Genesis 35:1-29
The Genesis record now moves from the tragedy of the previous chapter, to a refreshing renewal of Jacob’s faith and obedience to the Lord. Jacob returns to Bethel and to the place where God first spoke to him 20 years earlier. Jacob has not been completely faithful to God, but the Lord reveals Himself as the Faithful One that has been with him from the beginning. God had made incredible promises to Jacob 20 years earlier, and the Lord has been faithful to fulfill those promises. He is the Faithful One! Never forget that He is also your God, just as Moses reminded his people, “Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Deut. 7:9). The truth of His faithfulness is the message of this chapter.
God commands Jacob to move back to Bethel. Vs. 1-8
Scripture records, “Then God said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.’ And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, ‘Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.’ So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem. And they journeyed, and the terror of God was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. And he built an altar there and called the place El Bethel, because there God appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother. 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” (Gen. 35:1-8).
Immediately after the tragedy that occurred in Shechem, God called Jacob back to Bethel, which was about 15-20 miles south of Shechem (See map below).
Credit: dancinginseason.blogspot.com
Note that God declared to Jacob to “dwell there,” in Bethel. This is why I explained in our previous study that I believed this was where God wanted Jacob to go in the first place, and not to have pitched his tent outside of the wicked Canaanite city of Shechem. I believe that God’s command to go and dwell in Bethel is proof of this reasoning. Bethel was a very important place for Jacob, because this was where God originally revealed Himself to him as he was fleeing from his brother Esau 20 years earlier. I believe God wanted Jacob to go to Bethel to remind him of the experience he had with God, and the promises that the Lord had made to him there.
But this call to Jacob to return to Bethel was also proof that God was reaching out to this flawed man to come and have fellowship with Him. This is so similar to the call of Jesus to each and every one of us. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:28-29). Jesus also wants fellowship with you and me, as the flawed men and women that we are. Why? Because He knows that if we come to Him, we will be changed, as we learn from Him. He wants us to find rest for our souls. This is also why God called to Jacob, “Come to Bethel and learn from Me.”
The faithfulness and mercy of God. Vs. 1
When God spoke to Jacob and told him to return to Bethel, the Lord was also demonstrating His faithfulness to this man by pursuing Him, and calling him unto Himself. Remember, Jacob had been a conniving liar, who allowed idols in his tent, and who had not been a man of God up to this point. But God still pursued this man. God called him to come back to where his first encounter with Him had occurred. This action by God revealed His heart toward this imperfect man, just as Jesus declared, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Never forget that you didn’t find Jesus; He sought you out, and drew you to Himself. This is why Jesus also said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44). God has pursued you, just as He did Jacob. Why? Because He is the Faithful One who has mercies that are new every morning (Lam. 3:22-23). Even though we are so imperfect, just as Jacob was, His love has pursued us every day. He sent people to you to speak God’s truth to your heart, just as God revealed Himself to Jacob. This fact is such a comforting thing to know, because this is who God is, this is His character and heart. He is more interested in drawing us to Himself, than we are in actually following Him.
However, if you want a relationship with Him, you have to hear His voice and obey His call to come, just as Jacob did. Jesus said to his disciples in John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” Jacob heard God’s call and went back to Bethel in obedience to His voice. This is also true for each of us. If you want to begin or continue into a deeper fellowship with the Lord, you must also hear His voice and obey His command. Jesus declared that hearing and obeying are fundamental issues if anyone wants stability in their walk with Him. There is no way around this essential principle of relationship. Jesus said it this way. “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall” (Matt. 7:24-27). Note that Jesus made it clear that you must hear His voice, and then do what He says. This is what determines whether you are a true follower of Christ, or not. If you hear His voice and do what He commands, He will count you His own. This is also why the Lord refers to Himself throughout the Scriptures as the, “God of Jacob” (Ex. 3:6). Because He is the God who pursues and calls imperfect and flawed people to Himself. Why? Because He knows He can change and transform their lives. If you are a follower of Jesus, He is your God too! Put your name into that phrase, “He is the God of _____.” Remember, the Lord knows those who are His (2 Tim. 2:19)! Please meditate on this fact that He pursued you, and He keeps on pursuing you every day of your life, because He is the Faithful and Merciful One!
