Happy New Year 2025!

By James Strand, Good News Reporter Editor

God’s Face Shining on His People Brought Them His Blessings and Peace

God’s blessing came to his people because he made his face to shine upon his people. We often don’t think much about the face of God, but his face shining on his people brought them blessings. God instructed the priests, the descendants of Aaron the first high priest, to speak God’s blessings over the people of Israel. The face of God is mentioned twice in these verses. These verses are still often spoken over Jews and Christians by their rabbis and ministers when they are dismissed from gathering together. These verses are commonly called the Aaronic Blessing.

The Lord said to Moses, Tell Aaron and his sons, This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
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.
So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.
(Numbers 6:22-27 NIV)

This is how God put his name on Israel to bless them. He instructed the priests to speak God’s blessings over the people of the nation of Israel. The Priests asked the Lord to bless and keep Israel. They asked for the Lord to make his face shine on them and be gracious to them. Then, they asked the Lord to turn his face toward them and give them peace.

The Lord’s face shining upon and turning toward his people brought them his favor, mercy, and blessings. When Israel followed his words and commandments, they were blessed and had peace in their land. When they disobeyed his words and commandments, they got into trouble as a nation—and the people of Israel suffered.

Blessing Israel and the Jewish People Will Bring God’s Blessings to You

The Lord told Abraham that those who blessed him would be blessed, and those who cursed him would be cursed. God made a covenant with Abraham that could not be broken that would last forever. The blessings of God were part of this covenant.

I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.
(Genesis 12:3 NIV)

Abraham’s covenant was passed on to his son Isaac and then to his grandson Jacob. Jacob became the father of twelve sons. The twelve sons of Jacob were the heads of the tribes that became the nation of Israel. The nation of Israel inherited God’s covenant blessings from Abraham.

This covenant promise of Abraham’s blessing on the nation of Israel was spoken again in the book of Numbers.

God brought them out of Egypt;
He fights for them like a wild ox.
They devour their enemies,
Crush their bones, smash their arrows.
The nation is like a mighty lion;
When it is sleeping, no one dares wake it.
Whoever blesses Israel will be blessed,
And whoever curses Israel will be cursed.”
(Numbers 24:8-9 NIV)

It would be better to bless the Jews and the nation of Israel than to curse them as many are doing today. Those who curse Israel will be cursed by God.  It will go better for the nations and people who bless the Jews than the nations and people who curse them.

God’s Blessings Include the Promise of the Holy Spirit, Salvation, and Peace Through Faith in Jesus Christ

God’s blessings will come to believers who continue in faith and follow his commandments. The Apostle Paul wrote this great truth about Jesus Christ providing a way for God’s blessings to follow those who believe in him.

He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. (Galatians 3:14 NIV)

The Holy Spirit lives in the heart of every believer in Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ activates the power of the Holy Spirit and enables believers to receive the blessings God promised to Abraham.

As the New Year 2025 Begins Speak God’s Blessings Over Yourself and Others

We desperately need God to bless and keep our nation and other nations in peace and freedom. If we obey God and speak God’s blessings over our nation, he will bring us peace and many other blessings. If we refuse to follow God, things will get worse for us. We will not receive God’s blessings. Everyone should speak God’s blessings over our nation and people.

Here are three blessings you can speak over yourself and others from the book of Numbers.

In the blank spaces, you may write your name, someone else’s name, or the name of an organization.

1. May the Lord bless you and keep ______________
2. May the Lord make his face shine upon __________ and be gracious to ______________
3. May the Lord turn his face towards _____________and give ______________ peace.

Most people are starving for God’s blessings and divine favor. As this new year begins, please speak these blessings over yourself and others. Faith in God enables you to have his face shine upon you, turn toward you, bless you, protect you, and give you his peace.

May God’s Bless You in 2025 and Bring you Peace and Wholeness with Nothing Missing and Nothing Broken

Faith in Jesus Christ gives you dual citizenship in heaven and earth. Faith and obedience to Jesus Christ’s words will transform your heart, mind, and body. This is accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit living in you when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

When you tell someone else about Jesus Christ, they can be changed and blessed forever. All believers should encourage those who do not have faith in Jesus Christ to put their faith in him. World peace will be increased by helping people to come to faith in Jesus Christ.

The Hebrew word for peace is shalom. Jewish rabbis interpret peace in a much broader sense than most people. They interpret the word as wholeness. To them, peace means everything is made whole and nothing is missing or broken.

I believe God wants your life to be whole with nothing missing and nothing broken. I believe you can find his wholeness and peace even in the middle of various trials in life. May 2025 be a year when you have God’s face shine upon you so you can experience his peace and wholeness. May the peace of God given to you by the Holy Spirit go beyond anything you can ask for or imagine in 2025!

God’s Peace and Blessings Begin When You Turn to God and Believe in His Son Jesus Christ for Salvation

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your savior and Lord, you can find out how to be saved by clicking on this link to the article The ABCs of Salvation—How to Have Faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ will reconcile you to God and bring peace and wholeness to your heart, soul, and life. Faith in Jesus Christ opens the door to heaven for you to receive the blessings and promises of God for yourself and others in 2025.

About James Strand

James Strand has been writing for several years. His new book Armageddon—The Great Winepress of God’ Wrath is published by Word Catcher Press (www.wordcatcher.ws).

James Strand’s new book Armageddon—The Great Winepress of God’s Wrath is now available on Amazon as a 302-page hardback and paperback. It is also available as a Kindle eBook and a soon to be released audiobook.

Here is the Amazon.com link for a free preview of this exciting new book by James Strand:

Amazon Book Preview Page for Armageddon—The Great Winepress of God’s Wrath by James Strand

Also, if you want a great book to share with others about the hope and faith you have for the future, please check out James Strand’s 68-page paperback book and Kindle eBook released on Amazon that has been updated for 2025:

First Steps to Faith—How You Can Be Forgiven Reconciled to God and Activate His Power in Your life

Other resources and free Kindle e-book promotions are forthcoming from Word Catcher Press. You may keep updated by visiting the website: www.wordcacther.ws.