The Power of Spoken Blessings

We throw the word around a lot, don't we? "God bless you!" we exclaim after a sneeze, almost out of habit. We talk about "blessing" someone with a gift, as if a tangible item fully captures the concept. We might say we were "blessed" when we come into a sum of unexpected money, or are given a gift.

But what does it really mean to bless?

It's more than saying nice things. It actually has power and an effect.

The truth is, blessing is far more profound than a polite phrase or a material handout. It's a concept deeply woven into the fabric of the Bible, suggesting something powerful happens when words are spoken with intention and authority. As Genesis 49:26 tells us, "The blessings of your father are mighty beyond the blessings of my parents, up to the bounties of the everlasting hills" (ESV). This verse, part of Jacob's final words to his son Joseph, hints at a profound transfer of power and favor through spoken words.

 

The Biblical Weight of Blessing

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for blessing, barakh (verb) and berakhah (noun), appear over 400 times. This isn't just about wishing someone well; it's about enduing them with power for success, prosperity, and fruitfulness. In ancient times, a blessing wasn't just a wish; it was believed to convey divine favor and actively shape reality. The patriarchs understood that blessings were vehicles for God's covenant promises, not just nice sentiments.

Parental Blessings: A Legacy of Life

"A mother's blessing is a divine safeguard." — Saint Ambrose of Milan

The Bible consistently shows parents having a unique and powerful role in blessing their children. We see this vividly in Isaac's blessing of Jacob instead of Esau (Genesis 27). This wasn't a casual good wish; it had lasting, monumental consequences. The patriarchs weren't just expressing affection; they were transmitting divine covenant promises with an authoritative power that dramatically altered their children's destinies.

A parental spoken blessing can profoundly impact a child's life because it taps into a spiritual authority granted by God to parents. These are not merely well wishes but declarations that can impart identity, purpose, and spiritual protection. When a parent speaks a blessing, they are inviting God's favor and intentions to be manifest in their child's life, echoing God's own creative and life-giving power through words.

Beyond the well-known patriarchal blessings, Scripture offers other glimpses into the significance of parental blessings and dedication:

Hannah's Consecration of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:11, 27-28): Hannah, desperate for a child, vowed to the Lord that if He granted her a son, she would "give him to the LORD all the days of his life." When Samuel was born, she faithfully brought him to the tabernacle at Shiloh to serve the Lord under the priest Eli. This wasn't a mere promise, but an active dedication that God honored. Samuel grew up to be a powerful prophet and judge, a testament to his mother's faithful vow and the Lord's acceptance of her offering. Her spoken dedication, followed by her action, set Samuel on a path that profoundly impacted the history of Israel.

The Offering of the Firstborn: Throughout the Old Testament, the firstborn male, both human and animal, was considered "holy to the Lord" (Exodus 13:2, 12). This was a perpetual reminder of God's deliverance during the Passover, where He spared the firstborn of Israel while striking down those of Egypt. While human firstborns were not sacrificed, they were "redeemed" (Exodus 13:13, Numbers 18:15-16), often by a payment or by being set apart for service (like the Levites, who stood in for all firstborns). This practice instilled in parents the understanding that their children, especially the firstborn, belonged to God and were to be raised in a way that honored Him. It was a societal, parental acknowledgment of God's ultimate claim and blessing on their children's lives, setting a spiritual trajectory.

Mary and Joseph Dedicate Jesus (Luke 2:22-38): Following the Law of Moses, Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord and offer a sacrifice. This act wasn't just a cultural tradition; it was a parental act of consecration, acknowledging God's ownership and purpose for their child. It demonstrated their faith and obedience, setting the stage for Jesus' unique mission.

Parental blessings, whether formally spoken or lived out through faithful guidance and dedication, combine several key elements:

1. Recognition: Acknowledging a child's unique identity, gifts, and potential calling from God.

2. Affirmation: Speaking life-giving truth and hope over a child's future.

3. Commissioning: Imparting spiritual authority and responsibility, empowering them for their journey.

When parents speak blessings, they are participating in God's creative work, using words to shape the reality of their children's lives.

Priestly Blessings: Channels of Divine Grace

Another distinct form of blessing in Scripture is the priestly blessing. In Numbers 6:22-27, God instructs Aaron and his sons on how to bless the Israelites:

"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)

This isn't just a prayer for blessing; it's a declaration of blessing. God explicitly states, "So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and and I will bless them" (Numbers 6:27). This establishes a powerful principle: God uses ordained ministers as instruments, channeling His blessing through specific words and actions. While the priest raised his hands, it was God's invisible hand that ultimately brought the blessing to fruition.

