjoy the blessings of God. [I say not exclusively, because many believers take on the Name of God, without this rite being performed, and their blessing is just as valid in God’s eyes, I am sure – but the point remains, first the Name, then the blessing.]
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What does all this mean to you and me?
Taking on the Name of God has some important ramifications for us as the Community of faith. There is a responsibility which goes with ‘wearing’ the name of another person or entity. School teams and international athletes know what this is like. Those who wear school uniforms or sport school rings have a responsibility toward how they present that name to the public. As believers, we too – as we take on the Name of God – become ambassadors for the Kingdom of God. People should first of all ‘see’ God’s Name upon us. We do not, for instance take the Light of Messiah upon ourselves simply to hide it under a bushel basket. At the same time, we do not take the Name of God upon ourselves and then desecrate it, or defame it before others. Both these situations would be a contravention of the third commandment – “You will not take [on] the Name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not absolve anyone who takes [on] His Name in vain.”
As we begin our faith journey, accepting the blessings which God desires to bestow on us, we progress, (if we are healthy followers of our Lord) through this process of getting to know God, walking with Him, experiencing the many revelations of His nature which He makes before us, taking on the blessing of salvation awarded through Messiah’s death and resurrection, where we finally come to know His Shalom in our lives. It is an honour and a privilege, as well as a responsibility, to walk this path with Elohim. In a world where people are searching for Truth and for Meaning to their lives, and for answers to all the major questions, we can find all we need by giving ourselves over to Him and willingly submitting – not to ownership or something demeaning, but rather to something enriching, exciting and something so fulfilling that no other experience can compare.
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A Closing Word to a Loving God:
Blesséd are You, O Lord our God, Creator and Ruler over all that is; You alone are worthy of Honour and Majesty and Blessing – and yet, You freely bestow upon us, Your children, a blessing which is both life altering and eternally fulfilling. How very blessed we are to be Your children.
Grant that we may always be worthy to carry Your Name, humbly and without reservation so that every man, woman and child, will desire this closeness to You which we now enjoy; B’Shem Y’shua, Sar Shalom. Amain.
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The Lord lift up His Countenance to you and give you Shalom.”
From the beginning of this blessing, we see that God first gives us, of His own volition, a blessing in accordance with our needs and then He promises to safeguard both us and the very blessings we enjoy at His hand. This frees us up somewhat so that we can relax from the pressures of life in general and begin to learn of Him, seeking Him in our lives. As we obey this call upon us, God reveals himself to us, bringing light into our lives and meeting us part way as does the Father who runs out to meet and greet his returning (formerly prodigal) son. Then, undeserved by us, God also wraps us in His favour, delivering us from our past iniquities and assuring us of our forgiveness, and establishing forever our “at-one-ment” with our Creator God. It is in this new relationship, this atmosphere of favour, or Grace if you prefer, that we can discover true Peace.
What is Peace?
I happen to believe that all humanity is searching for one thing in our lives. Ask any contestant in a Miss Universe Pageant, ask any child, ask any soldier, ask any politician what their greatest desire is, and I am sure that the majority would say “peace”. It appears to be the foundation on which all the other things we work toward seems to rest.
In Messiah Y’shua, God Himself has established peace for us in this world – or at least – the possibility of peace. Peace is available for anyone who will reach out and accept it. Actually, I prefer the Hebrew word which is translated as peace in Scripture: that word is “Shalom”. The reason I prefer Shalom, is that when we think of peace, we tend to think it means “the absence of war” and we generally stop at that frame of reference. Shalom, on the other hand, encapsulates so much more than simply freedom from the wars of jealous and greedy leaders and nations. To me, Shalom can best be described as an atmosphere, or an environment, of complete well-being.
Actually the concept of Shalom is multi-faceted. It encompasses such umbrella-like notions as harmony and balance which, going far beyond such ideas as freedom from turmoil, also includes freedom from fear, freedom from doubt, from inner conflicts, from confusion and much more. At the same time, Shalom embraces such things as Freedom itself, and Mercy and Justice. In trying to describe Shalom, Reb Sha’ul, in his letter to the congregation at Philippi, wrote: “And the Peace of God which surpasses all comprehension, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with the Messiah Y’shua.” Even the great Rabbi, whose life was completely taken over by explaining and delineating the teachings of the Torah and the Living Word, Y’shua Himself, could not find words which did the concept of Shalom justice.
I am, generally speaking, a fairly contented and peaceful person, who has spent many years trying to follow the Lord’s teachings and the lessons of Scripture – granted not without many a slip – but I can count on one hand, the number of times I have experienced true and complete Shalom, and those times have been fleeting, just a few minutes in duration. Once was on a drizzly day in the school yard where I taught, as I walked back from the staff-room to my “portable’. Another was when I was attending Wycliffe College, (my Seminary), when I was waiting for word about my ordination to the priesthood, and I felt such a calm certainty that God was in control of whatever came along. The third time was sitting alone in a tiny chapel in Aurora, Ontario, when I felt everything was going to rack and ruin all around me. I was praying, and focussing on a stylized figure of Messiah Y’shua at the front of the room when I heard a voice, which I can only describe as Divine, within me say: “Everything will be all right. I am in control and I know what is coming. Simply place your trust in Me.” These experiences filled me with an inner joy which to me are the epitome of Shalom. It is this inner sense of God’s undeniable presence which He longs to bestow on us – His children. It is a sense, an intangible, yet very real feeling, that everything is in its place, and all is right with the world. It is that internal oneness of Body, Mind and Spirit. It is the unity between one of God’s creatures and every other creature on earth. In totality, it is the unity between one’s self and one’s Creator.
