physical blessings in the bible

When our Lord presented Himself as Israels Messiah, He taught a great deal about the blessings of God. 2 Peter 2:7-8 Gods earthly blessings were dependent upon Israels obedience to His Law. But just what has God promised to do for Abraham? May he grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans! The Lord will help you defeat the enemies that come to fight you. The plan of God is to bring about His own glory and the Christians good (or blessing). They would do well to give more thought to the blessings of God as defined in Scripture. Next we will look at our Lords teaching on blessing before turning to the rest of the New Testament to study divine blessing. You do not have to fear the future when God's hand is over your life. Later Judah and his brothers suffered much over their ill-treatment of Joseph (see Genesis 37-45). A review of Jesus teaching about the kingdom of God and about the blessings of God explains why His teaching was found unacceptable by the Jews. Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. This is what it means to be truly blessed. When Christians suffer for Christs sake, it is a blessing. Bible Verses About Blessing Others " The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." Numbers 6:24-26 Scriptures on Blessing and Favor Blessing and favor are found with the Lord and amongst His People. In the early days of Davids life, he was misunderstood and chided by his brothers (1 Samuel 17:20-30). Suffering at the hand of a gracious God is a comfort, for our chastening evidences that we are Gods sons: For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart. But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve; and afterward they will come out with many possessions. But for Thy sake we are killed all day long; We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. He makes me lie down in green pastures. Our Lords suffering and sacrificial death were Gods means of blessing us: It is you who are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. For you first, God raised up His Servant, and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways (Acts 3:25-26). Foolishly, they sought to keep the Israelites subject to them as slaves and to keep them from leaving their land (Exodus 1:8-22). This shall never happen to You. But He turned and said to Peter, Get behind Me, Satan! If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. And He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. The true view of temporal blessing seeks the enjoyment of Gods presence whether in pain or pleasure. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. The difference between these two categories is not that one group has faith while the other does not. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. When we struggle with sin and the flesh (Romans 7), we know it is because we have become a new creation in Christ. Put the bounce back in my step, the smile back on my face, and the dance back in my feet. (10) Blessing and cursing have present manifestations, but they are not fully manifested until the second coming of Christ. A beautiful way to begin any new year is with a dox Download Article. To be spiritual they say is the assurance of earthly pleasures; to be sinful is to bring upon oneself pain and suffering. 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. Of how much more value are you than the birds! Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:13-16). Selah. Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. The trials and afflictions of the Israelites did not end with their exodus from Egypt. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This was the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:5-7; 13:14-15) whose boundaries were more fully defined in Genesis 15:18-21. All of us deserve to suffer for our sins. So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes. But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE, we also believe, therefore also we speak; knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. P Faith and obedience are both necessary because each calls upon us to act, not on the basis of what we see, but on the basis of what He has said. The blood of Christ has taken away the guilt of our sins, and we stand before the Father as perfectly accepted. Gods blessings are the fulfillment of His promise and the conclusion of a process which includes suffering and sorrow. This false view of blessing justifies ones expectations of no pain and all pleasure in this life. 4-14. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. (17) The blessings our Lord accomplished on the cross of Calvary will not all be poured out on men in this life. The accursed were those who were rich, well-fed, and happy. 5:18). And in so doing, we actually miss the blessing God has for us in affliction. We must live by faith trusting God to fulfill His promises, even when our eyes tell us the opposite is happening now. Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him (Deuteronomy 8:2-6). Like Lot, we find our righteous souls vexed by sin (2 Peter 2:7-8). All of this made no sense to the Jews. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. Psalm 19:9. It does not tell us that he was seventy-five when he first received the promise of a son. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. I see the term blessed associated with material possessions or family or health. First and foremost, Gods blessing involves the forgiveness of our sins, the defeat and destruction of Satan, the passing away of that which is old and corrupted by sin, and the creation of that which is holy and acceptable. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. For our soul has sunk down into the dust; Our body cleaves to the earth. If Thy law had not been my delight, Then I would have perished in my affliction (Psalm 119:92). His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Psalm 112:1-2 (NIV), Blessed are those who keep my ways. Proverbs 8:32 (NIV), Each of these blessings depends on your not turning aside in any way from the laws I have given you; and you must never worship other gods. Deuteronomy 28:14 (Living), Blessed is the man you discipline, O Lord, the man you teach from your law. Psalm 94:12 (NIV), It is sin to despise ones neighbors; blessed are those who help the poor. Proverbs 14:21 (NLT), It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35 (NIV), A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor. Proverbs 22:9 (NIV), Good people will be generous to others and will be blessed for all they do. Isaiah 32:8 (NLT), Blessed is the man who finds wisdom and gains understanding. Proverbs 3:13 (NIV), A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished. Proverbs 28:20 (NIV), The Lords curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. Proverbs 3:33 (NIV), People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell. Proverbs 11:26 (NIV), He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy. Proverbs 14:21 (NIV), Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. Proverbs 16:20 (NIV), An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end. Proverbs 20:21 (NIV), It will go well with those who convict the guilty and rich blessing will come upon them. Proverbs 24:25 (NIV), Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble. Proverbs 28:14 (NIV), The Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. For all things are for your sakes, that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. 