Genesis-120-The Tower of the Flock

The Word of God is from Genesis 35:21-29

“Israel set out again and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine; and Israel heard of it. Now there were twelve sons of Jacob: the sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; the sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin; the sons of Rachel’s servant Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali; and the sons of Leah’s servant Zilpah: Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram. Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had resided. Isaac lived one hundred eighty years. Isaac breathed his last; he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days; and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.” Amen.

 

Revelation and the History of Salvation in the Patriarchal Age

Jacob’s family is now journeying southward, passing through Bethel and Bethlehem. There are several important facts we must remember at this juncture.

 

First, God no longer appears directly to the patriarchs after Bethel. While He does speak in a vision once later on, God’s direct manifestation to give revelation does not occur again until Moses hears God’s voice from the burning bush about 400 years later. However, this does not signify a period where God was ‘silent.’

 

Rather, it demonstrates that God’s history of salvation continuously unfolds within the ‘daily lives of the patriarchs.’ Specifically, the birth of the twelve tribes, their conflicts, and the entire process of them entering Egypt and becoming slaves, vividly reveal how Israel gradually strays onto the path of unbelief. Simultaneously, within this trajectory, God extends His grace, ultimately establishing the history of salvation by sending a Savior. In this regard, the story of Joseph is not merely a tale of success, but an event where God’s grace shines brightly against a backdrop of darkness.

 

This stream of salvation history begins precisely with the birth of the twelve tribes, marking the prelude to a new era.

 

The Fall of Reuben, the Firstborn, and the Truthfulness of the Biblical Record

However, the fact that this record begins with the fall of Reuben, the firstborn, instead of introducing the twelve tribes, is unusual. Moses recorded this book, and the Israelites who had just exited Egypt were the first to hear and read it. At a point in time when they were just establishing the foundation of a new nation and aspiring to become a great country, it is noteworthy that the beginning features the utterly depraved conduct of the firstborn, Reuben. Even when compared to the founding myths of other nations, it is uncommon to find a story that blemishes the founder's character right from the start, rather than focusing on hardships or natural disasters. It is customary for the start of a founding story—like those of Park Hyeokgeose or Jumong—to be auspicious and extraordinary, showcasing a righteous and outstanding figure who overcomes adversity.

 

Yet, the history of Israel is different. It begins with the sinful act of Reuben. Was it truly necessary to preserve such a record? This serves as proof that the Bible, as the Word of God, is the undeniable truth. We can also find a moral lesson within this. However, the text does not directly record words of discipline for Reuben, and Jacob merely concludes by saying he “heard of it.”

 

What we do know is that Reuben later receives a prophecy from Jacob that sounds more like a curse than a blessing, as recorded in Genesis 49:

 

“Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength; excelling in honor, excelling in power. Unstable as water, you shall not excel, because you went up to your father's bed; then you defiled it—he went up to my couch.”

 

Reuben’s Act: Sexual Motivation or Power Grab?

The reference to Reuben's problem as being ‘unstable as water’ implies being proud, reckless, and uncontrollably overflowing. This suggests that Reuben's action was not solely motivated by sexual desire. He ultimately fails to become the one who excels. While his act involved sexual immorality, the fundamental focus is on his desire to assert his strength and covet power.

 

Therefore, if we delve deeper into this incident, we find that it was not merely a private affair between Bilhah and Reuben, but an act committed by Reuben with considerable planning and intention. This is why many scholars interpret this event as a political issue rather than a purely sexual one.

 

This intent is clearly revealed through similar events recorded elsewhere in the Bible. Recall the story of David and Absalom. When David was fleeing from Absalom, Ahithophel advised Absalom: “To secure all your father’s possessions, you must do this.” He then told him to “take all his concubines.”

 

This action was not merely an instruction to “take possession of the concubines,” but a symbolic political declaration that he had usurped his father's entire authority. The Bible records that this act was done in the sight of all Israel. It was a terrible deed, but its meaning was clear: it was an expression of seizing power, meaning, “I will possess all that belongs to my father David.” Reuben committed a similar act. He sought to possess all that his father had. Although Reuben was the firstborn and naturally possessed the rights of the firstborn, he still sought to fully seize all of his father's possessions.

 

Ultimately, the core of this incident was an ambition for power, that is, for might. What Reuben sought to do was an attempt to take everything for himself and to enforce it through his own means and his own strength.

 

The Tower of Eder: The Place of Jehovah-Jireh vs. Reuben’s Contradictory Action

Let us now delve a little deeper and examine the location where the event took place. Today’s text records that the Israelites set out, passed the Tower of Eder, and pitched their tents there.

