What Is A Blessing

What is a blessing
"What is a blessing according to the Bible? What does the Bible mean by bless?"
Answer: A blessing, according to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, is “the act or words of

one that blesses,” or “a thing conducive to happiness or welfare.” In the Bible, there are several
words that are usually translated as “blessing” or “bless.” The Hebrew word most often translated
“bless” is barak, which can mean to praise, congratulate, or salute, and is even used to mean a
curse. Genesis 1:22 is the first occurrence, when God blessed the sea creatures and birds, telling
them to be fruitful and multiply in the earth. Likewise, in verse 28, God gave the similar blessing to
Adam and Eve, adding that they were to exercise dominion over creation. When God called Abram
to go to the Promised Land (Genesis 12:1-3), He promised to bless him, make his name great, and
through him, to bless all the families of the earth. The blessings here are plainly associated with
happiness and welfare, both for Abram and others. In Genesis 22:16-18, God again blesses Abram,
and adds that blessing is due to his obedience to God's commands.
God is not the only one who pronounces blessings. When Rebekah left her family to become Isaac's
wife (Genesis 24:60), her family blessed her by saying “may you increase to thousands upon
thousands; may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.” When Isaac was ready to die, he
pronounced this blessing on his son, Jacob: “May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's
richness— an abundance of grain and new wine. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to
you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who
curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed” (Genesis 27:28-29).
Another Hebrew word for blessing is esher, which is also translated as happiness. Job 5:17 declares
“Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.” This
blessing is connected to the knowledge that God is at work to direct us in the right path. God's
chastisement is actually a display of His love for us, like a parent who disciplines a child who plays in
the middle of the street. Psalm 1:1-3 carries that theme further when it states, “Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of
mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree
planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.” The book of Psalms is full of references to this kind of happy blessing
for those who love and fear the Lord God.
In the New Testament, there are two primary Greek words translated as “blessing.” Makarios carries
the meaning of happiness that we just looked at. The Beatitudes of Matthew 5 and Luke 6 describe
the happy state of those who find their purpose and fulfillment in God. As in the Psalms, the best life
is available for those who love and fear God and order their lives according to His Word. Romans
4:6-8 ties this happy blessing to those whose sins are forgiven, for they know the relationship to God
has been restored. Eulogeo focuses more on good words or the good report that others give of
someone and also describes the blessing that we say over our food (Matthew 26:26). This word is
where we get our English word “eulogy,” in which we speak well of one who has passed
away. Ephesians 1:3 blesses God for all the blessings that He gives us in Christ, and 1 Peter
3:9 instructs us to bless those who mistreat us, because we were called to receive a blessing from
God.
Bringing these threads together, we see that a blessing is a statement of good will and happiness
that is said about another, as well as the condition that fulfills those good words. God's original
design in creation was for His creatures, including mankind, to experience prosperity, peace, and
fulfillment, but that design was ruined when sin entered the world. Statements of blessing are a wish
for God to restore His favor on others or a declaration of His inherent goodness. The ultimate
blessing that God has given is the new life and forgiveness that comes through faith in His Son,
Jesus Christ. The material blessings we enjoy from day to day are temporary, but the spiritual
blessings available to us in Christ encompass time and eternity, as well as material and immaterial
things. As the Psalmist said, “Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the
LORD his God” (Psalm 146:5).

What Is A Blessing

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What is a blessing

Answer: A blessing, according to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, is “the act or words of

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