Genesis 37:12-14

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12 Then his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” So he said to him, “Here I am.” 14 Then he said to him, “Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.” So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem. ~ Genesis 37:12-14

Today, we continue our study of the life of Joseph. Just as God spoke His wisdom to us through stories out of Jacob's life, He did the same through the life of Joseph. In doing so, God didn’t present Joseph as perfect, but rather exposed him for all of us to see. The patriarchs of Israel were no different than we, they struggled to walk with the Lord as we do and I find that quite encouraging. Through these stories we see the struggles in the lives of people who loved God and wanted to love Him even more. As we watch God interact with them, we get a sense of what it looks like to have a personal relationship with Him. 

In v.12-13 of today's passage we read, "12 Then his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, 'Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.' So he said to him, 'Here I am.'"

Jacob, the father of Joseph, was at this time, living in Hebron which was about 60 miles away from Shechem. During this period, Joseph had his dreams concerning his brother's sheaves bowing down to his sheaf, and then the 12 stars and the sun and moon bowing down to the Lord Jesus. After this, his brothers went back to Shechem to feed their flocks. Shechem was the same place where Jacob and his family had once lived, the place where Jacob's sons had killed all of the men of the town.  

The name "Israel" is mentioned only twice in this chapter; the first to describe Jacob's love for Joseph and the second when Jacob spoke to Joseph directly. Later, when he hears of his son’s supposed death, he will be called Jacob. There is Jacob, the deceiver, who will be deceived, and there is Israel who struggles with God. In this verse, he is Israel.

And so Israel said to Joseph, the beloved son, "Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem?" This question was a way of introducing a line of thought. It is a rhetorical question like others frequently used throughout both the Old and New Testaments. The question was actually a statement of fact. With the usage of this question, Jacob was preparing Joseph for his directions. By introducing this thought as a question, it alleviated the explanation. Jacob told Joseph where his brothers were and what they were doing. As a result, all he had to do was to give his directions and then anticipate Joseph's response. 

At this point in the narrative, Jacob was a picture of God the Father. Joseph pictured the Lord Jesus. Joseph was hated by his brothers, something which was specifically noted earlier in this chapter. The Lord Jesus, likewise, knew He would be hated by His countrymen. Jacob then sent His most beloved son similar to way that God the Father sent His Son from His heavenly home to this wicked world. 

As soon as Jacob spoke, Joseph responded, and he did so without hesitation in his words. Joseph replied, "Here I am." In Hebrews 10:5-7 we read, "5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: 'Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. 7 Then I said, 'Behold, I have come in the volume of the book it is written of Me to do Your will, O God.'" Quoting Psalm 40 the Lord Jesus responded in the same manner as Joseph.

In v.14 of todays passage we read, "Then he said to him, 'Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.' So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem."

Literally, Jacob said to Joseph, "go see if there is peace." Jacob wanted to make sure that his sons were ok. If so, Joseph was to bring back the news. This shows that Jacob had assigned Joseph as the overseer to his older brothers. Jacob's sons were back in the place where they had killed all of the men in the entire town of Shechem. Jacob was concerned for the safety of his sons. Since Jacob also mentioned the flocks, he was also concerned for the weakest of the sheep. What a picture of the Father was Jacob and what a picture of the Lord Jesus was Joseph. In John 10:11 we read, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep."

Jacob and Joseph were in the Valley of Hebron. This is the only time in the Bible the words "the Valley of Hebron" is used. It was specifically named here to show us that from this place of depth comes the reuniting of God and man through the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Deep is the love of God even for the least. The root for the word "valley" is used in Psalm 92:5 which reads, "O Lord, how great are Your works! Your thoughts are very deep." In Romans 11:33 we read, "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!"

The Lord Jesus left heaven! The simplicity of those words belie the magnitude of their meaning. The second person of the trinity, who has always existed in perfect, unbroken union with God, the Father, and God, the Holy Spirit, left that perfect fellowship to find you and me. He left heaven with full disclosure of the horrors that awaited Him on earth. During the final hours of His earthly life, the Lord Jesus asked the Father if there was any way other than the cross. It makes me wonder what He felt in those last hours before He stepped out of heaven, put on human flesh, and submitted to the Father’s will for leaving. Despite all of that, He sought us out so that we might be secured by Him for eternity.

Genesis 37:5-11

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5 Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. 6 So he said to them, "Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf." 8 And his brothers said to him, "Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. 9 Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, "Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me." 10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?" 11 And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind. ~ Genesis 37:5-11

Today, we continue our study of Genesis 37 where the spotlight has shifted to the next Patriarch of Israel, Joseph. Although his brothers already hated him because he was most favored by their father, the events of today's passage further ratcheted down their hatred for their little brother. The underlining story was that Joseph's brothers hated him because of his God-given rule and authority. Their problem was they could not see in advance that God had His hand upon Joseph who pictured the Lord Jesus who was hatred Himself by His countrymen.

In v.5-8 of today's passage we read, "5 Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. 6 So he said to them, 'Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.' 8 And his brothers said to him, 'Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?' So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words."

Joseph's dream was from God and in it Joseph saw that there were 12 sons binding sheaves in the field. He then saw that his sheaf arose and stood up. And then he said that his brothers' their sheaves stood all around his and bowed down to his sheaf. Needless to say, Joseph's brothers did not like this message. When prophets speak on the behalf of God, more often than not they are hated. Thirteen years later, Joseph's brothers came to Egypt and they bowed down to him, because they wanted food. They were starving to death, and they didn't know that their little brother had become the second most powerful man in the world and could give them all the food they needed. When we are not in the habit of walking with the Lord, we will fail to recognize His will and His ways. 

The first dream got Joseph in trouble with his brothers. They asked, "shall you indeed have dominion over us?" Twice we are told that they hate him and along with the second time we read the words "even more" which is a Hebrew word that has the same root word as Joseph’s name. Joseph means "he increases." Over the course of this story, Joseph will increase, but his brothers’ hatred will increase as well. The amazing part about this is that even their hatred was allowed and used by God for Joseph's and his family's good.

In v.9 of today's passage we read, "Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, 'Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.'"

Once again, Joseph had another dream which resembled the first, and in the Bible, when things are repeated, the second occurrence is given to confirm the first. The symbolism of the 11 stars was the same as the 11 sheaves. They speak of the 11 brothers of Joseph. Joseph's second dream was in the heavens. The sun, the moon, and the stars bowed down to him. The message is that Christ is Lord in the heavenlies. 

Here's why Joseph's dream could have become a living nightmare. He came from a dysfunctional family. His grandfather, Abraham was dishonest. Abraham put his wife in another man's tent, told her to spend the night there. "Tell him you're my sister," Joseph said to Sarah. Jacob was deceitful. His name meant deceiver. He stole the birthright from his brother, Esau. Jacob fled in terror from Esau because Esau was going to kill him. He fell hopelessly in love with Rachel, the daughter of Laban. Jacob was deceived by Laban, his father-in-law, to work 14 years for Rachel's hand in marriage. What we do to others, God will see to it that that happens to us. Jacob deceived his father, so he was deceived by his father-in-law, and it cost him 14 years of his life.

In Joseph's second dream the sun and the moon represented Joseph's father and mother, Jacob and Leah. I know, his mother was Rachel, but she had dies and at the giving of this prophecy Leah was his mother. The sun represented the tribe of Judah, through whom the Lord Jesus Christ came. And, as we will see, the moon was ultimately fulfilled in Leah who pictured the law. In the Psalms, Judah is said to be the lawgiver. All the tribes of Israel and the law, which was what established them as a people, will all bow down to the Lord Jesus Christ as the King of kings and the Lord of lords to the glory of God. 

Joseph's second dream not only got Joseph in trouble with his brothers, now his father was mad at him too. We are told that his father rebuked him. Here, Joseph was in the middle of a completely dysfunctional family, yet there are these promises from God. Glimpses of the future which didn’t really seem to fit their current situation. Joseph was given promises from God and he was careful to be defined by those promises. Even when our family shuns us we must be defined by the word of God.

In v.10-11 of today's passage we read, "10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?" 11 And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind."

After Jospeh told his father and his brothers this second dream, Jacob was incredulous and rightfully so. There is no record of Jacob bowing to Joseph. It would be a stretch to find this dream’s fulfillment in him in any way at all. In the end, this second dream can be, and is, only fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. The nation of Israel, and the law which was issued to them, is the only reasonable explanation to what has been seen in Joseph’s second dream. Thus, there is a literal and spiritual fulfillment of the first dream, and a spiritual fulfillment in the second. But both are realized in the Lord Jesus ultimately.

Envy can lead to trouble, however, our trouble can be used by God in ways that are more marvelous than we might imagine. The terrible ordeal that Joseph would face because of his brother’s envy will be used by God at the Exodus to show forth His glory in a way which has been remembered for close to 4000 years. The exodus of Israel out of Egypt never would have occurred if Joseph wasn’t first sold by his brothers. And our exodus from our unforgiven state would have never have come about unless the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified whose cross also came about by the consuming envy of His own countrymen. 

Genesis 37:1-4

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1 Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2 This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. ~ Genesis 37:1-4

Today, we transition into Genesis 37 where the focus turns from Jacob to one of his sons, Joseph, the final patriarch of Israel. As quickly as Abraham and Isaac ceased to be the focus of the narrative, Jacob did the same. Enter the firstborn of Rachel. The entire book of Genesis is structured around four events: Creation, The Fall, The Flood and The Tower of Babel, and, four people: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. The Holy Spirit allotted one-fourth of the Book of Genesis to the subject of this one man named Joseph. One-fourth, 25% of the book of Genesis is dedicated to him.

In v.1-2 of today's passage we read, "1 Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2 This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father."

While Esau’s line had moved to and possessed the land of Seir, the son of the promised line lived as a stranger in the land. Jacob's father, Isaac was indeed a stranger in Canaan much more so than his son Jacob was a stranger. It would seem that if you were to look at Jacob's life, he resembled in his value system the people of Canaan more than Isaac, his father. All who have been born again by the Holy Spirit of God live as strangers in this world. This world will never be the home of the follower of the God of the Bible. 

Joseph was a teenaged boy of seventeen years at this point in the narrative. He was a shepherd and he was out with some of his brothers, referred here as the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah. This meant that Joseph was out in the fields with Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher. Joseph was out there with his older brothers to be a servant to them. Actually, he was doing their dirty work for them. It was at this point that we are told that Joseph "brought a bad report of them to his father." 

In v.3 of today's passage we read, "Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors."

The name Jacob is used three times in this chapter. The name Israel is used twice. Both times Israel is used, it is in connection with Joseph. Here it says Israel loved Joseph more than all his children. And the reason is given, "he was the son of his old age." This is not a reference to Jacob’s advanced physical age, it was a reference to Joseph’s advanced mental age. Joseph had wisdom and understanding beyond his 17 years and Jacob loved him for this quality. 

The irony of this was Jacob of all people should understand how dangerous favoritism can be in a family. Jacob’s dad preferred his brother Esau over him. In response, Jacob's mom cooked up a scheme for him to trick his father and steal his brother's blessing. Not only was Joseph his father’s favorite, but his father gave Joseph "a robe of many colors" which was a symbol of privilege and authority. This robe was a robe of royalty in their culture. Jacob wasn’t just expressing his favoritism, he was elevating Joseph above the other older brothers. When Joseph wore this robe, it meant that he was given the position of overseer and was not expected to do manual labor.

In v.4 of today's passage we read, "But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him."

There is no shortage of irony in these verses because Jacob had been reared by parents who each had their favorites. The favoritism that had spoiled the tranquility of Jacob's childhood home was about to wreck his family, too. One might think that Jacob would have learned of the dangers of favoritism, but this was not the case, for Jacob proved to be a stubborn, impetuous man and a very poor father. Although he had eleven other sons, Jacob’s favor clearly rested upon the second-youngest son, Joseph. Jacob's overt favoritism created a dangerous schism among the brothers. The older boys hated Joseph because he received his father’s undivided attention and affection. The older sons resented Joseph, and this open contempt created a common bond that eventually resulted in a family mutiny and Joseph’s hostile banishment into Egyptian slavery.

The Christian life is an ongoing civil war whereby we are meant to learn the wisdom of feeding the Spirit. Sin is an ever-present threat that requires believers to be on our constant guard against our most prominent enemy, ourselves. The greatest danger isn’t posed by the "big sins," like murder and adultery. It is the obscure sins that pose the greatest hazard because they’re simply not on our radar and they don’t yield immediate consequences. The sin of favoritism is one example. We are so naturally inclined to play favorites that we can do it without even knowing it. And the consequences simmer like a resentful volcano, waiting to erupt when we least expect.

The answer to this is that we may be defined by God. This is what it means to walk in the Spirit. Rather than what our flesh naturally desires which is always sin, the Spirit will lead us to be defined by God. This is why it is so important that we obey God, especially when we lack the wisdom to see its value in the moment. As we will see, Joseph had to go through some intense moments before he could be used of God in some mighty ways. When we allow God to meet with us in obscurity and makes us in secret into what He wants us to be, it will be then that He will use us in very powerful ways in the lives of others.

