Does God Want His Children to Be Blessed?

The Bible demonstrates that God blesses His followers with material blessings. God gave Adam the very best (Genesis 2:8-14), blessed Abraham and because of this blessing, Abraham became very wealthy (Genesis 13:2), God blessed Isaac (Genesis 26:12-14), Jacob (Genesis 30:43), Joseph (Genesis 39:2-6; 41:41-43), enriched Solomon (1 Kings 3:13; 10:14-29), and blessed Job (Job 42:10-17).

God gives believers the power to get wealth. “Remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant…” (Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV). God promised physical blessing to Israel for obedience (Deuteronomy 28:1-14), and promised a multitude of curses if they disobeyed (Deuteronomy 28:15-68).

God promised Joshua, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8 NIV).

To the righteous, the Psalmist promises, “whatever they do prospers” (Psalm 1:3 NIV). The Lord “has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant” (Psalm 35:27 NKJV).

Those who fear the Lord will be blessed with wealth and riches. “Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands. Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever” (Psalm 112:1-3 NIV).

The righteous man will receive blessings and prosperity and his family will be blessed. “Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the Lord” (Psalm 128:1-4 NIV). “The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it” (Proverbs 10:22 NIV).

Jehoshaphat promised the Israelites, “…Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful” (2 Chronicles 20:20 NIV). When the Jews were rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem, Nehemiah promised them, “the God of heaven will give us success” (Nehemiah 2:20 NIV). Many of these promises of material wealth are from the Old Testament, but there is no reason to suppose they do not equally apply to those under the New Covenant which is supposed to be an even better covenant (Hebrews 8:6).