Spiritual warfare

 Christ in all the scriptures

Spiritual warfare   Joshua chapter 1

The book of Joshua corresponds to the New Testament epistle to the Ephesians.  Believers today are no longer involved in land grab or physical warfare.  The conflict we face is spiritual, unseen, but nevertheless very real.  One division of the epistle has been given, based on Moses' words in Deuteronomy 1v8, "Behold I have set the land before you (corresponding to Ephesians 1-3), go in and possess the land...(corresponding to Ephesians 4-6).  This brings us into conflict with powerful enemies stated in Ephesians 6v10-13.  Unseen, yet very real enemies who will use every form of  deception to destroy our peace.  They cannot touch our relationship with God, but they can rob us of the enjoyment of spiritual life (the enjoyment of the land in O/T terms).  This section opens in Ephesians 6v10, "Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" and mirrors Joshua chapter 1, where four times over the people are advised "to be strong and of a good courage"-Joshua 1v6, v7, v9, and v18.

This brings us to a most important aspect of spiritual life today.  God did not redeem Israel from Egypt to leave them in a barren wilderness, but to possess "the land flowing with milk and honey", and enjoy its fruits.  However, there are enemies in the land that are too great for us, and we must rely on the strength of the Lord.  Thus we must adopt a war mentality while in this world as is evident throughout the New Testament.

The land equates to the "heavenly" places in Ephesians-1v3; 1v20; 2v6; 3v10; 6v12.  In that land there are spiritual riches that we can enjoy-1v7; 1v18; 2v4 and 2v7; 3v8; 3v16.  However, there are also the spiritual powers of wickedness, seeking to destroy our fellowship with God, and the enjoyment of our blessing.  So we must be aware, and alert to stand in the strength of the Lord.  As Paul says in Ephesians chapter 3v16, "That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man".   The conflict today is not of land or material things, but of spiritual riches for the enjoyment of the things of God.  We are reconciled to God according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1v7).  We are empowered by God to enjoy riches this world cannot supply, according to the riches of His glory (Ephesians 3v16-20).  The O/T land, in N/T terms, is not heaven, for in heaven there is no conflict.  The land is heaven upon earth for us to enjoy.

Spiritual life is not for the fainthearted, we need courage to possess our benefits now.  Paul writes to Timothy, his younger brother in Christ.   "This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare"-1st Timothy 1v18; again   "Thou therefore be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus...thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ..."-2nd Timothy 2v1-4.  The enemy is not the people around us but the unseen powers of spiritual wickedness with their false doctrines, and satanically inspired wicked ways.  We must not allow these to rob us of our Divine inheritance.

Joshua was told in chapter 1v3 how to possess the land, "Every place that the sole of your feet shall tread upon, that I have given unto you, as I said unto Moses".   To walk on it was to possess it, and Paul spells this out in Ephesians for us...walk on the land!

Walk worthy of the calling    Ephesians 4v1

Walk not as other Gentiles in the vanity of their mind   Ephesians 4v17

Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us   Ephesians 5v2

Walk as children of light  Ephesians 5v8

Walk circumspectly. not as fools but as wise   Ephesians 5v15

All this will demand strength and courage with the help of the Lord to possess the rich land. 

The conquest of Canaan

 Christ in all the scriptures

Joshua-the conquest of Canaan  (overview chapters 1-24)

The book is a record of the military conquest of Israel, led by Joshua, to take possession of the land of Canaan.  This was commanded by God to fulfil His covenant promise to Abraham (Genesis 12v1/3; 13v14/17; 15v18/21; again in Genesis 17v7/8; 22v2; 28v13; Deuteronomy 34v5; Joshua 1v2/4 etc. etc.).  Repeatedly, throughout their journeys, God re-iterated His promise of a land to a people who had spent over four centuries in exile, and, at that, in servile bondage.  In the book of Deuteronomy, alone, "the land" occurs more than 100 times.  When God makes a covenant, He will fulfil it regardless of the passage of time.  Centuries are as nothing to an eternal God, who transcends time.  For those who need to be persuaded today that this land belongs to Israel by Divine decree, they should consider that this covenant was made almost 4,000 years ago, is established by Divine power, and is recognised by most to be the home of Israel.

Now the time has come, Israel stand on the borders of the land and they are to take possession of it.  

