Focus: The Blessing Of Benjamin

Text: Dt.33:12

"And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the LORD shall cover him all day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders."

Benjamin is the youngest son of Jacob, and it is time for Moses to bless him. First, Moses describes him as 'the beloved of the LORD.' In Gen.35:18, when he was born, Rachel his mother called him Benoni, which means 'the son of my sorrow,' because she had him under intense pain, the pain that finally claimed her life. But Jacob called him, Benjamin, which means, 'the son of my right hand.' The name implies Jacob's unique love for his youngest son. Both Joseph and Benjamin are loved by Jacob. The Scripture says, "Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours" (Gen.37:3). 

As a matter of fact, Jacob transferred all his love for Rachel and Joseph to Benjamin. Judah says to Joseph in Egypt, "We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father LOVETH him… The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die… And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave… Seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life" (Gen.44:20,22,29,30). Jacob's love for Benjamin is such that he can't live if for any reason Benjamin dies. Jacob sees Benjamin as the reason for his existence. It is like saying, 'Benjamin, you are the very reason I am still alive. If anything happens to you, I will die.' Jacob lives for Benjamin. Now it is interesting to know that Benjamin is both loved by Jacob and Yahweh. He is a child of privilege. He enjoys love from God and man. That is heavenly and earthly love. Benjamin lives in the comfort zone of divine and human love. He rests in the nest of love. He enjoys love's security.

Moses says, "The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him." Benjamin is safe with God. He enjoys the security of love and the safety of the Lord. In the Lord's love he is secure. In the Lord's hands he is safe. Benjamin's place is beside the Lord. No harm shall come near his dwelling place. Benjamin is the apple of God's eye. He is safe being where God is. Interestingly, Judah shares territory with Benjamin, and it is believed that the temple is situated or located within Benjamin's own territory. That is to say that Benjamin is home for God. God lives within his tribe. 

The believer's body is God's temple, and the Spirit dwells in him. The church is God's temple and the Lord is in the midst of her. The believer is in Christ, and Christ is in God. No one harms the believer without harming the Lord.

John says, "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God…" Thank you, Jesus!

Moses says, "The LORD shall cover him all day." Benjamin is encompassed, encircled, surrounded, and given adequate protection. He has nothing to fear. Yahweh cares for him. He operates under the covering of the Lord. He is never left alone. The Lord watches over him. Love protects. The Lord cares and secures His very own.

Moses says, "He shall dwell between his shoulders." Shoulders speak of strength. God is the believer's place of safety. Interestingly, Benjamin's portion falls between Judah and Joseph, two powerful men. In Judah is the sovereignty of God, and in Joseph is the sufficiency of God, and Benjamin enjoys the benefits and blessings of both worlds. He leans and rests securely on both shoulders. Enjoys the mountains of Moriah and Jerusalem.

Child of God, go nowhere, for Christ is enough for you. You are safe in the arms of Christ. Jesus says, "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand" (Jh.10:28). Nothing shall separate you from the love of God. Jude says, "Keep yourselves in the love of God…," and he goes on to say, "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 1:21,24). Finally, Peter says, "Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1Pet.1:5). "God is able to keep you," Jude says. You are kept by the power of God, Peter says. Keep yourself in the love of God, Jude instructs us. Everything God does for the believer is based on His love. All blessings flow from His love. His love provides for and protects us. The Christian life is a celebration of the love of God. Enjoy the blessings of divine love. God's love is your life.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter