Key Characters
Ruben: Jacob’s first son.
Joseph: Hatred victim.
Jesus: A Joseph-like leader and servant.
Who was Mr Ruben Jacob?
Ruben from previous episodes
This series is about the life and times of Ruben. Although, outside numerous census occasions, there was very little to what was documented about him. But by observation of events and people around him in the Bible, we could make inferences on what kind of life he led that landed him such a bad future. This is so that we can avoid similar pitfalls and emerge overcomers in our race as Christians. Part 1 portrayed Ruben as a son, a firstborn, a generous teen and a spineless oldest son of a brave father. Part 2 dwelled more on his fearful prospect and linked his failure to Judas as a challenge to the current-day Christian. This episode concludes the series as we hope God blesses it with His Spirit for fruitfulness through application.
Ruben, the commander
Someday at Shechem, as they journeyed from Padanaram, his only sister broke the edge, and the serpent struck - she was raped out of “Lust at first sight.” I wonder how the plans of the inhumane vengeance scheme by Simon and Levi could have passed Ruben unnoticed; if the death of Joseph needed his approval1. If I am permitted to speculate for a reason to be discussed later, Ruben’s approval must have been sought and gotten, if he was not the one that inspired the scheme. After all, on the execution of the men of Shechem, Ruben joined in plundering the city. They seized the women, donkeys, flock, herds, and the likes.
Meanwhile, you might be a parent still persistent in sin – acting smart with God; grabbing heels and honour for yourself like the name Jacob implies. May I tell you that you can only expect the sinful exploits of your children to be in manifolds of yours? Jacob grabbed 4 women in his lifetime. His children, with one wicked blow, had all the women of a city to themselves. If there were 1000 households in the city; the 10 sons of Jacob had at least 1000 women to choose from. Jacob also went grabbing livestock. Not alone did the children have access to amass livestock, they also gained donkeys in their numbers and gold. The earlier you repent, the better. You will save yourself some reflexive tears of your children mirroring your horrible past after you have repented.
In all, Mr Ruben took no strict action against any of his younger ones. Nor joined his father in condemning this horrible act. As a first child, how would it have been possible to share the spoils without consulting him for the sharing formula?
Ruben, the unstable
Genesis 37:29-30 Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes. 30] And he returned to his brothers and said, “The lad is no more; and I, where shall I go?”
Genesis 35:22 And it happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard about it...
Genesis 37:29-30 Some time later, Reuben returned to get Joseph out of the cistern. When he discovered that Joseph was missing, he tore his clothes in grief. 30] Then he went back to his brothers and lamented, “The boy is gone! What will I do now?”
Genesis 35:22 While he was living there, Reuben had intercourse with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Jacob soon heard about it...
Genesis 37:29-30 Now Reuben [unaware of what had happened] returned to the pit, and [to his great alarm found that] Joseph was not in the pit; so he tore his clothes [in deep sorrow]. 30] He rejoined his brothers and said, “The boy is not there; as for me, where shall I go [to hide from my father]?”
Genesis 35:22 While Israel was living in that land, Reuben [his eldest son] went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard about it...
The two events of his promiscuity – Joseph, Bilhah
The case of Joseph
On two occasions, one held seriously by Jacob and the other forgiven by Joseph, Ruben showed his instability with the opposite sex. It is important to note that the destruction of Shechem’s men led to a man-less society. This must have given Mr Ruben Israel an ample opportunity to a free pool of countless choice females. He must have been a merchant. Again, Shechem was in a trade region close to the Mediterranean Sea (See Picture), it must have been easy to trade slaves. Part of which might also have inspired the disposal of Joseph to slave merchants.
When Joseph was to be sold, Ruben made a move. He told them to throw him into a pit so he could return to rescue him. Ruben did not want him killed. But along the line and silently, he went missing. Where was Ruben? He was not the youngest. Therefore, all the livestock could not have been in his custody to conclude he was looking after the flock. The tension on the ground would not have made him departed for such arbitrary activity since if any sheep got missing, they could replace it with many as they want in Shechem. There was a passion in him which no impending tension could quell – it was fornication. I will speculate that Mr Ruben Israel went frolicking with the beautiful, well-prepared ladies of Shechem only for Judah to have masterminded the disposal of Joseph before his arrival.
The case of Bilhah
On one other note, Israel journeyed with the whole family from Shechem to Bethel. Obviously, there are now no more accesses to the free females of Shechem. Unmarried Ruben now has a big problem. He lacks self-control. Then he retorted, “Is Rachel, the wicked mistress of Bilhah not dead? Would Bilhah not be my inheritance when my father dies? What should stop me from having the slave at will.” This may have been some pagan ideas he observed along their journey and in Padanaram. While his father was still alive, he went after his concubine. How passion blindfolds! What if Bilhah got pregnant? Oh, this thought may have been too far for him to consider! Young man, the sweetest things planted along that glittering path of youthful delinquency, blindfolds! It never gives one the opportunity of objective consideration of options! Ruben tensed by the want for sex could hardly think a hair’s breadth beyond the moment he wanted it.
