March 15, 2021: Day 9 – I Chronicles 5

This chapter begins with an interesting side bar that describes the reason why Reuben, who was the eldest of the family of Jacob, or Israel, did not receive the birthright.  It states because he “defiled his father’s bed”.  If you remember, and you may not because I had to go back and look it up, a random verse in Genesis 35 describes what happens after Rachel dies in childbirth when Benjamin is born, the last of the children of Rachel.  Remember, Rachel is also the mother of Joseph.  If you look at vs.22 in that chapter you read: “While Israel (that would be Jacob) lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel (that would be Jacob) heard of it.”  

That is all we read in this chapter in Genesis until we get to Genesis 49 where we find Jacob on his death bed and he calls all of his sons together so that he can bless them.  Look at vs.3-4 of chapter 49 and you will hear Jacob say: “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the first fruits of my vigor, excelling in rank and excelling in power.  Unstable as water, you shall no longer excel because you went up onto your father’s bed; then you defiled it – you went up onto my couch!”  This is where we read that Reuben lost his birthright because of this act.  

There was no mention of this act for 40 years then it comes up on the death bed of Jacob and now it comes up again in I Chronicles where we are reminded of the status of Reuben and also, conversely, the prioritized status of Joseph.  We read that Joseph’s sons were given the birthright, and again we can read that event in Genesis 48 and 49.  Your past can come up and haunt you if you are not careful, even when you think the past is finished and gone.