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1 Genesis 49 Jacob's Dozen: Rueben Lesson 3: January 29, 2020 by Kim

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1 Genesis 49 Jacob's Dozen: Rueben Lesson 3: January 29, 2020 by Kim Refine Women’s Ministry Genesis 49 Jacob’s Dozen: Rueben Lesson 3: January 29, 2020 by Kim Peelen Then Jacob summoned his sons and said, "Assemble yourselves that I may tell you what will befall you in the days to come. “Gather together and hear, O sons of Jacob; And listen to Israel your father.” Genesis 49:1, 2 “To everything there is a season” is our Refine theme verse; appointed times for appointed purposes of God. It is Father Jacob’s time to speak and his sons’ time to keep silent and listen. Genesis 49 is our text - where Jacob bestows predictive blessings on his twelve sons, through whom God continues His covenantal promise of a land, a people, and a blessing. As the ancestry of the Jewish people, the accounts of the twelve tribes of Israel (Jacob’s new name given by God) form the dramatic narrative of the remainder of the Bible. The twelve sons of Israel gather expectantly to hear the final words of their father, wondering what blessing is reserved for them and their descendants. As the Spirit of God guides Jacob, he addresses Reuben first: Reuben, you are my firstborn; My might and the beginning of my strength, Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power. Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence, Because you went up to your father’s bed; Then you defiled it —he went up to my couch. Genesis 49:3-4 Reuben: ‘You are my Firstborn’ Jacob begins by recalling the birth of his firstborn son, Reuben. His mother is Leah, who became Israel’s wife when, on his wedding night, Jacob’s uncle Laban substituted her for her younger sister Rachel (Gen. 29). Not surprisingly, Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, which caused discord and jealousy, but God intervenes. Now the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. Leah conceived and bore a son and named him Reuben, for she said, "Because the LORD has seen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me." Gen. 29: 31, 32. God responds to Leah’s distress of being unloved by Jacob, and gives her the firstborn son of the marriage. In Hebrew, his name means, ‘see, a son’. Leah’s hope is that this precious boy will begin to cultivate love between her and husband Jacob. ‘My Might and the Beginning of my Strength, Preeminent in Dignity and Preeminent in Power.’ In ancient Israel, the firstborn son receive a double portion of the father’s inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:17). In Jacob’s case, the inheritance would be divided into 13 portions and Reuben is expected to receive two while the remaining sons get one. In addition, as the eldest son, Reuben is the assumed leader of his brothers. Sadly, he will not enjoy either; in fact, these privileges and responsibilities are split between Joseph (10th born) and Judah (4th): Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; so that he is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright. 2 Though Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him [came] the leader, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph) 1 Chronicles 5: 1, 2. 1 Long after Jacob and his sons die, the author of the Chronicles writes to exiled Jewish people (most had never participated in Temple worship or even seen Jerusalem), stressing their rich heritage and their special covenantal relationship to God in order to build a strong spiritual foundation. The Chronicler is referring to Genesis 49:4, which explains why the special blessings reserved for the firstborn son of Jacob did not go to Reuben, but rather to Joseph and Judah: ‘Uncontrolled as Water You shall not have Preeminence Because You went up to Your Father’s Bed; Then You Defiled it —He went up to my Couch’ What a shock as Jacob publically exposes the sin Reuben committed many years earlier, as recorded in Genesis 35:22: And it came about while Israel was dwelling in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard of it. This adulterous act happened after the massacre at Shechem (our next lesson), forcing the family to resettle between Bethlehem and Hebron. During their move, the LORD appears to Jacob, changes his name to Israel, confirms His covenant, and Rachel tragically dies giving birth to Benjamin. Scripture reveals that father Jacob heard about this gross violation, but evidently, did not confront Reuben at the time. Perhaps the tragedies of Shechem and Rachel’s death immobilized Jacob; the reason is not stated, but apparently, the brothers had not heard of it for these 20 years. The grammar of the last phrase, which shifts to the third person, he went up to my couch, indicates that Jacob chooses this significant moment to speak publically to his other sons of Reuben’s shameful act. Reuben’s moment of lust derails his tribes’ future for eternity. ‘Uncontrolled as Water’ Just as water outside its banks seeps and diverts in unpredictable ways – uncontrollable - Father Jacob prophesies that the tribe of Reuben will be marked by instability. Further study of the tribe’s behavior reveals how this trait characterized Reuben’s descendants. Conquest of the Promised Land: Numbers 32 After wandering in the desert for almost 40 years, the tribes are preparing to conquer their long- promised land that is west of the Jordan River. Before any battles, Reuben along with Gad and half of Manasseh request portions of land on the east side of the river (known as Gilead). Their reasoning is that the land is better suited to graze their cattle. They also pledge to fight alongside their brothers to conquer their potions of land to the west when the time comes. Though Moses (and The LORD) agrees to their plan, it reflects their instability and reluctance to wait upon the LORD to give them the land specifically selected for their tribe. Reuben settled for second best. Later, this decision to settle on the east nearly causes a civil war (see Joshua 22). See Map. Song of Deborah and Barak: Judges 5 This beautiful song celebrates Israel’s brilliant victory against Sisera. Many tribes are specifically praised for bravery and willingness to risk everything in battle. Sadly, several tribes, including Reuben, are singled out for their hesitating instability- ‘searching of heart’- to enter the fight: 2 14 "From Ephraim those whose root is in Amalek [came down,] Following you, Benjamin, with your peoples; From Machir commanders came down, And from Zebulun those who wield the staff of office. 15 "And the princes of Issachar [were] with Deborah; As [was] Issachar, so [was] Barak; Into the valley they rushed at his heels; Among the divisions of Reuben [There were] great resolves of heart. 16 "Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, To hear the piping for the flocks? Among the divisions of Reuben [There were] great searchings of heart. 17 "Gilead remained across the Jordan; And why did Dan stay in ships? Asher sat at the seashore, And remained by its landings. 18 "Zebulun [was] a people who despised their lives [even] to death, And Naphtali also, on the high places of the field. Judges 5:14-18 ‘You shall not have Preeminence (Excel)’ Also included in Jacob’s prophecy is Reuben’s insignificant future: ‘you shall not have preeminence’. His tribe does not develop to its fullest potential. Evidence of this includes a decrease of several thousand persons in its population from the first census at the beginning of the Wilderness Wandering to almost 40 years later (Numbers 1:20 to 26:7). Just before Moses dies, he blesses the tribes, and his brief prayer for Reuben. “Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few,” (Deuteronomy 33:6) indicates that the tribe may have been threatened with extinction. Not the strong finish one would expect for the eldest son. Not only did Reuben not attain greatness as a populous tribe, but also more revealing is it did not produce a single prophet, military leader, judge, or important person in Israel’s history. Sadly, a significant example of Reuben’s instability is associated with its two most prominent men named Dathan and Abiram, who are associated with a disastrous rebellion. Discussion Groups: Rebellion of Korah in Numbers 16 Moses is the human representative of God’s Divine Authority, a man to whom God spoke directly 1 Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took [action,] 2 and they rose up before Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen in the assembly, men of renown. 3 They assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD? 1. What are the names of the three leaders of the 250 in v. 1? What are their tribal names? 2. What accusation do they bring against Moses in v. 3? Is it true, false, or cannot determine? 4 When Moses heard [this,] he fell on his face; 5 and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, "Tomorrow morning the LORD will show who is His, and who is holy, and will bring [him] near to Himself; even the one whom He will choose, He will bring near to Himself.
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