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GENESIS 35
God’s reaffirming actions and the deaths of Rachel and Isaac -- (DATE: Around 1685 before Christ)
DISCOVER Genesis 35: At this juncture in Jacob’s life, his God spoke to him, telling him to pick up his camp and go dwell in Bethel and build an altar for Him there. Hearing that, Jacob gathered his household and commanded them to put away with all foreign gods, to purify themselves, put on fresh garments afterwards and head out to Bethel and build an altar there to the God who had been with him in his darkest hour and at his side wherever he had gone. So he gathered all the idols and rings from the ears of those in his camp and buried them beneath a terebinth tree near Shechem before leaving. -- As Jacob and his people journeyed towards Bethel in the south, the terror of his God fell on all the cities on their way, so no one dared pursue them as they left the plundered city of Shechem behind. When Jacob and his household reached Luz (that is Bethel), he did as his God had commanded him and built an altar, and he called that location El-bethel (meaning “the God of Bethel” in Hebrew). Soon thereafter Deborah, who had been his mother Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried beneath a nearby oak. -- Then God appeared to Jacob once more and reinforced his commandment from the time he had spoken to Jacob at the banks of the river Jabbok, namely that Jacob was from now on to be called Israel. God also again confirmed that Israel would be fruitful and become a father of not only nations but companies of nations and that kings would be of his descent. He also affirmed that Jacob and his descendants would inherit the land, which He had promised his forefathers Abraham and Isaac. -- After Israel had erected a pillar there in commemoration of God’s promise to him, pouring drink offerings on it and anointing it with oil, he and his household moved on to Ephrath (Bethlehem). But when they were still some distance from their goal, Rachel went into labor, bearing a second son, BENJAMIN. The birth was not easy, however, and she did not survive the struggle, so she was buried on the road (to Bethlehem). -- While the caravan had pitched their tents beyond the tower of Eder (near Bethlehem), Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and in spite of Jacob learning of his son’s evil deed, he didn’t react to it. -- Now that the number of the sons of Jacob was complete, the names of his twelve sons were recapitulated: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun from LEAH; Joseph and Benjamin from RACHEL; Dan and Naphtali from BILHAH, Rachel’s maid; as well as Gad and Asher from ZILPAH, Leah’s maid. Shortly after Jacob had completed his journey to his parents home (further south) in Mamre (Hebron), his father Isaac died at 180 years of age. His two sons, Esau and Jacob, buried him.
PRAYER: God of Jacob, we thank you that you appeared to and spoke to Jacob, your chosen descendant from Abraham and Isaac. Thank you for protecting Jacob and affirming to him the promises you had given his forefathers. You are faithful. None of your words fall. You fulfill your promises in your own time. Help us to trust your word like Jacob did. Thank you also that Jacob’s twelfth son was born near Bethlehem, where much later your Holy Son would become flesh as the man Jesus, your anointed Messiah. Your plan of salvation is long and manifold, including these events from the life of Jacob. Thank you that we can trust you to fulfill your plans in our lives. Amen.