Chapters 1-5       Preparation for conquest

Chapters 6-12     Possession of the land

Chapters 13-22   Process of land distribution

Chapters 23-24   Pastoring of the nation

There are many sceptics and infidels who will point to this book as evidence that religion causes wars.  They point out that the God of Israel commanded genocide on the Canaanites.  This is true, according to Deuteronomy 20v16/18 and other scriptures.  The Lord did command the extermination of the inhabitants of the land.  Horrified as some are, we must not judge the Lord by human standards.  There are two outstanding factors, if we are to fully understand the reality of this: 1) the unfettered  sovereignty of God, and 2) the unique suffering of God. 

The sovereignty of God

In a world devoid of absolutes, the God of heaven rules without question.  The angels of His presence never question or challenge Him, so why would mere mortals criticise His actions?God has a right to do whatever He pleases (Psalm 115v3).  If He chooses to be done with one people, no one can question it, or challenge it.  There are hundreds of thousands of deaths every single day, and it is God who gives life and it is God who takes it away.  He brought a flood on the world of the ungodly (Genesis 6/7; He destroyed the cities of the plain (Genesis 19).  Consider the following: Acts 17v24, "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth..."-refer also Acts 14v15.  Daniel the prophet declared, "...that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdoms of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will..."-Daniel 4v17.  Kingdoms rise and fall at His decree, and no one dare oppose it.

The suffering of God

The Canaanites were a depraved people, indulging in rank idolatry, ritual prostitution and child sacrifice, according to the historians.  God knew this would be their character, and pronounced a curse on Canaan, even before he was born (Genesis 9v25).  This was approx. 900 years before Joshua entered Canaan to effect the extermination.  In Genesis 15v13-16, at the covenant with Abraham, God declared that the seed of Abraham (Israel) would suffer affliction in Egypt for 400 years, but after that they would come out.  The reason He left them so long in bondage was given as, "Because the iniquity of the Amorite was not yet full".  The term Amorite refers to the descendants of  Canaan (refer Genesis 10v15-20).  Let us grasp what this is saying!  God knew 900 years before that Canaan would be a bad lot.  For 400 years he kept His people in bondage in Egypt to allow the iniquity of the Amorite to come to a head, to the point where God would no longer tolerate it.  When Joshua stood on the borders of Canaan, their time was up.  Centuries of iniquity, unacceptable to God, had been allowed to pass, and He would now act without mercy.  Truly He is a God who is slow to anger, who gave this nation time to repent, but they never did.  The time has now come to bring their depravity to an end.  He suffered long their ways, now it must end.

Joshua was commissioned by God to possess the land and exterminate the inhabitants (refer Exodus 23v25-33).  The land promised to Abraham and the forefathers would become the dwelling place of Israel, God's chosen people.

The link to Jesus is obvious...Joshua means "the salvation of Jehovah", and points to Jesus.  The name Jesus is from the Hebrew Jehoshua, meaning "Jehovah Saviour".  The story of Joshua is intertwined with the story of Jesus.  In fact Joshua did not fully possess the land, as is documented several times throughout the book.  What Joshua failed to do in one land, Jesus will do in all lands of the earth.  He will exterminate all evil and reign in righteousness, as Psalm 72, prophetically declares, "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth".

Our heavenly Joshua is coming to remove all evil from this world and usher in a new dawn, when His people can dwell in peace.

The home call of Moses

 Christ in all the scriptures

God calls His servant Moses home    Deuteronomy 34

He was the vice regent of Egypt; the man God commissioned at the burning bush; the powerful leader who released Israel from centuries of bondage; the lawgiver who established the Divine worship; the pastor/shepherd who led his people to the promised land; the prophet like no other who knew God face to face.

He is introduced at the end as, simply, "Moses the servant of the Lord".   That is as high an accolade that it gets, even the angels describe themselves as "fellow servants"-Rev. 22v9.

"So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord"-34v5.

His passing from this world was unique, just as his life was unique.  Famous world leader that he was, yet he was buried alone, without any human present at his burial.  We know that Satan was present, as was the archangel Michael, who "contended with the devil, disputing about the body of Moses"-Jude v9.  No doubt the devil wanted to make his passing public, to create some hero worship.  That is the way of the world who make gods of mere mortals.  The most powerful man, who ever lived in close communion with God, died alone, with no one present, and his burial site is unknown to this day.  Men have said, foolishly, that "you can judge a man by the number of people at his funeral" (I quote what was said several times in my hearing in church gatherings).  John the Baptist, of whom Jesus said, "Among them that are born of women there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist" (Matthew 11v11): his funeral was attended by a few disciples (Matthew 14v12).  Moses the greatest prophet and spiritual leader (Deuteronomy 34v10-12), was buried by the archangel with the devil in dispute.   And what about Jesus, who was lovingly taken by the hands from a Roman cross, by two godly men, and buried away from the public gaze.  No one but His loyal disciples would see Him, e'er He left this world for the glory of heaven.

