(7/29/15) It s important that we see this call of God to Jacob to return to Bethel which begins chapter 35 next to the backdrop of chapter 34.

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1 Genesis 35:1-29 (7/29/15) Genesis 35:1 (NKJV) 1 Then God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother." It s important that we see this call of God to Jacob to return to Bethel which begins chapter 35 next to the backdrop of chapter 34. Chapter 34 is the antithesis of chapter 35. In chapter 34 the name of God isn t mentioned at all (in chapter 35 it is mentioned directly and indirectly 22 times) and is a chapter full of the flesh lust, rape, deceit, revenge, murder etc. Chapter 34 records one of the most disgusting, degenerate overtly wicked examples of family dysfunction and depravity we see anywhere in the Bible. And yet chapter 35 opens up with God calling Jacob (and his family) back to Bethel back to the place of fellowship and communion with Him. Genesis 34 is a chapter that focuses on the flesh of man Genesis 35 focuses on the grace of God. The grace of God that says no matter what you have done, no matter how you have lived I still want you to come to Me for forgiveness and fellowship. 1

2 The underlying theme of this chapter is It s never too late to go home. It s never too late to go back to Bethel back to that place where you first met God. Jesus put it this way in Revelation 2:4-5, You have left your first love remember, repent and return to Me. Remember that as Genesis 35 opens up thirty years has passed since Jacob first had a dream at Bethel when he was running from Esau on his way to his uncle Laban s house in Mesopotamia. (Explain) This revelation caused Jacob to name the place Bethel (House of God) and it led him to make a vow to God where he said Genesis 28:20-22 (NKJV) 20 "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, 21 so that I come back to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God. 22 And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You." This vow was followed by a twenty-year sojourn in Mesopotamia serving his Uncle Laban, at the end of which time God reminded Jacob of his of his vow and told him it was time to return to the land of his fathers the land of Canaan (31:3). Jacob, however, doesn t obey God immediately but spends the next 8 to 10 years in Succoth (outside the Promised Land). And when he does finally cross over into Canaan instead of going directly to Bethel he settles twenty miles away near the prosperous city of Shechem. 2

3 This then becomes the backdrop for chapter 34 a chapter of disaster all because Jacob offered God partial obedience instead of full surrender and faithfulness. Well he was close to Bethel doesn t that count for something? This idea that many Christians have that if they offer God 90% commitment and obedience that should be good enough try applying that to the commitment your spouse shows you in marriage. (Explain) And yet through all of this carnality, half-hearted service and flat out disobedience God still loved Jacob and wanted him to get back to Bethel. Genesis 35:1-3 (NKJV) 1 Then God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother." 2 And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. 3 Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone." It s tragic to see how far this patriarch and his family had moved from God here we see them living in idolatry. Whenever we are not where God wants us chances are we will slip into idolatry of some kind. Prosperity has a way of causing us to let spiritual things decline remember that place from where you have fallen and repent this is what God is saying to Jacob. Notice that God didn t say, Clean your life up and maybe I ll let you come back to Me the Lord simply said, Come back to Me PERIOD. 3

4 It was in light of God s grace and goodness that Jacob repented and cleaned up his life spiritually as Paul tells us in Romans 2:4 that it s the goodness of God leads to repentance. So Jacob commands his family to do three things in preparation for them getting right with God 1. Put away your foreign gods (idols) Now this statement takes us back where did these idols come from? They were probably the idols that Rachel stole from her father Laban when they fled from him to go back to Canaan. (Finish) That Jacob knew about his family s idolatry and permitted it to go on shows how far from God he was at this time. An idol is anything or anyone that you worship other than God. (Elaborate) 2. Purify yourselves This was done by washing in water as a symbol of cleansing themselves from the filth of the flesh and consecrating themselves to God. In N.T. times the Jews practiced ritual cleansings for different reasons before they ate, after they came in contact with something unclean but especially before they would go into the Temple to worship they would undergo a ritual purification in a special cleansing pool or bath known as a 'mikva. 4

5 For believers in the New Covenant we wash in the water of the Word for daily cleansing and consecration to God (Eph. 5:26). Psalm 119:9, 11 (NKJV) 9 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word 11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You! 1. Put away your foreign gods (idols) 2. Purify yourselves 3. Change your garments In the O.T. washing the body and changing clothes symbolized a new beginning. Before God gave the law at Mount Sinai, He ordered the people to wash and change clothes for they were about to enter into a solemn covenant with God a new life of holiness and obedience as God s people. (Ex. 19:9 15). This is probably where Paul picked up the metaphor for the changed life, exhorting believers to put off your old conduct which belongs to the old life and clothe yourself with the new life in Christ created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22 24). It was only after Jacob s family did these three things that he could say to them Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God. (v.3) First comes consecration then comes worship. 5

