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. | ||
| Numbers 6:24–26 | ||
| To “lift up the countenance” simply means “to smile.” Here the priests were to say to the people, “May the Lord smile upon you and give you peace.” In the blessing of verses 24–26, we see the name of the Lord repeated three times. In this, there is a suggestion of the Trinity. In verse 24, the reference is to God the Father, in verse 25, to God the Son, and in verse 26, to God the Holy Spirit. In verse 24, we see God the Father as the Giver. In verse 25, we see God the Son as the Revealer. In verse 26, we see God the Holy Spirit as the Soother. These three characteristics correspond to our needs. God is a Trinity. Made in His image, in a sense, we are as well, for while God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we are body, soul, and spirit. The body relates to the material—the realm where the Father blesses us physically. The soul is the mind and the emotions—that which we think and feel. Sometimes we get confused. Sometimes we have questions. Sometimes we’re disturbed. That’s where God the Son comes in. Any issue I’m wrestling with or any struggle I’m dealing with will ultimately find its answer in Jesus Christ. The spirit is the deepest part of my being, the part of me that will live forever. And because the spirit within me can lack peace, it’s the Holy Spirit who inhabits my spirit, who indwells my spirit, who communes with me in the deepest part of my being and gives me peace. Pastor Jon Courson | ||
