Blessing

2023-08-26

Here is a summary of what it means to bless or be blessed:

First, it means to enable one to fulfill one’s full potential and good purpose. Of the whales and the birds, the Spirit says: “And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth” (Genesis 1:22). Of people He says: “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:28). Of these animals and humans, God gave them commands and the ability to do those commands. Part of the blessing is offspring, as we see here and elsewhere.

Also, God is blessed. Nobody needs to enable Him to do anything; He perfectly does everything without error or sin every time. Nothing ever inhibits Him in anything. He is blessed, and therefore He is the source of all blessing. “And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant” (Genesis 9:26). We can only confess that He is blessed.

Of Abraham, He says, “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:2-3). Blessing can also entail prophecy. Because the LORD blessed Abraham, his destination was set to do certain things, such as having reputation and authority. What God blesses, everyone else must bless, and if they curse what God blesses, they are cursed. The prophet Balaam recognized this to a degree, when he blessed the children of Israel even though he was hired to curse them. Also, those whom God blesses are a blessing to others in return.

We see this example in Melchizedek, where He says, “And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all” (Genesis 14:19-20). Because this priest served the LORD, he blessed both God and Abraham, whom God had blessed.

Things can be blessed, such as days and food. Of the Sabbath Day, He says, “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:11). Blessing is related to its hallowing. Of food, He says, “And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee” (Exodus 23:25). The nutrients of the food and water would be utilized to their fullest and would keep the people healthy.

Consider Aaron’s blessing to the people: “Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them” (Numbers 6:23-27). Here, blessing entails being in the LORD’s favor and having peace and harmony with Him.

Blessing also entails physical or material blessing, as it says in the blessings of Deuteronomy 28:1-14. Note in Deuteronomy 28:9 is spiritual blessing: “The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself.” We see food, full storehouses, protection from enemies, and everything they do is provided for and enabled.

We see that blessing in the Old Testament often was contingent on devotion and performance. In the New Testament, we often see the reversal. Blessing comes first, then devotion and performance follows, though often imperfectly. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). Because we are in Christ, we have every spiritual blessing.

Because of this blessing, we have blessing in the sense of happiness or contentment, like we see in the Beatitudes. “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). In the Lucan Beatitudes, taught in a different sermon, being physically poor is a blessing, which is a different aspect from what we saw in the Old Testament. “Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20). They have the real riches of God, so they must be blessed.

Because God blessed us while we were still His enemies, we bless our enemies. We bless what God blesses. “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). This implies seeking their good rather than their evil, as the Lord did to us.