The phrase used, "Moses died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord", deserves attention.  The word of the Lord is "the mouth of the Lord", and the Rabbis say this can stand the translation, "by the kiss of the Lord".  It seems God kissed him to sleep!  Verse 7 says, "Moses was an hundred and twenty years old, when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated".  He did not die of old age, nor of illness, He died by the kiss of the Lord.  The man who wrote in Psalm 90v10, that life expectancy was seventy years, and if by strength, eighty years, lived to 120!  He commenced service for God when the strongest people die.  God preserved him 40 years to serve Him, and when He took him it was by Divine caress!

His life is divided into three periods of 40 years: 40 years in the palace of Egypt learning the wisdom of Egypt; 40 years in the wilderness of Midian learning the ways of God; 40 years with the people of God learning the wonder of God.  As others have put it, he learned he was somebody; then he learned he was a nobody; then he learned God was everything who could do great things with nobodies.

He found God at Mount Horeb as he pastored sheep (Exodus 3v1).  He saw God on Mount Sinai as he led Israel to the promised land (Exodus 24v9-18).  He died by the mouth of the Lord on Pisgah, of Mount Nebo.  Moses lived his life in the heights and died there.  Great man, though he was, he was denied entry into the land, but was allowed to see it from the height of Pisgah.  This must have been a supernatural vision for there is no possible vision as described of the entire land even from Pisgah, 4,000 ft. up.  Something of the nature of the supernatural vision of Christ in the temptation scene in the wilderness must have taken place here.  Great man, though he was, he was not perfect, and his imperfection points only to the perfection of Christ who is the only One who can truly finish the work.  May we be suitably humbled by this!

Moses was great in his humility   He really longed to enter the promised land but the Lord denied it to him (Deuteronomy 3v24/26).  He did not question the Lord again, but, in obedience to His will, he walked silently to the top of Mount Nebo.  One word was enough for Moses who accepted God's command.  The Divine author notes that "the (noble) man, Moses, was very meek, above all the (ordinary) men which were upon the face of the earth"-Numbers 12v3.  This is in the context of family criticism.  So humble was he that he let the Lord speak for him.  When the Lord restrained him from entering the land, he obeyed without question.

Moses faith was great  

The details are in Hebrews 11v23-29.  He was born into a family of faith; when he came of age he relinquished the opportunity to be Pharoah over all Egypt.  He did so by choice, one which involved giving up a life of luxury and power.  This was because he esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.  He endured the affliction this brought to him by a permanent vision of the invisible God,  By faith he forsook Egypt and returned to keep the Passover, which freed his nation, then led the, through the Red Sea, miraculously parting the waves to cross to the Sinai desert.  This great man of faith led Israel for 40 years, tending to their needs, chiding them for failure, and suffering their criticism and rebellion for the space of 40 years, during all of which he was past the normal life expectancy.

Moses loyalty to God was great  Hebrews 3v3 records that "Moses was faithful in all God's house", a description that will surely challenge every one of us.  He spoke only the words of God.  He applied them in difficult situations, even those affecting his closest family.  God is faithful to us, we must ask, how does He view our loyalty to Him?  God attested to this in Numbers 12v7/8, He says "My servant Moses...with him I will speak face to face".  When Moses spoke, it was the direct words of God; he did not compromise for the sake of popularity.  

Moses foresight was great   He knew his time would come to an end, and he prepared and trained the young Joshua to continue the work.  Joshua was present at Sinai, and all the way through.  The spiritual baton was passed, and Joshua took over the work on the promise of God, that, "As I have been with Moses, so will I be with you"--Joshua 1v5.  

And so an amazing life ends, but he will be back.  He appeared in the transfiguration with Elijah, and they both shall return as untouchable witnesses during the time of Israel's greatest trouble (refer Revelation chapter 11).

