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Honey From The Rock Psalm 81:16 |
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REUBEN'S THINKING This entry was posted on 03-25-2010 and is filed under STUDIES IN GENESIS. I wonder how many of my readers remember an old song (not a church song) that goes, "Reuben, Reuben, I've been thinking." I actually wanted to name our son Reuben but my wife, remembering this old song, put a stop to that. So Reuben became Lincoln! Anyway, the biblical Reuben in our text today was doing some thinking, and it actually saved the life of his brother Joseph. Here is how the story went down. Israel sent Joseph to check up on how his brothers were doing. He finally tracked them down at Dothan. When his brothers saw him coming they conspired to kill him (Gen. 37:18). "But Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, and said, 'Let us not kill him . . . Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit . . . and do not lay a hand on him' ~ that he might deliver him out of their hands and bring him back to his father" (vs. 21,22). Now do you see why I was attracted to the name Reuben?
The fact that Reuben heard of this conspiracy indicates he was not in on the premeditated murder plan. And when he heard about his brother's wicked plans, he devised a plan of his own. He suggested throwing him into a pit ~ but only so that he might somehow rescue Joseph and return him unharmed to his father. Later in the story Judah, to his shame, came up with the plan to sell their own flesh and blood into slavery. Again, Reuben was not in on the plot. When he returned to the pit, Joseph was gone, and Reuben tore his clothes in anguish and lamented, "The lad is no more; and I, where shall I go?" (v. 31). He was genuinely distressed. The only mark against Reuben in this story, as I see it, is that when the brothers lied to Israel about what had happened to Joseph (vs. 31-35), Reuben remained silent. He could have told his father what really happened, and that Joseph was alive (although in slavery), but he did not. What does this story tell you about Reuben's thinking? It appears that he alone had compassion for his brother. Had it not been for his intervention, Joseph would have died at the hands of his brothers. What can you do the next time you hear of someone wanting to assassinate someone's character or some group of people wanting to ruin someone's reputation? Seek ways that you can deliver the intended victim from spiritual harm by intervening on their behalf like Reuben did for Joseph. Prayer: Holy Father, give us the courage and compassion of Reuben to stick up for others when they are being maligned by those who profess to be their brothers. Through Christ we pray. CommentsDisplay comments as (Linear | Threaded)
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