The Priestly Prayer of the Blessing

WE’VE ALREADY INVESTIGATED several of the questions that had troubled me concerning why my friend Rick Amato had been so affected by the Priestly Prayer of the Blessing. We know that it wasn’t because Rick was so near the place of discovery. There wasn’t a special portal to the heavens! Neither was there a special power concerning the amulet itself.

We have learned the importance of why only the Jewish high priest was allowed to proclaim the divine prayer daily over the children of Israel instead of Moses. We began to explore what it means that the one true G-D of Israel placed His name on the children of Israel.

I shared that though there is no Jewish high priest available on the earth today to pronounce this prayer over us, there is a Jewish High Priest available in heaven. Yeshua (Jesus) is our High Priest, and He desires to proclaim this prayer over you and me.

In my continuing search for why Rick had been so affected by the prayer, one question remained: What about the fact that the Priestly Prayer of the Blessing was said over him in Hebrew and not English?

As I reviewed Rick’s words from the telephone call, I remembered that he said that the Priestly Prayer of the Blessing was proclaimed over him in Hebrew by the one who discovered the amulet, Gabriel Barkay. That’s when I began to search the Hebrew text of this prayer for something that was missed when it was translated into English. As I studied the Hebrew, I quickly realized a far deeper, more powerful meaning than that which we read in our Bibles. Though the English translation of the prayer is beautiful, it doesn’t impart the full anointing that my friend Rick experienced.

G-D led me to create an amplified Hebrew-to-English translation of the prayer, which I will be sharing with you as you read the rest of this book. As I began to pronounce the prayer over myself every day in this new amplified translation, I was personally impacted in a manner like never before. The prayer continues to bring a powerful experiential sense of G-D’s presence, and it has opened a new, more intimate relationship with the one true G-D of Israel as my heavenly Father. It has allowed me to access the promises and blessings of G-D’s divine prayer of unmerited grace!

After I experienced the profound effects of the prayer, I began to pronounce the amplified Hebrew-to-English translation of the prayer over others. All who experienced it were deeply impacted. It touched them far more than when I recited the prayer over them as it is expressed in our English Bibles.

One day I was introduced to a special recorded version of the Priestly Prayer of the Blessing sung in Hebrew by a world-renowned Messianic worship leader. As I listened to this recording, the impact was far greater than anything I have ever experienced before. I am convinced it is because of the fullness of meaning hidden in the Hebrew words. We are missing the fullness of meaning of the only prayer in the entire Bible that G-D Himself wrote. We are not receiving the fullness of impartation because the English translation we have in our Bibles is lacking the power and anointing.

I began playing this recording of the prayer being sung in Hebrew over others and discovered that the supernatural impartation Rick had experienced was now accessible to everyone who desired it. With the prayer pronounced over others in the Hebrew-to-English translation G-D had given me and sung over others in Hebrew, it would affect them in an even greater way than Rick first received it.

A Remarkable Discovery

Swiss scientist Hans Jenny, born in 1904 in Basel, Switzerland, used a tonoscope to explore the effects of sound waves displaying patterns on sand and on other matter when played through piezoelectric amplifiers.

The remarkable thing he discovered was that the sound waves of the ancient Hebrew language reproduced and formed patterns in the sand close to the letters of the Hebrew being played through the tonoscope. Languages such as English, Greek, and French didn’t have the same effect.¹

In the Book of Genesis we are told that G-D spoke things into existence in the creation of the heavens and the earth, “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of [G-D] moved upon the face of the waters. And [G-D] said, Let there be light: and there was light” (Gen. 1:2–3, KJV).

The ancients believe that G-D (Elohim) spoke in the Hebrew language and its creative power supernaturally caused the heavens, the earth, and everything upon it to be formed. Not only does the Hebrew language contain multiple levels of meaning, but when it is spoken, proclaimed, or pronounced, the effects become tangible.

The Priestly Prayer of the Blessing in English is beautiful, but the intended power is lacking!

In English and Greek there are many abstract words. In Hebrew there are very few abstract words. There is a depth to the words in Hebrew that does not translate into the abstract language of English or other languages.

The Hebrew words not only deal with our intellect, but also with our five senses. In English the following words in italics are abstract:

What does it mean for G-D to bless us or to keep us? How does He make His face to shine upon us? What does it mean that He will be gracious to us? How can He lift His countenance upon us? What does it mean by peace? These are abstract words, and we need to understand the Hebrew meaning in order to truly grasp what this prayer expresses.

Hebrew words are not abstract; they are concrete, meaning they relate to the five senses. They do not just create head knowledge; instead they affect the mind, soul, spirit, and even the members of our body.

When we receive Yeshua, we receive Him in our hearts and spirits, not through our heads. It’s beyond an intellectual understanding of who He is. It’s about knowing the person of Yeshua in a personal and intimate way.

It is tragic today that we receive Yeshua into our hearts and in our spirits, but then we spend the rest of our lives trying to understand things with our minds.

But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law [Torah] within them and write it in their hearts; and I will be their [G-D], and they shall be My people.

—JEREMIAH 31:33

Concerning the old covenant, the children of Israel didn’t have the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) within as their teacher, their guide, and one who empowered them to walk in obedience to G-D’s commandments. Through the new covenant G-D helps us to understand His Torah (precepts, commandments, and revelation) and etches it onto our hearts. The abstract becomes experiential and concrete.

