Judah?
Levi?
Benjamin?
If so, you are like most people--these are probably the most well known tribes in the Bible.
But in total there were 12: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Benjamin.
Manasseh and Ephraim are the double tribe from Joseph, so that actually only makes eleven.
The tribe I haven't mentioned yet, and the one that most likely would NOT be the first to come to mind--in fact, if I didn't mentioned this name, most Christians reading may never have never missed it--Zebulun.
The tribe of Zebulun are those descended from Leah's sixth son. The name Zebulon means "to dwell" or "habitation".
I believe it would be edifying for Christians who are dwelling in this present world, to dwell upon this tribe for a bit.
It is one of my greatest joys to study Bible people that are often overlooked.
A long time could be spent on learning about the history, heroes, victories and failures of the tribe of Zebulun, as with any other tribe or family in the Scriptures!
Instead, I will just take a few instances (snapshots, if you will) from the life of this tribe from two periods of Isreal's History--The Judges and The Kings--and use them as examples for our edification today!
"Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." (I Corinthians 10:11).
I. During the time of the Judges
A. In Barak's day (Judges 5), the people were under the cruel oppression of Jabin the king of Canaan and his infamous Captain, Sisera, who boasted a mighty host and 900 chariots of iron.
Let me say it again: boasted 900 CHARIOTS OF IRON.
Nine hundred "tanks" of that time.
It was a dark day. They had cried unto God, and turned from their sin, and He raised up Deborah and Barak.
It was a day when Godly manhood was in short supply. It was a day for heroes to come out of the shadows and stand for righteousness and for the name of their God.
When Barak (of Naphtali) finally rose to obey God, and called for men to rise and join him at Mount Tabor, men of Zebulun and Naphtali (and some others) were rallied to also obey. In the song that Barak and Deborah sing in the next chapter (Judges 6), we find some interesting details about the brave men from Zebulun who arose to meet the challenge...
Judges 5:14 "Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer."
I find it fascinating that the men of Zebulun who joined to battle alongside Barak were recorded as those "that handle the pen of the writer".
Gifted men who's skill was the written word not the handling of bow and spear!
It would have seemed natural for the scribes to have could have answered Barak's call to arms with,
"We are glad that you feel you must rise and fight Sisera'a host, but that is not our specific calling. We are not warriors. We hold the pen, not the sword. We have all been givien different gifts and varying roles by God--we will do that which what we feel comfortable with! So grateful God gave you such a vision and the strength to meet it! Hope you all are successful! We will be praying for you! And when the battle is over, we will write your obituary or your praise!"
"...And in doing so, pretend as if we were fighting alongside of you at all times!"
Indeed, there were other tribes and regions of that day who did not heed the call to fight the adversary! Those in Gilead, Dan, and Asher (Judges 5:17) stayed right where they were. Others talked it over, considered the ramifications, had "great thoughts of heart", but never put their "great searchings" into action. Such was the tribe of Reuben (Judges 5:15,16).
In fact, most of the tribes of Israel did not take part in the battle!
What a testimony that Zebulun did not follow the indifference and inaction of the popular opinion. The tribes of both Zebulun and Naphtali did not stoop to follow the crowd but went forward in hazard to their lives to fight against King Jabin's Canaanites and those 900 CHARIOTS OF IRON.
Judges 5:18 "Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field."
Others from Ephraim, Benjamin, Machir (of Manasseh) joined valiantly with their brothers.
They put their lives on the line to defend their land, their homes, their families, and their neighbors (who had stayed at home).
B. And we find again that in Gideon's day, Zebulun again came to join the conflict:
Judges 6:35 "And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them." Zebulun went up to join Gideon.
II. During the time of Kings
The tribes were coming together to make David king over all the nation of Israel. This is recorded in the twelfth chapter of I Chronicles--a chapter full of great insights and lessons for warfare in the spiritual realm today!
I love to see what God wanted us to know about the various men and tribes right there.
In David's day:
I Chronicles 12:23,33 "And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war, and came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the LORD...Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank: they were not of double heart."
The men of Zebulun were...
- such as went forth to battle
- expert in war
- skilled and armed with all instruments of war
- could keep rank
- not of double heart
Let US be as the men of Zebulun, who came to see David, the true king of Israel, crowned and honored--and his kingdom established.
Notice again how Zebulun was described.
A. They were "such as went forth to battle"
Let us ALL be those who are actively contending for the faith in our generation! Let us reject the "but that's not my calling" excuse and be like Job in searching out the cause we know not! Let us serve our God on more than one front: training our young, ministering to the poor and the homeless, rescuing the weak, snatching prey out of the mouths of lions, preaching in the open air, witnessing one on one to those who are lost--willing to go where the Lord leads (whether that be stateside, internationally, or just down the street at the local altar of Molech).
"Some want to live within sound of church and chapel bell. I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of Hell." C.T. Studd.
B. They were "expert in war"
Let us become "expert in war" by training, by exercise in the Scriptures, and by EXPERIENCE through actual engagement in public and private venues. Bringing the culture into conflict with the gospel of Jesus Christ on many fronts--the debate of creation vs. evolution, apologetics, evangelism, the holocaust of the preborn, etc. The only way to become a seasoned veteran in any battle is to venture forth as a rookie and keep going--learn by hearing, seeing, and doing.
C. They were skilled and armed "with all instruments of war"
Let us arm ourselves "with ALL instruments of war", and take advantage of various facets and parts of service:
Whether it be on our knees in our closet weeping with our God,
standing at the murder mill preaching and pleading,
providing resources and information to those in need,
provoking the public in the streets,
dropping truth and tracts everywhere we go,
exhorting our brethren at church, around the table, and on social media,
provoke the people by your bumper magnets and stickers, signs, shirts, hats, and literature,
Studying and wielding the Sword of the LORD (the Bible),
being ready always to give an answer on what God's truth says concerning salvation, creation, dinosaurs, child sacrifice, abolition, marriage, sexuality, children, discipline, forgiveness, friendship, habits, finances, work ethic, authority, manhood, womanhood, government, justice, liberty, pornography, bondage, victory, evangelism, discipleship, prayer, martyrdom etc.
Learning basics of Biblical apologetics and gathering resources on various subjects to utilize and share.
Brothers and Sisters, let us wear the whole armor of God and bear the weapons of our warfare, which are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
D. They "could keep rank"
Let us "keep rank"--seeking to be orderly and effective in our labor, united with others in Christ for the task, intentional in our objective, and righteous in our steps to see the end accomplished to the redounding of the glory of our King!
E. They "were not of double heart"
Let us not be of double heart, but be constrained by the unfeigned love of Christ in all that we do. We must be impassioned in our zeal and harnessed by truth.
May we who have been "brought nigh" already ourselves be obedient and represent our Savior and King, Jesus Christ, as ambassadors for His kingdom, faithful in a selfish culture that has rebelled against the Creator (denying His very existence and at peace with the murder of the preborn).
Let us be seeking souls to be saved and the abolition of child sacrifice to the praise of the glory of Jesus Christ, the true King!
Abortion must be abolished.
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