The God of Jeshurun

 Christ in all the scriptures

The incomparable God of Jeshurun  Deuteronomy 33v26-29

"There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in His excellency on the sky.  The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee, and shall say, Destroy"-Deut. 33v26

The God of Jeshurun is the One true God who has made  a people upright before Him.  He does so by judicially, and positionally making them right with Himself.  He could only do this because of the blood of the Paschal Lamb sacrificed in Egypt.  The Lamb points to Christ, the Son of God, who was sacrificed for the sins of the world.  Israel were anything but morally perfect, but they were judiciously so by Divine grace.  In the course of time they will be morally so by His Divine power.  What other entity called God could redeem fallen humanity by His own sacrifice for their sins.  The world concept of God is of One superior, sovereign, majestic, making demands on lesser beings; one who is remote, transcendent, all powerful, capricious.  The God who makes human beings perfect in His sight by His own personal humiliation and sacrifice is greater than all.  To the worldly wise this is foolishness, but to those who are saved He is Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (1st Corinthians 1v24).  There is none like the God of Jeshurun!

Not only does He save them, He keeps them:

He rides on the heaven in their help   Moses uses poetic language to describe God's activity in the help of His people.  "He rides on the heavens".  the Psalmist pictures God on a chariot bestriding the extremities of the universe in the interests of His people, Psalm 68v4. "Extol Him that rideth upon the heavens (the desolate places-the extremities of the universe) by His name JAH, and rejoice before Him...".  There is not one cubic metre in all of space where He is not active to help His people in need, like the fatherless and the widows.

He rides in the majesty of His Person  As supreme ruler, creator and sustainer of all creation, He moves everywhere, is aware of all things, and He is active at all times.  He commands an innumerable host of angelic beings, which are at our help whenever we need Him.  All in existence, including the evil spirits who occupy space are subject to Him.  Let this wonder enthral us.

He is the refuge of all His people in the face of troubles   He is the eternal God, He has spanned all time and beyond,  He will be present and active forever.  Such an One is our refuge, the One to whom we can flee and rest when necessary'  We cannot fall so far down beyond the everlasting arms which hold us.  All those who oppose us has God to deal with.  God's righteous people enjoy the ultimate security.  Refuge can be translated "dwelling place"-a place where they live (as in Psalm 90v1, "Lord thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations").

He has no comparison in all existence.  His people are the most privileged on earth.  God is their helper, their home, and their warrior.  C. H. Spurgeon put it like this, "He is around them (eternally present); He goes before them (in battle); and He is underneath them when they fall (the everlasting arms).

"Israel then shall dwell in safety alone; the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew."  Deut. 33v28

Unlike the present situation, when Israel (for the most part) is in denial of Jesus as Messiah, in the day when they repent and turn to the Lord, they shall dwell in safety, without outside help: they will be secure, and also sustained with the best of food and drink, and thrive with the dew of the heavens watering and enhancing their produce.  Genesis 27v28 defines the function of the dew from heaven as that which produces "the fatness of earth and the abundance of corn and wine".  Not only are they secure but they are sustained in the best that earth can provide.

"Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee?, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency, and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread their high places?" Deut. 33v29

They are secured; they are sustained; and they are satisfied!  They are a people like no other people, just as their God is like no other God.  They are happy, safe, saved by the Lord, defended, victorious, and prosperous.  Everything that men on earth strive for (but never achieve) will be theirs through simple faith in the glorious God of Jeshurun!  Scripture goes on to reveal that through their temporary fall, salvation will come to the nations, which, as we know is now a blessed fact!  They (Israel) will return one day in numbers, and the blessings of scripture will follow, and will usher in a period of prosperity, never seen before in all history.  The best is yet to come for the faithful.  Until then, the Lord bless you all in your corner of the world that is about to change forever!!

The twelve tribes part 2

 Christ in all the scriptures

Continued blessings of the twelve tribes    Deuteronomy 33v13-25

Joseph   v13-17   "And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the Lord be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath". 

The most space is devoted to Joseph, and the blessing is ultimately given to his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (v17).   Numerically, the sons of Joseph were larger than any of the other ten tribes, and their land mass was also greater.  The blessings are of the land, referring to rain from heaven, dew on the ground, and springs of water underneath, producing unlimited fruit and grain.  How fitting it is that Joseph, who supplied bread to the nations in a time of famine, should be blessed by providing food for his own people!  In this he symbolises Christ who is the "true bread from heaven" (John 6v32); "the bread of God which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world " (John 6v33); "the bread of life" (John 6v35 and v48); "the living bread which came down from heaven" (John 6v51) .  This is amazing enough in material terms, but when applied to spiritual life is even greater.  According to v17 the influence of the sons of Joseph will be majestic (his glory like the firstling of the bullock- the highest form of land animal for food); they will be powerful and will extend their authority to the ends of the earth ("horns like the horns of unicorns; with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth"),  This confirms Jacob's prophecy on Joseph (Genesis 49v22) that his fruitfulness would extend beyond the borders of Israel.  Ephraim would be the more powerful of the two tribes.

