Year 1, Day 37: Genesis 38

Mighty is the Power of God to Redeem

Genesis 38 is a unique interruption in the story of Joseph.  Before we get into the actual diversionary story, let’s talk a little bit about the overarching historical point.  This story shows a tremendous amount of humanity and sinful behavior.  This story reveals a mankind who is truly at the mercy of its physical impulses.

Yet, we should not miss that this story is inherently remembered in Matthew 1:3 where we see that the lineage of Jesus Christ is drawn through Judah and Tamar through the son Perez.  Regardless of whatever this story has to say, it tells us that God is willing to work through our sinful humanity.  Our sin absolutely troubles God.  The way we treat each other absolutely troubles God.  But God doesn’t walk away from us.  God is willing to use what He can within us to continue to work His plan in the world. 

God is willing to redeem our sinfulness.  He is willing to work His righteousness through our dark sinfulness.  That is the hope that we can see in the midst of a tragic story of human history.  With this attitude, let’s look at the story in the historical context in which it rests. 

Bondage to Sin

This story opens as a commentary on the bondage of sin.  Remember that just a chapter ago Judah says to his brothers that they should sell his brother rather than kill him.  So as Joseph is sold into slavery we see that Judah is himself a slave – although Judah is a slave to his own sin.  Here we can see the fundamental differences between Judah and Joseph.  Judah struggles primarily with his own failings; Joseph struggles primarily with the failings of others.

Let’s talk a little bit about Judah’s decisions first.  It all begins with the reoccurring problem of marrying Canaanite women.  This activity brought trouble for Esau.  It now brings trouble for Judah.  Without getting into the concept of devaluing Canaanites, the idea that is really at stake is whether or not we desire to follow God’s wishes.  It isn’t at all that Canaanites are unredeemable people.  Rather, this is a matter of obedience.  God said to not do it and the offspring of Abraham find it impossible to obey that command.

The choice for Judah to take a Canaanite wife is no different than any of our choices to value our own judgment instead of God’s ways.  We may not struggle with this issue with respect to marriage and Gentiles, but we absolutely struggle with this issue in a multitude of other aspects of our life!  That is something with which we can all stop and reflect upon.  We may not all have taken Canaanite wives, but we have all been the victim of our own poor choices that go against what God would really like for us to do.

Onan’s Sin

Before we talk about Judah and Tamar, let’s take a quick look at Onan’s action in this story.  We need to be careful that we get the correct point.  Many unfortunate readers of this story poorly locate the sin of Onan for which he stands condemned.  Many say that Onan’s sin was “spilling his seed upon the ground.”  Unfortunately, I have to intensely disagree with that teaching. 

I find my disagreement in the New Testament teachings of Jesus immediately following the Beatitudes.  There we see Jesus telling us that it is our motivations and our thoughts which are truly the destructive parts of humanity.  In Matthew 5:21 we hear Jesus say that murder is wrong, but it is the anger in our hearts that is the greater danger.  In the same light I read this passage. 

In Genesis 38:9 we hear that Onan’s motivation for doing the act was because he knew that the offspring would never be his.  There was greed and self-centeredness in his heart.  He was not concerned about Tamar, but rather about his own personal gain and status.  It is this self-serving nature – way more the act of spilling his seed on the ground – that truly blackened his heart and brought judgment down upon him from God.  Again, it points us back to the question asked above: how much do we trust God’s ways over our own selfish ambitions?

Judah and Tamar

So now let’s look at Judah and how this story concludes.  First, consider what it says about Judah that Tamar knows she can entrap him by pretending to be a prostitute.  This is not condoning Tamar’s action in the least.  Yet it does illustrate that Judah can be ensnared in this manner.  No wonder Judah proclaims judgment upon himself in Genesis 38:26! 

Certainly Tamar’s actions are not innocent of guilt, but Judah knows that his sin is greater.  He has allowed himself a reputation that others can use to ensnare him.  He has engaged in extra-marital sexual relations – of which Tamar is equally guilty, too.  He has also ignored the needs of the widow in the case of Tamar.  In any case, he has shown himself inhospitable, immoral, and a public display of sinful behavior.

At least he recognizes it!  Judah is now free to repent and change because he is willing to lay the guilt at his own feet.  He can move forward and make amends because he is not too proud to admit his mistakes.  While Judah’s sin leaves something to be desired, his repentance is something to be admired and imitated.  Who among us cannot find something in our life for which we should repent?

A Return to a Hidden Theme of Genesis

Notice that in the final verses of this chapter we can see yet another conflict between the “younger” and the “older.”  Zerah tries to be born first, but conflict arises between Zerah and Perez.  Zerah technically is the first-born.  Yet as I pointed out in the beginning of this post, Perez is the one through whom the lineage of Christ is drawn in Matthew.  I find that interesting.

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Year 1, Day 36: Genesis 37

Moving Ahead

Here in Genesis 37 we really have a story of growing pains and God’s divine authority.  As far as the growing pains go, most of what happens to Joseph here can be traced back to errors made by a well-meaning father.  No, I’m not going to go on about Jacob’s sinfulness.  In fact, did you notice that Jacob is specifically called Israel in this passage?  The mistakes that Jacob make in this passage are not mistakes of sin, just simple errors in human judgment.

You see, Joseph is loved by Jacob because he is the firstborn son of his beloved wife.  Joseph also has natural gifts for leadership that Jacob can recognize – which is why at a young age Joseph received a coat of authority (as an overseer).  Jacob pulls him out of the mundane duty of being a shepherd (a shepherd under his brothers, even!) and elevates him to the potential that Jacob sees in his son.

Inherently, this is not a bad thing.  Joseph is clearly gifted.  The dreams that Joseph has indicates that God also thinks that he is very gifted as well.  Jacob is not wrong in identifying Joseph’s talent. 

