WEBVTT 00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:16.559 We often assume that one's safety is about location. 00:00:17.679 --> 00:00:27.440 If we live inside of the right borders or we're protected by the strongest military, if our defenses are secure enough, then we think that we are secure. 00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:29.600 That's how nations think. 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:34.960 You hear in the news even of the missile attacks in Israel. 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:42.399 I'm supposed to be leading a group there in May, and it's so easy for people to think and wonder is it safe there right now? 00:00:42.719 --> 00:00:46.560 You graph out or map out safety onto a location. 00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:48.240 And like I said, that is how nations think. 00:00:48.399 --> 00:00:53.840 And nations think if they can defend their borders or build high enough walls or whatnot, then they'll be secure. 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:56.880 But that is just not what history reveals, is it? 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:02.799 History has stories of one strong nation after another that falls. 00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:05.599 Think of even inside of the Bible, think of Babylon. 00:01:05.760 --> 00:01:08.719 Remember how confident they were that they were impenetrable? 00:01:08.959 --> 00:01:11.359 But somebody forgot to close the aqueduct. 00:01:12.159 --> 00:01:14.319 Think of Troy and mythology. 00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:17.200 You know, it's the unconquerable city. 00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:19.920 Oh, somebody gave us a nice gift. 00:01:20.079 --> 00:01:20.959 Welcome that in. 00:01:21.439 --> 00:01:32.079 In American history, think of Mexico, a massive army with an ocean, a literal ocean between them and their enemies, but no way to defend against smallpox. 00:01:32.799 --> 00:01:39.040 Empires with the strongest armies have disappeared practically overnight. 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:46.879 Borders didn't save them, oceans didn't save them, because security is never about geography. 00:01:47.120 --> 00:02:05.359 I'm thankful for strong countries, of course, and for border security and legal immigration and all of that, but there's such a temptation to map on what is true of nations onto our own thinking and trust our safety in our location. 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:09.280 1 Chronicles chapter 5 is about that illusion. 00:02:09.919 --> 00:02:24.400 More to the point, it's about the illusion that your own security spiritually can be held on to based upon the kind of family you were born into, based upon your location. 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:33.120 In 1 Chronicles, so far, we have seen a very interesting point that I did not appreciate until a month ago when we started teaching through 1 Chronicles. 00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:38.080 But have you noticed that, and I'm not sure this will hold through all 12 tribes, but it's holding through these first five or so. 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:46.639 Have you noticed that the personalities of the founder of the tribe is now evident in the life of that tribe, you know, centuries later? 00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:50.960 And then that it's also evident in the geography of the tribe. 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:53.280 That's obvious with Judah. 00:02:53.360 --> 00:02:56.080 They were blessed by God and they got the biggest land. 00:02:56.719 --> 00:02:58.639 That was obvious with Levi. 00:02:58.800 --> 00:03:03.360 They were cursed by God and scattered because of the conduct of Levi, the individual. 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:06.879 And lo and behold, in the promised land, they don't get any land. 00:03:07.599 --> 00:03:13.439 Simeon was divisive, and yet he knew how to hold on to Judah's leg for protection. 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:16.879 And so in the promised land, that's exactly what happens with the tribe of Simeon. 00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:18.879 They're literally surrounded by Judah. 00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:23.439 Benjamin, the smallest tribe, will look at him in a few weeks. 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:25.039 It's true with him as well. 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:28.400 But he found security by hiding in his older brother Shadow, didn't he? 00:03:28.479 --> 00:03:30.159 And the same is true in the promised land. 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:35.599 Benjamin exists even as a tribe because it held on to Judah. 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:39.439 Judah was the tribe that had the king. 00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:41.599 Judah was the tribe that had the promise. 00:03:41.840 --> 00:03:43.039 And that wasn't arbitrary. 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:44.800 We're going to see a little bit of that this evening. 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:45.599 It wasn't arbitrary. 00:03:45.759 --> 00:03:46.800 Judah was the fourth. 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:49.919 You would imagine that the first would receive the promise. 00:03:50.159 --> 00:03:51.919 The first would receive the birthright. 00:03:52.080 --> 00:03:53.599 The first would receive the blessing. 00:03:53.840 --> 00:04:00.240 If Israel, the person, Jacob, if he was going to show favor any of his kids, you would imagine it would be the first. 00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:02.080 Then it should have been his. 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:05.520 In fact, Reuben reminds us that of that, that the birthright should be his. 00:04:05.599 --> 00:04:07.120 But it doesn't become his. 00:04:07.199 --> 00:04:09.360 We'll see why tonight he forfeits it. 