Monday, June 1, 2015
Numbers 6:22-27 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: "The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace." So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.'"
THE AARONIC BENEDICTION: AN AWE-FILLED EXPERIENCE
As familiar as are the words of this benediction (so-called because the High Priest Aaron and his sons were instructed by the Lord to use it to bless God's people), it is well to review it occasionally.
I wonder how many contemplate the pronouncement of the Benediction with the depth of understanding expressed by a layman some years ago, when he told his pastor: "What an awe-full [that is, it fills me with awe] thing to know that here my called minister, as God's spokesman, is pronouncing the very blessing of my Lord upon me and the congregation!"
Yes, how awesome to think of it that way. When an entire congregation, or a married couple, or a class of confirmands, or the graduates from one of our Christian schools receive this blessing, the person pronouncing the Blessing is "putting God’s name on" them--not the name of some generic g-o-d either, but the name of the Lord Jehovah God, the covenant God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our Savior-God.
As the Blessing was pronounced upon God's Old Testament people, it distinguished them from the unbelieving pagans round about them. The same thing is true in our New Testament era. Christ-believers are "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people ..." (1 Peter 2:9). To those on the receiving end of the Blessing, the Lord God is saying, "You belong to Me; you are My child(ren); I myself will see to it that all will be well with you!"
Some pastors preface the Blessing with words such as "Receive with believing hearts the Benediction of the Lord." That may help forestall a tendency to think of it as mere pious words signaling the close of the worship service.
For sure, it is a fond and divinely profound "fare-well," worthy of engaging the heart and mind of each departing worshiper.
Now the Blessing cheers our heart,
By His grace to us extended.
Let us joyfully depart;
Be our souls to God commended.
May His Spirit ever guide us
And with all good gifts provide us!
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 45:2)
