The Blessing [Bible Study]

We can say that the blessing is God’s favor touching every aspect of a man’s life. When God looks favorably on a man, he becomes blessed.

What activates the blessing?

Serving God.

You shall serve the LORD your God, and he will bless your bread and water, and I will take sickness away from you. Exodus 23:25

When we wholeheartedly serve him, the blessing automatically rests on us.

By keeping His commandments

And because you listen to these rules and keep and do them, the LORD your God will keep with you the covenant and the steadfast love that he swore to your fathers. He will love you, bless you and multiply you. Deuteronomy 7:12-13

By obeying His voice

And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you if you obey the voice of the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 28:1-2

Deuteronomy 28 is the ultimate list of the blessing. However, there is a clause that activates that blessing over our lives. Faithful obedience and being careful to do His commands begins this wonderful chapter.

Before we can see the blessing in our lives, we must be walking in obedience to God’s commands.

This theme is repeated throughout the Old Testament. God would give them a command to walk in His way and in return, He was going to bless them in every way.

Generosity activates the blessing in our lives.

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:7-8

God is generous, and His children must represent who He is. When He blesses us it is not so we can have more than enough to waste, it’s so we can have more than enough to be generous. It is hard to be generous when you are in want yourself. So, when the blessing rests on us, we are able to abound in good works that bring glory to our father.

You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way. 2 Corinthians 9:11

We are blessed in Christ Jesus

Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm. Ephesians 1:3

What are these spiritual blessings?

We have the blessing of the Holy Spirit whom God gave to us to indwell us, he is our helper, comforter, strengthener counselor, and advocate (John 14:16). We have redemption and the forgiveness of sins through His blood ( Ephesians 1:7). We have become children of God, we can now call God our father ( 1 John 3:1). We have access to God as our father. We have received God’s unconditional love through Jesus Christ. We are filled with hope, peace, and joy in Him (Romans 15:13). We have the promise of eternal life, and the list goes on and on.

So we can say that the blessing is so much more than just physical things, it also includes spiritual blessings.

What happens when the blessing rests on a man?

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.” Genesis 1:28

The first time we see God blessing a man; it’s in the Garden of Eden. Right before the fall of man, the blessing gave man dominion over everything God has made. When God blesses a man He also gives him the ability to have dominion in life. They were also given the ability to be fruitful and multiply. Fruitfulness is a result of the blessing.

And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “ Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. Genesis 9:1

After the flood, we see God repeating the blessing over Noah. He gives them the ability to be fruitful and multiply.

Now Abraham was old, and advanced in age; the LORD blessed Abraham in every way. Genesis 24:1

In Genesis 12:2 God tells Abraham, “I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.

The intention of the blessing on Abraham wasn’t just for himself, it was so that God could bless others through him. God blesses us so we might be a blessing to others.

God’s blessing on Abraham made him rich. The Lord has greatly blessed my master, so that he has become rich; and He has given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and servants and maids and camels and donkeys. Genesis 24:31

The servant of Abraham connects Abraham’s wealth to God’s blessing upon him. When God blesses us and increases us, people will be able to testify that it is actually God’s blessing resting on us.

Have you not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. Job 1:10

This is Satan complaining to God about how much he has blessed Job. We see him mention that God has placed a hedge of protection around him, that the work of his hands is blessed and all he owns has increased.

Now it was told King David, saying, “The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God.” 2 Samuel 6:12

Because of the Ark of the Covenant- which represents the presence of God- being in his house, the blessing rested on Obed-edom’s life. God blesses everything he had.

When God’s presence finds a dwelling place in a man’s life, the blessing will accompany it.

Deuteronomy 28:1-13 lists what the blessing entails.

You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. Vs 3

It doesn’t matter where you are, the blessing will find expression no matter your circumstance.

The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your and the young of your livestock- the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. Vs 4-6

Speaking of fruitfulness in relationships as well as in the work of our hands.

The LORD will grant that your enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven. Vs 7

God’s promise to protect and defend us against evil.

The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and everything you put your hands to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land. Vs 8

Fruitfulness is again repeated denoting the importance that God places on it.

The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in his ways. Vs 9

Holiness is emphasized, being established rested upon them being set apart for God, which entailed keeping His commands and waking in His ways.

Then all the people of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you. Vs 10

When people see that God is behind us, they cannot mess with us.

The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity- in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock, and the crops of your ground- in the land he swore to your forefathers to give you. Vs 12

Prosperity is assured, and fruitfulness is repeated.

The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. Vs 12

God speaks of opening His treasuries over us. Treasuries represent an unlimited supply of everything we need. When He does we will have more than enough to lend to others. Borrowing isn’t God’s will for His children, God wants us so blessed that we have enough to give and lend to others.

The LORD will make you the head and not the tail. Vs 13

Signifying a life of victory, there will be a distinct difference between those who are called by the name of the LORD and those who aren’t. In that, God will empower us to win in life’s battles.

May the blessing rest upon you and all that is yours!

Have a blessed weekend!