Jacob commands his family to put away their foreign gods, and purify themselves. Vs. 2
Before Jacob moved his family to Bethel, he commanded that they all purify themselves and put away their foreign gods. Now when you read these words your first thought is, Why are there any foreign gods or idols in this man’s tent in the first place? First, you must remember that when Jacob left Laban’s home that Rachel stole Laban’s household gods (Gen. 31:19). Second, it is very possible that some in the family had acquired idols from the Canaanite city of Shechem when it was looted, just as Achan did after the destruction of Jericho (Gen. 34:28-29; Joshua 7:1). The presence of idols in Jacob’s entourage clearly showed the spiritual temperature of Jacob’s house at that time, and it was not good. Throughout the Word of God, we are warned about idolatry, and the destructiveness that idolatry brings to our lives. Idolatry divides our heart before God (Lev. 19:4; Ps. 96:5; 1 John 5:21).
What is an idol?
An idol is more than a statue made out of wood or stone, although when the Bible talks about idols, most of the time it is referring to an actual physical god that people make. But the Scripture also declares that an idol can be in a person’s heart. God spoke to Ezekiel about the elders of Israel and said, “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them?” (Eze. 14:2-3). Therefore, an idol can be thoughts that captivate your mind, behaviors that control your actions, or something you desire and love more than God. Examples of these idols could be arrogant thinking that sets you above others, an addictive behavior to drugs or alcohol, or a lustful desire for a position you are seeking. An idol does not have to be a material object or image, but can be anything that you put above your love for God. An idol in your life can be something or someone that you trust and rely upon more than the Lord. If you trust in a rabbit’s foot for your protection, or a religious relic for guidance, or pray to an icon or a picture on your wall, you are committing idolatry. One of the simplest ways to determine if you have an idol is to consider any place where you stumble or disobey God in your life. Note in the verse above that an idol is something that caused, “them to stumble into iniquity.” This is a simple way to tell if you have an idol in your life. Wherever you stumble in your walk, or where you disobey God to commit iniquity, I can guarantee you that there you will find an idol.
The important truth to remember is that no one can have an idol, and be successful in the Christian life. Jesus said this was an impossibility. He taught His disciples in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” But this is exactly what the Jewish people tried to do in the Old Testament, and it is also what Christians try to do today. Why would people seek an idol, and try and follow God at the same time? Because this is the nature of man. The hearts of men are prone to wander from God to idols. In Jeremiah 14:10 the prophet declared, “Thus says the Lord to His people: ‘Thus they have loved to wander; they have not restrained their feet. Therefore the Lord does not accept them; He will remember their iniquity now, and punish their sins.’” Note that the prophet declared the same truth that Jesus did, “they have loved to wander.” Jesus addressed this fact that we will either hate the one, or love the other, or be loyal to one and despise the other. An idol will always turn you from your love for the true and living God. The only thing that can keep you from leaving your first love, is the power of the Holy Spirit living and reigning inside you. Therefore, surrender to His power, and fix your love upon Him, because He first loved you (1 John 4:19).
In addition, Jesus taught in Matthew 10:37, “He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. He who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Why would Jesus say such a thing? Because father or mother, son or daughter, or family in general, have the greatest temptation for you to love them more than Jesus. There is a real temptation for you to be more loyal to your family member than you are to Him. This would make your family member an idol. I have seen this happen many times, when a son or daughter will disobey the Lord because of what their father or mother has told them. When a parent makes fun of your faith, calls you stupid for believing in God, and counsels you to not follow Jesus, what should you do? You must follow Christ and love Him more than your father or mother. If a loved one in your family or your spouse tells you to lie, cheat, steal, or commit any other sin, you must refuse, and obey the Lord. Christ must be supreme in your life, and your obedience to Him is of the utmost importance.
