Zebulun, A Type of Christ

Q: What does the Bible say about the role of Zebulun in relation to Christ?

Zebulun is portrayed in the Bible as a type of Christ, symbolizing exaltation and a haven for people. Zebulun, as mentioned in Genesis 49:13, is a picture of Christ. His name means 'exalted,' pointing to Jesus, who is exalted above all. Just as Zebulun dwells at the haven of the sea, Christ provides a refuge for His people amid the tumult of humanity and sin. The parallels between Zebulun and Christ highlight God's providential role in placing His people where they need to be for His purposes to be accomplished, fulfilling the sovereignty of God in salvation.

Q: How do we know that God's providence places us where He wants us?

Acts 17:26 states that God has determined the times and places where people should dwell. The doctrine of divine providence teaches that God ordains everything that happens in the world. In Acts 17:26, it is declared that God has made one blood all nations and has determined their appointed times and the bounds of their habitation. This assures believers that they are where they are by God's sovereign design, fulfilling His plan and purpose throughout history. God's providential placement serves to accomplish His will, and this is a comfort to Christians who recognize that their circumstances are part of His greater plan.

Q: Why is the concept of being 'exalted' important for Christians?

Christ's exaltation signifies His ultimate authority and sovereignty, encouraging believers to worship and trust in Him. The exaltation of Christ is central to Christian faith, as seen in Philippians 2:8-11, where God highly exalts Jesus after His humility and obedience. This exaltation highlights His supreme authority and assures believers that He is the sovereign ruler over all creation. For Christians, recognizing Christ as exalted encourages genuine worship and reliance on Him for salvation. It also inspires hope, knowing that every knee will ultimately bow to His authority, including those who have rejected Him.

Q: What is the significance of Zebulun being a 'haven of ships'?

Zebulun as a 'haven of ships' symbolizes Christ as the refuge for His people amid the storms of life. Zebulun being described as a 'haven of ships' signifies that he represents safety and refuge, much like Christ does for His people. The imagery suggests that just as mariners seek a safe harbor during a storm, believers find their refuge in Jesus amidst life's trials. This concept parallels the biblical truth in Revelation, where the tumult of humanity is likened to the sea, and Christ provides a haven for those who are His. Thus, Zebulun reflects the essential truth of Christ as the protector and deliverer of His people.

I'm going to ask you to take your Bibles with me to Genesis 49. Genesis 49. We've been considering the sons of Jacob as pictures, types of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we've come now to the son of Jacob, Zebulun, verse 13. And I'd like to just read just that verse and just consider for a minute. And I pray even now that the Lord might be pleased to give us all a hearing ear, truly a hearing ear and an understanding heart. I need it. I know I need it. I know you need it and desire it. Genesis 49, verse 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. Now, there's so much in this verse of scripture. I looked at it, and to my shame, when I first started looking at all the sons of Jacob and reading their names, and I just thought I would just try to make just a general light study of these sons. Jacob has come to the end of his life, By the grace of God, the Lord who rules and overrules has caused this verse of scripture and these verses of scripture to become very, very precious to me, and I pray they will be to you. And just in that verse of scripture right there, so easy to read, but oh, the volume of beauty is found in it. The first thing I noticed about this son is where the Lord declares that he physically dwelt, where he lived. Now, this is what it says, first part. Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea. You think, well, okay. Zebulun shall dwell.

This is what we know from just that portion of scripture, that the Lord providentially plants all of his people in the accomplishment of his eternal will and purpose. The Lord has a people in this world, and he's going to save them. And that he might save all of his people, he puts all of his people exactly where he wants them to be. He providentially puts them in that place to accomplish his eternal will, where he desires, wants them to be.

I want to look at Acts 17 with me. I've got a few verses of scripture tonight. I'm going to try to be brief but thorough. Acts 17. verses 24 to 26. Now listen to what Scripture says concerning the Lord putting his people. Verse 24, God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is the Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands, neither is worshiped with men's hands as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things, and hath made one of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth, and hath determined the times therefore, or before, I'm sorry, appointed and the bounds of their habitation.

So if you want to know why you're where you are, you know why you're where you are? You know why. I'll say it because that's where God determined you were going to be. I'm where I'm supposed to be. You're where you're supposed to be. The Lord determined where his people, he's got a purpose. that his purpose might be accomplished, he rules over all things, he orders all things according to the counsel of his own will and puts everybody where they're supposed to be. I'm so glad that we're here together in the place where God ordained that we would be.

