Blessed to Multiply

Back in the corporate world, one of the things people would ask is if your project had the blessing of the CEO. Literally, they would use those words. If you answered, “well, it hasn’t really been approved yet” then people were reluctant to help. If you said, “yes”, then all the resources you needed were instantly available. Your project was fully funded.

It’s the same in the Bible. God blesses things that are good, to multiply. He curses things that are bad, to keep them from multiplying. We have a pre-approved project, from the highest authority in the universe!

God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply” – Genesis 1:22

God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply” – Genesis 1:28

God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply” – Genesis 9:1

I will bless her, and she shall become nations – Genesis 17:16

I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly – Genesis 17:20

I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring – Genesis 22:17

they blessed Rebekah and said… “may you become thousands of ten thousands” – Genesis 24:60

Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The Lord blessed him. – Genesis 26:12

I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring – Genesis 26:24

God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you – Genesis 28:3

bless the boys… and let them grow into a multitude – Genesis 48:16

May the Lord… make you a thousand times as many as you are and bless you – Deuteronomy 1:11

He will love you, bless you, and multiply you – Deuteronomy 7:13

you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you – Deuteronomy 30:16

By his blessing they multiply greatly – Psalm 107:38

I called him, that I might bless him and multiply him – Isaiah 51:2

By Doug Penner –

–

you are welcome to email me your feedback!

–

3 responses to “Blessed to Multiply”

  1. Avatar
    Anonymous

    How do you think this applies in the Beatitudes?

    Like

    Reply
  2. Doug Penner Avatar
    Doug Penner

    Great question! Not an exact match. I guess I was only looking at the Old Testament. However, a bit of a similarity….

    The Greek word translated blessed in Matthew and Luke is “makarioi” – https://biblehub.com/greek/3107.htm. You can see the definition starts with: from mak-, “become long, large”. See also “makarismos” – https://biblehub.com/greek/3108.htm, which is: receiving eternal benefits from God (i.e. that are lasting, with eternal advantage; the Greek root literally means “long, extended.”)

    When we read the beatitudes in this light, you can see the extension. Like, they’re often getting more than what they had. Technically not multiplication, but still the blessing is unto a much bigger/better future:
    – poor to theirs is the kingdom
    – mourn to comforted
    – meek to inherit
    – hungry to filled
    – merciful to shown mercy
    – pure to see God
    – peacemakers to children of God
    – persecuted to theirs is the kingdom

    Like

    Reply
  3. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Thanks!

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment