His stay at Shechem, which lasted several years, was a period of spiritual unfaithfulness but God then speaks to him, “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.” (v1) He knew that Bethel was the place he should be but he had dallied, dangerously, at Shechem. One writer says that Chapter 34 doesn’t mention God, but chapter 35 does several times. Another writer says that many problems in the Christian life result from incomplete obedience. God writing to the seven churches recorded by John in Revelation mentions about ‘leaving our first love’ and ‘strengthening the things that remain’. He returned to God and built an altar there at Bethel. It was only thirty miles away, but it was huge distance spiritually.
Some friends have spent ‘years in the wilderness’ but have returned and are serving God again. Like Jacob, God brought them back to the place of obedience. It is very difficult, in an atmosphere of worldliness, to impress our children with true spiritual life.
Jacob starts by instructing his household and all who were with him (v2-4) to “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.” If you remember, Rachel stole the foreign gods from her father Laban when she left with Jacob (see chapter 31)
They gave all the gods and earrings to Jacob who hid them under the terebinth tree by Shechem. Jacob and Rachel set an example to the household. It seems that the earrings had some connection with idols otherwise they could have kept them. Jacob asked for their foreign gods so they must have had a connection with idol worship, and they were moved enough to give them up.
He also told them to change their garments which was a display of spiritual cleansing.
They continued their journey, and God was faithful and protected him, even more, they found that terror from God was on all the cities around them. Considering what Simeon and Levi did to the people of Shechem, they were hated this was amazing protection by God. They came to Luz (Bethel) in the land of Canaan and Jacob built an altar there and called the place El Bethel (v5-7). However dangerous his situation was it was vital that Jacob obeyed God.
In verse 8 we are introduced to a person we have never met before. This is Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse and the only thing we learn is that she died and was buried under the terebinth tree, by Bethel. They called the place Allon Bachuth, which means ‘Oak of Weeping.” She was evidently well thought of for a nurse to have such consideration.
God appeared to Jacob again and blessed him God reminded him that his name was no longer Jacob, but Israel. (v9-15) 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.”
Jacob was now in the place were God told him to be and being there, he was blessed and called him by his new name. Jacob set up a pillar in the place where God talked to him, a pillar of stone and poured a drink offering on it and oil and called the place Bethel. He received nothing new, but a reminder of what God had already promised.
Let us never forget the blessings God has poured out on us. We have become children of God, there is no higher calling, and we have, through faith and by grace, received eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ. We must walk in the Light as children of the light. We are not in darkness even though we live in a dark world of sin. So let our light shine. We are not here to get used to the darkness but to shine as lights.
In verses 16,17 Jacob journeys from Bethel a short distance to Ephrathah. Remember they were now in the land of Promise. At Ephrathah Rachel gave birth and she had a hard labour. The midwife told her not to fear and she would have a son. I don’t know how she knew it was a boy, but she seemed to know. However, Rachel was very poorly in giving birth and she died (v18) but before she died, she named him Ben-Oni, meaning ‘son of my sorrow’. The competition between Leah and Rachel was over but all that was left was sorrow. It was so sad that they had achieved little in their poor relationship.
However, Jacob named him Benjamin (son of my right hand) as the final link with the wife he loved most. The ‘right side’ indicated strength and honour. Jesus is seated at the right hand of God The Father. Paul writing to the Colossians 3:1 says, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.”
It is not denigrating those who happen to be left-handed, but a figure of speech indicating honour and strength as Jacob named him Benjamin.
Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrathah (Bethlehem). Some of you may remember the prophecy of the coming Messiah, “But you Bethlehem, Ephrathah ……” (Micah 5:2) Foretelling where the Christ would be born. This is where Rachel was buried, and Jacob set up a memorial stone for her (v19,20).
One might have thought that when Jacob went to the place he should be that everything would go well. We might think that when we become Christians all will be a smooth pathway, but it is not. We all face problems and trials, but we must be faithful to God. He has promised to be with us, never to leave us not forsake us. Psalm 23 assures us that even though we walk through the shadow of death He will be with us. We are not promised an easy ride but a constant companion and leader who will take us safe home.
Jacob (Israel as he now is) had no sooner got over the death of his beloved Rachel, learned of an awful event. He has moved on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder, and now his eldest son, Reuben lay with Bilhah, the maid with whom Jacob had had two sons. Jacob was not always careful in his relationships, and this showed up in the behaviour of his sons Reuben (v21,22) and he had not long since had problem with Simeon and Levi.
In verses 22-26 we have his sons listed for us, twelve in all. These were not, in the main, spiritual men, but what they do show is that God, in His grace, chose them to fulfil His will and purpose.
God uses failures and I’m glad he does because I’m one and He uses me!
At the end of this chapter, (v27-29) Jacob visited his father Isaac at Hebron (Mamre or Kirjath Arba). Isaac had evidently remained there where he and his father Abraham had dwelt. So far as we know this was the first time in over 20years that they had seen each other. Isaac was undoubtedly very old by now, his eyesight was poor when he had blessed Jacob all those years before, and he was now 180. Just like Isaac and Ishmael got together to bury their father Abraham, Jacob and Esau got together to bury Isaac when he died.
