All rights reserved. His blessing is the reversal of the curse (see Genesis 12:1-3; Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28). The complete and final fulfillment of Gods promise to Abraham is yet to occur. God's blessings are meant to protect us, guide us to the path of righteousness, and give us hope. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. God promised to finish the work He started in us (Philippians 1:6). Theres no great temple-like edifice in Christianity. Publisher: OpenBible.info. First and foremost, Gods blessing involves the forgiveness of our sins, the defeat and destruction of Satan, the passing away of that which is old and corrupted by sin, and the creation of that which is holy and acceptable. Blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21). 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). Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. This is the profession of Job: And he said, Naked I came from my mothers womb, and naked I shall return there. We can never, in and of ourselves, be worthy of divine blessings. Joseph, one of the Bibles great heroes and a son of Jacob, suffered a great deal in his early life. His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant. There is no geographic center for Christianity. Thou dost make us a reproach to our neighbors, A scoffing and a derision to those around us. If we would understand what in the world God is doing in these days, we must understand what the Bible teaches about divine blessing. 104 Harold G. Stigers, A Commentary on Genesis (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976), p. 135. We will experience Gods comfort: They shall be comforted (Matthew 5:4). Gods blessings are not sovereignly bestowed in the way He chooses but are mechanically obtained by doing the right things. I think the Beatitudes, taken together, provide a beautiful summary of the blessings promised to the followers of Christ: six immeasurable blessings are sandwiched between the summary promise Theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3, 10). 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. They will likely be a part of an Arab confederation known as "the king of the South" (Daniel 11:40-41 . And who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? As a result, Jacob and his family moved to Egypt where they became a great nation. Our heart has not turned back, And our steps have not deviated from Thy way, Yet Thou hast crushed us in a place of jackals, And covered us with the shadow of death. 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 They think of Gods blessings primarily in terms of that which is physical and material.102 They believe that because Christ has come, every promised blessing can be ours, now, if we but believe and ask for them in faith. John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. He points them to the true blessings which are in Christ. Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and cast insults at you, and spurn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. But this command I gave them: Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. - 2 Corinthians 9:8 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow; they shall flourish like the grain; they shall blossom like the vine; their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. This bundle contains the Year of Blessing annual . I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. The unnamed author of this epistle reminds these Christians of their Old Testament roots. If we are a child of God, we know His eternal plan allows only those things into our lives which result in our ultimate and eternal good: And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). L Later Judah and his brothers suffered much over their ill-treatment of Joseph (see Genesis 37-45). I must do whatever it takes to be happy, even if that involves disobedience to Gods revealed Word.. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them, and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. And He said, Write, for these words are faithful and true. And He said to me, It is done. 2 Chronicles 36:15-16 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Next we will look at our Lords teaching on blessing before turning to the rest of the New Testament to study divine blessing. How Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the End Times. When God promised Abraham that his seed was to be a blessing to all nations, this was a part of Abrahams blessing. It is in Christ, the seed of Abraham, that we are blessed. If you have not trusted in Gods promise of blessing in Jesus Christ, then you are under the curse of sin. God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him! Like Job, they would be badgered by their friends to find the sin in their life, and confess it so they could be blessed. Through Thee we will push back our adversaries; Through Thy name we will trample down those who rise up against us. I love it. This is not a blessing. But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 1 Chron 23:13. The adversity of those whom Jesus called blessed made them discontent with this world, causing them to look ahead to the promised blessings of the kingdom of God. Few understand the blessings of God as they should. You have entered an incorrect email address! That is why God blessed him. Jeremiah 22:15 (NLT), Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands. Or heres the way James puts it: Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him (James 1:12). Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. Malachi 3:10 (NIV), Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (12) Gods temporal blessing is neither synonymous with prosperity nor incompatible with suffering. Whom have I in heaven but Thee? For the Christian, good includes the blessing of all those who are the called in Jesus Christ. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, That I may tell of all Thy works (Psalm 73:1-28). The difference is that one group seems to succeed on the basis of faith while the other group suffers by faith. 98 This verse tells us that Abraham was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. Jacob struggled with Laban (see Genesis 31:42). The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment Sign up for the Berean: Daily Verse and Comment, and have Biblical truth delivered to your inbox. Psalm 19:9. 