The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, “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.” So shall they put My name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:22-27 ESV)
Countenance and Peace
My mom had a look that could stop me in my tracks. I imagine that the Batman has that look, too.
More than a glare, a glance, or a face, that type of expression is what the Bible means by “countenance.”
Storms have a countenance. Guard dogs have a countenance. If hate were personified, it would have a countenance.
So why is it a blessing to have God lift HIS countenance upon us? His wrath… His anger… His judgment…
Because even back in the time of Moses, God knew that the only way to save the universe was to lift His countenance in righteous judgment against the guilty. But when the guilty is frail humanity and broken creation, God needed to lift His countenance elsewhere.
He needed to lift His countenance on His beloved Son instead of us.
That is why His countenance is a blessing. Because it is how our guilt is taken away, and God’s justice preserved.
God lifts His countenance on Jesus instead of on us.
And that is the source of peace… the ONLY source of peace.
That is a blessing, indeed. It is THE blessing.