However, Jacob also promotes Joseph before he is proven.  Joseph isn’t allowed to “earn his way up” through the ranks of the brothers.  Instead, Joseph is shown preferential treatment.  And this is bound to cause a little tension – especially when the dreams start coming.  Here is where we see a normal human flaw begin to affect the life of Israel.

As a human, I find that I struggle with this dynamic in the story as well.  Leadership and potential are rare in these days; when I see it I often try and promote it before its time.  I’ve made these same mistakes that I see here in Jacob.  I’ve lifted talent up through the ranks before it had time to grow, and it usually ends up bringing about a few problems along the way – problems which can usually be overcome with truth and honesty.  But there is a lesson that we can learn from Jacob.  We should have patience.

Joseph’s Dreams

As for the dreams, those of us who know the story of Joseph do know these dreams are fulfilled in God’s time.  Unfortunately for Joseph, I think that his immaturity shows in that he goes on about telling the dreams in the wrong crowd.  Rather than speak of these things to his brothers, he might have done better seeking only the counsel of his father.  The fact that he tells his brothers the dreams shows that his potential for leadership is still a little immature. 

That’s okay, too.  We all make mistakes in leadership – even in growing up as a leader.  Perhaps the lesson we can learn in Joseph is that we should try to keep those things that may challenge others to ourselves until we can find a safe venue to make them known.  I believe that we should take consideration with respect to whom we share what God is saying to us.  We need to share with those that God has prepared to hear about it, not with everyone who could possibly listen.  Again, it seems that this story may have a lot to do with patience.

Joseph’s Brothers

I do find it interesting that the brothers go back into the region of Shechem.  It was there that they had gotten into trouble before by using God’s covenant of circumcision to slaughter innocent people.  Here the brothers find themselves back in their old haunts and acting according to their old ways.  They plan to do away with Joseph – and fortunately God is capable to out-plan the brothers!  We should not miss the lesson that the brothers can teach us, either.  When we return to the places of sin in our past, we should expect the results to be no better in the future.

Furthermore, notice that as the sons return to Shechem they also specifically return to the pattern that they learned from their father – deception.  Not only do they sell Joseph into slavery, but they also kill an animal in order that they might deceive their father.  Compare this action to what we read in Genesis 27:1-29.  There Jacob deceived his father Isaac by killing an animal and bringing the evidence to his father in order to steal Esau’s blessing.  Granted, the brothers do not do away with Joseph to gain their father’s blessing – in fact he mourns for many years on account of the deception! 

The reality is that we have not gone too far into Jacob’s true change into Israel before we see the return of the old ways into the family line.  Sin is hard to give up and hard to master.  Just when we think we have sin in check we find ourselves caught in its snare again.  That is just the reality of being human.

Focus on God

In all of this, though, remember that God is at work.  We can talk about growth and backsliding from human perspectives.  We can talk about leadership and hard work.  But ultimately the true lesson is that God is in charge and God will make His ways true. 

In spite of the sin of the sons and the premature elevation of Joseph by Jacob, God is in charge and God is looking down the road to provide for His people.  For me, that is the ultimate point of this story.  I’m sure Joseph didn’t enjoy his brothers’ treachery.  But that doesn’t change the fact that God is still sovereign in spite of their deception. 

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Year 1, Day 35, Genesis 36

Genealogical Record

Genesis 36 is a blissfully uneventful chapter.  Sometimes it is good to have a few of these once and a while.  So in order to not belabor the point, let’s just declare that this is a genealogy chapter and look for what theological insights will be found today.

First, notice that this list attests to Esau’s being blessed.  In spite of him choosing wives from among the Canaanites and in spite of him no doubt being led into the worship of those Canaanite gods (or at the very least enduring the worship of those gods in his household as Jacob did with Rachel) – God did bless Esau and make him into a great nation.  Again, this should remind us that prosperity is not a sign of God’s approval as much as it is a sign of His blessing.  Esau is indeed blessed.

Esau’s Wives

Let’s talk a little about Esau’s wives.  In total, we have six names of women that Esau married.  There are the three mentioned here in this chapter: Adah, Ohilibamah, and Basemath.  In Genesis 26:34 we also find a reference to Judith and a reference to another Basemath, this one a daughter of a Hittite instead of the daughter of Ishmael.  In Genesis 28:9 we find mention of Mahalath, another daughter of Ishmael. 

One of two things could be going one here.  It is possible that Esau had six wives and by this point in the story three of them had died.  It is also possible that Esau had three wives and they had multiple names.  Such a practice was not unheard of in the ancient world.  After all, we know Abraham was also called Abram and Jacob was also called Israel!

Whatever the reason, what we do see is polygamy.  Esau has married more than one woman, perhaps as many as six.  He has walked away from the ways of God.  Yet he still finds himself blessed.  Here is more evidence that prosperity does not indicate righteousness.  God blesses those whom He blesses.  Those who are righteous are not always prosperous and those who are prosperous are not always righteous.  Certainly, as in the case of Abraham, we see people who can be both blessed and righteous.

Speaking of Blessing

Also, note that Jacob and Esau had both been blessed so much in the world that they are forced to part company.  Sometimes prosperity isn’t the great thing that it should be.  Their flocks and families are so large that they simply cannot be together.  What a sad statement in that the worldly gain of the world becomes a wedge between these reunited brothers.

However, notice that it is Esau who leaves.  Esau is the one who moves on to greener pastures.  Esau is the one who married Canaanites.  He is the one who abandoned his birthright.  Now Esau is the one who abandons the Promised Land.  As we saw a few chapters ago, Esau had changed to become more compassionate towards Jacob.  But he is still not seeing through the lens of God.

Looking Ahead

Finally, know that the Edomites (Esau’s descendants) are a thorn in the side of the Hebrew people for many years.  So this relationship between Jacob and Esau will continue.  As powerful a nation as Esau’s people become, we still see that generational sin gets in the way of human beings living according to God’s desire for us.  Esau’s people and Jacob’s people will continue to be at odds long after Jacob and Esau are no longer present.  But then again, cannot the same thing be said for Ishmael’s people and Isaac’s people, Abraham’s children?  If Abraham’s people cannot get along, why should we think that Isaac’s children should get along, either?

