Title: God Heard (1 Chronicles 5:18-22)
In 1 Chronicles 5, among the descendants of the twelve tribes of Israel,
The genealogy of the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh is recorded.
Jacob bore the sons of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah by Leah.
There is good reason for naming the firstborn of them Reuben.
This means 'behold, a son', who loved Rachel because Leah gave birth to a son.
The intention is to take love away from Jacob. Rachel, loved by Jacob
The name seems to persuade him to give up on Jacob.
Thus Reuben had virtually all the privileges of lineage as Jacob's eldest son.
But Reuben did not enjoy any of these privileges. Why?
1. Reuben was Jacob's eldest son, but he lost his birthright.
“These are the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel.
Because they defiled the bed, the birthright was given to the children of Joseph the son of Israel.
He returned, but in the genealogy it is not to be recorded according to the birthright.
Although he was excellent and the ruler was born of Judah, the birthright was in Joseph
Nirah)" (1 Chronicles 5:1-2)
In the end, the Bible tells us that God’s sovereign grace and spiritual blessings are not
I value it more.
Although Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob (born of Rachel), he and Ephraim the son of Joseph
As Manasseh ascended to the class of blessings, he received a double share of blessings.
God values spiritual and religious things more than anything in the world.
Reuben was the eldest son, but his personality was unstable like boiling water.
In the end, he would have had powerless power, but he lost his blessing.
2. Reuben's descendants occupied a large area, but there was no spiritual satisfaction.
"And he went east and dwelt, from the river Euphrates to the border of the wilderness...
They multiplied... and dwelt in tents in all the earth" (1 Chronicles 5:9-10).
The descendants of Reuben are rich in wealth and have the power to overcome battles, and they pitched their tents over all the land.
They had land, but they did not enjoy the real joy and satisfaction of life.
I see a lot of people in the world who live their lives with excessive materialism and selfish greed.
Those who have are despised by what they have, and those who do not have too much self-satisfied
being used as a tool
It is the appearance of losing the most important life value and meaning in life.
3. Reuben had great power, but he lived with sin.
“The children of Reuben, and the Gadites, and the naga of the half tribe of Manasseh, are mighty men to fight, able to carry shields and swords.
There were forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty men, who were accustomed to warfare by holding up their bows” (1 Chronicles 5:18).
Reuben had cooperation with various tribes around him and his military power was strong, so he won every time he fought.
He also made a feat of collecting loot. But Reuben believed too much in his own strength.
It is foolish to abuse power just because you have it now, or to rely on someone who has power because you don't have it.
“The people of the land whom God destroyed before them because they sinned against the God of their fathers.
They served the gods as if in adultery” (1 Chronicles 5:25).
Therefore, no matter how strong a human being, he must seek God's help.
"Because we have been helped... When we fight, we trust in God and cry out to God.
You have heard…because this battle is with God” (1 Chronicles 5:20-22).