6 Acceptable worship (not salvation) to God depends on personal holiness Psalm 24:3-4 (NKJV) 3 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place (to the tabernacle on Mt. Zion)? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. Genesis 35:4 (NKJV) 4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the earrings [used in pagan worship] which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem. One author had this to say The tree in Scripture, of course, speaks of the Cross. In other words, the picture is that Jacob left his sin at Calvary. When Jesus died on the Cross, not only was the penalty of sin paid for completely, but power over sin was provided fully. This is an amazing and potent truth. You can leave here tonight and say, Lord, truly You are good in allowing me to go to Bethel once more. I m tired of my sin, and I want to make my way free and unencumbered of the junk which entangles me. Genesis 35:5 (NKJV) 5 And they journeyed, and the terror of God was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. When you purpose to get back to God He will not allow any enemy to stop you. As John Newton put it grace will see you home (different context same principle). 6

7 Genesis 35:6-7 (NKJV) 6 So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. 7 And he built an altar there and called the place El Bethel, because there God appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother. So finally Jacob returns to Bethel but he s not the same man he was thirty years earlier. This is demonstrated in the fact that he renames Bethel ( the house of God ) to El Bethel ( God of the house of God ) that to me is significant. All Christians go to church (house of God) many because they like the music, the fellowship, the pastor, the concerts and the food court. But only those Christians who are mature (because of brokenness and surrender) and Spirit-filled go to church because of the God of the house of God. (Elaborate) Now listen, just because you re back at Bethel, back where God wants you to be, back in fellowship with Him doesn t mean you will be free from loss and heartache. The rest of this chap deals with the death of three people Jacob loved and the heartbreaking sin of his oldest son Reuben. Genesis 35:8 (NKJV) 8 Now Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the terebinth tree. So the name of it was called Allon Bachuth. We really don t know anything about Rebekah s nurse Deborah except that she was obviously beloved by the family, because they named the place where she was buried Allon Bachuth, which means Oak of Weeping. 7

8 She probably came with Rebekah as a maid and nurse when she came from Haran to marry Isaac a hundred and fifty years earlier. Over the course of those many years Deborah had become more than a servant she had become family so much so that when Rebekah died Jacob allowed her to stay with the family and took care of her until she died. This was to be the first of three losses Jacob would endure that together had a profound effect on his spiritual life we get a glimpse into this from the next verse Genesis 35:9-10 (NKJV) 9 Then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him. 10 And God said to him, "Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name." So He called his name Israel. God had already named Jacob Israel ( under the control of God ) back in chapter 32:28 but now He reaffirms that name because through the deaths of Deborah, Rachel and Isaac, Jacob would begin to be transformed into the embodiment of what that name implied. When I got saved 35 years ago God called me Christian it has taken many years of blessings and heartaches to grow into what that name or title implied a man that belongs to God. Genesis 35:11-15 (NKJV) 11 Also God said to him: "I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. 12 The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land." 13 Then God went up from him in the place where He talked with him. 14 So Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with him, a pillar of stone; and he poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it. 15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him, Bethel. God Almighty is El Shaddai which means all sufficient One 8

9 God was saying to Jacob, I m all that you need be satisfied and complete in your relationship with Me. This is the first time in Scripture that a drink offering is mentioned (v.14). Later on in Exodus, Leviticus and the book of Numbers we learn that the drink offering was made of wine poured out on the animal sacrifices as they were being offered on the altar to the Lord. The idea was that as soon as it was poured out on the sacrifice it was immediately turned into steam that ascended to the throne of God and was burned up completely never to be reclaimed and therefore reused for any other purpose. Paul told the Philippians that that was the way he wanted his life to be poured out like a drink offering to God completely consumed and used up for His glory. Genesis 35:16-21 (NKJV) 16 Then they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor. 17 Now it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, "Do not fear; you will have this son also." 18 And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin. 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20 And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel's grave to this day. 21 Then Israel journeyed and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. Rachel was dying, and she knew it no doubt she was hemorrhaging. Her midwife tried to comfort her by telling her she was giving birth to another son it was little consolation to Rachel and so as she was expiring she named the child Ben-oni ( son of my sorrow ). 9

