Sermons 13, 14 and 15 from An Exposition of Deuteronomy 33

Sermon 13: “The Blessing of Benjamin,” pages 409-432;

Sermon 14: “The Blessing of Joseph. Joseph a Type of Christ,” pages 433-484;

Sermon 15: “The Blessing of Joseph, Continued. Joseph’s Land a Type of Christ’s Church,” pages 485-512.

One of the many advantages to having this book in hand is its usefulness when it comes to doing studies on Old Testament characters. These three chapters cover the lesser-studied Benjamin and the greatly-admired Joseph. Parkinson’s exposition is very thought-provoking in both instances. Each are looked at respecting their place in the biblical narrative regarding God’s dealings with Israel and, more significantly, as typical with respect to Christ and His Church. An example of this is expressed by Parkinson in this manner regarding Benjamin: “As typified in the Israelite under consideration, the beloved of the Lord, in their successive generations, become severally distinguished by a new name. God, it is true, had, from eternity, chosen and predestinated them to the adoption of children to himself (Eph. 1:4-5); nevertheless, in their descent from Adam, they are all by nature children of wrath even as others (Eph. 2:3). By our natural birth, every one is a Benoni, a child of sorrow. Nay, the world into which we are born is a Bochim, a place of weeping (Judges 2:4-5); and the carnal, as being enemies of God in mind, and manifesting this enmity by wicked works, are, to the saints, objects of sorrow and mourning, and not of joy and rejoicing. Did Rachel call her son Benoni, on account of the anguish and sorrow which he had occasioned her?....Jacob, the father of Benoni, changed his name into Benjamin [‘the beloved of the Lord”]; and, answerably thereto, Jehovah, the adoptive Father of the elect, at their effectual vocation [or calling], makes know to them their filial relation to Himself. For, having convinced them, that by nature and desert they are children of wrath, and having made them partakers of a new and holy principle, called the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4); he, thereupon, sends forth the Spirit of his Son into their hearts, crying Abba, Father (Gal. 4:6). Herein he gives to each a white stone, that is, open acquittal, and in the stone a NEW NAME written, to wit, the evidence of adoption, which always accompanies the evidence of pardon; and which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. Rev. 2:17. Comp. 1 John 3:1. And, as Rachel’s son, after the change of his name, is never called Benoni, but always Benjamin; so the elect, after their calling and faith in Christ, are never, as before, called children of wrath, but constantly the children of God.”