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Year 1, Day 34: Genesis 35

Finally We See Israel

Genesis 35 is a much cooler chapter than it seems at first.  At first glance, it seems like a chapter about Jacob moving his family and then experiencing a bunch of death.  But there are some really neat thoughts within this chapter that I think we can bring out pretty easily and meaningfully.  And for once, we get to focus on Jacob fully changing!

God comes to Jacob, and Jacob finally listens.  Notice that it was actually back in Genesis 31 that God identifies to Jacob that He is the God of Bethel?  All this time, Jacob should have been going to Bethel and he really hasn’t been.  He’s been acknowledging God in his life, but not really devoting himself to what God wants him to do.  But now God finally gets a true hold over Jacob.  Now God gives Jacob no choice.  Finally Jacob finally listens to God.  Jacob finally makes the trek back to Bethel to meet his God ultimately.

Before he does, notice that Jacob buries the household gods of Rachel, Leah, the servants, and his kids.  In truth, I suspect that they were partially his own gods as well, since we know Jacob hasn’t fully been God’s up until this point.  There is a really neat symbol, here.  The only true place for sin to be dealt with is the grave. 

We know this truth from Christianity, of course.  Jesus ultimately deals with sin through His death and He gives proof that it’s been dealt with through His resurrection.  God will deal with our sin ultimately through our own deaths.  It should not surprise us that when Jacob spiritually “cleans house” he buries the false gods in the earth.  To move ahead with where God wants us to go, we have to first go and die to our old self.

Plentiful Death

There is even more here in this chapter.  Since we are talking about burials, let’s look at just how many burials we see here in Genesis 35.  Notice that four times we speak of death, burials, and graves.  We see the idols’ grave, Deborah’s grave, Rachel’s grave, and Isaac’s grave.  I don’t think it is coincidence that all of these stories are lumped into such close proximity to each other. 

Actually, I think there is a point being made here.  I don’t mean to be saying that Deborah, Rachel, and Jacob die because Jacob comes back to God.  But I do mean to say that so much death surrounding Jacob points to the fact that true change is not easy.  True repentance and coming back to God implies dealing with loss and difficult change.  True repentance and following God means that we do actually have to put the old Adam to death so that the new Adam can live.

Jacob’s Change

Now let’s look at this experience that Jacob has.  He goes back to Bethel.  Notice that I didn’t say he goes to Bethel.  He goes back to Bethel.  This is not a new place for Jacob; it is an old place where he had the vision of the ladder in Genesis 28.  So often we hear of people thinking that the Christian faith has to be all new things in an all new direction.  For that moment of conversion, that is often true.  But if we are talking about someone who has backslidden it really is more the case that a person needs to actually return to their roots in their faith!  In returning to Bethel, Jacob is coming back to the place where he was last closest to God.   But again, in order to do that he has to put away those false gods and false ways that he’s picked up along the way.

So I also feel like I need to come back and speak again about Deborah’s, Rachel’s, and Isaac’s death.  I meant what I said earlier that I do not believe that the deaths were associated to Jacob’s return to God.  However, I should also say that a return to faith is not guarantee against troubles and sorrow, either.  Great spiritual experiences do not shelter us from the realities of the world.  Great spiritual experiences do help propel us through the realities of the world.  Jacob is certainly better able to cope with the loss of one of his wives and the loss of his father now that he is on the right path with God.  Nobody ever said life was easy.  But with God life can be endurable.

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Year 1, Day 33: Genesis 34

Dysfunction

Genesis 34 is a passage that is all about sin and dysfunction – although not in the sense in which it is first apparent.  Yes, Shechem should not have had sex with Dinah outside of marriage.  Certainly that is an error an evidence of sin.  Certainly that sets up the whole scenario into which Jacob and his sons find themselves.  This whole chapter is framed by the concept of sex outside of marriage and how destructive that can be to a community.

However, also recognize that Shechem truly cared for Dinah and was willing to be circumcised for her and their shared love.  Certainly his act was wrong, but he (and even his people) seemed genuinely interested in changing their lifestyle to be at peace with God’s lifestyle.  Shechem does something wrong and commits sin, but certainly we should not paint him in the light of an unrepentant serial sinner.

Good on the Outside, Rotten to the Core

I’d like to move deeper than that issue since it is so clearly black and white.  Today I’m going to focus on Jacob’s sons’ response to the defilement.  In order to frame this response, first notice that God is nowhere mentioned in this chapter.  I think that fact alone speaks immensely to the reality that this chapter is full of horrible accounts of people acting against God’s ways in favor of their own human wisdom.  When we do not focus on God, we cannot rationally think that we will live up to God’s ways.

Notice what Jacob’s sons do in this chapter.  They meet with Shechem and give the perception that everything is alright so long as Shechem’s people are circumcised and so long as Shechem marries Dinah.  Do you see what they are doing?  They are scheming – just like they have seen from their father!  If they were serious in their offer for peace, this would have been a noble act of forgiveness and no doubt blessed by God!  If they were genuine, this would have been an incredibly mature and godly response!  It could have been a great victory for God and true faith had Jacob’s sons been serious about their words. 

Instead, Jacob’s sons defile the sacred act of circumcision when they convince Shechem and his people that they are forgiven.  The sons of Jacob have no intention of forgiving them.  What could have been a great example of spiritual maturity instead becomes a story about how looks can be deceiving.  Just because someone does something that looks right from the outside does not mean that righteousness abides in their heart.

Focusing on Worldly Wealth, not on Spiritual Prosperity

All of what I said above is true.  But we also see Jacob’s sons plunder the people of the land.  They take the wives and children and make them their own.  They do the very thing that they abhor being done to their sister Dinah! 

In the past, God has not looked very favorably upon the blending of people from Abraham’s line with the people native to Canaan.  Esau was criticized for doing so.  Here we see Jacob’s sons taking a whole Canaanite community and blending it into their own!

