Last week we went through the tragic events surrounding the rape of Jacob’s only daughter Dinah. As horrible of an event that was, her older brothers made matters worse by taking revenge on the entire city for what one man had done. Because of what they had done, Jacob and his entire family would be targets of revenge from the other pagan tribes that surrounded them. So it was time to move!
Chapters 35 and 36 of Genesis follow them on their journeys and serve as transitional chapters in the book. We see the emphasis shift from Jacob to Joseph through this transition.
But along with seeing this transition, we also see the themes of correction and completion through these chapters. So as we look at their journeys we’ll be highlighting the transition from Jacob to Joseph, the correction of religious practices, and the completion of God’s promises. All of which takes place in three very important journeys.
You know we often find ourselves on a journey that can be difficult at times. But sometimes we focus so much on the destination that we don’t journey well. But it’s the journey that prepares us for that destination. Listen to this true story.
Volleyball was introduced as an Olympic sport in the 1964 Tokyo games. A Japanese women’s team was chosen to represent their nation for the event. Hirofumi Daimatsu, their coach, put the women through a grueling training program that resembled a Marine boot camp. The six day a week training program was quite brutal on the women both physically and mentally. Daimatsu, in fact, was trying to utterly break the women. He promised them two things: those who could not survive would be released from the team, but those who did would win the Olympic gold medal. The training, however, did pay off and they eventually did win the gold. When they stood to receive their medals every woman was crying. “It was a glorious moment,” said team captain Masae Kasai. “We all cried for two reasons. We had won the gold medal and had fulfilled our expectations and that of the Japanese people. Even more, we cried because this would be our last game together, and even though we had been through so much pain and anguish it was worth it. I’m sure we would all do it again.” Even though their journey had been difficult, those women would have gone through it again for the prize of the gold.
We need the journeys of life to prepare us for the chapters of life. God uses these journeys to prepare Jacob and his family for what was next.
I. Jacob’s journey to Bethel
Not only was God moving Jacob out of harm’s way, but He was moving him towards his homeland which was always to be his final destination. But before they left some house cleaning needed to take place. Remember the three themes running through these journeys? Transition, correction and completion. Here we see some:
1. Correction – religious practices
[Read Genesis 35:1-7.]
Over the last couple of decades some in Jacob’s family had picked up the pagan practices of the people they lived amongst. But also, Rachel had taken her father’s idols when they left her homeland. She might have even started worshipping them herself. But regardless of how it happened, it happened. Paganism had entered the household of Jacob and needed to be corrected before they went into the promised land.
Everyone gave Jacob their idols and jewelry associated with pagan worship and he buried them out of sight. They all ceremonially washed themselves and changed clothes as an outward sign of their repentance. The people had been corrected and refocused on the One True God.
So now they journey on to Bethel and worship God there. But something very significant happens after they arrive – Jacob’s mother’s nurse died.
2. Transition – Rebekah’s dead
[Read Genesis 35:1-7.]
Now the reason this is significant is because it signals that Jacob’s mother had already died. If she would have still been alive then she would have been further south with her husband Isaac in Hebron with her maid by her side. But her maid was up near Jacob in Bethel when she died, so Rebekah must already be dead. The transition of family leadership is in motion. But along with the transition, we also have:
3. Completion – God’s promises reaffirmed
God had promised Jacob to take care of him, get him back home, and to build nations from him. Here God’s plans are coming to fruition.
[Read Genesis 35:5, 9-15.]
God brought fear in the hearts of all the surrounding nations as Jacob passed through them. Remember, his son’s treachery could have cost them their lives. But God had a plan and watched over Jacob.
Also, when you read of God giving the covenant promises to Jacob, changing his name to Israel, and Jacob responding with worship there in Bethel, we need to remember that this has all been done before. God already gave the covenant to Jacob the first time he passed through Bethel – and Jacob responded in worship. And God had already renamed Jacob to Israel after their wrestling match.
