Preacher: Shepherd Yadah Lokota
When we hear about Benjamin, we often think of him only as Joseph’s little brother or Rachel’s last born son. However, he plays a pivotal role in the salvation of his nation. God always uses seemingly insignificant people; for example, he picked a man like Moses, despite his speaking problem, and a man like Gideon from the smallest tribe, making him a mighty warrior. Now, God has specifically chosen us to work with. We are called the Benjamin Generation and to understand what it means to be a Benjamite, we will look at the parallels between Joseph, Jesus, Benjamin, and us.
Similarities between Joseph and Jesus
Joseph knew from a young age that he was called for a greater purpose (see Genesis 37:5-6), just as Jesus knew that He was called for something great (see Luke 2:41-49). Joseph was hated and rejected by his brothers, and Jesus was also hated and rejected by His nation. Joseph was said to have been killed by His brothers, but years later, was found alive. Jesus, on the other hand, was actually killed by His own and, three days later, He was resurrected. Joseph was given the second-highest name in Egypt after promotion by pharaoh, whereas Jesus was given the highest name, above all names, after His resurrection.
Comparison between Benjamin and Us
Benjamin was not there when his brothers sold Joseph, just as we were not there when Jesus was sacrificed on the cross; we only learned about Him later. Benjamin did not know who Joseph was, but Joseph knew Benjamin, similar to how we did not know Jesus when He died on the cross, but Jesus knew us. Benjamin’s acceptance to meet Joseph led to the salvation of His people, just as our acceptance to follow Jesus leads to salvation for us and our loved ones. Joseph called Benjamin to Egypt, and likewise, Jesus calls us to be with Him (see 2 Peter 1:3). Joseph gave Benjamin five times more than his brothers; similarly, when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, He gives us many gifts, with the greatest being the Holy Spirit. We are privileged not only to have the Holy Spirit, but to have received the fruits of the Holy Spirit as well (see Galatians 5:22-23).
When Benjamin’s brothers came to take Him to Egypt, he didn’t know who he was going to meet or the gifts he would receive, but he accepted because he saw the need of his nation. He acted by faith for the sake of his people and was rewarded. Benjamin could have refused, but he stood up so his nation could be provided for. Unlike Benjamin, we know who we are collaborating with—we know Jesus saved us and God’s heart for His people and we need to decide to stand up for our families, friends, and nation. The world needs the Bread of Life, and we hold it along with Living Water. Yet we watch the world struggle to satisfy their hunger and thirst.
As the Benjamin Generation, because we have the answer to the world’s hunger and thirst, we ought to present ourselves as the Benjamites we are called to be. We can do this in three ways:
Firstly, through prayer; it is the pathway to getting God’s Will done in heaven on earth. We are to make the principalities of this world bow down to the name above all names – Jesus Christ—as we stand in the gap between their claim on the world and the call to salvation on people’s lives. Thus, we shouldn’t neglect the power of prayer, praying without ceasing (see 1 Thessalonians 5:17).
Secondly, we need to be Christ-like; as kingdom citizens, it is important to imitate Christ and show Him to others through our actions. We can do this by spending time in His Word as focusing on Jesus and who He is will help us become more like Him. Thirdly, we ought to live a life of grace. As Christians, we tend to look at our brothers and sisters unworthily due to the do’s and don’ts of Christianity as a religion, making it hard to understand grace. This can keep people out of the church and if we do that to each other, what of the people in the world? We need to extend the grace we have received by approaching others with love, compassion and understanding, rather than judgement. Understanding that we too have fallen short will help us do so.
Finally, when we find ourselves carrying burdens—fear, anxiety, and worry— to seek the kingdom of God, we need to drop our burdens otherwise we will not be able to carry someone else’s. Jesus Christ invites us to cast all our burdens at His feet because He cares for our needs (see 1 Peter 5:7). He wants us to present ourselves as Benjamites freely, without anything weighing us down!
