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Blessed by God - Why? Who? last edit 3-3-2022
Why does God bless us. Who does God bless?
Resources:
(NET) . THE NET BIBLE, NEW ENGLISH TRANSLATION, COPYRIGHT © 1996 BY BIBLICAL STUDIES PRESS, L.L.C. This Bible is a free download from www.bible.org. The First edition without notes is free from https://netbible.com/download. The second edition with notes is $4.95 download as of 2018. The NET 2nd edition can be read online for no cost at https://lumina.bible.org/bible/Genesis+1 (starts at Genesis).
(NIV) New International Version
2019 … I believe all these Bible verses that are not marked for a source are NIV but I don't know which version of the NIV … probably a version near 1998
(NBC) New Bible Commentary Revised Eerdmans Publishing 1970
Topics
1. Those who do what God wants to be done receive God’s blessing.
2. God Blesses Us In Our Activities
3. God Blesses Those Who Are Close To Him
4. God Blesses Those Who Remain In His Covenant
5. Be a Blessing To Others
6. Blessed Are Those Who Help Others
7. “God Bless You” … Used in talking to others
8. Sunday School Lesson Sheets
a. Miscellaneous Verses
b. Apostolic Benedictions
c. Blessing a Group
1. Those who do what God wants to be done receive God’s blessing.
Exodus 32:25-29 “25 Moses saw that the people were running wild, for Aaron had let them get completely out of control, causing derision from their enemies. 26 So Moses stood at the entrance of the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” All the Levites gathered around him, 27 and he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, has said ‘Each man fasten his sword on his side, and go back and forth from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and each one kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.’” 28 The Levites did what Moses ordered, and that day about 3,000 men of the people died. 29 Moses said, “You have been consecrated today for the Lord, for each of you was against his son or against his brother, so he has given a blessing to you today.” “ (NET)
glc...Israel sinned while Moses was on Mt Sinai. The people who came to Moses’ side, and thus came to God’s side, put themselves in the place of blessing.
Deuteronomy 14:22-29 “22 You must be certain to tithe all the produce of your seed that comes from the field year after year. 23 In the presence of the Lord your God, in the place he chooses to locate his name, you must eat from the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always. 24 When he blesses you, if the place where he chooses to locate his name is distant, 25 you may convert the tithe into money, secure the money, and travel to the place the Lord your God chooses for himself. 26 Then you may spend the money however you wish for cattle, sheep, wine, beer, or whatever you desire. You and your household may eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and enjoy it. 27 As for the Levites in your villages, you must not ignore them, for they have no allotment or inheritance along with you. 28 At the end of every three years you must bring all the tithe of your produce, in that very year, and you must store it up in your villages. 29 Then the Levites (because they have no allotment or inheritance with you), the resident foreigners, the orphans, and the widows of your villages may come and eat their fill so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work you do.” (NET)
[(NBC) Tithing was a part of Israel’s culture at this time. Tithes were given in gratitude Gen 14:20 or devotion Gen 28:22. Our wealth is held in trust for God Dt 8:18 and Mt 25:14. Those who lived too far from the appointed sanctuary could convert the tithe into money and purchase what was needed for the festival of rejoicing. The tithe at the end of 3 years was a second tithe and was used for the Levites, resident aliens, orphans, and widows, to eat.]
glc...The tithe (giving 10% of gross income to God) here, at the end of 3 years, was used to help those who did not have resources to eat from their crops. Following God’s direction in this taught reverence for God; it was worship. God’s plan was to bless those who followed the direction to tithe and took care of those who needed help.
Deuteronomy 15:4-6 “4 However, there should not be any poor among you, for the Lord will surely bless you in the land that he is giving you as an inheritance, 5 if you carefully obey him by keeping all these commandments that I am giving you today. 6 For the Lord your God will bless you just as he has promised; you will lend to many nations but will not borrow from any, and you will rule over many nations but they will not rule over you.” (NET)
glc…This follows the passage to cancel debts at the end of 7 years. This cancellation would lift people from poverty. God blesses those who follow his commandments. Israel was promised that they would not fall into debt to other nations.
