Living Sacrifice
Romans 12 says to present yourself as a living sacrifice. This, of course, also maps to the tribes.
Grid
| Tribe | Item/Gift | ||
|---|---|---|---|
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1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1-2 (Romans 12:1 NIV) | |||
| Judah | Living sacrifice | ||
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The best example of a "living sacrifice" is the lamb chosen for sacrifice on Selection Day and held four more days until the Passover. It's literally a living sacrifice. Selection Day is Judah's annual holiday, so Judah relates to this idea of a living sacrifice. | |||
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2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2 NIV) | |||
| Reuben | Imitate world | ||
| Gad | Discernment | ||
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3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Romans 12:3-8 (Romans 12:3 NIV) | |||
| Asher | Don't exaggerate | ||
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Asher's tendency is to boast or exaggerate. The reminder that "love does not boast" in First Corinthians 13 is directed at Asher. Here in Romans 12 he is told not to think too highly of himself. | |||
| Naphtali | Measure | ||
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Naphtali measures things. He samples the crop on his holiday, firstfruits. He senses things with his body part, the nose. Here he measures faith, something that is not always easy. | |||
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4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,
5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. (Romans 12:4-5 NIV) | |||
| Manasseh | 1 body | ||
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Manasseh is often portrayed as a miniature or reflection of the whole. He is the "whole body" in First Corinthians 12. Here he is 1 body with many parts. Same difference, just worded slightly differently. | |||
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6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. (Romans 12:6 NIV) | |||
| Simeon | Prophecy | ||
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7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; (Romans 12:7 NIV) | |||
| Levi | Ministration | ||
| Issachar | Teaching | ||
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8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:8 NIV) | |||
| Zebulun | Exhorting | ||
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A better word than "consoling" would be "exhorting." To console means to comfort whereas to exhort means to urge or warn. Looking at the general space Zebulun functions in he is clearly an exhorter, not a comforter. Some of his books, for example, are Deuteronomy, Esther, Acts. In these books Moses, Mordecai, Peter and others are exhorting, not consoling. In First Corinthians 12 Zebulun's gift is wisdom, which would lead to advice giving, or exhortation, not consolation. | |||
| Joseph | Giving | ||
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Joseph is the brother with material blessings so it's logical for his gift to be giving. | |||
| Benjamin | Ruling | ||
| Dan | Mercy | ||
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Dan is the judge, so it makes sense that he functions with the spiritual gift of mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgement, to borrow a line from scripture. | |||