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:15.120 The second and the third, they forfeit it, Simeon and Levi, because of their own conduct. 00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:16.480 And so it falls to the fourth. 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:20.639 The promise is with Judah because number one, two, and three struck out. 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:27.040 Now we get to Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, who's a half-brother. 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:31.040 Remember, Joseph was, in a sense, the most blessed of the tribes. 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:33.920 He was the last there in the line. 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:34.800 He was the most blessed. 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:40.160 He was the one that was sold into slavery, taken off into Egypt, became the prime minister. 00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:41.920 And you think, where's the tribe of Joseph? 00:04:42.079 --> 00:04:45.920 Remember, he was so blessed by God that they divided in half and split in two. 00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:48.560 Manasseh and Ephraim came from Joseph. 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:51.279 We'll see Manasseh tonight. 00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:55.360 But first we're going to begin with Reuben in verse 1. 00:04:55.519 --> 00:04:58.720 The sons of Reuben, who was the firstborn of Israel. 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:02.480 These people were positioned. 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:03.360 They were armed. 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:04.959 They were established. 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:06.879 And they were going to fall. 00:05:07.199 --> 00:05:10.480 Reuben and Gad and Manasseh don't fall because they were weak. 00:05:10.560 --> 00:05:12.000 They don't fall because they lack weapons. 00:05:12.079 --> 00:05:14.000 The text will make that point tonight. 00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:17.920 They fell because they broke faith with the God of their fathers. 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:20.240 Their geography couldn't save them. 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:21.759 Their inheritance couldn't save them. 00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:32.160 Only their covenant faith could, and that's the one thing they didn't hold on to. 00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:35.279 This affects us now. 00:05:35.360 --> 00:05:49.920 I mean, so many thousands of years later, after the 12 tribes, it still affects us because we are tempted to think that if we were born into the right family, if we're given the right opportunities, if we have enough strength, if we won enough battles, then we'll be secure in our relationship with the Lord. 00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:53.759 We think that birthright protects, power protects, position protects. 00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:55.759 That's how the world thinks. 00:05:56.399 --> 00:06:00.079 But this chapter exists to dismantle that assumption. 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:02.800 By the end, we're going to see that Reuben loses what they were given. 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:08.639 Gad fought for what they were given, and they forfeit it because they forgot the God who gave it. 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:10.959 So I'm going to give you a formula you can follow along tonight. 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:14.480 I made a mathematical formula about this chapter. 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:16.639 The privilege and power formula. 00:06:16.879 --> 00:06:18.319 It's a good name for a book, isn't it? 00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:19.920 The privilege and power formula. 00:06:22.240 --> 00:06:23.920 I should write that down. 00:06:24.720 --> 00:06:28.160 The privilege and power formula, copyright 2026. 00:06:29.040 --> 00:06:31.040 Emanuel Bible Church, here you go. 00:06:31.199 --> 00:06:32.879 The privilege and power formula. 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:42.879 I'm gonna use this formula because there's a basic truth that God advances his kingdom through covenant faithfulness, not natural privilege, and not military strength. 00:06:43.120 --> 00:06:48.639 Privilege and power cannot preserve what faithlessness forfeits. 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:52.240 So, first part of the formula: natural privilege. 00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:53.759 Natural privilege. 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:55.279 This is what Reuben had. 00:06:55.360 --> 00:06:57.839 It says in verse 1 that they were the firstborn. 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:00.720 Reuben was literally the oldest of Jacob's children. 00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:02.000 He was truly the firstborn. 00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:07.040 Remember, sometimes the Bible uses the term firstborn for somebody who's not actually the firstborn. 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:11.759 Because firstborn is intentionally the position of promise, the one who inherits the birthright. 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:17.600 But if you've learned anything by now in the Bible, you recognize that God doesn't always choose the firstborn. 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:24.000 Sometimes the favor trickles down the family line. 00:07:24.959 --> 00:07:33.839 If you recall last week we saw that Simeon showed that proximity to Judah brought security, that God rescued through their proximity to the promised king. 00:07:34.079 --> 00:07:39.439 There's a sense in which Reuben thought that protection should have been his, but he forfeited it. 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:45.360 As I mentioned, Judah got privilege, Joseph got privilege, Judah got leadership, but Reuben got neither. 