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Genesis Chapter Thirty-five
Preface
This chapter depicts spiritual progress in the life of Jacob (a.k.a. Israel). After a life of deception and self-interest (a life lived in the “flesh”), he had come to an “end of self” crises-experience during his wrestling match with God at Peniel (32:24-32). But even though he had come to face his own inabilities, he had not yet taken the leadership role of “walking by faith” within his life or among his family. It is one thing for a Christian to realize he is incapable under his own power to live the Christian life; it is entirely another to submit through faith one’s life entirely to God so that the Holy Spirit may live the Christ-like life through him (Ephesians 5:18; Colossians 2:6).
Now, after losing the control of his sons in chapter 34, which resulted in the murder of many innocent people, Jacob is once again confronted by God and is given specific directions. He then takes specific actions to demonstrate his belief (faith) in God and to bring his family in line with God’s judgments. Due to his crises-experience with God at Peniel and the various consequences he subsequently experienced by not carrying through with a “walk of/by faith,” Jacob is finally coming around to doing things God’s way. This chapter represents a growth in spirituality that is not unlike the spiritual growth many believers experience today.
There should not be too much made of Jacob’s crises-experience at Peniel. Why? It is because there are many Christian organizations, preachers and individuals who today promote a “second” experience after one is saved. Often they categorize this “second” experience as the “filling of the Holy Spirit.” And unfortunately, they demean any Christian who does not profess to a “second” experience to which they subscribe. The truth is that there is no such second experience, and this evaluation is made in light of the record of the events at Pentecost in Acts 2—a one-time occurrence of the coming of the Holy Spirit that initiated the Church Age (Dispensation), which was in fulfillment of Christ’s promise in John 14:15-25.
When a person by faith alone in Christ alone (Acts 16:30, 31; Ephesians 2:8, 9) becomes a child of God, he/she, immediately upon that faith-decision, is born of the Holy Spirit (John 3:36) and is indwelt by/with the Holy Spirit in full, never in part (John 7:39; Romans 5:5; 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Galatians 4:6; 1 John 3:24). At this time he/she is permanently sealed by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 4:30) and permanently baptized (immersed) into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). And from that moment on the Holy Spirit is always available to the believer for spiritual gifts and power to live the Christian (spiritual) life (1 Corinthians 12:11, 27-31; 13:1, 2). Unfortunately as a newborn “babe” in Christ who has limited (or no) knowledge of Bible doctrine and spiritual warfare-experience against Satan and his minions on earth, the young believer immediately looks “inward” to self for strength rather than “upward” (in faith) to God for the authority and means to live a successful spiritual life. This allows sin to creep in, a condition that all Christians experience (more or less) no matter their spiritual maturity (1 John 1:8; Romans 7:13-25). Because the believer always retains freedom of choice, he may then progress to ever higher levels of spiritual maturity (sanctification—the process of being “set apart”). He does this through ingestion and digestion of Bible doctrine (John 17:17), confessing known sins (1 John 1:9), the exercise of faith (Colossians 2:6), and making correct choices in life. On the other hand he may remain spiritually stagnant while living in the “flesh”—a condition for which he will be disciplined or spanked (Hebrews 12:4-11) by the Father and which will cost him eternal awards, but not his salvation (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). Genesis 35:1-5 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 oak 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.
God had been using the tragic events of the previous chapters to prepare Jacob to make a proper spiritual commitment—a process that believers often go through, then and now. It may be of a brief or protracted duration. This chapter opens with God communicating with Jacob and commanding him to fulfill the vow of dedication he made approximately thirty years earlier (28:20-22). It was at Bethel (lit. House of God; originally called Luz) where God confirmed the Abrahamic covenant to Jacob (28:10-19).
Now it appears that Jacob better understands the concepts of selflessness, faith and obedience. He immediately takes a leadership role with his family, insisting that they purge themselves of all remnants of heathen practices, including idols, Rachel’s tetaphim or household idols (31:19), and earrings. It is believed that the earrings served as amulets or charms to ward off evil or to bring good fortune. They were thought to have magical powers and all such adornments were condemned in the Bible (Isaiah 3:18-23). Such earrings were used to make the golden calf of Exodus 32:2.
