CANDLEGLOW LESSON NASO
“The Lesson of The Blessing of the Name ~ ADONAI!
Parashah NASO (Numbers 4:21-7:89) Week 35
“ADONAI said to Moshe, “Speak to Aharon and his sons, and tell them that this is how you are to bless the people of Isra’el; you are to say to them,
May ADONAI bless you and keep you.
May ADONAI make his face shine on you and show you his favor.
May ADONAI lift up his face toward you and give you peace.
In this way they are to put my name on the people of Isra’el, so that I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:22-27 CJB)
The time had come to break camp around Mount Sinai and advance toward the Covenant Land. We see the faithful love (Chesed) of Adonai in His instructions to instill plans and purposes into the Nation of Israel, even as they advanced and moved out deeper in the wilderness. This next assignment would bring a new level of order and more personal responsibility for each member of the Nation, and in fact, a dependence upon one another which they had never known at this level. Yes, the new Nation was to fully rest (Shabbat) in Adonai for all things. However, we see Adonai’s compounding lessons for them in the areas of horizontal relationships; one to another. This was an extremely important training ground, in an exacting, targeted spot upon the blueprint of history. The Lord made Himself known first as the One true God, El Elyon, meaning God Most High.
By the miracles and signs upon the top of Mount Sinai, from a vantage point where each Hebrew could see the glory of the Lord on high, His lessons from the wilderness began. In our journey with Israel, we have seen the beauty and blessings of Adonai’s lessons building one upon another, taking the Hebrew Nation from a slave mentality to a Nation set-apart for holy service and intimacy with Yahweh.
The complexity of each level of order for the new Nation is almost incomprehensible, yet by the Spirit of the Living God, and the supernatural leadership of Moses, every detail was accomplished. The tribes had been separated and established, along with their function and their order within the four winds around the Tabernacle. In the process of breaking camp and moving out, following The Cloud of Presence…they moved in a Cross formation!
In our reading of NASO, we notice new warnings regarding sin within the Nation. Adonai was clear to call out sins which might occur on the horizontal level; man against man. Examples of certain sins were described, and what would be required by the sinner and by the priesthood to re-establish unity with Adonai. Adonai spoke clearly; the entire camp of the Nation of Israel was holy. This was new information. Earlier, the holiness of Adonai, the Tabernacle, and the contents inside, were learned about and called out as holy unto the Lord. Adonai’s holiness was now fanning out into the entire Nation of Israel, which was a new lesson in obedience and service for each individual Hebrew man or woman. Each person was accountable for their own relationship with Adonai and His Mitzvot, but also for every Hebrew within the camp.
This is the Lesson of The Blessing of the Name ~ ADONAI! After new tribal orders of the Levites were given, with the layering of lessons for each clan who would serve in the Tabernacle, (Mishkan) there came warnings about sins against one another which would defile the Nation. Adonai’s command was given to the priests to issue a Priestly Blessing. (Birkat Kohanim) This blessing would invoke the favor of Adonai in the midst of the horizontal sins of the Nation. As much as any example of the grace of Adonai, this new command to bless the Nation in Adonai’s name shines a bright light on His magnanimity! He anticipated every way the people would fall into sin against one another; yet provided a way to call forth His blessings of restoration over the Nation, so they might draw near, again!
This is the Lesson of The Blessing of the Name ~ ADONAI! The priests were commanded to bless the Nation, but only when their hearts were full of love for Adonai. Love would be the conduit, as they lifted their spread hands to heaven, over the bowed heads of the Nation. The love in the hearts of the priests would flow into the hearts of the Nation. God’s Shekinah Glory would shine through the openings between the spread fingers of the Kohanim, onto each bowed head, in humility to Adonai. The Lord invited the priests to become aligned with His glory by calling it forth in love, as their hands made the sign of Shaddai, and His Glory pierced the heavens flowing through the fingertips of the priesthood! How glorious, to call forth the blessings of God by the declarations from their lips and their spread hands to heaven!
This is the Lesson of The Blessing of the Name ~ ADONAI! As a Nation of priests, grafted in by the power of Yeshua, we are invited to call forth in love, the blessings of Adonai over our people…
May ADONAI bless you and keep you.
May ADONAI make his face shine on you and show you his favor.
May ADONAI lift up his face toward you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:22-26 CJB)
On this Shabbat night, may we remember when our hearts are full of love for Adonai, to lift our hands over those whom we love to call forth His powerful blessings. This beautiful blessing is traditionally prayed over Jewish children at every Shabbat table, each week. This, dear treasured people, is how to use the name of our Lord in ways that usher in His supernatural power, through our thankful lips, our outstretched hands, and uplifted chins, to heaven.
Say the blessing! Sing the blessing! Invoke the miracles of heaven over your family and your children, and their children, by the blessings of the Lord God Almighty, through your spread hands lifted to heaven and over all of them. Call forth God’s LIGHT, LOVE, and PEACE, with the power of your AMEN!
Shabbat Shalom,
Sydney