2025.12.28. A Message in the Night Watch. The Aaronic Blessing Benediction
William Akehurst, HSWC
Scripture: Numbers 6:22-27
Topic: God’s Blessing, Priestly Blessing, Aaronic Blessing, Benediction, Father's Love, Joy of the LORD
BIG IDEA
The Aaronic Blessing reveals the heart of our Heavenly Father—who delights in HIS children, places HIS Name upon them, and speaks HIS peace, presence, and pleasure over their lives.
INTRODUCTION
In the night watch, this morning, about 2am, I awoke and prayed for my family, and was given this thought—and wrote what HOLY SPIRIT gave to me.
In the Aaronic Blessing—GOD’s blessing—that GOD spoke to Moses with instruction for Aaron and HIS sons to speak over the people, GOD was very specific.
THE PRIESTLY BLESSING
Numbers 6:22–27 (NKJV)
22 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.”
GOD said to say—to speak—these words out loud over the people.
• These were not silent thoughts.
• They were not private prayers.
• They were spoken words, released into the atmosphere.
GOD intended HIS words to be given flight—to accomplish HIS purpose in and through them.
When the priest declared:
“The LORD make HIS face shine upon you—
Lift up HIS countenance upon you—
Turn HIS face toward you—
And give you peace…”
GOD was revealing HIS heart.
That peace is not merely calm.
It is HIS peace—HIS shalom—
peace that completes, restores, makes whole, and lacks nothing.
THE HEART OF THE FATHER
Think of it this way.
As a father delights in his children, he desires for them—not just to know about his love—but to experience what he knows and feels.
• His love.
• His joy.
• His delight.
So it is with our HEAVENLY FATHER.
HE desires for us to experience what HE HIMSELF experiences—
HIS Love, HIS Joy, HIS Peace—HIS Complete Shalom.
Let me take it a little further.
Think of a parent holding a baby—
making faces, giggling, laughing—
just to make the child laugh.
The parent goo-goos and ga-gas, delighting in that child,
wanting the child to feel what the parent feels.
That is the picture GOD gives us when HE says:
“I will make MY face shine upon you.”
• That shining face is not judgment—it is delight.
• It is not distance—it is nearness.
• It is not indifference—it is affection.
GOD’S SHINING FACE IN A BROKEN WORLD
THIS is what our HEAVENLY FATHER is doing
when HE says HE turns HIS face toward us.
HIS desire is that we experience—
HIS presence over us and within us—
especially in a world filled with unrest, turmoil, and strife.
HE gives us HIS peace
in a world of anxiety.
HE gives us HIS blessing and joy
in a world of lack and sorrow.
HE gives us HIS completeness
in a world of brokenness.
Scripture calls this:
“The joy of the LORD.”
And that is the blessing.
Not merely what HE gives—but WHO HE IS.
Not merely provision—but HIS Presence.
And in this blessing, GOD says something remarkable:
“They shall put MY name on the children of Israel.”
OUR IDENTITY
HE places HIS Name on us.
We are called by HIS Name.
We belong to Him.
You are the child.
We are the children.
Sons and daughters of the Father.
Princes and princesses of the
King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
RESPONSE
To this blessing, we say together:
“Yes and Amen.”
MY BENEDICTION
Be blessed and be a blessing
“Be Blessed”— Receive it
“and be a blessing”— carry it forward and share the blessing of the LORD with others.
Amen and amen!
Bill
