Don’t Sleep With the Enemy

A phrase that is often heard (at least in the United States) is “Don’t sleep with the enemy” – it’s a phrase of advice, and it is basically advising against maintaining a friendly relationship with an adversary, or someone on an opposing side.

It’s good advice, not only for the physical world, but for the spiritual realm as well. In-fact there is a very interesting example of just such an occurrence happening in scripture, and through it, we can see an amazing truth and a wonderful picture of Jesus, and what we have today in Him. That is what I want to share for you today in this study.

As we begin, the first scripture which we will be looking at today will be Genesis 35:22, a text that seemingly at first has nothing to do with our study at hand, but it will become clear in a moment:

“And it came to pass, when Israel dwelled 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 in number.”

What we see here just on a standard reading is that Reuben committed a sexual transgression with his father Jacob’s concubine named Bilhah. On the surface, that seems to be all there is to it. No mention is given of anything else… there’s not even a hint about any continuation of the story there – no consequence, no punishment, no anything. However that is not all that there is, really; otherwise this would be a very short study that didn’t really make much sense!

It’s important to understand that with everything in the Bible, there is a superficial meaning on the surface, and there is also a more hidden meaning (the Jewish people would call this the peshat and the sod, respectively – though this could also be considered a remez) – Jesus often used this principle masterfully well when He would teach, and in saying one thing He would address two or more issues with one single message. This fact about the superficial and deeper meanings is not just my idea, but it is spoken of plainly in scripture itself. Ephesians 3:10, says plainly that the wisdom of God is “manifold”, it is multi-layered – there’s more than just one layer to it – and often times when you peel back the top layer, you find many truths about Christ, you see the beauty of Jesus in new and interesting ways that will help carry you through life.

So what do we find in our text of Genesis 35:22? We see that Reuben (who’s name ironically means to “behold a son”) does something that is improper – something that he’s not supposed to – he lays with his father’s concubine… and this has a couple of implications and an obvious allegory if you recall our earlier studies. For us today, this is actually an allegory of spiritual adultery, or going back to the Old Covenant – it actually doesn’t take much to see the connection, when a very similar allegory is made elsewhere in the scripture of Galatians 4:22-24. And his physical act actually had some fairly nasty consequences that we can also learn from as well.

You see, Bilhah – the concubine – her name actually means timidity, lack of courage, lack of confidence. It’s from a root that means terror or dread. And these are all things that the Law will ultimately produce in every person who is under it. The more that you try to keep the Law, the more you will see your own weakness and failure – and the more you fail, the more you will become timid and fearful; because the Law was never meant to be your source of confidence or salvation. There are many misguided people trying to use the Law as a means of salvation today – even some preachers who are encouraging that behavior and mentality – however all they are doing is killing their congregation slowly – because the Law was never given to make a person holy or righteous; only Jesus can do that. Instead, the scripture says very clearly that by the Law is the knowledge of sin. The more that the Law is preached, and hammered into people, then the more the knowledge of sin is strengthened and people become more sin-conscious, the more guilty they feel and the more their consciences are inflamed and seared with sin – and Christ is totally side-stepped – because we know from Hebrews chapter 10, that those who are cleansed by a perfect sacrifice have no more consciousness of sin… because sin has been purged and paid for… and the worshippers have been washed, and given a clean heart.

Not so, for those who go to bed with the Law…as we can see from Reuben… as he lays with his father’s concubine, he’s actually placing himself in union with timidity, lack of confidence, lack of courage, the terror and the dread, the fear that comes from the burden and guilt of the Law.

Jesus says repeatedly to Fear not. A stark contrast to what we see happening here with our spiritual eyes and understanding.

So what effect does this have on Reuben? Jump ahead to Genesis 49:1-4, and let’s take a look:

“And Jacob called to 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, you sons of Jacob; and listen to Israel your father.

Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:

Unstable as water, you shall not excel; because you went up to your father’s bed; then defiled you it: he went up to my couch.”

Yikes! We see here Jacob (a.k.a. Israel) here, gathering his sons together; and to understand Hebrew tradition, this is usually a time for the father to pronounce blessings on his children. This is usually a good time of blessing – but what do we see here for Reuben? We see this that Reuben is Unstable as water, you will not excel. And what is the reason given? Why is Reuben so unstable? Why is Reuben unable to excel? Because he went up to his father’s bed and defiled it.

The spiritual implication (and application) of this is huge. There are literally millions of believers today who are spiritually unstable. They are on shaky ground, a shifting foundation, and unable to excel – all because of the same reason as Reuben – they have gone to bed with their father’s concubine; they are trying to bring the Law into the marriage bed of Christ and are defiling it. It’s spiritual adultery to try and mix the Law and Grace; to try and mix Moses with Christ.

There are plenty of examples of this all over scripture… but I think the words of Jesus Himself are more than sufficient to prove this, from Mark 2:21-22:

“No man also sews a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up takes away from the old, and the rent is made worse.

And no man puts new wine into old bottles: else the new wine does burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.”

Violating or breaking a covenant is actually an extremely serious thing. It carried the death penalty in biblical times – yet many Christians today try to mix two different covenants, as they try to mix the Law of Moses (old covenant) with the Grace of Christ (new covenant) as if they were practicing some kind of spiritual alchemy… but in reality they are deceiving and killing themselves.

They are going to bed with a concubine from a past generation, and making themselves unstable, all needlessly because the proper foundation is right in-front of them: Jesus Christ, His finished work, His New Covenant; a better covenant founded on better promises, according to Hebrews 8:6.

So, what should we be focusing on? What should pastors be teaching and preachers be preaching today?

As if it wasn’t already clear enough – I want to leave you today with zero doubt in your mind as we end today’s study. Remember the scripture in Ephesians 3:10, which spoke of God’s manifold wisdom? Let’s return there and read verses 7-12 of Ephesians 3:

“Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effectual working of his power.

To me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

To the intent that now to the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”

You see, Paul was made a minister by the gift and the grace of God, so we might want to take notice of what he was preaching. Take a look at verse 8, that he preached among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.

Now keep in mind… these were Gentiles, people without the Law. And Paul, being formerly Saul a chief Pharisee, certainly knew the Law of Moses, and knew it well. This would’ve been a prime opportunity to spread the Law to the heathen Gentiles if it was God’s will… but no, instead the Spirit of God moved Paul to be a minister of the Grace of God, the limitless riches of Christ; To make all men see the fellowship of the mystery (verse 9) which from the beginning was hidden in God.

To the intent that all the church would know the manifold wisdom of God. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So there’s no confusion at all about whose idea this ultimately was and is… it is God’s, not Paul’s, and not mine, it’s God’s.

And what is the result of such preaching? What is the result of seeing Jesus? Look at verse 12:

In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him.

This is now a direct contrast against the timidity and fear produced by the bondage of being under the Law. Where the Law breeds knowledge of sin, guilt and fear – and ultimately condemnation and death.

Here, Jesus Christ produces, boldness, confidence, knowledge of His limitless riches, union with Him and unfettered access by faith that is of Him.

So I encourage you today with a smile on my face… stop sleeping with the enemy. Get out of the bed with Bilhah. Stop being in union with the timidity and instability of the Law, and live the full and rich life of confidence that can only come from Christ Jesus alone and His covenant of Grace.

Be blessed.