God requires loyalty.
When Jesus brought up the topic of loyalty in Matthew 6:24, He was addressing a key issue of your heart that God is very concerned about. The loyalty of your heart to Him, will determine every other decision in your life. If you want a real relationship with the Lord, one that is truly intimate, where you can experience the power of the Holy Spirit in your life, then there cannot be any idols in your life. Jacob understood this fact, and this is why he told his family, and all those who were with him, to remove the idols from their midst. This would have clearly demonstrated a loyalty to the one true and living God. God requires this loyalty in your heart towards Him, because He will not take second place to your idols. How can you be sure of this fact? In 2 Chronicles 16:9 God declared to King Asa, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal toward Him.” The Hebrew word loyal means undivided, whole, or complete. God warned King Asa of this fact, because his heart was divided, and he proved that it was divided by trusting in the Syrian army to protect him from an invasion by the King of Israel. In other words, King Asa trusted more in the Syrian army than he did in the God of Israel. His heart was not loyal, or undivided toward God. To be loyal toward God means that your heart is wholly and singly loyal only to Him.
It is also important to understand that a loyal heart is synonymous with a faithful heart that fears God. In 2 Chronicles 19:9, King Jehoshaphat commanded the leaders of Israel, “Thus you shall act in the fear of the Lord, faithfully and with a loyal heart.” Jehoshaphat was explaining to the leaders of Israel, that this was how they needed to administer justice in the land of Israel, faithfully with an undivided heart. This was the heart that Jacob wanted for his family and his herdsmen before they came to Bethel.
God appears to Jacob again. Vs. 9-15
God’s Word continues, “Then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, ‘Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.’ So He called his name Israel. Also God said to him: ‘I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land.’ Then God went up from him in the place where He talked with him. So Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with him, a pillar of stone; and he poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it. And Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him, Bethel” (Gen. 35:9-15).
God reminds Jacob of his new name, and who it was that he was talking to.
God then appeared to Jacob again, and the first thing He did was to remind him that He had changed his name to Israel. Remember that the word Israel literally means God governed, or God rules. God changed his name from Jacob, which meant supplanter or deceiver, to a name that means God rules and governs over. This was to remind Jacob that he must become this new man that God desired him to be. To become a man or woman that God rules is exactly what He wants for every believer. God wants to be Lord of our lives. Never forget that when King Nebuchadnezzar refused to humble himself before God that the Lord reminded the king of this very same truth. God declared to the king that he would be humbled, “Till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses” (Dan. 4:25). King Nebuchadnezzar had become very arrogant in his life, and had forgotten that the position he held was by divine grace. Each one of us needs to remember this fact. The Lord must be surrendered to, in order that His rule might extend to our entire lives!
God Almighty – El Shaddai.
Next God reminded Jacob of who was speaking to him. The Lord declared Himself, “I am God Almighty.” This was a name for God that means, He is the all sufficient One. This is why He wants to rule in your affairs and guide your life, because only He is sufficient to empower and guide you. God was telling Jacob that He was the sufficient One, which was what made Him able to govern his life. All God wanted Jacob to do was to sanctify himself, and his family, turn from their idols, and surrender their lives into His very capable hands. Knowing and believing God’s sufficiency is why a person actually surrenders their life into His hands. You surrender to Him, because you trust that He can handle all the things you are giving over to Him. In addition, if He is all sufficient, then He must also be all-powerful. No matter what is happening in your life, He can handle it. He has all the grace and power to enable you go through whatever trial you are in the middle of right now. This was God’s promise to Jacob, and this is His promise to you. Paul promised all believers that, “God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work” (2 Cor. 9:8). Notice Paul said. “All sufficiency in all things.” Wow, what a promise is that! How could this be true? Because God is the all sufficient One, who has all grace that can abound toward you. He can get you through anything! But to experience His sufficiency, requires that you pray and ask for it. Remember, we have not, because we ask not (James 4:2).
