Jesus’ Hands Of Blessings

In the New Testament, in Matthew 5.3-8, Jesus in the beginning of His Ministry, released eight blessings on the life of those who would believe in Him.

We read what happened towards the end of His ministry on earth in Luke 24.50-53.
50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
 
This was an emotional moment for His disciples. The disciples had not stayed with Jesus during crucifixion. They fell asleep when he had wanted them to pray with Him. They had disunity among themselves. In other words, they had many shortcomings but when the time came for Jesus to be lifted up, He did not curse them or discipline them or scold them. Instead He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

Jesus was lifted up to Heaven with His hands lifted up. Initially, His lifted hands blessed the few of them standing there. But as he was lifted, it covered Jerusalem, Israel, Samaria, the nearby places and ultimately the entire earth. He started and ended His ministry by blessing His disciples. Even now, He sits at the right hand of God blessing us. This is the heart of God.
 
1 Peter 3.9 says “to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”

The very purpose of redemption is to bless us. Many people do not experience this blessing as they think God wants them to go through suffering. The Book of Job and Lamentations are books that speak about suffering that Job and Israelites went through a certain period of their lives. God does not expect us to make it part of our life. We must learn how to interpret the Word of God in the right way. We must know the circumstances behind the writing of the Scriptures and then figure out if it's applicable to our lives.

From the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation, God is revealed as the God who blesses His people/ children.
 
Matthew 11.6 “Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

The background from which Jesus said this was when John the Baptist was in prison. He was Jesus’ cousin and also the “Voice in the Desert” who paved the way for Jesus to come. He knew by revelation that Jesus had come to heal and deliver the captives. But while in prison, he doubted Jesus’ ministry and wondered if He was the true Messiah. If he was the Messiah, then why was John still in prison.
 
In Matthew 11.2,3 it is written, “ When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

Although John had a great and powerful ministry, he fell apart when he faced persecution.
Jesus’ reply is seen in verses 4, 5. “ Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.”

It is then that Jesus tells them that it is those who do not doubt or fall back who will be blessed.
Jesus says in Matthew 11:6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

We are human and it is possible that doubt may set in but we must be careful not to fall apart from His Word. When in doubt, we must read the Word and strengthen ourselves.

Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

We must stand firm in Christ. The one who stays strong to the end is blessed.

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