Genesis 36:24-43

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24 The sons of Zibeon were Aiah and Anah. Anah is the man who found the hot springs in the desert while he was caring for his father’s donkeys. 25 The children of Anah were Dishon and Aholibamah daughter of Anah. 26 The sons of Dishon were Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran. 27 The sons of Ezer were Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. 28 The sons of Dishan were Uz and Aran. 29 These were the names of the Horite leaders: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 30 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These men were the leaders of the Horite families who lived in the land of Edom. 31 These are the kings who ruled in the land of Edom before the Israelites ever had a king: 32 Bela son of Beor was the king of Edom. He came from the city of Dinhabah. 33 When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah became king. Jobab was from Bozrah. 34 When Jobab died, Husham became king. He was from the land of the Temanites. 35 When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who had defeated Midian in the country of Moab, became king. Hadad was from the city of Avith. 36 When Hadad died, Samlah became king. He was from Masrekah. 37 When Samlah died, Shaul became king. He was from Rehoboth on the Euphrates River. 38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Acbor became king. 39 When Baal-Hanan son of Acbor died, Hadad became king. He was from the city of Pau. His wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, who was the daughter of Me-Zahab. 40 These Edomite leaders, listed by their families and regions, came from Esau. Their names were Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 41 Aholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 42 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 43 Magdiel, and Iram. They were the leaders of Edom. (Esau was the father of the Edomites.) The area where each of these families lived was named after that family. ~ Genesis 36:24-43

Today, we return to our study of Genesis 36 which is the recording of the genealogy of Esau. This is the ninth genealogy in the book of Genesis. Six lists make up this chapter. To this point in our study of this chapter, we have considered the first three. Today, we will consider the last three. Thus far, one thing has been made clear: Esau's family tree was much more imposing than Jacob's, but this is the last that we hear of Esau and his lineage in the Scriptures. And, despite their failures and weaknesses, the children of Israel were used of God to deliver the Messiah to the world as He had promised.

In v.24-30 of today's passage we read, "24 The sons of Zibeon were Aiah and Anah. Anah is the man who found the hot springs in the desert while he was caring for his father’s donkeys. 25 The children of Anah were Dishon and Aholibamah daughter of Anah. 26 The sons of Dishon were Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran. 27 The sons of Ezer were Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. 28 The sons of Dishan were Uz and Aran. 29 These were the names of the Horite leaders: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 30 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These men were the leaders of the Horite families who lived in the land of Edom."

Although the descendants of Seir, the Horites, lived in this territory since before the time of Abraham, it was conquered and overcome by Esau and his descendants. While the nation would be called Edom, the land was still called Seir. This fourth listing focuses on the descendants of Anah who was credited for finding a "hot springs" in the desert. This story has been lost to us but when details are given like this, the veracity of the story is underscored to some degree. If we were to visit that area today we would discover quite a few hot springs. It is worth noting that for centuries, hot springs have been discovered throughout Israel.

In v.31-39 of today's passage we read, "31 These are the kings who ruled in the land of Edom before the Israelites ever had a king: 32 Bela son of Beor was the king of Edom. He came from the city of Dinhabah. 33 When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah became king. Jobab was from Bozrah. 34 When Jobab died, Husham became king. He was from the land of the Temanites. 35 When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who had defeated Midian in the country of Moab, became king. Hadad was from the city of Avith. 36 When Hadad died, Samlah became king. He was from Masrekah. 37 When Samlah died, Shaul became king. He was from Rehoboth on the Euphrates River. 38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Acbor became king. 39 When Baal-Hanan son of Acbor died, Hadad became king. He was from the city of Pau. His wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, who was the daughter of Me-Zahab."

The fifth list in this passage is of the kings of Edom. These kings were elected, no doubt for their leadership ability, rather than inheriting the position. Some Bible historians believe the phrase "before the Israelites ever had a king" was added as an editorial comment long after Moses first wrote Genesis. Other scholars feel that since there is no reference to the death of Hadar, the final king listed in v.39, he may have been the king of the Edomites at the time of Moses.  

In v.40-43 of today's passage we read, "40 These Edomite leaders, listed by their families and regions, came from Esau. Their names were Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 41 Aholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 42 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 43 Magdiel, and Iram. They were the leaders of Edom. (Esau was the father of the Edomites.) The area where each of these families lived was named after that family." 

This last list chronicles the chiefs of Esau who reigned after the coming together of the people of Seir and Edom. Here, Moses highlighted the joint influence of both groups, thus showing the transition from the people of Seir to the people of Edom who eventually completely replaced them. Although the line of promise, from Adam, through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is highlighted, God had still watched over the other people of the world in the process. Not one of them were lost to Him. These lists were written and recorded to show that the promises that were made to Esau were fulfilled exactly as they were given.

The Horites were cave dwellers who hid from God’s presence, just as Adam and Eve hid from the Lord when He came to them in the Garden of Eden. The awareness of their sin caused them to draw back from the One they had only a short time earlier beheld face to face. In the loss of relationship and intimacy came death which came in two forms: spiritual and physical. This was something promised would happen and it was immediate. Before he ate of the fruit, the Lord told Adam that on the day he ate of it, he would die. After the Fall man slowly began to learn that if his spiritual death wasn’t corrected before physical death came, then he would remain separated from God for all of eternity. This is why God devised His plan to send His Son, the Lord Jesus to come to this earth as the Lamb of God who would take on death and defeat it for all who would believe on Him. 

Genesis 36:15-23

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15 These were the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn son of Esau, were Chief Teman, Chief Omar, Chief Zepho, Chief Kenaz, 16 Chief Korah, Chief Gatam, and Chief Amalek. These were the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom. They were the sons of Adah. 17 These were the sons of Reuel, Esau’s son: Chief Nahath, Chief Zerah, Chief Shammah, and Chief Mizzah. These were the chiefs of Reuel in the land of Edom. These were the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife. 18 And these were the sons of Aholibamah, Esau’s wife: Chief Jeush, Chief Jaalam, and Chief Korah. These were the chiefs who descended from Aholibamah, Esau’s wife, the daughter of Anah. 19 These were the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these were their chiefs. 20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite who inhabited the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir, in the land of Edom. 22 And the sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam. Lotan’s sister was Timna. 23 These were the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. ~ Genesis 36:15-23

Today, we return to Genesis 36 which is mostly a compilation of the names of people and a few locations. Very little else is noted in this chapter. Yet, there is always a reason why God included these names and places. As we will discover, conscience is something given to us by God, it is immensely important to our eternal status. We were created in innocence, not bearing the knowledge of good and evil. Although we were deceived by the enemy, God knew that we would be deceived and that we would rebel against Him. He didn’t prevent us from choosing accordingly because we would otherwise be robots. Sadly, robots are programmed and have no heart.

All of mankind has a law written on our hearts which bears witness of God through our conscience. It works in tandem with our fears to push us into a personal relationship with God. This conscience can become seared and it can work against us, or it can be helpful to tenderize our hearts and fuel our faith in the God of the Bible. Ultimately, it is God's Spirit and His Word that He uses to address our willingness to trust Him in the end.

In v.15-16 of today's passage we read, "15 These were the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn son of Esau, were Chief Teman, Chief Omar, Chief Zepho, Chief Kenaz, 16 Chief Korah, Chief Gatam, and Chief Amalek. These were the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom. They were the sons of Adah."