It is interesting that the message of God’s sufficiency was the same message that the Lord gave to Abraham to help him in his struggle in faith. Both of these men needed this encouragement at that moment in their lives. Remember in Genesis 17:1 that the Lord declared, “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.” Abram fell on his face at this moment knowing that what God had promised, He was also able to perform. God used this same name, El Shaddai, or the All Sufficient One. God reached out to Abram to encourage his faith and lead him forward on his path. Therefore, never forget that your God is the, “All Sufficient One,” and He can handle the affairs of your life too.
God brought Jacob back to the place where he first met Him.
I love the fact that God was the one who brought Jacob back to the very place where He first revealed Himself to him. There God reminded Jacob of who He is, the “All Sufficient One!” This is exactly what Jacob needed to hear at this moment in his life. Jacob was a broken man! He had been chased by Laban, crippled in a wrestling match with God, tried to avoid Esau, realized that his family had idols in their possession, and shamed by how his children had treated all the people in Shechem. Jacob needed a good word at this moment in his life, and that is exactly what he got, and so much more.
When you meet a backslidden believer, this is how you should treat them. Love them and reach out to them, just as God did with Jacob. Encourage them to think back to where they first believed in God, and tell them that He is the same, “All Sufficient One” that they once knew. Remind them of God’s promises, that He wants to forgive and show mercy, just as God did with Jacob. Reach your hand out as God did with this man.
God promises again to give this land. Vs. 12
One of the most important parts of this encounter with God, is the fact that He again promised to give him the land that he was standing on. Many times, people read over this part of these promises to Jacob, and they don’t catch the significance of these words. This is the eleventh time in Genesis that God promised the land to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Gen. 12:7; 13:15; 15:7; 15:18; 17:8; 24:7; 26:3; 28:4; 28:13; 28:15; and 35:12). This fact should convince you that God has given the land of Canaan to the Jewish people forever. Don’t miss this point when He declared, “And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: ‘Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are--northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever’” (Gen. 13:14-15). This fact is non-negotiable with the Lord, and it should be non-negotiable for the Israeli people today who live in the land of Israel. However, in 2000, Prime Minister Ehud Barak wanted to give away more than 90% of Judea and Samaria to establish a Palestinian state. What is important to understand is the fact that trying to trade land for peace has never accomplished the desired end of peace in that region. Why? Because you can’t appease or negotiate with people who have sworn to annihilate you, any more than Europe or the United States could have negotiated or appeased Adolph Hitler or Emperor Hirohito who both wanted world domination. The Islamic followers of the Prophet Muhamad have clearly declared many times that they want a world-wide caliphate where Islamic law is followed by every person on the earth. In other words, they want world domination too. A two-state solution in the Middle-East is a fantasy, that will never be realized. Therefore, peace in the Middle-East will not come, until Jesus returns and sets up His kingdom here on the earth.
The worst thing about these proposals to trade land for peace is the fact that God in His word condemns this action. Here is the prophecy of the Prophet Joel on this subject. “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; they have also divided up My land… Indeed, what have you to do with Me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the coasts of Philistia? Will you retaliate against Me? But if you retaliate against Me, swiftly and speedily I will return your retaliation upon your own head” (Joel 3:1-2; 4). Note why God will bring judgment upon, “all nations” after the Jews are brought back from their captivity into their own land. It is because the nations of the world have, “divided up My land.” That is exactly what the League of Nations and the United Nations did after the first and second world wars, and what the United Nations is pushing to do again with their desire for a Palestinian State.
