Word of Encouragement (03/09/2023)

"Let Reuben live, and not die, but let his men be few." (Deut. 33:6)

Moses blesses the tribe of Reuben first because he was Jacob’s firstborn. But what kind of blessing is this? It doesn’t sound like a blessing, does it? If it is, it is the most basic kind—“Let Reuben live, and not die....” Who would appreciate this kind of blessing? Nobody..., unless he was about to die. Think of someone on death row for a crime he did not commit. His time finally comes, and he is led to the execution site. As his execution is about to commence, a messenger rushes in and says that he is pardoned. “Let him live!” he exclaims. What wonderful words! How welcome those words must have been to him!

Why should the tribe of Reuben be in such a condition? This reminds us again of Reuben’s sin of sharing the bed of Bilhah, Jacob his father’s wife/concubine. Throughout the Old Testament history, this blemish never leaves Reuben and his tribe. Jacob certainly remembered his sin and mentioned it in his final blessing on his sons. In it, he took away Reuben’s preeminence as the firstborn son for his sin (Gen. 49:4). That is in the background of Moses’ final benediction on Reuben as well. All sins are evil, but not all sins are equally bad; some are worse than others, and their stains last longer, negatively affecting many generations.

This blessing comes with a further qualification: “...but let his men be few.” The tribe of Reuben is allowed to survive but its number will be small. We see a glimpse of its historical fulfillment in 2 Kings 10:32-33: “In those days [of Jehu] the LORD began to cut off parts of Israel. Hazael defeated them throughout the territory of Israel: from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the Valley of the Arnon, that is, Gilead and Bashan.”

How would you like to receive this kind of blessing? Would you feel cheated and discriminated against? Moses’ blessing on Reuben is a good reminder of our humble and desperate condition. Those, who know their true condition as sinners, will welcome even this basic blessing with gratitude. Think about the Syrophoenician woman, who begged Jesus to cast the demon out of her daughter. When the Lord initially refused, saying, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs” (Mark 7:27), she replied, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs” (Mark 7:28). Knowing her status as a Gentile woman, she accepted that she had no right to demand anything from Jesus. In her humility, she was willing to accept “crumbs.” When she displayed such humility, the Lord praised her for her faith and granted her request (Mark 7:29).

Let us not forget that even this blessing on Reuben was still a blessing/benediction. And however meager it seemed to be, the tribe of Reuben was still part of Israel under the kingship of the LORD, which was a great blessing in itself. But we don’t belong to the tribe of Reuben, do we? No, we belong to the tribe of Jesus Christ! Unlike Reuben, He committed no sin. He fulfilled all the requirements of the covenant and thereby obtained all the blessings that the covenant promised, to which we are entitled in Jesus’ name! We have received all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph. 1:3). Are we not truly blessed people? Live your life with the assurance of God’s infinite and abundant love toward you in Jesus Christ.

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