According to the Holy Scripture, the Lord God Almighty is the creator of the universe and everything in it. Genesis 1:1ff particularly describes that the Lord God created the heavens and the earth and everything in them. Since, the Lord God created the universe and everything in it, He owns and reigns over the universe (Exodus 15:18; Psalm 47:8; 93:1; 96:10; 146:10). Apostle Paul wrote God is the King eternal: Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and everGod  is a God of blessing (1 Timothy 1:17). God is the righteous King, He is the righteous Judge, and He is the one who owns us and blesses us because He is our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer. Although human beings were created by God in His image and likeness, they stumbled and fell into the snare the devil set to trap them. Ever since, they became corrupted and sinful. God, being our heavenly Father, punishes (corrects) us when we are wrong and blesses us when we are right and blesses everyone who walks uprightly before Him (Psalm 84:11). However, He never holds back any good or His provisions from anyone – whether they are righteous or unrighteous. Jesus made it very clear when He was talking to His disciples:

44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:44-48)

Nevertheless, human beings are far from perfect. We hold back good things from everyone else, especially from the people we don’t like. This is because we behave according to the desire of our flesh. Apostle Paul described it in the book of Romans that Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires (Romans 8:5). God is Holy and He is righteous but human beings are sinful and corrupted. God’s thoughts and ways are different from ours. Prophet Isaiah noted it and illustrated it in this way:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9)

God’s way of dealing with the human beings is different from the way that we humans deal with our fellow human beings. If we are redeemed by Christ and live according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, then we will also behave according to the way of God.

This week’s Scripture for the Week passage is very unique (Numbers 6:22-27 mentioned above). Despite all God’s providence (blessings) to the children of Israel, they rebelled against God, yet God told Moses to tell Aaron and his sons (God’s priests) to bless the children of Israel in this particular way. Wow! This command reveals God’s heart-desire to bless His chosen people Israel in a very unique way. God delivered them from their bondage in Egypt and brought them into the promised land (a land flowing with milk and honey [Exodus 3:8, 17]) that He had promised to their forefathers about four hundred and fifty years ago (Genesis 15:13; Exodus 12:40-41; 16:35; Numbers 14:34; Acts 13:18-20). As God’s chosen people, He gave the Israelites His righteous laws (statutes, precepts, decrees, and commands) through His servant Moses, to abide with and practice it as they occupy and settle down in the promised land. In addition to this, He promised them every blessing that they need to live a righteous life in the promised land. However, they rebelled against Him, disobeyed His commands and laws, and went after the gods/goddesses of the nations whom the Lord drove out from before them. Despite their rebellion against the Lord God and their unfaithfulness towards Him, He continued to bless them and made a covenant with them, as prophet Jeremiah prophesied: 

35 This is what the Lord says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the Lord Almighty is his name: 36 “Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,” declares the Lord, “will Israel ever cease being a nation before me.” 37 This is what the Lord says:“Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done,” declares the Lord (Jeremiah 31:35-37)

God’s blessings to the children of Israel mentioned in Numbers 6:24-26 covers all aspects of their life (spiritual, physical, material, emotional) in the promised land:

• • The Lord bless you (24a)
  • The Lord keep you safe (24b)
  • The Lord make his face shine on you (25a)
  • The Lord be gracious to you (25b)
  • The Lord turn his face toward you (26a)
  • The Lord give you peace (26b)

Though it is considered as a priestly blessing, the blessing itself is coming from the Lord. God commanded Moses to tell Aaron and his sons (the priests) to put the name of God on the Israelites when they pronounce God’s blessings upon them in order to receive His blessings, as it is mentioned in Numbers 6:27, So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.

During the Old Testament time, God chose Abraham and his descendants (the Israelites) as His chosen people, whereas in the New Testament time, God chose us (the Church) through His Son Jesus Christ. From that point of view, as the New Testament Israel, we are entitled to the same blessings the Lord God promised to the Israelites. Therefore, we must love the Lord God and obey His commandments. As chosen in the Lord, we must love others the way Jesus loves them and care for them the way Jesus cares for them. We must bless others and not hate them (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27-28). There might be occasions that we become so selfish and, as a result, the acts of the flesh will take control of us, such as hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, and the like. Apostle Paul wrote: Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others (Philippians 2:4). Remember, we are called to do good for others and care for each other (Leviticus 25:35; Luke 6:30; Hebrews 13:16). Also, we are called to love one another (John 13:34; Romans 12:10; 1 John 3:11). According to the teachings of Jesus, the second greatest commandment is Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). Yet, the reality is that, knowingly or unknowingly, we all try to take advantage of the weaker people who come across our life – whether it is in the family or community. Apostle Paul wrote: We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up (Romans 15:1-2). As the disciples of Christ, we must not take advantage of others in any given opportunity:

[Jesus said] if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you (Matthew 5:40-42).

As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we must be thinking about doing good to everyone who come across our life. Apostle Matthew wrote: So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12). This is possible only if we have the mindset of Christ in us. Jesus Himself set an example to us (His followers) by leaving His glory in heaven and descending to earth in the form of a human being and living among them like one of them. Apostle Paul described the example of Jesus, who, being God, took the form of a human being and lived among them:

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:5-11).

And so, in our daily lives we must aim to align our words and deeds with the Word of God.  By doing this, we will be recipients of God’s rich blessings.