40 Days of PEACE

October 6th, 2021
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days of PEACE
Day 28 | AND GIVE YOU PEACE | Numbers 6:24-26
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AND GIVE YOU PEACE

Numbers 6:24-26
“The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD cause His face to shine on you, and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His face to you, and give you peace.”

These verses – called the “Aaronic Blessing” – were unusual since the LORD does not often prescribe “rote prayers.” But here the LORD in Numbers 6:22-23 says: And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them...’”

Aaron and his sons were to memorize this exact blessing.  The phrases are:

“The Lord bless you”  What we learn from this blessing, for starters, is that God loves to bless His people.  But as we mature in the Lord, we understand that His highest good might be more than just our comfort, wealth, or happiness.  I always try to keep in mind that God knows the future – and we don’t – so His perspective is more significant than ours.

Then the blessing continues – “and keep you.”  That ensures life, peace, and success.

“The Lord cause His face to shine on you”  To have the glorious happy face of God smiling on us is a fantastic blessing.

“And be gracious to you”  This refers to the tender mercy and care God has for HIS people.

And then: “The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,” infers that, like a human parent watching over his playing children, God’s love and blessing cause Him to watch after His children with love and care.

And finally… “And give you peace.”  The word “peace” here is the Hebrew “shalom,” a typical Hebrew greeting meaning more than just no hostility.  It is a word used here for completeness, wholeness, and restful satisfaction.

Imagine a time when you are completely relaxed, without worry or care. That’s the picture these verses give us: real PEACE, total peace, from our loving, almighty heavenly Father.

Prayer: LORD, I need your peace and protection today.  I receive this blessing from You.  Amen.