Ever wonder why we Lutherans use the form of worship we do?
In this series we examine the depth and meaning of the various elements of our Lutheran worship service.
“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 6:22-26, KJV)
The word benediction (literally “good word”) is a synonym for blessing. When you sneeze, a friend might say, “God bless you.” That’s a polite social convention. When we sing, write, or say, “God bless America,” that’s a wish. When I write letters or emails, I usually close with “The Lord’s blessings to you and yours.” That’s my prayer for God’s blessings.
The benediction we have at the close of our liturgy, however, is an entirely different matter. It certainly is not a mere social convention. Nor is it just a wish. It is not even a prayer. The Aaronic Benediction at the end of our services actually imparts God’s blessings to believers! It accomplishes what the words say! The benediction conveys God’s blessings to the hearers because that’s the promise which God attached to it when He commanded Moses to tell Aaron and his sons (the priests) to use these words to bless the children of Israel. God said, “And they [Aaron and his sons] shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.“ (Numbers 6:27, KJV) This is God’s promise.
Pay attention to the metaphorical language here. God is a spirit; He does not have a literal, physical face. The words face in the second line of the benediction and countenance in the third line are the same word in the original Hebrew, and in fact some translations use face in both lines. In English, however, face and countenance have slightly different connotations, and countenance probably better conveys the significance in each of those lines. Countenance means “visage,” or “facial expression.” Picture the expression of a parent looking at a dear child with whom he is especially pleased. You can see the parent’s love for the child in his facial expression, his countenance.
There are also other places where the Bible uses this imagery of God’s face, or countenance, upon us. In reference to King David, Psalm 21:6 (KJV) says, “For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.” As God’s children through faith in Christ, we rejoice that our heavenly Father’s face shines upon us. It is, in fact, God’s countenance upon us as His children that we should look to when we are discouraged, dispirited, or forlorn. As Psalm 42:5 (KJV) says, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.”
There is, however, another—and quite different—aspect to God’s countenance upon man. Speaking of the Israelites who had departed from faithful worship of the one true God, the Lord says in Deuteronomy 31:17-18 (KJV), “Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us? And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.” Or again, speaking of His wrath toward those who have departed from the faith to serve false gods, the Lord says, “My face will I turn also from them.” (Ezekiel 7:22, KJV)
Dear Christian, you are God’s child through faith in Christ Jesus. When you hear the words of this benediction, rejoice that His countenance shines upon you! For in those words, the Lord sustains us, extends His grace to us, and gives us His peace. Amen.
is a retired teacher and serves as assistant editor of the Lutheran Spokesman. He lives in Cape Coral, Florida.
