When we observe the Lords Supper, we are partaking ofphysical elements, the bread and the cup, which convey aspiritual message (I Cor. Good will comes to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts. Why did your father, Josiah, reign so long? Of how much more value are you than the birds! And he said to his disciples, Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. There will always be some among you who are poor. They will likely be a part of an Arab confederation known as "the king of the South" (Daniel 11:40-41 . Pastor John, hello! Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 1 Peter 2:21; 3:8-9, 13-17; 4:1, 14-16 Last week Art Lindsley referenced Hebrew poetry found in the Bible to give a more complete picture of flourishing. Pastor Sadler, you referred to our having physical blessings today. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. With that in mind, what is a biblical definition of what it means to be truly blessed?. (3) What is the relationship between blessing, faith, and obedience? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.. on 03/30/2021. Download Article. And the failure to recognize this distinction between Gods plan for Israel in the Old Testament and Gods plan for the church in the New Testament has caused a lot of people to put way too much emphasis on earthly blessings today. The reason, we are told, is that God wanted them to enter into blessings with us, at the same time. Almost daily, some bulk mailing assures me I am the lucky winner of one of several prizes. All I need do is contact them to identify my prize. Psalm 19:9. Amram's sons: Aaron and Moses.Aaron, along with his descendants, was set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense in the presence of Yahweh, to minister to Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name forever. Few understand the blessings of God as they should. Yet Thou hast rejected us and brought us to dishonor, And dost not go out with our armies. Then in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete (Genesis 15:13-16). And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. As Asaph protested centuries ago in Psalm 73, the wicked may prosper, and the righteous may suffer. D I know that no matter how good their promises sound, they simply are not true. Most of us are not quite this honest in our thinking, nor quite so bold in our rebellion against God and His Word. Temporal blessings are not to be measured so much in terms of material prosperity, physical health, or the absence of pain, as in the enjoyment of Gods presence. These are not always material blessings, however. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. Proverbs 10:22 tells us that "the blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.". . Since the Mosaic covenant spelled out Gods blessings and cursings in this way in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28-30, this is not difficult to understand. So remove evil from your house. Job 22:23 (NCV), Even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice. Luke 11:28 (NLT), (Help the unfortunate) and you will be blessed. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. (10) Blessing and cursing have present manifestations, but they are not fully manifested until the second coming of Christ. W Jesus teaching concerning His own suffering and death took His disciples by surprise: From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Unlike many Israelites in the Old Testament, and most of the Jews of Jesus day, Abraham looked for a better blessing. And instead of telling the world to come to us Come see how I bless my people; God never says that he says, Go go to the world. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. In Christ, we receive every blessing because He is worthy (see Ephesians 1; Revelation 5:9-14). Then Jacob made a vow, saying, If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear. These blessings fit the definition laid down in Proverbs 10:22: It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, And He adds no sorrow to it. We will be co-owners of the whole world: They shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). May it not be said of us that our faith is too small, or to help us to look to You, to see in You, Your infinite power. And he said, Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account (Matthew 5:11). Their journey to the promised land held many trials. The second group--those who suffered and endured by faith--are described in the last half of verse 35 through verse 38. Nearly six hundred years passed from the promise of possessing this land to the time his seed actually acquired the land. They understood that the blessings God promised were not material, but spiritual, and that they were not temporal, but eternal. They are paupers I mean, poverty-stricken paupers compared to the lowliest Christian. What the Bible says about Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, What in the World Is Going On? For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. As we study the promised blessings of God, my hope is that the present pleasures of this life will fade in the light of the glory awaiting us. S (11) Ultimately, blessing or cursing are the result of ones response to Gods provision of forgiveness and righteousness in Jesus Christ, the promised seed of Abraham (see Genesis 12:1-3; 15:1-6; John 3:18; 14:6; 1 John 5:12). Thou dost make us a reproach to our neighbors, A scoffing and a derision to those around us. You do not have to fear the future when God's hand is over your life. By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God (1 Peter 4:14-16). Your basket and your kitchen will be blessed. Jesus simply did not fit the mold of Jewish expectations. He protects them and keeps them alive; he publicly honors them and destroys the power of their enemies. Psalm 41:1-2 (LB). With the coming of Christ, the blessings of God are more spiritual than material, and they come to those who appear not to be blessed as men would appraise blessing (see Luke 6:20-23). On the other hand, Jesus said, Blessed are the poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3). In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us. Trust in Him, and you will be blessed. The Jews thought of God's blessings in primarily physical and . 