Genesis-161 – The One Who Is Loved

Genesis chapter 49, verses 27 and 28.

 

"Benjamin is a ravening wolf; 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." Amen.

 

Benjamin, Son of the Right Hand or Ravening Wolf?

This is the scene where Jacob gives his final blessing to his twelve sons. Today, we intend to examine the blessing that came upon Benjamin and then summarize the true meaning of the words recorded at the end of the text, "he blessed them... every one according to his blessing." As we have read through, we want to meditate together on what spiritual lessons these prophecies—which sometimes do not sound like blessings—leave for us at the end of Jacob's story. As the finale of that grand conclusion, let us first look at Benjamin.

 

Benjamin was originally the son born to Rachel as she lost her life at the end of the pains of childbirth. The dying mother named the child 'Ben-oni,' meaning 'son of my sorrow,' but Jacob took this and called him 'Benjamin.' This means 'son of the right hand.' To express it in our way, it is the same as declaring, "This son is my right hand and the source of my strength."

 

However, in today’s text, Jacob refers to this Benjamin as a "ravening wolf," that is, a wolf. This is a very intense and sharp metaphorical impression. In fact, among the tribes of Israel, Benjamin was the smallest tribe in terms of numbers. Even the Psalmist referred to them directly as 'little Benjamin.' However, being small did not mean they were weak. Just as the expression 'ravening wolf' prophesied by Jacob suggests, they grew into a very brave and aggressive tribe.

 

The Bravery of the Small but Strong Tribe of Benjamin

In fact, among the prominent figures in Biblical history, there are many who have deep ties with the tribe of Benjamin. Ehud, the warrior of the Book of Judges, is one, and Saul, the first king of Israel, and his son Jonathan were also people of the tribe of Benjamin. They were all warriors skilled in war. Although we sometimes undervalue Saul because he is overshadowed by David’s brilliance, as seen in the song "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands," being able to handle a thousand enemies is also a truly great spirit. Especially Jonathan was a bold warrior who organized a small special forces unit to crush the Philistine camp. Like this, Benjamin was a tribe that possessed a small but strong spirit.

 

A Warning Against Greed Hidden Behind Bravery

What we should pay more attention to is the overall description in verse 27. It records, "Benjamin is a ravening wolf; in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil." This does not contain mere bravery. Eating what was 'prey' (plundered) in the morning means the desire to covet others' things without being satisfied with the portion given to oneself. This is a warning against uncontrolled greed.

 

This wolf is not only fierce and brave but also persistently greedy. He is so preoccupied with eating that there is no room to share the food. Rather than considering others, he is in a state of holding onto the spoils of war desperately until evening so as not to lose them. This vividly shows the strong possessive desire and monopolistic tendency latent within the tribe of Benjamin.

 

Throughout the Bible, the wolf generally represents a negative image. Jesus also compared false shepherds who attack and do not protect the sheep to wolves, and in the Old Testament, this image of a wolf is often borrowed when describing corrupt religious leaders or wicked officials. The Book of Zephaniah records it like this: "Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow." This greedy appearance of not sharing what has been seized with anyone and trying to monopolize it until the end is precisely the nature of the wolf that the Bible warns against.

 

Broken Hospitality and the Spiritual Depravity of Gibeah

This appearance did not stop at mere symbolism but was revealed as a tragedy in the actual history of the period of the Judges. Israel would later undergo a civil war as it split into North and South, but the first miserable fratricide that occurred in Israel's history began from the tribe of Benjamin.

 

The beginning of the incident was a land called Gibeah where the people of Benjamin resided. A man of the Levite tribe was passing through and intentionally entered a town of the tribe of Benjamin, the land of his fellow countrymen. However, from the moment he stepped foot there, tragedy was predicted. Because, although he entered the town, not a single person welcomed this stranger or invited him into their home. In a nomadic society, this is beyond a mere discourtesy; it is an act that threatens survival and signifies the spiritual depravity of the community.

