Topical Bible: Man: Blessed by God

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Topical Encyclopedia

The concept of man being blessed by God is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, reflecting the divine favor and benevolence bestowed upon humanity. This blessing is evident from the very beginning of Scripture and continues as a central motif in the relationship between God and man.

Creation and the Initial Blessing

The first instance of God blessing man is found in the creation narrative. In Genesis 1:27-28 , it is written: "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.'" Here, the blessing is associated with fruitfulness, dominion, and stewardship over creation, indicating a special status and responsibility given to humanity.

The Abrahamic Blessing

The blessing of God is further exemplified in His covenant with Abraham. In Genesis 12:2-3 , God promises Abraham: "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you." This blessing is not only personal but also extends to all nations, highlighting the universal scope of God's favor through Abraham's lineage.

The Blessing of Obedience

Throughout the Old Testament, the blessing of God is often contingent upon obedience to His commandments. In Deuteronomy 28:1-2 , Moses conveys God's promise to Israel: "If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all His commandments I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the LORD your God." The blessings enumerated in this chapter include prosperity, protection, and divine favor, underscoring the connection between obedience and blessing.

The Beatitudes

In the New Testament, Jesus articulates the nature of divine blessing in the Beatitudes, found in Matthew 5:3-12 . These blessings are pronounced upon those who exhibit qualities such as humility, mercy, and peacemaking. For example, Matthew 5:3 states, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The Beatitudes reveal that God's blessing is not merely material but deeply spiritual, promising eternal rewards and a profound relationship with God.

The Blessing of Salvation

The ultimate blessing bestowed upon man is the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:3 declares, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms." This passage emphasizes that through faith in Christ, believers receive the fullness of God's blessing, including redemption, forgiveness, and eternal life.

The Role of Faith

Faith is a critical component in receiving God's blessing. Hebrews 11:6 states, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." This verse highlights that faith is the means by which individuals access the blessings God desires to bestow.

Conclusion

The theme of man being blessed by God is woven throughout the biblical narrative, illustrating a God who desires to bestow favor, guidance, and eternal life upon His creation. From the initial blessing in the Garden of Eden to the promise of salvation through Christ, God's blessings are both temporal and eternal, contingent upon faith and obedience.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 5:2
Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Greek

2128. eulogetos -- well spoken of, ie blessed
... log-ay-tos') Short Definition: worthy of praise, blessed Definition: (used only
of God), blessed (as entitled to receive blessing from man), worthy of praise. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2128.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew

1288. barak -- to kneel, bless
... 167), blessed be those who bless (1), blessed is everyone ... root; to kneel; by implication
to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a ...
/hebrew/1288.htm - 6k

Library

Impossible with Man, Possible with God
... And often a man learns that, and yet he does not learn the second lesson"what has
been impossible to him is possible with God. Blessed is the man who learns ...
/.../murray/absolute surrender/impossible with man possible with.htm

God's Will and Man's Will
... the Spirit, that will is one of the most blessed signs of the mysterious working
of the Spirit of God in his ... I will venture to assert that that man is not ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 8 1863/gods will and mans will.htm

Sorrow the Pledge of Joy.
... God for? Would this be a prospect on which the Son of Man would congratulate the
mourner, or at which the mourner for the dead would count himself blessed? ...
/.../macdonald/hope of the gospel/sorrow the pledge of joy.htm

God's Controversy with Man. Rev. Charles Prest.
... and maintain such penitence; and a blessed end that man will make, who in the full
meaning of the words, pours out the prayer at the last, "God be merciful to ...
/.../king/the wesleyan methodist pulpit in malvern/gods controversy with man rev.htm

Treatise on the Love of God
... CERTAIN SPECIAL FAVOURS EXERCISED BY THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE IN THE REDEMPTION OF
MAN. ... A PREPARATION FOR THE DISCOURSE ON THE UNION OF THE BLESSED WITH GOD. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/francis/treatise on the love of god/

Christian Unity.
... Look at the Blessed Trinity. God the Son says, "My Father is greater than I." He
places Himself in the lowest rank. He calls Himself "The Son of Man"; there is ...
/.../the village pulpit volume ii trinity to advent/xxxvii christian unity.htm

"O Wretched Man that I Am!"
... it is myself; so closely am I bound up with it, and so closely is it intertwined
with my very nature." Blessed be God when a man learns to say: "O wretched man ...
//christianbookshelf.org/murray/absolute surrender/o wretched man that i.htm

But You Will Say, the Good Will of a Friend Towards Me, Although I ...
... that is, in the seed of Abraham, that all the nations are blessed, ye see ... ye ought
rather to believe that it was fitting that so God should be born Man. ...
/.../augustine/concerning faith of things not seen /5 but you will say.htm

Prayer Takes in the Whole Man
... God sees to it that when the whole man prays, in turn the whole man shall
be blessed. His body takes in the good of praying, for ...
/.../bounds/the essentials of prayer/i prayer takes in the.htm

But If, for the Contest's Sake, God had Appointed Martyrdoms for ...
... Blessed is the man to whom ... Thus, "love covers the multitude of sins;" [8255] and
loving God, to wit, with all its strength (by which in the endurance of ...
/.../tertullian/scorpiace antidote for the scorpions sting/chapter vi but if for.htm