2 Chron 30:27. As it is written, He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever. He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. His teaching was different not as the result of a change in Gods plan, but due to the Jews misconceptions concerning Gods promised blessings. In fact, suffering can be a blessing in the hand of God. May he grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans! (2) The Jews thought of Gods blessings in primarily physical and material terms and not in spiritual terms. Abraham may not have left Haran immediately which would mean that Abraham was younger when the promise of a son was first given to him. How is it related to cursing? Blessing may be accomplished by what appears to be Gods cursing. It is also only in eternity that the curse of God will be fully poured out on sinners. When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Galatians 3 And as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? For what does the Scripture say? BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT (Romans 4:3-8). You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on Gods interests, but mans. Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Before one can receive . Our prayers reveal an understanding of Gods blessings virtually identical with the mistaken view of the Jews in Jesus day. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more breath in her. Jacob saw much strife in his family and suffered much over the loss of Joseph and then Benjamin. Gods promise to Abraham was not merely the promise of a son. You are to give them the first portion of your ground meal so that a blessing may rest on your household. Ezekiel 44:30 (NIV), Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you. Deuteronomy 16:17 (NIV), Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and on is word he meditates day and night. To belong to Christ is to belong to God as our Father and to be heirs of all that God owns that is, everything. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.. - Numbers 6:24-26. However there are too many repetition eliminate some of the duplication. And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. You shall not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it. Revelation 21 and 22. The Christian life should be lived out in the light of the superiority of God's promised blessings in comparison to the "blessings" an ungodly world holds out to us (Hebrews 11:24-26). In the context of prayer, Paul prayed that he might have the Lord's prospering on his physical journey to visit the saints at Rome (Rom. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. The common factor in all the blessings in the Bible is this: God's Kingdom. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. In the context of prayer, Paul prayed that he might have theLords prospering on his physical journey to visit the saints atRome (Rom. God does not promise to make us wealthy but that our relationship with Him will prosper. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. These can all be good things, but I think you could also argue that if these blessings lead us further away from God, they are not truly blessings at all. The true view of temporal blessing seeks the enjoyment of Gods presence whether in pain or pleasure. The promised blessings of the Bible are the good which God has purposed and promised. Q Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. They are based upon His sacrifice at Calvary but are realized in His coming to judge the earth: And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. The Abrahamic covenant takes up the promise of blessing: Now the Lord said to Abram, Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your fathers house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. These were much more perplexing times as we see from the agony of this psalmist: Thou art my King, O God; Command victories for Jacob. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles.". If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. In all that he does, he prospers. You do not have to fear the future when God's hand is over your life. Blessings, Physical But Thou hast saved us from our adversaries, And Thou hast put to shame those who hate us. When Adam and Eve disobeyed the command of God and sinned in the Garden of Eden, sin entered the human race. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (3) Gods blessing is opposed to cursing. He will love you, bless you, and multiply you. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. Visit the Bible online to search for words if you dont know the specific passage yourre looking for. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. E Temporal blessings are experienced by sinners, living in a sin-cursed world. Those who identified with Israel and Israels God would also be blessed, as God told Abraham (Genesis 12:2-3). Paul says, "The world is yours. (15) Since divine blessing is based upon the sovereign grace of God, we cannot demand it, and we dare not protest when Gods dealings with us do not appear to be a blessing. Awake, do not reject us forever. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Hebrews were Christians who came out of Judaism by faith in Jesus Christ. You will enjoy what you work for, and you will be blessed with good things. Psalm 128:1-2 (NCV), Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 (NIV), If they listen and obey God, then they will be blessed with prosperity throughout their lives. Germantown, WI 53022-0756 If I had said, I will speak thus, Behold, I should have betrayed the generation of Thy children. (18) Christians will suffer--and not just for sin. Peter rebuked our Lord for speaking of His own suffering (see Matthew 16:21-22). The unnamed author of this epistle reminds these Christians of their Old Testament roots. P Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son. Death becomes your servant because of Christs triumph over death. 2 Peter 2:7-8 Now, Father, I need You to restore my heart. (6) Gods glory is revealed in both His blessing and His cursing (see Exodus 34:5-7). Cite this page: Editor: Stephen Smith. But Peter was wrong for supposing that Gods blessings were incompatible with suffering. After David was anointed as Israels future king, and Sauls replacement, David spent his days fleeing for his life from Saul who was bent on killing him (1 Samuel 18-31). B Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Geocoding Oh, God, help us to live with faith. Abrahams life was not one of uninterrupted bliss, yet he was blessed of God in every way (Genesis 24:1). Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. If suffering is meant to result in our spiritual growth, in a deeper level of commitment, and in greater intimacy and communion with our Lord, we must accept suffering as a part of Gods good and perfect plan for our lives, one purposed to result in our good, in a blessing for us. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. He blesses only Christians spiritually and eternally. To be spiritual they say is the assurance of earthly pleasures; to be sinful is to bring upon oneself pain and suffering. Our faith in God and in His promise will result in the obedience of faith (Genesis 17:9-14; Romans 4:9-24; Hebrews 11:13-31; James 2:14-26). When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Restore unto me the joy of my salvation, Father. . Divine blessing certainly is not well understood. See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. "Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. (20) If Gods blessing cannot be equated with prosperity and ease, neither can it be said that His blessing is automatically associated with asceticism (denying ourselves of earthly pleasures). It is the blessing to which Abraham and every other Old Testament saint looked forward. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. All of this made no sense to the Jews. And they say, How does God know? The Lord will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. Psalm 41:1-2 (NIV), Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it. Luke 11:28 (NIV), Im eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. The trials and afflictions of the Israelites did not end with their exodus from Egypt. (1) Gods blessing refers to His purpose, pronouncement, and process of bringing about a persons good. The story of the rich man and Lazarus underscore this principle (see Luke 16:19-31). It cuts across all ethnicities, all geographies, all politics, nationalities. But what of Gods eternal blessings? Publication date: Mar 3, 2023. God promised every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Yet our prayers betray us. I believe this is the dwelling of which our Lord Jesus spoke just before His death: Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 102 This is not to say they do not believe in spiritual and eternal blessings, but only that their emphasis is on present material prosperity. When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Salem Media Group. Phone: (262) 255-4750 His desire was to demonstrate His blessings to all men so that men from every nation would seek blessing in Him. He blesses men out of His grace and curses out of His holiness. The Bible that you hold in your hand is aphysical book with a spiritual message. A review of Jesus teaching about the kingdom of God and about the blessings of God explains why His teaching was found unacceptable by the Jews. Berean Bible Society When we suffer, we do not ask God for the mind of Christ, or the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we ask God to bless us by giving us a life free from the pain and sorrow we are currently experiencing. I love it. Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. God blesses the Christian by bearing our curse in the person of Jesus Christ. Blessings that we receive, whether material or spiritual, all have to do with the coming of God's Kingdom, whether here and now in small glimpses, or eternally when God makes all things new (Revelation 21:5, Isaiah 43:19). Because all of Gods blessings are a gift of His grace, through the work of Jesus Christ, we have no basis for demanding His blessings. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Heres the principle: in Gods wisdom, the Jewish religion of the Old Testament was largely a come and see religion. John 14:1-3 What Does It Mean That There Is No One Holy Like God? His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. Often, the Old Testament Israelite had a mistaken concept of Gods blessings. If His people forsook the Law, then earthly cursings were promised: See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. The Jews of old and many Christians and others today think of Gods blessings in terms of the immediate enjoyment of physical and material pleasures and the absence of pain.