Deuteronomy 15:10 “10 You must by all means lend to him and not be upset by doing it, for because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you attempt.” (NET)
glc...Lend to a poor fellow Israelite who lives in a town in the land even though it is close to the 7th year of the cancellation of debts. God will give you a blessing as you follow God’s commands.
Deuteronomy 15:18 “18 You should not consider it difficult to let him go free, for he will have served you for six years, twice the time of a hired worker; the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.” (NET)
glc...This verse follows the passage of setting a Hebrew slave free (and giving them provisions as God has blessed) after 6 years of service to you. God will bless as you follow his commands.
Deuteronomy 23:19-20 “19 You must not charge interest on a loan to your fellow Israelite, whether on money, food, or anything else that has been loaned with interest. 20 You may lend with interest to a foreigner, but not to your fellow Israelite; if you keep this command the Lord your God will bless you in all you undertake in the land you are about to enter to possess. “ (NET)
[NBC Loans to foreigners were a business transaction. Loans to a poor neighbor violated the law of brotherly love if interest was charged.]
glc...We are not to take advantage of God’s people. God will bless as you follow his commands.
Deuteronomy 24:17-19 “17 You must not pervert justice due a resident foreigner or an orphan, or take a widow’s garment as security for a loan. 18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I am commanding you to do all this. 19 Whenever you reap your harvest in your field and leave some unraked grain there, you must not return to get it; it should go to the resident foreigner, orphan, and widow so that the Lord your God may bless all the work you do.” (NET)
glc...Those in positions of power and wealth must not take advantage of others. Let others benefit from your business rather than hording every last penny of profit. Treat your employees and customers well. Christians should remember that they came from a life of sin and separation from God but were purchased by God through the sacrifice of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 6:20 “20 For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.” (NET)
1 Corinthians 7:23 “23 You were bought with a price. Do not become slaves of men.” (NET)
Deuteronomy 30:15-20 “15 “Look! I have set before you today life and prosperity on the one hand, and death and disaster on the other. 16 What I am commanding you today is to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to obey his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances. Then you will live and become numerous and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are about to possess. 17 However, if you turn aside and do not obey, but are lured away to worship and serve other gods, 18 I declare to you this very day that you will certainly perish! You will not extend your time in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess. 19 Today I invoke heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set life and death, blessing and curse, before you. Therefore choose life so that you and your descendants may live! 20 I also call on you to love the Lord your God, to obey him and be loyal to him, for he gives you life and enables you to live continually in the land the Lord promised to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”” (NET)
glc...God blesses those who love God and follow his commands and principles. God opposes those who chose their or the world’s ways. Choose a life with God by accepting Jesus’s sacrifice for your sins and living in line with God’s principles. Read the Bible to learn those principles and put them into practice. It is your choice to make.
Psalms 84:11-12 “11 For the Lord God is our sovereign protector. The Lord bestows favor and honor; he withholds no good thing from those who have integrity. 12 O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, how blessed are those who trust in you. “ (NET)
Proverbs 28:14 “14 Blessed is the one who is always cautious, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into evil. “(NET)
glc...Some translations render “cautious” as “fear the Lord.” Don’t harden your heart against God as Pharaoh did in Egypt against God and the Israelites.
.
Proverbs 24:23-25 “23 These sayings also are from the wise: To show partiality in judgment is terrible: 24 The one who says to the guilty, “You are innocent,” peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him. 25 But there will be delight for those who convict the guilty, and a pleasing blessing will come on them. “(NET)
James 1:25 “25 But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out—he will be blessed in what he does.”(NET)
(glc) Blessing comes when we take God seriously, and take his word seriously, by living in accordance to God’s ways: trust Jesus’s sacrifice for forgiveness of sins; make God a priority in your life; follow principles of living you read in the Bible. These actions lead to good outcomes in your life, and finally, a good outcome for your eternal life.
