It’s Not a Casual Greeting

In today's society, the term "blessings" is often used casually, even as a simple greeting. “Saying ‘God bless you’ following a sneeze is a common refrain, so common and taught from childhood that many people don’t even think of it as a blessing, and most dont even know why they say it.

However, from a biblical perspective, blessings hold great significance and power. Both God and human beings bestow blessings in the Scriptures, revealing, defining, and establishing people's destinies.

The importance of blessings is evident in the Bible, where God calls the Israelites—and us—to choose between blessings and curses, life and death, based on our obedience and relationship with Him. Deuteronomy 30:15-19 states, "See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess."

In Genesis 12:2-3, God blessed Abraham, saying, "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you, and in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed." This divine blessing defined and established Abraham's destiny and that of his descendants.

Another example is found in Numbers 6:24-26, where the Lord instructed Moses to tell Aaron and his sons to bless the children of Israel with the following words: "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." This blessing is a powerful invocation of God's protection, favour, and peace upon His people.

Just as curses can be transferred to subsequent generations, blessings can be passed to succeeding generations, as well. For example, God’s covenant was not only limited to Abraham, but it also extended to his descendants (Genesis 12:2-3). Furthermore, in Exodus 20:6, the Lord promises to "show love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments." This highlights the enduring nature of God's blessings, spanning across multiple generations for those who remain faithful.

It’s Not a Casual Greeting

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