New Covenant Priestly Blessing???
 

Hi, All

I am wondering if anyone would be willing to chime in with their thoughts regarding the following:

We know that at the end of Numbers 6, we find a command for the priests of the Old Covenant to bless the people of Israel in a specific way, with specific words. See here:

The question I have is, is there a specific New Covenant blessing that we, as royal priests, ought to be speaking and sharing with the people of God?

That is, is there a Royal Benediction in the Holy Scriptures for us, as there was for the Aaronide priests way back when?

Re: New Covenant Priestly Blessing???
 

We use the Aaronic blessing (or an extempore version of it).

Re: New Covenant Priestly Blessing???
 

I do, too, on occasion.

The reason I posted this is because I was praying with my kids while they were in bed, about to go to sleep, and as I lay my hand upon them to pray, it really struck me how much my prayers, in that moment, were more than just a dad praying for his little ones; that they were in fact the prayers of a royal priest placing a divine benediction upon them in prayer with the laying on of hands.

As I've considered it, the only verse of New Testament scripture that comes to mind is the so-called "Apostolic Benediction" from 2 Corinthians 13:14:

I don't at the moment recall any other universal benediction in the New Testament besides this one. But are there any others?

Anyone?

Re: New Covenant Priestly Blessing???
 

Any blessing throughout the whole bible. old or new covenant, is intended for the new covenant.

Re: New Covenant Priestly Blessing???
 

We also use 2 Cor 13:14 as well. :) In fact, that's what we close with.

I am not sure there is a specified 'new covenant priestly blessing' per se that individuals are to speak into people's lives. I am not sure such would even be necessary, as we have the numerous blessings found in the OT to draw from, as well as the numerous statements in the NT.

Ever read the book 'The Blessing' by Gary Smalley? I think that's what it was called. Anyway, it was a pretty good book.

Jewish fathers will pray a blessing upon their wife and children every Sabbath. They pray the daughters would be made like Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Leah, and that the sons would be made like Ephraim and Manassah. A lot of Jewish families also recite the Aaronic blessing over their families as well.

The idea of blessing is an important idea, a Biblical idea, that seems to have been missed by a lot of Christians the last hundred years or so, perhaps longer. I believe it is part of 'the doctrine of laying on of hands' in fact (see Jacob blessing Ephraim and Manassah, or Isaac blessing Jacob, or Jesus blessing children, etc).

Re: New Covenant Priestly Blessing???
 

there are many indications that blessing is more of an action than a prayer per se

http://biblehub.net/search.php?q=blessing+NT

Re: New Covenant Priestly Blessing???
 

Cool!

I have not read the book you mentioned. I will look it up.

I agree that the blessing or benediction is a missing doctrine of the modern church, or so it would seem. I don't pretend to know what's happening across the board with every church assembly. Yours, for instance, seems to have it in practice.