 

What does the Tower of Eder refer to? Jacob's company was moving toward Bethlehem and encamped near the Tower of Eder. The biblical verse that indicates the location of the Tower of Eder is found in Micah 4:8:

 

“And you, O tower of the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion…”

 

This is an appositional expression referring to the same subject. It means, “You are the tower of the flock, and the hill of Zion.” Therefore, the tower of the flock refers to Mount Zion.

 

As you know Mount Zion, it was not yet called “Mount Zion” during the time of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This name emerged later. The place where Mount Zion is located is Jerusalem, and it was also called the mountain of David because David established his kingship there, eventually settling on the name Mount Zion.

 

However, this Mount Zion, or the place called the tower of the flock, had a name from the time of Abraham: it was Mount Moriah. In the Old Testament, Mount Moriah and Mount Zion were regarded as the same mountain symbolizing Jerusalem. (In the New Testament era, Mount Moriah is distinguished as the site of Solomon's Temple, and Mount Zion as the western hill.)

 

This brings us closer to the fact that the location where this event occurred was Mount Moriah. Jacob, a descendant of Abraham and Isaac, must have known this fact. It was the site of the greatest event, where Isaac was nearly offered as a sacrifice. And the famous declaration we learned there was made:

 

“Jehovah-Jireh,” meaning the LORD will provide, is the very mountain.

 

Yet, in that very place where the LORD provided, Reuben engages in completely contradictory behavior. He tries to seize all of his father's possessions through his own ways and methods. Although God had said in that very place, “I will provide for you and save you,” Reuben is displaying the exact opposite.

 

By violating Bilhah, Rachel's maidservant and mother of Jacob's children, he attempted to seize his father's entire possession and status through his own strength.

 

Jacob’s Life and Reuben’s Action: The Transmission of Sin

After the first part of the sermon, Pastor Chulgyu Lee shared his thoughts with me, saying, “This passage is truly astonishing. Because what Reuben says and does is remarkably similar to the life trajectory of Jacob himself.”

 

Jacob sought to usurp the birthright and wanted to possess everything. Yet, Reuben was already the firstborn and possessed the firstborn's rights. Despite this, he used this position as a stepping stone to covet more and tried to achieve it through his own strength and methods.

 

Of course, here we can speculate on a few things. Reuben’s actions may have been influenced by his mother Leah. Leah still did not receive the best treatment from Jacob, and neither did Reuben, the firstborn. Jacob loved Joseph much more than Reuben, to the point where it seemed Joseph would become the firstborn. After Rachel's death, Reuben might have feared that Jacob’s affection would fully turn to Rachel's maidservant Bilhah and felt he had to correct the situation. The act of violating Bilhah was essentially a way to render her a 'living widow,' stripping her of any significant status with Jacob.

 

Therefore, the expectation or intention that “Jacob would now return to Leah” might have been present in Reuben’s mind, but since the Bible does not directly record this, it remains within the realm of inference. The possibility that Reuben wished to restore his mother Leah’s status cannot be ruled out. However, what is certain is that he had a political objective: the goal of making all of his father's possessions his own. Secondary intentions were merely added onto this primary one.

 

Ultimately, Reuben is perverting the place of Jehovah-Jireh, the place God prepared, into a place where he can parade his own strength and power. In “the tower of the flock,” the word ‘tower’ signifies a fortress or strong structure. In other words, Reuben is transforming the tower meant for watching over God's sheep into a tower for his own accomplishments and self-glory, akin to the Tower of Babel.

 

The Downfall of Reuben and the Dark Beginning of Israel

Brothers and sisters, profoundly reflect on the tunnel of darkness that Israel is about to face. The inhumane event among brothers that they had to endure—the selling of Joseph by his brothers—occurs. As a result, the massive tunnel of darkness begins, leading to Israel's descent into Egypt for 400 years of bondage.

 

In recording this story, Moses reveals that the very narrative of Reuben trying to seize by his own strength was the prelude to this dark history. Reuben attempted to take his father’s status and authority through his own might. Ultimately, due to this incident, he later loses even the rights of the firstborn.

 

1 Chronicles 5:1 records this clearly:

 

“Reuben was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was transferred to the sons of Joseph son of Israel.”

 

That is, he forfeited even the birthright he was naturally entitled to.

 

Israel is just starting out as twelve tribes, a moment that should be celebrated with trumpets, but they stumble from the very beginning. This is because the story starts with Reuben. Reuben lost the rights of the firstborn, and Jacob spent twenty years of hardship trying to gain that right.

