Unveiling God's ShineSýnishorn

It has often been observed that “Christian life can be lived faithfully only if it is lived in light of the end.” The blessing of Numbers 6:24-26 anticipates Isaiah’s vision, embracing both the meaning realized in the coming of Christ who said, “I am the light of the world,” and the future hope of a new heaven and a new earth lit only by the light of the Lamb. When we bless one another with the words, “May God’s face shine upon you,” it has an immediate application: May God’s face illuminate you today; may you walk in the light of His presence right now; may you experience his bright shine in this culture tinged with shades of grey. But the immediacy of the blessing and its value in each individual life should never totally eclipse the future hope it leans toward.

The prophetic vision of Isaiah 60:19-20 mirrors the vision revealed to John in Revelation 21 and 22 that testifies to an eternal reality bathed in divine light:

The sun shall be no more your light by day,

Nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; 

But the LORD will be your everlasting light,

and your God will be your glory.

Your sun shall no more go down
nor your moon withdraw itself;

For the LORD will be your everlasting light,
and your days of mourning will be ended.”
(Isaiah 60:19-20; See also Revelation 21:22-25)

When we pray, “May God make his face shine on you,” we should be aware of this dimension of meaning—the future dimension, the eschatological dimension, the dimension that leans toward the dawn that will never end in twilight. In this sense, the blessing in Numbers 6 is tied to Jesus’ prayer, “May your kingdom come,” because it is only when the kingdom arrives in its fullness that any of us will experience the everlasting shine of seeing God face-to-face. Whatever your circumstances today, however dark the world may seem because of injustice, suffering, and sorrow, embrace the blessing and hope of our future inheritance in Christ—an existence lived in the presence, goodness, grace and shine of God, our redeemer and friend, the light of the world. 

We adapted this Plan from Tina Boesch's novel Given. Learn more about this discipleship resource.