God’s Shalom is both the end, (that is: the goal) of all of God’s blessings and it is also the seal upon those blessings. In the days of knights and kings, long before the postal service we know and love today, when a message was sent from one castle or one realm to another, the king would seal the letter with wax and leave his insignia in the wax with his signet ring. In our case, God is promising all these mighty blessings to us, and then sealing them for our good with the final gift of Shalom. The means of this sealing of His blessing is the Messiah, God incarnate. We refer to Y’shua in many situations as “Sar Shalom” The Prince of Peace”. Furthermore, the blessing of His Shalom amongst us, especially when twinned with the concept of Shabbat, is a fore-shadowing of that which is yet to come – the Eternal peace of life in His Kingdom, beyond the end of time as we know it.
I mentioned earlier that the primary blessing in line one was (and is) given in accordance to our needs, that it is given depending on the situation of the recipient. The secondary blessings, lines 1b through 3a, seem to be a little more definite, yet are dependent on each step in the process. The culminating blessing however – that of Shalom in the life of the recipient is, I suspect, unchangeable, for it is the deepest of our needs and the one thing we all, in common, long for in our lives. While it may seem elusive, it is the solid-as-rock end of God’s greatest blessings which we can experience – especially as the realization and fulfillment of that foreshadowing quality, the final Shabbat.
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The ‘Internal’ Summary
Finally, God sums up the process of how these blessings will be experienced by God’s People. He says: “You will put my Name on the children of Israel, (Benim Israel), and I will then bless them.”
There is an order to God’s thinking in relation to His children. We stated earlier that it is definitely God Himself who does the blessing of the people of faith – not simply the Cohen or the Rabbi. The instruction is to put God's Name upon the people of Israel, (or by grafting, let us say, the community or commonwealth of faith), and then, as if in response, God will bestow His blessing – individually or corporately, as He sees fit. This is an interesting thought.
I am reminded of the action of Immersion, or Baptism. When the candidate for baptism is anointed with the water, whether by full immersion or by ‘sprinkling’, we say they are cleansed and ready to take on the Name of God. We then consign (that is make the sign of the cross) on them, or simply lay hands on them, and in so doing we are, in essence placing the Name of God upon them. We say that they “are marked as Messiah’s own for ever.” This action of cleansing and consigning is the rite by which one enters into the commonwealth of all believers, an environment in which, although perhaps not exclusively, we can experience and enjoy the blessings of God. [I say not exclusively, because many believers take on the Name of God, without this rite being performed, and their blessing is just as valid in God’s eyes, I am sure – but the point remains, first the Name, then the blessing.]
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What does all this mean to you and me?
Taking on the Name of God has some important ramifications for us as the Community of faith. There is a responsibility which goes with ‘wearing’ the name of another person or entity. School teams and international athletes know what this is like. Those who wear school uniforms or sport school rings have a responsibility toward how they present that name to the public. As believers, we too – as we take on the Name of God – become ambassadors for the Kingdom of God. People should first of all ‘see’ God’s Name upon us. We do not, for instance take the Light of Messiah upon ourselves simply to hide it under a bushel basket. At the same time, we do not take the Name of God upon ourselves and then desecrate it, or defame it before others. Both these situations would be a contravention of the third commandment – “You will not take [on] the Name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not absolve anyone who takes [on] His Name in vain.”
As we begin our faith journey, accepting the blessings which God desires to bestow on us, we progress, (if we are healthy followers of our Lord) through this process of getting to know God, walking with Him, experiencing the many revelations of His nature which He makes before us, taking on the blessing of salvation awarded through Messiah’s death and resurrection, where we finally come to know His Shalom in our lives. It is an honour and a privilege, as well as a responsibility, to walk this path with Elohim. In a world where people are searching for Truth and for Meaning to their lives, and for answers to all the major questions, we can find all we need by giving ourselves over to Him and willingly submitting – not to ownership or something demeaning, but rather to something enriching, exciting and something so fulfilling that no other experience can compare.
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A Closing Word to a Loving God:
Blesséd are You, O Lord our God, Creator and Ruler over all that is; You alone are worthy of Honour and Majesty and Blessing – and yet, You freely bestow upon us, Your children, a blessing which is both life altering and eternally fulfilling. How very blessed we are to be Your children.
Grant that we may always be worthy to carry Your Name, humbly and without reservation so that every man, woman and child, will desire this closeness to You which we now enjoy; B’Shem Y’shua, Sar Shalom. Amain.
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