More of the Same

 Genesis 34-35

            The story borders on being funny—darkly funny, but still: Simeon and Levi trick the Shechemites into being circumcised and attack them during their recovery in order to avenge their sister Dinah. But the potential humor is undone by the tragedy that Jacob’s sons have inherited his worst qualities. They, too, are tricksters who will use any means to get what they want. Jacob worries that his sons have made him obnoxious to the peoples living around him, and, at the Lord’s direction, he flees the area via Bethel. For a moment at least, Jacob had to be thinking, “Well, here we go again.” The desire to get what they want on their own terms is on display in the very brief incident of Reuben sleeping with Bilhah, Rachel’s servant. This wasn’t just a sexual sin; it was widely recognized as a way by which one could claim the inheritance (see 2 Samuel 16).

            Lost in all of this is the dangers Jacob faced. First, there was the threat that the surrounding Canaanites would absorb Israel by force, which is why Jacob relocated to Bethel. Second, and more serious, he faced the danger of intermarriage with pagan peoples. The danger here is the temptation to follow other gods and so, by unfaithfulness to the true God, to put His promise of salvation in danger. (Again, there are a ton of parallels with David’s family; look at 1 Kings 11). As we’ve said, Israel’s purpose was to preserve that promise and to be the instrument through which the Lord saved humanity. Jacob saw this danger, and demanded that everyone in the family get rid of their idols (we’re looking at you, Rachel—31:16, 30-35) and rededicate themselves to the Lord

            To focus on the fulfillment of the promise, we should note 1) that the Lord moved them away from danger, 2) that He used the moment to remind them to be faithful to Him alone, and 3) that the Lord was positioning Judah to become the heir (more on that a different day). Amid all the sinfulness of this family, the Lord was still using them to nurture His promise to fruition.