Benjamin was the youngest son of Jacob and born of his beloved wife, Rachel. He was a full brother to Joseph. Benjamin means "son of my right hand," and the right hand speaks of power and grace, meaning that Benjamin was the son of power and grace. If you will follow the history of Benjamin, you will find that the Benjamites were men of valor, mighty men in war. Among them were many left-handed warriors who could sling stones at a hair's breadth and not miss.

The Benjamites of today fall into this same category of being men of power and valor, for this is the position granted to them of old. Let's look now at the dying Jacob's prophecy upon Benjamin and his descendants as recorded in Gen. 49:27 (KJV).

If you will note the forth word of this verse in the King James Version you will see that it is in italics which means it was supplied by translators and was not in the original writings. If you leave that little word "as" out it takes on a different meaning, for it then says, "Benjamin shall ravin a wolf." Benjamin is not a wolf but rather he shall ravin, or tear in pieces a wolf. What a picture of the Benjamites! Those of Benjamin are always tearing up things, and destroying. Tearing up and destroying things that need to be tore up and destroyed.

Nevertheless, Benjamites must learn to be controlled by the Holy Spirit and to use this ability to ravin as a power for furthering God's Kingdom. What does this "wolf" speak of? In Ezek. 22:27 the backsliden princes of Israel are likened unto wolves. The word "princes" means those who are heads, officials, and captains. Today we have plenty of backslidden leaders among the people who are devouring them even as a wolf devours the prey.

God is raising up Benjamites and will continue to do so who tear in pieces the system of the leaders and the leaders themselves in order that the truth and righteousness of God might be established. In Zeph. 3:3 the judges of Israel, who were backslidden were referred to as evening wolves. Meaning the wolves who work at the close of the day or age in the semi-darkness.

 The judges are those who are to execute justice among God's people, but instead what has happened? They have executed selfishness and respect of persons. Against such, Benjamin always rises in warfare to tear them in pieces. This warfare may be openly done in the sight of people, or it may be done through battle in the heavenlies in the secret place.

In Heb. 1:8 the Chaldeans (Babylonians) are likened unto wolves, and Babylon speaks of confusion and semi-paganism with a little bit of Christianity mixed into it for the purpose of deception. This is the thing that Benjamin hates and does not hesitate to renounce.

In Matt. 7:15 Jesus speaks of false prophets being wolves.

A person can give forth true prophecy and yet be a false prophet because of his inward nature being that of a ravening wolf. Beware of such!! Benjamin is appointed the task of tearing in pieces the false prophets to show them for what they really are and not what they appear to be. So you of Benjamin, don't be surprised at the indignation that raises in you at backslidden leaders, unrighteous judges, false prophets, and the Babylonian system, for this is the wolf that Benjamin ravins.

Further, it is said of Benjamin, "In the morning he shall devour the prey." Benjamin does not devour the prey in the dark where he cannot see nor understand what is happening. He always waits for the morning light, the breaking of a new day, to devour or consume that which is to be consumed. Benjamites are children of the morning and love the light of God's new day and age.

But what is it that Benjamin devours or consumes? The prey! The Hebrew word translated as "prey" is a strange word, and only three times is it translated "prey," but many times by other words. The meaning seems far removed from "prey." The Hebrew word for pray is "ad" and is translated as: even, to, into, so long as, till, toward, until, eternity, ever, everlasting, evermore, old, perpetually, etc.

By those words you can gain a clearer understanding of what "ad" really means. It does not mean "prey" as we think of it by any means, rather the true meaning is that in the morning light, in the clear understanding of the new time, will the underlying meaning of "ad" be eaten and devoured.

Because of this devouring of God's never ending plan, the Benjamites may be misunder- stood for a period of time, but along with Judah, shall they come out on top in the end. Benjamin eats and devours the meaning of prey in the light of morning, but what about in the night? "And at night he shall divide the spoil." The word "night" means literally "evening," the time when the darkest part of the night lies just ahead with the evening being a mixture between light and darkness.

We stand in this place today where there is mixed truth and error, but Benjamin is not disturbed by all of this. In the time of such mixture, Benjamin divides the spoil: divide meaning to apportion, impart, and distribute. In other words, Benjamin has the innate knowledge given by God to give the right portion to the right person. He does not keep to himself the spoil but divides and imparts it as others are able to receive it.

The word "spoil" as used here is also used in Ps. 119:162,

This then gives the clue to what Benjamin does in the time of mixed light and darkness, mixed truth and error. He apportions, divides, and distributes the spoil or riches of the Word of God to those around him. Benjamin is not selfish, but what he understands in the realms of truth he gives to others. Benjamin, you cannot help but do this. It's your nature.

