02/24/2019
Someone does you a good deed, and if you are a believer you might say “thank you”, but some might respond by wrongly saying “you have blessed me”, or “that was such a blessing!” In fact, no man can bless... only God. When Isaac gave his blessing to his son Jacob he couldn’t take it back because he had conceded to Jacob his own favored status with God. Who do you bestow your blessing on, or do you understand how important that is?
“And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing.”
Ezekiel 34:26 ESV
Who can cause it to rain, and who can cause the rain to stop once again? Only God has this power. You, on the other hand, can bestow your favor on someone, but that is a good deed, or doing something in obedience to God’s Will... but not a true Blessing. You might argue that the Bible says that we are able to bless, and use Psalm 103 as an example...
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,”
Psalms 103:1-2 ESV
Following this particular scripture there comes a long list of the things that God can do, and you might think that the Psalmist is justifying his blessing of God, but these are all things that God does because of His previously bestowed blessing. A blessing has two parts... the giving, and the receiving. For a person to be blessed, God has to provide that blessing... sometimes individually, and other times at the bequest of someone (as in the example of Isaac). The second part comes in being a willing recipient of that blessing... like Jacob was, even though he acquired it by deception. So in this passage in Psalm 103, and in the song we sing in church that is a rewording of it, we speak of giving God thanks for the blessings we have received from Him by mirroring that blessing, or using it to do something good. Have you ever heard the saying “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?” Well that holds true of blessings as well.
When my boys were young they had a toy lawnmower that made a mowing sound, and blew bubbles as they pushed it. When I would mow the yard they would follow along behind me acting as if they too were mowing the grass; busily clicking and whirring as they walked, and leaving a trail of bubbles rising up behind them. Of course they weren’t actually mowing, but it pleased me to see them doing this. It flattered me that they would want to be like me. We can’t bless, but we can push our little plastic blessing machine.
Blessings can come in various forms; they can be be small things that God gives to us... the little insights into His Word for example. They can be large things like saving our very souls through things like forgiveness, baptism, and such, or they can be monumental like the blessing Isaac passed on to Jacob. Let’s take a look at the blessing that Isaac asked God to bestow...
“So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said, "See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed! May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!"”
Genesis 27:27-29 ESV
We see that this exchange begins with the words “May God give you” this is how a man’s blessing begins. Isaac could not give any of the ”things” he spoke of in his blessing... only a God could do this, so Isaac was making a request of God to bless his son. So what would become of Esau?
Isaac wept and gave him a blessing that wasn’t a request of God... listen as he speaks...
“Esau said to his father, "Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father." And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: "Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be, and away from the dew of heaven on high. By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow restless you shall break his yoke from your neck."”
Genesis 27:38-40 ESV
Isaac had already asked God to bless Jacob, and in as much as he had faith that God had done what he had asked of Him... all that was left for Esau were some words of advice from himself. There is no request of God made by Isaac; no words “May God give you” were uttered for Esau.
So it is that in our doxology we sing boldly... “Praise God from whom all blessings flow”
Because we know by scripture the goodness and unchanging nature of His hand...
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
James 1:17 ESV
And our ultimate blessing that comes to us through Jesus Christ is our irrevocable blessing as well... how will we use it?
“For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”
John 1:16 ESV
Saying “bless you” isn’t just a nice way of saying thank you. It is asking God to impart something upon them, and when you do so... even unintentionally... it is binding, and our spirit feels it as it departs from us.
“But Jesus said, "Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me."”
Luke 8:46 ESV
Who do you ask God to bless, and what do you ask Him to give them?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for hearing our requests when we ask that you bless those around us, and thank you for allowing us to see that only you can truly give blessings. You have given much to each of us, and only you can take what you have bestowed upon us, and place it upon another. Help us Lord to be careful and diligent in what we ask you regarding those things you have blessed us with, even when we ask you to bless our children, and those others who we find worthy of your favor. True are your promises, and forever binding is your Word. Let our word be as yours, and our promises be as certain as yours are to us. Great are you the source of every good thing, and the Lord and owner of all blessings. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you whose Word is our rock, who blesses us by word, action, and deed. Holy are you whose grace through Jesus Christ is our blessing now, and forevermore.
“And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Matthew 5:2-12 ESV
Rich Forbes