I concluded above that Jacob was a commander because at least one son of Bilhah would have heard, or even any random child may have heard, but no one could confront him. Even his father had to wait till death bed to speak about it, perhaps so he does not fish out the snitch for a kill.
Ruben the insensitive
Genesis 42:22 And Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not speak to you, saying, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us.”
Genesis 42:22 “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?” Reuben asked. “But you wouldn’t listen. And now we have to answer for his blood!”
Genesis 42:22 “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?” Reuben asked. “But you wouldn’t listen. And now we have to answer for his blood!”
Here comes the woe of Ruben. The day of reckoning soon came. They journeyed to Egypt in search of food on their father’s orders. The same father that sent Joseph to his older brothers and they sold Him. Sent them to the one, whom they renounced as their brother. (Someday the Father who sent Jesus to us will send us back to Jesus. But before admittance, he whom we rejected but now elevated to power will judge us. He will determine our fate – whether we are fit to eternally live or die.)
Suddenly when Ruben saw Joseph, his conscience tripped. What is the link? No one knew. How could he suddenly have linked the harsh treatment meted out to Joseph to their own current mishandling before Joseph when he had not yet revealed himself to them? Just that same way will it be how suddenly things will be made clear to us before the throne of grace. The memory of past ill-manners will bewilder the ungodly while that of godliness will exonerate the godly.
Ruben quickly linked their collective past evil conducts to the current reward they were getting from their disguised brother. So, he knew there was to come a day of reckoning? Without a bible, there was a signature on the slate of his conscience that read: “God is not mocked, what a man sows, that he shall reap2."
My question is if he knew this, why did he not repent? Why did Ruben not go to his father and ask for forgiveness after he had gone up to Jacob’s couch? Or why did he not own up the disposal of Joseph, his brother? His non-challan attitude had him make light of opportunities to reverse his destiny and that of his unborn children.
The result of this insensitivity was the maimed future of his offspring in Israel. In wars, they were ready victims. In the distribution of lands and possessions in the promised land, their allotment was few because they were few in Israel. His position was taken by another – Judah. In the Bible, Ruben produced no nobleman (no judge, no warrior, no priest, no prophet). If the life you lead now is not pleasing to God, not alone is your eternal future a stake but, that of your children. Imagine that glorious day, when stars and crowns would be distributed, you end up being nothing to write home about. What regrets! What weeping! The pains of regrets of missed opportunities might be more painful that the heat of the fire in hell! Consider your ways, brother; the sinful, pleasurable acceptable customs of men are but an abomination to God.
An appraisal
The unbeliever or struggling to believe
Like Ruben can you deny that nothing pricks your heart, warning you of a coming day of reckoning for all your acts? Can you deny that your heart has stopped to question the many willful closures of your senses to the appeal of Jesus? O, that day of reckoning will be strange! Your acts will dictate your end.
Do not be like Ruben, turn to the Lord. He will rescue you. Have you killed, gossiped, or you are a perpetual fornicator, a liar, a thief, name it? It is against him you have sinned, and he is more merciful than Jacob. He will forgive and cleanse you. But if you delay your repentance till that day of reckoning, you will surely get harsh pronouncement, and at this time every verdict is irreversible. Never you imagine Jacob was cruel, he was not. The one who inspired him to prophecy about the future of his children based on their unrepented past inspired the person who wrote, “He who hides his sin shall not prosper.” By not being a wicked inspiration, Christ’s judgment that day will not be wicked but just. I implore you to fall on the right side of that judgment now that things are still reversible, sins could be purged, grace could be gotten, mercy could be explored and enjoyed.
Are you a believer?
Are there little fixes of unapparent sins like envy, jealousy, anger, nagging, intolerance…, plaguing you that you can repent of now and have not? Growing cold is part of it much as frozen love is. Why wait until a time in the future when all works of men shall be revealed, and due rewards awarded? Ruben could not have been close to his father. For example, in the words of Judah with regards to the proposed second trip to Egypt. His promises were taken more seriously than Ruben’s who was ready to kill his two sons, should they not return with Benjamin.
Has God distanced himself from you? Is this not an indication for a need to make things right by clearing all disparities of unrepented or covered sin maintaining the gap? Ruben did not prosper because he covered his sins. Would you flourish and live a victorious life so to avoid condemnation to hell in your daily life? Check it now that you are not a harbour of sins like Ruben.