So here's what I know, just going back to Genesis 49, 13, zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea. Now, I looked at this word zebulun, I was looking at where he was physically placed, but I wanted to look at his name, too. I know that all these words, every word has a purpose, a distinct meaning. And the word Zebulun, it means exalted, exalted.

Now, remember, we're looking in these verses as pictures, types, revelations of the Lord Jesus Christ. We're not looking for the glory of this son right here, but this son is a picture of the Lord. But his name means exalted and as a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what scripture says, Philippians 2, 8 to 11.

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, wherefore God has highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven, things in earth, things under the earth, that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. So let me tell you how many knees are going to bow to the exalted Christ, all of them. If the Lord's pleased to call them out of darkness and save them, they're going to bow in absolute thankfulness unto the Lord for his mercy and grace. If God Almighty leaves a man or a woman to themselves, they're going to bow to the God who does right and is just and gives unto men exactly what they deserve.

God is God in heaven and earth. Angels exalt the Lord. In Isaiah chapter 6, Isaiah, I'm sorry, yeah, Isaiah chapter 6, verses 1 to 4, I thought on this passage of scripture here talking about the Lord being exalted. Isaiah 6, verses 1 to 4, in the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple.

Above it stood the seraphims, each one had six wings with twain. He covered his face with twain. He covered his feet with twain. He did fly. And one cried to another, saying, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory. And the post of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

So I know this. Almighty God rules in heaven and earth. Every knee, every knee is going to bow. Every knee is going to bow according to His mercy, according to His justice. And Almighty God is exalted. That's what Zebulun means, Zebulun. So as a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, Zebulun, the son of Jacob, his name means exalted. So I know this, the angels exalt him and men are going to exalt him.

Matthew 16, Matthew 16 verses 13 to 17, Matthew chapter 16. Matthew 16, Verse 13, when Jesus came to the coast of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? And they said, some say thou art John the Baptist, some say Elias, others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, but whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Do you know from that verse of scripture right there, the only reason that any man, any woman, beholds and looks upon the Lord with thankfulness and in appreciation and in obedience to declaring Him in their heart, you're God, you rule, you're worthy.

The only reason that they do that is because the Lord's given them a new heart to do it. That's the only reason. Outside of that, men do not behold Him as the exalted and worthy God of all things. God. Only God's people. But there's something else that I noticed about this Zebulun that was revealed. In Deuteronomy, I'll just read this for you. Deuteronomy 33, 18. Moses was moved to write this. It says, And of Zebulun, he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out, and Issachar in thy tents. Now that word, rejoice, my heart was moved. He was talking about Zebulun. Zebulun, you rejoice. The joy that every believer possesses because of the goodness, grace, and mercy that the Lord has bestowed upon them. I want to read Luke chapter 10. Luke 10. I know that I'm turning a lot, but that's okay. Luke chapter 10. Luke 10 verse 17.

Rejoice. That's what Zebulun, that's what he was told to do. By the Lord, through Moses, rejoice, rejoice, rejoice. Luke 10, verse 17, and the 70 returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan's lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents, on scorpions, over power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you, notwithstanding." What he's saying is, nevertheless, I've given you power, all these things right here to tread on serpents and scorpions. Nevertheless, notwithstanding, in this rejoice not that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice because your names or written in heaven. I read that again today and it just caused me to be thankful. I wish I knew how to be thankful and I know I'm not. I wish I knew or had the ability to rejoice because my name is written in heaven.

You that know Him, you know what I'm saying. Just think about this. By the grace of God, that Almighty God would be pleased to show mercy to anybody. That God Almighty would be pleased to write your name. This is what the Lord said, don't rejoice in these graces, these gifts that I get you, tread on serpent. You rejoice right here that your name is written in heaven. When it's all said and done, when the last shot's fired, I'm telling you, this is the only thing that's gonna matter, is my name written in heaven.

Has God Almighty been pleased to show mercy to this worthless, unworthy sinner? A believer knows that his salvation It's not by his own works. He knows that. He knows that. And the more he hears that truth, not by works of righteousness that we've done, but according to his mercy, he saved us. The more precious that passage gets, not by works. Don't, don't look. Don't look to what you've done or you think you've done or what you've accomplished. That's what the Lord said. Don't rejoice even in the graces that the Lord has given you. Don't rejoice.

