By Dr. Robert C Crowder
Reading:
Numbers 6:24-26 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: 25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Reflection:
On this final day of our Advent journey, we find ourselves at both an ending and a beginning. The season that called us to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ now sends us out as His ambassadors to a world that desperately needs the love we have received. The Aaronic blessing from Numbers and the Great Commission from Matthew form perfect bookends for the Christian life; we are blessed to be a blessing, loved to extend love, saved to proclaim salvation. God’s love does not end with us; it flows through us to the ends of the earth.
The Aaronic blessing is one of the oldest and most beautiful prayers in Scripture. God Himself gave it to Moses to be spoken over Israel by Aaron and his sons: “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.” This threefold blessing invokes the name of the LORD (Yahweh) three times, pointing to the triune nature of God who blesses His people. It is comprehensive, covering provision (bless and keep), favor (face shine and grace), and fellowship (countenance lifted and peace given).
The first line, “The LORD bless thee, and keep thee,” speaks of God’s abundant provision and faithful protection. To bless means to enrich, to bestow good, to prosper. God is the source of every blessing, spiritual and material. But blessing is paired with keeping; guarding, preserving, watching over. God does not give gifts and walk away. He remains present to protect what He has given. His eye is always upon His people, His hand always ready to defend and deliver. This is covenant love: committed, enduring, and unfailing.
The second line; “The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee,” speaks of God’s favor and mercy. The shining face is the face of approval, delight, and pleasure. When God’s face shines upon us, we are walking in His favor. We are accepted, not because of our merit, but because of His grace. The word “gracious” reminds us that everything we receive from God is unearned and undeserved. We stand before Him not on the basis of our righteousness but on the basis of His mercy. And that mercy was fully revealed in Jesus Christ, the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature.[1]
The third line; “The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace,” speaks of God’s intimate fellowship and the wholeness that flows from it. To lift up the countenance means to look with favor, to give attention, to draw near. It is the opposite of turning away or hiding the face. When God lifts His countenance toward us, we experience His presence, His nearness, His attentive care. And the result is peace, shalom; the comprehensive well-being that includes reconciliation with God, harmony with others, wholeness of soul, and the assurance that all is well because God is with us.
This blessing finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the One through whom all spiritual blessings flow.[2] He is the Good Shepherd who keeps His sheep, and none can pluck them out of His hand.[3] He is the light of the world, and the glory of God shines in His face.[4] He is the grace of God manifested in human flesh.[5] He is the One who made peace through the blood of His cross[6] and is Himself our peace.[7] Every line of the blessing points to Christ, and in Christ, the blessing becomes ours.
But the blessing is not an end in itself. It is the fuel for mission. God blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others. This was true for Abraham; “I will bless thee… and thou shalt be a blessing… and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”[8] It was true for Israel; they were chosen not for privilege alone but to be a light to the nations.[9] And it is true for the church; we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ so that we can proclaim His excellencies to the world.[10]
This is where Matthew 28:18–20 comes in with clarity and power. Jesus, having risen from the dead, appeared to His disciples and declared, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” This is the foundation of the Great Commission. We do not go in our own authority, wisdom, or strength. We go in the authority of the resurrected, reigning Christ, who has all power in heaven and on earth. Every spiritual force, every earthly ruler, every demon in hell is subject to His authority. And He sends us with that authority backing every step we take.
Then comes the command: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” The word “go” is actually a participle in Greek; “as you are going” or “having gone.” It assumes movement, mission, and engagement with the world. The command is to “make disciples,” not merely converts, not just decisions, but fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ who know Him, love Him, and obey Him.
The scope is breathtaking: “all nations.” Not just Israel, not just one culture or language, but every people group on earth. The Great Commission is the global mission of the church until Christ returns. We are to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; the triune God into whose name and fellowship believers are brought. And we are to teach them to observe all that Christ commanded, not a diluted gospel, not a selective obedience, but the whole counsel of God applied to every area of life.
This sounds overwhelming, even impossible. How can weak, finite, sinful humans accomplish such a task? The answer is in the promise: “And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Jesus does not send us alone. He goes with us. The word “alway” means every single day, in every circumstance, without exception. “Even unto the end of the world” means until the age is complete, until His return, until the mission is finished. The same Jesus born in Bethlehem, who died on the cross, who rose from the grave, who ascended to the Father’s right hand; this Jesus is with us. Immanuel, God with us, was not just a title for His incarnation. It is a promise for His church until the end of the age.
The blessing and the sending belong together. We cannot truly receive God’s blessing without being compelled to share it. And we cannot effectively carry out the mission without resting in the blessing. We are blessed with peace so that we can be peacemakers. We are blessed with grace so that we can be gracious. We are blessed with the presence of God so that we can make Him known. The love of God that has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit[11] is meant to overflow to a world desperate to know that they are loved by the God who made them.
As this Advent season closes, do not let the journey end here. Let it’s message send you. Let the hope you have embraced move you to share hope with the hopeless. Let the peace you have received make you an ambassador of reconciliation. Let the joy you have tasted overflow in witness to a joyless world. And let the love you have known compel you to go, in the authority of Christ, to proclaim that the Savior has come, that He is risen, that He reigns, and that He is coming again.
Prayer:
- Thank God for blessing you with His love and calling you to share that love with others.
- Ask Him to send you into the world as His ambassador, empowering you by His Spirit, filling you with His love, and using you to bring glory to His name until the day He returns.
Consider:
Invite someone to church or to a worship service this week; whether it be a Christmas service, a Sunday gathering, or another opportunity to hear the gospel. Pray for them by name every day, asking God to prepare their hearts to receive the message of Christ. Then follow up with them afterward, ready to answer questions, share your testimony, or simply encourage them in their next step toward faith. Let this Advent journey end with an act of mission; extending the blessing you have received to someone who needs to know that God loves them.
[1] Hebrews 1:3
[2] Ephesians 1:3
[3] John 10:28-29
[4] 2 Corinthians 4:6
[5] Titus 2:11
[6] Colossians 1:20
[7] Ephesians 2:14
[8] Genesis 12:2-3
[9] Isaiah 49:6
[10] 1 Peter 2:9
[11] Romans 5:5
Robert C. Crowder Ministries 
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