Stones Of The Breastplate- Issachar and Zebulun

Topaz-Issachar

1. His Birth

This name means "a hire for payment". Genesis 30:18- And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.  It was because of a deal struck with Rachel for some mandrakes that Reuben brought his mother, that Leah conceived this child.

2. The Patriarchal Blessing

Genesis 49:14- Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: Balaam's ass saw the angel. And Isaiah 1:3 says that the ass is wiser than the children of Israel- The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.  Issachar was a wise worker. God gave to this tribe some of the most fertile land in Palestine.

Genesis 49:15- And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.  His "hire" or "reward" was to reap the benefits and the blessings of his hard work! Psalms 126:5-6- They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Great reward will always follow those who work for it, especially spiritually speaking!

3. The Mosaic Blessing

Deuteronomy 33:18-19- And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents. They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.   There is an obvious link between Zebulun and Issachar. These brethren have opposite outlooks and different natures, and yet they labor together.  There are many opposites who work well together in the Bible- Elijah and Elisha, Peter and John, Paul and Timothy. Psalms 133:1- Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

4. The Stone Topaz in the Breastplate

A topaz is thought to represent the reward of diligently seeking. It is a cheerful golden-yellow. Proverbs 8:17- I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

Carbuncle- Zebulun

1. His Birth

Genesis 30:20- And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun. Zebulun means dwelling.

2. The Patriarchal Blessing

Genesis 49:13- Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon. He was given the border of the Mediterranean Sea. Zebulun's decendants were a sea-faring people. Christ lived in Nazareth which was a city of Zebulun, fitting for the great Fisher of Men!

3. The Mosaic Blessing

Deuteronomy 33:18- And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents. While Issachar liked to dwell at home, Zebulun was an active tribe.

Deuteronomy 33:19- They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand. Zebulun, also known as Galilee, not only sent treasures out, but they also brought them in. Galilee has been the setting of many stories of the Lord Jesus Christ- Mount of the Beatitudes, the Mount of Transfiguration, the Mount of Olives, and Calvary!

4. The Stone Carbuncle in the Breastplate

Carbuncle means glittering, like the sea when the sun is shining on it. Zebulun had many havens for ships, and probably many lighthouses. Psalm 107:30- Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. A harbor of rest for those who seek refuge from the sea of life, it is fitting that the Lord was raised here and had much of His earthly ministry in Zebulun's shores! Matthew 4:15-16- The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

Stones Of The Breastplate- Judah

I used the book These Are The Garments by C. W. Slemming along with this study.

The 12 stones in the breastplate correspond with the 12 tribes of Israel, also engraven in the breastplate. They were chosen by God according to four different characteristics:

1. Their birth- Genesis 29:31- Genesis 30:24

2. The Patriarchal Blessing- Genesis 49

3. The Mosaic Blessing- Deuteronomy 30

4. Stones in the Breastplate- Exodus 28:17-21

These stones are not listed in the order of birth. God has chosen a different order for them to appear on the breastplate, and that is the order in which we will look at them.

Sardius- Judah

1. His Birth

The theme of Judah is praise. Genesis 29:35- And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing. Judah means "the praise of Jehovah".

2. The Patriarchal Blessing

Genesis 49:8a- Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: Praise brings blessing and blessing brings praise. The man not only gave forth praise, but he was the recipient of it.

Genesis 49:8b-  thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; This means victory.

Genesis 49:8c- thy father's children shall bow down before thee. This is a prophecy about the kingly line coming thru Judah.

Genesis 49:9- Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? Judah is always likened to a lion. Christ himself is the lion of the tribe of Judah.

Genesis 49:10- The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. The scepter is the symbol of authority and acceptance (Esther 4:11).  This is also a clue as to whom the Messiah would come thru.

Genesis 49:11-12- Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk. The ass is a beast of burden, and the vine is a type of fruitfulness. Judah had the ability to take the common burdens of life and find a fruitfulness and a joy in them.

Wine is a type of blood (Exodus 7:17). Judah has washed his garments in blood- the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. As such, his sins are forgiven him and he is able to see joy in the common things of life.

His eyes are red, as if he had been drunken. Ephesians 5:18- And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;  and Acts 2:15- For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. He's not drunk with wine; he's filled with the Holy Spirit.