00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:48.639 And this is going back to Genesis 35. 00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:52.240 You can flip your Bibles over to Genesis 35 to see what Reuben does. 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:53.600 This is another one of those stories. 00:07:53.759 --> 00:07:58.319 Like a lot of the stories that are critical in 1 Chronicles, they're not flannographed for the little kids. 00:07:59.839 --> 00:08:03.920 And it's not in the big picture storybook Bible or anything like that. 00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:18.000 Genesis 35 tells the story of the death of Benjamin's mother. 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:29.680 Genesis 35 is where God blesses Jacob, and Jacob goes on and begins to have his 12 tribes, the 12 children. 00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:34.559 But verse 16, they journeyed from Bethel and they were some distance away. 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:36.720 From Ephrath, Rachel went to labor. 00:08:36.799 --> 00:08:38.159 She had hard labor. 00:08:38.879 --> 00:08:45.679 And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, Don't fear, because you're having another son. 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:54.240 As her soul was departing for her, as she was laying there dying, she called his name Benene. 00:08:55.360 --> 00:09:02.639 But his father didn't like that name, renamed the son Benjamin, which is such a better name. 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:04.000 At least in English, anyway. 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:06.080 Benjamin is way better than Ben Ani. 00:09:07.600 --> 00:09:09.840 Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin. 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:15.519 She was buried on the way to Paphra, that is Bethlehem, now called Bethlehem. 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:18.559 This is the Rachel weeping section. 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:22.000 This becomes a pattern in the New Testament for Christ in the Gospel of Matthew. 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:27.440 That the slaughter of the infants, the slaughter of the newborn is, in a sense, reenacting this. 00:09:27.519 --> 00:09:29.840 This is what a significant event this is in Israel's history. 00:09:29.919 --> 00:09:32.639 Is Rachel died, she mourned, she had tears. 00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:35.039 These tears are representing the exile of Israel. 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:36.799 They do not have the promised land yet. 00:09:36.960 --> 00:09:40.879 She's dying outside of Bethlehem, but they don't get to stay there. 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:42.240 They're going to end up in Egypt. 00:09:42.320 --> 00:09:44.879 The twelve tribes will end up in Egypt and grow into a nation. 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:50.480 The tears that Rachel sheds, in a sense, represent Israel's wandering and disobedience. 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:53.440 But that wandering and disobedience brings forward the Messiah. 00:09:53.600 --> 00:10:00.000 They have to wander for centuries in Egypt, and then 40 more years in the wilderness before they were able to come back into the land. 00:10:00.080 --> 00:10:01.919 That's what Rachel's tears represent. 00:10:02.320 --> 00:10:08.879 Herod, the butcher of Bethlehem, slaughters the newborns, slaughters the infants, forcing Jesus into exile into Egypt. 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:10.960 So he's walking the same path here. 00:10:12.799 --> 00:10:18.080 But notice before Jacob set a pillar over her tomb. 00:10:18.320 --> 00:10:18.960 Verse 20. 00:10:19.039 --> 00:10:21.600 It's the pillar of Rachel's tomb where he is to this day. 00:10:21.840 --> 00:10:26.159 Israel journeyed on and pinched his tent further down towards Eder. 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:34.399 While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went in and lay with Bilhah, his father's concubine. 00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:37.279 And Israel heard of it. 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:42.639 Now this is not just some random event that takes place in Israel's history. 00:10:42.799 --> 00:10:46.559 It wasn't, it's not in here because it was a momentary lapse of self-control by Reuben. 00:10:46.639 --> 00:10:48.879 Like don't sleep with your dad's concubine. 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:52.159 It's not one of the Ten Commandments for lots of reasons. 00:10:52.879 --> 00:11:01.039 But Reuben acts now, and that's because of the moment of opportunity that he saw here. 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:04.559 He was Jacob's firstborn through Leah. 00:11:06.320 --> 00:11:12.159 And he saw that the mother of some of his brothers died, and so he saw that as an opportunity. 00:11:12.399 --> 00:11:14.720 Now, Bilhah also had children, remember? 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:16.399 Some of the 12 tribes come from her. 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:20.240 Dan and Naphtali, they're children of Jacob and Bilhah. 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:25.840 And so when Reuben sees this, you got to picture the power play here with 12 children. 00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:27.039 There's an order here. 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:28.240 Reuben is the oldest. 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:29.759 He thinks the birthright should be his. 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:30.960 They don't even have land yet. 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:32.960 But Reuben thinks the birthright should be his. 00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:39.039 His, in a sense, stepmother, or the mother of his, some of his half-brothers, is dead. 