The LORD Bless You

The LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

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."  NUMBERS 6:22-27

The LORD bless you and keep you - the LORD is saying I adore you and will guard and protect you. Moses had seen years of the LORD's faithfulness and protection, so these words were familiar, however the next set of words brought about a new way of relating to the LORD! 

But then, the LORD said he would
make his face shine on you 

and be gracious to you... 

to turn his face toward you 

and give you peace...

I have to imagine that Moses' mind hearkened back the interaction he had with the Lord years earlier on Mount Sinai when the Lord put him in the cleft of the rock until his presence passed by... because no one may see the Lord and live.  While conversing with the Lord, Moses needed assurance that the Lord's presence would be with him, so Moses said to the Lord:

"Show me your glory."

And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”

Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.” EXODUS 33:18-23

This nation of Israel was being prepared to interact with the LORD in a new way, one where they would see the LORD face to face - - and LIVE!  In the same way that the LORD adored and protected Moses as he tucked Moses into the cleft of the rock while his glory passed by, the LORD will adore and protect his people, only this time the LORD is saying to Moses, they will see him face to face.

The LORD is pointing Moses and the Israelites to Jesus!

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.  JOHN 1:14-18

The Lord had called the Israelites a stiff-necked people, and yet he continued to show mercy upon them. In this blessing, the Lord is speaking words of love, not condemnation. 

No matter what you've done, or how unworthy you may feel, the Lord offers forgiveness... all we need to do is receive. When someone speaks words of blessing to you, hear them as the LORD's adoration of you and his promise to guard and protect you in the midst of whatever may be happening. 

Hear Jesus saying to you:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. JOHN 14:27