Live and not Die

Let Reuben live, and not die; —Deuteronomy 33:6

Today’s text was spoken as Moses gave his final blessing upon Israel before his death.  Among other things, Moses pronounced a blessing upon the tribe of Reuben— “Let Reuben live, and not die.”  That was good news for Reuben because he was a rascal!  He committed incest with his daddy Jacob’s wife, Bilhah (Gen. 35:22).  That wicked act was disgusting to God (Lev. 18:8; 27-28).  A similar situation occurred in the church at Corinth required church discipline (1 Cor. 5).

Reuben’s sin was costly. As the firstborn, he stood to receive the family birthright.  Reuben may have thought he got away with his sin. It is not mentioned again until Jacob, on his deathbed, assembled his family for the final blessing.  Suddenly Jacob took Reuben’s birthright and gave it to Joseph (Gen. 49:4; 1 Chron 5:1-2).

Reuben’s sin cost him his birthright.  But God’s grace says, “Let Reuben live, and not die.”  God had a similar word for David when he deserved to die for his sin—“The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.” (2 Sam. 12:13).

This should cause all of us to rejoice today. “We had the sentence of death in ourselves” (2 Cor. 1:9). But by trusting in the Lord, He has “delivered us from so great a death” (2 Cor. 1:10). As Jesus said, “Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die” (John 11:26).

Thank God for grace that says, “Let [your name] live, and not die.”