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THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU: The Promise of the Gospel in the Aaronic Blessing
Michael J. Glodo
Exploring the Gospel through the Aaronic Blessing
“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you,” (Numbers 6:24–25). For centuries, Christians have read these words and received them as a blessing. But have they deeply considered the meaning behind them? What does it mean for God’s face to shine upon his people?
Faces are often referred to as the window to the soul, displaying emotion and providing relational clarity between individuals. This theme of faces reverberates throughout Scripture, first appearing with Adam and Eve and notably surfacing in the Aaronic benediction in Numbers 6.
The Lord Bless You and Keep You explores this benediction to discover the important connection between a person’s face and the face of God—finding that through faces, God shines the light of the gospel upon his people and offers his grace, goodness, and blessing to those who believe in him.
**Examines a Common Biblical Passage: Explores the context, meaning, and purpose of the Aaronic benediction
**Perfect for Laypeople and Church Leaders Alike: Use this book to explore how the Aaronic benediction impacts worship in day-to-day life and within the church
**Interactive: Reflection questions provide an opportunity for discussion in small groups and meditation for individuals
**Offers Insight for Corporate Worship: Pastors and church leaders explore how the Aaronic benediction impacts corporate worship
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Prequel to the Aaronic Blessing: The Context of the Blessing
Chapter 2: The Meaning of Numbers 6:22–27: The Content of the Blessing
Chapter 3: The Aaronic Blessing in Light of the New Testament: The Christ of the Blessing
Chapter 4: The Aaronic Blessing and Me: The Consequences of the Blessing, Part 1–Just Look at Yourself
Chapter 5: The Aaronic Blessing and Others: The Consequences of the Blessing, Part 2–Seeing Others Face-to-Face
Chapter 6: The Aaronic Blessing and Worship: Participation and Pastoral Practice
Conclusion
Appendix: A Liturgy of God’s Gracious Gaze
General Index
Scripture Index
ENDORSEMENTS
“We often hear the words of the Aaronic blessing pronounced at the end of worship services. There’s a beauty to its rhythm; its vocabulary sparkles with grace—bless, keep, peace. And we all want God’s face to shine on us! And yet, despite the popularity of this blessing, we rarely hear anyone explaining what these words really mean or what difference they make to daily life. Thankfully, Michael Glodo has arrived to help us! Combining the heart of a pastor with the understanding of an Old Testament scholar, as well as a deep appreciation of worship, he brings us treasure in both hands. The Lord Bless You and Keep You is a book to savor and enjoy.” -Sinclair B. Ferguson, Chancellor’s Professor of Systematic Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary; Teaching Fellow, Ligonier Ministries
“Deep in the Reformation worship tradition of both Luther and Calvin is the consistent use of the Aaronic blessing. So it is a delight and a privilege to read and recommend Michael Glodo’s book-length treatment of this beautiful and powerful portion of God’s word, deepening our understanding and renewing our use of our Reformed heritage.” -Bryan Chapell, Stated Clerk, Presbyterian Church in America
“This book infuses our shallow understanding of what it means to be blessed with scriptural insight and textual richness. It invites us to think more deeply about what is promised in the familiar words of the Aaronic blessing so that we hear them with fresh meaning and find ourselves receiving them with profound joy.” -Nancy Guthrie, Bible teacher; author, Even Better than Eden
“Michael Glodo’s The Lord Bless You and Keep You is a rich exposition of a beloved and important divine blessing. Glodo’s many years of teaching biblical studies and pastoral theology, as well as his own pastoral experience and instincts, really show up in this book. This exegetical, biblical-theological deep dive into the Aaronic blessing will edify you devotionally and equip you to understand the profundity of what it means for the Lord’s face to shine upon his people.” -Ligon Duncan, Chancellor and CEO, Reformed Theological Seminary
“The Aaronic blessing is one of the great poems of the Bible, yet its simple language can catch us off guard. We find ourselves so familiar with it that we take its content for granted and miss its striking depths. Michael Glodo has done us a big service in this little book on the brief blessing that carries such great truths—in particular great truths about faces, both ours and God’s—truths many of us were not ready to appreciate until we spent months covering our faces in public. Far from being irrelevant today, this ancient blessing is, in fact, all the more true and precious to those who profess Jesus as Lord. Learn what it means and pray it afresh over the souls of those you love most.” -David Mathis, Senior Teacher and Executive Editor, desiringGod.org; Pastor, Cities Church, Saint Paul, Minnesota; author, Habits of Grace
“The Aaronic blessing (Numbers 6) is often the great blessing offered to God’s people before they depart from worship services and scatter into the world. These words have surely been some of the most familiar among God’s people for millennia. Yet few have thought about their importance. Michael Glodo not only defines and provides insight into these lines but also demonstrates the great influence the Aaronic blessing has on the entire Christian life. Be prepared to experience an old text in a new way and have your eyes opened to a life lived in light of the Aaronic blessing. The comfort, challenge, and grace this knowledge provides will bring a new appreciation for the beauty of our God and his blessings upon his people.” -Jason Helopoulos, Senior Pastor, University Reformed Church, East Lansing, Michigan
“In this book, Michael Glodo offers more than just a wonderful study of the Aaronic blessing. He provides a rich biblical-theological survey of the theme of God’s ‘face’ as it unfolds across the pages of Scripture and wise pastoral-theological applications of the numerous ways God ‘shines’ his face on us in our public worship and in our day-to-day lives.” -Scott R. Swain, President and Professor of Systematic Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando
“I have pronounced the Aaronic blessing over God’s people hundreds of times over four decades of pastoral ministry. Thanks to Michael Glodo’s book—with his outstanding exposition of Numbers 6:22–27, his theological and pastoral insights, and his sound liturgical advice—I’ll forever pronounce the benediction with much greater conviction, meaning, and joy. Whether we pronounce or receive God’s blessing, this book is really worth reading.” -Sandy Willson, Pastor Emeritus, Second Presbyterian Church, Memphis, Tennessee
“My earliest memory of church is the pronouncement of the Aaronic blessing at the close of worship. It seemed to connect us with ancient Israel and with the church through the ages, militant and triumphant. Michael Glodo has written a beautiful book that captures the emotional, theological, liturgical, and spiritual depths of this word from God. It will edify and strengthen you in faith and hope. It is the product of love for the church to the glory of God.” -Liam Goligher, Senior Minister, Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Michael J. Glodo (ThM, Westminster Theological Seminary) is associate professor of pastoral theology and former dean of the chapel at Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando. He is a contributor to A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the Old Testament and the ESV Gospel Transformation Study Bible, as well as numerous articles, including many at Reformed Faith & Practice. You can find him at mikeglodo.com.
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