Kingdom Foreshadowed Part 13
At Keys Vineyard Church, we are presenting a series called ‘Kingdom Foreshadowed,’ which we post here on Online Bible Institute.
Our series is Kingdom Foreshadowed. It involves ten plagues, ten words, the tabernacle, and the temple. Last week, we looked at Leviticus and discussed the Day of Atonement. This week, we will visit Numbers and discuss the priestly blessing.
The Priestly Blessing in Numbers 6:22-27 is a powerful prayer that God commands Moses to have the priests pronounce over the Israelites, and it goes as follows:
“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.”
This blessing encapsulates God’s desire for His people to live in a state of divine favor, protection, grace, and peace. Interestingly, this blessing also echoes the ideals of the Garden of Eden, where humanity once lived in perfect harmony with God, creation, and themselves.
In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve experienced God’s blessing firsthand. They were under His protection, living in His presence, and were recipients of His continual favor and grace. Their lives in Eden mirrored the promises in the Priestly Blessing: they had peace (shalom) with God, were sustained by His care, and basked in the light of His face. The phrase “the Lord make His face shine on you” recalls God’s intimate fellowship with humanity before sin entered the world. In Eden, God’s face was fully turned toward Adam and Eve, signifying His unbroken relationship with them.
However, after the Fall, this state of blessing was brutally disrupted. Humanity was cast out of Eden, and the perfect peace and protection of God’s presence were lost. Yet, through the Priestly Blessing, we see God’s plan to restore what was broken. He desires to return humanity to a place of favor, grace, and peace, ultimately fulfilled through Jesus Christ.
The priestly blessing, then, looks back to the ideal relationship between God and humanity in Eden and points forward to future restoration. It reminds us that God’s ultimate purpose is to bring us back into that Eden-like state of perfect communion, which is realized in His eternal Kingdom. Through this blessing, God reassures His people of His ongoing presence and ultimate plan of redemption.
We will discuss all this and more this weekend at Keys Vineyard Church, so be sure to join us in person or online.
Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.