Thursday, May 30, 2013

Behold the Son -- See Him Who Offers Everything to Us

"And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid. 36And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me. 37And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again. 38And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave." (Genesis 42: 35-38)

Reuben loved his father so much, that he was willing to sacrifice his own sons if he did not bring back Jacob's beloved son Benjamin (Son of my right hand)

In total, Reuben had four sons, in this order:
"And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi." (Genesis 46: 9)

Reuben offered to slay Hanoch and Phallu should he not return Benjamin unharmed, were named with
"Hanoch" comes from the Hebrew "chek", which means "taste, or palate"

"Phallu" means "astonishing, wonderful"

When we Behold the Son, we taste the wonderful, which Jesus freely offers us:

"O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him." (Psalm 34: 8)

Reuben's pledge to offer his own sons should not give anyone an impression of desperation, but rather of certainty -- Reuben would bring back Benjamin, Jacob's beloved, without hurt. Jesus' death on the Cross should also serve as the certainty that in Christ, we find every need met, every security provided, and every hope realized, for Jesus became sin, that we might receive His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5: 21). Jesus became rejected (Matthew 27: 46), so that we might be accepted (Ephesians 1: 6). He became poor so that would would be rich (2 Corinthians 8: 9).

Behold the Son, and see the One who gave Himself for us, and through Him we receive all things (Romans 8: 31-32)

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