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m all in favor of the New Testament idea of the Gentile mission.  I don’t think that Christian people do anyone any favors when we intentionally don’t allow interaction with non-Christians.  After all, how can we tell others about God unless we are open to talking to people who are not of the same faith as we are?  I’m not saying that the Caananites aren’t worthy of interaction at all.  After all, earlier I proclaimed that if the sons of Jacob had been serious about their offer of forgiveness under the covenant of circumcision that it would have been an incredibly mature step!

Rather, we must understand that there is a complete difference between Gentile evangelism and forced bondage.  Here the sons of Jacob take the women and children of this Canaanite community and force them to become the spoils of war.  That should never be true of religious conversion.  What the sons of Jacob do is bondage and it is something I do not believe God was all that pleased about.

Ethics

For me, the horrible part of it all is the question that they ask at the end.  “Should Dinah be treated like a prostitute?”  Well, no, certainly Dinah should not be treated like a prostitute.  But neither is killing a community of men an appropriate response to that act! 

What we are seeing here is generational sin being passed on down the line – even in God’s holy line.  Jacob’s selfishness and deceitful nature is being passed on down to his sons.  Of course, we know the ultimate fulfillment of that statement.  We’ll get to see that begin to unfold in Genesis 37. 

For now, let us simply realize how dangerous and infectious sin is.  None of us can avoid sin completely.  But at the same time we must be vigilant in our fight against it.  When we ignore our own sinfulness we only make it worse for the ones who come and follow in our footsteps. 

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Year 1, Day 32: Genesis 33

Jacob vs. Israel

Now it would seem to be the time for Jacob to become Israel.  But, you will notice that he doesn’t quite live up to the task.  Personally, I feel a little middle-of-the-road concerning Jacob.  He has moved a little bit with respect to living a godly life, but he is certainly not yet Israel, as evidenced by the fact that the Bible continues to call him Jacob even after he wrestles with God.

Let’s surge ahead with his good points.  Jacob does present himself to Esau before Esau can get to his family.  Although he has put his flocks and servants ahead of him and in the line of fire, at least Jacob does own up to his responsibility before his family is put in danger.  So, I’ll give him a “pass” on that – although certainly that pass is more like a C+ rather than an A.

Jacob also bowed seven times according to the middle-eastern custom.  This, too, seems like a good thing.  At the very least, it shows that Jacob is not demanding to be in charge.

We should also analyze the potential issues with the custom of bowing.  Is he really bowing out of sincerity?  Does he sincerely wish to show himself subservient to Esau – which is what the custom implies? Or is there something more deep at work? 

Could it be that Jacob is trying to manipulate his brother into reducing his anger?  Could it be that Jacob is bowing in subservience to hide that he has a limp and is in a weakened state?  We really don’t know, but knowing Jacob’s past I do have to raise the question.  I think this is one case where Jacob knows the right thing to do and actually does it, but his motives might not be as pure as we would like them to be.

If we look at Jacob’s testimony, we can further see that he is still trying to make his own way rather than trust in God’s promises.  Although Esau makes a genuine expression of forgiveness and refuses Jacob’s gifts, Jacob still convinces Esau to have them.  Is this Jacob asking for repentance from his brother or is this the old Jacob still trying to manipulate and deflect his brother’s wrath?  Is Jacob trying to be genuine or still trying to buy his brother’s loyalty?

Furthermore, let’s look specifically at Jacob’s testimony.  Jacob tells Esau that he will travel behind him at a slower pace so that his animals and children would not be strained.  Esau must hear these words and assume that Jacob will head south towards Edom where the mountain of Seir is to be found.  However, we see in the account that Jacob does not actually do this.  Instead, Jacob intentionally stays far more north of Esau in the region of Succoth on the Jabbok River.  His words sound convincing to Esau, but his actions do not actually follow his words.

As I said yesterday, this actually makes Jacob real.  How often do you see people that make an instantaneous change in their life and they are able to completely change in the span of 24 hours?  Not many, I’ll tell you that much.  Change takes time.  Change is a process.  Jacob clearly has a long way to go.  Jacob may still not be in the right frame of mind, but at least we can see in his words and in his actions a glimmer of hope of change.

Esau’s Change

Now, we do actually see a marked change in Esau.  Things have apparently gone well for him.  He runs to meet Jacob, which is not the action to be taken by someone who is angry or cautious about falling into a trap.  Esau genuinely welcomes his brother – and even offers to protect his journey!  I hate to say it, but it looks like Esau has learned more during life than Jacob so far.  Esau has always been impulsive, but at least here he is proving that he does not hold a grudge like he used to in his youth.  Esau has gotten past his anger and is willing to give Jacob another chance.

When God gets hold of people, change occurs.  But that change may take a while.  Human experience tells us that it is a process of “two steps forward and one step back.”  The important point to remember is not to judge the outcome, but the motivation. 

Conclusions

So long as people are genuinely trying to improve themselves to be in line with God’s ways, we must extend grace to them for when they make mistakes.  We must, of course, because we would hope the same grace is extended to us.  The question we have to ask is simple: what were Jacob’s motivations?  Are they pure, or are they still rooted in the old Jacob?  What about Esau’s motivations?  Are they the fruit of change?

Jacob is not yet there, but he is at least moving in the right direction.  Lord willing God can say the same about you and me. 

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Year 1, Day 31: Genesis 32

Returning Home Is Never Easy

Now we begin to deal with Jacob’s trouble. The past catches up with Jacob.  He went away from Esau and began a positive experience with Laban; yet that quickly turned ugly as Laban and Jacob began to out-maneuver each other for their own benefit.  Jacob has to escape with his tail between his legs and return home, but in doing so he cannot run from Esau anymore.  He must come face to face with his past.