 

Jacob was a man with many shortcomings, even as a patriarch of God's holy people. Now that the twelve tribes have been born, we would expect, “May these twelve tribes not live like Jacob.” Yet, how did Reuben, the starting point of the twelve tribes, behave? He displayed a sin more severe and terrifying than Jacob’s.

 

In the place of Jehovah-Jireh, a place that should have been overflowing with gratitude and emotion, he tried to establish his own kingdom. It was not the place of grace, but a place where he coveted only his own possessions, his own glory, and his own blessing.

 

That was the true image of Reuben. Reuben, who was Jacob's strength, who was entitled to all the power and glory as the firstborn, and who was Jacob's pride, instead chose the path of sin to usurp his father’s place.

 

A Question for the Believer: Where Do You Stand?

Brothers and sisters, the twelve tribes were those entrusted with the mission of fulfilling God's covenant alongside Jacob. They were Israel as a nation, possessing the mandate to realize the promised blessing and share it with all nations. They received the Promised Land as their inheritance. Yet, they relied on their own strength instead of God's promise and blessing, and walked the path of sin to achieve their aims. Where did all this happen? Right in the place of Jehovah-Jireh.

 

As you read the Bible and encounter Reuben or Jacob, you often feel a sense of regret, thinking, “Why did they do that there? They would have obtained the birthright had they just waited patiently.” This shows your passion for the Scriptures. Thus, you and I look upon Isaac, Abraham, Jacob, and today's Reuben with truly regretful eyes. However, your regrettable gaze should not be directed toward them, but rather toward yourself.

 

What are you truly seeking?

 

What on earth have you been searching for, and what have you been pursuing? Do you know where you stand right now? You are the recipient of God's grace, living in the place of God’s grace. But what are you seeking? Are you seeking God's grace, or are you seeking your own place? When we confess that we stand before the truth of the cross, what is it that you are pursuing in the place of that cross? You will answer, “We came to worship.”

 

If so, what is the genuine purpose you pursue, having come to this place to worship? Did you come to hear comforting words that this world is peaceful? Or did you come to hear a success story that your difficult life will now improve after gaining strength from God's Word? Or did you come here because you simply want to live a slightly more comfortable and secure life in this world? Or, even if it is none of these, did you come here just to get by? Brothers and sisters, when I say this, you might think to yourselves, “I am different from them.” Honestly, you might think, “I’ve never been so greedy as to abandon God for money, and I've been content with little. I had ambition initially, but not anymore.” Others might think, “I did stray toward the world sometimes, but it wasn't constant.” That is why, even if it sounds harsh, I must tell you this:

 

What fruit is borne in the Temple of the Holy Spirit?

 

You have become the Temple of God, where the Holy Spirit dwells within you. In the place of God's Temple where the Holy Spirit resides, what have you sought? Have you sought the fruit of the Spirit there, or are you still seeking the fruit of the flesh? This is the place where the fruit of the Spirit, such as patience and love, should be borne in you. But is the fruit of the flesh, such as envy, jealousy, and idolatry, growing there instead? Which side are you on? What is truly occupying your life? You are now in the glorious position of the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps the Reuben or Jacob of the Old Testament would look at us and lament, “If only I had the Holy Spirit with me, I would not have lived so miserably.” Yet, you are now the Temple of the Holy Spirit, accompanied by the Spirit. What kind of fruit is being borne within you? Are we not instead seeking the fruit of the flesh? Furthermore, are we not heedlessly overlooking many important things, without even seeking the fruit of the Spirit?

 

The Death of Isaac and the Irony of the Tower of Eder

What is the true irony we can find in today’s text? It is the fact that the Bible records the death of Isaac, a figure connected to the Tower of Eder, the tower of the flock. Isaac, too, eventually ends his life in death.

 

Brothers and sisters, from a spiritual perspective, Isaac is a figure who experienced resurrection twice. First, he was the son of life, born to a mother and father who were unable to have children, that is, who were as good as dead. Second, there was the event on Mount Moriah. In the Book of Hebrews, this incident is described as “Abraham received him back from the dead.” That is, Isaac is a figure embodying the meaning of resurrection and is the son of life. Yet, immediately after the story of Mount Moriah (the Tower of Eder)—a place connected to his experience of returning from death—the Bible records Isaac’s death.