 

In today's modern society, it may be natural not to let a stranger in because privacy is respected, but it was different in the times of the Bible. Because it was an environment where one's life would be at risk if water and food were not obtained, the Law strictly commands to treat strangers kindly. However, the fact that there was no one in the entire town of Gibeah to receive him was a sad piece of evidence showing that the spiritual and moral state of that community was already broken beyond recovery.

 

A Horrendous Crime Committed in a Lawless Zone

Only toward evening did an old man, returning from working in the fields, witness this sight. Hearing the circumstances of the Levite who had nowhere to go, the old man takes him to his house and treats him with sincerity. That itself is a truly precious scene, but as night falls, the situation completely reverses and worsens. The ruffians of the town begin to flock to that house and demand that the Levite man be brought out.

 

They say they will inflict the same sexual violence as seen in the Sodom and Gomorrah incident. The homeowner desperately refuses, saying this person is my guest and you cannot do that. A more shocking fact here is that even though such a riot is taking place in a city, no one among the judges or those in charge of security appears. This means that Gibeah was already a lawless zone where laws and order had collapsed, and it had become a society where evil acted openly and no one controlled it.

 

Ultimately, the Levite makes the cold-hearted choice of giving out his concubine who came with him. The woman, who suffered all night, returned as a cold corpse the next morning, and the Levite heads to his home carrying that corpse. If the story had ended there, we might have stopped at the level of feeling deeply that the era of the Judges was truly corrupt. However, the Levite who returned home carries out an even more gruesome and terrifying act.

 

A Letter Made of a Corpse and the First Civil War

He divided the woman’s corpse into twelve pieces and sent them respectively to the twelve tribes of Israel. Literally, the corpse became a single letter. The message he wanted to convey was clear. It was an accusation that "The tribe of Benjamin has committed such a barbaric act against me." This horrific news threw all of Israel into shock, and eventually, it led to the first civil war where fellow countrymen pointed swords at each other.

 

The Tragedy of Fratricide and the Crisis of the Tribe of Benjamin

The Gibeah incident brought about such disastrous results. All the tribes except the tribe of Benjamin formed an allied force, and an army of 400,000 went out to attack Benjamin. Perhaps they would have demanded, "Explain yourselves quickly and apologize for the wrongdoing." However, the tribe of Benjamin, far from admitting their fault, showed obstinacy by instead summoning an army and launching an attack.

 

The initial aspect of the war unexpectedly led to Benjamin’s victory. Among the three battles, Benjamin won the first and second fights, and the allied forces suffered a great defeat, producing 40,000 casualties. Although the tribe of Benjamin was numerically inferior, they troubled the allied forces by putting forward 700 elite special forces. However, the allied forces, having reorganized their strategy after two defeats, finally achieved victory in the third battle.

 

The allied forces, having seized the momentum, pursued the people of Benjamin to the end to exterminate them. Because of this, the tribe of Benjamin came to face a crisis where their very existence might disappear. Those who survived in the disaster of war were a mere 600 people, and they came to be in a situation of fleeing into the desert mountains to hide.

 

God’s Faithful Promise that Preserved the Tribe

At that point, a dramatic change occurred in the attitude of the people of other tribes. They began to pray earnestly before God. They turned back, lamenting and sighing, "God, why did such a tragedy happen? Why has one tribe among Israel disappeared today?" Eventually, they decided to revive the tribe of Benjamin again.

 

The reason the tribe of Benjamin survived at the threshold of destruction was not because they resisted well until the end. It was not because they were stronger, or because they first repented and turned back. Only God's promise saved them. Because of the covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—to make Israel His people and to fulfill the history of salvation through them—Benjamin could be preserved.

 

This history of grace led to an interesting fruit later. During the period of the exile, when the Israelite people were at risk of being annihilated, Mordecai and Esther, who saved them, were descendants of this tribe of Benjamin. In the past, God saved Benjamin, and later, God saved all of Israel again through the people of that tribe. It is truly a profound and mysterious providence of God.