Also notice where the conflict begins in these last days! This conflict that God will finish, is started from Philistia and Tyre and Sidon. Tyre and Sidon are today within the country of Lebanon, which is a stronghold of the terrorist group Hezbollah. Philistia is modern day Gaza. This is the land that the Philistines used to inhabit. Gaza is the stronghold of the terrorist organization of Hamas. But don’t miss the fact that God declares that He will turn their retaliation back on their own heads. His Word will come to pass!
Rachel and Isaac die. Vs. 16-29
Scripture continues, “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. 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.’ 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. So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day. Then Israel journeyed and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. 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. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: the sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; the sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin; the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant, were Dan and Naphtali; 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. Then Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had dwelt. Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. 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” (Gen. 35:16-29).
Death comes to Jacob’s life.
In the last section of this chapter, the deaths of Rachel and Isaac are recorded. These deaths were in addition to Rebekah’s nurse, Deborah, who died earlier in this chapter (Vs. 8). All these deaths must have been a heartbreaking time for Jacob, but especially so, when his wife and father both die in quick succession. These three deaths are a reminder that death comes to every house, and no one will be spared these heartaches in their family. We are all going to die, this is a reality of life. Every person has an appointed number of days on this earth, which is an important truth to never forget. This is why in the prayer of Moses, he asked God, “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). Wisdom teaches us that we are all mortal human beings that have only a limited amount of time here with our family and friends. We are not to think arrogantly that this won’t happen, because it will! Therefore, wisdom dictates that you use each day you are allotted with care. This would mean to love and serve the Lord first and foremost, and to love others as we would want them to love us (Matt. 7:12). Also, wisdom would dictate that we should all live our lives according to God’s commands, because we know that one day we will all give account to God for the things we have done (Rom. 14:12). Hopefully one day, when we stand before Him, He will grant us eternal rewards for our service to Him and to others.
The why question concerning death, tragedy, and trials?
After Jacob and his family came and renewed their relationship with God, these two deaths occurred of Jacob’s wife Rachel, and his father Isaac. Why would these two very important people to Jacob die at this time in quick succession? Many times, people ask me this same question. Why was it that right after I surrendered my life to Him, this happened? Why would my spouse die? Why would my teenager run away from home? Why would I lose my job right at this moment? There are no absolute or conclusive answers to these questions, but there was probably no better time for these things to happen, than right after you have completely surrendered to God. What do I mean? If there was ever a more advantageous time for severe trials to come into your life, it is when your heart is right with Him. Why do I say this? Because at a moment of surrender to Him, you will know who to turn to in your anguish, and you will find His strength when you turn to Him during these difficult trials. Remember, just because you are surrendered to God does not mean that you will be immune from difficult hardships or trials. God simply promises to be with you in the midst of those trials. The psalmist wrote of what someone should expect if they love the Lord. He declared, “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him” (Ps. 91:14-15). Notice that God doesn’t promise that you will have no trouble! But, if you set your love upon the Lord, then you can expect that He will be with you in trouble. Why? Because you have surrendered to Him and love Him, you will be a man or woman of prayer, and He will answer your cry for help. This is why being surrendered to the Lord before and during severe trials is so important.
Also, note that this was God’s specific promise to Jacob. The Lord promised him in their first meeting, “Behold, I am with you and I will keep you wherever you go, and bring you back into this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you” (Gen. 28:15). When God commanded Jacob to return to the land of Canaan He promised again, “Then the Lord said to Jacob, ‘Return to the land of your fathers and your family, and I will be with you” (Gen. 31:3). Jacob knew and believed that God had been with him, and this is what he told his family, “Then let us arise go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone” (Gen. 35:3). Don’t miss the fact that twice God promised to be with Jacob and to strengthen him in the way he should go. God did not promise that there would be no trouble along the way. God did promise that because He was with Jacob, that He would accomplish all that He had spoken concerning him.