Zebulon and Issachar   v18/19  "And of Zebulon he said Rejoice, Zebulon in thy going out; and Issachar, in thy tents.  They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas; and of the treasures hid in the sand". 

Zebulon and Issachar are called to rejoice, and they will have cause to rejoice, because the Lord will prosper them in their trade,  Zebulon will be seafaring traders, and outgoing in character; Issachar will be tent dwellers working the land (refer Genesis 49v13-15).  They both had the same mother and dwelt in close union.  Zebulon is predicted to attract foreigners away from idolatry to worship the true God and they will enjoy the "abundance of the seas, and the treasures hid in in the sand".  It is thought that Zebulon traded in the produce of shellfish, notably the purple dye used in fine clothing;  also they used the sand to make glass products for all.  There is no evidence in biblical history that this kind of prosperity was ever achieved, but today the Port of Haifa, on the coast of Zebulon and Issachar, has become an important maritime hub for export yielding great riches for Israel.  This modern fulfilment of predicted riches underlines the veracity of Divine decrees spanning centuries of time.  Haifa is Israel's largest seaport, handling an estimated 30 million tons of cargo each year and employing many people.  No wonder they were called to rejoice!  Well might our faith be strengthened as we consider that God's plans for Israel transcend the ages of time!

Gad  v20/21  "And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head.  And he provided the first part for himself, because, there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the judgment of the Lord, and His judgments with Israel".

The Gadites were a fierce people in combat, who, when invaded, overcame their enemies (Genesis 49v19).  Moses refer to the one who would enlarge Gad, presumably in land mass and population.  Only the Lord can do this, and Gad became defenders on the east border of Israel, as well as fighting the cause of all the tribes in their conflicts.  1st Chronicles 12v8 confirms this, "And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David in the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains".  The Lord blessed them who were prepared to war for the national cause.  He describes them as lions, (or more accurate as lionesses) who sought and obtained provision and security for their tribe.  They became the most loyal and dependable of all the tribes, who exercised justice and judgment in Israel.  Gad would be an overcomer, a noble achievement in the face of adversity.  The same was said of our Lord who "overcame the world" (John 16v33), and of the churches in Revelation 2/3.  Paul wrote of true believers in Romans 8v37, "...in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us".

Dan  v22  "And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion's whelp: he shall leap from Bashan".

Jacob predicted that Dan would judge his people, a possible reference to Samson who judged Israel in opposition to the Philistines.  Little else is recorded of Dan, save that he abandoned the strip of land allotted to him in the south west.  Instead he invaded Laish in the north, and settled there.  Perhaps the reference "he shall leap from Bashan" alludes to this.  Little of a complimentary nature is reported of him, and little is said of him.  His father said he would be "a serpent by the way", one who not only went astray but was troublesome to others.  What we do know is that he is omitted from the list of tribes in the end times.  He fell into idolatry and practiced it publicly.  This is a sharp reminder of the potential to apostasy amongst God's people.  There are those posing as the people of God, but their lives deny it.  Unlike Gad, Dan succumbed to their enemies and migrated north, leading to rank idolatry and ultimate spiritual failure.

Naphtali   v23  "O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full of the blessing of the Lord: possess thou the west and the south". 

Naphtali means "my wrestling" and refers to the struggles of life.  In no one is this more illustrated than Christ in His life and death on earth.   Jacob said "Naphtali is a hind let loose; he giveth goodly words"-Genesis 49v21; apparently a better rendering is "Naphtali is a hind (deer) let loose who spawns beautiful fawns".  In Psalm 22, in the title, reference is made to Aijeleth Shahar, which means "hind of the dawn".  The picture is of the hind which has struggled all night to escape predators, and is set free to leap and dance in freedom when the dawn comes.  Naphtali, being the most northerly of the tribes, was always first to be attacked by the marauding neighbours, and knew endless struggles.  She will be set free in a picture of the resurrection of Christ.  A study of Psalm 22 presents this twin picture of Christ's trauma on the cross (Psalm 22v1-21) and His triumph in resurrection (Psalm 22v22-31).  Moses depicts Naphtali as "satisfied and full of the blessing of the Lord".  She shall possess the west and south of her allotted territory without fear of her enemies.

Asher  v24/25  "let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil.  Thy shoes shall be of brass and iron; and as thy days so shall thy strength be".

