Ben 114 repost

(originally posted May 2006)

A picture of a grace God is giving to His Church now is portrayed in Benjamin, the last son of Jacob. His name means "son of my right hand", or "strength of the anointing".

Psalm 92:13, a Psalm written for those living in the rest (Sabbath) of God, says the righteous "flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green.." Since this verse is full of obvious symbolism (righteous people are represented as trees), then it's not a stretch to interpret "old" symbolically as well. "They still bear fruit in old age" can be taken as "They still advance the Kingdom of God in spiritual maturity; they are always nourished by the Holy Spirit and lead full, energized lives." Joel 2:28 uses this same symbolism when it says:

"And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions."

Joel is prophesying a time when the spiritually immature (young men) will hear God's voice along with the mature (old men), declaring that how the Spirit relates to His people in a time of outpouring is not in respect to maturity, a length of time, or even proven faithfulness in the past, but on how they allow Him to relate to them in that moment. So God's decree in Psalm 92 is the opposite of what many Christians today believe - They believe that the zeal of the first year or so after conversion is the most productive time to declare one's faith. Here, however, God is declaring that those living in His presence (courts) will not wane in zeal, productivity or anointing, even after many years. Those that are mature in the knowledge and experience of God's Presence (also see Hebrews 5:14) bear fruit in their maturity. The anointing increases. Fervency and zeal are not just for the young in faith, because true maturity is accompanied with a growth in zeal that comes from love, not the might of youth. As love deepens, strength is matured and solidified, and power works with love.

Lack of fruitfulness is not a result of temperance or wisdom; it is a result of growing weary in doing good and loss of vision. It is a result of not pressing on to know the Lord.

A few verses before Psalm 92:13, in verse 10, the psalmist speaks of this power that works with love, when he says, "But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil." The ox's horn in Scripture speaks of power, and oil is the anointing. Since greater power and exaltation are solely for the exaltation of Jesus, it could read, "You are showing yourself off through me in power; you have anointed me." And a very important factor the anointing is joy, because it is one of the most fundamental ways Jesus is expressed to the world (Psalm 45:7). "The joy of the Lord is your strength" - of the anointing. Joy and power must work together, even to the point of joy releasing and being the very power of God.

As this anointing comes, the earth and its arenas are shaken. I imagine a large ox, laughing hysterically, would be pretty disruptive, kind of like what happened in the first century A.D. when Paul and Barnabas would enter a town.

Now we return to Benjamin, Jacob's last son. His mother, Rachel, goes through a terrible struggle and dies giving birth. She names him "Ben-Oni" as she dies. "Ben-Oni" means "son of my sorrows", but the name doesn't stick. If Benjamin is a picture of what is coming to the church, the last generation of their father, we can take great comfort. Even though it has come at great cost, we know that on the other side of trials and difficulty, the Kingdom opens to us. Great trial for God's sake ends in great glory. This happens when Jacob changes his son's name to "Benjamin".

Again, Benjamin means "son of my right hand", or "strength of the anointing". Since names speak of a person's nature in Hebrew culture, Benjamin could have said, "Dad, you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil." His name is that blessing! Great struggles ("Oni") result in great joy when they're done. It's what most of the Bible's about; it's what the cross was about. It's also what God's about now. Joy is important; it is released through answered prayer, through promise realized, and most powerfully through knowing Jesus. When you possess true blue joy, you more clearly are Jesus to this world, and become as the Father to them. You will be strengthened by enjoying your appointment as an ambassador of Heaven, and seeing your face becomes a God-ordained encounter that will lead others nearer to knowing Jesus.

God is wanting to give more joy to the Church, and is wanting to display His power and presence among us, through us. He wants us to bear fruit through loving zeal, which is bold. This is for everybody; He is not a respecter of persons, even though we tend to be. He is looking at the young and old, now, and seeing who receives and responds to the deposit of grace He is giving. Then, to the one that has, more will be given.

When Jesus is lifted up, it is promised that He will draw everyone to Himself.

Ben 114, part 2

Note - every type and shadow used here ultimately points to the fulfillment that is in Christ, and the purpose of this entry is not to totally grasp the type and shadow spoken of through Old Testament realities. This post will merely skim the surface. Instead, it is to more fully open in the Spirit the revelation of what God is doing in this moment, that we may pick it up and allow God to grow it within us. It is not to build a foundation of good doctrine, it is to build on that foundation and move us forward.

Also, you may want to read the initial Ben 114 entry, which this post builds upon, before you read on. For those who have read it, remember that Benjamin's story and lineage point to a grace that is being given the Church right now.

Please keep all of this in mind as you read.

