‘ADONAI [the LORD] bless you and keep you!
ADONAI make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you!
ADONAI turn His face toward you and grant you shalom!’ Numbers 6:24-26, TLV
His Name Over Us. Many of us in the church grew up with this benediction at the end of the service. Did you know the context of this blessing? I didn’t. It wasn’t until I attended my first Messianic synagogue service (Jewish believers in Yeshua/Jesus), that I learned such important insights.
In this way they are to place My Name over Bnei-Yisrael [the Children of Israel], and so I will bless them.” (vs. 27)
“They” are Aaron and his son (vs. 23), the kohanim (the High Priests that came from the line of Aaron from the Tribe of Levi). The kohanim — today there are many iterations of the name Cohen, Cahn, Kohen, et. al. — were responsible for the sacrifices within the inner court, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. So, when GOD designates that only Aaron and his descendants are to give this blessing, GOD is placing great significance to this blessing.
That significance is that this blessing places ADONAI’s Name over the Children of Israel. Like a father whose children carry his name, Israel would carry His Name. Like a hen who gather’s her chicks to protect them from predators (Matthew 23:37), the LORD longs to do the same for us.
Do we carry His Name?
Since moving to the deep South, I’ve learned certain colloquialisms. In certain situations, if someone says, “Well, bless her/his heart.” it doesn’t mean a blessing. It means somethings along the lines of, “Well, they are idiots.”
Just as GOD asked that only the kohanim could give the blessing in today’s verses, we must be mindful of how we use a blessing. Does our blessing speak the Name of the LORD over them, or are they just empty words. Do we want His Name over us, like wings of protection?
How precious is Your love, O God! The children of men find refuge in the shadow of Your wings. (Psalm 36:8, TLV)
Today, let us speak blessings over one another being mindful of the weight and power of these words. Let us be filled with the Spirit and not criticism and judgment, but be filled with joy and gratitude and praise.
Instead, be filled with the Ruach, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your heart to the Lord—always giving thanks for everything to God the Father, in the name of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. (Ephesians 5:18b-20, TLV)
Shabbat shalom!