 

The Subtlety of Sin and the Spiritual Reality of Our Inner Self

However, it is an undeniable fact that the tribe of Benjamin acted greedily, tried to cover up their sin, and fought until the end. Our appearance as well is often not much different from this. We commonly pride ourselves on knowing our sins well, but the reality is often not so. Even in moments when we are deeply fallen into sin or entering the threshold of sin, we often fail to realize even the fact that we are in the midst of sin.

 

Rather, it is human nature to try to justify oneself and persuade oneself that "I am not a sinner." Even David, whom we respect, was like that. Even though he committed a terrible sin, he did not repent before God even once for a year. Until the prophet Nathan came and pointed out his sin, he might have ignored the sin, perhaps regarding it as a right he could enjoy as a king.

 

Sin is this scary and subtle, and it infiltrates our inner self secretly. Are we perhaps regarding sin too lightly? The case of David and the history of Benjamin sternly warn how much sin blinds our spiritual eyes and what kind of beings we are who cannot live without God's grace and promise.

 

Discipline that Saves and the Love of God

God faithfully kept His promise toward Benjamin. Instead of destroying Benjamin, He chose discipline. The purpose of discipline does not lie simply in giving punishment to put one under eternal penalty. Shaping him into a person worthy of the Kingdom of God is the true purpose of discipline. This is the unique characteristic possessed by God’s discipline that comes upon all saints.

 

The trials and hardships we experience are not penalties intended to distance us from salvation. Rather, they are God's hand intended to make us feel deeply, "God is indeed such a person. I must realize how I should grow before God and what I must realize and what my sin is." As David and Benjamin experienced, God's discipline is not a discipline that kills, but a discipline that saves. Benjamin truly came alive through this discipline.

 

This history of grace does not stop here. Years later, Moses proclaims an amazing blessing toward Benjamin. "And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him." Benjamin, who was like a ravening wolf and lived like a greedy wolf, through discipline, has now come to be called 'the beloved of the Lord.' This prophecy in Deuteronomy 33 shows that Benjamin's fate has completely changed.

 

Custom-Made Blessings Given According to Each Person’s Portion

The Bible records, "and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders." Dwelling between the shoulders means being carried on the back. Benjamin, who was a fierce wolf, has now become a beloved child carried on God's back. Outwardly, Jacob’s last words might have seemed like a curse or judgment to Reuben, Simeon, or Levi. However, the Bible clearly calls this entire process a 'blessing.'

 

There is a deep lesson contained in Jacob’s blessing. We must pay attention to how God delivered His blessing to all these tribes. The text says, "every one according to his blessing he blessed them." This is a 'custom-made blessing' tailored to each person’s circumstances and needs. Just as the blessings of Judah and Joseph are different, and the blessings of Reuben and Dan are different from each other, God bestows grace in the way most suitable for each of us.

 

Therefore, God’s blessing does not only contain good things that we expect. Within it, stinging discipline, solemn warnings, and spiritual challenges are also included together. Not only the good fortune we commonly think of, but even the discipline that sets us right is within the category of God's great blessing. Today's text is emphasizing that very discipline is the blessing that saves us.

 

The Influence of Sin and God’s Grace that Rescues

The first characteristic of the blessing delivered by Jacob is that it makes us face the spiritual reality we are in. Commonly, people misunderstand that once they become a child of God, they will live a life completely unrelated to sin, but the reality is not so. While living in this world, we are still placed under the influence of sin. We receive constant tests and temptations, and sometimes we fall into a deep swamp without even knowing it is sin. There are times when we become spiritually dull enough to forget even the opportunity to repent.

 

However, the core of the blessing lies in the fact that God's grace is greater than the influence of that sin. Even if we stumble and fall due to sin, God's grace never leaves us neglected and constantly rescues us. This is the true essence of the blessing Jacob delivered to his twelve sons. God's faithful love that does not give up despite our weaknesses is precisely the greatest blessing we enjoy.

 

Following God’s Calling, Not One’s Own Definition

Reflect on the life of Reuben. He was the firstborn who possessed everything, but he did not know the value of the blessing he was enjoying at all. Since he did not know who he was or what he had, he seemed to live an unhappy life having lost joy. This is the same for us today. Because we keep forgetting what God calls us, we often define ourselves by the world's standards, not God's definition.

