Today we continue to read Moses’ blessings to the tribes of Israel with his blessing to Benjamin. Benjamin was Jacob’s youngest son, the second son of Jacob’s favorite wife and one true love, Rachel, who died giving birth to him. When he thought his favorite son Joseph, her eldest had died, Benjamin became all he had left of her. His older brothers understood this and though they had betrayed Joseph they went out of their way to protect Benjamin. In fact, it was the brothers’ love for Benjamin that persuaded Joseph to realize they had changed.
Verse 12 reads,
Of Benjamin he said,
“The beloved of the Lord dwells in safety.
The High God surrounds him all day long,
and dwells between his shoulders.”
Beloved means deeply loved, adored and treasured. Do you ever consider just how much God loves you? Think about the person you love the most in the world, your spouse, your child, your parent, or whoever it might be. How does your heart feel when you consider them? How do you feel thinking about blessings for them such as your child being successful and happy? Perhaps your most beloved person has passed away, is sick, or suffering somehow, how does that make you feel? Now consider this, God loves you so much, He gave you His only begotten Son (John3:16). He loves you so much, He was willing to step out of Heaven and live for you, suffer for you, and conquer for you. Our love is imperfect so it can’t measure God’s awesome perfect love. God’s love for us, for you is more than we can imagine. Romans 8:31-39 reads,
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We, the cherished of the LORD dwell in safety. Nothing can come against us if God is for us! Nothing can separate us from His Love! Look at everything Jesus has done for you and is doing for you. Nothing, not your mistakes, sins, or suffering, wealth, lack, or battles can tear you away from God’s love. God is with you throughout every circumstance. He surrounds you, He indwelled you, He united with you and nothing can make Him leave you. We’re not talking about some great guy, your boss, the leader of a country, or a mythical figure. We are talking about The LORD God, Yahweh, The Most High God, Creator of the Universe and all that it holds, The God of Angel Armies. That is a big deal!
No matter what you go through, it cannot ‘unsave’ you. Regardless of what you do, it cannot make God leave you or withdraw His shield from you. Nothing can take you out of His mighty hand. Nothing. He won’t stop you from leaving Him, but He will never leave you or renounce you. In John 10:28-30 Jesus said it like this,
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
Not only does God surround His beloved children, but He dwells between our shoulders. What that means is He resides there. What is it to be between our shoulders? Between our shoulders is our heart, spiritually the seat of our spirit. Between our shoulders is our spine, our backbone, the symbol of strength and uprightness. God dwells there, He chooses to inhabit us and He gives us new hearts, upright character, and strength.
It is no wonder we dwell in safety, because the LORD dwells in us. The word for dwell in this verse is shakan and it means to settle down, establish, to stay permanently. When I read this Deuteronomy 33:12 I get the picture of Psalm 23, my Lord my Shepherd taking complete and utter care of me so that I have nothing to fear and nothing to worry about regardless of where I am and what is happening.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Believer, you are deeply loved by the LORD God Almighty, the Most High, nothing can change that, nothing can take Him away from you or you away from Him. He chooses to establish Himself in you and cause you to stand upright. You are His beloved.