Asher means happy or blessed, and is a synonym for the well being of the whole nation.  Moses predicts their posterity (blessed with children); their popularity (acceptable to his brethren); and prosperity (he shall dip his foot in oil- a reference to the olive trees in abundance in their land).  Together with Genesis 49v20 this blessing indicates prosperity and abundance as well as national unity.  Wealth, fertility and favour marked the tribe of Asher.  Their allotted territory, described in Joshua 19v24-31, was known for its rich soil, olive oil, and agricultural abundance.  What a lovely picture of a community of God's people!

And so each tribe was named and blessed, and their corporate significance to the entire world is evident, and will be more so in the future,  God said to Abraham in Genesis 12v2-3, "And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed".  Genesis 17v6, "And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee; Genesis 18v18, "Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him"; Genesis 22v18, "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice".

It was Israel who brought Christ to the world (Romans 9v5); it is Israel who will rule the world through Christ (Revelation 14v1 and others).  All today who oppose Israel are opposing God, and there is only one outcome to that.  

 

  

The twelve tribes

 Christ in all the scriptures

The blessings of the twelve tribes   Deuteronomy 33v6-25

A few observations:

Talk of "lost tribes" is devoid of wisdom.  Scriptures, to the end, establish the twelve tribes as a permanent entity.  James writes to "the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad"-James 1v1.  Scattered they may be at present, but they will be gathered by Divine power, and they will reign over the earth in the future-Matthew 24v31; Romans 11v12; Deuteronomy 28v1 etc.  They become powerful witnesses in a day yet future-Revelation 7v1-8.  Their names are on the 12 gates of the city, the New Jerusalem-Revelation 21v12.

There are times some names are omitted for disciplinary reasons, and the order in which they appear can change.  The tribe of Simeon is omitted in this chapter.  They were part of the couple of tribes Simeon and Levi, who committed the atrocity against the people of Shechem, one of whom had defiled their sister.  The comment by their father Jacob in Genesis 49 was, "Cursed be their anger for it was fierce, and their wrath that it was cruel".  He described them as "instruments of cruelty in their habitations".  Scripture is clear that "The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God".  Angry men are not used by God. Levi repented and were reinstated for their loyalty to serve as priests, but they were denied land inheritance in Israel.  Simeon remained vengeful and were diminished, ultimately being joined to Judah.  Their numbers declined from 59,300 men of war in Numbers 1, to 22,200 in Numbers 26, almost 40 years later.  However in the future, according to Revelation chapter 7, they are included in the list of tribes witnessing for God.  Earthly failure does not mean ultimate loss.

A comparison between Genesis 49 and Deuteronomy 33 reveals the following:

Genesis 49 is by a father to his sons: Deuteronomy 33 is by a spiritual leader to the tribes.

Genesis 49 is prophetic in nature and predicts good and bad: Deuteronomy 33 is prayerful in nature and promises only good.

The predictions and prayers are, and will be, fulfilled to the letter.  An Omniscient God, knows all things, and He is also Omnipotent to secure their future.  He is the God of Covenant promise, and nothing and no one can alter His decrees.

God's blessing does not assume freedom from problems, nor does it preclude the blessed from personal responsibility.  What it does is overcome problems and inspires holiness.  The failures of men are in contrast to the perfections of Christ the Messiah.

Reuben  v6 "Let Reuben live and not die; and let not his men be few".  Reuben was firstborn in Israel who disgraced his father (Genesis 49).  This gave him authority and influence over the twelve tribes, but he lost that status.  Christ is firstborn in all creation (Colossians 1v15) and in the Church (Colossians 1v18 with Romans 8v29), He glorified His Father.  Reuben will survive, rather than thrive.  Christ presides over numberless saints with unfettered authority....Psalm 89v27, "I will make Him my first born higher than the kings of the earth".  The lesson of Reuben is that past failure does not negate future mercy, for Divine mercy in Christ is complete.  

Judah  v7  "Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies".  

Judah is promoted above Reuben (Genesis 49 and Revelation 7v5) and is given the sceptre and the staff (symbolic of spiritual rule-Genesis 49v10) until Shiloh come (Christ the Messiah-literally "He whose right it is to rule").  It was out of Judah Christ came (Hebrews 7v14) and when He comes again He will reign supreme.  Judah means praise and Moses calls on the Lord to hear the praise of His people, to make provision for their needs and to protect them from their enemies.  Judah will prosper and overcome all enemies.  Christ is the "Lion of Judah, the Root of David" who will open the seven seals of Judgment on a rebellious world-Revelation 5v5

Levi  v8-11  "...Bless, Lord, his substance, and accept the work of his hands: smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again".

