The Lord's Favor

J.A. Matteson
10.14.09

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26

Pilgrim, you are the object of favorable divine attention, that which is unmerited, immutable, incomprehensible, and immanent, a passive recipient of the glory of the LORD. Those living under the sun faun before human authority in the hope of receiving favor from men, they aspire to receive unto themselves a fading glory as a result of some meritorious act, yet as the wilting wildflower slowly disappears in autumn so too the glory of men vanishes as quickly as the mist of an ocean breaker.

Speaking to the Israelites Moses pronounces and proclaims divine blessing upon them, and later reminds them that the LORD’s favor is due to nothing in them but is solely by His grace, “The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath He swore to your forefathers that He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands” (Deut. 7:7-9).

The LORD of glory, who by the omnipotence of His seed within you, has raised you from spiritual death to life, it both has and is sanctifying you to Himself as His special possession for His purposes, as such you have been adopted into His family and granted all manor of benefits as a joint heir with Jesus Christ, and His seed within is keeping you in a state of grace, by which you were foreknown and predestined to salvation before the foundation of the world, and whereby in the fullness of time He effectually called and sealed you by His Spirit who is a deposit of your future inheritance and glorification in the Beloved. Faithful is He who called you and He will bring to completion that which He initiated in you, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass” (1 Thess. 5:23-24).

The shining glory of the LORD’s face upon you is evident to the world in which you have been called as His ambassador, a glory that does not fade away in the likeness of Moses, yet rather grows in intensity year by year, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18). The LORD by His grace is providentially engineering the circumstances of your earthly pilgrimage for your sanctification and His glory. Beloved, knowing the LORD’s immeasurable love towards you and that He is able to transform for good any evil which touches your life, you may with great confidence join the Apostle in rejoicing, not in the adversity, but in the knowledge that the LORD is guarding you and keeping watch over your soul, not allowing anything to touch you to inflict permanent spiritual harm but to establish you in grace, “…knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance” (Jas. 1:3). And the LORD’s grace that shines upon you is a never ending grace, it is perpetual, “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You” (Ps. 139:17-18).

What, therefore, shall we say to these marvelous promises, but that their recipient is to enjoy the intimate presence of the LORD and with it His peace which surpasses understanding. The Prince of Peace knows your name and has called you individually to enter into His rest. Let us therefore give praise to the King immortal to Whom belongs all glory, power, and honor. Amen!

Copyright (c) 2009 Immutable Word Ministries ("...the word of our God stands forever." Isa 40:8).