Numbers

Numbers 6: God blesses His holy people

Begin in prayer

Before we hear the blessing God taught His priests to speak, let us ask Him to draw our hearts to Himself. Please pray for grace to honour Him and to receive His peace through Jesus.

For Yahweh is good. His loving kindness endures forever, his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 100:5

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us the grace of Your blessing, and teach us to come to Jesus with hearts set apart for You. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

God gives Israel a way for a man or woman to make a special vow of devotion to Him. The Nazirite avoids everything from the grapevine, leaves the hair uncut and keeps away from dead bodies. If sudden contact with the dead makes the person unclean, sacrifices and a fresh beginning are required. At the vow’s end, the person brings offerings and shaves the hair of separation. Then God tells Aaron and his sons to bless Israel with His keeping, grace and peace.

As you read Numbers 6, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God sets His people apart for Himself and gives them His blessing.

A Nazirite makes a special vow to be set apart for the Lord for a time. Giving up everything from the vine, leaving hair uncut and staying away from the dead mark that devotion. Even contact with a parent’s dead body makes the separation unclean. The person must then be cleansed and begin the days again, because God’s holiness matters. When the vow is complete, offerings are still needed, including a sin offering. Devotion cannot buy God’s favour, and God Himself promises to give the blessing. His gracious face and His peace are gifts His people need.

How does Numbers 6 show us that God sets His people apart for Himself and gives them His blessing?

God receives the devotion of men and women who belong to Him.

This special vow is open to a man or a woman. Each person who takes it is set apart to the Lord for the days promised. Its commands about the vine, hair and the dead apply to each person who takes it.

God requires cleansing even from those set apart to serve Him.

A sudden death beside the Nazirite interrupts the days of separation. The person brings offerings and begins those days again. Even at the successful end of a vow, a sin offering is needed, because devotion does not remove guilt.

God Himself gives the grace and peace His people need.

The priests speak the blessing God gives them, asking Him to keep His people and show them favour. God’s shining face means His gracious favour toward them. He promises to bless them Himself, so the blessing rests on His goodness.

Memorise

‘Yahweh bless you, and keep you.

Numbers 6:24

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, where do I try to earn God’s favour instead of trusting Jesus?

The priests are to say, “Yahweh bless you, and keep you.” God gives them words of grace and peace for His people. The blessing comes from Him, even after the most careful vow of devotion.

Our best promises cannot remove our guilt. Jesus obeyed His Father without a single failure, then suffered the punishment His people deserved at the cross. He carried their sin and gave them peace with God. The Father raised Him to life. His saving obedience and sacrifice are complete, and they are enough for everyone who trusts Him.

So turn from your sin and believe in Jesus. Forgiveness and peace belong to those who rest in His finished sacrifice. Please come with your failures as well as your promises. Christ’s blessing rests on what He has done, and His people can serve Him with grateful hearts.

Parent's note

Tell your children that keeping a promise cannot earn God’s blessing, and Jesus alone brings guilty people peace with God. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for setting His people apart and giving them His gracious blessing, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

He led them out as far as Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

Luke 24:50

Father, thank You for the grace and peace You give through Jesus. Our promises often fail, and we need Your mercy. Please turn each of us from sin to faith in Him. Teach us to honour You with our lives and to rest in His saving work this week. Amen.