Jacob cursed the brutality of Simeon and Levi, and the Lord separated them.  However Levi recovered and stood for God in the matter of the golden calf in Exodus 32v25-28.  This they did in the sight of all Israel and the Lord rewarded them with priestly and support roles.  They alone were in close relationship with God (the Urim and Thummim, God made the "covenant of Levi" as promotion and recognition (refer Malachi2v5/8, "My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.  The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.  For the priests lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts").  The Levites became teachers of God's law, and officiators of the sacrificial offerings, a status of great honour and of responsibility.  This honour points to the priesthood of Christ who is of a superior order (that of Melchisedek) who presides over the teaching and worshipful service of all His people.

Benjamin  v12 "And of Benjamin he said, the beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him, and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between His shoulders".

Benjamin was Jacob's youngest son, born to his beloved  Rachel, who died giving birth.  Before her death, she named him Benoni (son of my sorrow); Jacob named him Benjamin (son of my right hand)  Thus Benjamin always held a special place in Jacob's heart, and the rest of the brothers adored and protected him.  He was beloved of the family, and also beloved of the Lord.  All this points to Christ who was beloved of the Father God-at His baptism, Matthew 3v17; Mark 1v11; Luke 3v22: on the mount of transfiguration, Matthew 17v5; Mark 9v7; Luke 9v35.  Believers today are "accepted in the beloved"-Ephesians 1v6; in Colossians 1v13, we are translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son (the Son of His love).  God loves many people but His special love is for His Son, and we are blessed in Him.  A special Son has a special place, and Christ fulfils the true meaning of Benjamin (Son of the right hand).  

Hebrews 1v3, "...when He had by Himself purged our sins (Benoni son of my sorrow) sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Benjamin, son of my right hand).

Colossians 3v1 "...above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God".

Ephesians 1v20, "Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavens".

Hebrews 8v1, "We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens".

Hebrews 12v2, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of faith; who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God".

The change from his father Jacob's description in Genesis 49v27 is remarkable.  There Jacob characterised him as a predatory wolf, and a relentless operator (day and night activity).  A similar trait is painted of Paul the apostle, who came from Benjamin in his unconverted days.  Acts 9v1 records "And Saul, yet breathing out threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord..."; 1st Timothy 1v13, "Who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor, and injurious, but I obtained mercy , because I did it ignorantly and in unbelief". This is the same man who travelled land and sea, giving up a lucrative lifestyle to serve the Lord amongst His people.  Benjamin was the smallest tribe, yet out of them notable characters emerged: like Ehud, the left handed judge of Israel who delivered them from slavery to Eglon king of Moab (Judges 3v12-30; Saul the first king of Israel, strong in military prowess, yet who never seemed able to cast off his family trait (1st Samuel 9 onwards; Esther and Mordecai, who played a prominent role in Israel's release from foreign exile (the book of Esther); and Paul who wrote most of the New Testament epistles, and whose writings are authoritative even now.

The Divine view of Benjamin is given in this chapter; "The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him...".   All God's believing people are beloved of the Lord-refer Romans 1v7; Colossians 3v12; 1st John 3v1.  Intimacy with God and security from God are the twin thoughts here.  "...and the Lord shall cover him all the day long...".  Cover is surrounded, shielded, protected every hour of the day.  Beloved, are we aware of this Divine presence with us daily??  "...and he shall dwell between His shoulders".  The shoulders are symbolic of strength, and we are carried by Him, particularly when our strength is weak.  Remember the cameo in Luke 15v4/5; He found the lost sheep and carried it upon His shoulders.  Those strong shoulders of Christ is the resting place for every saint.  We recall Isaiah 9v6, where it says, "...and the government shall be upon His shoulder!"  The government of the whole world will be on His one shoulder; until then His people shall dwell between His shoulders.

To be continued.....

  

Divine blessings on the tribes of Israel

 Christ in all the scriptures

Blessed is the state of ultimate well being

As a young believer, growing up in a church community, and learning the ways of God, I was frustrated by biblical words which I did not understand, and no one explaining their meaning. Words like justification, redemption, reconciliation, predestination etc. were obviously wonderful words, but they were lost on me for the first decade of my spiritual life.  Knowing church culture as I do, it is no different today, and there is a need to illuminate the minds of believers as to the amazing meaning of these things, and the wonder of what we have been given.  It is fruitless to be parroting words with no understanding.  For this reason I want to preface the study of the blessings upon Israel in Deuteronomy 33v6-25 by considering the marvellous scriptural meaning of the word blessed. 