"The blessing which is pronounced by those who have been appointed for this purpose is not a human blessing. It is the blessing of God himself, who by means of his ministers pours out his benefits on men." — Saint John Chrysostom

Christian Blessing: A Call for All Believers

The New Testament broadens our understanding of blessing. Peter encourages all believers to "bless" (eulogeō, meaning "to speak well of") even those who persecute them (1 Peter 3:9). This universal call to speak well of others is a powerful reflection of Christ's love.

However, there's also a recognition of different levels of authority in blessing. Hebrews 7:7 notes, "It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior." This doesn't negate the universal call to bless, but it does acknowledge the specific authority God grants within certain roles, like parents or ordained ministers.

Christian tradition often differentiates between:

1. Constitutive blessings: Those reserved for ordained ministers, which are understood to effect what they signify (like the priestly blessing).

2. Invocative blessings: Available to all believers, these are prayers or declarations that petition divine favor for others.

Whether through familial or ecclesiastical structures, the authority to bless ultimately flows from God's divine ordination.

Blessing the Lord: Our Response to His Goodness

While God blesses us, the Psalms frequently call us to "bless the LORD" (e.g., Psalm 103:1-2, Psalm 104:1). But how can we, finite beings, "bless" the infinite, all-sufficient God? We can't give Him anything He lacks, nor can we enhance His glory or power.

When we are called to "bless the Lord," it's not about bestowing something upon Him, but about acknowledging, exalting, and praising His inherent goodness, power, and glory. It's an act of worship, deep gratitude, and heartfelt adoration. To bless the Lord means to:

Praise His Name: Declaring who He is and what He has done (Psalm 145:1-2).

Give Thanks: Expressing gratitude for His blessings and faithfulness (Psalm 107:8).

Worship Him: Acknowledging His sovereignty and majesty through our words, songs, and lives (Psalm 29:2).

Obey His Commands: Living in a way that honors Him and reflects His character (Psalm 119:1-2).

In essence, "blessing the Lord" is our worshipful response to the overwhelming reality of His blessing poured out upon us. It's a recognition that He is the source of all good, and our lives are lived in joyful submission and adoration to Him.

 

Blessing, Love, and the Triune Life

The interplay between God's blessing us and our blessing God reveals a profound truth about the nature of divine love and our participation in the life of the Trinity.

God, in His very essence, is love (1 John 4:8). This love is not static but dynamic, a perfect and eternal communion within the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When God blesses us, He is sharing His own life, His abundance, His very self with us. His blessing is an outflow of His perfect love.

Our "blessing" of God is our loving response to this divine initiative. It's our return of love, a participation in the praise and adoration that perpetually flows within the Trinity. Through Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are drawn into this divine dance of love. Our worship, our gratitude, our obedience—these are our ways of echoing the eternal praise that the Son offers to the Father, and the Spirit to both.

This understanding profoundly shapes how we bless others. If God's blessing is an overflow of His Trinitarian love, then when we bless others, we are called to participate in that same divine love. We are not just giving gifts or uttering kind words; we are channeling God's love, His life, His abundance to them. This makes blessing others an act of profound spiritual significance, rooted in the very nature of God.

It transforms our motivation: We bless not out of obligation, but out of a heart overflowing with the love we have received from God. We participate in God's generous nature.

It deepens our empathy: Recognizing that every person bears the image of God and is a potential recipient of His love, we are compelled to bless them, seeing them through God's loving eyes.

It empowers our words: Knowing that God's love is active and powerful, we trust that our words of blessing, empowered by the Spirit, can truly impart life and hope, reflecting the creative power of the Divine Word.

It calls us to self-giving: Just as the Triune God eternally gives of Himself in love, so too are we called to give of ourselves in blessing others—our time, our resources, our very presence—as an act of love mirroring the divine.

"True worship is a participation in the very life of the Trinity, in the love that binds the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And from this deep participation, the heart overflows with blessings for others." — Pope Benedict XVI

 

The Dark Side of Words: The Power of Curses

Just as words of blessing carry profound power, so do words of cursing. The Bible is replete with strong warnings against speaking ill of others, using our tongues to tear down, or invoking harm upon them. James 3:8-10 warns us that the tongue is a "restless evil, full of deadly poison," capable of both blessing God and cursing men made in God's likeness. This inherent contradiction highlights the gravity of our words.

Why such harsh warnings? Because the very act of cursing, whether subtle gossip or outright malediction, stands in direct opposition to God's nature and His will. When we speak curses, we are attempting to invoke negative power, often rooted in anger, bitterness, or malice, against another. While our words do not create ex nihilo as God's words do, as His image-bearers, our words carry more weight and potential impact than we often realize.

