THE BENJAMIN COMPANY (US) IS VERY SPECIAL
02-07-10
(Gen 37:1,2) And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan [Heb: humiliated; Kenaan, a son of Ham]. These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph [Heb: let him add, adding], being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives [Leah is omitted, and Rachael is dead]: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
1. Commentary: Preceding his son Joseph, Jacob had ten sons who became ten of the Hebrew tribes, and a daughter named Dinah (Heb: justice). After Dinah was born, Jacob [Heb: heel-catcher (i.e. supplanter)] received a name change into Israel [Heb: he will rule as God, prince with God]. Then Israel had the eleventh and twelfth sons by his previously barren wife Rachael (Heb: an ewe: sheep), the wife whom he dearly loved.
2. Commentary: Rachel’s first son was named Joseph who seems the only perfect type of Jesus Christ in the Bible, or at least the most perfect type. And then, after his conversion indicated by his name change (Gen 32:28) from Jacob, who was essentially a man of deceitful character, into Israel, who was essentially a man of righteous character, Israel [Heb: he will rule as God, prince with God] had his only son, the twelfth son (tribe) by Rachael. Israel named this son Benjamin (Heb: son of the right hand) (Gen 35:18). This last son Benjamin was uniquely the only son fathered by converted Israel. In type and fact, prior to the conception of Benjamin, the Holy Spirit of God had come upon Israel as He later did come upon Mary in the New Testament.
3. Commentary: Benjamin is the younger brother to Joseph (Jesus Christ), and Benjamin is the only full-blooded brother to Joseph (Jesus Christ); as such, Benjamin in Scripture represents us, born-again Christians, the progeny of Jesus Christ in a spiritual sense. We are the Benjamin company, who later aligned with the tribe of Judah against the ten northern tribes who fell into apostasy epitomized by their worship of “the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan” (2 Kin 10:29 & 2 Chr 13:8, which hearkened back to Exo 32:1-7). Benjamin followed Joseph in birth. You and I are the antitype (fulfillment) of the Benjamin company following Jesus Christ.
SPECIAL BENJAMIN RECEIVED FIVE MESSES
(Gen 43:26-31) And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth. And he asked them [through an Egyptian to Hebrew interpreter] of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive? And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son. And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there. And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread [symbolically, the Word of God issuing forth from Jesus Christ (Joseph)].
(Gen 43:32-34) And they set on for him [Joseph] by himself, and for them [the Hebrews] by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. And they [the Hebrews] sat before him [Joseph], the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another. And he [Joseph] took and sent messes [food, bread] unto them [the Hebrews only] from before him [“When portions were served to them from Joseph's table” NIV]: but Benjamin's mess [of Joseph’s bread, i.e., the Word of God] was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.
SPECIAL BENJAMIN RECEIVED FIVE CHANGES OF RAIMENT
(one for each office)
(Gen 45:19-22) Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons [which “were not used in Canaan at this time” Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible] out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours. And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh [who is symbolically God, or certainly acting out the Sovereign Will of God], and gave them provision for the way. To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment.
1. Commentary: “wagons” = Hints: wagons have wheels. There may be a tremendous mind-shattering extra-terrestrial revelation hidden in this word and these few verses.
2. Commentary: God made provision of food (five messes) and of clothing (five changes of raiment) for the Benjamin company, because the Benjamin company is the agent and the Hand of God in this world today. We may know them by their offices: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers.
3. Commentary: The three hundred pieces of silver represent complete (and sufficient) “redemption power,” exemplified by Gideon’s redeemed army of 300 victorious and undefeatable men filled with the Holy Spirit: shepherds, combat soldiers, front-line-troops as differentiated from support troops.
THE OFFICES OF BENJAMIN IN GRACE
(Eph 4:8-13) Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
1. “For the perfecting of the saints”
2. “for the work of the ministry”
3. “for the edifying of the body of Christ”
- “till we all come in the unity of the faith”
- “and of the knowledge of the Son of God”
- “unto a perfect man”
- “unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ”
ISRAEL’S PROPHESY OF BENJAMIN IN JUDGMENT
(Gen 49:1,2) And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.
(Gen 49:27,28) Benjamin shall ravin [Heb: tear in pieces] as a wolf [“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf” NKJV]: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil. All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.
1. (Jer 16:16) Behold, I will send for many fishers [Benjamin in Grace], saith the LORD, and they shall fish them; and after [our Lord Jesus Christ’s Second Coming] will I send for many hunters [Benjamin in Judgment], and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
2. (1 Cor 6:3) Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
Amen