The Curse and Evil Foundation of the Reubenites
This message forms part of a series on evil foundational patterns that hinder identity, purpose, and destiny. While some curses manifest in premature death, others—more insidious—erode our potential, delay our progress, and distort our identity. Let’s look at the life of Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn son. Though he entered the world with honour and promise, his story became a tragic lesson in how character and foundational sin can sabotage divine destiny.
Genesis 35:22 tells us plainly: “Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine.” It’s a brief verse, almost easy to overlook. Jacob did not confront Reuben immediately. There was no public discipline. No record of rebuke at the time. But silence is not absence of consequence. What was tolerated in one generation festered into tragedy in the next.
There are two major weaknesses of Reuben: moral bankruptcy and lack of firmness of purpose. Reuben lacked the fear of sacred boundaries. As the firstborn, he was meant to embody dignity, honour, and restraint. Instead, he dishonoured his father and defiled what was holy. And vividly you can see that Reuben was unstable, swayed by circumstance, and weak in decision-making. He knew what was right but often failed to follow through. His good intentions were not matched by action.
In Genesis 49:3–4, Jacob finally spoke—on his deathbed, he said: “Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength… Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel.” What a pronouncement. In one breath, Reuben’s identity and potential were acknowledged and then stripped away. His sin cost him his destiny. Despite being the firstborn, he forfeited the blessings that accompanied that role. This was not merely a personal loss—it was a generational shift.
We see Reuben’s character in action in Genesis 37:21–30, during the betrayal of Joseph. He tried to intervene, yet didn’t take full responsibility. He suggested putting Joseph in a pit, planning to rescue him later. But when it mattered most, Reuben was absent. He returned too late. Joseph was gone. He tore his garments in grief, but it was the grief of a man who had failed to act when he had the chance. His story is a cautionary tale of passivity and missed opportunities.
Generations later, in Judges 5:14–16, Deborah issued a call to arms. The tribes of Ephraim, Benjamin, Zebulun, and Issachar responded. But Reuben? “For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart… Why did you stay among the sheepfolds?” The Reubenites were still meditating, still deciding, still delaying. The indecision of their ancestor had become the identity of the tribe. They inherited not only his name—but his flaw.
1 Chronicles 5:1 delivers the final verdict: “Reuben was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph…” This is more than a loss of land or status. It was the spiritual and generational honour of the firstborn—the priestly leadership, the double portion. Reuben’s name was not even listed in the tribal genealogy as the firstborn. Destiny transferred. His spiritual inheritance was erased.
Reuben’s sin didn’t end with him. His character became a curse, his weakness a pattern. This is what we refer to as evil foundation—when the errors of ancestors lay a trap for future generations. Many today struggle not because of their own sin, but because of what was sown before they were born. Certain patterns—indecision, passivity, moral failure—repeat like a cycle. They are Reubenite traits, embedded deep in the bloodline.
You may be a good person. You may be doing your best. But if the foundation is faulty, the building cannot stand. The Bible says, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3)
But thank God for the Cross. At Calvary, every curse met its match. Every evil foundation can be broken by the power of the blood of Jesus. That is why we are here—not just to examine the past, but to redeem the future.
“Every character flaw, lifestyle pattern, curse, or foundational iniquity of your bloodline… By the mantle of God upon my life, I declare: IT IS OVER!”
Let these declarations ring out as a prophetic act of deliverance:
“Every curse from my foundation is broken!”
“Every Reubenite pattern in my life is shattered!”
“I shall not repeat the errors of my father’s house!”
“I receive restoration of all that was lost!”
The life of Reuben is a mirror. Will you just reflect—or will you rise and respond? The Cross has made a way. The blood of Jesus speaks better things. You are not bound to repeat the story you inherited.
Stand up, speak up, and step into your redeemed identity.
Amen.
Author
kay.alli@legalview.co.uk