We have already talked about how shrewd Jacob was.  His was a manipulator extraordinaire!  So it should not surprise us too much when Jacob divides up his wealth into two camps so that one might be saved.  It should also not surprise us that Jacob sends envoys ahead to soften his brother’s wrath.  Furthermore, it should not surprise us that he breaks them up into smaller gifts, because we all know that the softening effect of many small gifts is far more than the same amount in one big gift.  Plus, if any of the smaller parties thought that Esau was not pleased with Jacob, they would have plenty of time to return to Jacob and warn him.  Jacob is no fool in the ways of the world!

But in many respects I still find Jacob pathetic.  Jacob puts all these servants between him and his brother.  In all truth, by the time he sends everyone across the Jabbok and he is left alone what it really tells us is that Jacob has put everything between him and his brother.  Shrewd men in this world have no problems letting other people take the brunt of another’s wrath.  But people who are shrewd in God’s ways understand and value the lives of others and thus they stand up and take the brunt of the aggression themselves.  Jacob willingly lets everyone else have to deal with Esau first, showing us the side of Jacob that is pathetic all over again.  Jacob should have led the presentation of gifts himself if he really cared about the lives of his people as a genuine leader should.

Jacob is shrewd.  He is a deceiver.  But he also values his own life more than the lives of anyone underneath him.  While that may make him a survivor, it does not make him a leader.

Jacob Begins to Change Into Israel

We are almost done seeing Jacob’s bad side.  Now we get to the story that we have been anticipating since Jacob was first named “deceiver.”  Here is the story where Jacob is given a new name by God Himself.  Jacob is now to be called Israel, which literally means “one who persists” or “one who perseveres.”  Notice that Jacob’s old name is not removed completely (just like Abram/Abraham is still remembered), but Jacob is given a new name to replace the old name.

Here’s what is really going on here.  The human side of Jacob – the deceiver – will always be remembered as Jacob.  That’s who Jacob is.  Jacob is a person who thinks about himself, who cares more about himself than anyone else, and who places his own agenda before the safety of the group.  But as Jacob gets ready to face his past and he wrestles with God, a new side of Jacob must come out.  This new side is not perfect, of course.  But this new side is a person who is open to wrestling with tough issues, contemplating who he is, contemplating the consequences of his choices, and considering what God would have him do.  In essence, a new person is brought out of this struggle – one that necessarily allows Jacob to confront his past and successfully deal with it.  This new person God calls Israel.

You may be reading this and think that I have set up Jacob as a schizophrenic.  But spiritually speaking, how many of us are any different?  Take me for example.  There is the “PJ who is human and puts himself first.”  But there is also the “PJ who occasionally makes the right decision and actually demonstrates true faith in God and a willingness to put God’s ways first.”  Both of those people dwell within me.  In fact, both of those people will continue to dwell within me until the day I die!

By focusing so heavily on Jacob’s problems over the last few days, I have been trying to make Jacob seem real.  He’s not the “perfect patriarch” that we often think God used to bring about the Hebrew people.  Rather, he’s a human being just like you and me.  When I say that I find certain elements of Jacob pathetic, I’m actually saying the same thing about me.  I find my own humanity pathetic at times.  Ultimately, as flawed as Jacob is in this chapter and the prior chapters, he is a character we can identify with and take comfort knowing that if God loved him, God can love us also.

Jacob wrestles with God, and in so doing he becomes Israel.  I encourage you to do the same.  Wrestle with God.  Wrestle with what God wants you to do with your life.  Wrestle with the parts of your life that God may be calling you to change.  When you do that, you too will become a new creation through the power of God the Father, through the love of Jesus Christ and the counsel of the Holy Spirit.  The love that was shown by God in changing Jacob is the same love that God desperately desires to show you, too. 

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Year 1, Day 30: Genesis 31

Trouble Comes From Human Influence

The trouble begins.  Notice that the trouble starts ultimately out of deception.  Laban’s kids look around and see what Jacob has done to their flock.  Unfortunately, from a reading of the Bible in the prior chapter I have to say that it really seems like they have a legitimate beef against Jacob.  Jacob actively worked so that what was Laban’s wealth would become his own.

For the record, this isn’t a one-sided fight.  Laban is just as guilty as Jacob.  Laban did out-maneuver Jacob in Genesis 30:35-36 by removing the striped and speckled sheep from the flock once the deal was made.  Both Laban and Jacob are guilty of self-centered thinking.

This does not change the fact that Jacob responded with deception of his own.  As I said yesterday, what we see here is a family dysfunction that is growing by leaps and bounds.  Laban has cheated Jacob and out-maneuvered him; now Jacob has done the same to Laban and one-upped his father-in-law.  There is no community or fellowship between them.  They have let their wealth, their pride, and their worldly-focus destroy the community around them.  The world comes between them.  The influence of the world becomes them.

Etching Away at Jacob’s Character

Jacob decides to leave.  There is something that really bothers me about this passage – about the character of Jacob up to this point.  In Genesis 31:3 we clearly hear God say “Return home, and I will be with you.”  Now I understand that the word “will” in English can mean both “In the future I will be with you” as well as “I shall be with you.”  But in no case is God here making a claim on whether or not He is the reason for Jacob’s prospering.  God is saying to Jacob, “If you go home, we will be in relationship.” 

I really think God is trying to get Jacob out of the dysfunction of his relationship with Laban.  God isn’t making a claim that He is responsible for Jacob’s blessing; God is attempting to get Jacob back into a place of proper influence so that He can start working on Jacob’s character!  God is trying to get Jacob alone where He can deal with Jacob because Jacob needs some work.  We will see that over the next few days.  God’s words to Jacob speak about a promise that looks ahead.

However, look at what Jacob claims in Genesis 31:5.  Jacob says “God has been with me.”  Notice the change in verb tense?  Jacob has inherently changed God’s declaration to him.  Jacob the deceiver has come out again.

