OUR PRIESTLY RESPONSIBILITY
In Praying and Blessing our Children

ON OUR SHOULDERS

Exodus 28:12: “So Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders as a memorial.”

I love the typology of the Priesthood and how everything in the tabernacle in the wilderness relates to us today. The tabernacle followed a heavenly pattern, but also showed us a pattern for our lives today. God commanded that the High Priest’s clothing was to be for glory and for beauty. I want to tell you about two aspects of his beautiful garments.

Firstly, the ephod, which was a garment skillfully embroidered with gold thread and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. It was joined with two shoulder-pieces in which were fastened two onyx stones. God told them to engrave the names of the children of Israel on the stones, six on one and six on the other, in order of their birth.

These stones were not the onyx stone we know today. The word in the Hebrew means “to shine with the luster of fire.” It was obviously an exquisite shining jewel. Even more than that, they were to be set in gold. This reveals the preciousness of the sons of Israel to God. They were His chosen people, the apple of His eye. This is how we should see our children.

Exodus 28:12: “And you shall put the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. So Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders as a memorial.”

The names of the tribes of Israel were not graven on these precious stones for an ornament, but to be carried on the High Priests’ shoulders into the presence of the Lord. The High Priest bore the responsibility of the people’s spiritual life. It is on the shoulders that we carry burdens and weights. In the same way, the father (the priest of every home), along with the mother, carry the burden of their children upon their shoulders in prayer. It is a burden we must not forsake. If we as parents do not carry this burden for our children, who will?

Not only do the shoulders speak of carrying a burden, but they speak of governing responsibility. Speaking of Jesus and His final victory as king of the world, Isaiah 9:6-7 says: “The government shall be upon his shoulder . . . of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end . . . and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever.”

It is our governmental responsibility as parents to bring our children before the Lord in prayer. God gives us authority as parents. We are not to take this lightly. One of the ways we show our governing responsibility is to intercede for them. It is in the place of prayer that we learn to parent with true justice. God chose Abraham because he knew that he would “command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment” (Genesis 18:17-19).

We are to raise our children with justice and judgment. We cannot do this with our own wisdom. Our wisdom tends to humanism and tolerance. God’s wisdom moves in the balance of justice and mercy. Only God can teach us the balance. For the sake of our parenting and the sake of our children we cannot afford to lay down our parental task of daily bringing our children before the Lord upon our shoulders.

ON OUR HEART

Exodus 28:29 says, “Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel on the breastplate of judgment over his heart, when he goes into the holy place, as a memorial before the Lord continually.”

The High priest also wore a breastplate made up of the same beautiful colors as the ephod. On the breastplate they attached four rows of precious gem stones which were each set in gold. They had to engrave the name of a tribe of Israel on each of the stones. God reveals how precious each one of the chosen tribes of Israel is to Him by engraving their names on these beautiful jewels. In fact, He calls them His “jewels.” Malachi 3:17 says: “And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels.” The word “jewels” here means “special treasure.”

Each jewel was not the same, but different and distinct from the others, revealing the difference in nature and character of the twelve tribes. Each son had a different personality and a specific destiny ordained by God. As the high priest walked around, the jewels on the breastpiece shone and sparkled with their different colors and hues.

It is the same with our children. Each one is unique and created by God for a particular destiny. We must not expect them to be the same as each other. Each one has their own special glory and beauty.

The breastpiece was made of one piece of material. Although each son of Israel was different, they represented a unified whole. They were one nation. Although each one of our children has different traits and giftings, we are one family. Diversity and unity together.

This is God’s plan for marriage; the wife and husband have totally different functions, but they are to be one. Our body is made up of many members, each fulfilling a difficult function, but it is one body. The church has many members, but is meant to be one body. Thus in our families. In all our differences we must keep the unity. We are one family.

WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING

There was something else in the breastpiece beside the precious jewels. Exodus 28:30 reads: “And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummin; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before the Lord; and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually.” The Urim and the Thummin are rather a mystery, but the words mean “lights” and “perfections,” or an easier way to remember them is “light” and “right.”

Through the Urim and Thummim, God, who is the Father of lights and the perfection of all understanding and truth would give counsel to the High Priest regarding the children of Israel. He would show Aaron how to minister justice and judgment, for the breastplate was a “breastplate of judgment.”

The Urim and Thummim were a type that looked to the future. We no longer need the Urim and Thummim to give us direction and counsel, as the High Priest needed. As we wait upon the Lord, the Holy Spirit who now indwells, teaches us and gives us answers for the challenges of parenting our children.