Why did the people have these idols (“foreign gods”)? Idols were sometimes seen more as good luck charms than as gods. Some Israelites, even though they worshiped God, had idols in their homes, just as some Christians today own good luck trinkets. Jacob believed that idols should have no place in his household. He wanted nothing to divert his family’s spiritual focus.
Jacob ordered his household to get rid of their gods. Unless we remove idols from our lives, they can ruin our faith. What idols do we have? An idol is anything we put before God. Idols don’t have to be physical objects; they can be thoughts or desires. Like Jacob, we should get rid of anything that could stand between us and God. (Life Application Bible, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1991)
So Jacob took the foreign gods and earrings and buried them—an action of permanent and final intent—under the oak tree that was near to Shechem. But even more, he ordered his family to purify themselves and even change their clothing. He wanted a clean and decisive break from anything that was associated with evil.
And upon this decisive and genuine action of faith and obedience on Jacob’s and his family’s part, God then instilled a terror within the people of the land, so that they would not pursue and harm Jacob or his family as they followed God’s will. And this represents a very practical spiritual lesson for the Christian of today. Trust in God and He will see you safely home.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5-8) Genesis 35:6-8 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 an oak tree. So the name of it was called Allon Bachuth.
At the end of Jacob’s and his family’s travel under the protective hand of God, they came to Luz, which was renamed Bethel (House of God)—the location where God originally appeared to him. After years of deception and living outside of God’s will, God brings him back to his “beginning”—not unlike the path many Christians travel today, having drifted away from their salvation and/or dedication experience only to find that living in the flesh brings no satisfaction but only emptiness and heartbreak.
Here Jacob builds another altar unto God to demonstrate his return to God, and he calls the place “El Bethel” (God of Bethel or God of the House of God).
Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse probably since childhood (24:59), dies and is buried under an oak tree, so this place/tree was named “Allon Bachuth” (Oak of Weeping). Genesis 35:9-15 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.
Jacob had returned to where he started with God (28:10-22), where God had first confirmed to Jacob the continuation and blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant and where Jacob had vowed dedication to God. But from that time Jacob’s life had been one of wayward living—of struggling in the flesh and accompanied by acts of deception. But upon confronting the “face of God” in an overnight struggle (32:24-32) with Him, Jacob had come to realize that it was “. . . not by [human] might nor by [human] power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6)
Now Jacob was on his way back to a proper relationship with God, so God takes the time to once again remind Jacob what He had previously told him and Abraham and Isaac before him, which was:
Jacob once again marks the spot with a pillar of stone and anoints the marker with (olive) oil and a drink (wine) offering. Such offerings were given as a sacrifice of dedication to God to honor Him and to express gratitude.
Olive oil was a valuable commodity and was often used in the sacrificial observances of the Hebrews. Drink offerings generally were given with burnt offerings or fellowship offerings. The apostle Paul in Philippians 2:17 considered his life as a drink offering being poured out in gratitude over the sacrifice and service of the believers at Philippi. Genesis 35:16-20 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.
As Jacob’s family journeyed south from Bethel, . . . Rachel died in childbirth. She had named the child Ben-Oni (son of my sorrow), but Jacob named this twelfth son Benjamin (son of my right hand). These two names pre-picture the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. The traditional (but probably not authentic) site of Rachel’s grave may still be seen on the road from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. Why was she not buried with Abraham, Sarah, and Rebekah in the cave of Hebron? Perhaps it was because she had brought idols into the family. (Believer’s Bible Commentary by William MacDonald, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995)
When Rachel gave birth to her first son, Joseph, she had prayed, “May the Lord add to me another son” (30:24). God answered her prayer with Benjamin, but in exchange, God took her life. Genesis 35:21-29 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 laid 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.
From this point on in Genesis Jacob is referred to by both his changed-name of Israel and his birth name (Jacob).
