Today’s passage is Numbers 6:13-27. At the end of the Nazirite’s period of dedication, he shaves his head after having made sin and fellowship offerings, burning his hair in the fire of fellowship. He can now drink wine. The Lord tells Moses the blessing that Aaron and his sons are to bless all the Israelites with.
Blessing
The blessing in verses 24-26 is called the Aaronic blessing. I think it is my favorite one and I feel almost sure that I memorized it after hearing it only once because it is so beautiful and fed my soul’s hunger for the Lord. I have used it often when I want to bless someone and I see their faces go soft and peaceful when they hear it.
In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians he talks about love in chapter 13 and says in this world “we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.” One day the blessing in today’s passage will be literally true,“the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace”(26). We will see God face to face. All the suffering we have endured will fall away as we stand before the Lord in adoring love. Our sins will be remembered no more. They will be “as far as the east is from the west” (Ps 102).
How wonderful to have the “Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you” (25)!
How I long for that despite my sinful separation from the Lord, the sins that brings me back to Him repenting and grateful for Jesus’ death on the cross and his glorious resurrection.
I remember when my son was born. I could not be in the delivery room because of a complication. I stood in a hallway looking out a window across the Ottawa River. It was a brilliant Sunday morning in October. The sky was as cloudlessly blue as the cloth the Kohathites covered “the table of the Presence” with (4:7). The silver roof of a church reflecting the sun looked like a star. Then a nurse told me I could go see my son and I did. I saw him face to face for the first time.
When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai his face shone with the glory of God. Have we not seen such glory in the faces of those church members who give their testimonies each week?
“The Lord bless you and keep you” (24). And he does keep me, his name on me because he called me out of his great love. My sins may be ever before me, but with my faith I believe and I trust that God keeps me this day and forever.
Application: to share God’s blessing with all of you.
Lord, thank you for your great blessing of love that you give to me and to all you call and turn your face to.