3) states summarily the ground of thanksgiving, expanding it with glowing fullness in vers. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit., Saying, If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.. 102 This is not to say they do not believe in spiritual and eternal blessings, but only that their emphasis is on present material prosperity. In My Fathers house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. The Lord will bless you with full barns, and he will bless everything you do. Deuteronomy 28:2-8 (NCV), I will also bless the Gentiles who commit themselves to the Lord and serve him and love his name, who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest, and who have accepted his covenant. Isaiah 56:6 (NLT), A beautiful palace does not make a great king! Enter into the joy of your master.. And as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. It can range from getting a new girlfriend, a new job, or a pay raise, to finding a ten-dollar bill on the sidewalk or getting surprisingly good news. Why did your father, Josiah, reign so long? In everything [not just some thingsand not just spiritual things] give thanks: for this is thewill of God in Christ Jesus concerning you (I Thes. Visit the Bible online to search for words if you dont know the specific passage yourre looking for. Some toyed with the thought of turning back into Judaism to escape persecution. Jesus turned the teaching of the Jews upside-down. Abraham had a twenty-five year wait for the blessing of a son. Then in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete (Genesis 15:13-16). Were on a mission to change that. Paul says, "The world is yours. Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! This is one of the reasons Jesus teaching and His offer of the kingdom was rejected. Neither Gods blessings nor His wrath are fully manifested in this life. When God promised Abraham that his seed was to be a blessing to all nations, this was a part of Abrahams blessing. The complete and final fulfillment of Gods promise to Abraham is yet to occur. . Selah. Z. When Israel turned from God, the promised cursings came. In fact, suffering can be a blessing in the hand of God. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. God not only graciously blesses men, He also graciously delays the curse so that men might be saved (see Romans 9:22-24). As Gods suffering brought blessing to us, so our suffering is viewed as a blessing for us and a potential blessing for others. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. God also promised Abraham a great land that his seed would possess. The blessing of God directly relates to two matters: (1) the overcoming of Gods curse, and (2) the cursing of Satan which promises his condemnation and destruction. The temporal blessings of Judaism were tempting in the light of the affliction they faced as Christians. Divine blessing in the Bible is always physical and spiritual because it is fixed upon the reality of the fullness of life in the presence of God. And it shall come to pass, if thou . Photo Credit: Getty Images/Unsplash Read more Site Map About Us Help Few understand the blessings of God as they should. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. F I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. While the Old Testament records many instances in which Israel suffered for their sins, texts like this one in Psalm 44 indicate there are times when Gods people suffer innocently, for His sake (see verse 22). They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? The first group--those who succeeded by faith--are described in verses 32-35a. They would do especially well to give careful thought to this text in Hebrews: And what more shall I say? Whether God in His goodness enables us to succeed, or whether His grace enables us to endure our suffering, let us realize that God is able to make use of suffering to produce blessings. H Awake, do not reject us forever. (2) In what ways does God bless all men? Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 1:9,10). The land of Canaan was not to be possessed until Abrahams offspring had been oppressed and enslaved for four hundred years. However there are too many repetition eliminate some of the duplication. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. Neither do we have basis for complaint if and when He withholds His blessings. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. The Christian life should be lived out in the light of the superiority of Gods promised blessings in comparison to the blessings an ungodly world holds out to us (Hebrews 11:24-26). The first recorded promise of Abrahams son was made when Abraham was seventy-five years old (Genesis 12:4).98 Yet the child was not born to Abraham and Sarah until he was one-hundred years old (Genesis 21:5). We now desire that which we once found offensive and repulsive. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Death becomes your servant because of Christs triumph over death. Where Moms Connect is a unique mom's ministry curriculum that brings women together and helps them connect naturally, through discussion, Bible study and fun. Gods blessing is not based upon human merit or works, but upon His grace. So it is today. And they say, How does God know? For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. 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 the nations of the earth. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Gods plan is purposed to bring glory to Himself and blessing to us. You are to give them the first portion of your ground meal so that a blessing may rest on your household. Ezekiel 44:30 (NIV), Give freely without begrudging it, and the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do. They have set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue parades through the earth. (4) What, if any, are the differences between temporal and eternal blessings? Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! What a verse! The son was just the beginning. Good will comes to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? Jordan puts his finger on the nub of the issue, I think, by referring to the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. The ultimate good is that which manifests Gods glory. We can never, in and of ourselves, be worthy of divine blessings. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. Luke 14:14 (NIV), Give freely and spontaneously. Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Their eye bulges from fatness; The imaginations of their heart run riot. With the coming of Christ, the blessings of God are more spiritual than material, and they come to those who appear not to be blessed as men would appraise blessing (see Luke 6:20-23). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Then many people will thank God when we deliver your gift. 2 Cor. After David was anointed as Israels future king, and Sauls replacement, David spent his days fleeing for his life from Saul who was bent on killing him (1 Samuel 18-31). These saints also had faith, but their faith resulted in perseverance rather than in success or prosperity.