1 Peter 3:14 “14 But in fact, if you happen to suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. But do not be terrified of them or be shaken.”(NET)
1 Peter 4:14 “ 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory, who is the Spirit of God, rests on you. “(NET)
(glc) If you suffer because you align yourself with God, you may have loss in this life on Earth but you will be acknowledged as a faithful person by God. Read Matthew 25:23; 2 Timothy 4:7,8; James 1:12; Revelation 2:10
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2. God Blesses Us In Our Activities
Deuteronomy 16:13-15 “13 You must celebrate the Feast of Shelters for seven days, at the time of the grain and grape harvest. 14 You are to rejoice in your festival, you, your son, your daughter, your male and female slaves, the Levites, the resident foreigners, the orphans, and the widows who are in your villages. 15 You are to celebrate the festival seven days before the Lord your God in the place he chooses, for he will bless you in all your productivity and in whatever you do; so you will indeed rejoice! “(NET)
glc...We should rejoice in how God has provided for us. Those who did not have resources (Levites, resident foreigners, orphas, widows) are to join in the celebration. They can rejoice in how God has taken care of their needs through you.
The following is not to brag but to inform the reader that Pam and I want to help those in need. We rarely give directly to a person. We have supported orphans through the World Vision and One Child Matters ministries since the 1980s. We regularly donate to the Salvation Army and the Omaha Open Door Mission. We donate to the benevolence fund at our church. One of our pastors in Fremont told us what happened once when money was given to a stranger who stopped by the church office. The pastor was hesitant to give him money but the youth pastor wanted to give him money. Money was given to him, not a large amount. The pastor had the youth pastor follow him discretely in his separate car. The youth pastor saw the man go directly to a liquor store. I am sure there were other cases when the money given to someone was used appropriately. But use discernment if you give money to a stranger.
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3. God Blesses Those Who Are Close To Him
2 Samuel 6:11-12 “ 11 The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months. The Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his family. 12 King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the family of Obed-Edom and everything he owns because of the ark of God.” So David went and joyfully brought the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David.” (NET)
1 Chronicles 13:13-14 “13 So David did not move the ark to the City of David; he left it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 14 The ark of God remained in Obed-Edom’s house for three months; the Lord blessed Obed-Edom’s family and everything that belonged to him.” (NET)
glc...David had a time of anger at God because a person who touched the ark had died. David was also afraid of God as he witnessed God’s anger so he left the ark with Obed-Edom. Obed-Edom was willing to host the ark and God blessed him. We will be blessed by God as we welcome God into our lives and activities.
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4. God Blesses Those Who Remain In His Covenant
1 Kings 2:45 “ 45 But King Solomon will be empowered, and David’s dynasty will endure permanently before the Lord.”” (NET)
glc...God blesses those who are following the covenant promises. God made a covenant with David (2 Samuel 7:8-17; 1 Chronicles 17:11-27; 2 Chronicles 6:16-21) to establish his throne. God did not ignore the sins of Israel. They were defeated and taken into captivity. But the nation was restored and Jeus fulfills the promise for an eternal king in the line of David.
Psalms 2:11-12 “11 Serve the Lord in fear. Repent in terror. 12 Give sincere homage. Otherwise he will be angry, and you will die because of your behavior, when his anger quickly ignites. How blessed are all who take shelter in him! “ (NET)
glc...You should have a reverent fear of God and repent while you have opportunity rather than face God in judgment for unforgiven sin. You will be blessed when you rely on God for protection.
