JOSEPH #75 | JOSEPH IN EGYPT #57 | LAST WORDS OF JACOB #46
Pastor Christopher Choo
Lesson 3671
JOSEPH #75
JOSEPH IN EGYPT #57
LAST WORDS OF JACOB #46
13. BENJAMIN #9
BENJAMIN: CATALYST FOR RECONCILIATION #6
BENJAMIN'S STONE: JASPER #2
The Tribe of Benjamin was ultimately assimilated into Judah - the only tribe that remained faithful to Judah's destiny to father the Messiah.
But Benjamin was still linked to the other tribes - just like his chosen stone Jasper ( or Yashfeh in Hebrew ) which contained all the colors of the other stones in spite of its reddish coloring.
This is a wonderful example of the “last shall be first.” for the Benjamites though apparently small and insignificant in numbers remained behind the scene to champion the Messianic cause of Judah throughout the ages.
Even in the Babylonian captivity and the later Persian takeover, the tribe of Benjamin was prominent. As we studied yesterday:
1. Benjamin did not bow to Esau.
2. Ehud a Benjamite was a Judge raised by God in Israel's dark ages.
3. Mordecai a Benjamite in Persia did not bow before Haman who had the fratricidal spirit of Esau his ancestor.
3. Yet it was Paul the most famous Benjamite in the New Testament who finally bridged the enmity between the two brothers ( Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob ) with the gospel of Christ between Jews and Gentiles ( even the Esaus ) when he revealed the One New Man - who is neither Jew nor Gentile but a New Creation in Christ.
No wonder in the New Jerusalem, Benjamin is honoured to be called a foundation stone just as Jesus is our foundation stone.
The first foundation stone was JASPER; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
( Revelation 21:10-11; 18-20)
Today's lesson is not to despise the day of small beginnings.
The tribe of Benjamin though small in origin ultimately became most prominent.
For the gospel which Paul helped to shape and make clear is the offensive peace that breaks down every wall of division.
To be sure the walls of hatred and racism between brothers are still there. But the antidote is there too - the solution to fratricidal sin that started outside the Garden of Eden when Cain killed his brother Abel whose blood cursed the ground we stand in with cries of vengeance.
Indeed Jesus is the Messiah of the whole world, the Prince of Peace.
Until His gospel takes hold in the mindsets of humanity, there can be no lasting peace. For only He can reverse curses and counter the Esau Spirit with the disarming gospel of peace and goodwill towards all men.
