Old and Full of Years

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

OLD AND FULL OF YEARS

Gen 35:21-29

21 Israel moved on again and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder. 22 While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it. Jacob had twelve sons:

23 The sons of Leah: Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun.

24 The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.

25 The sons of Rachel's maidservant Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali.

26 The sons of Leah's maidservant Zilpah: Gad and Asher.

These were the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.

27 Jacob came home to his father Isaac in Mamre, near Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. 28 Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years. 29 Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

NIV

Although this historical record recounts all twelve sons of Israel, including their mothers, several events are notable. First, we are not sure why we are told that Reuben went into the tent of Bilhah, and the only comment was that Israel heard of it. We are not told if there was any confrontation between Israel and Reuben, or whether Bilhah was complicit, or whether Reuben forced himself on her. Another interesting thing is that God changed Jacob's name to Israel, yet here he is called Jacob in the list of his twelve sons, and when he returns to his father's household and buries Isaac with Esau. However, our lesson today is about the statement made about Isaac. Living 180 years is somewhat typical for men of that period; however, living to old age and full of years gives a clue to life. Whatever the number of days the Lord has apportioned us, we would be wise to live them in a manner that makes them full years. The opposite would mean we lived wasted years. Certainly, the moment we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we began to live in the fullness of life. Before knowing Jesus, we were simply wasting away, unable to be full of years. We do not know how many years the Lord has determined for us, yet by living with him and being filled with the Holy Spirit every year, every day, we live fully. Because of that, our lives are full of years. Someday, we will breathe our last and be gathered to our people. Let those who bury us remember us as living to an old age and full of years. 

My Right Hand

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

MY RIGHT HAND

Gen 35:16-20

16 Then they moved on from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and had great difficulty. 17 And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife said to her, "Don't be afraid, for you have another son." 18 As she breathed her last — for she was dying — she named her son Ben-Oni. But his father named him Benjamin.   19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20 Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day that pillar marks Rachel's tomb.

NIV

This was a sad moment in the life of Rachel and Israel as she gave birth to the twelfth son of Israel and breathed her last. When his name was still Jacob, and he first met her and wanted her as his wife, we are told he loved Rachel. Leah and the two handmaidens, Bilhah and Zilpah, bore Jacob sons, but Rachel was his right hand. That is the meaning of the name Benjamin, son of  my right hand. Is this not the lesson all men should take to heart? First and foremost, men are commanded to love their wives, just as Christ loved the church. We are confident that Jacob loved Rachel this way, for he worked fourteen years for her. He gave of himself for her. We would think most men give of themselves, work, labor, and provide as best they can for their wives and families. But the lesson revealed to us is that, by naming him Benjamin, son of my right hand, Israel says Rachel was his right hand. Men are not only commanded to love their wives, but to see them as their right hand. The name Benjamin is important, as that tribe camped to the right of the tabernacle, serving as its right hand and buffering Judah. Both King Saul and the Apostle Paul were from the tribe of Benjamin. It might be seen that because Benjamin buffered Judah, the tribe, the right hand of God came to earth; Israel naming him the son of my right hand was prophetic. However, we still come to the relationship between Israel and Rachel, a bond, a love for all time. We think a man's love for his wife should be recorded as a love for all time. Whatever is said about a man, whether about his career, his accomplishments, or his service to the Lord, the most important remembrance should be that he loved his wife and that she was his right hand, that which is his source of strength. 

The Presence of El-Shaddai

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE PRESENCE OF EL-SHADDAI

Gen 35:6-15

6 Jacob and all the people with him came to Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan. 7 There he built an altar, and he called the place El Bethel, because it was there that God revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother. 8 Now Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died and was buried under the oak below Bethel. So it was named Allon Bacuth.   9 After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him. 10 God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel." So he named him Israel. 11 And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. 12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you." 13 Then God went up from him at the place where he had talked with him. 14 Jacob set up a stone pillar at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it. 15 Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel.  

NIV

Although we see Jacob was visited by someone referred to as a man, he wrestled with God, for that is what the name Israel means. Yet God visits him again and confirms that he will no longer be Jacob; his name will be Israel. This time, God makes sure Israel knows it is El-Shaddai, God Almighty, the creator of all that is created, who has changed his name. Once again, we see these two words, fruitful and multiple, used together, which may imply that God intended Israel's fruitfulness to mean an increase in numbers. However, he already had eleven of the twelve tribes, leaving Benjamin the only one left for Rebekah to give birth to. If being fruitful meant gaining something material, Israel already had more possessions than he could ever need. The Hebrew word translated as fruitful means bearing fruit, showing fruitfulness. This must refer to a person's character, not simply increasing in number, which the other word means directly. This is the work of the Holy Spirit within those who accept Jesus. He changes our character and our name. Once we were called lost, but now we are called found. Once we were called sinners, but now we are called saints. Once we were orphans, living without God, but now we are called children of God, for we have been adopted into his family. Of course, Israel became the father of those twelve tribes, from whom the Messiah, the Lion of Judah, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, was to come. He gave Israel the land he had given to Abraham and Isaac. This is historic, and that land is theirs forever, or at least to the end of this age. We have been promised another land within the kingdom of God. A new city is coming down from heaven, our inheritance, where we will spend eternity in the presence of El-Shaddai. 

The Terror of God

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE TERROR OF GOD

Gen 35:1-5

35:1 Then God said to Jacob, "Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau." 2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. 3 Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone." 4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem. 5 Then they set out, and the terror of God fell upon the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.

NIV

When God said, "Go," Jacob left where he was and went where God told him to go. That alone is a lesson we need to take to heart. God wanted Jacob to return to the place He had appeared to him when he was fleeing from Esau. We should always go where the Lord tells us to go, or stay where he has directed us to stay. If we are believers and followers of Jesus, that means he leads. We are not supposed to make those choices about where to go or where to worship Him. We know that Rachel took her father's household gods, but we wonder how many others in Jacob's household had other gods, or idols. Another truth that stands out is that they were told to purify themselves and change their clothes. They were to prepare themselves to meet the living God. However, the one truth we should focus on is that as they traveled to Bethel, the terror of God fell upon the towns around them, so no one pursued them. That time might have been far more lawless than our culture today, since townspeople likely attacked travelers passing through. However, the terror of God fell upon them. We spend a lot of time talking about God's love, quoting John 3:16, but how much time do we spend considering the terror of God? That does not mean we would experience his terror, for we are his children, but as we walk through life, perhaps the world we pass through might be feeling the terror of God, so they do not even attempt to pursue us in an effort to do us harm. We are under the mighty hand of the Most High God. We are under his divine protection from evil. Jacob traveled freely to Bethel without interference from any of the towns he passed along the way; however, he was moving under the direction of God. That is the key to our living and moving freely without interference from this world. We should always walk under God's direction, and in doing so, God's terror will fall on anyone who desires to harm us. There is a huge difference between  God walking with us and us walking with God. Let him lead; we will follow, and we will see God's terror fall on all around us, protecting us as we go where he leads. 

