October 1, 2023
Reading: Genesis 35-36
Focus: Genesis 35:10 – God said to him, “Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel.” So, he named him Israel.
Father God, thank You for all of Your blessings. We are grateful for Your Presence in our lives. Teach us what You would have us learn. In Jesus Name, Amen.
There came a day when God told Jacob to go back to Bethel. Again. This time Jacob obeys. He calls all his people together and tells them to get rid of their foreign gods. Why, if they were followers of the One God, did they have idols? Why do we, as Christians, have good luck charms? Certain clothes that we wear when our team in playing or those little charms we hang on the rearview mirror of our cars. Some Israelites had idols in their tents. It was not uncommon. Remember Laban’s household gods? Jacob intended that there would be nothing to divert his family from the worship of God. He knew that idols had no place in his household. So, he rounded them all up. Not only the idols, but the good luck charms that the people wore as earrings and probably bracelets to ward off evil. The purpose was to cleanse the people of all pagan influences.
Jacob knew that his people needed to remove the idols from their lives just as we do. We need to tear down those things that keep us from truly worshiping God. Anything that stands between us and God. A car. A job. Ambitions. Thoughts or desires that are more important to us than God. Sometimes those things can be people too. Is there a relationship that comes between you and God? Search your heart and see what is more important. God or something else.
Jacob gathered all the idols, the earrings and charms and buried them under an oak in Shechem. Then they left it all behind. God went with them. The Bible tells us that the towns all around them were terrified of them. No one went after them after the debacle at Shechem. And they traveled to Luz, which is called Bethel. Did I ever tell you what Bethel means? It literally means the House of God. This is the place where Jacob used a stone as a pillow and saw the angels going up and down a stairway between heaven and earth. This time, Jacob built the altar and they worshiped God and Jacob named it El-Bethel, or God of Bethel. It place was where God revealed Himself to Jacob when he fled from Esau.
Here at Bethel, Rachel’s nurse dies and is buried. This is also the place where God reminds Jacob that his name is now Israel, “he struggles with God’. Jacob had his trials and difficulties, but his new name shows his desire to stay close to God. God confirms the covenant again to Jacob that nations will come from him, and that kings will be his descendants. He also promised the land of Canaan again to Israel and his descendants. Jacob set up another pillar and poured wine and oil on it to consecrate it. The oil and wine used was probably the best that Jacob had in respect for the place it was poured upon. It is from this point on that we see Jacob called Israel.
How often do people think that when you become a Christian that everything will be smooth sailing? T’ain’t so, my friend. And when those troubles come along the way, some become disenchanted with their faith. Personally, I believe, that is when we should draw closer to God. Life’s storms will come our way and, with God at our side, we can come out on the other side, stronger in our faith because of it. It’s said, “no pain, no gain”. Leaning on God on our worst days will help us to grow in our faith in Him. Faith is like a muscle. If you don’t exercise it, it will not get stronger. Trite, but true. No one overcomes unless there is something to overcome. Think about it.
Jacob and his family travel from Bethel toward Ephrath. Ephrath is also called Bethlehem. It is here that Jacob’s last son is born. But with that joy comes sorrow. Because Rachel dies in childbirth. Rachel named him Ben-Oni with her dying breath. Ben-Oni means son of my trouble. But Israel names him Benjamin, son of my right hand. Rachel is buried on the way to Ephrath and a pillar was set up to mark her grave. It is said that that pillar still marks her tomb, to this day.
There is one event that is remarked upon here but nothing more is said about it until later. Reuben went in and slept with Bilhah, his father’s concubine. Reuben is the first born and his portion would be double that of the rest as well as inheriting the leadership of the family. Why he did this is not stated. Suffice it to say that is was not only wrong, but very wrong. Israel heard of it but did not say anything until his deathbed. Reuben probably thought he got away with it but we will see that sin has consequences and Reuben would pay greatly for this sin.
For the record, Jacob’s sons are listed here. Twelve of them. A whole baseball team, with a few subs added in.
Jacob finally goes home to his father’s in Mamre, near Hebron. Isaac was 180 years old when he died. Jacob and Esau buried Isaac in the cave where Abraham, Sarai and Rebekah were buried.
The next chapter, Genesis 36 is another one of those lovely genealogy chapters. This is the family of Esau. It is bunch of people. The chapter lists not only his sons, but theirs sons as well. Esau moved and settled a good distance away from Jacob. This was the country of Seir, south and east of the Dead Sea. The land was rich in natural resources but also featured mountains and wilderness. Now Esau and Jacob may have made their peace but down through the generations, Esau’s descendants despised the Israelites. We will see some of that animosity in Exodus later on. Let it be said that the Israelites were not perfect. They looked down their noses at the Edomites because they intermarried with the Canaanites. The animosity went both ways.
Esau’s descendants, based on some DNA evidence, multiplied and began to travel to Europe, Russia, possibly India, Japan and China. There are a lot of theories just who went where. Some Jewish texts say that the Greeks, Romans, Persians and Germans are all thought to be of the tribes of Esau. Makes you wonder if the hatred of the Jews didn’t just travel with these tribes. Esau was red-haired. There are a lot of red-haired people in the Bible. King David was said to have had red hair but he was an Israelite. Scotland and Ireland are know for red-haired people. We have seen that Ishmael had 12 sons like Jacob. Another group of people who hated the Israelites as well. Brothers against brothers. Seems to be a theme throughout history. Notably, among the peoples of Esau are the Edomites and the Amalekites. Two peoples that were always at odds with the Israelites.
We will leave Esau and his family line here since the Bible is the story of the Covenant between Abraham, and his descendants, the Israelites. Israel’s family will be the focus of the rest of scripture from here on out. That is not to say that Ishmael’s and Esau’s descendants don’t crop up here and there, because they will, and they will cause problems for the Israelites.
Jacob called his people to cleanse themselves of foreign gods and to turn their faith to God. Jesus does the same to us. He calls us to turn from the things in our lives that stand between us and God. To bury them and leave them behind. Our sins are buried under the blood of Jesus when we accept Him as Savior. God doesn’t remember them anymore.
It is hard sometimes for us to forget our sins. We know what we have done. It is hard for us to forgive ourselves for what we have done. I know. I struggle with that myself. But I have come to realize that if God can forgive and forget, who am I to not forgive myself? I am often reminded of something I have done in the past that I have turned over to God and asked forgiveness for. Satan is always looking for that little weak spot in our armor that he can slip into. When we find ourselves wrestling with a forgiven sin, we need to remind Satan that it is under the blood of Jesus and God doesn’t remember it anymore and we are free. Tell that old snake to buzz off. You are a child of God and your sins are forgiven and forgotten by God. Call on the Name of Jesus and keep calling it until Satan leaves. He has no choice. He cannot stay where Jesus is.
Is God first?
Father God, Thank You for the forgiveness of my sin. I am grateful that I no longer have to bear that burden. Help me to remember that You don’t remember those sins anymore. Give me strength to lean on You when the winds of life are about to blow me over. In Jesus Name. Amen,
Food for Thought
- Why do you think it was so important to get rid of the foreign gods and charms?
- Do you think it was important that they were buried? Why or why not?
- Is your Christian walk smooth sailing or choppy seas? How do you handle the rough times?
- What things do you have in your life right now that are more important that God?
- What do you need to do to make God first in your life?