In the Gospel of John we read, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost . . . he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance . . . He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment . . . He will guide you into all truth” (John 14:26: 16:8-11, 13).

No wonder we need to bring our children before the Lord in prayer. We need His guidance desperately. God commanded Aaron to “bear the names of the children of Israel... upon his heart, when he goes in unto the holy place.” (Exodus 28:29).

We must not only carry the names of children upon our shoulders but also upon our heart. If they are on our heart, we will want to pray for them. We express our greatest love for our children when we pray for them. It is proof that they are in our hearts when we intercede for them.

DO SOMETHING PRACTICAL

1 Samuel 12:23: “God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way.”

We cannot underestimate the power of prayer. It is more powerful than anything else we can do for our children. In Exodus 28:29 God instructed that Aaron should bear the names of the children of Israel “upon his heart... for a memorial before the Lord continually.”

The memorial is a remembrance. When we bring our children before the Lord we remind Him of them. Of course, God knows them, but He wants us to remind Him of them. Every day you can remind the Lord of your children.

This was such a high priority to God that He made it very tangible and practical. He didn’t just say: “I want Aaron to pray for the tribes of Israel when he comes into my presence.” Instead, He ordained for their names to be engraved on precious stones on his shoulders and on beautiful jewels over his heart.

I know your children’s names are upon your heart, but you may also like to write, engrave, or make something tangible that you can take into God’s presence when you pray for them each day.

I like to lay my hand over my heart as I pray for my children each day, emphasizing the fact that they are upon my heart. I have also written the names of our children and grandchildren on decorated paper and the prayer requests on another paper which I have laminated. Although we pray for them verbally, I like to place this before the Lord as we pray. I may not get to verbally bring every request I have listed before the Lord each day, but at least I represent them by name before Him.

SPEAK BLESSINGS OVER YOUR CHILDREN

Deuteronomy 21:5: “And the priests and the Levites shall come near, for them the Lord thy God has chosen to minister unto Him, and to bless in the name of the Lord; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried.”

We have been learning that it is our priestly responsibility to pray for our children. However, the above Scripture tells us something else we need to do. The primary function of the priest is to minister to the Lord, and then minister to the people. Of course, that means the people who are closest to us first, before we start ministering to others.

As priests unto God, we have been given the divine mandate to bless our children. It is not an option. It is mandatory.

To bless means to speak well of, to praise. But it is more than that. We are to bless in the name of the Lord. We are to pronounce God’s blessings upon our children and those around us. That means to speak into them God’s promises and His plan for them, to affirm God’s truth over their lives, and to speak God’s destiny over them.

It is so easy to speak negatively, isn’t it? It comes easy. But as priests of the Lord, we must make a concerted effort to get into the habit of speaking blessings. May God bring us to the place in our lives where blessings flow naturally from our lips.

However, I believe we should also make specific times for blessing. God’s official blessing, written in Numbers 6:24-26 was traditionally spoken over the people at the end of the evening sacrifice. Perhaps we could follow suit and bless our children at the end of Family Devotions at each evening meal.

If you feel you cannot do it every evening, what about establishing the Shabbat meal? This is our favorite meal of the week where we not only light the candles and partake of communion together, but where Colin blesses me, our children and whoever is at our table. To learn more about this, go to www.aboverubies.org and check the Archived Devotions for The Preparation Day and The Shabbat Meal.

You can bless your children by encouraging and affirming them in their giftings and in the good character traits you see evident in their lives. You can also bless them in the name of the Lord with the Word of the Lord. The Numbers 6 blessing is a blessing from the Trinity--the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

v. 24: “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee.”
What a blessing to be guarded, preserved, protected, and watched over by our Father God. And what a wonderful blessing to put upon our children and others (Psalm 121:3-8).

v. 25: “The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee.”
This is the blessing of the Son of righteousness with healing in His wings and who is full of grace and truth. He is the one that has wrought salvation for us and blesses us with salvation. May each of our children receive this blessing.

v. 26: “The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”
This is the blessing from God the Holy Spirit.

v. 27 ends with the wonderful words, “And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel: and I will bless them.”

It is great to bless your family out of the abundance of your own heart, but it is even greater to bless them with the powerful name of the Lord God. What greater blessings could there be than to put God’s name upon our children?

Another understanding of the word “bless” is “to kneel.” In Biblical times children would kneel to receive a blessing from their father. In some homes, children will kneel before their father to receive the blessing at their weekly Shabbat meal.

May the above Scriptures inspire you to pray and bless your children.

Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org