Do Good to be Blessed

“The priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law” (Hebrews 7:12).

Priests have two duties: first, to sacrifice; then to bless others. The future priesthood sacrifices itself now in this age. “Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with be by sacrifice” (Psalm 50:5). When the people of the world are resurrected, they will well remember those who were faithful to Christ unto death. “Yes, of Zion it shall be said, This one and that one was born in her; and the Most High himself will establish her. Jehovah will count, when he writeth up the peoples, This one was born there” (Psalm 87:5, 6 RVIC). Their count is to be 144,000 (Revelation 7:4).

Gone (Elsewhere), but Not Forgotten

Of one it might be recalled: He was a good boy from the start. The rest of us ridiculed him for being such a good boy, but actually we quietly respected him for it. And he only got better as he got older.

Of another, I knew him as a youth. He was a trouble maker. But when he grew up, at one point he suddenly “got religion” or something, and turned himself around. (We didn’t want him in our crowd anymore.) He tried to talk to us about the Bible and clean living, but we were not ready for it. When I awoke from death, I thought I could never change myself to become perfect; but later I thought, if he could change from what he was, maybe I can too.

Perhaps of yet another, They were always a good family. Then tragedy hit them; the father died and the mother became disabled. The oldest teenager managed the business as best he could; the next oldest took care of their mother for the rest of her life. They hadn’t been star athletes, but we missed them in our games and parties. Their sisters had been younger, but they also helped out as best they could. The memory of them all is an encouragement to me here in the resurrection.

Our best teaching is by the example we set.

Be Blessed, or Bless Themselves?

God’s first promise to Abraham includes, “I will bless thee … I will bless them that bless thee … and in thee shall all the families of the land be blessed” (Genesis 12:2-3 RVIC). When Abraham had been willing to sacrifice even his son and heir, God swore by Himself an addition to His promise: “and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves” (Genesis 22:18 RVIC).¹ Part of the future work of Christ and the faithful church will be to bless the people, and then to teach the people to bless one another.

Jesus will be the “Everlasting Father” because He will give everlasting life to the children of the resurrection (Isaiah 9:6). His Bride, the faithful church, will also have a part in resurrecting the people. Prophetically, Jesus says of his Bride, “The roof of thy mouth [is] like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak” (Song of Solomon 7:9).

God could manifest His love only by creating other beings on whom to bestow it. We learn to love by doing things for others. God first showed His love to Jesus, then they two to the faithful church, the Bride class. Then they together will show love to the great multitude, and then to the faithful Ancient Worthies (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Daniel, John the Baptist, and many more). All will then engage in blessing all the families of the earth. Then finally, all peoples will learn to bless one another (without a curse). Finally, all will truly recognize that “God is love” (1 John 4:8).

Grateful people are basically happy. The ungrateful cannot be happy. There is a modern spirit in the world that one should be unhappy, and that other people should be made similarly unhappy. Yet, the spirit of hate leads to grief.

Abel expressed his gratitude to God for life and brought an offering of the firstlings of his flock, “and Jehovah had respect unto Abel and to his offering” (Genesis 4:4). Noah expressed gratitude for preserving life for his whole family; so he built an altar to offer to the God who preserved them (Genesis 8:20-22). King David also expressed his gratitude by writing many psalms. Daniel gave thanks through prayer (Daniel 2:23), as did Jesus many times.

One should not think happy people are never sorrowful. Among Lazarus’ mourners, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). “Who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror” (1 Peter 3:13-14). There is nothing anyone can do to keep you out of the resurrection.

Jesus did “taste death for every man” (Hebrews 2:9), so you and everyone else will benefit. Everyone will have one full and complete opportunity (whether now or in Christ’s thousand year Kingdom). Everyone will have full reason and opportunity to praise our God.

Many openly admit they try to do as the Bible says, because they are afraid of the consequences if they do not, especially everlasting consequences. But does our God want us to be afraid of Him; or to be grateful for all that He has done, and will do, for us and all? “God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7 ASV).

Does our God want us to be afraid of Him? or to love him from the whole heart? Which disposition will He want us to teach the world during Christ’s Kingdom? Which would be the great blessing for all the families of the earth?

The Purpose

God chose the priests “to bless in the name of Jehovah” (Deuteronomy 21:5). The priesthood was consecrated in seven days. On the eighth day, after the sacrificing was completed, Aaron blessed the people. Then “Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and came out, and blessed the people” again (Leviticus 9:22-23 ASV). This typifies Christ first blessing the people in his thousand-year Kingdom; then God and Christ withdraw for Satan’s little season/short time to give the world its final exam. God and Christ will then bless all the people for eternity (Revelation 21:1-3).

The Goal

“Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart” (Psalm 119:2). The ultimate goal of the entire divine plan is that all shall obey Jehovah God because they want to, not just because they are afraid of what would happen if they did not.