 

We think we know too well who we are. We talk as if conditions such as which school we attended, what company we worked for, what our current circumstances are, and what our occupation is determine our existence. But everyone, a life punctuated by such conditions does not even last a hundred years. From the perspective of eternal life, we cannot define our entire life by a mere hundred years of time.

 

For instance, let’s assume our life is a thousand years. Let's say for a hundred years among them, one suffered due to business failure and lost everything, but lived as the world's greatest rich man for the remaining nine hundred years. Then, what should we call that person? Is he a life failure, or a rich man? When we forget what an amazing privilege the name 'Child of God' is, like Reuben, we fail to enjoy true joy and end up walking the path of hardship ourselves to grasp that joy. What determines your life is not tomorrow's success or failure or today's circumstances, but only God's faithful promise.

 

Pride Relying on One’s Own Strength and Shaken Faith

We must also look back at the appearance of Simeon and Levi. They were truly merciless. The reason they did not know how to grant forgiveness even though the opponents had received circumcision and were in a defenseless state was because they had 'strength.' Strength is a truly scary thing. Any kind of strength, no matter how small, makes us fearless. Because we begin to rely on our own strength rather than relying on God.

 

A healthy person sometimes has health as their strength and does not rely on God. Some people have economic wealth, so they think, "I was diligent and did not live loosely like others, and I am living rightfully with the money I earned by working hard." That itself is a good thing. However, the moment we rely on that, we no longer need God. At that time, our faith begins to shake. We realize only when the material things or health we believed were firm are shaken—that the things I possess are finite things that can disappear at any time, and we come to confess, "Why did I not rely on God sooner?"

 

The Promise of the Kingdom of God Immanent Among Us Now

In fact, it is not easy to fully trust God's promise in the life of a believer. Because the small amount of money currently in the pocket feels closer and more real than God's word saying, "I will give you an eternal kingdom." God's promise always seems to be far away. That is why Jesus came to us and proclaimed, "The Kingdom of God is already among you."

 

The Kingdom of God is not a vague place to be enjoyed only in the distant future. It is working within us now through the Holy Spirit, and it is a life of bearing the fruits of that joy starting from today and walking with the Lord. Remember that the stories of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi did not end in sin. God did not stop at merely saving them, but even through discipline and warnings, He constantly shaped them into His children. This providence of grace is flowing identically to us who live today.

 

The Secret and Destructive Reality of Sin

We must guard against the danger of regarding sin lightly. Sin moves much more cleverly and secretly than we think. Others' flaws or obvious sins revealed outwardly are so well seen by our eyes. We easily criticize, saying, "How can they be like that?" However, it is extremely difficult to discover the beam in my own eye that the Lord spoke of, that is, the appearance of the sin I am currently committing.

 

Unfortunately, whether we perceive it or not, sin itself possesses a powerful destructive force. Once it begins to enter our lives, sin necessarily performs a destructive role. It plants seeds of doubt and distrust we didn't know when they seeped in, and constantly nudges us to hate the other person. Sin precisely digs into the source of our greed, hatred, and anger, and instigates us, saying, "Why do you have to receive such treatment?" Protecting ourselves before such subtle temptations is a very difficult thing. Therefore, we should never regard sin lightly and must deal with it seriously.

 

Brotherhood Bound by the Blood of Christ

We must always look back whether seeds of envy, jealousy, complaining, and hatred are sprouting in our hearts instead of the fruit of the Spirit. The Bible did not grant us the right to rightfully hate someone. Because we ourselves are already unrighteous sinners, we have no qualification to judge someone. Although we can strive to correct wrongdoings and pursue righteousness, not being able to forgive until the end and hating is not the teaching of the Bible.