Don’t get me wrong.  God has been with him.  God has allowed him to prosper regardless of whether Jacob was doing it for the right reasons or for worldly reasons.  God has allowed him to have sons regardless of the fact that he technically has four wives.  Remember the point I made yesterday.  Prosperity is not a sign of God’s favor, it is a sign of God’s generosity whether we deserve it – or more likely – don’t.  Here in Jacob’s words I see deception coming through.  Jacob wants to spin God’s words favorably to his own cause.

Jacob’s Flight

The deception grows.  Jacob leaves without saying goodbye.  I find this in horrible contrast to the shrewdness in which he came.  In Genesis 29 we saw Jacob coming openly, helping out the community, and honestly discussing the true reason he came.  I think Jacob came sincerely and in a manner displaying God’s righteousness.  But Jacob stayed too long.  He came for a wife, and landed four.  He was out-maneuvered by Laban and I honestly think he voluntarily stayed long enough to make sure he could get Laban back.  He was sent for a wife, he stayed for wives and wealth.  Because of this, he is forced to sneak out of town.  He leaves with his tail between his legs, like a fox slipping out the back of a chicken coop.

What’s worse is that Jacob’s deceptive behavior has already taken root in Rachel.  Although, let’s also not forget that Laban has shown himself a good deceiver and Rachel likely learned from him as well.  Rachel has seen her husband steal her father’s flocks, so now Rachel steals her father’s household gods.  Between the missing gods and the sudden disappearance, I think Laban has a right to come out looking for Jacob.

Laban’s Household Gods

Let’s look at these household gods. 

• In one perspective, the household gods are a sign of pagan worship.  So what we see here is Rachel bringing pagan influence into the house the God is trying to establish. 
• From a second perspective, the household gods were thought to be protection of the land.  Therefore, Rachel is attempting to bring the protection Laban experienced with her.  This is a protection from a source other than God, mind you. 
• Third, and perhaps most importantly, the household gods were often a proof of land ownership.  It is likely that when Rachel steals Laban’s household gods she is setting up the possibility for Jacob to return at a later date and have reason to lay claim to Laban’s land.  When Laban cannot find the gods that were stolen from him, he has to participate in erecting a stone monument so that Jacob will not cross back over into Laban’s territory and claim what is rightfully Laban’s.

Laban and Jacob Meet

When they meet, I find Jacob simply pathetic.  God has caught Jacob in his own destructive behavior.  Yes, God did provide for Jacob to come out alive by talking with Laban the night before.  But what does Jacob do?  He arrogantly proclaims there could be no fault.  He denies that the household gods were stolen.  When Laban cannot find the gods, Jacob turns that event into a reason to denounce Laban and bring out the full tally of accusation.  Note that in no way does he even confess his own participation in the dysfunctional family.  Then he is so bold as to take the misconstruing of God’s promise in Genesis 31:3 even further and claim that God saw Jacob’s affliction and rebuked Laban.

Unfortunately for Jacob, I see things the other way around.  God has trapped Jacob in his lies and in his deceit.  God has forced Jacob to come out and publically be the deceiver that he is.  Even as Jacob sets up this big bravado and displays his false wound, God has Jacob right where he needs him.

Do you see what ultimately saves the situation?  Jacob and Laban both know that Laban could take back what was taken from him.  What saves the situation is Laban’s love for his daughters.  Laban finally discovers that his love for his daughters is more important than his love for his stuff.  And so although he has all the power, Laban releases them.  God has provided, but look at the mess Jacob has gotten himself into.  Look at the hole that he has dug for himself.  His character is in desperate need of fixing.

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Year 1, Day 29: Genesis 30

Human Sin, God’s Hand at Work

Genesis 30 is primarily a story about the sins of the generations.  There is really nothing positive to say about this except one very important fact: God is willing to work through our sinfulness to bring about His plan. 

Every positive story about marriage in Genesis up to this point is about monogamy.  The one story of a servant of God who acts in a non-monogamous manner, when Abraham goes to Hagar and conceives Ishmael, is a tragic story that ends in strife.  Given these facts, God certainly cannot be pleased with the situation that Jacob has gotten himself into with respect to Leah and Rachel.  Yet, God does not abandon Jacob and ultimately God does not abandon His plan for Christ. 

I am even more certain that God is less pleased by Jacob’s, Leah’s, and Rachel’s choices to involve Zilpah and Bilhah in the marriage.  Essentially, this implies that we see Jacob as having four wives.  Just look at all the internal struggle that it brings to the family!  Certainly God cannot be pleased with all of the self-centered decision making happening.  Yet, God continues to work through Jacob in spite of the rampant sinfulness in the story.

Ultimately, this is precisely why I define sin as broken relationships.  Sin is our broken relationship with God. Sin is our broken relationship with each other, with creation, or even with ourselves.  Jacob and his family willingly participate in sin quite deeply.  And I cannot believe this made God’s heart beam with pride.  But God continues His work.

God does not abandon them.  God does give six children to Leah – half the tribes of Israel!  He gives two sons each to Zilpah and Bilhah, and eventually to Rachel when Benjamin comes along in Genesis 35. 

How true is this of life?  We abandon God’s ways, but God does not stop blessing us.  We bring pain to God with our actions and our words, but God does not abandon us.  We choose ways that God would not have us do, but God does not remove His blessings.  In psite of our sin, we continue to live.  The sun continues to shine.  We continue to be able to convince ourselves that all things are right between us and God.

In the end, I have come to believe that prosperity is not a sign that we are right with the Lord.  Prosperity is a sign that God is generous whether we deserve it or not.  God loves Rachel, Leah, Zilpah, and Bilhah enough to bless them with what they desire in spite of the fact that they are going about it in a way that is not according to God’s principles.  He is gracious in spite of our sin.

Our Response to God’s Hand at Work

So does that mean we should walk all over God’s grace?  Let it not be so!  It will eventually catch up with us.  If it doesn’t catch up with us in this life, it will catch up with our poor offspring and mentees who will learn our ways and embolden them.  If you don’t believe me, just wait until we get to the story of Jacob’s sons and how they mistreat Joseph!  We either open ourselves to letting God deal with our generational sin or it will be passed along to the next generation.