I don’t think this was a matter of Jacob having a bad memory. I think it was simply a formal affirmation that God’s will was being done. Jacob was almost home, he would inherit the promised land, the land that would be called Israel after him. God is doing as He said He would.
But the journey wasn’t over. Time to keep moving south towards His homeland.
II. Jacob journey’s to Hebron
The first thing we see in this journey is that Jacob’s beloved wife Rachel dies.
1. Transition – Rachel dies
[Read Genesis 35:16-20.]
Sadly, Jacob’s favorite wife dies. On her deathbed she names her son Benoni which means “son of sorrow”. But after she passes Jacob renames him Benjamin which means “son of honor or good fortune.” And the memorial to Rachel’s grave was still in existence when Moses wrote this book.
Since she died the power structure in the family had changed. Rachel seemed to be the one who pulled the strings in the family, but not any more. So that’s the transition in this part of the journey. But now comes some needed:
2. Correction – Reuben’s sin
[Read Genesis 35:21-22.]
Terrible! Jacob’s firstborn son has an affair with one of Jacob’s wives. But it would be a sin that would not go unpunished.
[Read Genesis 49:3-4, I Chronicles 5:1.]
But even with Reuben tainting the family, God’s will would still be accomplished.
3. Completion – twelve tribes of Israel
[Read Genesis 35:23-26.]
Through these many hard years the twelve sons of Jacob, who would be the original leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel, were in place. God is coming through on His promise to build mighty nations through Jacob.
With his twelve sons Jacob continues to journey to his father’s home which was now in Hebron. A place where more transition would take place.
4. Transition – Isaac dies
[Read Genesis 35:27-29.]
The change in family leadership was now complete. Isaac, Rebekah and Rachel were now gone. Jacob was singularly in charge of the family now. Not even Esau posed a threat at this time because we see him move away after him and Jacob bury their father. And that’s the first thing we‘re going to notice about Esau’s journey is Jacob ensconced as the family leader.
III. Esau journey’s to Seir
1. Completion – Jacob as head of family
[Read Genesis 36:1-8.]
Esau was the only one who could have posed a legitimate threat to Jacob’s headship of the family. Even though Jacob had secured the family blessing and Esau’s birthright, both parents were now dead. Who would stop Esau from attempting to overthrow Jacob?
But Esau willingly left to make room for Jacob’s household and coming nations. Israel was in place and right where God had said they’d be all along.
But somewhere along the line Esau’s descendants became vicious enemies of Israel. That’s the transition found in Esau’s journey.
2. Transition – Esau turns into Edom
The rest of chapter 36 extensively goes through the genealogy of Esau. It also has the genealogy of Seir mixed in with it. Probably Seir was a native of the land that Esau either took over or intermarried with. Nevertheless, Esau’s descendants, the Edomites, became long time enemies of Israel. They opposed Moses, Saul, David, Solomon and just about everyone else that led the nation of Israel. Somewhere along the way they forgot the mutual kindness shared by Jacob and Esau and decided they wanted what Israel had.
It probably had something to do with joining with Seir and his pagan family. It also probably had something to do with their political structure.
[Read Genesis 36:31.]
Instead of being a nation ruled by the Lord, they had become a nation ruled by politics. (I think we can relate to that here in the US.)
Now those are some journeys! So much has taken place! Mainly:
- Israel is established as a nation in Canaan
- Godly worship is established in Israel again
- The story is about to shift from Jacob to Joseph, (next week)
Now the results of the journeys was important – but God used the journeys to produce
those results. Jacob and his family had to go through these things to set the stage for what God wanted to do next through them. The point is, it’s the journeys of life that prepare us for our next chapters of life. If we focus too much on the destination, we might miss the significance of the journey, and not even make the destination! Especially in spiritual matters.
[Wanting to leave TTU story.]
Sometimes the journeys of life are hard and long. But just like with Jacob, God promises to be with us every step of the way! “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Rom 8:28