 

We must remember that the evaluations of others and ourselves that suddenly surge in our hearts may be my subjective judgment, not God's standard. Even if that seems right according to the ways of the world, we must ask the Lord once more. "Lord, how do You view this brother?" The answer is clear. It is the fact that he is our precious brother for whom Jesus Christ paid the price with His own blood. The moment we realize this fact, our perspective cannot help but change. We become unable to speak carelessly, and we endure until the end and think again.

 

A Mysterious Community of Members Victorious through the Cross

The obligation to be constantly renewed by the Word and to pursue righteousness for the sake of God's grace and mercy standing right within the church also belongs to us. However, there is a truth we must engrave more deeply than repentance or forgiveness. No matter how deep the wounds and how serious the sins are that run rampant within us, no pain can overcome the cross of Jesus Christ. We are beings united to Christ. Just as members of a body can complain while blaming each other’s deficiencies, dissatisfaction toward each other can exist within us as well.

 

However, our body is ultimately used for the glory of God through Christ Jesus, who is the head. Although it is a weak appearance full of deficiencies and mistakes, God reveals His glory through us, including all those flaws. The Bible teaches that we are members of Christ's body, and not a single one of them can be regarded lightly. Because everyone is precious. We are a mysterious community bound by the blood of the cross and the honorable children of God. When we hold onto this amazing identity, we will finally stand as a true church reflecting God's glory.

 

The Temptation of Idolatry and God as the True Inheritance

There is another characteristic in God's salvation that does not give up on us even in the influence of sin. It is the fact that it meets with the constant temptations existing in this world. The world whispers to us, "There is peace here and there is happiness here," and tempts us. It deludes us like that and sets up numerous idols before us that make us worship things other than God.

 

The appearances of Zebulun, Issachar, Naphtali, and Asher project these worldly values. They tried to prove their value through material abundance. Even among young people today, the saying "There is nothing to trust but money" is naturally circulating. The thought that friends and environments can leave me but money does not betray me has already become an idol of the era deeply seated within us.

 

The world constantly tempts us to live self-centered lives. However, at that very moment, we must realize that all these boasts and greeds eventually originated from selfishness to live only for oneself, and we must return to the Lord. Because God knows well how easily we fall into worldly trends, He has simultaneously always opened a way for us to be restored in that place.

 

A Life of Eternal Value Looking Up to See the Lord

The Bible clearly proclaims to us: "Lift up your eyes and see the Lord." This word does not mean a mere outward act of directing the gaze upward. It is a spiritual request to think about what is truly valuable in our lives and what is not in vain from an eternal perspective. It means to meditate on what is truly important to our souls and lives before the crossroads of life and death.

 

Even if we live a short life, we must ask ourselves what a truly valuable life is. We must move toward a life that holds onto true values, not a life chasing the vain things of the world. The word "Lift up your eyes and see the Lord" is a request to withdraw our thoughts from the world and fix them on God.

 

Is God, who gives eternal life, most precious to you, or has how much you possess on this earth become the true value of life? Look at God who promised us an eternal inheritance rather than the momentary abundance given by the world. Within that gaze of meditating on the Lord, the true meaning and peace of our lives are contained.

 

Confirming God’s Faithfulness in the Tests of Affliction

The third characteristic of Jacob's blessing is that it reminds us that in this world, not only pain and temptation but also tribulation exists, and there is a faithful God who protects us in those tests. This truth is revealed extremely clearly through the lives of Joseph and Judah. How difficult was Joseph's life? Nevertheless, Jacob blessed his life, saying that it would be full of fruit and its branches would run over the wall. This is a passage showing that no test or temptation can ever overcome God's strong sovereignty and providence.

 

In the afflictions and tests we experience, the most important standard is not "How well did I overcome?" or "Did I win by enduring until the end?" Rather, what is revealed through all those processes is who God is. The process of realizing how God indeed loves me and how He knows me is the mystery of affliction. When Joseph's life was connected with God—the Shepherd, the Rock, and the Almighty 'El Shaddai'—his affliction was no longer despair.

