Vayishlach Gen 32:3-36:43
This weeks portion study will be brief as I've been negotiating a crazily busy time with work and life. But I hope that even in the brevity, it will be edifying for you in some way. In this section of the Scriptures, Jacob is still on the run from Esau as it appears he it trying to draw closer to God. The first chapter ends with the well known story of Jacob's wrestle with God, which results in his name being changed to Israel. Just briefly, this event highlights three interesting things to me. The first is that it shows that Jacob's not content with knowing God from a distance. He wants to get up close and personal, much like his distant descendant Moses. The other, is that we find God appearing as a man; a foreshadow of the incarnation of Jesus in the Gospels. What makes this particularly interesting is that this is just presented as plain fact. The scriptures don't try to rationalise or explain it, it just asks us to accept it. And the last, is that Jacob goes away from this experience transformed. No one can wrestle with God at such an intimate level, and not be changed. We see this not merely in the physical change, as he limped for the rest of his life, and the change of name; these were merely signs of the inner change. From this point forward, we see Israel as a man of greater faith and humility.
But the part of this portion I wanted to focus on this week takes place in chapter 34 and is often known as the defiling, or rape, of Dinah. What we discover in this story is that the children of Israel were becoming more like the world around them, rather than the family set apart for the Lord.
We first find Dinah going to "see the women of the land." The Hebrew for 'see/visit' is the word lirowt, which comes from the root word ra'ah, which in this context means to look at with interest. The same word is used in 1Sam 6:19 to describe 'looking into the Ark', The NIV and renders it as 'visiting the women', but since the accusative particle et is absent, we can conclude she wasn't just popping by to say hello. (In 2Kings 9:16 it says '...the king of Judah came down to see [lirowt et] Joram [who had come to be healed, v15]'). Something about their conduct appealed to Dinah, so it appears that she had gone to observe and inquire so that she might be the same. This is something God warned the people of Israel against through Moses in the book of Deuteronomy:
Thus, just like Dinah, Simeon and Levi had succumb to the ways of the world too, seeking large scale vengeance instead of allowing God to judge. As the scriptures would later remind us in Deuteronomy, which is later quoted in Hebrews 10 and Romans 12: "Vengeance is mine, I will repay" (Deut 32:35 LXX).
Unfortunately, that the children of Jacob were flirting with the ways of the world, would be repeated by the descendants of Israel. Wanting to be like the other nations, injustice, and idolatry ("Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments... So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears." Gen 35:2-4) would ultimately end in the exile of Israel and Judah. The Apostolic writings also warn us many times to be distinct from the world around us. For instance, John writes: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life - is not from the Father but is from the world" (1Jn 2:15-16).
Not loving the world is not about having no relationship with 'unbelievers', and Genesis reminds us of this. Consider how Jacob was concerned about how Simeon and Levi's actions would impact their relationship with the Hittites, something his grandfather Abraham had established in his lifetime.So for us today, this means that we are to be 'in the world, but not of the world', as Jesus tells us. We are to engage with those around us for the purpose of blessing them and glorifying God that they too might be united in covenant with their creator.
This story is an encouragement to us that even through the children of Israel, the heads of what were supposed to be the 12 Tribes, slipped up so badly, God was still able to achieve His purposes and promises He made to Abraham through them. No doubt you've heard the message 'The people in the Bible messed up. So it's okay if you mess up, God can still use you.' But I think this sends the wrong message. The point isn't, 'don't worry about your sin', we should worry about our sin. We can't become slaves to alcohol and slur, 'It's okay... Noah was a drunk... So God's gunna use me too.' The point is, that God is so big and so sovereign and so in control that despite our faults, God can still fulfil his promises. Now, that's not to say there's no consequences. Consider what happened with the tribe of Simeon. Consider what happened to Israel who rebelled and wandered the wilderness for 40 years. Yes, the promises were still achieved, but it is better when we co-operate with God. God wants to use you for His glory, and nothing will stop that. The question is, will you be a willing participant?
Next Week's portion is Genesis 37:1-40:23
If this has been an encouragement to you, leave a comment and share it with others.
Flirting with the Ways of the World
This weeks portion study will be brief as I've been negotiating a crazily busy time with work and life. But I hope that even in the brevity, it will be edifying for you in some way. In this section of the Scriptures, Jacob is still on the run from Esau as it appears he it trying to draw closer to God. The first chapter ends with the well known story of Jacob's wrestle with God, which results in his name being changed to Israel. Just briefly, this event highlights three interesting things to me. The first is that it shows that Jacob's not content with knowing God from a distance. He wants to get up close and personal, much like his distant descendant Moses. The other, is that we find God appearing as a man; a foreshadow of the incarnation of Jesus in the Gospels. What makes this particularly interesting is that this is just presented as plain fact. The scriptures don't try to rationalise or explain it, it just asks us to accept it. And the last, is that Jacob goes away from this experience transformed. No one can wrestle with God at such an intimate level, and not be changed. We see this not merely in the physical change, as he limped for the rest of his life, and the change of name; these were merely signs of the inner change. From this point forward, we see Israel as a man of greater faith and humility.
