Aaron’s Benediction for The Third Wednesday in Advent God’s Name The temple in Jerusalem was called the Dwelling Place of God’s Name (2 Samuel 7:13, 1 Kings 5:5, Ezra 6:12). There are two important things we should learn from the Dwelling Place of God’s Name: • First, we realize that God’s Name is not at all like your name or my name. Our names merely identify who we are. Our names are labels and nothing more. God’s Name is not just a label. The temple indicates that God’s name is alive. The temple was the Dwelling Place of God’s Name. When a name needs a place to live, it is something more than a name. Living things need a place to live and God’s Name is a living thing. • The second thing we should learn from the temple is that God’s Name wants to be near His people. God did cause His name to dwell above the clouds, far from reach and out of sight. God did not cause His name to dwell on a distant mountain or remote desert, to make us go to Him. The Dwelling Place of God’s Name was in the midst of many people. God’s Name wants to live among God’s people. What should we think of this living Name of God that wants to be near to us? The angel in tonight’s Gospel wants us to think of Jesus. The angel declared Jesus’ name “Immanuel, which means, God with us” (Matthew 1:23). John the Evangelist said similar things about our Lord, calling Him “the Word became flesh and dwelling among us” (John 1:14). In the same way that the temple in Jerusalem was called the Dwelling Place of God’s Name, tonight’s Old Testament also indicates that you also are the Dwelling Place of God’s Name. This is the purpose of the blessing God gave Aaron and his sons to speak: The LORD blesses you—that is, He kneels before you—and keeps you The LORD makes His face to shine upon you, that is to say, He is gracious toward you; The LORD makes His face to shine upon you, that is to say, He gives you peace. Then God explained what happens to you when Aaron and his sons speak these Words to you: “So shall they put My name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” • When God says, “My name,” He is talking about His Son Jesus. • When God says, “Put My name upon them,” He is talking about the act of throwing His name upon you like a coat or blanket. • When God says, “Put My name upon them and I will bless them,” He brings us full circle, back to the beginning of the blessing. The Hebrew word for bless that is used here more literally means, “I will condescend to them, I will lower Myself in their presence, I will kneel to them. Aaron’s benediction has been spoken upon God’s people for thousands of years. Whenever they are spoken, both in the Old Testament and in the New, Aarons’ Words focus our attention upon the Advent and Coming of our Christ. This blessing, spoken at the close of every Holy Communion, returns us again to those places where we need to be: • the cradle of our Lord, who humbled Himself in order to keep us; • the transfiguration of our Lord, where His face shines upon us with graciousness and peace; • the death and resurrection of our Lord, where He acted to save; • the Baptism of our Lord, where He gave His name to us: “Immanuel, which means, God with us.” _______________________________________________ Sermons mailing list [email protected] http://cat41.org/mailman/listinfo/sermons