Psalms 5:11-12 “11 But may all who take shelter in you be happy. May they continually shout for joy. Shelter them so that those who are loyal to you may rejoice. 12 Certainly you reward the godly, Lord. Like a shield you protect them in your good favor. “ (NET)
Psalms 24:3-6 “3 Who is allowed to ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may go up to his holy dwelling place? 4 The one whose deeds are blameless and whose motives are pure, who does not lie, or make promises with no intention of keeping them. 5 Such godly people are rewarded by the Lord, and vindicated by the God who delivers them. 6 Such purity characterizes the people who seek his favor, Jacob’s descendants, who pray to him. (Selah)
“ (NET)
Psalms 32:1-5 “How blessed is the one whose rebellious acts are forgiven, whose sin is pardoned. 2 How blessed is the one whose wrongdoing the Lord does not punish, in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3 When I refused to confess my sin, my whole body wasted away, while I groaned in pain all day long. 4 For day and night you tormented me; you tried to destroy me in the intense heat of summer. (Selah) 5 Then I confessed my sin; I no longer covered up my wrongdoing. I said, “I will confess my rebellious acts to the Lord.” And then you forgave my sins. (Selah) “ (NET)
Psalms 33:12 “12 How blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen to be his special possession.” (NET)
Psalms 37:3-5 “3 Trust in the Lord and do what is right. Settle in the land and maintain your integrity. 4 Then you will take delight in the Lord, and he will answer your prayers. 5 Commit your future to the Lord. Trust in him, and he will act on your behalf. “ (NET)
Psalms 40:4 “4 How blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord and does not seek help from the proud or from liars. “ (NET)
Psalms 65:4 “4 How blessed is the one whom you choose, and allow to live in your palace courts. May we be satisfied with the good things of your house—your holy palace.“ (NET)
Psalms 84:4,5 “4 How blessed are those who live in your temple and praise you continually. (Selah) 5 How blessed are those who find their strength in you, and long to travel the roads that lead to your temple. “ (NET)
Psalms 89:15 “ How blessed are the people who worship you! O Lord, they experience your favor. “ (NET)
Psalms 112:1,2 “How blessed is the one who obeys the Lord, who takes great delight in keeping his commands. 2 His descendants will be powerful on the earth; the godly will be blessed.“ (NET)
Psalms 115:12,13 “12 The Lord takes notice of us; he will bless—he will bless the family of Israel, he will bless the family of Aaron. 13 He will bless his loyal followers, both young and old.
“ (NET)
Psalms 119:1-3 “How blessed are those whose actions are blameless, who obey the law of the Lord. 2 How blessed are those who observe his rules, and seek him with all their heart,3 who, moreover, do no wrong, but follow in his footsteps. “ (NET)
Psalms 128:1-4 “How blessed is every one of the Lord’s loyal followers, each one who keeps his commands. 2 You will eat what you worked so hard to grow. You will be blessed and secure. 3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in the inner rooms of your house; your children will be like olive branches, as they sit all around your table. 4 Yes indeed, the man who fears the Lord will be blessed in this way. “ (NET)
Psalms 144:15 “15 How blessed are the people who experience these things. How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.“ (NET)
glc...The preceding verses describe full storehouses, abundant sheep and crops, safety behind walls, etc.
Psalms 146:5-7 “5 How blessed is the one whose helper is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, 6 the one who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who remains forever faithful, 7 vindicates the oppressed, and gives food to the hungry.“ (NET)
Proverbs 8:34 “”34 Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching at my doors day by day,
waiting beside my doorway. 35 For the one who finds me has found life and received favor from the Lord. (NET)
glc...This is a passage about seeking wisdom; God’s wisdom will bless you.
Proverbs 16:20 “20 The one who deals wisely in a matter will find success and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord. “(NET)
Proverbs 28:20 “20 A faithful person will have an abundance of blessings, but the one who hastens to gain riches will not go unpunished. “(NET)
Ezekiel 44:30 “30 The first of all the firstfruits and all contributions of any kind will be for the priests; you will also give to the priest the first portion of your dough, so that a blessing may rest on your house. “(NET)
glc...This passage relates to God’s people giving to God’s ministers. Today, we are to support churches financially. Pam and I tithe to our church and give other financial gifts to the church for support of missionaries, for benevolence, and for other outreach ministries the church has organized.
Jeremiah 17:7 “7 My blessing is on those people who trust in me, who put their confidence in me. “(NET)
Malachi 3:10-12 “10 “Bring the entire tithe into the storehouse so that there may be food in my temple. Test me in this matter,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “to see if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out blessing for you until there is no room for it all. 11 Then I will stop the plague from ruining your crops, and the vine will not lose its fruit before harvest,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 12 “All nations will call you blessed, for you indeed will live in a delightful land,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” (NET)
Luke 1:46-50 “46 And Mary said, “My soul exalts the Lord, 47 and my spirit has begun to rejoice in God my Savior, 48 because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant. For from now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 because he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name; 50 from generation to generation he is merciful to those who fear him. “(NET)
John 20:28-29 “28 Thomas replied to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are the people who have not seen and yet have believed.””(NET)
Romans 4:6-9 “”6 So even David himself speaks regarding the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the one against whom the Lord will never count sin.” 9 Is this blessedness then for the circumcision or also for the uncircumcision? For we say, “faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.”(NET)
{ Psalm 32:1,2}
glc...God credits righteousness to those who have personally accepted Jesus' sacrifice for the forgiveness of their sins.
