C How could it be that the blessed Son of God could suffer? Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Your blessings in this life will be mixed with sorrow. Eternal blessings are experienced by saints who have been transformed into the image of Christ, whose mortal bodies are left behind and who live in a new world free of sin, of Satan, and of the curse (see 1 Corinthians 15:35-58; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 21 and 22). A review of Jesus teaching about the kingdom of God and about the blessings of God explains why His teaching was found unacceptable by the Jews. 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. Let's take a close look at blessing from the bible: who blesses who, how we receive blessings, how we give blessings, physical versus spiritual blessings, and finally how the flow of blessing can influence our prayers. May it not be said of us that our faith is too small, or to help us to look to You, to see in You, Your infinite power. We ask God to take away the pain and the circumstance. 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. I call that the showcasing of the blessing of God on the people of God in the Old Testament. I will take away sickness from among you. Exodus 23:25 (NIV), Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9 (NIV), Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. Deuteronomy 15:10 (NIV), Happy are those who respect the Lord and obey him. Whereas, in the Old Testament, Israel had the promise of physical blessing, the church today has been promised spiritual blessings "in the heavenly realms." Our inheritance is reserved for us (1 Peter 1:4). For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. You cannot be richer than a Christian. The story of the rich man and Lazarus underscore this principle (see Luke 16:19-31). PO Box 756 Gods blessing is found in trusting and obeying God and in the resulting enjoyment (blessing) of His presence and fellowship. I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon; his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon. Then in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete (Genesis 15:13-16). (7) How do the temporal blessings and cursings which God promised the nation Israel relate to the life and experience of the Christian today? Now, Father, I need You to restore my heart. Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth. The point I wish to underscore here are the two very different categories of saints. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. (5) God is able to bless men because He has borne their curse in Christ, and thus His holiness is maintained in His grace (see Romans 3:24-26). Job 1 and 2 We now loathe that which we once loved. All rights reserved. They would do well to give more thought to the blessings of God as defined in Scripture. Joseph, one of the Bibles great heroes and a son of Jacob, suffered a great deal in his early life. Be glad in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets. 5. Put the bounce back in my step, the smile back on my face, and the dance back in my feet. Use these Bible verses to remind you of the many blessing you can claim as a child of God! For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you. 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. The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? (9) Blessing or cursing are not necessarily evident in the means God employs to produce His desired goal. Y For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. The Christian life should be lived out in the light of the superiority of God's promised blessings in comparison to the "blessings" an ungodly world holds out to us (Hebrews 11:24-26). But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. Philippians 3:8-12 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Why dost Thou hide Thy face, And forget our affliction and our oppression? Germantown, WI 53022-0756 As a result, Jacob and his family moved to Egypt where they became a great nation. They knew these blessings would not come in life, but after death and resurrection: All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. He is author of. See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. In Gods economy, serving others is a privilege and not a curse. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you. A Prayer for God's Power. Salvation is "in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 2:10). 1. God's blessings are meant to protect us, guide us to the path of righteousness, and give us hope. Not one of them received the promised blessing. Some preachers and teachers promise Gods blessings as confidently as the mail promises a free gift. Philippians 4:19 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. He helps them out of their own troubles. (4) God has the right to bless or to curse men (see Romans 9:19-21). John 14:1-3 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. For the Christian, good includes the blessing of all those who are the called in Jesus Christ. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord. Phone: (262) 255-4750 For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just. Thats the orientation of Jesus Christ the king. 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. Ephesians 1:3-14 Use these Bible verses to remind you of the many blessing you can claim as a child of God! Things were bad and about to get worse. In all that he does, he prospers. Such eternal blessings are far greater than any temporary physical blessings we could receive. 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. Physical John 3:5 ESV / 23 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Our faith in God and in His promise will result in the obedience of faith (Genesis 17:9-14; Romans 4:9-24; Hebrews 11:13-31; James 2:14-26). We will experience Gods comfort: They shall be comforted (Matthew 5:4). 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). That plan incorporates all things (Romans 8:28), which includes pain, suffering, and sorrow. And in so doing, we actually miss the blessing God has for us in affliction. For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and will then recompense every man according to his deeds (Matthew 16:21-27). It is the blessing to which Abraham and every other Old Testament saint looked forward. 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). 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. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God. Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. All their years will be pleasant. Job 36:11 (NLT), Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. Job 5:17 (NIV), Blessed is the person who does not follow the advice of wicked people, take the path of sinners, or join the company of mockers. Psalm 1:1 (GW), Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Psalm 40:4 (NIV), Blessed are those who dwell in your house to worship; they are ever praising you. Psalm 84:4 (NIV), Give freely to the poor person, and do not wish that you didnt have to give. Selah. Their identification with Jesus Christ had brought on them the reproach of Christ and the opposition and persecution of unbelieving Jews. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. 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). Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God. When Adam and Eve disobeyed the command of God and sinned in the Garden of Eden, sin entered the human race. Pastor Sadler, you referred to our having physical blessings today. And there shall no longer be any night; and they shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them; and they shall reign forever and ever (Revelation 22:1-5). 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. The writer may have meant that they were given promises, but they did not receive them. And that about wraps it up. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. This is to be the pattern for the Christians dealings with others, including our enemies (Matthew 6:44-48; Acts 14:15-17; 17:30-31). The prophets suffered themselves and also spoke of the Messiah to come as the One who would suffer for the sins of men (Isaiah 52:13--53:12). Judaisms errors concerning divine blessings can be summed up in these statements. Z. This is not a blessing. Verses 3-14. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. Therefore pride is their necklace; The garment of violence covers them. (1 Kings 10:1, 45). He points them to the true blessings which are in Christ. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!. (10) Blessing and cursing have present manifestations, but they are not fully manifested until the second coming of Christ. What a verse! 104 Harold G. Stigers, A Commentary on Genesis (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976), p. 135. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes. Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.". If a nation turned from God, its promised blessings would be taken away: At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull down, or to destroy it; if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. God is not the only one who pronounces blessings. Gods blessings took time to fulfill, and the process of fulfillment involved suffering and adversity. . Biblical blessings are often associated with protection and happiness. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them, and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. And He said, Write, for these words are faithful and true. And He said to me, It is done. 4:4,5). Or at another moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to build up or to plant it; if it does evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will think better of the good with which I had promised to bless it (Jeremiah 18:7-10). God clarified the promise of the land in Genesis 15: And God said to Abram, Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. B If Thy law had not been my delight, Then I would have perished in my affliction (Psalm 119:92). And it shall come to pass, if thou . H And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. The suffering of some saints should be no more troublesome to us than the success of some saints, or even the success of some sinners. He leads me beside still waters. in 1971. Gods blessings are based upon His grace and not our works. Bible prophecy reveals that the descendants of Esau will exist in the end time. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him (James 1:2-5). This false view of blessing justifies ones expectations of no pain and all pleasure in this life. Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:8-12). Jesus called blessed those who were poor, hungry, and sorrowful. James 1:2-5 I believe this text provides the key to understanding Gods blessings, especially their relationship to suffering and adversity. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. As Israel trusted in God and obeyed His Law by faith, God poured out the blessings promised in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. T We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless. All of this made no sense to the Jews. This is one of the reasons Jesus teaching and His offer of the kingdom was rejected. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. Luke 14:14 (NIV), Give freely and spontaneously. Blessing and cursing are both temporal and eternal, the temporal being partial and mixed with sorrow, while the eternal is full and complete. It is also only in eternity that the curse of God will be fully poured out on sinners. Like Lot, we find our righteous souls vexed by sin (2 Peter 2:7-8). 1 Corinthians 11:1-2 ESV / 21 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. In everything [not just some thingsand not just spiritual things] give thanks: for this is thewill of God in Christ Jesus concerning you (I Thes. Gods common grace is extended to all men, without distinction. 4-14. Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" ( Matthew 5:5 ). 1 Chron 23:13. 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. And is there knowledge with the Most High? Behold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased in wealth. As Asaph protested centuries ago in Psalm 73, the wicked may prosper, and the righteous may suffer. His teaching was radically different from that of the Jewish religious leaders of His day. P He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Thou dost sell Thy people cheaply, And hast not profited by their sale. John 3:16. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. However there are too many repetition eliminate some of the duplication. Paul says, The world is yours. And who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? Revelation 21 and 22. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Put all the billionaires together. You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on Gods interests, but mans. Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. In our identification with Christ, we enter into His rejection and persecution by men, and in so doing are blessed by a closer walk with Him, a deeper fellowship with Him, and a growing hunger for heaven and the full blessings of God (see 2 Corinthians 4 and 5; Philippians 3:10; 1 Peter 2-4). We seek to obey God when we used to delight in disobedience. Only with the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ does permanent blessing come into clear focus. "Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God. Here are 20 BIble verses about God's blessing that show us how He blesses us materially and spiritually, and that Jesus Christ as our atonement for sin is the ultimate blessing God has given to all. Israel was the showcase of Gods blessings among the nations. What an amazing promise--a promise which will surely be fulfilled! It does not tell us that he was seventy-five when he first received the promise of a son. First and foremost, Gods blessing involves the forgiveness of our sins, the defeat and destruction of Satan, the passing away of that which is old and corrupted by sin, and the creation of that which is holy and acceptable. He also promised to make him a great nation (Genesis 12:2; 15:5; 17:5-6). 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. You will be blessed when you come in and when you go out. (2) In what ways does God bless all men? With that in mind, what is a biblical definition of what it means to be truly blessed?. We must live by faith trusting God to fulfill His promises, even when our eyes tell us the opposite is happening now.