 

The Light of the Saint Overwhelming the Situation

To a saint, what kind of situation or position one is in is not an essential problem. When was the time Joseph truly shone? Was it when he was in the position of a splendid Prime Minister, or was it at that time when he relied on God even during his unfair prison life? The Bible records that the keeper of the prison saw God's grace being with Joseph. Joseph shone consistently in Potiphar’s house, in the prison, before the King, and after becoming Prime Minister.

 

The reason he shone was not because his ability was outstanding or his environment improved. Speaking from today’s perspective, it was never because he shone because his real estate or stock investments succeeded and life became comfortable. Rather, even in a dark and frustrating situation where the front could not be seen, he shone because he walked with God. Light coming from God within was surrounding him, not conditions given by the world.

 

The Kingly Glory Immanent in a Lowly Life

Also, look back at Judah’s life. His life was punctuated by lowly incidents such as running away from home and a shameful family history. Looking at the shocking incident that happened between a father-in-law and a daughter-in-law, who would have imagined that kingly dignity would be revealed in that life? However, God caused the tribe of kings to come out through that shameful life. He is not called blessed simply because kings were produced from the tribe of Judah.

 

Because God’s will was projected into his lowly life and God’s history actually occurred, he could shine. Because God's purpose was fulfilled through Judah and who God is was revealed through his life, he is called a blessed person. It is a glorious thing that a great king like David came as his descendant, but more than anything, because he was emitting a light worthy of that within his own life, the Bible calls him a blessed man.

 

The Radiance of Christ Shaped in Each Person’s Form

Please definitely remember. You are all different beings. Therefore, the shape and color of the light we emit cannot help but be different. Among us, there are those who emit a gentle starlight, and there are those like moonlight brightening the night sky. Sometimes there is light burning brightly like a campfire that warms the people around and saves lives.

 

Or one can become a tiny firefly. A firefly that is not even well-seen during the day but shows people the way to go when deep night comes. That it is less precious because it is small and more amazing because it is large is not the logic of the Bible. The Bible declares that we are precious because 'the light of Jesus Christ' shines within me.

 

Whether it is a firefly, moonlight, or starlight, it does not matter. It is not because the thing itself is a light-emitter, but because Christ is shining that light within our lives, you are shining beings. The Kingdom of God is formed by various lights gathering like this. Therefore, you are truly precious people. In all these things, because you reveal the God I love, the God who loves me so much and is faithful, you are shining.

 

Grace Beyond One’s Portion and the Shining Face of the Saint

The reason we shine is not because my 'anything' is great. It is because we are revealing the God who loves us extremely and is faithful to us until the end through our lives. So now, please show a shining face. You are people who have sufficient qualification for that. Perhaps you might say, "Pastor, the word 'shining' is a comfort, but considering my situation, a sigh comes out."

 

Perhaps in a corner of that heart, greed that has not yet been laid down might be situated. A firefly does not need to envy moonlight or strive to become the moon. The Bible says that a portion of blessing most suitable for each person comes upon them. Because we keep trying to measure the value of blessing only by worldly quantity, our hearts are hurt. The assumption "If I had as much as that person, I would also live while giving thanks" only makes our souls sick.

 

I hope you give thanks for the single fact that the light seeping out from you is the 'light of Jesus.' No matter how weak and insignificant you may look, if the Holy Spirit is with me and Christ dwells within me, I am already the most dazzling person. Even if the light of Christ coming out of me is like a small firefly, you are God's honorable children who are clearly shining in this dark world.

 

The Ultimate Blessing Completed in Christ

The last characteristic of the blessing Jacob delivered is that the direction of all these blessings is connected with Christ, the Messiah who is to come. The blessing Jacob proclaimed does not stay or get completed in that place. It is not a completed form that ends here with "This is what you will receive." This blessing bears a prophetic character, and as time flows, it is amplified into a more amazing and abundant appearance.

 

The case of Benjamin shows this extremely clearly. Originally, he was a being like a fierce wolf and a being who faced a crisis of destruction. However, after hundreds of years had passed from then, Moses makes a completely different proclamation toward Benjamin. "Benjamin, you are the beloved of the Lord." A being who was like a fierce beast has changed into one who receives God's extreme love.