Today's passage reveals the direction that our fears lead us without having placed our faith in the God of the Bible. Here, Moses lists the chiefs or the leaders of the family of Esau. The difference between these people and a king is that a king has been crowned, while these leaders had not. The title "chiefs" here literally speaks of "a leader of a thousand."
These men were the prominent descendants of Esau. The people of their tribes would be called after their name. 

In v.17-19 of today's passage we read, "17 These were the sons of Reuel, Esau’s son: Chief Nahath, Chief Zerah, Chief Shammah, and Chief Mizzah. These were the chiefs of Reuel in the land of Edom. These were the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife. 18 And these were the sons of Aholibamah, Esau’s wife: Chief Jeush, Chief Jaalam, and Chief Korah. These were the chiefs who descended from Aholibamah, Esau’s wife, the daughter of Anah. 19 These were the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these were their chiefs."

This list was given to show the link of Esau’s son Reuel by his wives Basemath and Aholibamah. Interestingly, God had these names recorded and preserved not through Esau and his descendants, but by the people of Israel. These names were so important to God that He had them maintained by His chosen people. The Bible is a book which, among other things, details the redemption of man. This seemingly tedious and often overlooked list is a part of that process. For those who are willing, God is willing to reach into our heart through such lists to tell us that He cares for us as He did the Edomites. 

In AD 70, the Temple where all of their genealogies were kept was destroyed. The only place where these names can be found is in the Bible. And there is only one genealogy of the Jewish people which is still intact from Adam onward. That genealogy is that of the Lord Jesus Christ. This shows us the incredible nature of God’s wisdom. The most published book on the face of the earth year after year, bears witness to the history of man. If we can simply look at the bigger picture and see this, then this historical narrative, with so many little stories which don’t seem to tie together or make sense, actually make all the sense in the world. Since the Fall of man God has been reaching out to rebellious man with the free gift of a personal relationship with Him through the gospel of His Son.

In v.20-23 of today's passage we read, "20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite who inhabited the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir, in the land of Edom. 22 And the sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam. Lotan’s sister was Timna. 23 These were the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam."

The name Seir is related to se’ar which means "hair." Closely related to it is the verb sa’ar which means to be "very afraid." When we are very afraid, our hair stands up. The noun sa’ir means a "he-goat," a bristly haired animal. Then there is another verb sa’fa which means "to be swept away." From this word comes se’ara and which means "storm." This concept of hair and all of these related words tie back to the thought of conscience. The sons of Seir were introduced here in order to show who the land belonged to prior to Esau taking it over. The Edomites intermarried with these people and eventually, the Edomites took from them their land. The sons of Seir did not look to the Lord for salvation and thus they were swept away.

These sons of Seir reveal the state of the unsaved man. The man named Seir was a Horite who were first introduced in Genesis14 at the times that the kings of the east came and attacked the land of Canaan. The designation "Horite" means "cave dweller." There in the land of awareness, they lived in caves. Throughout the Bible, caves are places where people go to hide away. Lot was afraid of living in Zoar and so he and his daughters moved to a cave. Caves, over and over in the Bible, represent those living in fear. In addition, the Edomites represent those who have a conscience but they choose to be defined by this world. 

In Hebrews 2:14-15 we read, "14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

God kept these records of these names and places in order to reveal the condition of those who were in bondage apart from Him. God’s eyes and His thoughts may have seemed to be directed only to the people of Israel, but in fact, they were also on all of those whom He had created. God has always had a heart for all people as indicated through the promise that He made to Abraham. That promise included salvation for all people both Jew and Gentile.

Lotan was the first son of Seir. His name meant "covering." Lotan is derived from the word "lowt" which is used exactly one time in the Bible. In Isaiah 25:6-8 we read, "6 The Lord All-Powerful will prepare a feast on this mountain for all people. It will be a feast with all the best food and wine, the finest meat and wine, 7 On this mountain God will destroy the veil that covers all nations, the veil that stretches over all peoples; 8 he will destroy death forever. The Lord God will wipe away every tear from every face. He will take away the shame of his people from the earth. The Lord has spoken."

If Seir is the conscious of the man who fears death, then Lotan is the covering, the shadow of death which has been cast over all people. As indicated in Isaiah 25:6-8, in Christ, that shadow has been destroyed and death is swallowed up in victory. Lotan’s sister was Timna. Once again, a girl’s name is mentioned out of the blue in a list of genealogies which is entirely centered on men. Seir certainly had lots of daughters, but only Timna is mentioned. Her name means "restraint." Timna’s name appears here to show us God’s great mercy and His grace shown through the death of His Son who paid the penalty for our sin. All we have to do is to admit that we need a savior, believe that He did to pay the penalty of our sin and cry out to Him to be our God.

Genesis 36:9-14

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9 And this is the genealogy of Esau the father of the Edomites in Mount Seir. 10 These were the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, and Reuel the son of Basemath the wife of Esau. 11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 Now Timna was the concubine of Eliphaz, Esau’s son, and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons of Adah, Esau’s wife. 13 These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife. 14 These were the sons of Aholibamah, Esau’s wife, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon. And she bore to Esau: Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. ~ Genesis 36:9-14

Today, we return to our study of Genesis 36 where for a second time in this chapter we are given the genealogy of Esau. In v.1-8 Moses highlighted Esau’s wives and children born to him while he was yet in Canaan. Here, in v.9-14, Esau’s sons and grandsons born to him while he was on Mount Seir are highlighted. The sad reality is that even though Esau grew in numbers and in wealth, he never sought a personal relationship with the God of the Bible.

In v.9-11 of today's passage we read, "9 And this is the genealogy of Esau the father of the Edomites in Mount Seir. 10 These were the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, and Reuel the son of Basemath the wife of Esau. 11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz."

Eliphaz, Esau’s firstborn, had five sons. The first of them was named Teman. In the book of Job, one of the three men who came to comfort him was Eliphaz the Temanite. The Teman mentioned in today's passage was probably named after Job's friend. In the book of Job, Eliphaz and his two friends spoke wrongly about God and God chastised them for it. As we can see, the people who descended from Esau, had incorrect concepts of God, however, God in His mercy corrected them and gave them an opportunity to be forgiven.

In v.12 of today's passage we read, "Now Timna was the concubine of Eliphaz, Esau’s son, and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons of Adah, Esau’s wife."

Timna was the daughter of Seir and is noted later in this passage as the sister of Lotan. She became the concubine of Eliphaz, the son of Esau. Because she became the concubine of Eliphaz, it gave the descendents of Esau the chance to intermix with the people of Seir and eventually take over the land and expel the Horites who lived there. Eventually, Herod, Israel’s king at the time of the Lord Jesus, came from the Edomite people. 

The reason Timna is mentioned here is because of the son she bore. His name was Amalek, the father of the Amalekites, the people who would attack Israel after their exodus from Egypt. The brutal and wicked Amalekites continued to afflict Israel throughout the time of the Judges. When the kingdom was established, their presence brought about the downfall of Israel’s first king. When God commanded King Saul to destroy the Amalekites completely, he failed to do it.

