A. INTRODUCTION
1. Sneeze. “God bless you.”
2. Christian greetings. We say, “God bless you.”
3. Formula. Table blessing of food.
4. We string together words, but cannot decode them.
5. What does the hymn mean, “Count Your Many Blessings”? More and many.
6. First reference. After six days of creation, God created man and woman, “God blessed them, and God said unto them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion (over it)’” (Gen. 1:28). The seed truth of blessing meant, (a) to be and do what is expected of you and more, (b) to have God’s protection and more, (c) to have God’s presence.
7. The Bible is filled with references such as, “Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me, bless His holy name” (Psalm 103:1). You are worshipping the Lord and asking God, (a) to do what He can do for you and more, (b) to be what He can be for you and more.
8. A blessing is an added extra to what God has given, i.e., to prosper.
What Blessings Are Not
1. God doing miracles.
2. For something to come from nothing.
3. Deliverance from trouble.
4. To solve a problem.
B. THE MEANING OF THE WORD BLESS
1. Barak (Hebrew) means, “to kneel” as kneeling before a king or sovereign to receive something, i.e., adding to your position, honor or monetary blessing. When you say, “The Lord bless you,” that person should kneel before God to get “added extras” to his/her life.
2. Eulogew (Greek) means, (a) to speak well of a person, i.e., to bless the Lord. “Therewith bless we God, ever the Father” (James 3:9), (b) to invoke blessing upon, “And He (Jesus) put His hands on them (the children) and blessed them” (Mark 10:16), (c) to cause another to prosper, be happy, “Blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).
C. THE ABRAHAMIC SEVENFOLD BLESSING
While this blessing has specific interpretation to Abraham and his seed, it has general applications to us, “So then, they which be of faith, are blessed with Abraham” (Gal. 3:9).
“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 12:1-3).
1. Increased children. “I will make of thee a great nation.” Ask God to increase you physically and spiritually.
2. Increased prosperity. “I will bless thee.” Ask God to increase you financially.
3. Increased reputation. “I will make thy name great.” Ask God to help you be a good testimony for the glory of God.
4. Increased influence. “Thou shalt be a blessing.” Through Abraham came the scriptures, the prophets, priests and Kings of Israel. Ask God to use your influence.
5. Increased relationships. “I will bless them that bless thee.” The nations that have protected and respected the Jews have been blessed of God. Ask God’s blessing on those who honor the way you live for God.
6. Increased protection. “I will curse him that curseth you.” God has promised to punish those who persecute the Jew. Our enemies are punished when you, “Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you” (Luke 6:28). “If thine enemy hunger feed him . . . give him drink; for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head” (Rom. 12:20).
7. Increased salvation. “In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” This was the promise of the Messiah through Abraham. Ask God to use you to carry salvation to others.
D. PREPARE YOURSELF TO RECEIVE BLESSINGS
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Psalm 1:1-3).
1. The man who is blessed by God has done what God expects him to do.
a. “Walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.” Does not seek ungodly advice.
b. “Standeth in the way of sinners.” Does not fellowship with sinning people.
c. “Sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” Does not identify with God-haters.
d. “Delight is in the law of the Lord.” Consumes God’s Word.
2. You are “happy,” i.e., blessed when you are and do what God expects. Then God prepares you.
a. “He shall be like a tree.” You are established.
b. “Bringeth forth his fruit.” You bless others.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God. Please contact me at eltowns@liberty.edu and tell us about your salvation experience so that we can rejoice with you.
