physical blessings in the bible physical blessings in the bible

Gods blessing is not based upon human merit or works, but upon His grace. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. The accursed were those who were rich, well-fed, and happy. 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. Some preachers and teachers promise Gods blessings as confidently as the mail promises a free gift. 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. The blessings here are plainly associated with happiness and welfare, both for Abram and others. 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.. John 3:16. Q I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are righteous, And that in faithfulness Thou hast afflicted me (Psalm 119:75). Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve; and afterward they will come out with many possessions. Somehow, in Gods perfect plan and according to Gods promises, Gods blessings would not come apart from suffering. Berean Bible Society G These can all be good things, but I think you could also argue that if these blessings lead us further away from God, they are not truly blessings at all. Deuteronomy 28:1-68 ESV / 265 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful "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. It is I who answer and look after you. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Restore unto me the joy of my salvation, Father. And he said, Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account (Matthew 5:11). How they are destroyed in a moment! Paul answers in Ephesians 1:3: God has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing every blessing that heaven can conceive for the eternal happiness of Gods people will be ours. They are based upon His sacrifice at Calvary but are realized in His coming to judge the earth: And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. As Asaph protested centuries ago in Psalm 73, the wicked may prosper, and the righteous may suffer. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Christ is the source of all our blessings; indeed, He is the blessing: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. He also promised to make him a great nation (Genesis 12:2; 15:5; 17:5-6). No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Thy statutes (Psalm 119:71). I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. 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 in the case of these innocent sufferers, their suffering was not attributed to their sin but was the outgrowth of their righteousness. But this command I gave them: Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. Things were bad and about to get worse. For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and will then recompense every man according to his deeds (Matthew 16:21-27). The Lord will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes." Psalm 41:1-2 (NIV) The temporal blessings of Judaism were tempting in the light of the affliction they faced as Christians. Tools. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. Because all of Gods blessings are a gift of His grace, through the work of Jesus Christ, we have no basis for demanding His blessings. Then many people will thank God when we deliver your gift. 2 Cor. Why dost Thou hide Thy face, And forget our affliction and our oppression? You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. 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. (14) God blesses all men physically and materially in this life out of His common grace. The story of the rich man and Lazarus underscore this principle (see Luke 16:19-31). M And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when aroused, Thou wilt despise their form. And it shall come to pass, if thou . In order to receive God's spiritual blessings, one must be in the right spiritual location, that is, in Christ. To those who equated wealth and ease with piety and the blessing of God, the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) was shocking and disturbing. If you have not trusted in Gods promise of blessing in Jesus Christ, then you are under the curse of sin. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Gods blessing is the overturning and removal of the curse due to sin. His desire was to demonstrate His blessings to all men so that men from every nation would seek blessing in Him. F Gods blessings are the fulfillment of His promise and the conclusion of a process which includes suffering and sorrow. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. His blessings were not the kind they wanted. Jesus teaching concerning His own suffering and death took His disciples by surprise: From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. On the other hand, Jesus said, Blessed are the poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3). H Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. There is a sense in which our suffering bears testimony to the end of sins dominion in our lives (1 Peter 4:1). Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. Matthew 16:21-27 The promise of blessing passed from Abraham to Isaac (Genesis 26:24) to Jacob (Genesis 27:27-29; 28:12-15). Gods blessing is not only the gift of those things which are good and desirable but the removal of the curse. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. Heres the principle: in Gods wisdom, the Jewish religion of the Old Testament was largely a come and see religion. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure, And washed my hands in innocence; For I have been stricken all day long, And chastened every morning. 2 Chron 30:27. (7) The majority of the Jews in Jesus day concluded that Jesus could not be the promised Messiah because He failed to meet their expectations and desires. For example, Genesis 49:1 . God's blessings are meant to protect us, guide us to the path of righteousness, and give us hope. We can never, in and of ourselves, be worthy of divine blessings. 1. All of this made no sense to the Jews. By tracing the fulfillment of this promise through the Scriptures we will better understand Gods blessings. (2) The Jews thought of Gods blessings in primarily physical and material terms and not in spiritual terms. 5:18). He struggled with Esau from the womb until the day he left Canaan. Thus, his wait would have been more than twenty-five years. (8) Divine cursing or condemnation is based upon an individuals decision and works. What the Bible says about Blessings, Physical ( From Forerunner Commentary ) Proverbs 3:9-10 By paying to God what we owe Him (that is, His tithes), He rewards us with blessings. 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. When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. The blood of Christ has taken away the guilt of our sins, and we stand before the Father as perfectly accepted. P Eve was cursed with pain in child-bearing and with the dominion of her husband over her. We seek to obey God when we used to delight in disobedience. The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment Sign up for the Berean: Daily Verse and Comment, and have Biblical truth delivered to your inbox. Jacob struggled with Laban (see Genesis 31:42). He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Matthew 5:3-11 (NIV), Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it. Luke 11:28 (NIV), Jesus said, Blessed are those who have not seen me and yet have believed. John 20:29 (NIV), In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35 (NIV), Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3 (NIV), The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it he will be blessed in what he does. James 1:25 (NIV), Even if you should suffer for what is right, you will be blessed. 1 Peter 3:14, If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 1 Peter 4:14 (NIV), If you cant carry that ten percent of your harvest to the place where the Lord chooses to be worshiped; if you live too far away, or if the Lord gives you a big harvest, then sell this part and take the money there instead. Deuteronomy 14:24-25 (CEV), You should be happy to give the poor what they need, because then the Lord will make you successful in everything you do. Deuteronomy 15:10 (CEV), Each man is to bring a gift as he is able, in proportion to the blessings that the Lord your God has given him. Deuteronomy 16:16-17 (TEV), Obey the Lord your God so that all these blessings will come and stay with you: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.