Read Genesis
33-35 & Matthew
11
To discover:
As you read note how God’s protection of Jacob is seen.
To ponder:
Esau acts gloriously. As always Jacob makes plans for his
family’s protection (v1-7). Yet, again, God already had things in hand. He had
changed Esau’s heart, and even blessed him too – presumably because he was also
Isaac’s son. As with Jacob’s covenants with Abimelech and Laban, Esau attitude commends
peace with God’s people.
Sechem’s
response is very different. Jacob had promised to follow Esau to Seir so may
have been wrong to settle here, prompting what followed (33v14). Nevertheless
his naming of his camp “the God of Israel” stresses his family are to be
distinct from the Canaanites in worshipping the true God. The threat throughout
chapter 34 is of losing this distinctiveness (33v16, 22). After Dinah’s rape
the Canaanites urge intermarriage (34v9). Deceptively, Jacob’s sons require
them to be circumcised – the very sign that was to set Israel
apart. The threat is eradicated by Simeon and Levi. Their concern for Dinah’s
honour was surely right (34v31), but their response was terribly wrong. Indeed,
it meant their privileges as sons 2 and 3 were forfeited (49v6-7). Moreover, in
eradicating the first threat it created a second (34v30).
Christ wisely commends shrewdness
and innocence in interacting with the world (Matt 10v16). But we must consider
the call to distinctiveness too. This is the reason the New Testament affirms Christians
should marry only those “in the Lord” (1 Cor 7v39). It is to keep us faithful
and protect our children’s upbringing because God continues to bring his
promises to fruition through godly families (Mal 2v15).
Again God intervenes to protect
Jacob, urging him to return to Bethel
and ensuring the Canaanites don’t attack (35v1, 5). The two Bethel
visits bracket (and so highlight) the chapters in which God blesses Jacob with
wealth and offspring.
Returning to this special place,
Jacob ensures his family turn from their idols. As Abraham did (and we should),
he starts to direct his family in the ways of the LORD. But verses 11-13 are
most key, echoing the commission of Adam and Eve (Gen 1v28) and reiterating
God’s promises. Israel
are to be like a new humanity. And through them, God’s plan to reverse the
curse and fulfil his purpose for creation will be fulfilled.
The rest of the chapter sees the
mother of the nation buried at the very place the one through whom all this
would be achieved would be born (35v19)! Reuben, the eldest son sins in a way
that loses his privilege in blessing (49v4) - leaving Judah (son 4) as first. Finally
Isaac dies at an age that reflects God’s favour.
Praying it home:
Thank God for moving you to join his people rather than
oppose them. Pray for God’s strength and help for those seeking to raise their
children in the faith, and especially for those who are married to
non-Christians. Pray those who are single would see the wisdom of not marrying
non-Christians.
Thinking further:
Throughout God’s blessing has been seen in offspring, wealth
and long life. This looked towards his promise of these things to Israel
in the land - if the Israelites remained faithful. On this basis advocates of
the so called “prosperity gospel” today promise these same things to those of
faith. However, we should note that in building a nation God had a particular
purpose in granting such things to the patriarchs and to Israel.
Moreover, the New Testament sees the promises of the land as fulfilled in the
new creation when these things will certainly be ours in some form (Hebrews
4v1-11). For now we are told the gospel will mean suffering on the model of
Jesus (Phil 1v29, 3v10-11), which may include sickness (Phil 26-20) and poverty
(Phil 4v12-13) in even the most faithful. These are part of God’s means of
shaping us into the likeness of his son, building an appreciation for what will
be (Rom 5v1-5), proving our faith to be genuine, and through this bring
non-Christians to glorify God (1 Pet 1v6-7).
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