Every fiber of our being can be affected by the very person of the one true G-D of Israel—we don’t have to walk alone. The first and greatest commandment shares that we are to love (have a relationship with) G-D that affects every part of our being.

Hebrew thought is more concrete. This means in biblical Hebrew words are related to the five senses: sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch.

The goal is to receive these truths in our hearts, not just in our heads (Jer. 31:33).

Hebrew isn’t void of abstracts; however, the abstracts are related to something that is concrete. An abstract is something that cannot be experienced through the five senses.

The judgments of the LORD are . . . sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

—PSALM 19:9–10

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good . . .

—PSALM 34:8

Many times the teachings we read in books or hear being preached from the pulpit are dealing with abstract concepts of the Word of G-D. The teachings titillate us and may move us as we hear or read them, but they aren’t memorable. They’re like riding on a roller coaster. It was thrilling while we were on it, but we can’t remember what it truly was like because it didn’t have substance.

As a TV and film producer of inspirational programs and movies, I can truthfully say that I have heard many teachers and preachers who were quite engaging as I listened to their teachings. Yet, after they finished, I tried to remember what was the essential truth they were sharing, but I couldn’t recall it. I would ask others, and they would essentially communicate the same conclusion. We’d end up saying, “I guess I should buy their book or audio teaching to hear it again because as I was listening, it was so good.” The truth is that it was more experiential, titillating the soul and stimulating the mind, but it truly wasn’t transformational.

The apostle Paul, with the knowledge of his Jewish roots, talks about praying from the deepest part of your being!

When the enemy of our souls attacks us, often we sense emotional upheaval that manifests as a physical attack deep down below in our bellies. Paul refers to the “bowels of mercies” in Colossians 3:12 as the place of deep-seated emotion. G-D can be experienced in the deepest level of our beings.

Put on therefore, as the elect of [G-D], holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as the Messiah forgave you, so also do ye.

—COLOSSIANS 3:12–13, KJV

For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

—HEBREWS 5:13–14, NKJV

As a mature believer you don’t just have your mind trained to discern good and evil, but your senses have been exercised to discern the things of G-D. In other words, G-D can become so real to you that you can sense things as you drive in your car, enter a building, or hear someone talking. You may not have your Bible in front of you, but you can discern what is good and what is evil.

I remember attending a church service where many were deeply worshipping G-D. A woman came over to me and said, “Do you smell the roses?” At first I looked at her as if she were crazy. As I continued worshipping, suddenly I began to smell them too. I began questioning others around me, but they couldn’t smell them. Others I have known have their senses so exercised that they can smell evil. You might be questioning whether such things are possible, but that’s what Paul was referring to in the Scriptures.

The Greek mind-set deals with an intellectual pursuit of concepts and theology rather than how it affects the whole person—the mind, heart, soul, and strength.

Some people say you should not go by feelings at all, but only what the Word of G-D says. Yet the Holy Spirit can communicate to us through our emotions, which are beyond the intellect, but instead are tangibly experienced by us. We can sense when someone is sharing with us something that isn’t right. We can feel the presence of G-D when we worship. We can actually experience joy or sadness that the Lord Himself is allowing us to experience!

Those who have been born again have received the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22–23). Fruit is the tangible evidence that hangs on a tree that demonstrates to everyone what kind of tree it is. You can be told that you are looking at an apple tree, but if there is no fruit displayed, then a person has every right to question whether this is truthful or not. Fruit is the outward evidence that can be seen, heard, felt, smelled, and tasted.

Someone can say they have joy, but if they don’t, it will not be tangibly displayed for others to see. When you are going through a trial and you don’t sense the peace of G-D, or you are struggling in your walk, by all means read the Word of G-D and cling to the promises G-D has for you.

Don’t go by the negative feelings or by your emotions alone. If you are trying to make a decision that you feel good about, but it doesn’t line up with the Word of G-D, then trust the Word above any feelings.

But my main point is that G-D wants us to experience His goodness. The “fruit of the Spirit” mentioned in Galatians 5:22–23 is “love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control.” These are godly things that we can tangibly feel and experience. They are not just concepts. They are called “fruit” because they’re the tangible evidence that others can see through our witness.

If someone says to you that they love you, but you don’t feel that love or they are abusive to you, then you can be sure it isn’t love. Love is something you can define with words, but you can also sense in a tangible way. If someone says they have the “ joy of the Lord,” but in truth they are continually critical, angry, and depressed, then you can be sure they don’t have godly joy. Godly joy is something you can feel, even when the world around you is in turmoil.

The Hebrew language deals with the meaning of words and biblical concepts in the concrete, not just theoretical thinking. One of the main reasons Yeshua taught biblical concepts using parables was because these stories would help register and give meaning to these truths in a more practical way.

In the next chapter we will explore the first word we must understand in the prayer—the actual Hebrew name of the one true G-D of Israel. He has a name unlike any other name. There is power in His name. Those who are followers of the promised Jewish Messiah, Yeshua, understand that there is power in His name too. Yet Yeshua Himself talked a lot of the power in the name of His Father, the one true G-D of Israel.

KEYS TO THE BLESSING

The Hebrew language is unlike any other. Most languages deal primarily in the abstract, but Hebrew conveys the concrete—the five senses—and deals with the mind, the heart, the soul, and every member of our being.

STUDY QUESTIONS

What did scientist Hans Jenny discover about the ancient Hebrew language when he played it through the tonoscope?

Are we created to experience and actually feel the evidence of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, including love, joy, and peace, or are these merely abstract concepts in the Word of G-D?