One of the most misunderstood themes in the Bible is the concept of “blessing.” Too often Christians equate being “blessed” with attaining individual financial and career success and having the material possessions to show for it. Others swing the pendulum the other way and spiritualize the idea of blessing so that it never can have a material, real-world manifestation.
Today, I’m going to look at the first mention in the Bible of the concept of “blessing” (Genesis 1) and unpack five descriptions of divine blessing that will help us avoid common misconceptions. From Genesis 1, we learn five things about divine blessing that will all be expanded upon throughout the scriptures:
- Blessing is plural.
- Blessing is spoken.
- Blessing is a call to growth.
- Blessing is global.
- Blessing is a promise for provision.