Galatians 3:7-10 “7 so then, understand that those who believe are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the gospel to Abraham ahead of time, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” 9 So then those who believe are blessed along with Abraham the believer. 10 For all who rely on doing the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not keep on doing everything written in the book of the law.””(NET)
glc...Those who have faith in Jesus are blessed along with those who have believed in the past.
James 1:12 “12 Happy is the one who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God promised to those who love him. “(NET)
glc...Some translations use “Blessed” instead of “Happy” at the start of verse 12. Keep faithful to God and you will receive the blessing of the crown of life when your earthly life is over.
James 5:10-11 “”10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name. 11 Think of how we regard as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and you have seen the Lord’s purpose, that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.(NET)
(glc) We should have high regard for those who endure the world’s punishments and persecutions. We should look to them as examples of how to keep your faith strong.
Revelation 1:3 “. 3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy aloud, and blessed are those who hear and obey the things written in it, because the time is near!”(NET)
(glc) Read the Bible. Listen when others read the Bible. Obey God’s directions that you read and hear. Our lives are short compared to eternity!
Revelation 16:15 “ 15 (Look ! I will come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays alert and does not lose his clothes so that he will not have to walk around naked and his shameful condition be seen.) “ (NET)
(glc) Keep in God’s favor by repenting when necessary and by doing the things God wants people to do. It is extremely dangerous to make a plan to repent the instant before you die. Death can come upon any person at any time. AND, if you keep close to God your life on Earth will be better. The blessings of God are not just material. There is a spiritual blessing of contentment (read how Paul was content in good and bad circumstances Philippians 4:10-12).
Revelation 19:9 “9 Then the angel said to me, “Write the following: Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These are the true words of God.”” (NET)
(glc) God will invite all who trust in Jesus’ sacrifice for forgiveness for their sins.
Revelation 20:4-6 “4 Then I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who takes part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.”(NET)
(glc) God makes all things right regarding payment and rewards for what happens to us on Earth.
Revelation 22:14 “ 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes so they can have access to the tree of life and can enter into the city by the gates. “ (NET)
(glc) “Wash their robes” refers to accepting the blood sacrifice of Jesus for forgiveness of your sins.
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5. Be a Blessing To Others
Psalms 37:23-37 “23 The Lord grants success to the one whose behavior he finds commendable. 24 Even if he trips, he will not fall headlong, for the Lord holds his hand. 25 I was once young, now I am old. I have never seen the godly abandoned, or their children forced to search for food. 26 All day long they show compassion and lend to others, and their children are blessed. 27 Turn away from evil. Do what is right. Then you will enjoy lasting security. 28 For the Lord promotes justice, and never abandons his faithful followers. They are permanently secure, but the children of the wicked are wiped out. 29 The godly will possess the land and will dwell in it permanently. 30 The godly speak wise words and promote justice. 31 The law of their God controls their thinking; their feet do not slip. 32 The wicked set an ambush for the godly and try to kill them. 33 But the Lord does not surrender the godly, or allow them to be condemned in a court of law. 34 Rely on the Lord. Obey his commands. Then he will permit you to possess the land; you will see the demise of the wicked. 35 I have seen ruthless, wicked people growing in influence, like a green tree grows in its native soil. 36 But then one passes by, and suddenly they have disappeared. I looked for them, but they could not be found. 37 Take note of the one who has integrity. Observe the upright. For the one who promotes peace has a future. “ (NET)
glc...verse 26 The children of those who find God’s favor will be blessed. Pam and I live to bring a blessing to our descendants.
1 Timothy 5:8 “ But if someone does not provide for his own, especially his own family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (NET)
(glc) This verse is in the context of helping truly needy widows. Those who have the capability have a responsibility to provide for the family. Provision is a practical blessing of taking care of the needs of the family. Provision also shows love to the family in a practical way. This blesses the family with love and security.