Many say they don’t like the God of the Old Testament because He seems angry all of the time. They are mistaken because a careful reading of the Old Testament reveals the loving, compassionate, and merciful heart of God. The Old Testament Scriptures are largely historical narrative that seeks to establish the truth of what really happened in those days. Anyone who is serious about the Bible being God’s word is going to believe that God both commanded Saul to eliminate the Amalekites and empowered him to have the victory. God never instructs His people to be the aggressors. It was the Amalekites who attacked the Israelites first. Israels long war against the Amalekites was self-defense. 

Many in the modern day want to equate what happened in the Old Testament with the Holy Wars of the crusades and the ethnic-cleansing genocide of South Africa, but the Canaanite Conquest was unique. The Amalekites clearly claimed to be the enemies of God. The battles that ensued were a unique act of God to fulfill his promises to Abraham and the Israelites. These wars were limited and are in no way meant to be a model for the people of God after they settled in the Promised Land.

From the beginning, God’s plan in His covenant with Abraham was that Abraham's people would be given the Promised Land and all nations would be blessed through him. These wars were waged by God in pursuit of this goal. And, after some time, the promised seed of Abraham came, the Lord Jesus Christ, who Himself waged the final battle against sin and death. All who believe in the Lord Jesus as our Savior are now included into the promises made to Abraham and therefore, people from all tribes, tongues, and nations are blessed through Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 

In v.13-14 of today's passage we read, "13 These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife. 14 These were the sons of Aholibamah, Esau’s wife, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon. And she bore to Esau: Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah."

Reuel, Esau’s son and the grandson of Ishmael, had these four sons. There is nothing further of note about any of them in the rest of the Bible. Unlike the other sons of Esau, there is no mention of their grandsons. Once again, only what is needed for God to instruct us is given. Each name here certainly has special significance and purpose, but the inclusion of grandsons born to these sons holds none.

Historically, the Edomites became the arch enemies of the Israelites. Due to this, the Edomites were the enemies of God. In fact, the entire prophesy of the book of Obadiah is one long diatribe judgment on Edom. That's the theme of the book, the prophet Obadiah outlines what will happen to them. This is the legacy of a man who sold his birth right for a bowl of soup. 

Genesis 36:1-8

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1 Now this is the genealogy of Esau, who is Edom. 2 Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite; Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; 3 and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebajoth. 4 Now Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel. 5 And Aholibamah bore Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan. 6 Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the persons of his household, his cattle and all his animals, and all his goods which he had gained in the land of Canaan, and went to a country away from the presence of his brother Jacob. 7 For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together, and the land where they were strangers could not support them because of their livestock. 8 So Esau dwelt in Mount Seir. Esau is Edom. ~ Genesis 36:1-8

Today, we transition into Genesis 36 where we are given the genealogy of Esau which is the ninth genealogy listed in the Bible. Esau’s genealogy is a branch off the Messianic line which leads to the Lord Jesus Christ. God gave us Esau's genealogy  immediately after the recording of Isaac’s death. This genealogy was given to us in order to provide for us a contrast between those who believe in and are defined by the God of the Bible and those who are not. 

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "Now this is the genealogy of Esau, who is Edom."

Through the word "genealogy" God gave us a hint of the plan of our salvation. In this Hebrew word, there can be one or two letters called a "vav," which is the sixth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Six is the number of man in the Bible, it is the number for incompleteness. Before the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, this word was spelled with 2 vavs while after the fall it is never spelled with two vavs, highlighting our incompleteness without a personal relationship with God. The missing vav serves as a reminder of the fallen state of man and our desperate need for a Savior. 

So, before Moses moved on to pen the story of Jacob's son Joseph who would carry the line to the birth of the Messiah, he paused to recount the family of Esau. God included Esau's genealogy here to show us the utter failure of anyone who is trying to make it in this life apart from Him.

In v.2-5 of today's passage we read, "2 Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite; Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; 3 and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebajoth. 4 Now Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel. 5 And Aholibamah bore Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan."

Esau's first wife was named "Adah," the same name as one of Lamech's wives, a descendant of Cain. Esau's second wife was named "Aholibamah." Both Adah and Aholibamah were descendants of Canaan, the cursed grandson of Noah. Adah was a Hittite and Aholibamah was a Hivite. The next wife of Esau listed here was "Basemath." Esau married her because she was a daughter of Abraham’s son Ishmael. His parents didn’t like his first two wives, so he was hoping that by marrying her, they would be happy with him. It didn't work.

So, we are told that Esau had three wives and the firstborn child to Esau's first wife, Adah, bore Eliphaz to Esau. "Eliphaz" means "God of strength." Esau's third wife, Basemath, bore to him, Reuel which means "Friend of God." In Exodus 2, Moses’ father in law had the same name, he was a Midianite. In every family, no matter how far we have drifted away from God, God can be discovered in our midst calling us back to Him. This can be seen in the names of Esau's children born to Adah and Basemath. Sadly, the more we reject the overtures of God, the harder our hearts become to Him and to the truth.

To Aholibamah were born three sons. The first son was named "Jeush," the second was "Jaalam" and, the third to Aholibamah was "Korah." All together five sons were born to Esau while he lived in Canaan. In the listing of these names, we are given the distinction between Esau and Jacob, the unbeliever and the believer. This chapter is a reminder of what it looks like to choose to not walk with the Lord. Esau's line eventually takes us to the Herods of the New Testament days. All of the Herods were descended from Esau and although they were religious, they all were not believers in the God of the Bible. Choosing to not walk with God and thus be defined by Him results in being in opposition to God.

In v.6-8 of today's passage we read, "6 Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the persons of his household, his cattle and all his animals, and all his goods which he had gained in the land of Canaan, and went to a country away from the presence of his brother Jacob. 7 For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together, and the land where they were strangers could not support them because of their livestock. 8 So Esau dwelt in Mount Seir. Esau is Edom."

The name Esau is mentioned 25 times in this chapter while the name Edom is mentioned 11 times. In 5 of those times, we are explicitly told Esau is Edom or that Esau is the father of the Edomites. Once we understand that Esau and the Edomites are picturing Adam and his fallen children, and that they have moved out of Canaan, then we can more clearly see what is going on here. Esau who is Edom was in Canaan just as Adam was in Eden. Adam, the first fallen man, disobeyed God and was cast out of Eden. Esau, in essence, pictured Adam when he traded his birthright to Jacob for his soup. In his disobedience to God, like Adam, Esau gained the awareness of knowing good from evil. The words "Esau dwelt in Seir" are reminiscent of Adam going out into the world of awareness of sin and he went into the land of Seir which means "hairy." The names Esau and Seir are descriptive of our awareness of sin or of God. The one that we are aware of the most defines us the most. Esau loved his sin more than he did God.

