Blessing Children.

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Anton Bruckner

Anton Bruckner

Puritan Board Professor
I am working through the Book of Genesis, and what I found is that the Patriarchs would bless their children, and these blessings that they blessed would come to pass on the blessee.

In the New Testament, Jesus also blessed children.

So my big question I guess is, are these practices allowed today, and if allowed, will the blessings that we bless our children with, come to pass?
 
Well, you might note that in the O.T. the blessings were bestowed at the time the patriarchs were about to die. Can't say for sure whether the N.T. model is the same.

I'm not ready to bless my two sons, yet.
 
I'm sure as ready to bless mine. My only problem is, whether the blessings that I bless him with, will come through. I guess this is faith on my part, but in this world we live in, I don't want to take any chances.
 
Hey, I was only referring to the fact that I am not, As far as I know, on my death bed.

As to whether the blessings you give them will happen, that is in God's hand. Those blessings in the O.T. were inspired by God and so they had to come to pass.
 
I give my kids a bedtime blessing every night. What is wrong with pronouncing a little benediction over them before they sleep. It settles their hearts and grants them peace knowing God is watching over them even when they sleep.
 
Hi, folks. I'm new here and have not even introduced myself yet. My husband is a regular reader, but not quite so regular poster on this board. Just wanted to let you know he blesses our daughters every night as they go to bed also. It is a recent practice in our home, spurred on by a set of blessing cards I received as a shower gift for our third daughter this summer. If Todd does not bless the two older ones now, they ask for it or remind him that he forgot. It moves my heart a great deal to see them desire this act of love from him. I see it as a form of prayer over them. How wrong can that be??? Heather
 
Originally posted by hpedlar
Hi, folks. I'm new here and have not even introduced myself yet. My husband is a regular reader, but not quite so regular poster on this board. Just wanted to let you know he blesses our daughters every night as they go to bed also. It is a recent practice in our home, spurred on by a set of blessing cards I received as a shower gift for our third daughter this summer. If Todd does not bless the two older ones now, they ask for it or remind him that he forgot. It moves my heart a great deal to see them desire this act of love from him. I see it as a form of prayer over them. How wrong can that be??? Heather
Click to expand...

this just motivated me to bless my 2+ yr old on a regular basis.
 
Maybe I am reading this thread wrong but it seems to me that Mark is talking about a different type of blessing than Keon is.

"The Lord bless thee and keep thee" is different, in my way of thinking, than "Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons shall bow down before you. . . ."

The first I see no problem with. The second I don't see where we have that gift. I don't know how it would matter that our not knowing the day we die would impel us to give a prophetic blessing.
 
Gerry, I think you may be right. I just assumed the "benediction" -type blessing was being discussed. I agree with you that prophetic blessings are not appropriate nor binding today. Thank you for pointing out the difference. Heather:um:
 
hmmm.

Never thought about it being prophetic I guess.

Can we still bless our children that way ?
If not, why ? Where did the patriarchs get the idea to even do that ?

I am going to have to look this up.

But, yes, I was assuming you meant in the ordinary sense of benediction.
 
The patriarchs lived in a day before the prophets and so God chose to prophesy through them. That's the significance of Isaacs blessing of Jacob and why he had nothing left for Esau. God was pronoucing what would come to pass through Isaac.
 
Bob, can we do that today ?

If fathers are not to provoke their children to wrath, shouldn't we prophetically bless them ?

The SINS of the fathers are visited upon their children, so why not the blessings ?

Bless

(1.) God blesses his people when he bestows on them some gift temporal or spiritual (Gen_1:22; Gen_24:35; Job_42:12; Psa_45:2; Psa_104:24, Psa_104:35).

(2.) We bless God when we thank him for his mercies (Psa_103:1, Psa_103:2; Psa_145:1, Psa_145:2).

(3.) A man blesses himself when he invokes God's blessing (Isa_65:16), or rejoices in God's goodness to him (Deu_29:19; Psa_49:18).

(4.) One blesses another when he expresses good wishes or offers prayer to God for his welfare (Gen_24:60; Gen_31:55; 1Sa_2:20). Sometimes blessings were uttered under divine inspiration, as in the case of Noah, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses (Gen_9:26, Gen_9:27; Gen_27:28, Gen_27:29, Gen_27:40; Gen_48:15-20; 49:1-28; Deut. 33). The priests were divinely authorized to bless the people (Deu_10:8; Num_6:22-27). We have many examples of apostolic benediction (2Co_13:14; Eph_6:23, Eph_6:24; 2Th_3:16, 2Th_3:18; Heb_13:20, Heb_13:21; 1Pe_5:10, 1Pe_5:11).

(5.) Among the Jews in their thank-offerings the master of the feast took a cup of wine in his hand, and after having blessed God for it and for other mercies then enjoyed, handed it to his guests, who all partook of it. Psa_116:13 refers to this custom. It is also alluded to in 1Co_10:16, where the apostle speaks of the "œcup of blessing."
Click to expand...

[Edited on 10-20-2005 by Saiph]
 
"Remind me of this with every decision
Generations will reap what I sow
I can pass on a curse or a blessing
to those I may never know."

Sara Groves album "Generations"
 
Originally posted by LadyFlynt
"Remind me of this with every decision
Generations will reap what I sow
I can pass on a curse or a blessing
to those I may never know."

Sara Groves album "Generations"
Click to expand...

AMEN.

When we sin before children we sin twice.
 
Mark, in a diminished respect we fathers are to be the prophets, priests and kings to our wife and children. We model Christ and his atoning work to our family. We rule as an underking, we don't offer sacrifice but we do make intercession. We can speak forth the Word to our children and bless them that way but foretelling is not part of our mission unless of course we are presenting them with the same cause/effect promises of the scripture, eg. Honor your father and mother and you will live a long life.

Or the other hand we bless our children by getting out of debt, overcoming sin and hundreds of acts of obedience that will change our family tree.

[Edited on 10-20-2005 by maxdetail]
 
Originally posted by Saiph
Originally posted by LadyFlynt
"Remind me of this with every decision
Generations will reap what I sow
I can pass on a curse or a blessing
to those I may never know."

Sara Groves album "Generations"
Click to expand...

AMEN.

When we sin before children we sin twice.
Click to expand...

Wise words. :scholar:
 
Does anyone see anything wrong with using benedictions from scripture to bless our children as Saiph suggested, every night when we put them to bed?
 
This weekend I blessed my son. It went something like this, "I bless you in the name of the Lord that you will be saved, sancitified, sane, full of wisedom, patience, compassion and prosperity, I pray that the Lord will keep you from all evil, fornication and adultery etc".

It felt pretty good doing it.
 
Keon,

Great! Keep it up. Your son will remember your actions when he is an adult. What a wonderful legacy to pass on and what a great way to help him take the faith for his own as he matures under your care. I am realizing more and more that every action we take with our children that explicitly demonstrates our faith leaves all that much less room for other influences to creep in. Basic concept, I know, but it's been valuable for me to ponder it anew lately. Blessings to you and your family!
 
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