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6. Blessed Are Those Who Help Others
Psalm 41:1-2 “How blessed is the one who treats the poor properly. When trouble comes, may the Lord deliver him. 2 May the Lord protect him and save his life. May he be blessed in the land. Do not turn him over to his enemies.” (NET)
Psalms 106:3 “ How blessed are those who promote justice, and do what is right all the time.
“ (NET)
(glc) Helping others is God’s way. Read Proverbs 19:17; Isaiah 1:17; Matthew 25:35-40; Luke 6:38; Philippians 2:4; Hebrews 13:16; James 1:27
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7. “God Bless You” … Used in talking to others
“God Bless You” What does that mean? Should you say this to someone?
Psalm 115:14,15 “ May he increase your numbers, yours and your children’s. 15 May you be blessed by the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth.” (NET)
(glc) This blessing is said to the “loyal followers of the Lord” (verse 11).
Psalm 128: 5,6 “5 May the Lord bless you from Zion, that you might see Jerusalem prosper
all the days of your life, 6 and that you might see your grandchildren. May Israel experience peace.“ (NET)
(glc) This blessing is said to the “loyal followers of the Lord” (verse 1), and to those who “fear the Lord” (verse 4).
Luke 1:39-45 “39 In those days Mary got up and went hurriedly into the hill country, to a town of Judah, 40 and entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She exclaimed with a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child in your womb! 43 And who am I that the mother of my Lord should come and visit me? 44 For the instant the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
”(NET)
(glc)...Elizabeth pronounces this blessing to Mary after Mary reveals how God has chosen her.
Genesis 47:7-10 “”(N7 Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and presented him before Pharaoh. Jacob blessed Pharaoh. “(NET)
(glc)...Perhaps this blessing was a form of greeting. Jacob was likely thankful for how Pharaoh had promoted Joseph.
Joshua 14:13,14 “13 Joshua asked God to empower Caleb son of Jephunneh and assigned him Hebron. 14 So Hebron remains the assigned land of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this very day because he remained loyal to the Lord God of Israel. “(NET)
(glc)...Some translations use “blessed” instead of “asked God to empower” in verse 13. The NET translation points to a possible prayer that Joshua had for Caleb; that God would enable Caleb to do the task.
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Miscellaneous Verses
I suspect the following passages are NIV. These verses were assembled in the late 1990s for a Sunday School class I taught. Only portions of verses are in the sections below. You should read the whole passage for more context. During the Sunday School class I would summarize the passage and give the context.
1 Samuel 25:1-44
(glc) … summary ...Abigail’s husband Nabal is inhospitable to David’s men
1 Samuel 25:32,33 ...may you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed
1 Samuel 26: 7-11 David has opportunity to kill Saul but does not
1 Samuel 26:25 may you be blessed, my son David
David did not touch the Lord’s anointed … David received a blessing from Saul
Luke 2:34-35 then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary
What was the event in which this occurred?
Why would Simeon bless them? What might he have said?
(Glc) “The Lord bless you” could be prophesying over someone also. We may be moved by God to say this. Like Simeon
Ruth 2:4 The Lord be with you, The Lord bless you! They called back
What was the setting in which these words were spoken?
Wholesome conversation, friendly greetings
(MH) they expressed 1) their mutual respect for one another (workers and master) things are likely to go on well in such a household or work situation 2) their joint dependence on divine providence They express their kindness to each other by praying one for another
(NBD) the Lord was acknowledged in everyday work
Ruth 2:19-21 The Lord bless him, Naomi said to her daughter in law
Why would Naomi be excited?
Verse 20 kinsman redeemer verse 22 protection for Ruth
(MH) Naomi prayed for her daughter in law’s benefactor before she knew exactly who it was
(NBD) Naomi is excited at how God is directing the circumstances
Ruth 3:10 The Lord bless you , my daughter, he replied
Why would Boaz say this?
(NBD) Boaz invokes a blessing upon her for all her acts of kindness. It would have been more natural for her to have married one of the young reapers than Boaz. Ruth had a good behavior in the harvest fields
(MH) Ruth was thinking more of her husband’s family than for herself
1 Samuel 2:18-21 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife saying …
Why would Eli bless Elkanah and Hannah in this way?
