AARON’S BLESSING
EASTER SUNDAY 9th APRIL 2023
“THE MAXIMUM BLESSING”
The Priestly Blessing Numbers 6:22-27
22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: 24 “‘“The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’ 27 “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”
Eight sermons later and we come to the greatest understanding of God’s ultimate blessing that all points to The Lord Jesus Christ. The fulfilment of ‘Aaron’s Blessing’ is completely found in the “Passion” of our Lord.
I am not going to recap on the past six Sunday sermons. Briefly we will look and see how this prayer is expressed and best understood on “Resurrection Sunday.”
“THE LORD BLESS YOU.” It is the DNA of God’s love to bless His people. His “Covenant People.” Us! There is a unique bond between us and our Lord God. He has a desire to bless us in the costliest of ways.
We live in a very troubled and scary world. This is a time for DIY theology. Anything goes depending on the spin that is given. We live in a world that has to counter the ‘Fake News’ that has become so prominent in today’s society. Especially during ex-President Trumps era in office.
We must create opportunities to correct the false narratives that so contradicts the truth. Satan has his roots firmly embedded in this I believe. That is why it is so important for the “Church” to establish an authority that can credibly encourage people to understand God’s “Blessing” us, all of us!
The ultimate expressing of God wanting to “Bless” us is seen on the table behind me. Wine and bread. “Do this in remembrance of me.
Galatians 3:14
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”
If this isn’t the promise of “The Lord” blessing us then I do not know what is!
“THE LORD KEEP YOU.” I love this theme. Easter clearly gives us a clue as to how long God desires to keep us. Is it for a day? Is it for a week? We could go on. God wants to keep us for eternity. Today, “Resurrection Sunday” echoes and supports that view.
Sin was the barrier that caused death. Because Jesus chose to die our death, we can now live with Him, for eternity. If it wasn’t for today, there would be no “Good News” and no everlasting life.
In the Old Testament there was very little understanding of what eternal life meant. Today in the New Testament we clearly see what it means in the atoning death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Do you fully comprehend how The Lord keeps you in Himself and to Himself?
To keep something means to preserve it. That is what today is about. The eternal perspectives are overwhelming. God has it within His heart to keep you. He must think highly of us to do this and to think it.
Genesis 28:15 NIV
“I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
This is a promise of commitment that has eternal overtones! We are each a beneficiary of “The Promise!”
“THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE ON YOU.” The Bible makes a lot of comment about the world living in darkness. This is always displayed as contradictory to God’s will and intention for His people. Darkness is seen to purvey and understanding of evil and dark spiritual forces in the world, and in the present creation.
Light is the complete opposite of darkness. In spiritual terms, darkness is associated with Satan, and light with Jesus Christ. It is important for us to really understand this. Jesus has come into the world to extinguish the darkness of evil, and for eternity.
The “Face of God” in Scripture refers to God shining His light towards us and in us. That is what precisely happens to us when Jesus shines His face upon His Church through death and resurrection at Easter. In this we truly seek God’s favour towards us. God turns towards us in Christ and light falls upon us. His Divine light. Not evil light.
2 Corinthians 4:6 NIV
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
There is power in the name of Jesus. There is power in His Light.
“THE LORD BE GRACIOUS TO YOU.” Grace means God’s unmerited favour. In the Old Testament it was seen and understood, made evident in the special relationship He had with His People. His “Covenant People,” the nation of Israel.
Deuteronomy 7:7-9
The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. 8 But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.
It is true to say that God’s promise of “Grace” has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ in the work that he came to do, and was commanded to do.
2 Timothy 1:8-10 NIV
8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
“GRACE” has been defined as, “GOD’S RICHES AT CHRIST’S EXPENSE.” Who can argue with that? Today, “Resurrection Sunday” completely underlines all that we can understand about “The Lord being Gracious to each of us!
“THE LORD TURN HIS FACE TOWARDS YOU.” Unlike “The Lord make His face shine on you,” this is more to do with the judgement of God towards all people. There is a judgement to come and people have a choice in this life to make.
When God is angry with people, He is so because of their sin and rebellion. It is possible for God to turn ‘His Face’ from us.” If this happens then God displays His anger.
Psalm 13:1-6
How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.
The whole purpose of the cross was to put an end to sin and rebellion, and all that impacts from it. This is a new dawn of creation soon to unfold. Justice served and an end towards all that is sinful and evil. Easter is The Face of God Shining Upon a World That is Desperate and in Much Need of Restoration!
“THE LORD GIVE YOU PEACE.” What is this about? It is to do with being in a state of harmony that happens when believers and God through a relationship with Jesus. Peace is only ever found in God. Easter is about the sharing of that “Peace” in and through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God’s One and Only Son.
Grace and peace go together. You really cannot sperate them from one another. The author and giver of both is our father in Heaven.
Romans 5:1 NIV
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
True “Peace” through the Father’s provision for all people. This is the entirety of the Easter narrative. The desire of God to give us “Peace.” Real “Peace” that lasts for eternity.
CONCLUSION:
God is the God of Blessing! The “Aaron Blessing” is like a diamond that has six wonderful sides. Each unique in their own right. Together they sum up God and His redemptive love. His design for His “Covenant People.”
When this was first given to Moses by God Himself and then as instructed to Aaron, it would become one of the most important prayers in the whole of the Old Testament.
But through Lent and Easter, we can see a richer meaning that the nation of Israel couldn’t see. How this blessing is expressed ultimately through the cross. The cross of suffering, shame, and utter rejection, yet alone humiliation. We live in a post ‘First Easter’ world. In between two Christ Advents! For in Jesus Christ we have the complete and full revelation of God’s love and blessing.
Everything that “Aaron’s Prayer” points to. Easter Sunday and Easter, Eternal Hope. Amen.
Rev Mike Griffin