Benedictions from Scripture:
In my last installment I promised scriptural benedictions in my next entry. Well, it’s been a while to say the least. Since that time, we’ve experienced Break Forth Canada 2012 with 15,000 participants, the launch of Break Forth Israel, prepared for our fifth Break Forth Finland and seen the successful launch of our new Artists in Mission ministry department.
So, finally, without any more excuses here are some benedictions from the scriptures ready for you to use in worship. There are many more scriptures that can be used verbatim or paraphrased. However, this can serve as a quick reference:
The most commonly used scriptural benediction is called the Aaronic blessing (as it was spoken by the High Priest, Aaron). As it’s the most frequently used blessing, I’ll include several translations below:
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” - Numbers 6:22-27 TNIV
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.” - Numbers 6:22-27 NKJV
“May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” - Numbers 6:22-27 NLT
“God bless you and keep you, God smile on you and gift you, God look you full in the face and make you prosper.” - Numbers 6:22-27 MSG
“The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you; the Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).” - Numbers 6:22-27 AMP
These are in canonical order:
“May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from another.” - Genesis 31:49b NKJV
"Take good care to observe the commandment and instruction that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments, and to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul." - Joshua 22:5 NRSV
“Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake us. May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors. And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day’s need, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other. And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.” - 1 Kings 8:56-61 (TNIV)
"Let these words of mine, with which I pleaded before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires; so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other. Therefore devote yourselves completely to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day." - 1 Kings 8:59-61 NRSV
"Peace, peace to you, and peace to the one who helps you! For your God is the one who helps you." - 1 Chronicles 12:18b NRSV
"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations." - Psalm 67:1-2 NRSV
“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” - Acts 20:32
“I pray that God, who gives your hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” - Romans 15:13 (NLT)
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” - Romans 16:24
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” - 2 Corinthians 13:14 (RSV)
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” - Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV
Ephesians 6:23-24 TNIV
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:7 TNIV
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” - Colossians 3:15-17
“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:23
“May our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father, who loved us and in His special favor gave us everlasting comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and give you strength in every good thing you do and say.” - 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NLT)
“May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.” - 2 Thessalonians 3:16 (RSV)
“May God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.” - 1 Timothy 1:2 (NLT)
“God has raised from death our Lord Jesus, who is the Great Shepherd of the sheep as the result of his blood, by which the eternal covenant is sealed. May the God of peace provide you with every good thing you need in order to do His will, and may He, through Jesus Christ, do in us what pleases Him. And to Christ be the glory forever and ever! Amen.” - Hebrews 13:20-21 (GNT)
“May grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God our Father and from Jesus Christ his Son, be with us who live in truth and love.” - 2 John 1:3 (NLT)
“Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” - Jude 1:24-25 (KJV)
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It's not to soon to be planning for Break Forth Canada 2013, January 25 - 27 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. With registrations starting at $99 and featuring some of the top worship artists, concert artists, speakers and teachers in the world, there's really nothing on par with this. Why don't you plan to join us now?
