JOSEPH #77 | JOSEPH IN EGYPT #59 | LAST WORDS OF JACOB #48

Pastor Christopher Choo

Lesson 3673

JOSEPH #77

JOSEPH IN EGYPT #59
LAST WORDS OF JACOB #48

13. BENJAMIN #11

BENJAMIN: CATALYST FOR RECONCILIATIONB#8

EPHRAIM, MANASSEH AND BENJAMIN#2

EPHRAIM'S ENSIGN OF AN OX

Benjamin's ensign was a wolf. But a wolf hunts in packs. As he humbly submitted to his nephew Ephraim's leadership as partners in ministry, he came under the authority of Ephraim's ensign: the ox.

As the scriptures inform us,  Ephraim, on the west side, was given the ensign of an ox, an animal of service and submission, yet strong and able to bear a load.

The Ox (Ephraim) represents Jesus’ submission to God and service to man. Jesus came to minister according to His Father’s will and He alone was strong enough to bear the weight of man’s sin.

The flag of Ephraim was in accordance with God's command as recorded in Deuteronomy 33:17  that "His firstborn is his ox". Some take this as a reference to Joshua who was from the tribe of Ephraim. In addition, although Ephrain was the younger brother to Manasseh, he was considered the senior tribe, and Genesis 49 calls Joseph an ox as well. 

Even on the flag of Menasseh was drawn a re'em (a sort of wild ox) as it is written in Deuteronomy  "And the horns of the re'em will be [as] his horn." Some commentators think this refers to Gideon son of Joash who was from the tribe of Menasseh.

Thus each tribe had its own flag that is always displayed—when it went into battle, or when it was at peace; when it was traveling, or when it was in an encampment. 

The colors of each flag matched the colors of the stones that were set in the breastplate of the presiding High Priest, e.g.

Benjamin’s flag had the colors of all the other tribes’ flags just like his chosen stone of Jasper. 

What is our spiritual lesson today?

To be a great leader one has to learn like Benjamin the meaning of true submission.

Submission is not grudging and servile obedience. It is " to lend one's strength to another, to yield " which - like the ministry of giving - augments one's strength of character in return.

The Servant Spirit is best exemplified by the gospel of Mark out of the four gospels - which is symbolised in Christian art as a bull. Thus the suffering servant in Mark is likened to the Ox of the camp of Ephraim.

And who else but Jesus can claim this title of the Suffering Servant on our behalf in both Old and New Testaments?

As Mark wrote of our Lord in Mark 10.45:

"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”