I think about myself. What a privilege has been bestowed upon me to be able to be in the house of the Lord, to be with God's people, to preach the Lord's gospel. How much I thank the Lord for that, but according to the Lord's will, he said, you rejoice in this. This is where you rejoice, that your name is written in heaven. You rejoice in that. You that know him, you're doing that right now. That's what you're doing right now.

Lord, thank you that you wrote my name in the book of life before the foundation of the world, and have shown mercy to me, and have ordered all these things. Everything's come together. from time before you were ever conceived. Almighty God that loves his people, he purposed that you'd be brought into this world at a specific time, and God's gonna put you in a specific place. He's gonna put you under the sound of the gospel. You're gonna hear the truth, and then he's gonna give you a heart to believe it, and then give you a heart to thank him and rejoice in him.

That's what scripture reveals, Zebulun. Zebulun means, it means rejoice. It means be thankful. But now look also back in Genesis 49 verse thing concerning Zebulun. Here's what it says. It says, he shall dwell at the haven. I looked up that word haven. Seashore. That's what it means. the shore of the sea, the seashore. He shall dwell at the haven of the sea.

Now again, considering Zebulun, we look not only at him personally or at his posterity, at the lineage that came through. He was the head of a particular people. He was the head of a family. God Almighty raised up 12 sons of Jacob. And Zebulun was one of them. He was one of the heads. But now, let me ask you this. Is Christ not the head of his people? Who are we? We're the body. He's the head. He's our head. He's our Lord. He's our God.

Naturally speaking, Zebulun's Family according to what I've read here zebulon shall dwell at the haven of the sea. He shall be haven of ships His border shall be unto zion. So what I read concerning him what he did he made his living As a fisherman, that's what he was. He was a he made his business. He was a mariner He lived by the sea. That's what he's talking about. He's well by the haven of the sea, so he he had a He had a job, reputation of being a mariner, and concerning this man's trade, he dealt in fishing. That's what he did. All but considering, again, Zebulun as a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, we behold him ever watching over. His picture, he's a picture of Christ, and Christ is ever watching over his people, his people. Now, we're in this world. We're in this world. We're in a world that is referred to in the scriptures. I'm going to show you this.

You can turn with me to Revelation 13. This world that we're living in, Revelation 13, verse 1, and I'll Jump over to chapter 17 for a verse. Revelation 13, 1. This world that we're living in, in the scriptures, is referred to as a S-E-A, a sea, a sea. Revelation 13, 1.

It says, and I stood, this is John speaking, and I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads, ten horns upon his horns, ten crowns upon his heads, the name of blasphemy." Now John's looking, he's seeing a vision, and he sees an S-E-A, he sees a C, he sees a C. Look at verse, chapter 17, Revelation 17, verse 15. Revelation 17, verse 15. Here we have the revelation of what this sea that John saw is. Revelation 17, 15.

And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. So whenever John is looking at this sea, It's a picture of everybody that's born into this world, the seed of all the nations. But continuing back in our passage, now knowing that, Genesis 49, it says in verse 13, Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea. Now there's a haven. There's a refuge in this sea, in this mass of humanity. There is a refuge. Zebulun, who is a picture of Christ, shall dwell at the haven of the sea. And you see that, don't you? You see what I'm saying? See what I'm talking about? In this mass of humanity, there is a refuge. There is a safety. is a city of refuge, the Lord Jesus Christ, the spiritual Zebulun.

And he dwells at the haven of the sea. And the scripture says, and he shall be in haven of ships. Well, I had to look up that word too, ships. I mean, in my mind, I just think of a boat. I think of a boat. But here's what it means. It means the men are or shipmen. It means there's a special group of people in this world, in this mass of humanity.

And the Lord says he is a haven of ships. He's a haven for shipmen, that he's made to be objects of his mercy. Zebulon, I wrote this, Zebulon dwelt in a place, he was a place of safety. He was a haven or a port where ships out of every nation, tribe, and tongue, shipmen, spiritual shipmen, where they could come and find safety from the storms or tempest. natural shipment mariners if a storm is coming up you know the best thing to do find a port Get in a place of safety get in a refuge Don't try to fight it.

