He makes me lie down in green pastures. (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). When God promised Abraham that his seed was to be a blessing to all nations, this was a part of Abrahams blessing. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. And is there knowledge with the Most High? Behold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased in wealth. Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. What are the promises of God? | GotQuestions.org And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. God chose Israel as the object of His blessings. T Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, What in the World Is Going On? In all that he does, he prospers. (1) Gods blessing refers to His purpose, pronouncement, and process of bringing about a persons good. 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. - Philippians 4:19 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. He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor. Psalm 112:1-9 (NIV), Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. 25 Bible verses about The Fear Of The Lord James 1:2-5 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. Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him . The great nation was still one seed, Jacob. From the Scriptures, we have seen that suffering is neither incompatible with faith nor inconsistent with Gods blessings. Bible prophecy reveals that the descendants of Esau will exist in the end time. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. How will Abraham be blessed, and how will he become a blessing to others? Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:8-12). Only God can make something good from that which seems evil at the moment. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. They have set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue parades through the earth. Rise up, be our help, And redeem us for the sake of Thy lovingkindness (Psalm 44:4-26). Adam was cursed with hard labor, providing for his family by the sweat of his brow. Jesus turned the teaching of the Jews upside-down. 5:18). 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 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. But what does it mean to truly be blessed according to Scripture? (17) The blessings our Lord accomplished on the cross of Calvary will not all be poured out on men in this life. Our Lord Himself took upon Himself the task of serving. Selah. Thou dost give us as sheep to be eaten, And hast scattered us among the nations. 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. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Let's take a close look at blessing from the bible: who blesses who, how we receive blessings, how we give blessings, physical versus spiritual blessings, and finally how the flow of blessing can influence our prayers. V 2 Chron 30:27. Humble yourself as Jesus said: "Blessed are the 'poor in spirit': for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5:3) Read this and the other eight blessings for you as they were explained by Jesus, in Matthew 5, which are keys to unlocking such personal blessings. The temporal blessings of Judaism were tempting in the light of the affliction they faced as Christians. When Christians suffer for Christs sake, it is a blessing. The Hebrews were Christians who came out of Judaism by faith in Jesus Christ. This leads us right into the fourth blessing ( Ephesians 1:7 ), the redemption through His blood. Compiled by The BibleStudyTools Staff He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. We will be part of Gods family: They shall be called sons of God (Matthew 5:9). Keep us, oh God, from trusting in our power. But first, let me lay down a principle that has helped me grasp why there is such a preponderance of earthly blessings promised in the Old Testament like the inheritance of land (Psalm 37:22), deliverance from our enemies (Psalm 41:1), fruitfulness in our families and in our fields (Genesis 17:20; 48:34) while in the New Testament, there are very few earthly blessings promised, but rather afflictions are promised, with the material, physical blessings largely postponed until the resurrection. 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. Blessing may be accomplished by what appears to be Gods cursing. Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him (Deuteronomy 8:2-6). Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. Christians often find their third tithe years to be abundant with all types of blessings and invaluable lessons learned. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. 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. We must see that in the midst of our suffering, we are drawn nearer to God, and recognize this as true blessing. But Peter was wrong for supposing that Gods blessings were incompatible with suffering. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:13-16). The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. D (3) Gods blessing is opposed to cursing. Divine blessing in the Bible is always physical and spiritual because it is fixed upon the reality of the fullness of life in the presence of God. Their identification with Jesus Christ had brought on them the reproach of Christ and the opposition and persecution of unbelieving Jews. While we should not seek suffering in this life, we should expect it, recognizing it as a part of the plan of a loving God who is bringing about our good and His glory. And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? All rights reserved. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Verse Concepts. God not only accomplished our salvation by the means of Christs suffering, but He uses suffering to draw men to Himself (Luke 6:20-23). John 14:1-3 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. The Israelites were greatly blessed in number while they sojourned in Egypt (Exodus 1:5-7). Theres no great temple-like edifice in Christianity. Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. What the Bible says about Blessings, Physical ( From Forerunner Commentary ) Proverbs 3:9-10 By paying to God what we owe Him (that is, His tithes), He rewards us with blessings. Full and unhindered blessing can only take place in heaven, when Satan is bound, sin and death defeated, and the things corrupted by sin (including our bodies and this world) made new. 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). 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. Galatians 3 The blessings here are plainly associated with happiness and welfare, both for Abram and others. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. S You do not have to fear the future when God's hand is over your life. John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. When Israel turned from God, the promised cursings came. Thou dost make us a byword among the nations, A laughingstock among the peoples. 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. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. (14) God blesses all men physically and materially in this life out of His common grace. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Our Spiritual Blessings From God | United Church of God Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. Now the first thing we notice is that God lets us know that he is a healer. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Bible Verses About Blessing Others " The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." Numbers 6:24-26 Scriptures on Blessing and Favor Blessing and favor are found with the Lord and amongst His People. (7) Divine blessing is based upon divine grace and not human merit or effort. For He knows the secrets of the heart. Uphold me with Your generous Spirit. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. K Obedience, stemming from gratitude, faith, love, and hope, which is empowered by Gods Spirit, brings the temporal blessings of God, while disobedience brings a curse (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28; Psalm 106:3; 112:1; 119:1-2; Proverbs 8:32; Isaiah 44:3; Daniel 12:12; John 13:17; James 1:12; Revelation 14;13). Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. Luke 14:12-14 (NIV), You will be blessed in every way, and you will be able to keep on being generous. He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. Bible Verses About Unexpected Blessings - CHURCHGISTS.COM 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. It can range from getting a new girlfriend, a new job, or a pay raise, to finding a ten-dollar bill on the sidewalk or getting surprisingly good news. Temporal blessings are experienced by sinners, living in a sin-cursed world. Thou dost make us a reproach to our neighbors, A scoffing and a derision to those around us. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Men are not only condemned because they are destined to destruction, but because they deserve it and have decided for it (see Genesis 12:1-3; Deuteronomy 28; John 3:18; Revelation 16:5-6). 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. But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE, we also believe, therefore also we speak; knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. He restores my soul. Were on a mission to change that. Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. What a verse! This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles.". Good will comes to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. These saints also had faith, but their faith resulted in perseverance rather than in success or prosperity. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. C As Asaph protested centuries ago in Psalm 73, the wicked may prosper, and the righteous may suffer. 103 Notice that while these saints obtained promises (verse 33) they did not receive what was promised (verse 39). The same errors which plagued the Israelites and Christians of old are popular in evangelical Christianity today. What Does It Mean to Be Blessed? | Crossway Articles But, as it is written, What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him. Thats in the list: All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death. Death is yours. 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. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed. Proverbs 3:13-18 (NIV), The memory of the righteous will be a blessing. Proverbs 10:7 (NIV), He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor. Proverbs 21:21 (NIV), Jesus said to his host, When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. I know that no matter how good their promises sound, they simply are not true. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord. Storing up spiritual treasures in heaven is far more important than physical prosperity. We must live by faith trusting God to fulfill His promises, even when our eyes tell us the opposite is happening now. Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 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 bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? This was the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:5-7; 13:14-15) whose boundaries were more fully defined in Genesis 15:18-21. Your infinite glory, greatness, grander, majesty, and unlimited ability. (2) In what ways does God bless all men? 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. Job 4:6. All things are yours. Jesus said, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). Why did your father, Josiah, reign so long? But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. Because he was just and right in all his dealings. Job 1 and 2 Yet Thou hast rejected us and brought us to dishonor, And dost not go out with our armies. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Y But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. And He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. The pure shall see God. Gods earthly blessings were dependent upon Israels obedience to His Law. They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! Thus, the blessings of the Old Testament are partial and provisional. What Does the Bible Say About Physical? - OpenBible.info Gods blessings took time to fulfill, and the process of fulfillment involved suffering and adversity. If a nation repented of its sin and turned to God, its threatened judgment could be averted. Philippians 4:19 trust Jesus. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 12 Bible verses about Blessings, Spiritual - Knowing Jesus TopicalBible Publisher: OpenBible.info. They understood that the blessings God promised were not material, but spiritual, and that they were not temporal, but eternal. His teaching was different not as the result of a change in Gods plan, but due to the Jews misconceptions concerning Gods promised blessings. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit., Saying, If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.. Israel was the showcase of Gods blessings among the nations. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for in the same way their fathers used to treat the false prophets. And that about wraps it up. Your blessings in eternity will not. On the other hand, Jesus said, Blessed are the poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3). The suffering of some saints should be no more troublesome to us than the success of some saints, or even the success of some sinners. There are no places to do pilgrimages in Christianity. (12) Gods temporal blessing is neither synonymous with prosperity nor incompatible with suffering. 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). But in addition to the deserved suffering of Israel, many godly Israelites suffered. 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. When Jesus began to teach His disciples concerning His coming rejection, suffering, and death in Jerusalem, even His disciples reacted. But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. 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. 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. The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. By tracing the fulfillment of this promise through the Scriptures we will better understand Gods blessings. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Peter rebuked our Lord for speaking of His own suffering (see Matthew 16:21-22). There are no priests or saints through whom we have to go to God, but only Jesus Christ. How could it be that the blessed Son of God could suffer? of He helps them out of their own troubles. He suffered because of his impatience in acquiring a son through Hagar. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. 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 is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God. Unlike many Israelites in the Old Testament, and most of the Jews of Jesus day, Abraham looked for a better blessing. Salem Media Group. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Three Biblical Blessings That Illustrate Flourishing Death becomes your servant because of Christs triumph over death. He looked for a heavenly city, a city which God would prepare. The second group--those who suffered and endured by faith--are described in the last half of verse 35 through verse 38. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!. (6) Gods glory is revealed in both His blessing and His cursing (see Exodus 34:5-7). Publication date: Mar 3, 2023. 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. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 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.