The territory allotted to Benjamin in Joshua 18:11-28 is between the people of Judah (Judah means "praise", and is below Benjamin) and Joseph (Joseph means "double blessing", or "God will add", and Joseph's descendents rest above Benjamin). This reflects a reality many people have been alluding to lately - the Benjamin strength that the Church is going to exhibit in this season directly relates to our praise. It is birthed through praise (Judah), and brings Kingdom advancement that extends us into the kind of blessing seen in type and shadow through Joseph.
God comes and entrusts us with anointing as we trust and praise Him as He did with Joseph, and often in adversity. Our walking with faith-fulness and integrity in that anointing enables Him to entrust us with greater earthly dominion (including, but not limited to Kingdom advancement in geographic regions, and economic capital in order that holistic transformation might occur with spiritual awakening), as He knows we won't keep it for ourselves.

In other words, Judah extends to Benjamin. In turn, Benjamin builds upon Judah (see a map of the twelve tribes' lands), and Benjamin gives way to Joseph - which is actually the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, Joseph's sons. Joseph was the only one of Jacob's sons that had two tribes descend from him instead of one, hence his name, "God will add". He decreased, and a double portion came forth.

Interestingly, Benjamin is not the only tribe sandwiched between Judah and Joseph. Dan is also there, right next to Benjamin. Dan means, "God is Judge." That is exactly what occurs during time of great outpouring - as the Kingdom of God is established through the strength of God's anointing, that which is not of God is shaken and tried (Hebrews 12:26-29).

His holiness and purity compel all sin, shame, oppression and sickness to vacate. To put it another way - He will only build His presence among His people on righteousness and justice (Psalm 89:14).

So Judah (praise) establishes God's dwelling, which is founded on Dan (God's justice) and exercised through Benjamin (the strength of the anointing), releasing Joseph (God's provided blessing).

the rain deer

satisfaction, in a rain drop,
tests and wearies souls of men
longing for more.
more, in a storm
pulls princes
to where want and must collide
i want, thus
you must
see the answer shown through me

drawn under

swimming breathing tumbling
underfather
bubble breaths and double rest
floating sinking soaring drinking
under
underneath water

restore.

Just after I first posted this, I noticed on Yahoo! that today is Earth Day, 2006. I then added an extra sentence or two onto the post. Please appreciate the coincidence as you read - coincidence often being our view of that which is actually sovereignty.

Sometimes, as I am riding in a car, I look at the passing trees and begin to imagine leaves sprouting and growing full as I drive by - their continual fruitfulness restored by the presence of Heaven's ambassador (aka, me). Or, while on a walk, I picture what I must really look like as a new creation - the lifeforce of God splaying from my hands, and shining from my eyes and open smile.

A few years ago, walking up a dirt path in a forest, I kept looking back at where my bare feet had landed on the path - somehow half surprised that green, green grass wasn't sprouting up underneath my feet, and that broken trees I touched weren't healed, or didn't even start worshipping the Lord, at the very least (Isaiah 55:12). Somewhere it's gotten into my mind that God's restorative purposes, which He enacts through sent ones, should be flowing from my life in a way that would seem either radical or superfluous in any context, besides the context of Creator-God Himself. He is the original Miracle-Gro, after all - but much, much better of course.

What will the new earth look like? The new earth is covered in God's glory, and is free from the current bondage to decay, while the old, current earth is simultaneously decaying and rebelling (and increasingly) against the mistreatment it has received at man's hands. This old earth longs to be covered in God's glory and clothed with its Maker, just as we, the redeemed, new nation, each long for the full manifestation of his presence upon us (Romans 8). Decay, unfruitfulness, death and disease are all results of the curse we (humans) have put on this earth through our rebellion against God. Conversely, fullness of growth, abundance, life and healing are results of restoration, as we return to God, working with Him towards the purposes held in Heaven for our future together - where righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit will prevail (Romans 14:17). Trees in Scripture often portray this reality, being rooted in God's presence, always have leaves and always bear fruit (i.e., Revelation 22 and Ezekiel 47).

Since God's redemptive purposes for not only individuals and the church, but also for the earth itself, are so great and reach into every area of life (hearts, nature, business, the arts, architecture, families et cetera) - and God has given us the ministry of reconciliation as vessels of Him and co-laborers with Him - it would encourage each of us greatly to know His purposes that lie behind who we are, what we bring to the world and church, and what we do. What are God's redemptive purposes for all that we do, as we walk, breathe and work on this earth?

Physical healing and restoration of the inner man is one way we see this. What if you designed and built a building, inspired by God, that withstood the shakings that will come on this earth and was used in His established Kingdom? What if your poetry or paintings healed hearts? What if we took care of our resources - not just to save a tree, but because we know how stewardship of the earth moves His heart? This is not environmentalism, though He does love all of Creation; it is about His Glory being revealed.

So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
1 Cor. 3:21-23

What does it mean to be heirs? It means creative responsibility, it requires faith working with love, and it means we can join with Him, and see great things happen.

Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
2 Cor. 13:11

Earth day is a day set apart to let the earth rest. The new day will symbolically coincide with the literal, seventh day of creation - in which God and all of Creation will enter into His rest. Let's meditate on (thoughtfully consider with the eyes of our heart) this reality, dreaming along with Jesus prayer - that our Father's Kingdom would come on this earth as it is in Heaven.