Nothing in this chapter is arbitrary. The struggle which will continue between the people of Israel and the people of Edom is reflective of the spiritual struggle noted throughout the Bible. Either we are in Adam or our sin, or we are in the Lord Jesus forgiven of our sin. By leaving Canaan, Esau cut himself off from any portion of blessing from God he might have otherwise received. His departure made it quite clear that he wasn’t a part of God’s chosen people. Esau left Canaan and went to Seir because, at the end of the day, Esau wanted to live his life apart from God. And, although Jacob or any believer in God never prove to be perfect in our walk with God, we nonetheless are learning to be defined by God.

Genesis 35:21-29

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21 Then Israel journeyed and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. 22 And it happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard about it. 23 Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: the sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; 24 the sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin; 25 the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant, were Dan and Naphtali; 26 and the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maidservant, were Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Padan Aram. 27 Then Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had dwelt. 28 Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. 29 So Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, being old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. ~ Genesis 35:21-29

Today, we conclude our study of Genesis 35 where we find Jacob and his family back in the promised land. A change in location doesn't necessarily mean a change in our lives, but for Jacob this was central to God's will for his life. And, even though we walk with the Lord, this doesn't mean that we will be free of hardship. The difference is seen in how we deal with our hardships, where we turn for help at navigating through the pain. This is the overall point behind our troubles, that we choose to run to the Lord through the pain.

In v.21 of today's passage we read, "Then Israel journeyed and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder." 

This is the very first time that the name Israel is applied to the person Jacob in the Bible. In just the last verse, it said that Jacob set a pillar on Rachel’s grave. But now Israel was formally introduced with the name he was given by God. This happened because Benjamin had just been born, thereby completing the family who is known by his name, Israel. Jacob was referred to as Israel here, because of who and what he was picturing.

In v.22 of today's passage we read, "And it happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard about it."

Although all 12 sons are inheritors of the land blessing, and though Joseph will be given the birthright, only one son can have the pre-eminence leading to the Messiah. We’ve already seen that the second and third sons, Simeon and Levi, would be excluded because of the rage that they exacted upon the men of Shechem.

Up until this point, the firstborn son, Reuben, had not been excluded. However, in a moment of weakness reminiscent of the Garden of Eden where man fell through the devil’s deception, Reuben also fell through a bad decision concerning Jacob’s concubine Bilhah, Rachel’s maid. The sin of sexual immorality caused Reuben to lose the right to be the bearer of the Messiah. Instead, as a tribe he faded into obscurity. Such is the nature of temptation leading to fornication.

The name "Belial" is closely connected to the name "Bilhah." In 2 Corinthians 6 the Apostle Paul used "Belial" to reference the devil. It is used twenty-six times in the Old Testament, usually translated "worthless," "destruction," or "wicked."

In v.23-26 of today's passage we read, "23 Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: the sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; 24 the sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin; 25 the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant, were Dan and Naphtali; 26 and the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maidservant, were Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Padan Aram."

The order of the sons here is given not by birth, but by mother and then by birth. Leah is mentioned first. She pictured the law and so her sons were given. The Lord Jesus came under the law to redeem us from the curse of the law. The first three sons had been excluded, therefore, we can see that Judah would be the one to bear the Messianic line. Then the sons of Rachel, who picture grace, are named. And then the two maidservants are listed with their sons, Rachel’s maid first and then Leah’s. 

In v.27 of today's passage we read, "Then Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kirjath Arba  (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had dwelt."

Jacob now comes to the home of his father because he will assume the role as leader of the clan which has gone from Abraham through Isaac. The sons of Israel were listed by name to indicate that all of them will participate in the inheritance of the clan, not just one of them. They will be a united group of people.

Hebron was the third major place of note that Abraham took up residence, and it is where both he and Sarah died and were buried. Isaac had resided there all along, blind and waiting for his time to end. When Jacob left there many long years before, he left with his staff and the blessing of his father.

In v.28-29 of today's passage we read, "28 Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. 29 So Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, being old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him."

Isaac lived 180 years and he outlived his father Abraham by 5 years, but he was blind for many of them. Thus the quantity of his years was exceeded by the quality of Abraham’s. The year of his birth was 2109 BC. After a long and blessed life, Isaac died in the year 2289 BC. The last time Isaac was mentioned directly was approximately 40 years earlier. In those years, nothing of his life is recorded. God gave him life and used that life, including his prolonged blindness, to tell us about Himself. God allowed him to be blind just to show us pictures about the coming Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the ultimate point of our lives, that we might point others to the Lord.

Jacob was wrong about how long he would live. According to Genesis 27:4 he thought he was on the verge of death. He lived another 43 years. He may have felt bad and he may have thought he was going to die, but he didn't. Our days are in God's hands and we do well to live each day without the worry of when we will die. Interestingly, there are three deaths recorded in this chapter, Deborah's, Rachel's, and Isaac's. With sin came death and unless we trust in the life giving death of the Lord Jesus Christ, we will remain in our sin for eternity. God implores us to receive His free of eternal life and to be defined by that life. As we are defined by that life, His life will be known by others through our yielded lives.

Genesis 35:16-20

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16 Then they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor. 17 Now it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, “Do not fear; you will have this son also.” 18 And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin. 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20 And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day. ~ Genesis 35:16-20

Today, we continue our study of Genesis 35 where we discover Jacob back in the land of promise with his family enjoying the life that God had long wanted to give him. When we resist God's leading and His will, we exempt ourselves from the blessings that we so ardently are seeking on our own. Like us, I am sure that Jacob thought his troubles were the result of his bad choices and that God was punishing him for those bad choices. Jacob was wrong when he thought that God was punishing him through his poor choices because in the choices that he made, he chose the opposite of God's will for him. Jacob's troubles weren't given to him by God. No, Jacob chose the troubles when he fed the flesh. Jacob was no different than we, but he was learning that his way did not render the life that he truly desired. As a result, God had to allow Jacob to experience pain which would serve him in making better choices for his life. Learning from our poor choices is a big part of our sanctification, the process whereby God inculcates His culture into our souls.

In v.16-19 of today's passage we read, "16 Then they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor. 17 Now it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, 'Do not fear; you will have this son also.' 18 And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin. 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem)."

While on their way to where Isaac was in Ephrath, later known as Bethlehem, Rachel gave birth to the twelfth son of Jacob also known as Israel. During her hard delivery Rachel died. This was unusual because there was no mention in the Bible of Isaac's wife Rebekah. And, of all of the sons of Israel, only Joseph’s death was recorded. Ephrath means "Fruitful." The name Rachel means "Ewe lamb." 

God who was directing both the means and the timing of Rachel’s death, allowed her to live long enough to name her son "Ben-Oni," which means "son of my suffering." Then, after his wife's death, Jacob renamed their second-born son "Benjamin" which means "son of my right hand." When Benjamin was born the family was headed to Bethlehem which means, "House of Bread." All of these names and events were given in order that we might see the unfolding plan of God. All of these events picture for us the Lord Jesus who said in John 6:48, "I am the bread of life." The Lord Jesus Christ was heaven’s Bread, having come from the House of God to the House of Bread. But Bethlehem had another name, Ephrath, which means "fruitful." Ephrath pictures for us  the saving work of the Lord Jesus who said in John 15:5, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." When we walk with the Lord and He is free to express Himself to and through us, we find that we will be included in this tapestry from the very God of all creation.