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:41.200 His father is mourning it. 00:11:42.799 --> 00:11:48.480 By him sleeping with Bilhad, this is his sense of exerting his control. 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:51.039 He's taking his claim on the family. 00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:56.399 You're going to see something similar when Absalom sleeps with David's concubines. 00:11:56.639 --> 00:11:57.679 He does the same thing. 00:11:57.840 --> 00:12:02.720 When Absalom sleeps with David's concubines, he's taking a page out of Reuben's playbook. 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:05.440 Your father is in distress. 00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:08.399 In this instance, the mother is dead. 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:10.080 So take advantage of that. 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:15.360 Sleep with the concubines, and that's your way of saying, I'm in charge of the family now. 00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:18.639 That's his play. 00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:22.080 It's not a coincidence that after this happens, notice it just says Israel heard of it. 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:22.639 That's Jacob. 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:25.039 Jacob heard of it, but he doesn't act on it now. 00:12:25.200 --> 00:12:29.519 And so then to drive the point home in the middle of verse 22, you get all the 12 tribes named. 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:31.039 This is one of the lists of the 12 tribes. 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:32.879 And notice Reuben is first. 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:35.360 He was Jacob's firstborn. 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:41.679 Now, in this particular listing, they're not listed in birth order, because Benjamin's last. 00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:42.480 We just saw him born. 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:44.639 He's in verse 24 with others after that. 00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:46.240 They're not listed in birth order. 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:50.960 Here they're listed by their mothers because Rachel had just died. 00:12:52.320 --> 00:12:54.559 Reuben is taking his claim on the family. 00:12:54.799 --> 00:12:55.919 Israel sees this. 00:12:56.080 --> 00:12:59.360 Jacob sees it, knows about it, but does not act about it. 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:01.600 He files this away in his mind. 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:04.799 It's going to be a long time before he acts on it. 00:13:06.720 --> 00:13:13.200 And when he acts on it is when he gives the blessings to the twelve tribes. 00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:16.960 You can flip over to Genesis 49. 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:19.279 Go over a few pages. 00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:22.559 Jacob called his sons to him. 00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:24.879 This is before Israel or Jacob dies. 00:13:25.039 --> 00:13:26.159 Gather yourselves together. 00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:28.960 I can tell you what's going to happen in the days to come. 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:30.879 Assemble and listen, though sons of Jacob. 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:32.960 Listen to your father Israel. 00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:36.399 Reuben, you're my firstborn. 00:13:38.559 --> 00:13:40.960 Reuben's ears probably perked up. 00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:43.519 He's got to think this is my chance. 00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:45.200 Like I am the firstborn. 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:45.679 That's right. 00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:47.679 The blessing should be mine. 00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:50.559 And Israel notes that. 00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:53.600 He says, You're my might, the firstfruits of my strength. 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:57.039 You're preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power. 00:13:57.120 --> 00:14:00.559 And I do wonder if there's a little sarcasm in the preeminent in dignity. 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:02.960 I'm certainly he carried himself. 00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:05.919 What he's communicating here is you carry yourself like the firstborn. 00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:07.519 You act like the firstborn. 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:09.919 I mean, firstborns are just the best, aren't they? 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:10.559 Praise God. 00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:11.120 Amen. 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:12.399 Hallelujah. 00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:16.000 That's kind of the idea here. 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:18.399 Like the firstborns act that way. 00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:21.519 Not always to their blessing. 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:23.440 And so Israel notes that. 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:24.879 Man, you know how to walk. 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:26.320 You're preeminent. 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:28.000 But look at verse 4. 00:14:28.159 --> 00:14:31.120 You are also unstable as water. 00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:33.600 What a cool turn of phrase. 00:14:33.919 --> 00:14:36.879 Is anything more unstable than water? 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:40.480 I'm gonna hold this remote. 00:14:40.559 --> 00:14:42.320 I'm gonna set it in a pool of water to hold it. 00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:44.799 I mean, it can't hold anything. 