But the part of this portion I wanted to focus on this week takes place in chapter 34 and is often known as the defiling, or rape, of Dinah. What we discover in this story is that the children of Israel were becoming more like the world around them, rather than the family set apart for the Lord.
We first find Dinah going to "see the women of the land." The Hebrew for 'see/visit' is the word lirowt, which comes from the root word ra'ah, which in this context means to look at with interest. The same word is used in 1Sam 6:19 to describe 'looking into the Ark', The NIV and renders it as 'visiting the women', but since the accusative particle et is absent, we can conclude she wasn't just popping by to say hello. (In 2Kings 9:16 it says '...the king of Judah came down to see [lirowt et] Joram [who had come to be healed, v15]'). Something about their conduct appealed to Dinah, so it appears that she had gone to observe and inquire so that she might be the same. This is something God warned the people of Israel against through Moses in the book of Deuteronomy:
"...take care that you be not ensnared to follow them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods?—that I also may do the same'" (Deut 12:30).And while she was away from her home, Shechem, the son of the Hamor the Hivite who was the prince of the land, 'seized her' and assaulted her. It is important to note that although Dinah was foolish for pursuing the ways of the women of the land, the Bible places responsibility on Hamor and not Dinah. Nonetheless, it is a reminder that although the things of the world may seem appealing, at their root is wickedness. In response to the wickedness, Jacob's sons became and angry, and rightfully so. However, they too imitated the ways of the world and sought justice in the wrong way by using deception disguised as religion to get their revenge. They told Sheckem and Hamor that if they and the men of the city were circumcised, they would give Dinah as a wife to Shechem. And so they did, and while they were recovering in pain, Simon and Levi came and killed all the males, including Sheckem and Hamor, and plundered the city, taking all of its wealth, cattle, and even all the women and children. As a consequence, as Israel was blessing his children on his deathbed in chapter 49, he instead curses them whereby the descendants of both will 'be scattered in Judah.' And indeed, both had only select cities within the land, and no distinct territory of their own (Josh. 19:1–9). Interestingly Simeon is the only tribe Moses does not bless in Deuteronomy 33. This, along with the demotion of Reuben the first born, allowed for Judah to rise to prominence from which the Kings, and ultimately the Messiah, Jesus would come.
Thus, just like Dinah, Simeon and Levi had succumb to the ways of the world too, seeking large scale vengeance instead of allowing God to judge. As the scriptures would later remind us in Deuteronomy, which is later quoted in Hebrews 10 and Romans 12: "Vengeance is mine, I will repay" (Deut 32:35 LXX).
Unfortunately, that the children of Jacob were flirting with the ways of the world, would be repeated by the descendants of Israel. Wanting to be like the other nations, injustice, and idolatry ("Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments... So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears." Gen 35:2-4) would ultimately end in the exile of Israel and Judah. The Apostolic writings also warn us many times to be distinct from the world around us. For instance, John writes: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life - is not from the Father but is from the world" (1Jn 2:15-16).
Not loving the world is not about having no relationship with 'unbelievers', and Genesis reminds us of this. Consider how Jacob was concerned about how Simeon and Levi's actions would impact their relationship with the Hittites, something his grandfather Abraham had established in his lifetime.So for us today, this means that we are to be 'in the world, but not of the world', as Jesus tells us. We are to engage with those around us for the purpose of blessing them and glorifying God that they too might be united in covenant with their creator.
This story is an encouragement to us that even through the children of Israel, the heads of what were supposed to be the 12 Tribes, slipped up so badly, God was still able to achieve His purposes and promises He made to Abraham through them. No doubt you've heard the message 'The people in the Bible messed up. So it's okay if you mess up, God can still use you.' But I think this sends the wrong message. The point isn't, 'don't worry about your sin', we should worry about our sin. We can't become slaves to alcohol and slur, 'It's okay... Noah was a drunk... So God's gunna use me too.' The point is, that God is so big and so sovereign and so in control that despite our faults, God can still fulfil his promises. Now, that's not to say there's no consequences. Consider what happened with the tribe of Simeon. Consider what happened to Israel who rebelled and wandered the wilderness for 40 years. Yes, the promises were still achieved, but it is better when we co-operate with God. God wants to use you for His glory, and nothing will stop that. The question is, will you be a willing participant?
Next Week's portion is Genesis 37:1-40:23
If this has been an encouragement to you, leave a comment and share it with others.
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