June 26: TRIBE NAMES AND MEANINGS (part 4)
Of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed. Revelation 7:8
Zebulun means “a dwelling”. He was the tenth son of Israel. Ten is the number that symbolizes testing (see Genesis 14:20; Exodus 20:1-17; Daniel 1:12-20; Malachi 3:10; Revelation 2:10). The childhood hometown of Jesus, Nazareth, is located in the region of Zebulun. Jesus was tested in every possible way, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). God allows testing into our lives, and the standard of measurement that He gives us is the Ten Commandments, the perfect standard by which we will be judged. We are not to lower that standard. Jesus said, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love” (John 15:10; see also Revelation 12:17; 14:12; 22:14). Only by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is this possible! He will strengthen you for every test; every battle! After the death of Saul, Zebulun was the most prepared for battle to make David king. Of Zebulun there were fifty thousand who went out to battle, expert in war with all weapons of war, stouthearted men who could keep ranks. (1 Chronicles 12:33) It should be understood that to keep ranks means we honor the top position of our Commander in Chief by obeying Him.
Joseph means “God shall add to me”. He was the eleventh son of Israel. It is interesting that the number of vibrations per second that constitutes a pure musical note is a perfect multiple of eleven. Any other multiple of vibrations per second constitutes only noise. The beauty and harmony that the human ear is capable of detecting can only be of divine design. Yet the hearing of spiritual things with spiritual ears is of far greater value. Our Creator has given us such ability, but we are to receive only from Him. Otherwise, we subject ourselves to demonic spirits. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” * Looking back upon the way Joseph’s brothers attempted to crush him only highlights his faith in the LORD. Very few of all those mentioned in Scripture have no faults recorded. Joseph is one of those few. In a powerfully memorable way, he symbolized Christ. Hear his merciful words to his brothers: “God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here [to Egypt], but God . . . you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” (Genesis 45:7,8a; 50:20) To genuinely forgive those who have hurt you while continuing your witness for Jesus renders you a melodic, harmonious addition to the tribe of Joseph!
Benjamin means “the son of his right hand”. He was the youngest of Israel’s twelve. Rachel, just after giving birth to him, knew she was dying. She had had a long, hard labor and delivery. She named her newborn Ben-oni meaning “son of my sorrow”, but his father changed it to Benjamin (Genesis 35:18). Baby Benjamin was a “type” of Christ in both names. His birthplace was Bethlehem, born as a man of sorrow (Isaiah 53:3), but elevated to the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens (Hebrews 8:1). Although the tribe of Benjamin fell to a terrible low (prophesied in Genesis 49:27 & fulfilled in Judges 20), they rose to a position of “protector of the righteous” (Deuteronomy 33:12) and are named among the redeemed. God be praised! And such were some of you. But you were washed… sanctified… justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11
*Revelation 2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22