Now there were twelve sons of Jacob–the sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, then Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Zebulun; the sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin; and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid: Dan and Naphtali; and the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maid: Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-Aram. Genesis 35:22 NASB
It is important to note that Jacob had twelve sons, not just one. These twelve sons and their descendants properly make up the twelve tribes of Israel. In modern times attention is given to only one tribe, the tribe of Judah, properly known as Judahites, often shortened to “Jews”. The national name of Israel would properly belong to Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, who would have inherited the birthright and with it the national name. However, as we shall see, Reuben lost the privilege of inheriting the birthright; instead, it was given to Rachel’s grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph. The descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh have the legal right to the national name of “Israel”. No other tribe or group of tribes may usurp this birthright. The name “Israel” was given to Jacob, and he alone had the right to give it to whom he wanted, and he did so. Along with the right to the use of the name, the birthright included the blessing of great prosperity.
The angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads (Ephraim and Manasseh); and may my name live on in them, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. Genesis 48:16
We may be certain that the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh have indeed grown into a multitude, and are alive and well in the midst of the earth as Jacob prophesied. The same is true for the other tribes of Israel. Although at present they may be unaware of their posterity, God knows each and every one. In Isaiah 49, Isaiah recounted how the Lord honored him by using him to regather the northern tribes after their captivity to Assyria, and to be a light to the nations so that God’s salvation would “reach to the end of the earth.” In doing this, Isaiah would become a type of Messiah Jesus who will in time fulfill the prophecy completely. In fact, in answer to Zion’s specific complaint that “the Lord has forgotten me”, YHWH replied a woman will forget her nursing child and fail to have compassion upon him, but the names of His people He will never forget.
Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me. Isaiah 49:15-16 NASB
Dear reader, the God who has named every star in the universe has no problem keeping track of a few billion people and their ancestries; in fact, He has no problem keeping track of many billion people and their ancestries! To put it bluntly: the “lost tribes” of Israel are not lost at all.
So, what happened to Reuben? The story is not very long and what we have is not good. Jacob was quite a bit older than Rachel when Laban, Rachel’s and Leah’s father, tricked Jacob into marrying Leah, the oldest daughter. In fact, Leah and Rachel were quite young when they were given in marriage to Jacob. Bilhah and Zilpah, the servant girls of Leah and Rachel, were even younger and were perhaps even children at the time of the marriages of Leah and Rachel. As the servant girls grew older, they became concubines or slave-wives of Jacob, also. We believe, therefore, that Leah’s oldest son, Reuben, and Bilhah were close in age. We don’t know who instigated what, but here’s what happened:
It came about while Israel was dwelling in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Genesis 35:22
Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; so that he is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright. Though Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the Leader, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph),… 1 Chronicles 5:1
Clearly the right of rulership, the kingship dominion or what may be called “the scepter”, belongs to a Descendant of Judah (His name is Jesus), yet the birthright belonged to Joseph. In his last days, Jacob (now re-named “Israel” by the angel with whom he wrestled) spoke directly to Reuben about his sin.
Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the beginning of my strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power. Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence, because you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it–he went up to my couch. Genesis 39:3-4
The Hebrew word for “defiled” in the passage is chalal (Strong’s Concordance H2490). According to Spiro Zodhiates, “The core meaning of this root and its history in cognate languages is rather uncertain. There are eighty-three uses of this word and its derivatives.” (emphasis added) The NASB translated it “defiled” (and the King James Version used “defiledst”). The Schocken Bible uses “defile” in one instance and “profane” in another. Young’s Literal Translation uses “polluted”. According to Strong’s Concordance, here are some other uses and meanings: to be wounded (as in, pierced), to play the flute, to desecrate or to be desecrated, to enjoy, to be killed, to begin or to proceed or to initiate, to eat as a common thing, and to prostitute.
We believe the last usage comes the closest: Reuben prostituted Bilpah, thus violating the marriage covenant and the father/son relationship in one fell action. According to Leviticus 20:11, the penalty for Reuben’s and Bilpah’s sin was death, “their bloodguiltyness is upon them.” Of course, at the time, this law had not yet been given to Moses. Nevertheless, it was a scandalous action, and one for which Jacob no doubt sought wisdom from the Lord as to how to respond. In mercy, Jacob did not apply a death penalty, but determined that Reuben was disqualified from being the preeminent tribe and receiving the double portion (Genesis 48:22) and all that went with the birthright.
Here is why it matters: Reuben laid down the prophetic pattern for the modern Church that has prostituted Judah in Father’s bed. Judah has gone back in to Father’s house to recreate a Jewish state after being sent out for its adulteries in 70 C.E. but has done so without ending its hostility against the Lord and yet refusing to obey Him. Leviticus 26:21 Until it ceases its hostilities, Judah cannot return without polluting the land. Jeremiah wrote of this:
God says, “If a husband divorces his wife and she goes from him and belongs to another man, will he still return to her? Will not that land be completely polluted?” Jeremiah 3:1
Much could be said about all that Judah’s re-entry into the land entails, but it is beyond the scope of this post. We instead refer you to The Struggle for the Birthright, by Dr. Stephen Jones. Suffice it to say, Judah was sent out in precisely the same way as was Israel and the judgment was declared by Ezekiel 23:30-35, particularly verse 31: You have walked in the way of your sister (Israel); therefore I will give her cup (of judgment) into your hand.
The descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, are widely viewed as the principal settlors of the United States and Great Britain, respectively. One would be hard pressed to find any two nations on earth who have enjoyed such prosperity as have these two. In the period of time preceding the Balfour Declaration, and certainly after the United Nations Resolution 183 partitioning Palestine and in the years since, no two nations have been more responsible for Judah’s re-entry into the land of Israel than the United States and Great Britain. Although the zionists have the lion’s share of responsibility for the situation in the present day, the modern Church has been a stalwart ally, sending great sums of money to support the occupation, turning a blind eye to the injustices perpetrated upon the Palestinians whose land, lives and treasure were taken by force. At the very least, one would have to admit a continuous and unintermittent double standard employed by the United States when dealing with the Jewish state vis-a-vis its neighbors in every direction, not one bit of it in obedience to the commands and teachings of Christ Jesus.
In brief, because the Church has committed the same offence as Reuben, the United States and Great Britain will be disqualified from the birthright, and it will be taken from them and, we believe, returned to the rightful heir, the King of Judah, Jesus the Messiah. In this way, the kingdom will be re-united with the King. But it must all be accomplished according to the law of God who is absolutely impartial. This judgment has already commenced with the current financial crisis, and will continue until it is accomplished.
Blessed are you, O Lord. For there is no partiality with you, and your commandments are holy and righteous and good. You always use your law lawfully and according to perfect wisdom! Thank you for your mercy displayed in all your judgments. Blessed are you because you always fill our hearts with songs of deliverance. Please deliver us from the iniquitous roads upon which we travel so thoughtlessly. Thank you for the honor that you have given to our King, the firstborn of all creation, the birthright and the name–Israel.