We should not go about our life ignoring God’s ways and living as though we can get away with everything we want.  It will catch up with us, and one day we will have to stand before God and give an accounting of our life.  God will demand an explanation. 

Thanks be to God that even there He cares more about our honest repentance, admission of guilt, and forgiveness of sins than He cares about true justice!  As I was reminded this week, so long as I am alive and not condemned to Hell, I have not received true justice but rather continue to live in God’s grace.  Thanks be to God!

Jacob and His Wages

Look at this story of Jacob’s wages and listen to it painfully as you read it.  Not only does Jacob honestly work for Laban to earn the privilege of marrying his daughters, but he goes so far as to then cheat him out of his flocks.  Jacob intentionally goes about making the strong of the flock his own and making the weak of the flock to be Laban’s flock. 

There is no evidence that “God increased his wealth” as we hear about God doing with Abraham or Isaac.  No, Jacob increases his own wealth.  No wonder he is remembered as Jacob – a name that means “deceiver.”  Sure, Jacob prospers.  Jacob gets his own way.  But in the next chapter we will see how destructive his behind-the-scenes maneuvering has been to the greater community.  In fact, for the majority of the rest of Genesis we will see how these destructive family patterns continually threaten God’s plan more than they help it.  Yet we will also see that God is bigger than a dysfunctional community.

This pains me because I see it all too often in today’s culture, and especially today’s church.  People are more interested in getting their way and out-maneuvering their opponents.  People can get nasty and evil about it, too. 

There are far too many Jacobs in our church and not near enough Abrahams.  I wonder if this is really why so many churches stay small.  People are so interested in prospering themselves that they end up creating an environment of distrust.  That is exactly what Jacob is up to in this chapter. 

I think we should really take a strong and hard look at how Jacob is pictured in this passage.  Many in the world today might consider Jacob shrewd and wise as he makes his own position strong and increases his wealth.  But I cannot believe that God views Jacob in this manner.  At the end of this chapter, Jacob is about destroying the community that he has built with Laban.  As we will see in the next chapter and the rest of Genesis, it eventually catches up to Jacob again and again.

Consider your relationship with those in your life deeply.  Are you like Abraham in that people look to you with integrity?  Or are you like Jacob in that you seem to prosper but everyone really knows you are a schemer and a manipulator?  I think that is a very important question to ask coming out of Genesis 30.

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Year 1, Day 28: Genesis 29

Mesopotamian Life

Oh boy.  Genesis 29 is a fun passage to be sure.  If we get nothing else, we see Jacob “the deceiver” get a taste of his own medicine.  But we’ll get to that.  Before we go there, let’s spend a little time talking about the meeting of Jacob and his people.

Jacob shows incredible tact about his arrival in Mesopotamia.  When he arrives, he first goes to the well outside of the town.  He knows full well that these people will need to water their flocks and he knows that if he waits there he will have a great opportunity to not only meet people (and gain an introduction into the town) but also show himself useful in watering the flocks.  This approach was common in the Middle East when a stranger was entering a town, but it is still shrewd.

To set the scene of why the order of event happened here, we should remember that this is the Middle East.  This is the land of dry air and shifting sand.  Wells – when they were found – would need to be covered in order to prevent evaporation through the mouth of the well.  Furthermore, they would need to be covered in order to prevent the well from filling up with sand as it blew about.  Usually what would happen is the well would be covered with a flat stone that had a hole in the center.  Over this hole a round stone would be placed – a stone of sufficient size that it would require several men to roll away.  Thus the well could be safely sealed while also providing a reasonably easy means to access the water through the hole in the lowest stone.

Furthermore, it is also common practice in the Middle East to water all the flocks at once in order to minimize the amount of time that the well was exposed to the dry air and thus minimize the evaporation that occurred.  This is why we see Jacob asking the shepherds why they seem to be milling about doing nothing in the middle of the day.  They are waiting for all the flocks to gather around so that the well would be opened as little as possible during the day. 

When the time comes for the well to be opened, notice that Jacob helps open the well.  He is indeed shrewd in his dealing with the people of Mesopotamia.

Leah the Tender

Of course, Jacob then heads of to meet Laban and he sets up the contract for Rachel.  There Jacob meets Leah.  Genesis 29:17 is often translated as “Leah’s eyes were weak,” but a more literal reading would say “Leah’s eyes were tender.”  This is a fairly typical description of a person who had blue eyes – as blue eyes were often considered a blemish among the people of Middle Eastern culture.  However, I find it significant that Leah is described as tender. 

It is Leah who produces Judah, and Judah is eventually the lineage of David and Jesus.  Out of weakness, God brings His strength.  God does not need us to be strong and independent; God needs us to be humble and ready to submit to Him.

Younger Versus Elder

Here is Genesis we find yet another common theme – one that I haven’t spoken of too often.  In Genesis, it is quite common for the younger to replace the older.  Of Adam and Eve’s children, Seth is ultimately the chosen one over Cain.  We have already seen that Jacob is chosen over Esau.  Here Rachel is chosen over Leah.  In the future we will see Joseph (and ultimately Benjamin) chosen over all the older brothers.

It is interesting here to note that in this specific case it works to Jacob’s disadvantage.  Yes, Jacob is the chosen one via birthright.  Yet the fact that the youngest sister is also chosen in Rachel means that the issue of Leah gets thrown in Jacob’s face and he gets outmaneuvered.  I enjoy how God can take our strengths and make them weaknesses as well as take our weaknesses and make them strengths.  God often turns what the world considers right on its head and works through an upside-down divine economy.

Leah’s Children

Finally, let’s talk about Leah and her children.  I got hung up today on the word “hated.” (See Genesis 29:31)  The dictionary of Bible languages gives the following definitions for the Hebrew word used here: “abhor, detest, loathe, be hostile, have a feeling of open hostility and intense dislike.”  Let there be no doubt, this is not a simple word expressing displeasure.  This is a word expressing distaste and extreme dislike.  Jacob didn’t get his way, and Leah paid the price for being the older sister.

