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. (Num 6:24-26)Truth is, it really only says one thing, but it says it in various ways to give us a full-orbed understanding. What does it mean to have the Lord bless you? He keeps you. He shines His face on you. He is gracious to you. He gives you peace. All facets of the same thing. So when Jesus gave us the "Beatitudes" (Matt 5:3-12), He was giving "blessings" -- the Lord keeping His face on you. As opposed, say, to curses -- the Lord turning His face from you. Not just "happy." Kept, blessed, given grace, peace.
It turns out that the opposite is also expressed in Scripture. Jesus told those who claimed to know Him, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness" (Matt 7:23). A turning away. On the cross, the only time Scripture describes Jesus as crying out was at one, single point: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matt 27:46). The ultimate pain Jesus endured on the cross was when His Father turned His back on Him.
We're not really concerned, most of the time, about God turning from us. I suppose that's because we're not acutely aware that He's looking. But according to that Aaronic blessing, God's face toward us is of real importance. It is our source of joy, grace, peace. When His face is toward us, we are kept -- maintained, guarded, protected. If not ... it's not good. Jesus's worst punishment when He took on our sin was that God forsook Him. Jesus had abandonment issues. Are we aware of it?
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