Impossible Christianity

Deep in the Reformation worship tradition of both Luther and Calvin is the consistent use of the Aaronic blessing. So it is a delight and a privilege to read and recommend Michael Glodo’s book-length treatment of this beautiful and powerful portion of God’s word, deepening our understanding and renewing our use of our Reformed heritage.

This book infuses our shallow understanding of what it means to be blessed with scriptural insight and textual richness. It invites us to think more deeply about what is promised in the familiar words of the Aaronic blessing so that we hear them with fresh meaning and find ourselves receiving them with profound joy.

Michael Glodo’s The Lord Bless You and Keep You is a rich exposition of a beloved and important divine blessing. Glodo’s many years of teaching biblical studies and pastoral theology, as well as his own pastoral experience and instincts, really show up in this book. This exegetical, biblical-theological deep dive into the Aaronic blessing will edify you devotionally and equip you to understand the profundity of what it means for the Lord’s face to shine upon his people.

We often hear the words of the Aaronic blessing pronounced at the end of worship services. There’s a beauty to its rhythm; its vocabulary sparkles with grace―bless, keep, peace. And we all want God’s face to shine on us! And yet, despite the popularity of this blessing, we rarely hear anyone explaining what these words really mean or what difference they make to daily life. Thankfully, Michael Glodo has arrived to help us! Combining the heart of a pastor with the understanding of an Old Testament scholar, as well as a deep appreciation of worship, he brings us treasure in both hands. The Lord Bless You and Keep You is a book to savor and enjoy.

The Aaronic blessing is one of the great poems of the Bible, yet its simple language can catch us off guard. We find ourselves so familiar with it that we take its content for granted and miss its striking depths. Michael Glodo has done us a big service in this little book on the brief blessing that carries such great truths―in particular great truths about faces, both ours and God’s―truths many of us were not ready to appreciate until we spent months covering our faces in public. Far from being irrelevant today, this ancient blessing is, in fact, all the more true and precious to those who profess Jesus as Lord. Learn what it means and pray it afresh over the souls of those you love most.

The Aaronic blessing (Numbers 6) is often the great blessing offered to God’s people before they depart from worship services and scatter into the world. These words have surely been some of the most familiar among God’s people for millennia. Yet few have thought about their importance. Michael Glodo not only defines and provides insight into these lines but also demonstrates the great influence the Aaronic blessing has on the entire Christian life. Be prepared to experience an old text in a new way and have your eyes opened to a life lived in light of the Aaronic blessing. The comfort, challenge, and grace this knowledge provides will bring a new appreciation for the beauty of our God and his blessings upon his people.

In this book, Michael Glodo offers more than just a wonderful study of the Aaronic blessing. He provides a rich biblical-theological survey of the theme of God’s ‘face’ as it unfolds across the pages of Scripture and wise pastoral-theological applications of the numerous ways God ‘shines’ his face on us in our public worship and in our day-to-day lives.

I have pronounced the Aaronic blessing over God’s people hundreds of times over four decades of pastoral ministry. Thanks to Michael Glodo’s book―with his outstanding exposition of Numbers 6:22–27, his theological and pastoral insights, and his sound liturgical advice―I’ll forever pronounce the benediction with much greater conviction, meaning, and joy. Whether we pronounce or receive God’s blessing, this book is really worth reading.