What should we learn from the tribe of Naphtali?

"Naphtali is a hind let loose, he gives goodly words." The chief thoughts are Liberty, Ministry, and — in Deut. 33 — Satisfaction. It is not merely a free hind, but a freed hind; one that had been kept in bondage, but now is "let loose," with all that delightful sense of liberty which only the once-imprisoned can feel, who are not so likely voluntarily to enter some fresh bondage as those who have never been galled by its chain: though in truth the hind is not very intelligent in such matters, and never can be quite depended upon. That is to say, that persons who have passed through the bitter experience of Romans 7, who have turned in despair to all religious expedients to relieve their troubled consciences in vain, and at last have cried, "Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" — that such persons have a much keener appreciation of the "liberty with which Christ has made us free," a much higher estimate of the value of the gospel in its enfranchising power than others who have not passed through such experiences, though there is that general tendency in all to become "entangled again within the yoke of bondage," which we see rebuked so sternly in the Epistle to the Galatians.

Naphtali. — Liberated from the bondage under which he served the Gentiles, Israel is like a hind let loose; and his free spirit finds expression in the goodly words in which he praises Jehovah. Look at the goodly words of Isaiah 12. "And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. Behold God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation." Here he uses the words that were sung by Israel, on the wilderness side of the Red Sea, after God had saved them from the oppression and bondage of Egypt. Israel returns, as it were, to his first love, to the goodly words that marked him at the beginning. It is the same tale in Isaiah 26 and in many of the Psalms; praises for the Lord, from His redeemed people, in the time of their deliverance from the hand of the enemy.

Fifth son of Jacob, and second of Bilhah. The name also often includes his descendants, and the territory which they possessed. Naphtali and his four sons entered Egypt with Jacob, and nothing further is recorded of him personally. At the two numberings of the tribes Naphtali amounted to 53,400 and 45,400. When Jacob prophetically announced to the tribes that which should befall them in the last days, he said, "Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words," Gen. 49:21; it is the remnant of Israel as the vessel of testimony. Moses said, "O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the Lord: possess thou the west and the south." Deut. 33:23. It is the full blessing of the remnant as Jehovah's people.

Their possession, which was mountainous and fertile, was in the north with the upper Jordan on the east and Asher in the west. Ijon, which was farther north than Dan, was in their land. Joshua 19:32-39. When Baasha, king of Israel, attacked Judah, Asa sent gold and silver to Ben-hadad, king of Syria, for help. He responded at once, and his army smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali. 2 Chr. 16:4. This tribe was the first of those on the west of the Jordan to be carried away captive by Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria. 2 Kings 15:29.

This brings us to Naphtali which means "my wrestling," not so much with the idea of this going on but as having reached a conclusion in victory, bringing freedom. It expresses the blessedness of that new place in which man finds himself, as Moses declares of Naphtali, "satisfied with favor, and full with the blessing of the Lord," so that he becomes as "a hind let loose," all fear removed, and the tongue loosed to give goodly words which are the sacrifices of the lips confessing His name (Heb. 13:15). Is not this the first-fruits of the Spirit, the blessing and triumph of Romans 8? This fittingly fills the third place in the cycle of perfection and completeness.

Naphtali means "my wrestlings," so that this adds the lesson of overcoming in conflict. In this matter too Naphtali represents all Israel, for in one very real respect every true believer is an overcomer. "Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 Jn.5:5). The victory that overcomes the world is not our works, but our faith (1 Jn.5:4). All Israel were overcomers in their overcoming in general the enemies of the land, though in practice they were not by any means always overcomers. Thus believers are all overcomers in principle, and ought to be also in daily practice, for we should be concerned about details as well as overcoming in general.

Naphtali was north of Zebulon and east of Asher (v.34), so that its territory was in the far north of the land, as was Asher, including a number of fortified cities.

Naphtali is the next one, representing the mighty man of vigour and of valour. Naphtali, means a wrestler, and no longer in a spiritual sense a carnal wrestler, trusting in his own power, but a mighty wrestler for God; that is what he is in the mind of God, and in the sense of his sonship as belonging to God. He represents that spirit of power of man with God, the weak with the mighty One. Here again the dismal tale of shortcoming is told. The weak one has forgotten his weakness, and therefore he has forgotten God the source of his strength. Hence there is no power to wrestle, to overcome the enemy that is possessing his portion.

Not many details of this great conflict are given. Barak, accompanied by Deborah, leads his little army of men from Zebulun and Naphtali — the territory in which Jabin chiefly held sway — to Mount Tabor. Zebulun suggests the abiding communion, and Naphtali the spirit of true conflict. They are, therefore, fittingly united. The mountain suggests that elevation of soul which comes from communion, and which enables one to take a wide and calm survey of the entire conflict. The name Tabor is by many thought to mean merely a "heap," or "elevation;" by others, a "broken, ridged" mountain, descriptive merely of its form. The meaning "purpose" would fittingly describe its spiritual significance, and this has been given. The "mount of purpose" is a fitting place from which to enter upon such a conflict as this, for God cannot use one who vacillates.

Moreover, the nation brought into liberty will break forth in praise as seen in Naphtali, "the hind let loose," and the "goodly words" he gives (verse 21 ).

Naphtali was the second son of Bilhah, and is here called “a deer let loose; he uses beautiful words.” This describes another side of Israel's blessing in the coming kingdom. After being restrained in bondage for centuries, she will be like a deer let loose in the open to enjoy the liberty she has forgotten was ever possible. This freedom too will bring beautiful words to her lips. Instead of bitter cursing, her mouth will be filled with praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. In the Church of God today we are already blessed with such experience, as Ephesians 4:8 tells us, “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.” The marvelous death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus has set believers free from a state of captivity; and to express that liberty we are given gifts from God to speak “beautiful words,” words that could never have been spoken before the Lord Jesus died and rose again.

When this condition is reached, and these qualities (indicated in the first paragraph) attained, there is a natural development of ministry, "he gives goodly words." This ministry may not be public nor official, yet it is true Ministry none the less. It is a loss to us that we are so accustomed to associate the thought of ministry with an official position, or a distinctive dress — something formal and authoritative. The New Testament applies the word in a very comprehensive way, and sometimes applies the word — diakonos — to a woman. (Rom. 16:1.) A course of this sort, simple and sincere service to the people of God as opportunity offers, is a course above all others to lead to Satisfaction, though not unmixed with griefs. "He that waters shall be watered also himself." "Of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the Lord."

And this, though there can hardly be anything in the universe more difficult to satisfy than the human heart; for in it live the horseleech's two daughters, incessantly crying, Give, give. It is more insatiable than the grave: the maw of the sea and the yawning earthquake are less greedy. Apicius killed himself because he had only eighty thousand pounds left; Ahab had all Israel, but sickened for Naboth's vineyard; a "little corporal," having all the best parts of Europe, must also try and rob the Muscovite of his frozen plains; "a little stooping man," having conquered the whole world, sits down and weeps for another to conquer. "To be equal with God" would not satisfy the Antichrist: he will exalt himself "above all that is called God." Though "Ambition has one heel nailed in hell, She doth stretch her fingers to touch the heavens."

That pleroma or "Fulness," which the ancient sages ever sought but never found, has been discovered by the fishermen of Galilee — the land of Zebulun and Naphtali, (Isa. 9:1; Matt. 4:15.) those two who "jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field," of old against the enemies of God — whence arose the great Light that illumines those that sit in darkness and the shadow of death. They have revealed to us "the fulness of Him that fills all in all"; and "of His fulness have all we received."