Benjamin, the son of Jacob, was blessed by his father with the quality of a wolf who takes his prey in the morning and distributes it in the evening. His name given by his father in connection with his ability as a wolf to use the portals of the day, namely as already mentioned the morning and the evening, to administer prey, reveals to us a mystery (cf. Genesis 49:27).

 

Genesis 49:27:
27 ‘Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.’

 

 

To explore this revelatory mystery, we study the Hebrew word for ‘wolf – sĕ'ēb’, that is composed of the Hebrew letters ‘Zayin’, ‘Aleph’ and ‘Beth’, which are ‘numbers of ones’ that result in the numerical value ‘10’ and pass into the dimension of the ‘tens’.

 

The numerical value ‘10’ is associated in Hebrew with the ‘hand – jād’ which carries within it the potential of ‘the little one’ which holds everything in the Word of God together to assist in fulfillment (cf. Matthew 5:17-19).

 

Matthew 5:17-19:
17 ‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.
18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter (Note: Greek ‘iōta’ points to the tenth Hebrew letter ‘jod’ with the numerical value ‘10’), not the least stroke of a pen (Note: Greek ‘kerạịa – hook, horn’ and points to the Hebrew letter ‘jod’ with the numerical value ‘10’), will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practises and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

 

Behind this principle of ‘the small’, which leads over to the ‘big’ and relates to the leading hand of God to supply (Note: prey), we can recognize a reference to the Bible passage from 1 Kings 17:2-6. There we are told that during a famine, the prophet Elijah was directed by God to turn eastward to walk by the brook Kerith, which flows to the Jordan River. Furthermore, the LORD commanded the resident ravens to provide Elijah with bread and meat in the morning and evening.

 

1 Kings 17:2-6:
2 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: 3 ‘Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan.
4 You will drink from the brook, and I have instructed the ravens to supply you with food there.’
5 So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there.
6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

 

 

For us as God’s people we can learn that in challenging circumstances it is needed to to turn our gaze, which implies a new perspective that comes with the beginning of the new day of the economy. This relates to the rising of the sun in the east and that most people go about their economic responsibilities during the day.

Moreover, in a prophetic context, the east symbolizes regeneration and renewal through the symbolism of the new dawning day, as well as the returning presence of God’s sonship in power (cf. Matthew 24:27)

 

Matthew 24:27:
27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

 

We can also see this clearly by the turning of the prophet Elijah eastward on God’s behalf. Here the supernatural provision of the prophet occurs according to the word of Matthew 4:4, where it says, ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’

 

The ravens in this context may represent the presence of angels who bring the Word of God (Note: scroll) in the form of bread and meat to those who are spiritually minded (cf. Ezekiel 3:1; Jeremiah 1:9; Revelation 10:10a i.c.w. 1 Corinthians 2:12-14).

 

Ezekiel 3:1:
1 And he said to me, ‘Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.’

 

Jeremiah 1:9:
9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, ‘I have put my words in your mouth.

 

Revelation 10:10a:
10a I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. …

 

1 Corinthians 2:12-14:
12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.
14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

 

 

It is interesting to note at this point that the prophet Jeremiah was a man from the tribe of Benjamin (cf. Jeremiah 1:1) and Elijah held the same spiritual office as Jeremiah, which shows that the ‘wolf’ cooperates with the ‘ravens’.

 

When studying about the cooperation between the wolves and ravens, we find that ravens in the wilderness or outdoors assist the wolves in their hunt for prey by flying attacks on the present prey animals when needed to show the wolves that there are prey animals in the region or place.

 

In addition, ravens often establish their nests near the wolf den, so young wolf pups become familiar with ravens and their call in this way, which shapes them as they grow up and helps them in their hunting later on.

 

From this it is clear that this kind of symbiosis between the wolf and the ravens encompasses the saying of the blessing of Jacob, who spoke to his son Benjamin of the importance of a wolf’s prey in the morning and in the evening.

 

The ravens also provided for Elijah at these times, though the ravens did not take prey, but in the form of the ‘ministering spirits’ assisted the prophet by bringing him bread and meat (cf. Hebrews 1:14).

 

Hebrews 1:14:
14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

 

The bread in this context can be understood as the fundamental truth of God’s word (Note: Greek lọgos) and the meat as the revelatory truth of God’s word (Note: Greek rhẹma).

 

To understand more deeply the symbiosis between the ravens and the wolf, it is helpful to know that in the Word of God there is a winepress of the wolf and a rock of the raven, which, from a redeemed perspective, is transformation in the form of spiritual renewal associated with the laying down of our own will in Christ Jesus (cf. Judges 7:25a-b).

 

Judges 7:25a-b:
25a-b They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. …

 

 

Accordingly, as God’s prophetic people, we are encouraged to be sensitive to the support of the angels who are commissioned by God. They are provided by the Lord of hosts to assist us in our circumstances with the Word of God that has been sent forth, so that we may increase in faith and continue our walk with Christ Jesus in steadfast confidence.

 

Anyone who would like to learn more about the area of ministering angels on behalf of the Lord is encouraged to familiarize yourself with this message ‘Ministering angels who bring help’ to learn to be familiar with this realm and with the will of God in it.

 

Amen and Amen.

 

In His Wisdom,

 

Daniel Glimm