Reuben's Testimony

Reuben's Testimony
From the book The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs are biographies written between 107 and 137 B. E. Each is made to tell their story, when on their deathbed they call all their children and grandchildren to lay bare their experiences for the moral guidance of their hearers.
When you look beyond the unvarnished – almost brutally frank – passages of the text, you will discern a remarkable attestation of the expectations of the Messiah which existed a hundred years before Y’Shua. These writings have achieved a real immortality by influencing the thought and diction of the writers of the N.T. to bridge the chasm that divides the ethics of the Old and New Testaments.
I am only pulling out of each one, some of the golden nuggets that add to the story as we know it – furthering our knowledge. These were not chosen to be canonized, by our forefathers.
Reuben’s testimony: the first-born son of Jacob and Leah, the man of experience counsels against fornication and points out the ways in which man are most apt to fall into error. He died in the 125th year of his life, two years after the death of Joseph his brother. When he fell ill, his sons and his son’s sons were gathered together to visit him, that he might give his last words to them. “I call to witness against you this day the G-d of heaven, that ye walk not in the sins of youth and fornication, wherein I was poured out, and defiled the bed of my father Jacob. I was thirty years old when I wrought the evil thing before G-d, and for seven months I was sick unto death. And after this I repented with set purpose of my soul for seven years before the L-rd. I mourned over my sin, for it was great, such as had not been in Israel. Now hear me, what things I saw concerning the seven spirits of deceit, when I repented.
The first is the spirit of life, with which the constitution of man is created.
The second is the sense of sight, with which ariseth desire.
The third is the sense of hearing, with which cometh teaching.
The fourth is the sense of smell, with tastes are given to draw air and breath.
The fifth is the power of speech, with which cometh knowledge.
The sixth is the sense of taste, with which cometh the eating of meats and drinks; and by it strength is produced, for in food is the foundation of strength.
The seventh is the power of procreation and sexual intercourse, with which through love of pleasure sins enter in. Wherefore it is the last in order of creation, and the first in that of youth, because it is filled with ignorance, and leadeth the youth as a blind man to a pit, and as a beast to a precipice.
Besides all these there is an eighth spirit of sleep, with which is brought about the trance of nature and the image of death. With these spirits are mingled the spirits of error.
First, the spirit of fornication is seated in the nature and in the senses;
The second, the spirit of insatiableness, in the belly;
The third, the spirit of fighting, in the liver and gall.
The fourth is the spirit of obsequiousness and chicanery, that through officious attention one may be fair in seeming.
The fifth is the spirit of lying, in perdition and jealousy to practice deceits, and concealments from kindred and friends.
The seventh is the spirit of injustice, with which are thefts and acts of rapacity, that a man may fulfill the desire of his heart; for injustice worketh together with the other spirits by the taking of gifts.
And now, my children, love the truth, and it will preserve you: hear ye the words of your father. Walk in singleness of heart in the fear of G-d, and expend labour on good works, and on study. I adjure you by the G-d of heaven to do truth each one unto his neighbour and to entertain love each one for his brother. And draw ye near to Levi in humbleness of heart, that ye may receive a blessing from his mouth, and bow down before his seed, for on our behalf it will die in wars visible and invisible, and will be among you an eternal king.”
And Reuben died, having given these last commands to his sons. And they placed him in a coffin until they carried him up from Egypt, and buried him in Hebron in the cave where his father was.