Q The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. The great nation was still one seed, Jacob. I will take away sickness from among you. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. Put all the billionaires together. All of us deserve to suffer for our sins. The Book of Hebrews brings the Old Testament faith into focus and clearly describes the nature of the blessings God promised and for which believers waited in faith. Notice that every creature of God is good;that is, every piece of beef, chicken, pork, fish or shellfish weeat is good and not to be withheld as unclean today. Thats in the list: All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death. Death is yours. Temporal blessings are incomplete and never without a measure of sorrow and suffering. A secondary goal is to accomplish the good of those who love God: And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Satan, once our master, has now become our enemy. 1. 103 Notice that while these saints obtained promises (verse 33) they did not receive what was promised (verse 39). Lets circle back now to Jordans reference to the Beatitudes. We will be shown mercy: They shall receive mercy (Matthew 5:7). There will always be some among you who are poor. And he said, Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account (Matthew 5:11). For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused,if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctifiedby the Word of God and prayer (I Tim. Use these Bible verses to remind you of the many blessing you can claim as a child of God! H Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. The Bereans "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:10-11). Paul says, "The world is yours. 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. It is by blessing Him that we enjoy Gods blessings, rather than the curse of sin. Philippians 3:8-12 Such men say if we employ the right approach, (their approach, usually for a donation), success is assured. 1:9,10). Deuteronomy 28:1-68 ESV / 265 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful "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. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? God promised to bless Abraham and his offspring. Nearly six hundred years passed from the promise of possessing this land to the time his seed actually acquired the land. 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. Joseph, one of the Bibles great heroes and a son of Jacob, suffered a great deal in his early life. The promise of blessing passed from Abraham to Isaac (Genesis 26:24) to Jacob (Genesis 27:27-29; 28:12-15). Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts. The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. While we are clothedspiritually in Christs righteousness, I wouldnt advise leavinghome physically unclothed. Whom have I in heaven but Thee? Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:13-16). 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). For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. The way human beings experience God's blessing changes with the redemptive storyline that traverses the major peaks of creation, fall, redemption, and final restoration. Just as our Lord suffered because of His identification with sinful men, so God has purposed that we who trust in Him should suffer because of our identification with Him. The writer may have meant that they were given promises, but they did not receive them. For example, in Luke 14:1314, he said, When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. I love Jesuss logic: You will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. Job 4:6. Think of being "in Christ" as a spiritual location. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. If Thy law had not been my delight, Then I would have perished in my affliction (Psalm 119:92). Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. When we suffer, we do not ask God for the mind of Christ, or the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we ask God to bless us by giving us a life free from the pain and sorrow we are currently experiencing. He points them to the true blessings which are in Christ. Jeremiah 18:7-10 And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. T With that in mind, what is a biblical definition of what it means to be truly blessed?. Paul answers in Ephesians 1:3: God has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing every blessing that heaven can conceive for the eternal happiness of Gods people will be ours. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. Moms come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing's for sureall moms need to connect with other moms! Gods blessings took time to fulfill, and the process of fulfillment involved suffering and adversity. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. Jesus teaching concerning His own suffering and death took His disciples by surprise: From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. We will be co-owners of the whole world: They shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). What the Bible says about And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 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. This was the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:5-7; 13:14-15) whose boundaries were more fully defined in Genesis 15:18-21. One would not have chosen Abrahams life to illustrate blessing. There are no places to do pilgrimages in Christianity. James 1:2-5 (1) The Jews thought of Gods blessings primarily in terms of the here and now, while Gods Word speaks of the fulfillment of His promised blessings in terms of the future. They suppose prosperity is ones reward for being spiritual and that suffering is the consequence of sin. 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. The promised blessings of the Bible are the good which God has purposed and promised. I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are righteous, And that in faithfulness Thou hast afflicted me (Psalm 119:75). Y In Gods economy, serving others is a privilege and not a curse. Trust in Him, and you will be blessed. 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. I believe this text provides the key to understanding Gods blessings, especially their relationship to suffering and adversity. Z. And said, By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. Jordan puts his finger on the nub of the issue, I think, by referring to the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. (19) Gods promised blessings do not assure us we will escape the wrath of men toward God, but only that we will escape the wrath of God toward men. 2 Chronicles 36:15-16 Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toilthis is the gift of God. Verse Concepts. Proverbs 10:22 Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you. We now loathe that which we once loved. on 03/30/2021. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. Download Article. What a verse! (6) How can a clear understanding of divine blessings help us to better understand Gods eternal plan, especially as it relates to man? When we understand the difference between Gods temporal blessings and His eternal blessings, we learn to expect suffering and trials as a part of His plan, and as a part of His program to bring about eternal blessing for us. Therefore pride is their necklace; The garment of violence covers them. Psalm 24:5. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. We must view such blessing and suffering as temporary and not eternal. Adam was cursed with hard labor, providing for his family by the sweat of his brow. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. These are not always material blessings, however. The difference is that one group seems to succeed on the basis of faith while the other group suffers by faith. Well, normally we do rejoice in a merciful God who forgives. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? No matter where a mom is on her journey, she's welcome at Where Moms Connect.. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure, And washed my hands in innocence; For I have been stricken all day long, And chastened every morning. (2) In what ways does God bless all men? And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. What the Bible teaches is that the physical blessings to these people will continue until and after Christ's return. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (3) What is the relationship between blessing, faith, and obedience? 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. When my heart was embittered, And I was pierced within, Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before Thee. 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. Thus, his wait would have been more than twenty-five years. Selah. Fax: (262) 255-4195 Verse Concepts. At times like these, the Word of God becomes much more precious and meaningful: Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Thy word (Psalm 119:67). 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. 1:3), God has also blessed us withphysical things. Theres nothing like that in the New Testament. Abraham may not have left Haran immediately which would mean that Abraham was younger when the promise of a son was first given to him. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!. Thou dost make us a reproach to our neighbors, A scoffing and a derision to those around us. The ultimate good is that which manifests Gods glory. Heres the principle: in Gods wisdom, the Jewish religion of the Old Testament was largely a come and see religion. 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 Adam and Eve disobeyed the command of God and sinned in the Garden of Eden, sin entered the human race. Such eternal blessings are far greater than any temporary physical blessings we could receive. Are we becoming more like Jesus by the power of the Spirit? Abrahams life was not one of uninterrupted bliss, yet he was blessed of God in every way (Genesis 24:1). The blood of Christ has taken away the guilt of our sins, and we stand before the Father as perfectly accepted. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. In the healthiest churches, we find a holy conspiracy between pastors who gladly care for the sheep, and sheep who do what they can so that the pastors might serve joyfully. 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). (10) Blessing and cursing have present manifestations, but they are not fully manifested until the second coming of Christ. 2 Chron 30:27. But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Revelation 21:1-8). This false view of blessing justifies ones expectations of no pain and all pleasure in this life. John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. In his lifetime, Abraham would not possess the land of Canaan. One only needs enough faith to be confident God hears and answers our prayers as we desire. (4) God has the right to bless or to curse men (see Romans 9:19-21). TopicalBible The unnamed author of this epistle reminds these Christians of their Old Testament roots. We seek to obey God when we used to delight in disobedience. The first group--those who succeeded by faith--are described in verses 32-35a. He blesses only Christians spiritually and eternally. 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Our Lord Himself took upon Himself the task of serving. Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. Your basket and your kitchen will be blessed. But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling; My steps had almost slipped. And they say, How does God know? Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. How they are destroyed in a moment! His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Psalm 112:1-2 (NIV), Blessed are those who keep my ways. Proverbs 8:32 (NIV), Each of these blessings depends on your not turning aside in any way from the laws I have given you; and you must never worship other gods. Deuteronomy 28:14 (Living), Blessed is the man you discipline, O Lord, the man you teach from your law. Psalm 94:12 (NIV), It is sin to despise ones neighbors; blessed are those who help the poor. Proverbs 14:21 (NLT), It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35 (NIV), A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor. Proverbs 22:9 (NIV), Good people will be generous to others and will be blessed for all they do. Isaiah 32:8 (NLT), Blessed is the man who finds wisdom and gains understanding. Proverbs 3:13 (NIV), A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished. Proverbs 28:20 (NIV), The Lords curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. Proverbs 3:33 (NIV), People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell. Proverbs 11:26 (NIV), He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy. Proverbs 14:21 (NIV), Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. Proverbs 16:20 (NIV), An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end. Proverbs 20:21 (NIV), It will go well with those who convict the guilty and rich blessing will come upon them. Proverbs 24:25 (NIV), Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble. Proverbs 28:14 (NIV), The Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. The trials and afflictions of the Israelites did not end with their exodus from Egypt. Redemption speaks of buying one's freedom, paying a ransom. The story of the rich man and Lazarus underscore this principle (see Luke 16:19-31). When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. 