The Cross and its Shadow

Chapter 37-Reuben

The Lord names individuals according to their character, and since He has chosen the names of the twelve sons of Jacob,-whence came the twelve tribes of Israel,-as names of the twelve divisions of the one hundred and forty-four thousand, there must be something in the character of Jacob’s sons and of the twelve tribes of Israel worthy of careful study. CIS 287.1

There is a significance in the meaning of names given to persons by the Lord. Jacob’s name was not changed to Israel until, after long and weary wrestling, he had prevailed with God and men. ¹ It was after Joses had given all his possessions to supply the needs of the cause of God, that he was called Barnabas, or “the son of consolation.” ² CIS 287.2

The company of one hundred and forty-four thousand, who will be redeemed from among men when the Saviour comes, and who throughout eternity will “follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth,” will enter the city of God marshaled in twelve companies, each bearing the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. ³ From these instances we conclude that there was a special significance to the names given to the twelve sons of Jacob. CIS 288.1

In every ancient Israelitish family the eldest son inherited, as his birthright, a double portion of his father’s estate, and the honor of officiating as priest in his father’s house; and what was of more value to every true son of Abraham than wealth or earthly position, he inherited the spiritual birthright, which gave him the honor of being the progenitor of the promised Messiah. CIS 288.2

But Reuben, the eldest of the twelve sons of Jacob, like his Uncle Esau, ⁴ lightly esteemed the birthright, and in an unguarded hour committed a sin that forever debarred him from all the spiritual and temporal rights of the first-born. He committed adultery with his father’s wife, a sin which Paul said was not even “so much as named among the Gentiles,” or heathen. ⁵ CIS 288.3

Because of this sin,-the temporal birthright-the double portion of Jacob’s earthly inheritance-was given to Joseph; ⁶ the priesthood to Levi; ⁷ and upon Judah, the fourth son of Jacob, was conferred the honor of becoming the progenitor of Christ. ⁸ CIS 288.4

Jacob on his deathbed portrayed the character which Reuben as the first-born might have possessed. “Reuben, thou art my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power.” We can imagine the pathetic tone of the old patriarch’s voice as he portrayed the real character of his first-born, the one who might have had the respect of all,-“Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel.” ⁹ CIS 288.5

There are traces in the history of Reuben of the “excellency of dignity” which originally was bestowed upon him, as shown by his kindness in bringing home the mandrakes to his mother, ¹⁰ and trying to save the life of Joseph, when his brethren determined to kill him. ¹¹ CIS 289.1

Reuben was a vacillating character, “unstable as water.” His father had little confidence in his word; for when his brethren wished to take Benjamin down to Egypt, Jacob did not regard Reuben’s pledge to return Benjamin safely to his father, but when Judah promised to stand as security for the lad, Jacob accepted the offer. ¹² CIS 289.2

The unstable nature of Reuben seems to have been transmitted to his descendants. The same selfish character was shown by the tribe of Reuben wishing to take possession of the first land conquered when they came out of Egypt. Moses evidently read their motive in the request, yet he granted them their possessions on “the other side of Jordan.” As the result of this request they were among the first to be carried captive into Assyria by Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, about B. C. 740. ¹³ CIS 289.3

The prophetic words of the patriarch, “Thou shalt not excel,” were fulfilled in the history of the tribe of Reuben. That tribe furnished no judge, no prophet, no hero, unless it be Adina and the thirty men with him, who were reckoned among the valiant men of David’s army. ¹⁴ These men were no doubt among the one hundred and twenty thousand of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh who went up to Hebron to make David king over Israel. ¹⁵ CIS 290.1

Dathan and Abiram, of the tribe of Reuben, with Korah the Levite, were noted for the rebellion they instigated in the camp of Israel; and their destruction was an object-lesson of the fate of all who pursue a similar course. ¹⁶ CIS 290.2

The territory chosen by the Reubenites placed them in close proximity to Moab. The towns in the inheritance of Reuben- Heshbon, Elealeh, Kirjathaim, Nebo, Baalmeon, Shibmah,-are familiar to us as Moabitish and not Israelitish towns. CIS 290.3

It is not strange that Reuben, thus remote from the central seat of the national government and of the national religion, relinquished the faith of Jehovah. “They went after the gods of the people of the land whom God destroyed before them,” and we hear little more of the tribe of Reuben until Hazael, king of Syria, held possession of their territory for a time. ¹⁷ CIS 290.4

When as a tribe they had completely failed to do the work God intended they should do in their own land, the Lord permitted Pul and Tiglath-pileser to carry them into the upper part of Mesopotamia, where they remained until, at the end of the seventy years captivity, representatives of the twelve tribes were again gathered into the land of promise. ¹⁸ CIS 290.5

The history of the tribe is a record of failures in carrying out the purposes of God. As Reuben, the first-born, had the opportunity to stand as a leader, so the tribe of Reuben, situated on the borders of Moab, might have proved true to God, and been a beacon light to lead the heathen to the true God; but they, like their father Reuben, were “unstable as water.” CIS 291.1

Although the patriarch and his descendants failed to carry out the purposes of God, yet the name of Reuben will be immortalized, for throughout eternity, the countless millions of the redeemed will read that name on one of the pearly gates of the New Jerusalem. Twelve thousand of the one hundred and forty four thousand will be of this class, and will enter the kingdom of God under the name of Reuben. CIS 291.2

How can one be thus honoured who apparently made a failure of life? That is the great mystery of Godliness. How can the thief, who made a complete shipwreck of his life, be with the Saviour in Paradise? It is through the power of the blood of Christ, the sin-pardoning Redeemer. CIS 291.3

When Moses pronounced his parting blessing on the tribes of Israel, of Reuben he said: “Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.” ¹⁹ We might wonder how a character “unstable as water” could “live, and not die;” but the course pursued by Reuben at the time of a great crisis in Israel, explains how such a one can be an overcomer. CIS 291.4

At the time of the battle of Megiddo, which is in many respects a type of the final battle of Armageddon, it is stated that “in the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.” ²⁰ Here is the secret of the whole matter. CIS 291.5

There are multitudes of men and women in the world today with characters like Reuben. They are “unstable as water,” with no power in themselves to do any good thing; but if they will begin earnestly to search their hearts, they will discover their own weakness; and if they turn to God, He will come to their rescue, and pronounce over them, as He did over Reuben of old, “Let such a one live and not die.” CIS 292.1