God’s Steadfast Loyal Love Series

In Genesis we had been looking at the life of Jacob, the son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham, who was the Father of our faith. Jacob was a piece of work - a bit complicated. On one hand, he was a liar, a cheat, and basically self-serving but his life evolved into a deep, transformative relationship with God marked with wrestling, prayer, and eventual surrender to God’s will. Throughout his journey Jacob was in constant distress, yet God pursued him, blessed him and had always been there to deliver him.

In chapter 34, God told Jacob to go back to Bethel, the place where He first met God 20 years earlier but instead Jacob decided to settle his family in the valley of Sheckum where he set up camp in a bad neighborhood. In one of the darkest chapters of Jacob’s life his daughter, who decided to hang out with the women of the town, is raped and in revenge his two sons murder all the men in Sheckem and pillaged the town. In this chapter there is no mention of God, no divine revelation, no remorse, and there are no heroes in this dark episode.

Jacob was horrified and humiliated by the deceitful, destructive actions of his sons Simeon and Levi. He was by now a very wealthy man but a failed father and living in fear of retribution by the neighboring nations. He is at an all time low but then we witness God’s loyal, steadfast love and faithfulness.

Let's read Genesis 35:1-15 (SL2)

1Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” 2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Remove the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves and change your garments; 3 and let’s arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me on the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.” 4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which they had and the rings which were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the oak which was near Shechem. 5 As they journeyed, there was a great terror upon the cities which were around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. 6 So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. 7 Then he built an altar there, and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed Himself to him when he fled from his brother. 8 Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; and it was named Allon-bacuth. 9 Then God appeared to Jacob again when he came from Paddan-aram, and He blessed him. 10 God said to him,

“Your name is Jacob; You shall no longer be called Jacob, But Israel shall be your name.” So He called him Israel. 11 God also said to him, “I am God Almighty; Be fruitful and multiply; A nation and a multitude of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from you. 12 “And the land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give to you, and I will give the land to your descendants after you.” 13 Then God went up from him at the place where He had spoken with him. 14 So Jacob set up a memorial stone in the place where He had spoken with him, a memorial of stone, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it. 15 And Jacob named the place where God had spoken with him, Bethel.

What can we see in this passage? (SL 3)

1. God’s Response

2. Jacob’s Return

3. The Recommissioning

Let’s look at: (SL 4)

1. God’s Response

Verse 1 says: Then God said to Jacob…

Now what would you be expecting to hear from a perfectly holy and righteous God after a colossal family failure? Would you be looking forward to a conversation with God after you knew He told you to do something, you decided to ignore Him, and now you’re reaping the consequences?

It’s kind of a replay of Adam and Eve in the Garden - where can I hide? But God shows up (like He did in the Garden with Adam and Eve) and says to Jacob: “Go to Bethel.” Bethel represents an elevated place - it means house of God. It was the place where Jacob first met God when he was running from his brother Esau, running for his life. Bethel is where God first confirmed the same covenant promises to Jacob that He had made to Abraham and Isaac. Jacob was at one of the lowest points of his life but God was calling him back to Bethel for the second time.