These words were spoken by Reuben to his brothers in regards to their brother Joseph whom they had sold unto the Ishmeelites. This was a time of great distress for this family and in Gen. 42:21 they confessed that this distress was brought on because they had sinned against the child, Joseph.
This event fully displays the depths of human depravity, the danger of envy, and the deceitfulness of sin. This age of distress today can also be attributed to the fact that fathers and mothers have sinned "against the child".
Satan is waging an all out warfare today against the institution of the family and the main thrust of attack is toward our children.
Karl Marx said in the "communist Manifesto" that the children of Capitalist when under Communist control would be "transformed into simple articles of commerce and instruments of labor".
Communist Leon Trotsky said that after the overthrow of capitalism "there will be free day care centers and free boarding schools to liberate women - the children will be raised by professionals who choose to specialize in such work".
These threats came home to us in 1971 when only a veto by past President Nixon kept the Comprehensive Child Development Act from becoming a law. This act would have given the government control of our children from six months to six years of age!
During the Korean War one of our Brigadier Generals was captured. A young Chinese psychologist was appointed to brainwash the General. Because of strong discipline and self control the General was able to resist. When the war was over the young Communist said, "Well, General, I hate to see you go. I have come to admire you. I hope you don't feel too badly about leaving us. After all, we will be with you in a few years. If we can destroy the morals of just one generation of your youth, you will have nothing with which to resist us!"
If you will read Gen. 37:18-27 you will find three ways suggested to sin against the child.
"Come now therefore, and let us slay him - and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him". Gen. 37:20. Their scheme was to kill him and then blame something else for his murder.
Every year many children are beaten to death by outraged, mentally disturbed parents. However, this is not the normal conduct of parents. The average parent would never dream about taking a weapon and murdering their child. But, there is such a thing as morally and spiritually slaying children.
Children are morally slain by parents who teach their children curse words that will taint their character for life. No, it isn't cute, it's cruel, when lips that could preach the gospel and sing praises to God are taught to curse the Creator.
Other, children are taught to lie and cheat. We've taught the younger generation to get what they can, any way they can, and keep it as long as they can.
Multitudes of children are being morally slain when parents provide them with drugs and booze. I actually sat in the presence of parents as they gave beer to pre-school children. Recent surveys show that 28 percent of America's teens are problem drinkers. In the 13 year old class 68 percent have tried booze and 1/4 of them drink at least once a week. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, I out of 5 at the age of 15 is a regular user of marijuana. Remember neighbor, it's the adults who make booze, import drugs, and sell them.
Children are slain when exposed to ungodly literature. Many homes and places of business make available mind perverting literature. Publications that leave nothing to the imagination are read by multitudes of children. The effect of this is reflected in the fact that births to mothers under 16 has increased 80 percent in the last 13 years. One in seven girls between 12 and 17 will give birth to a child this year, 40 percent out of wedlock I All this along with the murderous abortions and V.D. epidemics across the country.
What a shame when parents expose their children to these weapons of destruction. Then when the child's life is destroyed they have the audacity to say, "Some evil beast hath devoured him". What a shame. Why not be truthful? Don't blame the evil society for the child's ruin. The "evil beast" more often than not is the parents.
The second suggestion was -
"And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness - and they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it". Gen. 37:22,24.
Leave him to himself in the wilderness and hope he makes out alright! Oh, how sad to see children left to themselves in a cold and cruel world. Drive down the main avenues late some night and you'll see hundreds of teens congregated on parking lots when they should be at home in bed. Take a tour through the sub-divisions and you'll see children, 5 and 6 years old, who roam the streets all day.
You cast your child into the pit when you have the attitude that says, "I won't make my child attend church. I want Junior to make his own decisions". Neighbor, that's a cop out! It's self you're concerned about, not Junior. Before you criticize those "hypocrites" in the church you had better examine yourself. You won't make Junior go to Sunday School but you force him to get out of bed at a certain time; eat breakfast; brush his teeth; go to school; and take his medicine. When you don't take your child to church you're not even giving him the opportunity of choice between Christ and Satan. That's a pit "without water"! In the Bible "water" is symbolic of the Word of God! And no one can spiritually survive without the Word. No wonder the second leading cause of death among college age teens is suicide! Who can live alone in this wilderness pit?
J. Edgar Hoover said, "The parents of America can strike a telling blow against the forces which contributes to juvenile delinquency, if our mothers and fathers will take their children to Sunday School and Church regularly".
The Lord says, "If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel". I Tim. 5:8.
The third suggestion was _
"Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites-". Gen. 37:27.
Ah yes, now these schemers decide to use him for personal gain.
This literally happens today! Recently a child was sold for $5. Another was traded for chickens! But even this is more kind than those who give their children away or desert them so they won't interfere with the plans and freedom of the parents. Paul was certainly right when he said that in the last days men would be "without natural affections".
Parents, who are selfish by nature, also employ other means of selling their children for personal gain. Many of the things that parents claim they want for their children are in reality for self-gratification.
Some parents badger their children into attending an ungodly secular college, where Christ and the Bible is denied, so they can brag about the education "they" provided. Remember - geography can't teach them the way to heaven and arithmetic can't take away their sins.
Others allow their children to participate in activities that necessitates a compromise of Bible standards.
Many boys have been pressured into a mold designed by dad simply to bolster the ego of a selfish father. He plays with Junior but never prays with him. He buys him all sorts of recreation equipment but doesn't provide him with a Bible. They attend all the local sports events, but never attend church.
Paul said, "-bring them up in the nurture (training) and admonition (reproving) of the Lord". Notice, he says "bring them up". A child doesn't naturally develop godly morals and high character. You and I as parents have the responsibility to teach and correct our children. According to the way they are brought up, they will either be our enemy or friends. Ps. 127:5. They'll make you rejoice or cry.
Nothing within the physical realm of life is more precious than our children. Why not start your training of them now by taking them to Sunday School next Lord's Day. Do not sin against the child!
"But whosoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." Matt. 18:6.