Israel’s Prophecy for Benjamin

Israel’s Prophecy for Benjamin

Genesis 49:  ²⁷ “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
In the morning he shall devour the prey,
And at night he shall divide the spoil.”

 

²⁸ All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them. And he blessed them; he blessed each one according to his own blessing.

 

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Benjamin was the twelfth son of Jacob and the second son of Rachel, the one Jacob loved. Rachel had a difficult child labor with Benjamin and named him Ben-Oni “Son of my Trouble.” But Jacob renamed him Benjamin, “Son of my right hand.”  Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin.

 

My Observations:

• Benjamin did not grow up with a mother figure in his life.
• Israel recognized that Benjamin had valor as a warrior and disgrace.
• Benjamin was significantly younger than his brothers and may not have shared as much hatred of Joseph, but he went along with them.

 

This is the final blessing of Israel. The tribe of Benjamin would end up small. At one point, all of the tribes would turn against this tribe in a civil war. The warriors that came from the tribe of Benjamin were known for being fierce and cruel. This aligned with Israel’s prophecy of Benjamin.

 

Famous people came from the tribe of Benjamin. Saul, Israel’s first king and Saul, otherwise known as Paul, came from the tribe of Benjamin. Paul even says he was a Pharisee of Pharisees from the tribe of Benjamin.

 

Saul, the king, was a fierce warrior who pursued David to kill him. Saul of Tarshish, pursued those who believed in CHRIST to kill them. Both Sauls showed their fierce roots from Benjamin. BUT GOD has Benjamin’s name in the book of Revelation and on a gate in heaven. This shows GOD’s mercy.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about Benjamin’s blessing from Israel?
• Are there parts of you that seem fierce?
• Can you praise GOD for HIS grace and for overlooking what you have done in the past?

Nations and People Groups 1 of 6

 Nations and People Groups 1 of 6

Genesis 10: Now this is the genealogy of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And sons were born to them after the flood.

 

² The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. ³ The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. ⁴ The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. ⁵ From these the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.

 

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GOD turned his conversation away from what happened to “who” started a nation or a people group. As GOD is presenting the information to Moses, HE describes the division of thought and from “who” the division derived.

 

My Observations:

• Japeth was the oldest son of Noah, who had sons that started nations that would be mentioned.
• GOD saw Japeth’s sons and kept HIS promise of not flooding the earth.
• GOD knew some of Japeth’s sons would become difficult rulers, and HE did not flood the earth.

 

Human logic contains sin that blinds us from understanding why GOD does what HE does. HE allowed groups of people to grow in disbelief of HIM and HIS ways. Each group of people formed their own language, probably to communicate ways to fight or hate each other.

 

At first one would see a list of names, but this list was more than a trace of parents, rather it was the beginning of divisions of people who would choose GOD or fight against HIM. Fortunately, GOD had a plan that could not be stopped. HE would raise a Savior out of the sons of Noah.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD switch to telling Moses about nations and people groups?
• Have you ever wanted to belong to a group to fit in?
• Is your fight against other people in line with HIS command to “Love one another?”