Agony of an inwardly focused individual

Date: 28-July-2012

Venue: Toongabbie Prayer Group

Today, in many cultures and belief systems the position of priest is an inherited profession flowing from fathers to their sons. Likewise, kingship is also passed on generationally from one to another. The only qualification it seems is the family line someone is born to avail the inheritance.  However, in this study we can see under God’s leadership, inheritance does not necessarily come naturally from one generation to another, instead it is given according to future heir’s character, which is primarily shaped by God himself.

Insight: Examine your attitude if the rightful honor and privilege you ought to get is not coming your way as a first born in your family. The Lord may have intervened and changed it around.

We will be using the first-born son to Jacob and Leah as a use case. His name was Reuben. We all know the story of how Leah was given into marriage to Jacob by her father Nabal. Leah became Jacob’s first wife out of circumstance rather than choice and Rachel her sister was Jacob’s intended wife became his second wife. Rachel was more beautiful that Leah, but Rachel could not conceive and give children to Jacob. Leah bore 6 sons and a daughter to Jacob, Rachel later was able to bear children of her own. Together the twelve sons of Jacob make up the 12 tribes of Israel, of whom Reuben was the first-born to Jacob. According to the Old Testament law, ‘double share of all the father’s wealth’ were to be given to the first- born (Deut 21:17). He had the right to the birthright and the inheritance of father’s wealth. However, Reuben lost this important blessing to his younger brother Joseph (Deut 33:16). Joseph would get the double portion of his father’s blessing and not the first-born son Reuben. Furthermore, the scepter was given to Judah as a sign of the ruler of the tribes instead of Reuben (Gen 49:8-10). It seems to me that God bent the rules to give the blessings to other sons?  Or did God randomly pick other siblings to give his blessings as a sign of fairness to all?

Insight: When God does something, He does so with a purpose and foreknowledge. If one of your siblings is blessed more that you or if has achieved more that you, then it is the Lord who made it possible because he has a higher purpose behind His plan.

Before we find out why God did what He did, let’s look at why Reuben lost his birthright and scepter a sign of a ruler of the tribe to his younger brothers. It is clear from the Bible that God knew us even before we were created. He knows us inside out, He knows our mental makeup and he knows how to navigate our mind. Even though Reuben was the first-born he had a turbulent mentality (Gen 49:4), it is said his temperament was like unstable water and additionally Reuben had defiled his father’s bed by taking one of Jacob’s concubine, Bilhah as his own wife (Gen 49:4 & Gen 35:22). Reuben lived in an incestuous relationship with Bilhah, the mother of Dan and Napthali the half brothers of Reuben. These two major crises put Reuben in a precarious position with his father Jacob. God worked through Jacob to establish a plan so that the Israelites would see God’s promise fulfilled. In doing so, God chooses his own peoplåe who diligently seek to accomplish his purpose. In this case God sees the potential in Joseph and Judah rather than Reuben.

Insight: If you are loosing your ground as a first born, it shows God has advanced ahead of you to fulfill his higher purpose, i.e. to keep His Promise He made to the forefathers in the wilderness.

As a result of Reuben’s failure, his generation would be small (Deut 33:6), not in a numerical sense but in how they would be engaged in the higher calling to fulfill God’s plans. Reuben would not be prominent. It is no coincident there were no prophets, no Judge, no kings or no hero from the tribe of Reuben and many tended sheep (Num 32:1 & Judges 5:15-16). However, God would fulfill one promise to the Reubenites that was made by Moses  ‘they will live and not die (Gen 33:6)’

Our sins have dire consequences and the sins of Reuben were the same.  Eventually it became generational curses to the entire Reubenites. They would become the first tribe taken into captivity by the Assyrians (1 Chron 5:26). God knew the hearts and mind of the entire tribe that ran through the generational curse of Reuben, they were a tribe unwilling to claim the Promised Land – Canaan as God promised. The promise given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would one day become less important to the Reubenites (Num 32:1-7).

Insight: In this life we are on a journey to seek out our own Canaan. We may walk in the wilderness of life, we see ups and downs and suddenly we see an oasis. God provides these oases as a place of refuge and not our permanent home even if it offered the best options possible.

When they reached the border of river Jordan, the Reubenites decided not to enter the Promised Land because life was much better where were. They became inwardly focused, self-centered and they put their interest ahead of what God wanted them to do. They forgot the very reason why they were rescued from Egypt and this they had completely disregarded the promise given to their forefathers. Reubenites found a green pasture and became selfish instead of fighting the enemy and claiming the Promised Land. Inward looking people only care about themselves. It is not clear if Reuben’s lack of interest was a result of loosing out his birthright and leadership of the tribes to other younger brothers. But he was certainly not encouraging his brothers in the pursuit to claim the Promised Land (Num 32:1-7)

Insight: Just because you did not make it big in your life doesn’t mean that you should become a stumbling block to the others. Reuben’s reluctance was a discouragement to the other brothers.

In spite of Reuben’s failure, the Lord is always just and faithful to every sinner. The promise he gave through Moses, ‘Reuben will live and not die’ (Deut 33:6) will be fulfilled (Rev 7:5).

Doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord should always precede claiming our rightful privileges. Lord knows our heart and He knows the direction we will take in our lives. The choice to follow His direction or follow our own will is entirely up to us but the consequences, as the result of those choice should be considered.

Prayer

Lord, the reason why others succeed more than me and why my efforts are diminished in the grand scheme of things are much clearer to me now. Rather than feeling bitter about their success, help me to identify where I’ve failed, correct it and become effective participant in your Kingdom work. Help me not to become a stumbling block in the other’s progress. This prayer I ask in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.