You're not gonna win. You're gonna. You're gonna lose so what you do you you're looking for a place of safety and in this world in which we live in this place in which we've been born and Almighty God has been pleased out of every nation, tribe, kindred, tongue, to have a people, but he's also provided for them a haven, a haven of rest.

And the Lord has given us, his people, a beautiful knowledge of who our haven is. We know our haven is not something that we've done. I don't have a haven made of myself. What am I going to do to protect myself against the wrath of almighty God? I need a haven and I need one to put me in that haven and keep me in that haven.

That's Zebulun. That's Zebulun. Zebulun The scripture says he shall dwell at the haven of the sea. He's a very present help in the time of our need. And shall be for in haven of ships. And it says in the last part of that verse, and his border shall be unto Zidon. His border, the word border. there means the distant border of his territory.

Man, I tell you what, the explanation of these words are just wonderful when you understand what they mean. If I just read it, I just read it and I thought, okay, it sounds scriptural. You know, it sounds like scripture. You know how scripture sounds if somebody reads it. But if you don't understand it, there's no profit in it.

But whenever I look at these words in his border or the distant border of his territory, I began to think to myself, where is the distant border in this world in which we live? Where is the distant border of his territory? Well, again, as I said a while ago, out of every nation, kindred, tribe, and tongue, God's got a people. the distant border of his territory shall be unto Zidon.

Zidon. Zidon. Oh, that precious word Zidon. What does that mean? I looked up that word Zidon and here's what it means. A place of fish. A place of fish. And this was the This was the passage. Turn with me to Matthew 13. Matthew 13, verse 47, 48. A place of fish. Now you just think about it. Now, Zidon means a place of fish. A place of fish. Now, while the Lord has a people out of every nation, kindred, tribe, and tongue, we know this. that he has a people in this place. We know that, in this world. And how is he going to get them? How's he going to get them?

Well, the scripture refers to him, again, Zebulun means it. It means a place of fish. It means a fisherman, a mariner. It has to do with fishing. Matthew 13, 47, 48. Matthew 13. Okay. Well, I've got the wrong one. I'll tell you what it is. Matthew 13. I've written down the wrong verse, but here's the verse of Scripture I was talking about.

The world is like a net that is cast into the sea. And some of you will find this passage before I get to the end of it. And this net is cast into the sea. And all manner of fish was pulled in to the boat. And the fishermen went through and they took the good ones and kept them and threw the bad ones back. You know that passage in scripture that I'm talking about? That's the passage. I just wrote down the wrong number there.

What is it? 47? Chapter 48? 13? Did I? Okay. Oh, you know what I did? I meant John. I'm about to say, I'm about to say, everybody's seeing this but me. Maybe I ought to go get a new, okay. Let's start this one over one more time. You know where I'm going, but I'm going to read it anyway. All right, Matthew, yeah. Matthew, yeah, it starts with an M. All right, Matthew 13. Oh, yeah, that looks more better. Matthew 13, 47, 48, let's read it. the way the Spirit of God wrote it.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was cast into the sea, gathered of every kind, which when it was full, they drew to shore, and set down, and gathered the good into vessels, and cast the bad away. This is what is meant by Zebulun and his border The distant border of his territory shall be unto Ziodon, Ziodon being the place of fish.

And this is what the Lord's going to do. Right now, he's calling out his people. There's a lot of folks that come and hear the gospel. To some of them, there's no life in it, but to some, They see the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. They behold his majesty and his glory, and the Lord draws them unto himself, gives them a heart for the truth, and they love it. Some go away. Some go away and see no beauty in the truth, but those that love him, those that know him, they rejoice in the blessedness of Christ Jesus the Lord that would have a people, would not leave them to themselves, would call them out of darkness, would send the gospel to them, and give them a heart to believe it. To God be the glory for all these blessed things. Amen.

Zebulun, A Type of Christ

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the role of Zebulun in relation to Christ?

How do we know that God's providence places us where He wants us?

Why is the concept of being 'exalted' important for Christians?

What is the significance of Zebulun being a 'haven of ships'?

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Zebulun, A Type of Christ

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the role of Zebulun in relation to Christ?

How do we know that God's providence places us where He wants us?

Why is the concept of being 'exalted' important for Christians?

What is the significance of Zebulun being a 'haven of ships'?

Sermon Transcript

About Marvin Stalnaker

Comments

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