Revenge Justified or Not

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

REVENGE JUSTIFIED OR NOT

Gen 34:13-31

13 Because their sister Dinah had been defiled, Jacob's sons replied deceitfully as they spoke to Shechem and his father Hamor. 14 They said to them, "We can't do such a thing; we can't give our sister to a man who is not circumcised. That would be a disgrace to us. 15 We will give our consent to you on one condition only: that you become like us by circumcising all your males. 16 Then we will give you our daughters and take your daughters for ourselves. We'll settle among you and become one people with you. 17 But if you will not agree to be circumcised, we'll take our sister and go." 18 Their proposal seemed good to Hamor and his son Shechem. 19 The young man, who was the most honored of all his father's household, lost no time in doing what they said, because he was delighted with Jacob's daughter. 20 So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city to speak to their fellow townsmen. 21 "These men are friendly toward us," they said. "Let them live in our land and trade in it; the land has plenty of room for them. We can marry their daughters and they can marry ours. 22 But the men will consent to live with us as one people only on the condition that our males be circumcised, as they themselves are. 23 Won't their livestock, their property and all their other animals become ours? So let us give our consent to them, and they will settle among us." 24 All the men who went out of the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male in the city was circumcised. 25 Three days later, while all of them were still in pain, two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took their swords and attacked the unsuspecting city, killing every male. 26 They put Hamor and his son Shechem to the sword and took Dinah from Shechem's house and left. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the dead bodies and looted the city where their sister had been defiled. 28 They seized their flocks and herds and donkeys and everything else of theirs in the city and out in the fields. 29 They carried off all their wealth and all their women and children, taking as plunder everything in the houses. 30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have brought trouble on me by making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land. We are few in number, and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed." 31 But they replied, "Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?"

NIV

Did Hamar lie to the people of his city so his son could have Dinah? The reason he told all the males they needed to be circumcised is so the Israelites would settle in their land and the men could marry their women and they would marry their women. A mixture of peoples, which the God of Israel did not approve of. However, the brothers of Dinah were dealing deceptively with Hamor and Shechem, knowing that when adult men were circumcised, the pain would disable them for days. As it happened, Simeon and Levi killed every male, including Hamor and Shechem. Instead of Hamor's lie that all the Israelites' possessions would be theirs, the Israelites took all their possessions. What lesson does the narrative of deceit and lies teach? Was it right for Simeon and Levi to avenge their sister? We cannot judge the men of that time with the code of law we live by. However, Shechem did wrong by defiling Dinah, though we do not know whether he did so against her will or whether she was complicit in their act. We are told that Shechem took her and violated her, so it would seem it was against her will. Again, we come to the question of what we learn that applies to our lives. First, we can never behave deceitfully, yet what we do and how we behave comes from what is in our hearts. We would never take revenge as Simeon and Levi did, even though it may have seemed justified in their case. We wonder: even though we don't express or act on revenge, could we still think it? Could we think about wanting to get even with someone we think harmed us? They didn't do what we wanted, so we won't do what they want. They did not listen to us 

, so we will not listen to them. What about the person we do not even know who cuts us off on the road? Do we want to repay their rudeness? We can imagine a variety of scenarios that might count as revenge, either in thought or in action.  When we think or act that way, aren't we thinking more highly of ourselves than we should? Simeon and Levi certainly felt justified in their actions, but their father, Jacob, was not pleased. If we behaved or even had a thought of any form of revenge in our hearts, our Father would not be pleased. 

Honor, Honesty, Respect

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

HONOR HONESTY RESPECT

Gen 34:1-12

34:1 Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land. 2 When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and violated her. 3 His heart was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her. 4 And Shechem said to his father Hamor, "Get me this girl as my wife." 5 When Jacob heard that his daughter Dinah had been defiled, his sons were in the fields with his livestock; so he kept quiet about it until they came home. 6 Then Shechem's father Hamor went out to talk with Jacob. 7 Now Jacob's sons had come in from the fields as soon as they heard what had happened. They were filled with grief and fury, because Shechem had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter — a thing that should not be done. 8 But Hamor said to them, "My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife. 9 Intermarry with us; give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves. 10 You can settle among us; the land is open to you. Live in it, trade in it, and acquire property in it." 11 Then Shechem said to Dinah's father and brothers, "Let me find favor in your eyes, and I will give you whatever you ask. 12 Make the price for the bride and the gift I am to bring as great as you like, and I'll pay whatever you ask me. Only give me the girl as my wife."