Jesus himself dramatically expanded on the seriousness of destructive words in the Sermon on the Mount.

In Matthew 5:21-22, He says, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire."

Here, Jesus elevates the internal state of anger and the spoken word ("insult," "fool") to a level of gravity akin to murder, not in legal consequence, but in its spiritual deadliness. He reveals that the intent of the heart, manifested in destructive words, carries profound spiritual consequences.

The warnings against cursing in Scripture, far from being mere prohibitions, actually amplify the understanding of blessing's power.

If negative words can inflict damage, sow discord, and even invite spiritual ill, then the corollary is equally true: words of blessing, spoken with intention and rooted in love, can build up, heal, and impart divine favor. The Bible's solemn warnings about the destructive potential of curses, reinforced by Jesus' radical teaching, serve as a stark reminder of the immense, life-giving power inherent in speaking blessings. It compels us to be mindful that our words are not empty sounds but instruments that can either align with God's life-giving purposes or oppose them.

 

Practically Speaking: How to Bless Today

So, how can we, as modern believers, embrace the biblical practice of blessing in our daily lives?

For Parents

Parents have a unique spiritual authority to bless their children. Here are a few ways to put this into practice:

Bedtime Blessings: Make it a nightly ritual to speak a blessing over your children. You can adapt the Aaronic blessing, personalize it, or simply speak words of love, affirmation, and hope for their future. You can choose a particular passage of scripture and use it within the blessing you speak. While my children don't always hear it, when we put them down at night, I typically being my nightly prayers. When I've finished, I like to visit each of my son's and speak a blessing over them, even if they're already asleep.

Milestone Blessings: Mark significant life transitions—the first day of school, graduation, a new job, marriage—with a formal blessing. Acknowledge God's faithfulness in their lives and speak hope and purpose over their next chapter.

Crisis Blessings: When your child is facing fear, illness, or difficulty, offer specific, heartfelt blessings that address their needs and fears, reminding them of God's presence and power.

Often, blessings in the Bible were accompanied by a physical gesture like "placing the hand" (see Genesis 48:14). This simple act can symbolize the transmission of blessing and remains meaningful today. When Jacob blessed Joseph's sons, he deliberately crossed his hands, a physical action loaded with spiritual significance.

For All Believers

Every Christian can participate in blessing others, shaping their world with words of grace:

• Intercessory Blessing: Beyond general prayer, specifically pray blessings over others, especially in their times of need. Ask God to bless them with peace, wisdom, strength, or provision.

• Verbal Affirmation: Intentionally speak words that recognize God's image and purpose in others. Encourage them, affirm their gifts, and remind them of their worth in Christ.

• Tangible Blessing: Sometimes, blessing goes beyond words. Accompany your spoken blessings with actions that demonstrate God's provision and care, whether it's an act of service, a thoughtful gift, or a listening ear.

As Martin Luther wrote in 1540, "The spoken blessing is not simply a pious wish that may or may not come to pass, but it is the very imparting of the blessing itself... The blessing is the Gospel in concentrated form."

 

A Deeper Understanding of Blessing

A biblical theology of blessing reveals several profound truths:

1. God is the Ultimate Source: Every authentic blessing originates with God (James 1:17). We are merely channels, not the originators, of true blessing.

2. Christ is the Fulfillment: In Christ, we have received "every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:3). Jesus is both the content and the conduit of all blessing.

3. Eschatological Dimension: Our present blessings are a foretaste of the ultimate blessing: dwelling in God's presence for eternity (Revelation 22:3-4).

In a world where words are often cheap, careless, or even destructive, the practice of speaking blessings stands out as a counter-cultural act of grace. In our world, it's common to speak negatively about people, to speak "curses" over them. While few actually speak "curses" as some kind of witchcraft or spell, we frequently hear people speak "curses" by labeling people with negative terms (e.g. he's a a-hole, he's a jerk, etc.) or even worse, use the Lord's name inappropriately and apply it to other people (e.g., G.D.).

When we recognize God's image in others and speak life-giving truths over them, we participate in a sacred principle, a tradition that spans generations and cultures, and is deeply rooted in Scripture.

Let's reclaim the power of blessing. As you reflect on the profound nature of blessing, consider how your words can become vehicles of divine favor and power. How might you begin to speak life and grace into the lives of those around you, and how might you more fully bless the Lord with your whole life?

Conversely, how might we guard our tongues more effectively? Instead of speaking curses on people and even situations, how can we speak blessing as a way of loving both neighbor and our enemies, as Jesus taught?

 

In Jesus' name,

Judah

 

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