It is good for us to understand the depth of meaning of a word which is at the centre and circumference of Divine revelation.  We begin by focusing on the root words used, of which there are a number of variations.  The Hebrew word Barak occurs 330 times in O/T scripture and the Greek Makarios at least 50 times in N/T.  Furthermore , the first reference is in Genesis 1, the first chapter of the bible, and the final reference is in Revelation 22, the last chapter.  In the central book of the bible, the Psalms (Psalm 117 is the very centre in terms of chapters), there are over 100 references.  Psalm 1 begins with God blessing man, and Psalm 150 ends with man blessing God.

The root meaning of Barak is to kneel; it is a bestowal of Divine favour which causes us to bow the knee in humble adoration.  

The root meaning of Makarios is to enlarge or lengthen; it describes the favour of God which has increased our persona in the universe.  A kindred word Eulogetes which means "to speak well of" occurs 8 times in N/T.

Taken together, such is the favour of God upon us, it has both humbled us and exalted us to a new position entirely.  Blessing is conferred upon us beyond anything we have or are naturally.  When God blesses us, He extends His benefits to us, He enlarges His mercy toward us.  There is nothing small minded about God's grace to us, He enlarges us, He enriches us, He prospers us spiritually.  When Jesus uttered the Beatitudes in Matthew 5, He was not saying this is what you must do to be blessed, He was saying this is what you are because you are blessed!  Perhaps we should re read these blessings with this new perspective.  The Amplified version, translating Matthew 5v3, in attempting to extract the full meaning of Makarios, puts it like this, "Blessed (Happy, to be envied,, and spiritually prosperous-with life joy and satisfaction in God's favour and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven".   Biblical scholars are agreed that this word can stand the translation, "Congratulations!" 

"Got questions.org" puts this in a lovely way: "the blessedness Jesus speaks of, rather than being a fleeting, transient, happiness, is a deep, abiding, unshakeable joy, rooted in the assurance of God's blessing in the present and in the future.  Life in the kingdom is one of profound joy and inner well being that no person or circumstance can take away.  They represent a counterculture, exhibiting values not welcomed by the world at large, but gladly embraced by every follower of Jesus Christ".

Blessing in scripture means Divine grace and favour bestowed upon mortals.  It is the state of ultimate well being, in contrast to cursing which is the permanent cessation of well being.  It also presumes the return of human blessing to the Divine as the fruit of reconciliation.  To be honoured by an earthly dignitary, or institution is sought after by not a few.  To be honoured by the Majesty of Heaven is the highest dignity we can possess.  This we have by simple and real faith in Christ.  It is important we fully understand how privileged and honoured we are as the recipients of Divine grace.  All this and more is intrinsic to the biblical word blessed.  Congratulations to all reading this who are blessed of God.  You have a status greater than you could ever imagine.  Even the angels of heaven will call you a fellow servant of the great God (Revelation 22v9).

This blessing does not presume the absence of worldly problems as the Beatitudes suggest.  There we read of humility, mourning, hunger and thirst within; also persecution from without in Matthew 5v3-12.  All these may come in abundance, but nothing can diminish the grace of God lavished on us, or the indescribable glory of the future.

The creation took place in the context of Divine blessing.  Everything was made to perfection, and He pronounced all good in Genesis 1v10; v12; v18;and all very good in v31.  In verse 28 He blessed the man and the woman and gave them dominion over all the work of His hands.  It was not until the fall of man in Genesis 3 that God pronounced a curse on the earth and all its inhabitants.   Fellowship with God brings blessing (ultimate well being that lasts forever): rebellion brings Divine curse that is irreversible.  Israel were taught the ways of blessing, and the ways of cursing, and God is the final arbiter. True belief in the Saviour brings God's approval in limitless favour: sham religion brings only the curse of God.  The 8 blessings of Matthew 5 (if we take the two relating to persecution as one) are in sharp contrast to the 8 woes of Matthew 23.  Examples of classic declarations of blessing in scripture are as follows: 

Genesis 12v2/3, God to Abraham, "And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee, and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed".

Ephesians1v3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with (better "in") every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ".

And on a personal level, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile"-Psalm 32v1/2.

Blessing in scripture means Divine favour bestowed on us from above that changes our destiny and character forever.  May we all live in the good of it, and the best is yet to come.