 

The Place of Hope and Human Failure

Brothers and sisters, the Tower of Eder was the place of Jehovah-Jireh, the grace prepared by God. Yet, this son of life ends his life in death right at the time connected with that place. And this place of Jehovah-Jireh became a source of shame for Reuben, and furthermore, a source of shame for all of Israel. Reuben tried to possess all of his father’s belongings by his own strength, and because of this, he built his own Tower of Babel, as mentioned before. He earnestly longed to be a great man who possessed more than anyone else. And sadly, our own appearance is not much different from this.

 

The Zeal of Faith or Secular Ambition?

Brothers and sisters, even when we possess a good zeal for faith, we often fail to deeply contemplate the source and ultimate destination of that zeal. We are often content and remain in the fact that “I have zeal for my faith.” But very often, that zeal for faith is not much different from the secular ambition to succeed in the world. The opposite is also true. We may be gradually growing cold in our pursuit of God. Yet, we rationalize it to ourselves as acceptable. We fail to realize that the times when God is the everything in our lives are gradually diminishing.

 

We try to move past reality by vaguely comforting ourselves with the thought, “God will always be with me.” Brothers and sisters, both of these attitudes are dangerous. In a way, the story of Reuben today is not just a hopeless tale of a single individual's failure, but it poses the following fundamental question to all of us:

 

“Truly, are we people of hope?”

 

The Hope in Micah: Christ Coming as the Eternal King

However, the Bible offers a fundamentally different answer to our question. Let us once again focus on the words of Micah 4 that we just read. The prophet Micah proclaims:

 

“In the last days, I will cry out to all people.”

 

The last days spoken of here do not refer to the end of Israel, but to the end of the entire history of humanity. Micah is looking toward the ultimate end, including the day when Jesus Christ returns. On that last day, all people, both Gentiles and Israel, will cry out:

 

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.”

 

And following this, he confirms:

 

“And you, O tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion.”

 

That is, God will rule you forever. God's eternal kingdom will come upon you. This is the message of Micah.

 

Brothers and sisters, if you thought, "What does this Word have to do with us?", the connection is this:

 

The reality given to us is no different from Reuben's situation. We encounter the image of Reuben we wish to avoid every day in our lives. We encounter Jacob, and sometimes even the image of Judah. There are times when we are frustrated and despair over the many things we wish to avoid. There are even times when we feel shame, wondering, "Is this truly the life of a believer?"

 

But Micah declares to us firmly:

 

"O all of you, on that day, God's eternal reign will begin."

 

The following chapter, Micah 5, tells us who the true owner of the Tower of Eder is. This is a message directed at us:

 

“Now you are hemmed in by the foe, O daughter of troops.”

 

To us who are suffering, looking at the many swords of trials piercing deep into our lives, the sin that tempts us, the heart growing dull toward God—to us who, despite confessing God as our Savior and the Lord as our everything, find the center of our lives constantly reverting to ‘self,’ always creating idols—Micah offers this comfort:

 

“Do not tremble. Though your life and existence may seem to be shaking, do not tremble. But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are not Reuben who sought to be great, but you are too little to be among the clans of Judah; yet out of you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel. He shall come as the Eternal King. He shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. He shall be peace.”

 

God’s Providence at Work in Sin and Darkness

Brothers and sisters, we know that Reuben was not the only problem. Joseph was also sold by his own brothers. If everything had ended with that tragic event, where would you and I find hope in our lives? But as we know, the Bible contains that famous verse. Even through that dark tunnel, in that place where nothing could be seen, even in that moment when we are weary and struggling with sin, crying out, “God, do you truly exist?”—even then, brothers and sisters, the Bible testifies that God was present in that dark tunnel. When his brothers came to Joseph pleading for rescue, Joseph replied:

 

“Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

 

God's Provision in Sin and Despair

 

Who could have possibly imagined it? Your sins, the idols we have created, the moments that made us utterly miserable because of them, or even the times we suffered due to sin—in our lives, where sometimes we didn't even think of God, living at a level of “I should just go to church on Sunday”—what was God doing? God not only leads you to abandon those idols but also resolves your sins and brings you to realize your life anew. “You are now standing in the land of Jehovah-Jireh.” “You are now standing upon the land of Jehovah-Nissi, the banner of God’s victory.” “You are standing together upon the cross.”

 

Satan’s Defeat and God’s Promise

Brothers and sisters, to reinforce the certainty of this Word, let me share another story, one even more shocking than our individual stories. It is the story of Satan. When Satan nailed Jesus to the cross, he must have been absolutely sure of his victory. He must have rejoiced with a triumphal song, thinking, “I have finally ruined all of God’s plans!” This was because he had killed Jesus Christ and hung him on a cross. This was his best effort, using everything at his disposal, the limit of the power he could exert. Yet, everything he did ultimately fulfilled God’s will. Did Satan know this outcome? Did the disciples know? Did the women who so faithfully followed and loved Jesus know? Who could have predicted that events would unfold this way? Who could have imagined that God’s will would be accomplished like this?

