Did you know that you can bless yourself?
Since the Old Testament was written in Hebrew and from an Eastern, Hebrew point of view, let's look at some different translations of Isaiah 65:16...
"Thus someone on earth who blesses himself will bless himself by the God of truth, and someone on earth who swears an oath will swear by the God of truth; for past troubles will be forgotten, hidden from my eyes." [The Complete Jewish Bible]
"So that he who blesses himself in the eretz [land] shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he who swears in the eretz [land] shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from my eyes." [Hebrew Names Bible]
"So that he who is blessing himself in the earth, doth bless himself In the God of faithfulness, and he who is swearing in the earth, doth swear by the God of faithfulness, because the former distresses have been forgotten, and because they have been hid from Mine eyes." [Young’s Literal Translation]
“Those who pronounce a blessing in the land will do so by the God called AMEN; those who make a solemn pledge in the land will do so by the God called AMEN. Past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my sight.” [Common English Bible]
This is interesting. Even the KJV and NKJV translate it this way:
"That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes." [King James Version]
"So that he who blesses himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; And he who swears in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hidden from My eyes." [New King James Version]
Can this be true? Can we bless ourselves?
Jabez
Consider the now famous prayer of Jabez...
"Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!" And God granted him what he requested." [1 Chronicles 4:10]
How do we bless ourselves in the earth?
A blessing is always spoken, or declared, commanded [as is a curse, interestingly enough]. We tend to think only of the result of a blessing or curse as the blessing or curse itself—what we see in the earth. But it always starts with words. God speaks blessings into the earth through people, and we see the patriarchs blessing their children, especially in the Old Covenant.
Psalm 91 is a great example of this. The writer, Moses, says ‘I will SAY to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in Whom I trust!” [Psalm 91:2]
That’s the blessing. The result of the blessing is the rest of Psalm 91…angelic protection, deliverance, honor and long life!
We sing Joel 3:10 as a song, but it really is an example of a spoken self-blessing.
‘…Let the weak SAY “I am a mighty man.’” [Joel 3:10]
The Hebrew word for say in Joel 3:10 is ajar…to say, speak, command, intend.
Deuteronomy 28:8 says “The Lord will COMMAND the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you.” The Hebrew word for command here is a different word, tsavah…to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, order, appoint or commission.
So we see that the spoken blessing is actually a command!
Jesus told us to BELIEVE that what we say happens…
“Truly [AMEN] I SAY to you, whoever SAYS to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but BELIEVES THAT WHAT HE SAYS IS GOING TO HAPPEN, it will be granted him.” [Mark 11:23]
And He calls this having faith in God! [Mark 11:22]
So go ahead…bless yourself in the earth with the good promises of God! Remember, ‘For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is OUR AMEN to the glory of God through us.”
Hallelujah!