Those of you who are not of the Tribe of Benjamin will find that the Benjamites will be a real blessing to you when you can hardly discern what is truth and what is not truth.

I want to now consider Moses' blessing upon Benjamin from Deut. 33:12,

Benjamin in this verse is referred to as "The Beloved of the Lord". What a precious connotation! We knew that Benjamin was especially beloved of his father, Jacob, being the son of his old age, but even more precious is the thought that Benjamin is beloved of the Lord. We will see later why this is so. He is especially loved of the Lord and is given a place in Israel showing that position of love,

The bosom of God is the place of the very core of His love. The place where the secrets of God are enjoyed. The place of confidence, rest, and assurances. The Septuagint Version translates it this way,

Benjamin has that unique position of dwelling in the bosom of the Lord where the Lord overshadows him. Benjamites delight in living between the shoulders of the Lord, which is not only the place of the bosom but also the place of strength of which the shoulders speak. Nothing is stronger than that place of confidence, that place of being over shadowed, and this is where Benjamites gain their valor and strength for warfare.

We have shown you before that Israel could well be likened to a figure of a man with each tribe having its particular place in this body? In the body of Christ that Paul talks about in 1 Cor 12:13 & 18 he says,

We see here that it is God who determines the Tribe we are placed in or the area of the Body that He wants us to serve. This is one of the reasons that we should know where in the Body of Christ we have been set to serve.

We saw Judah in the arms and hands of that figure of a man, because Judah's hands are always sufficient for him. Now we see that the hands and arms of Judah is connected to the body by that which is between the shoulders which is Benjamin. Judah and Benjamin are never far apart, and in their particular position beats the life core of all Israel. They are the heart of the Kingdom of Israel.

When the Israelites split into two kingdoms it was Benjamin and Judah who made up the southern kingdom. There is a real affinity between these two tribes, and you of Judah and you of Benjamin will always find there is a closeness between you. Often true Judahites and Benjamites even join in natural marriage and find a compatibility unknown by others.

Benjamin is given a place between the shoulders of the Lord and rests there in confidence and safety. This is also his function among the various tribes. Those who rest in the hand of God, the place of power, are usually Judahites. Those who rest in the bosom of God are usually Benjamites. Because Benjamin's place of oneness with the Spirit of God, members of other tribes find rest and a place of safety and confidence in him. Both Judah and Benjamin are warriors, and they have many similarities but they also have their own distinctions. On the one hand Judah is a lion leaping and warring upon the adversary, roaring and making himself known, but Benjamin is of a somewhat quieter nature. He does not roar as Judah, but he waits for understanding of what is taking place so that he might devour the meaning of God's truth and impart it intelligently to others.

Judahites are active and busy with their hands, but Benjamites are willing to balance their warfare with times of resting in His bosom. Judahites are independent and must learn to appreciate the balancing of their relationship with the other tribes. Benjamites, on the other hand, are not that independent but rather find they can stand quietly between Ephraim and Judah and be compatible with both. Benjamites are connected to the rest of the body and are able to flow with the other manifestations of God's people.

In the allotment of land the double portion of Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh were to the North of Benjamin and the Tribe of Judah was to the South. Benjamin was in the middle and brought peace to those on the North and on the South.

Judah is a talker and so is Benjamin, but with this difference. Judah talks more than Benjamin does both in the natural and in the spiritual. Both Judah and Benjamin are rugged individuals and as such are not afraid of warfare. They are not afraid to say what they think and both of them are happy fulfilling their own peculiar position of ministry that God has placed them in.

Judah has a tendency to be in constant turmoil because of his aggressive nature but Benjamin is at rest because of his understanding of the Lord. Judahites find rest in their relationships with Benjamites. In bringing Benjamin forth, Rachel the free woman who represents the Church, travailed. In Rev. 12:2 it says of that woman; She travailed in birth and pain to be delivered. It is going to cost the Church much travail to bring forth Benjamin. It is going to cost the Church her soul, her life and she is going to have to die. The soul of the Church has got to depart in order for Benjamin to be born. The word shall be made flesh and Benjamin will come forth; the son of my right hand, and Rachel shall die. The systems of man made worship and the Babylonian harlot church will die.

Do you want to know where this Benjamin company is? Hidden with the Father. In the words of Rev. 12, they are in the womb of the church. The father has had them preserved and hidden. We are living in a time, however, when not only are they being birthed but they are also beginning to be revealed to those who are truly seeking the Lord. Their names are not flashing across the markers of civic auditoriums around the nation but they are being revealed and shall come to the front. Most people haven't even heard of them.

