Apocalypse Revealed # 289
289. "And blessing!" This symbolically means, all these being in Him and from Him in those angels of the lower heavens.
A blessing means every good that a person has from the Lord, such as power and wealth, and everything that accompanies these, but especially every spiritual good, such as love and wisdom, charity and faith, and the accompanying joy and happiness, which have to do with eternal life. And because all of these come from the Lord, it follows that He has them in Him; for if He did not have them in Him, they could not be present in others from Him.
It is for this reason that in the Word the Lord is called blessed, and also a blessing, which is to say, blessing itself.
That Jehovah, or the Lord, is called blessed, is apparent from the following passages:
...the high priest asked (Jesus)..., "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" (Mark 14:61)
(Jesus said,) "you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'" (Matthew 23:39, cf. Luke 13:35)
(Melchizedek) blessed (Abram) and said: ."..blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand." (Genesis 14:18-20)
Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Shem... (Genesis 9:26)
Blessed be Jehovah (who) has heard (my) voice... (Psalms 28:6)
Blessed be Jehovah, for He has shown me His marvelous clemency... (Psalms 31:21)
Blessed be Jehovah... from everlasting to everlasting! (Psalms 41:13)
So likewise Psalms 66:20; 68:19, 35; 72:18-19; 89:52; 119:12; 124:6; 135:21; 144:1, Luke 1:68.
It is owing to this that blessing is mentioned in this verse, as again in verse 12, and in chapter 7, 7:12. And in the book of Psalms:
Glory and honor You have placed upon Him, for You have made Him a blessing forever. (Psalms 21:5-6)
The subject is the Lord.
[2] It can be seen from this what blessing God means in the Word: that it is to attribute all blessing to Him, to pray for Him to bless, and to thank Him for blessing, as can be seen from the following passages:
(Zacharias's) mouth was opened... and he spoke, blessing God. (Luke 1:64, 68)
(Simeon) took (the infant Jesus) up in his arms and blessed God... (Luke 2:28, 30-31)
I will bless Jehovah who has given me counsel. (Psalms 16:7)
...bless (Jehovah's) name; proclaim His salvation from day to day. (Psalms 96:1-3)
Blessed be the Lord from day to day... Bless God in the congregations, the Lord, from the fountain of Israel. (Psalms 68:19, 26)
Psalms 22
1
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
2
My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don't answer; in the night season, and am not silent.
3
But you are holy, you who inhabit the praises of Israel.
4
Our fathers trusted in you. They trusted, and you delivered them.
5
They cried to you, and were delivered. They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.
6
But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7
All those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,
8
"He trusts in Yahweh; let him deliver him. Let him rescue him, since he delights in him."
9
But you brought me out of the womb. You made me trust at my mother's breasts.
10
I was thrown on you from my mother's womb. You are my God since my mother bore me.
11
Don't be far from me, for trouble is near. For there is none to help.
12
Many bulls have surrounded me. Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.
13
They open their mouths wide against me, lions tearing prey and roaring.
14
I am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax; it is melted within me.
15
My strength is dried up like a potsherd. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have brought me into the dust of death.
16
For dogs have surrounded me. A company of evildoers have enclosed me. They have pierced my hands and feet.
17
I can count all of my bones. They look and stare at me.
18
They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.
19
But don't be far off, Yahweh. You are my help: hurry to help me.
20
Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog.
21
Save me from the lion's mouth! Yes, from the horns of the wild oxen, you have answered me.
22
I will declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the assembly, I will praise you.
23
You who fear Yahweh, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him! Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel!
24
For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, Neither has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard.
25
Of you comes my praise in the great assembly. I will pay my vows before those who fear him.
26
The humble shall eat and be satisfied. They shall praise Yahweh who seek after him. Let your hearts live forever.
27
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Yahweh. All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.
28
For the kingdom is Yahweh's. He is the ruler over the nations.
29
All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he who can't keep his soul alive.
30
Posterity shall serve him. Future generations shall be told about the Lord.
31
They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, for he has done it. A Psalm by David.