 

You might hear this Word and confess, “Yes, God works. You tried to kill me, but God worked it for good. That's Joseph's life.” But at the same time, you might despair, “I find it hard to expect even that. My life still seems dark, I can't see the path ahead. Where can I confirm this truth?” To you who feel this way, I emphasize once again: No one knew. We could not have imagined it. But this is the promise God personally made. Brothers and sisters, will you trust in your own imperfect judgment and the consequences of your sin? Or will you trust in God’s cross and His omnipotent power? That God has promised us: Even your sin, your failure, and your indifference—I will cause you to realize and look to God, and to those who sincerely return to the Lord, He has never broken His promise even once: “I will work all things in your life for good.”

 

Grace, Not Works

If God had said to Reuben, “Now I will watch what you do. If you do well, I will bless you,” then perhaps life might have been easier for us. A life where we have to tithe more diligently, read the Bible, pray, and do good deeds to earn points with God—the thought, “Since I have done this much, God won't abandon me,” might even offer us a sense of security. But brothers and sisters, what meaning do your many good deeds have before God? All of them are like filthy rags. We cannot stand before God in clothes that we have made. This is why the Bible continually testifies to the fact that Jesus Christ came to this earth.

 

God’s Commitment: Salvation Obtained by Grace

If what God required of us was our commitment, then our lives, both in the future and the past, would have been utterly without hope because of the various indelible sins. However, what saved you and me is precisely God’s commitment. What we must first look at is not the issue of how committed we are, or how poorly we are approaching God. You must lift your eyes and look at the God who committed everything to you. God truly, deeply consider this, gave everything. He gave everything without holding anything back, and He completely committed Himself to you. We have received this amazing love. He is the God who gave even His life for us. Nothing in heaven or on earth can stop God's commitment to you. He staked everything; can our failure stop it? How can your sin possibly stop it?

 

When We Look Only to God’s Grace

Brothers and sisters, when you truly know that God is the one who gives everything for me, you should confess, “Lord, what can I say? What can I offer? What can I put forth?” We can only hope for the Lord’s grace, look to His cross, and be moved and thankful for His love. If you have truly turned your eyes to that Lord, to the one who comes before Him, the one who looks to Him, the one who depends on Him, we use the word ‘salvation.’ For that is the nature of the lives of those who have been saved. The Bible says no one seeks me. There is no one who diligently serves and ministers to God, nor anyone who has lived a clean life free of sin. The Bible asserts that there is not a single righteous person.

 

The Question Posed to the Saved

Brothers and sisters, the important thing is that salvation comes to the one who not only knows our true state but also knows that God did this work for me and holds fast to that God. Therefore, God asks us: “Now, do you truly begin to understand what this love and grace I have shown you is, and what it truly means that you have received everything?” Do you really understand the phrase ‘you have received everything’? Do you really understand the word grace? Do you really understand that you received even life itself, though you did not deserve even one of the things you received? Only then can you answer the Lord’s next question: “Then how will you live now?”

 

The Response of the Saved Life

Brothers and sisters, I sincerely desire you to answer in this way:

 

“Lord, I will also love you with all that I am. I will love God’s images as God’s images. Lord, now that I know the place of Jehovah-Jireh, please make me one who remains in the place of Jehovah-Jireh. Please correct me so that I do not forget that I am one who lives under the cross. Lord, please train me with your Word. Let me not forget who I am, where I live, where I stand, and that I am the Temple of God the Holy Spirit. And please let me live there. Let me speak there. In that place, just as God has shown His love and commitment toward me, let me live my life toward You.”

 

Let us pray.

 

Loving Lord, which path are we walking on right now?

 

Are we bearing the fruit of the flesh in the place where we should be enjoying the blessing of Jehovah-Jireh? Are we pursuing that, are we hoping for that?

 

If so, Lord, please utterly demolish the idols we have set up.

 

Lord, please let us see that in the place of Jehovah-Jireh, we are seeking ourselves, establishing ourselves, and taking our own glory with what we have made, and please demolish those things.

 

Oh Lord, grant us the realization that we are living in that place as the Temple of God the Holy Spirit, and clearly teach us, train us, and enable us to live as we ought to live.

 

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.