In Gen. 42:20 Joseph, who is a type of Jesus, told his half brothers,

The one who will be a full brother to Jesus' purpose, is to verify the word and to preserve life. Like Joseph, Benjamin is one who preserves live. Why did Joseph's brothers suddenly become so obedient? Because Joseph gave them no other alternative. He said, "Boys if you want to live; you can't survive without Benjamin because he is your only hope"

There are a lot of people who will tell you that they just can not wait to see the face of Jesus. I declare to you that in this age you will never see the face of Joseph until Benjamin and Joseph come together. Benjamin will get the woman, the Church, ready to meet Joseph, Jesus. Most of the Church cannot discern the Body of Christ but Benjamin will gather them together and reveal the Christ that is in each of them.

God is going to have a ministry that is going to go ahead and prepare the bride to meet her husband. Benjamin is that ministry.

In Gen.43:1 we read,

Notice the leadership of Judah? You will never see the face of Joseph unless Benjamin is with you. The Church will never see the face of Jesus until Benjamin is seen among them. What I am saying to you is that you will not see Jesus coming again until you see Benjamin brought forth among his brothers. Without this Benjamin ministry the church will never look into his face.

In Gen 43:29 it says,

Joseph (Jesus) knew Benjamin when they met. He was so moved when he saw the joy he had died for. The joy that had been set before him that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. When he recognized that, he had to go into his chambers and weep. Can you now see why Benjamin is called "The Beloved of the Lord?"

There must be tears in the eyes of the Lord as He sees Benjamin being revealed in this day to the Body of Christ for He knows that the Church will soon be able to see Him in their presence. Benjamin did not know Joseph when they first met. We who have been apprehended for this Benjamin ministry have not recognized Him in the past. There is only one thing we need. His cup in our sack.

In Gen 44:1 we read,

There is only one thing we must experience before we fully recognize our elder brother. His cup in our sack. Why is it a silver cup? First of all I am redeemed. The silver cup in the sack of Benjamin points to the redemption of the body. King Saul began the natural kingdom and Saul of Tarsus gave revelation of the spiritual kingdom. Both of them were of the tribe of Benjamin.

Is there a silver cup in your sack? Is there something within you that will actually cause you to come into this redemption of the body that you might stand before all of creation and deliver it. There is a ministry that recognizes fully their older brother. This silver cup in the sack of Benjamin is a type of the hidden manna that the Lord is putting in the lives of Benjamites who will reveal His true purpose and plan to the rest of the Body of Christ. We are in the dawning of a new age now and are just beginning to fully recognize Joseph, Jesus.

In Gen. 43:34, Joseph sat his brothers down at the table and fed them. Benjamin received five times as much as his brothers. Jesus said, "It is My meat to do the will of My Father." Benjamin's ministry is five fold, and will do the will of the Father. In Gen. 45:22-23, Joseph gave his brothers new clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and FIVE sets of clothing.

There are five ministry gifts to the Church that are going to lead us through change, after change, after change or raiment, until we are clothed with immortality. David used five stones and each of them were giant killers. There are five giants in our lives; our five senses.

Benjamin was the last of Jacob's sons born in the number twelve position, and yet was the ninth stone on the breastplate. This stone was an amethyst. The word 'amethyst' (am' ih thihst) comes from a Hebrew word meaning 'dream stone.' And it also comes from a Greek word meaning 'not intoxicated or prevents intoxication.' Some Hebrews thought that the wearing of this stone would induce dreams and some of the Greeks thought that wearing this stone would keep them from becoming intoxicated.

This stone is a deep purple or violate stone of the aluminum oxide family. Purple is the color worn and used by kings, on their person, in their houses, and by people who are rich or in authority. This stone is the Twelfth Foundation Stone in the Wall around the City of God in Revelation 21. The Twelfth Foundation is The Kingdom of God. Nine is the number of completeness and finality. Also it is the number of the Holy Ghost.

To sum up the Tribe of Benjamin, let us say that Benjamin is always against the wolves made up of backslidden leaders, false prophets, and Babylonish systems. He desires the light of the morning to understand the purpose and plan of God for this age as well as for the ages to come. He then distributes the spoils of God's Word in the time of mixed truth and errors.

Yet with this warring nature and avid appetite for the things of light, he still loves that resting place between the shoulders of the Lord and also the shoulders of the whole of Israel. He enjoys the overshadowing of God's presence and revels in this secret hiding place.

Oh you of Benjamin, recognize the blessedness of your position, for to you is given the term, "Beloved of the Lord." And, to you is given the blessedness of having the Apostle Paul among your numbers!

This is the tribe that the Lord has placed me in and it gives me great pleasure to be able to share this teaching with you.