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:49.039 You will not have preeminence. 00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:52.480 Notice the word is the third time it's repeated there. 00:14:52.559 --> 00:14:58.000 He's preeminent in dignity, preeminent in power, but he will not preeminate, be preeminent, period. 00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:05.039 The reason is in the next part of the verse because you went up to your father's bed, you defiled it, you went up to my couch. 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:07.120 Couch is an odd word there. 00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:13.279 It's just a weird expression in both Hebrew and English, but it's the idea that he slept after Rachel died. 00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:14.879 He slept with the concubine. 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:18.320 Not even properly your father's bed, although that's noted. 00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:21.120 It's not his true bedroom. 00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:23.039 But he defiled even that. 00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:26.399 You can go back to 1 Chronicles chapter 5. 00:15:27.039 --> 00:15:38.559 Reuben was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father's couch, it says in verse 1, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that he could not be enrolled as the oldest son. 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:48.320 Remember, his birthright trickled to Joseph, who's going to have the two tribes from him, but it also passes Levi, passes Simeon, for what Simeon did last week, we looked at it then, and settles on Judah. 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:50.080 The kingship comes to Judah. 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:54.399 So when you hear that the kingship belongs to Judah, it's not an arbitrary assignment. 00:15:54.559 --> 00:15:58.480 It's not as if God could have chosen any of the twelve and he just chose this one. 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:04.720 Obviously, God and his sovereignty predestined all of this, but it is the fact that the first, second, and third disqualified themselves. 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:07.039 That's why the kingship belongs to Judah. 00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:10.080 It did not temper Reuben's preeminence, though. 00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:12.080 Another classic firstborn move. 00:16:12.639 --> 00:16:13.919 He thinks he's preeminent. 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:15.679 He is rebuked by his father. 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:17.279 The blessing is not his. 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:19.679 Do you think that slowed him down? 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:21.120 No, it did not. 00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:23.440 Have you met a firstborn before? 00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:25.919 It did not slow him down. 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:31.360 He carries on as if he is the bee's knees the rest of his life. 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:39.600 But again, we should know by now that God doesn't, generally speaking, choose the firstborn. 00:16:39.759 --> 00:16:41.120 Cain was the firstborn. 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:43.279 Fat Lad of Good, that did him. 00:16:43.919 --> 00:16:46.799 Ishmael was the firstborn, not Isaac. 00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:49.440 Esau was the firstborn, not Jacob. 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:53.840 All that to say being firstborn isn't what it used to be. 00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:56.960 Jacob judges Reuben. 00:16:57.039 --> 00:17:00.159 Now he doesn't erase the reality that he's the firstborn. 00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:04.000 Notice in verse 2, there's a little dig at Reuben here again in verse 2. 00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:10.640 Though Judah became strong amongst his brothers, and a chief came from him, and the birthright belonged to Joseph. 00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:17.440 So the author here of 1 Chronicles is anybody who's from the tribe of Reuben that's reading this is going to be offended by this. 00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:23.680 You have to keep bringing up what my great-great-great-grandfather did so many years ago. 00:17:25.359 --> 00:17:30.640 He's giving the genealogy of Reuben, but he reminds you that Judah was the one who gets the king. 00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:33.759 Joseph was the one who was the dad's favorite. 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:36.079 Nevertheless, Reuben was the firstborn. 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:37.200 That's repeated in verse 3. 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:38.720 Reuben was indeed the firstborn. 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:41.599 And then it starts to list his sons. 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:45.119 His sons have some leadership. 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:46.319 Look at verse 6. 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:51.920 Berea, his son, whom Tilgath Pilasar, king of Assyria, carried away into exile. 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:54.000 He was chief of the Reubenites. 00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:58.480 So notice that his birthright is being recognized. 00:17:58.559 --> 00:17:59.839 He even has chiefs coming from him. 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:02.480 Not every tribe has those kind of notations in it. 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:05.839 They had the kinsmen by their clans in verse 7. 00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:09.440 All their chief, notice verse 7 has a chief again recorded. 