The prophecy about Reuben shows that the potential for greatness is there: excellency, dignity—words that are positive about him. But he does not excel because he is, as it says here, "unstable as water." The going up to his father's bed (he committed fornication with Bilhah) is given as an illustration of Reuben's instability. I can see at least two possibilities as to what "unstable as water" means.
The first one is that water is unstable in that it seeks its own level. As a result, it always sinks to the lowest level—the lowest level that circumstance will allow. Now, water can be damned up, and the dam will hold the water to a higher level than it otherwise would be. But, if the dam breaks, the water takes advantage of that opportunity and its level is immediately lowered. Now, think of that in terms of Reuben. Think of that in terms of relationships that he had: with God, with Jacob, with his brothers, with others.
Even though the qualities that were in him were excellent, he was of a mind that the qualities were good when he was in good company. But, when the companions changed, he changed to conform to their level of behavior. And so he was opportunistic—when Jacob's wife would go to bed with him, he took advantage of it. The dam broke; and with it went his virtue. With it went his morality. He could reason, "Hey, why not? She's making herself available, so why not have a little bit of fun?" But you see (in this situation with Joseph and his brothers) he had the right impulse, but he could not quite get himself to do all that needed to be done to carry that impulse through to a good conclusion.
So this is what would happen to the people of Israel, of the various tribes, thousands of years in the future. At least about 3,500 years into the future. By this time obviously they were not just individual sons of Jacob with their small families, but they were whole nations. And so he lists here what the characteristics of these particular nations, having grown from these tribes, would be like in the last days.
But God shows here in this prophecy that these particular tribes as they grow into nations will have certain characteristics. By that we have been able to perhaps identify these nations on the world scene today. We think Reuben is France and they have something about them, about this honor and excellency of dignity, the excellency of power. But they have been unstable and they have never been able to make that first rung of nations. And when they have it slipped back very quickly.
Simeon and Levi, we are not exactly sure where they are. Levi was scattered in Israel, but who knows where they are specifically. I have some guesses, I will not say them now, but they are known for being very cruel and warlike. Jacob says, I do not want to be part of their councils because that is just how they are there. You know, God made the Levites the butchers of Israel. How many sacrifices did they slaughter? It was a way to turn their cruelty and their harshness into a good channel.
What we are beginning to see here is a shift in the meaning and use of the term “firstborn” in the Bible. The term “firstborn,” in time, actually becomes a title in the Bible. It is a title of honor—very great honor. One thing to understand is that just because a person is, or is not, literally firstborn, has no constant bearing on whether they will carry the title. In other words, you did not have to be the firstborn to be given the title “firstborn.” I told you a shift in the usage of the word “firstborn” has taken place, and the meaning shifted as well.
Do you see what is happening here? Reuben lost the title of firstborn even though he literally was the firstborn.
