JUDAH
Genesis chapter thirty-eight vividly portrays the immoral character of Judah, the fourth son of Jacob as he engaged himself in sexual sin with Tamar her daughter-in-law. This sexual sin like others had great consequences on the life of Judah. It also reveals that there is always a costly price to pay at the counter of sexual sins.
“And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it? And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him” (Gen. 38:16-18 Emphasis mine).
At the counter of sexual sin, Judah paid with his signet, bracelets and staff! What a price that was! These objects have significant meanings in the visible realm of men as well as in the spiritual kingdom realm. A signet was a form of identification used to authenticate legal documents. Usually a unique design carved in stone and worn on a ring or necklace inseparable from its owner. It was used by the wealthy and powerful to mark clay or wax. It symbolized authority. So one of the crucial thing that sexual sins stripe a man of is his authority- authority in prayer, authority to enforce the scripture over Satan as well as on the hearts of men; authority to bear rule over lives. At the counter of sexual sin, a man loses his spiritual authority!
Another important thing Judah lost was his bracelets. Bracelets symbolized wealth and prosperity. Sexual sins will always eat into a man’s wealth both physically and spiritually. Physical and spiritual wealth are always lost on the altar of sinful pleasure. The riches of God’s grace, revelation into the scripture, access to God in prayer, operations of the gifts of the Spirit are all examples of inestimable riches that normally get lost through sexual sin. Men of destiny must beware!
One more crucial thing that Judah lost at the altar of sinful pleasure was his staff! Staff was common with the shepherds of those days. It’s a wooden object with which shepherds direct and guide the flock of sheep in the right path. It is a symbol of authority and leadership. It could be likened to the Thumim and the Urim, which enabled the Levites access divine information for direction and guidance of God’s people. To the present day believers, the staff could be likened to the Holy Spirit Who enables us to access divine information for direction, guidance, revelation, wisdom and knowledge. Therefore, at the counter of sexual sin, the Holy Spirit is grieved and embittered; these can make Him depart from us as He did to Samson of old who knew not that God was departed from him! The most painful thing about Judah in this story is that when he sent to redeem all those things, they could not be redeemed! However, there is hope of recovery for every repent soul through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ!
REUBEN: (Genesis 35: 22; 49: 1-3).
“And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar. And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun” (Gen 35: 21-23).
“And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father. Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch” (Gen. 49:1-4).
Reuben’s sin of sexual immorality was costly, although the consequence seemed not immediate. As the oldest son, he stood the chance to receiving a double portion of the family inheritance and a place of leadership among his brethren. But his involvement with sexual sin denied him all that! Reuben may have thought he had gotten away with his sexual sin. Perhaps he thought nobody heard about, but the holy writ says, “and Israel heard it.”
No more is mentioned of it again until Jacob, on his deathbed, assembled his family for the final blessing. Suddenly Jacob took away Reuben’s double portion and gave it to someone else. The reason? “thou wentest up to thy father’s bed: then defiledst thou it” (Gen 49: 4). The oldest son was supposed to receive a double inheritance, but Reuben lost his special honour. Unruly and untrustworthy, especially in his younger days, he had gone so far as to sleep with one of his father’s concubines thereby uncovering his father’s nakedness (Lev 18:8). Jacob could not give the birthright blessing to such a dishonourable son. “Cursed be he that lieth with his father’s wife: because he uncovereth his father’s skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen” (Deut. 27:20). Sexual sin normally displaces a man from standing in his destiny!
Sin’s consequences can plague us long after the sin is committed. When we do something wrong we may think we c
an escape unnoticed, only to discover later that the sin has been quietly breeding serious consequences. Proverbs 28:13 says, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy”. The sexual sin of Reuben placed a great backslash on his life and lineage till today!
an escape unnoticed, only to discover later that the sin has been quietly breeding serious consequences. Proverbs 28:13 says, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy”. The sexual sin of Reuben placed a great backslash on his life and lineage till today!
“Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright” (1Chr 5:1). This was coming several years after Reuben had died. But then the consequences of his sin is still affecting his lineage! Before you give in to temptation, consider the disastrous consequences sin may produce in your life and the lives of others. Reuben’s sexual sin denied him of his birthright and equally displaced his lineage from standing in their inheritance!