Life Changes You Genesis 35-36
There are some things in life that change us; usually they are the big stressors; changing jobs, deaths, marriages, moving, betrayals. We change for the better or worse depending on our response to these events. When I was 28 years old my first husband was hit by a car while crossing the street and died instantly. We had been married 7 years and had 4 children. That event changed me forever. Now, I look back at that event as the dividing place in my life; life before and life after are almost separate lives connected only by the event and the people that remained in my life. There are 2 moments in my life like this that were that significant. During those times God had my undivided attention with laser like focus. Each of those was followed by a spiritual growth spurt, and a time where my connection to God was unequaled. Just like the prodigal son, God will allows us to resist his love and the plan He has for us, He waits until we are ready to listen to Him and accept what He has to offer us. Sometimes the natural pain of life can bring us to that point, other times our resistance can bring consequences that draw us to God crying "uncle". In chapter 35 Jacob has almost all of life’s biggest stressors crammed into one chapter of the Bible. This moment comes right after the rape of his daughter Dinah. He is close to war with the men of Shechem because of his sons rash reaction to that event, and is about to enter into an alliance with the Canaanites which would mess up the Israelite family tree. God decides this is the time to intervene and calls Jacob back to Bethel, a place that hold high significance, and will later be Bethlehem. Jacob is almost ready to listen. God clearly protects them as they leave Shechem without incident and are not attacked by the men in city that had been the object of his son's revenge. Up until now in Jacob's life he seems to be a follower of Yahweh in name only; 2 Timothy 3:5. It has been 35 years since he had vowed to return to Bethel during the wrestling session with God in chapter 32 and 10 years since he left his Uncle Laban with his wives and children. As he comes to Bethel he loses his favorite wife Rachel as she dies in childbirth and his last son Benjamin is born. His son Ruben betrays him by sleeping with one of his concubines and his father Isaac dies. Although they were already nomadic in lifestyle this move seems to be more significant than the others. Jacob (now called Israel), instructs the family clan to rid themselves of all idols and appears to finally take on his role as the spiritual leader, following the God of his fathers, and accepting the promise made to his grandfather.
Proverbs 29:25
TIDBITS FROM GENESIS 35-36
- God reiterates the name change from Jacob to Israel
- Genesis 36 is the family line of Esau (the Edomites)
- Isaac is 180 when he dies
- There is a who's who of Jacobs wives and concubines laid out
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