Genesis
Chapter 35 begins with God telling Jacob, “Go
up to Bethel and settle there“.
Jacob’s drifting off to Shechem was a disaster for Jacob and his
children. It is important to recognize the importance of Jacob’s
behavior on his family. Now that Jacob is literally returning to the
Lord, Jacob tells his household, “Get
rid of the foreign gods you have with you and purify yourselves and
change your clothes“.
How interesting, even the clothes they were wearing was an outward
expression of where the were spiritually. We are told that Jacob
buried all this junk and left this place. As a father I have to look
at my family and accept my responsibility of spiritual leadership and
question my “tolerance” for worldly behavior in my home.
Jacob doesn’t take away their idols, his renewed commitment causes
them to react. And we immediately see the result, “Then
they set out and the terror of God fell upon the towns all around
them, so they did not pursue them“.
Are there false gods in your life that you need to bury?
Jacob
returns to Bethel and builds an altar and He is reminded again of
God’s promises, “You
will no longer be called Jacob, your name will be Israel…A Nation
…will come from you…The land I gave Abraham and Isaac, I give to
you and your descendants“.
Next we read Rachel gives birth to another son, but she dies in
childbirth. She names the child Ben-Oni (Son of my sorrow), but his
father changed his name to Benjamin (Son of honor). Remember
Rachel’s emphatic plea in chapter 30, “Give me a child, or I
will die!”. When we are given what we want, it doesn’t always
turn out as we planned. Jacob buried Rachel there and set a pillar
to mark the tomb. Life is so fleeting and precious, don’t wait to
express yourself to your loved ones. The chapter then lists Jacob’s
sons and their mothers and it is an encouragement to me- what a
messed up family, yet God will use them. I am reminded that God
chooses them not because they are righteous, but because of Abraham’s
faith! By God’s grace, me with all of my imperfections, can be used.
Not because of my righteousness, but because, “if
any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things have
passed away; behold, all things have become new”
(2 Corinthians 5:17)
Next,
we read a single verse, with no explanation, but with tremendous
repercussions. “While
Israel was living in the region, Rueben went in and slept with his
father’s concubine Bilbah and Israel heard of it“.
Now the three oldest sons have disqualified themselves from the
blessing, it will be up to the fourth son, Judah to bring forth the
Messiah. The chapter ends with Jacob reuniting with Isaac before he
finally dies. “Isaac
lived to be a hundred and eighty years…and his sons Esau and Jacob
buried him“.
Chapter 36 tells us “Esau
took his wives from the women of Canaan”
we are also told he moved a distance away “the
land could not support both because of their livestock“.
Then we are given the lists all of Esau’s wives and their children.
The list goes on for the entire chapter and it concludes, “This
was Esau the father of the Edomites“.
God kept His promise to Abraham, but it is at a cost to Israel.