The Cross and its Shadow

Chapter 38-Simeon

Simeon was the second son of Jacob’s unloved wife Leah. He was a man of strong passions. His life and that of the tribe which bears his name contain some of the darkest stains in the history of ancient Israel. CIS 293.1

The crowning sin of Simeon’s life was the murder of the men of Shechem. ¹ Levi was connected with Simeon in this wicked work, but Simeon seems to have been the leading spirit; for the divine record always mentions his name first when speaking of the sin. CIS 293.2

There is something pathetic in the whole affair. The prince of Shechem had ruined Dinah, the only daughter of Jacob. It is easy to imagine how an only sister would be loved and cherished by her brothers, and especially by the sons of Leah who was also the mother of Dinah. When Jacob reproved Simeon and Levi for the murder, their only reply was, “Should he deal with our sister as with a harlot?” ² CIS 293.3

Love for their sister evidently prompted the act of revenge. They also wished to rescue her; for Dinah had been enticed to the house of the prince of Shechem, and after the murder, Simeon and Levi brought her home with them. ³ CIS 294.1

The words addressed to Simeon by Jacob, show that God does not overlook sin in any one. The fact that their only sister was ruined, was no excuse for committing that terrible act of vengeance. CIS 294.2

When the sons of Jacob gathered around their father’s couch to receive his parting blessing, the sight of Simeon and Levi brought vividly to the mind of the dying patriarch the detail of this murder committed some forty years before, and he exclaimed, “Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret.” And as if he shrank from the very thought of his name being tarnished by their wicked course, he continues, “Unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united; for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self will they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.” ⁴ CIS 294.3

Both tribes were “divided” and “scattered.” But how differently! The Levites held positions of honour, and were scattered over the country as religious educators and priests. The dispersion of the tribe of Simeon arose from corrupting elements in the tribe itself, which reduced their numbers and finally resulted in driving them from their inheritance. CIS 294.4

When the land was divided among the different tribes, Simeon had no part given him; but as the allotment of Judah was too large for that tribe, Simeon was allowed to occupy a portion of the inheritance of Judah. Afterward some of the Simeonites were obliged to seek new territory, and were thus separated from the rest of their brethren. ⁵ CIS 294.5

In the writings of the ancient Jewish doctors it is stated that the tribe of Simeon became so straitened in their habitations that a very great number of them were forced to seek subsistence among the other tribes by teaching their children. Truly they were divided in Jacob and scattered in Israel. CIS 295.1

When Israel was numbered at Sinai, Simeon had 59,300 fighting men. Only two tribes surpassed it in strength. But when Israel was again numbered at Shittim, Simeon was the weakest of all the tribes, numbering only 22,200. Why this great change? The strong men of Simeon did not sacrifice their lives on the battle-field, fighting for the honour of God; they were slain because of the licentiousness of their own hearts. The twenty-fifth chapter of Numbers relates the sad story of the ruin of Simeon. It seems from the record that the chief men of Simeon were the leaders in that great apostasy. They became a prey to the harlots of Midian. Truly “she hath cast down many wounded; yea, many strong men have been slain by her.” ⁶ CIS 295.2

Solomon, the wisest of men, who was thrice called the beloved of God, became a slave to his passion, and thus sacrificed his integrity to the same bewitching power. ⁷ CIS 295.3

The shores of the stream of time are strewn with the wrecks of characters that have been stranded upon the rock of sensual indulgence. Israel became a prey to licentiousness before they were led into idolatry. When licentious desires rule the heart, other sins quickly follow. CIS 295.4

“Blessed are the pure in heart.” ⁸ He that ruleth his spirit is greater than he that taketh a city; ⁹ but “he that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” ¹⁰ CIS 295.5

Some suppose that the omission of Simeon’s name in the blessing of Moses was due to Moses’ displeasure at the behaviour of the tribe at Shittim. CIS 296.1

Little is said of the position taken by this tribe when the kingdom was divided; but there are two references that would seem to indicate that their sympathy was with the kingdom of Israel. ¹¹ CIS 296.2

The same fearless, warlike disposition manifested in the outbreaking sins committed by Simeon, was in the life of Judith used for the protection of God’s people. CIS 296.3

It is uncertain whether the book in the Apocrypha that bears her name is a history or a historic romance, but from the record there given, Judith will always remain one of the prominent figures among the deliverers of her nation. She, like Jael, slew the leader of the enemies’ army. ¹² She nerved herself for her tremendous exploit by a prayer to the “Lord God of my father Simeon;” also in her prayer she alluded to the massacre at Shechem. ¹³ CIS 296.4

The history of Judith, who, like Esther, risked her life for the deliverance of her people, is in pleasing contrast to the record of the wicked course pursued by Simeon and his descendants. CIS 297.1

In the Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, it is Simeon and Levi who plot to destroy young Joseph; and Simeon bound Joseph before he was lowered into the well at Dothan. This was only about two years after the same men had planned and executed the murder of the men of Shechem. Memory must have brought all these events very vividly to the mind of Joseph as he stood before his brethren and commanded that Simeon be bound as a hostage before the eyes of the very men who had once seen him bind Joseph with intent to murder him. ¹⁴ CIS 297.2

It may be thought strange by some that the name of a man who was famous only for murder and sin, should be inscribed on one of the gates of the Holy City of God, and that one twelfth of the one hundred and forty-four thousand will enter the city of God bearing the name of that man. But the fact that one has committed sin will never exclude him from the kingdom of God. All have sinned. It is unconfessed sin that debars any one from receiving eternal life. CIS 297.3

Jesus is the only one born of woman that is sinless. He alone of all the family of Adam will throughout eternity have an uncovered life record. No part of His record will be covered. But our life record, marred by sin, will be covered by Christ’s righteousness. The blood of Christ can cleanse from sin of the deepest dye, and even murderers can enter heaven; not as murderers, but as pardoned sinners; for “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” ¹⁵ CIS 297.4

Gathered out of the sin and wickedness of the last generation, there will be twelve thousand redeemed ones, who through the virtue of the blood of Christ, will be grafted into the tribe of Simeon, and throughout eternity will represent that tribe on the earth made new. CIS 298.1