(glc) this bless action seems to be a prayer
(glc) Eli had reason to offer this blessing since the couple was following God’s ways … dedicated Samuel to God
1 Samuel 15:13 Saul said, “The Lord bless you!, I have carried out the Lord’s instructions “
(glc) this is the time that Saul disobeyed by keeping the good animals and the king alive)
Why might Saul have said “The Lord bless you!” to Samuel?
Does the phrase “The Lord bless you” cover our mistakes?
Psalm 115:1-18 may you be blessed by the LORD
Who is the psalmist writing to? (those who fear the Lord)
What blessings may the psalmist be referring to?
Psalms 128:1-6 may the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
Life Application Bible: this Psalm was used at weddings
Why would the Psalmist be comfortable in asking for God’s blessing on this person?
(Glc) … the receiver of the blessing fears the Lord
Psalm 134:3 May the Lord, … bless you from Zion
Pray for one another
Colossians 1:3-14 we have not stopped praying for you
What blessings did Paul ask God to give to the Colossians?
Why did Paul pray for the Colossians?
Why do we pray for Christians?
What can we pray for?
Saying “The Lord bless you” does not make all situations right
Judges 17:1-13 The Lord bless you my son! Sounds good but look at the surrounding circumstances.
Idols, v6 everyone did as he saw fit
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Apostolic Benedictions
2 Corinthians 13:14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all
Ephesians 6:23,24 Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
2 Thessalonians 3:16,18 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Hebrews 13:20,21 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen
?? Isaiah 65:16 whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the God of truth
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Miscellaneous verses…not used for the Sunday School class
2 Samuel 19:39 the king gave Barzillai his blessing ( v31ff Barzillai had provided for the king (David) earlier)
Judges 5:24 Most blessed of women be Jael
2 Samuel 14:22 Joab … blessed the king (probably in the sense of spoke well of)
Psalm 129:8 may those who hate Israel never hear “ we bless you in the name of the Lord”
1 Samuel 23:21 Saul replied, “The Lord bless you for your concern for me”
the Ziphites give information concerning David’s location to Saul
Psalms 72:15 may people ever pray for him and bless him all day long
Messianic Psalm bless Jesus
Acts 3:26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways
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Blessing a group
Deuteronomy 33:1ff (glc) Moses blesses Israel before he dies. Moses reviews how God has revealed himself to Israel. Then a blessing / prophecy is said for each tribe of Israel.
Dt 10:8 “8 At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the Lord’s covenant, to stand before the Lord to serve him, and to formulate blessings in his name, as they do to this very day.” (NET)
(glc) The tribe of Levi was set apart to serve God and to generate blessings in the Lord’s name
Numbers 6:22-27 “22 The Lord spoke to Moses: 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is the way you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: 24 “‘“The Lord bless you and protect you; 25 The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”’” 27 “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”” (NET)
(glc) God wants us to bless others and pray to God on their behalf. In today’s age, after Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins, Christians have God’s name on them (v27) and God blesses them. We are poor judges of what a blessing looks like. Christians do have troubles in this world and lives that are not easy. But Christians can live lives of contentment because they know God is on their side and will provide the ultimate blessing of eternal life with him in heaven.
Psalm 3:8 the psalmist asks that God's blessing be on his people
Exodus 39:42,43 Moses blessed them (after inspecting their work)
Leviticus 9:22 (after sacrifice) Aaron blessed them
Leviticus 9:23 (after sacrifice) Moses and Aaron blessed the people
Numbers 6:23 tell Aaron and his sons, This is how you are to bless the Israelites
1 Kings 8:14 the king turned around a blessed them
1 Kings 8:55 he stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel
1 Chronicles 16:2 David … sacrificed … he blessed the people in the name of the Lord
2 Chronicles 6:3 the king turned around a blessed them
Acts 15:33 they were sent off with the blessing of peace
Joshua 8:33 all Israel .. were standing on both sides of the ark … as Moses commanded when he gave instructions to bless the people of Israel
Joshua 22:6 Joshua blessed them and sent them away
2 Samuel 6:18 after he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings .. he blessed the people in the name of the Lord almighty
2 Samuel 2:5 The Lord bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him
2 Chronicles 30:27 … the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them
? Deuteronomy 1:11 may the Lord … increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised
Moses speaking to Israel
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