00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:18.400 He lived, verse 9, to the east, as far as the entrance of the desert side of the Euphrates, because their livestock had multiplied in the land of Gilead. 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:23.440 And in those days, Saul waged war against the Hagrites who fell into their lands, into their hands. 00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:26.640 They lived in their tents throughout all the region east of Gilead. 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:28.559 So this is where Reuben settles. 00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:37.359 They're a massive tribe, and I won't take you back to Joshua to read the story of it, but when they go into the promised land, they decide not to go all the way into the promised land. 00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:37.920 Remember? 00:18:38.079 --> 00:18:40.799 They were the first tribe, and so this is another move. 00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:43.440 This is how the tribe is taking on that firstborn mentality. 00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:44.319 It's another move. 00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:46.319 They're going to claim their land first. 00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:52.640 So they're approaching, you know, you're driving and you can get to the top of the hill and you see the place you're going to is the next hill down there. 00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:55.359 And Reuben at this point is like, let's pull over right here. 00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:56.559 This is our land. 00:18:56.720 --> 00:19:00.400 The very first place you can see the promised land from, we're claiming it. 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:05.119 And the other tribes say, Well, I mean, can't you come across the river to us and with us? 00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:06.640 We're going to be on the other side of the river. 00:19:06.720 --> 00:19:08.480 All the promised land's on the other side of the river. 00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:11.759 Remember, Abraham stood in the top of the hill, and Lot went this way. 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:15.279 Abram went that way, but it's Lot's land that would be the promised land. 00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:20.079 That's the land where first Sodom and Gomorrah falls, and it's the other side of the Jordan River. 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:21.680 That's where the 12 tribes will be. 00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:25.440 That's what was promised to Abraham, and that's where Reuben won't go. 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:28.960 He's claiming his firstborn status, and he'll take the land here first. 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:31.599 It's not even across the river. 00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:35.200 He chose the good land. 00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:37.759 In his mind, that was immediately secure. 00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:40.559 That land wasn't very, wasn't thoroughly occupied. 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:42.880 The people that went across the river, they had to go fight wars. 00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:45.440 They had to kick the uh the Amalekites out. 00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:48.079 They had to go to war against the Philistines. 00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:51.440 But not Reuben. 00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:57.039 The first land, the best lands, the first security, the best security. 00:19:57.519 --> 00:20:00.640 As I mentioned, what an older brother move. 00:20:01.279 --> 00:20:05.839 The downside of this was the distance from the covenant. 00:20:07.039 --> 00:20:10.799 He placed himself on the opposite side of the river away from the covenant. 00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:12.240 But anyway, he had natural privilege. 00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:14.319 Here's my formula for privilege and power. 00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:17.279 You take natural privilege, you add to it physical power. 00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:18.559 This is God. 00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:21.039 Next son is God. 00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:26.640 The sons of Gad lived over against him in the land of Bashan as far as Seleika. 00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:32.799 Now, God, he was a warrior, and we're not, we won't, I won't make you go back to Genesis 49, but Gad was known as a warrior. 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:35.279 He, the bow was strong with him. 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:46.960 Deuteronomy 33 sums up Gad by saying he chose the best of the land and he executed the justice of Yahweh. 00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:49.440 Gad carries on further than Reuben does. 00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:51.039 Reuben takes north. 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:55.200 It's kind of the opposite side of where the Sea of Galilee is on top of the mountain over there. 00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:57.920 It's modern-day, really Syria down to Jordan. 00:20:58.160 --> 00:20:59.680 That's where Reuben settled. 00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:05.519 But if you keep going further, you know that valley kind of pushes you in towards the Jordan River and goes down the Jordan River. 00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:07.119 They cross down by Jericho. 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:09.839 That's where they crossed the Jordan River, but they got to it from the north. 00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:12.160 And as they walk down, that's where Gad occupies. 