Eder: A watchtower between Bethlehem and Hebron . . . KJV spells it Edar. Because of its proximity to Bethlehem where David was born, Micah (Mic 4:8) refers to it (“migdal ‘eder,” “O tower of the flock”) and to Ophel (“the stronghold”), where David’s citadel was built in Jerusalem, as symbols of the royal house of David. (Wycliffe Bible Dictionary, Hendrickson Publishers, 1975, John Rea, Th.D., Theological Lecturer and Editor)
The account of Reuben having sexual intercourse with Bilhah is a little strange. One would think that accompanying it there would be some sort of moral indignation, yet nothing of the sort is mentioned. But just as so many historical events, both good and bad, are recorded in the Old Testament without any apparent evaluative comments, this is simply another example. But later it will be seen that Reuben did not escape judgment from this sordid event.
The text reveals no animosity between Reuben and Israel prior to this event. The encounter may have been an impulsive act of the eldest son, one he did not want his father to know about. Sleeping with his father’s concubine was an adulterous and a shameful offence against his father, an act that would eventually cost him his birthright (49:3, 4).
Because of their horrendous conduct, the three oldest sons of Jacob fell from favor. The writer has already recounted the violence of Simeon and Levi (ch. 34); now he briefly notes the misconduct of Reuben. As the list that follows shows, the next brother in line was Judah, the son of Leah. With the older sons out of the way, the stage is set for the development of the lines of Judah and Joseph, which continues throughout much of the rest of the OT. The Genesis narratives that follow are devoted primarily to Joseph, but that is no indication of the final outcome. The last word regarding the future of these two lines of Abraham’s descendants is not heard until chs. 48 and 49. (NIV Bible Commentary, Volume 1: Old Testament, Zondervan Publishing House, 19947)
Next the text list Jacob’s (Israel’s) 12 sons: From Leah (wife):
From Rachel (wife):
From Bilhah (Rachel’s maidservant):
From Zilpah (Leah’s maidservant):
Polygamy—the practice of taking multiple wives—was common in the ancient Middle East. Many wives were a sign of wealth and rank. . . . .
Although polygamous marriages, even those of heroes of the faith, are recorded without direct comment throughout the Old Testament, they clearly violate God’s original intent for the marital relationship. Genesis declares that a husband and wife should be “one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). Jesus reiterated this principle (Matt. 19:5-6). God also warned that taking many wives was a dangerous thing (Deut. 17:17).
The Old Testament records numerous accounts of strife resulting from polygamy. Hannah’s constant provocation by Peninnah, a rival wife, for example, illustrates how polygamy opens the door to domestic discord (1 Samuel 1:1-8). It also contributes to spiritual disaster. Solomon’s numerous marriages to foreign women eventually led to his spiritual compromise and even the downfall of the kingdom (1 Kings 11:4).
Although polygamy is incompatible with God’s ideal, it apparently was one of many borderline practices God allowed during Old Testament days. It essentially disappeared following the Babylonian captivity. By the time the early church was established, God made his ideal for marriage clear in the qualifications for elders and deacons. Each was to have only one wife (1 Tim. 3:2, 12). The enduring principle: one man, one woman, one flesh. (The Quest Study Bible, Zondervan Publishing House, 1994)
Three funerals are recorded in this chapter; that of Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse (35:8); of Rachel (35:19); and of Isaac (35:29).
The end of the Jacob narratives is marked by the death of his father, Isaac. This notice is not simply to record Isaac’s death but to show the complete fulfillment of God’s promise to Jacob (28:21). According to Jacob’s vow, he had asked that God watch over him during his sojourn and return him safely to the house of his father. Thus the conclusion of the narrative marks the final fulfillment of these words as Jacob returned to the house of his father, Isaac, before he died. (NIV Bible Commentary, Volume 1: Old Testament, Zondervan Publishing House, 19947)
Isaac lived for 180 years. One may theorize that these early men lived so long because they came “fresh” from the hand the Creator who had made men and women to be immortal. Nevertheless, death—the result of sin—began its work of making people more and more mortal until now life expectancy is about 70 years more or less. In any event, both Esau and Jacob (Israel) were able attend their father’s funeral and to bury him. |