10 But Jacob, who knew firsthand the power of a name, knew that that name would be a constant source of grief and guilt upon his son especially every year on his birthday which would always be a day of mourning because it was also the day of his mother s death a death she suffered while giving birth to him. Jacob therefore wanting to spare his son a lifetime of pain and condemnation chose to rename him Benjamin ( son of the right ) the right-hand side being the favored side, the side of power and privilege thus celebrating this child in honor of his beloved Rachel. But make no mistake about it Jacob s sorrow over the loss of Rachel was deep. So much so that 30 years later when he was on his death bed some of the last words he spoke were of his beloved Rachel As for me, when I came from Padan Aram, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan on the way (48:7) Jacob lived in tears over her passing to his dying day. The question is why did Jacob leave Bethel? (v.16) Did God tell him to leave or did he make that decision on his own? I think this was probably Jacob s decision a decision that cost Rachel her life. For Jacob to take his hundred year old wife in the third trimester of her pregnancy right before she was about to give birth. To take her and stick her on a camel where she would be bounced around as they made their way on this journey so close to her delivery seems to have contributed to Rachel s death. 10

11 And I personally think it left Jacob a deeply broken man for allowing his self-willed go it his own way, and do whatever he wanted attitude to cost Rachel her life. Now if you think I m being too hard on Jacob, that I can t be sure God didn t tell him to go on this journey remember that when Jacob was acting in the flesh the Holy Spirit refers to him as Jacob but when he s being led by the Holy Spirit he is called Israel. Look at verse 20 again Genesis 35:20 (NKJV) 20 And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel's grave to this day. I think this might have truly been the thing that broke Jacob more than anything else. I think that Jacob buried more than Rachel in that grave it think he buried himself as well. This marks the death and burial of Jacob the man Genesis 35:20-21 (NKJV) 20 And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel's grave to this day. 21 Then Israel journeyed and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. Jacob buried Rachel but Israel journeyed on. It was Jacob s bad decision that led to Rachel s death but that led to Jacob s death as well. 11

12 Sometimes a person s bad choices impact, in a very negative way, the people around them that they love but often God uses it to finally bring about the death of that person the death of self, to finally get ahold of their heart and life. (Tell Randy Johnson s story) Jacob buried Rachel but Israel went on from there and pitched his tent Living in that tent spoke of a sojourner, a pilgrim. After Rachel s death Jacob became a remarkable pilgrim for God he not the same man anymore. Genesis 35:22-26 (NKJV) 22 And it happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine; and Israel heard about it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: 23 the sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; 24 the sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin; 25 the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's maidservant, were Dan and Naphtali; 26 and the sons of Zilpah, Leah's maidservant, were Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Padan Aram. What was really behind Reuben s incest with his father s concubine Bilhah was it just lust? That was no doubt part of it but some commentators feel there was a lot more going on than simple lust. One commentator had this to say Reuben s sin had its impetus in Jacob s favoring Rachel s children at the expense of the children of Leah, his unloved wife. We have already seen how Jacob s lack of concern for the honor of their sister Dinah fueled her brothers anger and homicidal rampage. 12

13 Here Reuben sensed that with Rachel s death, her servant Bilhah would become Jacob s favorite over his mother Leah. So Reuben seduced her to ensure that she could not rival Leah s position. The result of Reuben s liaison with Bilhah was that she was accorded the status of living widowhood, just as happened to David s concubines when his son Absalom defiled them (cf. 2 Samuel 15:16; 16:20 23). But Reuben s sin involved much more than this for a son to take a father s concubine in this manner was a declaration that he was now the head of the family. When Abner took King Saul s concubine, Saul s son and heir Ishbosheth protested because it meant Abner was usurping the crown (2 Sam. 3:6 11). When David succeeded Saul as king, he was given Saul s wives as his own (1 Sam. 12:8). Rebellious Absalom declared himself ruler by taking his father s concubines (2 Sam. 16:20 23). 1Chronicles 5:1 says of Reuben, For he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father s couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel. Jacob s anger toward Reuben burned until the end of his life, as his final words to Reuben demonstrate Genesis 49:3-4 (NKJV) 3 "Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power. 4 Unstable as water, you shall not excel, Because you went up to your father's bed; Then you defiled it-- He went up to my couch. 13

14 Genesis 35:27-29 (NKJV) 27 Then Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had dwelt. 28 Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. 29 So Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, being old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. This was the third loss Jacob endured in a relatively short time. As I said these three funerals of three people Jacob loved deeply, especially Rachel, had a profound effect on Jacob s spiritual life. It seems that after the loss of these three Jacob became a man more than ever before who began to set his eyes on things above and not on things on the earth. His possessions no longer meant that much to him and Israel began to focus more on the life to come than he ever had. The older I get and the more people I love are taken from me to be with the Lord the more the things of earth grow strangely dim to me. When Jesus said that we should not seek to lay up treasures on the earth but treasures in heaven I have now come to believe that part of that is our saved loved ones that are some of the treasures who will meet us when we get to heaven. By the end of chapter 35 Jacob is roughly 120 years old. He lives to be 147 and from a spiritual standpoint these last 25 or 30 years were the best of his life because he lived them as Israel and not Jacob. 14