2 Peter 2:7-8 More likely, he meant that they received some of the promises but not the promises which could only be fulfilled at the second coming of Christ, promises which are still future for us. (15) Since divine blessing is based upon the sovereign grace of God, we cannot demand it, and we dare not protest when Gods dealings with us do not appear to be a blessing. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:7-18). They would do especially well to give careful thought to this text in Hebrews: And what more shall I say? Peter, who once rejected the idea of suffering, later has much to say about suffering in his epistles. Humanly speaking, men are blessed or cursed on the basis of their response to Abrahams seed, Jesus Christ (Genesis 12:3; Psalm 24:3-6; 32:1-2; 84:4-5; 89:14-18; John 3:16-18; 14:6; Acts 3:26; Romans 4:6-8; Galatians 3:9, 13-16; 1 John 5:11-12). 100 When I speak of innocent suffering here, we must all understand that no mortal is ever innocent, save in the blood of Jesus Christ. God chose Israel as the object of His blessings. But that forgiveness is not always guaranteed, and is usually conditional on our repentance. Use these Bible verses to remind you of the many blessing you can claim as a child of God! If we had forgotten the name of our God, Or extended our hands to a strange god; Would not God find this out? Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. 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. (3) The Jews thought of Gods blessings in terms of material prosperity and His cursings in terms of material adversity and physical affliction. Since the Mosaic covenant spelled out Gods blessings and cursings in this way in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28-30, this is not difficult to understand. Living in the midst of a fallen world itself suffering from the curse of sin (Romans 8:18-25) results in a suffering of soul for the Christian. Those who identified with Israel and Israels God would also be blessed, as God told Abraham (Genesis 12:2-3). (1 Kings 10:1, 45). Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! And the failure to recognize this distinction between Gods plan for Israel in the Old Testament and Gods plan for the church in the New Testament has caused a lot of people to put way too much emphasis on earthly blessings today. He helps them out of their own troubles. Jeremiah 29:11 planning hope promises. From later history, we know that because of Josephs ill-treatment by his brothers, he was enslaved in Egypt. The Israelites of Jesus day also held a distorted view of divine blessings. It is also only in eternity that the curse of God will be fully poured out on sinners. Our heart has not turned back, And our steps have not deviated from Thy way, Yet Thou hast crushed us in a place of jackals, And covered us with the shadow of death. Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him (Deuteronomy 8:2-6). Your infinite glory, greatness, grander, majesty, and unlimited ability. He called those blessed whom the Jews regarded as accursed. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. In My Fathers house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. Why did your father, Josiah, reign so long? Gods blessing is not only the gift of those things which are good and desirable but the removal of the curse. Abraham had a twenty-five year wait for the blessing of a son. These are the very ones who would be chided today for their lack of faith. Just a few - of many - New Testament texts make this clear: Mark 1:4-5 And so John the Baptist appeared . You do not have to fear the future when God's hand is over your life. Your blessings in this life will be mixed with sorrow. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 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. Deuteronomy 28:1-2. Neither Gods blessings nor His wrath are fully manifested in this life. Now, Father, I need You to restore my heart. Verse Concepts. June 10, 2013. In God we have boasted all day long, And we will give thanks to Thy name forever. (20) If Gods blessing cannot be equated with prosperity and ease, neither can it be said that His blessing is automatically associated with asceticism (denying ourselves of earthly pleasures). They are not in trouble as other men; Nor are they plagued like mankind. Nevertheless I am continually with Thee; Thou hast taken hold of my right hand. But notice that in the list of things that belong to us is death. By paying to God what we owe Him (that is, His tithes), He rewards us with blessings. Selah. 104 Harold G. Stigers, A Commentary on Genesis (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976), p. 135. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. It is the blessing which comes from faith in Jesus Christ and not from human effort or achievement. And who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just. Thats the orientation of Jesus Christ the king. By tracing the fulfillment of this promise through the Scriptures we will better understand Gods blessings. And he will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. Why are they wrong? Whether God in His goodness enables us to succeed, or whether His grace enables us to endure our suffering, let us realize that God is able to make use of suffering to produce blessings. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong (1 Peter 3:13-17). The Christian life should be lived out in the light of the superiority of Gods promised blessings in comparison to the blessings an ungodly world holds out to us (Hebrews 11:24-26). I have become a cynic when it comes to promises received in the mail. So too does history and our own experience. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Rarely, if ever, do I see people posting about how blessed they are as poor in spirit or persecuted like we read about in the Beatitudes. It was not in Abrahams lifetime that the promise of a great nation was fulfilled. What is the basis for blessing and cursing? As Israel trusted in God and obeyed His Law by faith, God poured out the blessings promised in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. They mock, and wickedly speak of oppression; They speak from on high. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. A Psalm of David. Phone: (262) 255-4750 The accursed were those who were rich, well-fed, and happy.