vv 21-22. But when Reuben heard of their scheme, he came to Joseph’s rescue. “Let’s not kill him,” he said. Why should we shed any blood? Let’s just throw him into this empty cistern here in the wilderness. Then he’ll die without our laying a hand on him.” Reuben was secretly planning to rescue Joseph and return him to his father.
Do you remember the story of Joseph and his many-coloured coat? His brothers regarded him as Daddy’s pet and a bit stuck up, so they wanted to get rid of him. Simple – drop him in a pit and he will just perish – we don’t actually have to spill his blood. It was left to big brother Reuben to listen to his conscience and plan to rescue him. Then – horror of horrors – Reuben was too late, and although Joseph was not murdered he was sold off as a slave to passing traders. So the fake news of Joseph’s death after being attacked by a wild animal had to be invented.
I do wonder what was going on in Reuben’s conscience by now – he had to be party to a painful lie and live with the grief his father felt. It must have been hard for him to live with over the years. It probably explains why Reuben was willing to stand surety for the youngest bother Benjamin when the brothers had to return to Egypt for more grain many years later. ‘Then Reuben said to his father, “You may kill my two sons if I don’t bring Benjamin back to you. I’ll be responsible for him, and I promise to bring him back.” ‘ (Genesis 42:37) A bad conscience hangs around for many years! But, praises be it can be dealt with as Hebrews 10:22 puts it ‘ let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. ‘
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