What a comfort to know that God is with us in the midst of all our trials in this life. The last words Jesus spoke to His disciples were that He would be with them. He promised, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). What powerful words are these! May you be assured that He is with you right now, and longs for you to cry out to Him to help you in the midst of your trials. He not only is with you, but He also lives inside you, and can empower you to overcome any fleshly desire you have, by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 14:17; Acts 1:8; Gal. 5:16-17). What confidence this should give you, so that you can overcome!
Ruben’s moral failure.
It is interesting that there is only one sentence concerning Ruben’s sexual relationship with Bilhah, his father’s wife and concubine. That is all we know about this moral failure of Ruben, because we are only told that Jacob “heard about it.” Does this mean that there were no consequences, because Jacob did nothing about it? Not quite! You have to read the rest of the story in Genesis 49:3-4. When Jacob was on his deathbed he declared, “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power. Unstable as water, you shall not excel, because you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it-- he went up to my couch.” Is that all we know about what Jacob did? Did he only reprove him as being unstable, and tell him that he would not excel? No. In 1 Chronicles 5:1-2 more information is revealed. There it is recorded “Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel--he was indeed the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that the genealogy is not listed according to the birthright; yet Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a ruler, although the birthright was Joseph’s.” So, this is what Jacob’s statement meant when he said that Ruben would “not excel.” Jacob was declaring that Ruben would not retain the position of firstborn in the family, because the word excel means to have the priority or prosperity. It is clear then from the 1 Chronicles passage that this was indeed Jacob’s meaning. The birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, but in reality, Judah actually prevailed above all his brethren to become the head of the family. Therefore, just because someone has been given the birthright does not mean that another family member can’t prevail or become superior in the family. Consequently, Reuben lost his inheritance because of his sin of wantonness and lust after a woman. This is the meaning of the word “unstable.” This Hebrew word means to be reckless with unbridled desire. This should be a warning to us all, because anyone can become reckless in our decision making when we don’t bridle our desires!
Ruben’s punishment should be a warning to each of us. He lost his inheritance because of his unbridled lust. Paul explained the same truth in many of his epistles. In Romans Paul declared, “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors--not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom. 8:12-13). Paul was writing to believers when he explained that they can experience life or death, it is their choice. However, his recommendation was that each believer must put to death the deeds of the body by allowing the Holy Spirit to rule within. Paul also told the Ephesian church that they should, “Put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Eph. 4:22-23). We each need to be continually renewed and empowered by the Holy Spirit to overcome these deceitful lusts within. This is a constant need, because the word renewed is in the present tense in the Greek, which means this must be a continual process empowered by God’s Spirit. If it is not something you choose to do daily, know that your sin nature is stronger than your will to resist it, which means you will be overcome by your own lusts, and you too will miss out on all that your inheritance in Christ has already provided (Rom. 7:15-17).
The record of Jacob’s twelve sons. Vs. 23-26
In these verses we have another listing of Jacob’s twelve sons, and who their mother was.
Jacob comes to Hebron. Vs. 27-29
This chapter concludes with us being told that Jacob came to Hebron where Abraham and Isaac had dwelt. We are not told whether Jacob came before Isaac died, or not, because there is no dialogue recorded between them. This fact of no dialog between them would lead you to surmise that Isaac was already dead. However, when the text declared, “So Isaac breathed his last and died,” would tend to make you think that Isaac died after Jacob arrived. It is really unclear from the text.
Last, we are told that both Esau and Jacob bury their father. This was most likely a very strained meeting of these two together. I would have loved to have heard the conversation between them. Did Esau ask Jacob why he did not follow him to Mount Seir, as he promised that he would? Was Jacob honest with him, or lie and give him some excuse? Remember, when you lie to someone, it usually comes to light sometime later in your relationship with that person, so, don’t do it. Solomon declared, “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies will not escape” (Prov. 19:5). Instead, be known as a man or woman that speaks the truth with people. To be a man or woman of truth and honesty will always be the best testimony for your life, that will bring glory to God!