Numbers 6:22-27 – “And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: 24 “The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; 26 The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”‘  27 “So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”  NKJV

Let’s begin where we left off last time and consider the second part of the first statement of verse twenty-four – – “And Keep You.”  That’s part of the “Blessing”, but it’s more than that!  It’s Protection!  It’s Energy!  It’s LIFE!

Psalms 121:1-4 – “I will lift up my eyes to the hills — From whence comes my help?  2 My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.” NKJV

What a powerful passage!  When I’m asleep I am still “kept”.  I’m “kept” whether I’m asleep or awake. I AM BLESSED!  I sleep in “Blessing”.  I nestle under the coverlets of “Blessing” – – I AM KEPT!

Psalm 121:5 – “The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand.”

THAT IS – – He is standing on my right hand so that he casts His shadow over me!  He is standing beside me and protecting me!

Psalms 121:6-8 – “The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. 8 The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.” NKJV

“The Lord Bless You & Keep You…”  The Psalmist says, “let me tell you what that means.”  You are KEPT in your “innermost person.”  KEPT when you go out and when you come in.  KEPT when you sleep and when you wake.  YOU ARE KEPT!

Psalm 91 – – – READ IT…  This is a Psalm written based on THE BLESSING!

You name it, this covers all the bases.  There is nothing from Earth, nothing that can be spewed out of hell, that can penetrate His KEEPING POWER!  The man of Psalm 91 says, “Let it come. I walk in the middle of it.  I’m protected.  I AM KEPT!”  [Jesus quotes that to the Disciples].  It is THE BLESSING!

HEAR ME CAREFULLY:

That was their “mindset”.  They lived in this!  Every Israelite, when he began his day received those words attended by the Power of God and “knew” that GOD was keeping him/her and blessing him!  It covered every aspect of life!

You and I are part of a Better Covenant established upon Better Promises.  This was the Covenant of Sinai and if they had this under the Sinaitic Covenant and the Abrahamic Covenant – – We live in the fulfillment of the Abrahamic and a Better one that the Mosaic.  WHAT THEN DO WE HAVE?

TODAY – – We have the Peace of God that passes all human understanding and keeps/guards the hearts and minds in Christ Jesus!

Psalm 23 – – Is applicable here.  Read it, digest it, devour it, and discover it in a new light.

This is the song of a man who “understood” this BLESSING!  When his enemies were pressing him, he said:  “The LORD is my shepherd, I SHALL NOT WANT….”  Why?  Because He gives me a bed in the lush green pastures, drink from the calm still waters, restores my soul, leads me in the path of righteousness, banishes fear and provides divine protection, gives me provision in the midst of my enemies, anoints me, and His goodness and mercy follow me all the days of my life and allows me to dwell in His presence perpetually!  HOW CAN YOU BEAT THAT?

I want to give you one more example but so you will understand how the word was used centuries ago consider this:

THE KEEPS – – In European castles there is, at the entry of the castle a place called “The Keeps”.  Before you got into the castle proper you had to go through “The Keeps”.  It was a fairly small area with a catwalk around the upper portions where archers and other defenders could hold off a very large invading force.

Jesus has declared Himself to be our KEEPER which means that for anything to get to us, it has to go past Him.  UNLESS, we by our own free will and rebellion place ourselves outside the safety of “His Covering” WE ARE KEPT!  [John 17:12-15; 1 Timothy 1:12]  You can “rest” in the KEEPING POWER of the Lord!

We will conclude here with this first statement and pick up the Second Statement tomorrow.  So, as you go through your day and the rest of your life I hope that you walk in this knowledge and the provision of THE BLESSING!

May you always know that the LORD is your keeper!