NIV

How can a man violate a woman and then have his heart drawn to her and ask for her to become his wife? Did not the act itself make them one? But this was not how he sought Dinah as his bride. Jacob was not pleased; his sons were even more displeased with Shechem's disgraceful act with their sister. Now Shechem offered whatever they asked in exchange for permission to take Dinah as a wife. We know the cost will come later; for now, what can we learn? First, to live honorably, without offending others. Shechem did something dishonest, which went against God's principles. Jacob agreed to work for fourteen years to have his bride, but he got two, because Laban was not an honorable man. God has shown us through the lives of these men over the years: Adam, Cain, and Abel; Enoch, who walked with God and was no more; Noah; Abram, whom God changed his name to Abraham; and Isaac, for whom God provided a ram in the thicket; and Jacob, whom God named Israel and made the father of the twelve tribes. None of these men was perfect; many had flaws, but they worshipped the one true God. They encountered God or the LORD's angels. This truth shows that we should live humbly before God, living upright, honest lives among men. Jacob and his sons wanted to honor their sister and give her the respect she deserved, but Shechem did not; he disrespected her and her family. Let us make every effort to live in peace, to live an honorable life, even among those who do dishonorable and dishonest things. Shechem made a foolish mistake by telling Jacob and his sons he would pay whatever they asked, even though it would cost him his life. Let us live in a way worthy of the life Jesus gave us. Let us live with honor, honesty, and respect. 

The Face of God

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE FACE OF GOD

Gen 33:8-20

8 Esau asked, "What do you mean by all these droves I met?" "To find favor in your eyes, my lord," he said. 9 But Esau said, "I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself." 10 "No, please!" said Jacob. "If I have found favor in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably. 11 Please accept the present that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me and I have all I need." And because Jacob insisted, Esau accepted it. 12 Then Esau said, "Let us be on our way; I'll accompany you." 13 But Jacob said to him, "My lord knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die. 14 So let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I move along slowly at the pace of the droves before me and that of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir." 15 Esau said, "Then let me leave some of my men with you." "But why do that?" Jacob asked. "Just let me find favor in the eyes of my lord." 16 So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir. 17 Jacob, however, went to Succoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Succoth. 18 After Jacob came from Paddan Aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan and camped within sight of the city. 19 For a hundred pieces of silver, he bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, the plot of ground where he pitched his tent. 20 There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel.  

NIV

Although this is simply a conversation between Jacob and Esau over the gifts presented, something stands out: the first refusal, the second attempt to give, and then the acceptance. Jacob said that because he found favor in Esau, when he looked at him, it was like seeing the face of God, now that he had received him favorably. Our first thought goes to the moment we take our last breath: when God receives us favorably, we will see Him in all His glory; we will be looking at God. We also remember that at their first meeting, Jacob bowed low, as did all his family. We will be sure that, as we meet God face to face, we will bow low. However, this truth also applies to seeing the face of God in a person, as Jacob did when he saw Esau. Because we are in Christ and He is in us, and we have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, or the Holy Spirit has been poured out upon us, whichever way we express it. The point is that the Holy Spirit dwells within us, and He has brought His gifts and fruits to manifest in us and through us. Of course, Jacob and Esau were family, and that first applies within the church, where we are all God's family.  We wonder if we reflect the face of God to others. What do other believers see when they look upon our face? Do they find favor in us? Do we accept them as brothers and sisters, without judgement? Do they see the face of God when they see us? Do we see the face of God when we see them? We wonder what the church would look like if we lived in that manner. We wonder what the church, us, would look like to the world around us. Of course, there are sinners, but we all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. Esau was not perfect, but Jacob saw him as if he were seeing the face of God. We cannot love sin or the sinful lives people live, but how can they see the face of God if we do not reflect it in their presence? People around the world, those who live a sinful life, accept each other and give credence to one another; yet how do we love them, reflecting the face of God to them, without accepting their sinful behavior? Then we think of Jesus, and while we were yet sinners, he died on the cross for us, for God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Should we not love like that? Should we not reflect the face of God?