00:21:12.319 --> 00:21:13.279 That land over there. 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:14.400 It's farming land now. 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:19.279 For the longest time, I remember when Deidre and I went to Israel for the first time. 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:21.279 The other side of the Jordan River was barren. 00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:27.119 And now it's all farming land because Israel shared all their water technology with the Jordanian government. 00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:30.319 And they've, I mean, it's it's green now, it looks like outside of Bakersfield. 00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:32.880 You know, it's this desert land, but crops growing everywhere. 00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:33.680 That's what it looks like now. 00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:34.960 That's where Gad settled. 00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:36.160 Gad took that. 00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:40.240 It's closer to Israel than where Reuben went. 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:42.000 Like you're almost there. 00:21:42.400 --> 00:21:44.559 But Gad had a different motivation of you. 00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:47.920 Remember, Reuben settled first because they were the first, and that's what they wanted to do. 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:50.079 They get off the train first because they're oldest. 00:21:50.319 --> 00:21:55.440 Gad settled further down, not because they were asserting privilege, but because they were warriors. 00:21:55.599 --> 00:21:57.200 So they wanted to be on the border. 00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:58.960 They wanted to be at the door, so to speak. 00:21:59.039 --> 00:21:59.759 Israel's gonna cross. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:00.559 Of the Jordan. 00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:04.880 Gad wants to guard the other side of the Jordan River so that nobody can mess with his brothers. 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:06.160 That's Gad's thinking. 00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:18.160 So Gad has also chiefs in verse 12, Joel of Shaphan II, and then he starts listing some of the chiefs here according to their fathers' houses and their kinsmen. 00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:19.920 They were chiefs. 00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:26.000 Verse 16, they lived in Gilead and Bashan in his own towns, and all the pasture lands of Sharon to their limits. 00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:31.359 These are all recorded in the genealogy of Jotham, king of Judah, the days of Jeroboam, king of Israel. 00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:35.359 Notice that Gad is associated with both the north and south. 00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:44.240 Because they're closer to Judah than, in fact, they're closer to Judah than many of the ten northern tribes because they went down along the river by Jericho. 00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:45.359 They're associated with war. 00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:52.960 But notice verse 18, the Reubenites, the Gadites, the half tribe of Manasseh, the valiant men who carried shield and sword and drew the bow. 00:22:53.200 --> 00:22:54.640 They were experts in war. 00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:58.079 44,760 of them could go to war. 00:22:58.240 --> 00:22:59.680 So God is known as warriors. 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:03.440 They got 44,000 marines guarding the front door of Israel. 00:23:04.400 --> 00:23:06.480 They waged war, all kinds of war. 00:23:06.640 --> 00:23:10.480 The Haggirites, Jetur, Nafesh, Nodab in verse 19, verse 20. 00:23:10.559 --> 00:23:13.920 They prevailed over him against the Haggites who were with them. 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:15.839 God gave them into their hands. 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:20.160 Because, look at verse 21 or 20, they cried out to God in the battle. 00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:23.279 And God granted their plea because they trusted him. 00:23:23.680 --> 00:23:28.319 Gad was strong and they trusted Yahweh and they had the victory. 00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:30.559 And notice Gad gets plunder. 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:32.640 50,000 camels. 00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:37.119 This is not just a census of the people, this is a census of their plunder. 00:23:37.759 --> 00:23:45.039 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, 2,000 donkeys, 100,000 men alive they captured. 00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:47.680 What do you do with 100,000 prisoners of war? 00:23:48.559 --> 00:23:49.200 Jeez. 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:52.880 Many fell. 00:23:53.759 --> 00:23:55.680 Because the war was of God. 00:23:55.759 --> 00:24:01.599 And they lived in their place until drumroll the exile. 00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:06.079 They had physical power. 00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:08.559 You have natural privilege. 00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:10.400 You have physical power. 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:11.359 Third. 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:14.880 This leads to covenantal faith. 00:24:15.200 --> 00:24:16.000 Abandoned. 00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:19.359 You add natural power to physical, or natural privilege to physical power. 00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:20.400 This is my formula. 00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:22.559 And you subtract covenantal faith. 00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:24.400