 

Christ did not suddenly come down to this earth one day out of pity for us. Our seniors in faith confess that Christ became like us to personally experience the world's temptations and tests that we face, the tears we shed, and the afflictions we undergo. The reason the Lord holds us in all the ups and downs of our lives is to make us reach the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ and to lead us into the completion of the salvation the Lord achieved.

 

True Blessing Bloomed in the Place of Brokenness

What is the secret that such a dramatic reversal could happen to Benjamin, who was a fierce wolf? He was originally one who fought with his own strength. He had the spirit and bravery that faced an army of 400,000 while putting forward 700 elite warriors. He was strong enough to defeat 40,000 allied troops while achieving two great victories. However, that was not yet the time when he was enjoying true blessing.

 

The moment he realized the value of true blessing and was born again as a beloved of God was, paradoxically, when he lost the 700 warriors he relied on and the army he boasted of collapsed. Only after everything he believed to be his strength was completely broken, did the most precious grace of God, which had been hidden within him, begin to be revealed.

 

Our lives are the same. That point where my strength is broken and the things I relied on collapse is, in reality, the point where God's blessing begins. The reversal of grace that calls us—who were like wolves—as the beloved of God is identically happening in our lives now within Christ Jesus.

 

God’s Promise Encountered in the Place where My Strength Vanished

Benjamin lost everything but never died. Because the faithful promise of God was clearly revealed at that very point where the strength he relied on collapsed. Affliction becomes a channel that lets us know who the person really holding us is. Until then, we thought our own ability was indeed strength, and we believed that we did everything and would win in the future to possess everything.

 

However, the moment we realize that the things I built up can collapse at any time, the most precious thing kept within us begins to shine. That is precisely the promise of Jesus Christ. The promise "You are my son and my daughter," the promise "You are my beloved." No storm of the world can erase this promise, and no power can break us. Because when our armament is deactivated and all human strength vanishes, only then is it proven before the world who we truly are.

 

True Blessing Starting when Vain Reliance is Laid Down

I exhort you to quickly lay down the things you rely on and believe in yourself, thinking 'I might collapse without this.' I hope you realize as soon as possible that those things are never our true strength. Rather than regretting only after losing everything, realize at this moment that it is not your strength and willingly let it go from your hand. And look only to the Lord. This is the greatest blessing and declaration I can give to you.

 

Beloved saints, if the object you rely on is not the Lord, let it go now. Cease to rely on human means and tools. Only then will we come to know what a shining person we are. No matter how small the light inside me feels, you will realize that the light of Jesus Christ is the eternal light of life that penetrates this universe.

 

The Father who Carries us on His Back until the End of Life

You are those who have received the extreme love of God. You are honorable children whom the Father carries on His back. Like the blessing Moses proclaimed, God carries you on His back until today ends. No, it is not even until a year ends. Until that last moment when our life ends, the Father never puts you down. He carries us on His back until the end and goes together toward the eternal home.

 

This is exactly the amazing reversal of Moses that came to Benjamin's life. Toward a weary life that had to sharpen its edge like a fierce wolf to survive in a rough world and had to protect itself desperately not to be weeded out, God says: "I am protecting the meaning and preciousness of your life. I am carrying you on my back, and I will never put you down until the end and will go together." I pray in the name of the Lord that you become a blessed life that is fully carried on the back of this faithful God.

 

Let us pray.

Loving Lord, may we never miss this amazing grace contained within Jacob's blessing. Let us newly discover this blessing every day and fully enjoy it in every moment of life.

 

We already know well through countless experiences how exhausting and tiring a life trying to live only by its own strength is, and how lonely and painful it is. Nevertheless, please have mercy on us who are weak and still trying to stand up by putting our strength ahead of the Lord, and let us hear the detailed voice of the Lord once more.

 

Through the Word of the Lord, let us clearly realize where our true value and light are, and when the time we truly shine is. Let us hold onto that mysterious truth that I can shine most brilliantly only when I am broken and carried solely on the Lord's back.

 

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our eternal light. Amen.