“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
‘The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn His face toward you
    and give you peace.’
‘So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.’“

Numbers 6:22-27

May God be gracious to us and bless us
    and make His face shine on us—
so that your ways may be known on earth,
    your salvation among all nations. 

 May the peoples praise you, God;
    may all the peoples praise you.
May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
    for you rule the peoples with equity
    and guide the nations of the earth.
May the peoples praise you, God;
    may all the peoples praise you. 

 The land yields its harvest;
    God, our God, blesses us.
May God bless us still,
    so that all the ends of the earth will fear Him. 

Psalms 67:1-13 

–

October 6, 2025

God made a covenant with Abraham, to make Abraham into a great nation through which all the nations of the earth would be blessed. (Genesis 12:2-3). Now, generations later, this new blessing to the Israelites, recently freed by God from their slavery in Egypt (Numbers 6:22-27), is an echo of that covenant with Abraham. 

 I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
(Genesis 12:2) 

This blessing is to be given through Aaron and his sons, the High Priest and the Priests of Israel, at a time when the Israelites are preparing to leave Mount Sinai where they have been camped for almost a year. It is a blessing that will accompany them on their decades-long, difficult journey through the wilderness.  

 As a reminder, the priests will pronounce this blessing on the people each morning as a reminder of God’s presence. 

 This blessing has no conditions attached to it. It is God’s free and unmerited favor on His chosen people. It is a gracious and loving God comforting His people with the knowledge of His promises.
(Psalm 121:7-8; Psalm 67).  

We too are inheritors of this blessing. As adopted children of God through faith in His son Jesus Christ, we are “kept” and God’s name has been placed on us. We too were rescued from slavery, the slavery of sin, and adopted into His household (Romans 8:14, 9:8; 1 John 3:10). We too are travelling through a wilderness, the wilderness of a world that does not submit to God. 

When we encounter danger, trouble, or despair, we too can take comfort in the knowledge that the same God who called Abraham, loved and protected the Israelites, and sent His son to die on our behalf, is protecting and providing for us. There is nothing we need to do to merit this blessing, we just need to reach out and take hold of it.  

 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:19) 

 

Questions for reflection and discussion:   

  • Do you acknowledge God as the source of all blessings? 
  • How do you respond when God protects you and provides for your needs? 
  • How can you better trust in God’s provision even in the wilderness of life? 

 Church Reading Plan: 1 Kings 9; Ephesians 6