Milk represents strength, and is almost always associated with wine. Isaiah 55:1- Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  and used together would be strength in the Lord. Ephesians 6:10- Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

3. The Mosaic Blessing

Deuteronomy 33:7a- And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: Most of the prayers in the Bible are by the Kings of Judah- especially King David! These are all of the line of Judah. And we know that the Lord hears the prayers of His saints.

Deuteronomy 33:7b-  let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies.  If we look at this as the Kings of Judah, their hands were sufficient in battle. From David to Uzziah, God helped the Kings of Judah in battle. But, looking at this as the coming Messiah, we see that His hands helped the poor and needy, healed the sick and lame, and defeated His enemies while nailed to the cross. And still, they minister today to the many saints around the world who need help against their enemies- the world, the flesh, and the devil.

4. The Stone Sardius in the Breastplate

This is a red stone (garments washed in wine). The color of this stone just sums up the character quality of Judah.

Healthy Minute- Adrenal Fatigue

When your adrenal glands aren't functioning where they should be you could start to experience feelings of being tired, or weak, or even slightly depressed and blah- these are signs of adrenal fatigue. Most people reach for caffeine to help them when they are feeling this way, but that can make you tired, but wired and actually make adrenal fatigue worse in the long run.
NOTE: Adrenal fatigue and candida normally go hand-in-hand. So, if you are experiencing adrenal fatigue you may want to get checked for candida.
Watch this video below for more information on adrenal fatigue and how to overcome it.

Not Thy Will, But Mine Be Done (prose)

All God wants from any of our lives

Is for us to submit our wills to His.

Not my will, but thine be done.

Often He hears the opposite but

In our own words we say

Not thy will, but mine be done.

Why are you making this such a big deal?

It's my life let me live it!

Not thy will, but mine be done.

It's not the same as when you were here,

The world is much different now.

Not thy will, but mine be done.

You don't know my dreams and goals;

You just don't understand me!

Not thy will, but mine be done.

I'm only young once, and I've got plenty of time.

I'll change when I'm older.

Not thy will, but mine be done.

One day I woke up and I'm old and grown.

My life has been nothing but

Not thy will, but mine be done.

With regret, I realized I'd wasted my days

With nothing to show for my existence, but

Not thy will, but mine be done.

What could I have accomplished?

Who could I have been?

If only His will, not mine was done?

Is this what I wanted? Is this what I craved?

Who's will did I actually follow?

Not my will, but who's was done?

-JCT

Funny Happenings- I'm Getting Old, God

It gets really funny after 1 minute and 40 seconds!

The Way You Came (song)

Believer's Heritage- Joseph Scriven

Joseph Medlicott Scriven was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1819. He was a good student who attended Trinity College in Dublin at the age of 16. Even though his health was poor, he tried to carry on his family's military tradition in England. He left after 2 years when he was assessed as "physically unfit".

Joseph returned to Dublin and finished college in 1842.

He was engaged to be married in 1843. The day before his wedding, his fiance was thrown from her horse into the river Bann and drowned. 

After this tragedy, he took a job as tutor to the Bartley family. While in the Middle East, he wrote the first line of his famous song, which he intended for a poem called "Pray Without Ceasing". When Joseph heard that his mother was ill, he sent her a letter with the poem enclosed. Years later, when Joseph was sick, a visiting friend read some of his poems, including what had become known as "What A Friend We Have In Jesus".

Jospeh left for Canada in 1846, and took a tutor position in 1850 with the Pengelley family. There he met Eliza Roche, and again was engaged to be married. But for the second time, tragedy took his fiance, this time in the form of pneumonia.

He was a member of the Plymouth Brethren, of which George Muller was a member, and began preaching for a Baptist Church. He would preach wherever he could find an audience. Sometimes, he was even greeted by people throwing fruits and vegetables at him, but even when faced with arrest he carried on. It was said that he could quote Scripture for any occassion.

Jospeh spent all that he had to help those who could not help themselves. It was a familiar site in Port Hope, Ontario to see him carrying around a bucksaw. He would cut wood for those who couldn't do it for themselves, or for those who could not pay, but he wouldn't work for money. He would care for the sick. His landlady, an Irish widow,had a cow, which he milked for her and made the deliveries.

Joseph died in 1886 and was buried in the Pengelley family cemetery next to Eliza Roche. His friend published his poems in a book called Hymns and Other Verses. Charles C. Converse, a well known musician of the time, put it to music, and it was included in Ira Sankey's gospel hymns. 

In 1920, the people of Port Hope erected a monument to Joseph with the words of his poem-turned-song written on the four sides.