In v.20 of today's passage we read, "And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day."

Just six verses earlier, in v.14, did Jacob set up another pillar in honor of his meeting with God at Bethel. That was a time of joy and fellowship with God. Now in v.20, Jacob erected another pillar through his sadness and hope in God on the heels of the death of his wife. The pillar has since been a monument of faith in the resurrection of the dead. Jacob anticipated this through his faith in the God of the Bible during his time of sadness. The pillar’s location was still remembered at the time of Moses when he wrote the book of Genesis, and it was still remembered at the time of Samuel about 400 years later as recorded in 1 Samuel 10:2.

The name "Rachel" means "ewe Lamb." The child of a lamb is a lamb. This picture given so long ago was fulfilled in the words of John the Baptist who exclaimed in John 1:29, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" The word that John used for "lamb" was a unique term which literally means "a sacrificial lamb." This same word for "lamb" in the Hebrew is Rachel. Rachel’s death was uniquely recorded to show us that the Messiah would also die, as a sacrificial lamb. Rachel's death and the birth of Benjamin produced also for us a dual picture: From the death of the lamb, Rachel, comes the birth of the son, Benjamin. But also from the death of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus, comes the birth of the son, you and me. Thus, it is a picture of all who have ever trusted in the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross. These have entered into eternal life from eternal death.

Genesis 35:9-15

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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 be among your descendants. 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. ~ Genesis 35:9-15

Today, we return to our study of Genesis 35 where Jacob and his family are back in the promised land. God has a purpose for every word in the Bible, and this helps us to appreciate the repetition that God gives in today's passage. In Genesis 32, Jacob was renamed by God. Jacob would no longer be called Jacob but he would be called Israel from this point onward. But, as we re-enter our study of Genesis 35, Jacob is still being called Jacob. This was why the reiteration was needed.

In v.9-10 of today's passage we read, "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."

The parallels between the life of Jacob and the life of Abraham are hard to miss. Many of them are actually highlighted in these verses in an interesting way. Jacob had returned from being out of the land of Canaan for twenty years and he now returned to Bethel where he had his vision of God before he left. In that vision the Lord promised him that, "the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants." Likewise, Abraham entered Canaan and was given a promise in the same area, just east of Bethel. It was then that God said to Abraham, "To your descendants I will give this land." After receiving the promise, Abraham left Canaan for Egypt and Jacob left Canaan for Haran. After returning from Egypt Abraham eventually journeyed to the same spot between Bethel and Ai. Jacob returned from Haran and journeyed back to Bethel, as well.

The promise of His presence and His protection in the life of Jacob had been fulfilled. Interestingly, the name "God" is used ten times in this chapter, but the term "Lord" is not, even though it was used four times in Jacob's vision of God some 30 years earlier. The Lord, or YHWH, who stood above the ladder had proved Himself faithful to Jacob. As a result, Jacob refers to the Lord as his God as he said he would.

Yet again, God spoke with Jacob even though Jacob had failed Him miserably. The true God always speaks to His people and our faith is bolstered by the trials that we endure. It is when our faith is stretched and we are forced closer to the Lord that our hearts get to see Him most vividly. The Lord who was above the ladder twenty years ago was the same Lord who wrestled with Jacob that night just ten years ago. Interestingly, when Abraham’s name was changed it was done by the Lord, YHWH. Again and again, God was making the connection between His relational name YHWH and His all powerful name of God or Elohim. When God changed both Abram and Jacob's names, He indicated His ownership over each of them. In Revelation 2:17, the Lord Jesus promises us a new name, implying He is our Master and our God.

In v.11-13 of today's passage we read, "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 be among your descendants. 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." 

These are the exact same words that the Lord spoke to Abraham when his name was changed and the promise of the covenant was repeated. This passage is of singular importance in understanding the role of Israel in the history of redemption. In the New Testament, when Paul speaks of Israel, he speaks of the people who physically descended from Israel. He never calls Israel the church and he never calls the church Israel. There are those in Israel who are in the church and there are those of the church who are the Israel of God, but Israel and the church are distinct entities. The promise of land that God gave to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is not for the church, it is only for the nation of Israel. And, the duration of the gift of the land has always been forever. 

In v.14-15 of today's passage we read, "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. " 

With the exception of adding a drink offering, this repeats what he did after his vision in the past. In fact, this stone was probably the same stone he set up some 30 years earlier. When he built his first altar, Jacob poured oil on it while this time he poured water and oil on it. The water consistently speaks of the Word of God throughout the Bible while the oil represents the Holy Spirit. Both the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit have authenticated the Lord Jesus as the Lamb of God who came to take away our sin. For the first time in the Bible, a drink offering was made. A drink offering always accompanies a sacrifice in the Bible. The drink offering pictures the pouring out of the life of the Lord Jesus on the cross. The oil poured on the altar was a picture of the Spirit resting upon the Lord Jesus in preparation for His work. 

In Jacob's first dream, the Lord was above the ladder and Jacob was on the earth. Jacob called the name of the place Bethel in anticipation of God fulfilling His promises to Jacob. Here, Jacob once again was in the same place, but God wasn’t above the ladder, He was right there with Jacob. God's posture changed because now Jacob had come to own God as his Lord thus God spoke with him instead of down to him. For Jacob, Bethel had become an actual spot where Jacob abided with God and God abided with Jacob. As always, the Lord Jesus Christ is the point and purpose of everything God has and is doing in history. The Bible has a unified message, and the unifying center of that message is Jesus Christ. This principle of interpretation comes to us from Jesus Himself, for He taught His disciples to read the Hebrew Bible in this way: "If you believed Moses, you would believe me for he wrote about me."

Genesis 35:1-8

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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 on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them. 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 outside Bethel. So it was named Allon Bakuth. ~ Genesis 35:1-8

Today, we transition into Genesis 35 where after a ten year distraction from God in the city of Shechem, Jacob and his family are about to embark on a new journey with God. Whether we decide wisely or not this is what we as believers in the Lord Jesus are on, a daily journey with God. Even though, like Jacob, we all have dips and detours in our walk with God, I have found that these moments of plain foolishness are useful to God as He inculcates His culture into our souls. Through his utter failure and weakness Jacob was learning to let God be God in his life.

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "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.'"

Seven years earlier, way back in Genesis 31 when Jacob was living in Haran we read, "Then the Lord said to Jacob, 'Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.'" After that the Lord spoke again to Jacob and said, "I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family."

In v.2-4 of today's passage we read, "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."

