"When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them" Lk:24:50
This blessing has been traditionally called Birkat
Kohanim, or the Priestly Blessing.
This Blessing is found in the Old Testament Book of Numbers written by God's
Servant Moses. It is called by some Biblical Scholars "the Lord's Prayer " of the Old Testament
"The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is
how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:“ ‘ “May The Lord bless you and keep
you;the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn
his face toward you and give you peace.” ’ “So they will put my name on the
Israelites, and I will bless them.” Num: 6:22-27
My Name Upon Them
This Blessing was used as a blessing when a
parents would bring their newborn(s) to the Priest at the Temple of God. The
Priest and family would gather on the steps of the Temple for the naming of the
child ceremony.
It was here, at the Temple that the Priest
would pronounce the Birkat Kohanim over
the child. For boys it was done on the eighth day, called the "Brit" and was
given at the circumcision, and for girls called "Zeved habat” performed sometime
during their first month of the girl’s life.
It was believed, in the culture of that time, that a name given to a child
carried with it an influence upon the life of the child. The meaning of the
name given to the child would manifest in the child 's life.
It was therefore important to not only vest a
proper and the family name but God's name as well on the child, showing God's
rightful claim over the life of the child and to make possible many life
blessings.
“So they will put my name on the Israelites,
and I will bless them.” Num: 6:27
God's name is ever upon Israel and upon its
people individually and collectively.
A Life of Worship
Reviving the blessing from the Priest
contained within it a blessing for, and of, the worship of the great God. The
blessing given was to convey into the life of the nation a recognition of who
the Lord God is who had delivered Israel and kept them, providing every good
thing.
"May the Lord Bless you" (24)
This blessing literally means to be “on bended knees”, that is to worship.
There are untold blessings which come to a
life which is filled with worship of the God of the Holy Scriptures. Such a life,
generally is peaceful. A life of worship is a life of reliance in, and
acknowledgement of, the God of Bible. It conveys the sense that it is a blessing
to worship God.
As a Shepherd
"and keep you"(24)
This speaks of the Lord as keeping Israel (or Christians) in the same way that a Shepherd keeps or
watches over his flock. A Shepherd would build a hedge around his flock
that encircled them, the Shepherd, himself would stay at the entrance or the
"gate" of the hedge, ever vigilant and watchful
against any harm.
The Shepherd was willing to die to protect the
flock. Leading, caring for and walking among the sheep to give them assurance
that he is there. This blessing, of the Lord being all to Israel, or to us,
that a Shepard is to his flock is a blessing bestowed in the Priestly Blessing.
Shine on You
"May He make His face to shine on
you"(25)
This is to bless us that we might know
that the Lord is beaming at us, that is, he is smiling upon us with
good pleasure and in joy. The Lord looks at us lovingly, and longingly
and full of gladness that Israel, and we, and any and all who will but freely
receive it, are wanted and loved by the Great God.
The shining of his countenance is as vital to
life as the rising sun. His radiant countenance that shines forth only
reveals the love of the Lord's heart toward us.
He Wants Us
"and be gracious to you"(25)
God wants us to know that he wants us all, as
he wanted Israel. That in all things he knows our weakness and frailties, yet
the Lord is tolerant of our limitations and failings.
The Lord knows our needs and he is most
willing to provide for us. He is ever graciously inclined toward each and all
of us. His loving arms are opened wide inviting us to embrace his loving care.
His forgiveness always there.
Facing Us
"may He turn His face toward you"(26)
Our God is turned toward us, his eye upon us,
he sees us, he knows us. We, each and all, are the center of his attention. We
are in his view.
Our Lord is receptive to us and has acceptance
of us. He looks on us to see us to know us and we to know him. He wants us to
recognize him, to distinguish his working in our live, to face him even as he
faces us. To know that the Lord will not turn His back on us. To see him clearly
without obstructions.
Peace
"and give you peace" (26)
The Lord is the very source of peace. Israel needed peace even as we now do. There is
a great peace upon those who worship the God of the Scriptures. This peace of
which the Lord is the giver of sets free a people, individually and as a nation
to have quite and security in life.
There is an absents of confusion and strife. This peace allows us to conduct our lives
without distractions. There is calm and a nurturing environment. We can be at
rest.
The Priestly Blessing
This Blessing conferred upon the people of
Israel could only be discharged through and by the Priesthood of the Sons of
Aaron. It was given to them by God to extend this blessing into the life of the
people.
It was ordered so that the people might know
that such great blessing were obtained only through the God of Israel. The
Priesthood stood as the lord God’s representatives among the people.
This Priestly Blessing, Birkat Kohanim, began, over time to be a
benediction spoken upon the congregations meeting in the synagogues each week
on the Sabbath as their worship service concluded. This benediction of blessing
would carry the people throughout another week until they met again in worship.
Raising the Hands
As services ended on the Sabbath in the
synagogue or whether at the Temple or giving the blessing in the weekly gathering,
the Priest or Rabbi, of God would raise his hands.
This lifting of the hands was called Nesiat Kapyim, and the Priests and later the Rabbi’s
would with their hands lifted and extended touch his thumbs and separate their
fingers to form the Hebrew letter "Shin "
with each hand representing the name of God "Shaddai" which
means "the All Sufficient God" .
This is the God who bestows all the Blessings spoken
in the Birkat Kohanim upon Israel, or
the individual, upon us today who have come to believe in our
Lord Jesus Christ Who is all these things and more.
The space between the thumbs of each hand
represents the windows or portals of Heaven through which the Blessings of God
pour forth into the life of any receiving the Birkat Kohanim
Jesus Lifts His Hands
It is possible, though we might never know for certain this side of Eternity, that at the accession of our Lord Jesus, that Jesus himself, as the great High Priest of God for all peoples, lifted his nail pierced hands, that is Nesiat Kapyim , and forming the Hebrew letter Shin and spoke the blessing of the Birkat Kohanim and more, upon his disciples then, and in all ages.
"When he had led them out to the vicinity
of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing
them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and
returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the
temple, praising God." Lk: 24:50-53
All the Blessings contained within the Birkat Kohanim and more, are ours in abundance all
through Jesus who is the "All Sufficient One".
‘“The
Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ....
Benediction: May we each and all be blessed by and thru
our Lord Jesus Christ, today, tomorrow and forevermore..Amen
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Rev.Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahoma
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