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). His teaching was radically different from that of the Jewish religious leaders of His day. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface: "It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. He suffered because of his deception concerning Sarah. Our blessings are in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Put it at the disposal of me and my mission. Thats the kind of radical life were called to live in the New Testament. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:7-18). I am not happy. The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. The full and final blessing of God is not accompanied with sorrow. P In the early days of Davids life, he was misunderstood and chided by his brothers (1 Samuel 17:20-30). With Thy counsel Thou wilt guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. And is there knowledge with the Most High? Behold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased in wealth. Deuteronomy 28:1-68 ESV / 265 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful "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. His desire was to demonstrate His blessings to all men so that men from every nation would seek blessing in Him. When our Lord presented Himself as Israels Messiah, He taught a great deal about the blessings of God. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. (1) Gods blessing refers to His purpose, pronouncement, and process of bringing about a persons good. Trust in Him, and you will be blessed. The common factor in all the blessings in the Bible is this: God's Kingdom. These six blessings summarize what it means to live forever under the kingdom, the heavenly rule of God: So in summary, (1) the presence of God seen and enjoyed in the face of Christ, (2) covering us with mercy because of all our sins, (3) calling us his children, (4) comforting us for all pain and loss in this world, (5) bequeathing to us the universe for a familiar homeland, and (6) everything set right in our souls and in the social order of the new world this is our great reward. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. This false view of blessing justifies ones expectations of no pain and all pleasure in this life. He protects them and keeps them alive; he publicly honors them and destroys the power of their enemies. Psalm 41:1-2 (LB). 1:9,10). Verse Concepts. Ephesians 1:3-14 For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just. Thats the orientation of Jesus Christ the king. F (5) God is able to bless men because He has borne their curse in Christ, and thus His holiness is maintained in His grace (see Romans 3:24-26). Email: berean@bereanbiblesociety.org Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. We begin to make decisions and to pursue a course of action which takes away the pain. Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. In Christ, God bore the curse of sin and death and provided for us eternal life in its place. 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). This shall never happen to You. But He turned and said to Peter, Get behind Me, Satan! 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. The promise of blessing passed from Abraham to Isaac (Genesis 26:24) to Jacob (Genesis 27:27-29; 28:12-15). For what does the Scripture say? Physical John 3:5 ESV / 23 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 5:18). Israel was the showcase of Gods blessings among the nations. If we do not understand Gods temporal blessings, and His eternal blessings, we will not understand the plan of God. Blessing may be accomplished by what appears to be Gods cursing. Suffering at the hand of a gracious God is a comfort, for our chastening evidences that we are Gods sons: For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart. 1. of In what ways does God bless only Christians? They have set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue parades through the earth. Paul adds that itis set apart by God in accordance with His Word and prayer,a clear indication that we are to offer thanks to the Lord forwhat we have at every meal. K But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. At the time of Sarahs death, the land of Canaan was possessed by the Canaanites (Genesis 12:6) and Abraham did not own any part of the promised land. Thats in the list: All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death. Death is yours. But in the case of these innocent sufferers, their suffering was not attributed to their sin but was the outgrowth of their righteousness. Faith and obedience are both necessary because each calls upon us to act, not on the basis of what we see, but on the basis of what He has said. Luke 6:20-28; 16:19-31 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. Steps. 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. Cite this page: Editor: Stephen Smith. Well, normally we do rejoice in a merciful God who forgives. These saints also had faith, but their faith resulted in perseverance rather than in success or prosperity. When we observe the Lords Supper, we are partaking ofphysical elements, the bread and the cup, which convey aspiritual message (I Cor. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 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. B Dont have a stingy heart. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. Z. We will be shown mercy: They shall receive mercy (Matthew 5:7). Though Esau would not receive the physical blessings passed down from Abraham, Isaac did give him a smaller blessing of limited agricultural blessings . Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when aroused, Thou wilt despise their form. But in addition to the deserved suffering of Israel, many godly Israelites suffered. Jeremiah 18:7-10 So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them (Deuteronomy 30:15-20). Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God. Blog, A And put them to use so you will be able ,Be prepared. in 1971. Because he was just and right in all his dealings. Zechariah 8:13; 14:11 All of the prophets of Israel were resisted, rejected, and persecuted because they spoke to men for God: And the Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, until there was no remedy (2 Chronicles 36:15-16).101. (2) In what ways does God bless all men? This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord..
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