God spoke to Jacob once again, even though Jacob had failed miserably at being the leader of his family. He probably thought that God was done with him, but He wasn't. Despite our circumstances or even our failure, if we walk with the Lord, following the direction He gives, we will not only grow in our faith in Him, we will grow in our intimacy with Him. After God had spoken to him again, Jacob returned to being the leader that he was meant to be. 

When we leave a vacuum in the spot where we should be leading others, there is a strange strengthening in the flesh to lead us down his road of destruction and death. Returning to his spot of leadership, Jacob informed his family that they were to purify themselves and change their garments. Washing and changing of garments is metaphoric for repentance or turning away from evil and returning to God. The washing and the changing of our garments is something that is seen throughout the Bible in anticipation of meeting with God. 

Jacob then informed his family that when they arrived in Bethel, he was going to build an altar. In saying this, Jacob was acknowledging the vow which he had earlier made to God. Time and again we’ve seen Jacob face a challenge and the Lord was there with him in his trial. The altar would yet again be a demonstration of his decision to follow the Lord out of his gratitude to Him. 

In obedience to their father, Jacob's family yielded up their idols. This included even their earrings which in their culture had been consecrated to some god. The oak under which they buried their idol jewelry was the same terebinth tree mentioned back in Genesis 12:6, the tree under which Abraham rested. That tree pictures coming to the end of ourselves and yielding to God.

In v.5-7 of today's passage we read, "5 Then they set out, and the terror of God fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them. 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." 

The "terror from God" was the fear that God had brought upon the people in the area who wanted to run Jacob down and kill him. Through this fear, God ensured that Jacob and his family would not be pursued as they traveled south 28 miles to Bethel. After these many long years, close to thirty, Jacob was finally returning to Bethel, the place where he had laid sleeping with his head on the stone as a pillow and had a vision of the Lord. He was all but alone when he was there the last time. Now, his second time there, Jacob had four wives, at least 12 children, servants, flocks of animals, and wealth.

God had kept His word to Jacob because everything that he had been promised was granted by the Lord. The angels who ascended and descended on the ladder had attended to him all along, and Jacob was divinely protected throughout it all. This must be the reason for the inclusion of the name of the city, "Luz." Jacob renamed Luz to Bethel. You will remember that Luz means “to turn aside” such as turning away from the wisdom of God. When the promise of God was made to Jacob, the town’s name was Luz. At this second return of Jacob to Luz, it is named Bethel, House of God. Jacob was again at that very same spot in the land of promise and the promise was fulfilled. And so, it was time for Jacob to fulfill his promise. 

Oh, the tapestry that we have been given here. Jacob had to fail to get to this point in his life. God didn't make him fail but He allowed him to fail in order to be convinced that the God of the Bible is the true God. By proving Himself faithful to Jacob, Jacob decided that he would be faithful to God. All other gods had been removed from Jacob and now there was just one God in his life. That didn't mean that Jacob was all of a sudden perfect. No, Jacob would fail, but Jacob was learning that with God failure is not the opposite of success.

In v.8 of today's passage we read, "Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the terebinth tree. So the name of it was called Allon Bachuth."

Very few people’s death and burial are recorded in the Bible. But, here we have the death and burial of Deborah, Rebekah's nurse. Deborah means "Bee." A bee produces honey. Deborah was also a wet nurse, a woman who breast fed children. Both of these descriptions of Deborah are descriptors for the Word of God. Deborah was a picture of the faithfulness of the Word of God in our lives, only if we read it and let it read us. When we are careful to walk with the Lord and to be defined by Him, we will know His blessing in the most profound of ways, even through our failure.

Genesis 34:25-31

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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 obnoxious 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?” ~ Genesis 34:25-31

Today, we conclude our study of Genesis 34. God chose Abraham and through him Isaac and then Jacob. Jacob became Israel and his family became the covenant people of God. However, throughout their history, gentiles joined to them and became a part of this unfolding story. In today's passage we find that as a result of settling in the godless town of Shechem served to set the progress of Jacob's sanctification back quite a bit. Making the choice to settle in godless Shechem resulted in rape and murder.

In v.25-29 of today's passage we read, "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."

This is now the fourth time the phrase "three days later" is mentioned in the Bible. Jacob's sons knew that on the third day after their circumcisions that the inflammation would be at its height. In addition, fever had set in, thus making them most vulnerable. It was at this time that Simeon and Levi murdered all the males of the city of Shechem. Their deception and violence had a lasting effect on their lives and it cost them favor with their father and the loss of their preeminent positions in the family. 

When Simeon and Levi murdered the men of Shechem, they neither consulted Jacob nor God. Then they took Dinah whose name means "vindicated"  from Shechem’s house. This just underscores the fact that God doesn’t waste words, and He always uses all things in a way that good can come out of it if we would just turn to Him. God did not sanction the murder of the men of Shechem that day, nor did He tell Jacob's sons to plunder their families and their belongings. Although Simeon and Levi murdered the men of Shechem, the other sons of Jacob joined in the aftermath. With all the men dead and their bodies stripped bare of their belongings, we are told that this evil deed was done "because their sister had been defiled." The price paid that day was rather high for the passionate lusts of one proud man. And, the very thing that Shechem bribed the men of Shechem with was the very thing that this passage describes as having been taken after they were killed. 

In v.30-31 of today's passage we read, "30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, 'You have brought trouble on me by making me obnoxious 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?'"

Sadly, Jacob's only concerned was his reputation and his self-preservation. This is the first time that Jacob has spoken in this entire chapter and his words truly were lacking faith in the God of the Bible. God had promised Jacob that He would protect Jacob, but he had lost sight of those promises. Jacob probably believed God had abandoned him because of the horrible events of the day and his passivity in relationship to it. 

In an attempt to justify the unjustifiable, the sons of Jacob said to Jacob, "If we hadn’t acted, it would be as if we had sold Dinah as a whore." 

The deception throughout this chapter came in the exact same way as it did in the Gardens of Eden and Gethsemane. They were tempted through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. The lust of the flesh was seen in the mentioning of the daughters for the men. The lust of the eyes was seen in Jacob’s wealth, and the pride of life was seen in the boasting in the flesh through circumcision. In the Garden of Eden Adam failed the test while in the Garden of Gethsemane the Lord Jesus passed it. Interestingly, Hamor, is mentioned 10 times in this story and his name means "male donkey." Later, under the law of Moses, the firstborn donkey could have been redeemed by a lamb. Hamor, instead of being redeemed by the Lamb went to his death. 

As we have pointed out before, this chapter doesn’t mention God once. The last verse of Genesis 33 ends with God and the first verse of Genesis 35 begins with God. Our conclusion? Without God, this is what happens to us. Without God all manner of sin becomes our norm. This is why we must run to the Lord as fast as we can on a moment by moment basis each day. We naturally go in the wayward direction of sin. It requires grace-fueled effort to run in the opposite direction away from the diabolical. And run we must. Lest we ourselves be devoured by wickedness.