Wednesday 08/09/17
Message – Counsel of my Sons
Series: Thru the Bible – Genesis 30-31
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Counsel of my Sons
Genesis 34
- Dinah was probably between 13 and 15 at the time, and had attained perfect maturity; for this is often the case in the East at the age of 12, and sometimes earlier.
- This means she was young and impressionable.
- She went alone which was foolish…
- Of her if without permission, counsel and supervision
- Of her parents if they knowingly allowed it.
- She went out of curiosity.
- Shechem, the prince of the country, took her, and lay with her, it should seem, not so much by force as by surprise.
- Note, Great men think they may do any thing and rarely seek counsel before acting in passion.
- The fact that the passage tells us he spoke kindly to her… Sought the favor and permission of her father to marry, was willing to be circumcised and was said to be more honorable than all in his father’s house would lead one to believe this was not rape… but seduction.
- It is not uncommon for a young girl to get swept off her feet by the advances of a young man… Especially one who is famous or powerful or whose affections might make them the envy of other women.
- See what came of Dinah’s gadding: she, nor her parents had the counsel of the Lord on these issues, where as the counsel offered in Titus 2:5 says young women must learn to be chaste and keepers at home but a law from God is not necessary when common sense offers the same advice.
- We need to be careful what curiosities we indulge.
- Jacob was silent… he left his impetuous sons speak for him and allowed himself to be caught in the snare of their pour counsel.
- Jacob should have declined immediately or out of respect to the covenant, sent them away to allow for time to discuss it with God and his sons.
- The passage says Jacob’s sons answered, but we later see that in fact Simeon and Levi seem to have acted alone in this counsel.
- It was these two who particularly targeted Shechem and his father and who carried away Dinah back to their father’s house.
- However it appears that the rest of the sons of Jacob joined with them following the wholesale Slaughter of the rest of the men, but plundering all the land.
- It is possible that “What” Simeon and Levi said was either true or thought to be true… but their purpose in saying it was deceitful.
- Jacob clearly regretted his silence and temporary agreement with their words which he as a standbyer took for counsel. This is clear based upon…
- His statement to them after the slaughter – “You have troubled me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I.”
- In this we see Jacob’s ongoing fear of safety. He never consumed God nor apparently sought His protection in faith.
- His statement to them after the slaughter – “You have troubled me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I.”
and…
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- Jacob’s prophecy over Simeon & Levi… Genesis 49:5-7,
“5 Simeon and Levi are brothers; Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place.
6 Let not my soul enter their council; Let not my honor be united to their assembly; For in their anger they slew a man, And in their self-will they hamstrung an ox.
7 Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob And scatter them in Israel.”
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- In the end Simon and Levi were unrepentant and defended their actions to their father as if they were somehow Noble.
- Jacob did not have the ruling of his house in this instance.
- Jacob’s lagging obedience to return home costs both he and an entire kingdom.
Genesis 35
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- God again comes to Jacob and tells him to go towards home and “DWELL WHERE I MEET YOU AS YOU DID FROM ESAU AT THE BEGINNING”…. Similar to what He had told him in Genesis 31:3, “Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.”
- Jacob makes mention of God having protected him in the past which may be what was, at least in part, at the root of his desire to become obedient this time.
- Jacob clearly knew the foreign Gods in his house were not acceptable to God, but as to whether these were the gods taken in plunder in Shechem or those Rachel had hid from her father Laban is not known. it is possible Jacob did not even know Rachel had the idols of her father.
- Jacob’s mothers nurse had died and was buried beneath the terebinth tree. So he named it Allon Bachuth in her honor. It means, “oak of weeping”
- God appears again to Jacob now that he had put Padam Aram behind him.
- God reminds him of his covenant name – Israel.
- Jacob appears to keep his promise to tithe… Gen. 28:22, “(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.”
- Jacob offers tithes in the form of cattle offerings.
- … And in V14 – Jacob offers tithe in the form of drink offerings.
- Just outside Bethlehem Rachel dies in childbirth.
- She calls his name Ben-oni = son of my sorrow
- Jacob could not bear carrying the sorrow of his wife’s sorrow for a lifetime in the name of her last gift to him… So renames him Benjamin = son of my right hand so as to hold her close through him.
- This naming of Benjamin in this place near the tower of Edar is significant since it was a place well suited for pasture. This is presumed to be the same field where the shepherds are told of Christ’s birth many years later… “son if my right hand”
- Reuben dishonors his father by having sex with one of his wives.
- Apparently Jacob said nothing…until later .
- Jacob finally visits his father before he dies at 180.
- Esau’s & Jacob no doubt had an interesting reunion as they committed their father to the ground.
Not reading 36 together but may offer a few thought on it next week before we move on to 37.
There is much more information in the audio/video of the actual message. I hope you listen, learn and enjoy!
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