![]() The God who spoke worlds into being ex nihilo, out of nothing, likewise calls into being the very benediction that He commands. The pronouncement of this blessing is God’s own gracious word to His people. Thus when the priest utters these words, it is not He who confers the benediction, but the God in whose name He speaks. Secondly, it is the Lord Himself who speaks and commands this benediction. God’s covenant people are the bull’s-eye, as it were, of His targeted kindness and love. To bless is to keep the radiance of the Lord’s face indicates His gracious will for us, and the lifting up of His countenance is the sign and pledge of His peace toward us. In verses 24–26, the second part of each verse accents the meaning of the first. The Aaronic benediction begins and ends with this motif: “The Lord bless … I will bless them.” Thus everything enclosed by these two phrases is to be understood as God’s intention to bless His people. The first, and perhaps most obvious, import of these words underscores the intent of God to confer blessings on His covenant people. It is a book that looks backward and forward, reminding God’s covenant people of their past blessings, as well as encouraging them concerning God’s future promises. These words were first given in the context of a book written at the end of Israel’s wilderness wanderings and as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. With this caution in mind, let us consider afresh these wonderful words of biblical benediction, taking heed to the admonition of Bishop Ryle. If we would grow, we must be on our guard here” ( Holiness, p. Here is a snare into which too many professing Christians fall. Ryle cautioned us against when he wrote: “The regular return of the same voice, and the same kind of words, and the same ceremonies, is likely to make us sleepy and callous and unfeeling. Thus, I speak of familiarity here in the negative sense, and in a way that Bishop J. Now, to be sure, familiarity can result in great help to the people of God by calling to our minds afresh God’s blessings to His people and renewed hope in His mercies. Nonetheless, bankrupt of the effect, calculated under the blessing of God, to produce good for our souls. ![]() Familiarity can breed not only contempt, but it can inculcate an indifference that lulls us into a spirit of unresponsiveness, where the words are still embraced with a form of godliness. de Witt, who often admonished us as seminary students against the tendency of becoming so familiar with holy things in an academic or ministerial setting, that we begin to regard them no longer as being particularly holy. I can still recall and appreciate the warning of my systematic theology professor, Dr. Indeed, such words can become so familiar to us that we are able to recite them with scarcely any mental effort, and thereby run the risk of drawing from them little or no benefit beyond a passing thought of nostalgic reflection and/or ephemeral good feeling. However, it is often the case that we yield but a cursory consideration to familiar words when we hear or read them. For reformational churches, the use of the Aaronic benediction can be traced as far back as the Genevan Psalter of 1542. These familiar words constitute one of several scriptural forms most commonly used by Reformed pastors as a benedictory pronouncement upon the congregation at the conclusion of a Lord’s day worship service. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, ‘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.’ So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them” (Num.
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