| Subject: Genesis 35 vss 1-7 Post 170 |
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Hillbilly
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Date Posted: 19:04:35 12/04/11 Sun
CHAPTER 35
Genesis 35:1-7 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. 2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: 3 And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. 4 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem. 5 And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob. 6 So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him. 7 And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.
Once again God brings comfort and hope to Jacob Jacob worries when their is no need to worry. God tells Jacob to go back to Bethel and dwell there. Bethel means "House of God" and within the name of the place Jacob returns to is a great spiritual lesson for us today. We often get out of fellowship with God and forget His great mercies to us throughout our lives. We are not only showered with His mercy but we have abundant grace given to us without any merit on our part. When we get in this shape it is not God that has left us but we that have left God. God is always there waiting and telling us to come home. Come home to Bethel.
Looking at Jacob's life I doubt if anyone could honestly see much merit up to this point. The place God tells him to return to is the place of the vision of the ladder reaching up to heaven. If you remember Jacob was on the run from Esau and doubted his future. God appeared to him in a dream and at the end of the vision Jacob tells God that if He brings him back to his home then He will be his God: Genesis 28:20-21 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:
Jacob makes the vow and God takes him up on it and brings him back to the spot were the vow was made. He tells him when he gets there to build an altar to Him. God is bringing Jacob back to his spiritual roots. He is bringing him home.
With the knowledge that he was to build an altar there Jacob commands all that were with him to put away their strange gods. In obedience they took their idols and gave them to Jacob. Not only did they give up their idols but they also gave him their personal jewelry including ear rings and he took and buried them under an oak tree in the way. There were probably quite a number of items to bury. The captives that were with Jacob very possibly would have had them among their personal belongings and we don't need to forget that Rachel had those she stole from Laban.
Jacob commanded them also to wash and put on clean garments. Even in a time so long ago those who were to come before the Lord realized there was a way to appear before God just as we put on our Sunday best before going to Church. They washed and prepared themselves to be in a condition to approach God but they didn't look to dress in a worldly fashion.
1 Peter 3:3-5 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
We don't impress God with what we put on outwardly but what will get God's attention is the cleanness of the heart. A spiritual adorning is far prettier to God than ear rings, necklaces and fancy clothes.
The news of the slaughter of the men of Shechem by Jacob's sons would have traveled quickly and their would have been outrage over the manner in which it was done. Jacob's fear of being attacked by the other .cities round about was justified but to his amazement that didn't happen. God had taken care of that detail also. "And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob." This terror of the God of Jacob would happen over and over again as the history of Israel unfolded from Egypt onward in time. Exodus 23:27 I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. This is why Israel exists today. Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
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