How does God respond?  God makes her quite fertile.  God raises her up in Jacob’s community.  Don’t get me wrong, God isn’t paying Jacob back, here.  God isn’t punishing Jacob by making Leah fertile.  Rather, God is coming beside Leah, consoling her in her lot in life, and blessing her.  We can see that in the names that are given to these children.  These children are given names that express a favorable relationship with God.  Leah gives these children names that bring honor to God.  As I said earlier, ultimately it is through Leah’s child that David and Jesus will come.

What are the lessons that we can learn from this reading today?  God is there when we need him.  When dealing with the world, let us take on the servant’s role of being willing to work, being respectful of other people’s customs, and being fully confident that God will take care of those who remain faithful to Him.

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Year 1, Day 27: Genesis 28

Troubled Beginnings

Genesis 28 is a great chapter for spirituality.  And we’ll get there in a moment when we talk about Jacob’s dream of the ladder.  But before we do this, we have to get to Isaac and Esau’s actions in this chapter.  We have to see once more how unrepentant sin continues to rear its ugly head in the lives of people.

Notice something here?  Isaac blesses Jacob and sends him away.  Now ultimately sending Jacob away to Laban is a good thing, and he will find a faithful wife there – although he will meet up with even more deception and sinfulness along the way, and that’s part of the problem.  But do you notice what Isaac never does?  Isaac never corrects Jacob for his role in the prior deception.  Isaac never rebukes Rebekah for her role.  Rather, we go directly from Isaac being deceived to Rebekah complaining about Esau’s wives to Issac blessing Jacob.

Certainly the case could be made that these stories in Genesis may have years between them – and they probably do.  So maybe that conversation happened and isn’t recorded.  But even in that case the fact that we don’t see it happen should be brought out just to make sure people understand the importance of rebuking sin when it is proper for them to rebuke it.  We absolutely see the deceptive side in Jacob in the next few chapters, and I am guessing that it wasn’t dealt with anyway.  But the point that I am trying to make is that Isaac should have sat Jacob down and rebuked both him and Rebekah for what they did to him and nipped the behavior in the bud before it could get out of hand.

Then we have this issue with Esau.  In some respects, it might actually seem as though he deserves a little credit in that he saw what Rebekah and Isaac see as good and he intentionally did something that didn’t make them mad.  He took a wife from Ishmael’s family.  Of course this makes this woman family because it is a descendant of Abraham – even if not Sarah.  Esau goes and takes a wife from family, in some ways mimicking the edict given to Jacob.

But here’s the problem.  In doing so, you will notice a lack of repentance.  Esau doesn’t go to Isaac and Rebekah and talk about the two wives that he already has.  He doesn’t deal with the issue that exists in his existing marriages!  Rather, Esau goes out and adds a third wife! 

Here’s where we again see the problem of unrepentant sin.  Esau doesn’t deal with what sin exists, so the problems that exist are compiled with the problems of moving one more step away from a monogamous marriage as God desires.  The lack of repentance means that there is no true change in Esau.  Rather, Esau wants to keep what he has – hence the lack of repentance – and try to please his parents.  When someone tries to please another without first repenting we typically call that manipulation.  We don’t typically call that good to say the least.

Jacob’s Ladder

Okay, now let’s move on to Jacob’s dream.  Here we get a glimpse of the Jacob that God sees inside.  Here we get a glimpse of the Jacob that God will eventually bring about through direct confrontation with Jacob.  Here we get a glimpse of what God sees as Israel and not Jacob.

Notice Jacob’s response to the dream.  Jacob hears from God and reacts.  He hears a promise from God and says that if God delivers on His promise then he will worship God.  And Jacob also promises to give a tenth – literally a tithe – back to God out of whatever God sees fit to give to him in the first place.* 

Here Jacob takes the first step in dealing with his sin in his life in that he commits to God.  That doesn’t mean that Jacob is done and will sin no more – how many of us can say that we are free from sin after we make a commitment to God?  But we do see Jacob begin to deal with the humanity that wrestles from within.

Lastly, let’s turn to this dream.  First, notice that God gets Jacob out of his comfort zone before giving him the dream.  When we are alone and away from our comfort zone we really have some time to do some serious thinking and some serious evaluation.  It pays to pause and admit that many times the distractions of our beloved comfort zone are actually a significant hindrance to our faith life.  But when Jacob gets out into the world and away from his distractions he can begin to see himself as God sees him rather than how he has conceived of himself.

Now, what about the actual dream?  God makes a solemn promise to Jacob.  “Follow me and I will prosper you.”  That’s the thing to which Jacob begins to respond, and certainly that is good. 

But within this dream and expression I can see the vision of God.  God says to Jacob, “and in you and your offspring all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”  Here’s the really cool part about that expression.  Far too often it is taken far too literally.  Far too often we hear how through the Jews we get the law and we get the understanding of God’s ways.  And yes, there is no denying that. 

But let’s take it a little less literally, shall we?  It is through the ultimate plan of God’s choosing Abraham – that is the whole point of bringing Jesus Christ to this earth – in which the world is truly blessed!  It is only through Jesus Christ, His teaching, His death, and His bodily resurrection that we find our true blessing! 

So when I read this promise to Jacob what I hear being said is that God is promising to adhere to the plan.  Jesus will come and change the whole dynamic of the divine relationship.  After Jesus comes, God will call on a man named Paul to make sure that this change in the divine relationship includes not just the Jews but Gentiles as well!  In this simple promise to Jacob we can look and see the beginnings of God’s plan.  That is cool.

God’s peace.  God’s blessing.  And this day I hope that you see yourself as a part of the fulfillment of the promise God made to Jacob so many thousands of nights ago. 

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* We can see here that tithing did not originate with the law, but it was a practice occurring within the people well before the law comes around.