Numbers 6:26 – “The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” NKJV
Now let’s pick up where we left off yesterday and consider the Third Statement of THE BLESSING! It is a particularly fascinating statement, at least to me. In this statement we find what can be identified as a “Hebraism” – – “Lift up His Countenance” which is obviously another word for “face.” BUT, the expression “lift up” is a “Hebraism” that means to “catch someone’s eye in a crowd.” That makes this interesting.
Simply – It means that as I walk through life TODAY, in the middle of the world full of people, GOD “lifts up His eyes to find me”. His eyes are on ME! He “knows” me and I “know” Him. That can either be of tremendous comfort, as it is to me or be a horrifying thought if you are living outside His covering and care.
Psalm 4:6-8 – “There are many who say, ‘Who will show us any good?’… [It’s come to that. Things are that bad.]… LORD, lift up the light of your countenance upon us. 7 You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased. 8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” NKJV
Think about what the Psalmist said. “Gladness is in my heart because God looks on me.” Things may be bad, but God has His eye on me and I’ve got my eye on God, so I can lie down and sleep in TOTAL CONTENTMENT and PERFECT PEACE knowing that He has it all under control and is actively working on my behalf.
Psalms 34:15 – “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry.” NKJV
THE FINALE OF BLESSING:
Is found in this word PEACE! It is worthy of spending a lot of time on but I want to briefly consider this ALL IMPORTANT WORD! Remember this is the finale of THE BLESSING!
This is a word that sometimes in Scripture, emphasizes the whole idea of BLESSING. You know the Hebrew word for this, it is SHALOM! I think it is somewhat sad that the translators have largely translated it “peace”. It really doesn’t mean “peace” as we think of peace. It is more. It is a huge word. Huge in all that it means and means here in this context.
SHALOM: Wholeness. It means Health of Spirit, Mind, Emotions, and Body. It means Life and Fertility. It means health to everything I am, everything I own, and everything I am involved with. It means WELL BEING!
Please follow me here – – it is the absence of Loneliness, Anxiety, Fretting, Worry, and Apprehension. It is WELL BEING! It means PROTECTION from ALL EVIL and more!
FOR UNDERSTANDING AND EMPHASIS:
Remember in the New Testament – – (the parable has nothing to do with what I’m talking about, I’m just looking at the word used). Remember, when Jesus talks about the “Strongman”, and binding the “Strongman”? Get that in your mind it is important. Jesus said: “When a strongman fully armed guards his own home, his possessions are undisturbed.” The word undisturbed is SHALOM!
NOW DO YOU SEE IT? The picture is that when a man has all his guns, his electric fence, and his Dobermans in the yard – – NO ONE is going to touch him or his stuff. THAT’S THE WORD! It means “undisturbed” because you are protected from ALL EVIL! You’ve seen this in Psalm 121 and Psalm 91. We are KEPT in our going out and our coming in!
PLEASE UNDERSTAND – – It does mean PEACE in the sense that I have Peace with God! It means Peace with Self! It means Peace with Others! It is PERFECT PEACE in the midst of turmoil. So it is PEACE but it is so much more and we often miss that!
Please be careful to understand that it does not mean PEACE in the sense that the War is Over! It means that the entire crazy, deranged world and all its lunacy going on around me does not disturb me because I am walking in the middle of it AT PEACE! That’s Shalom!
Therefore, if I am now BLESSED with ALL Spiritual Blessings, then I have the “outward” temporal form as well as the “inner” aspect of BLESSING! Remember, according to the New Testament we are living under a “Better Covenant” with “Better Promises.” I don’t know about you, but it cannot be “better” if it has “less” than the Old Covenant. Right? This causes my shouting shoes to begin to bounce up and down!
NOT TO OFFEND ANYONE:
But, I’ve been told that under the Old Covenant, God “healed” but under the New, He makes you sick. I’ve been told that under the Old, God increased your flocks and herds, but under the New, He makes you wretchedly poor because He wants to teach you a lesson and because He loves you so much. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THAT FOR ME! To be a BETTER COVENANT, for me, means it takes in everything that the old one had and improves on it! It most assuredly does not take away from it! Does that make sense?
So as I wrap this up let me say: “Today, in Christ Jesus we LIVE in THE BLESSING! It has been purchased for us through the FINISHED WORK of our Lord Jesus Christ! It is our Heritage. It is our Covenant Privilege! “ So without hesitation, I declare that I fully believe, biblically, it is God’s desire that we walk in “Blessing” – “Shalom” – “Wholeness”. He wants us to just relax and respond to Him in PEACE!
As you go through this last day of the normal work week and enter your weekend may you do so with a new sense of His Blessing, Provision, and Protection! I declare unto you:
Numbers 6:24-26 – “The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; 26 The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” NKJV
God Bless You!
Roy's Covenant Corner 