The Book of Genesis
Part 65
Partial Obedience
Chapter 33:17- 34:31.
While Jacob was in the path of obedience to the will of the Lord, God was with him to protect and guide him. As we review the details of his reconciliation with his brother Esau, we realize that “when a man’s ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Prov. 16:17). What a pity that frequently in life there is a departure from the path in which there is blessing and joy, and a wandering in ways which leave the heart in distress and grief. The portion of Jacob’s history now before us was written aforetime for our learning to warn us of the consequence resulting in deviation from the will of God. Let us examine the details disclosed in these chapters.
Disobedience
The Word of God to Jacob was clear and plain: “I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto Me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred” (Gen. 31:13). This command would arouse vivid recollections, so vivid that they would the more deeply impress this command of the Lord upon his heart. We, therefore, are very much surprised at his negligence, and disappointed that he stopped at Shechem rather than proceeding to Bethel: “And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for an hundred pieces of money. And he erected an altar, and called it Elelohe Israel” (Chap. 33:17-20). God had blessed and guarded him, and yet Jacob failed to comply fully with the expressed will of God.
The case of king Saul is suggested by this failure on Jacob’s part. There was a grave crisis in Israel. The Philistines were armed ready for battle. The time was passing and Samuel tarried. Saul called for offerings and in his zeal burned them upon the altar. The faithful priest, Samuel, left no doubt in Saul’s mind that he had been disobedient, for he charged, “Thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God” (1 Sam. 13:5-13).
At a later date Saul defeated the Amalekites, and there is no doubt that he sacrificed much of that which he could have retained. As will be remembered, he kept king Agag in spite of the fact God had instructed that he was to be slain. Samuel again spoke to him, saying, “To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Sam. 15:1023).
That Jacob should purchase property, build a house, dig a well, raise an altar, and make booths for his cattle are all indications that he intended to remain at Shechem. His obedience was only partial; he stopped short of Bethel; he failed to fulfil his vow.
Deception
There are intimations that Jacob was quite pleased with himself. Probably he did not admit to himself when he “came in health and safety to a city, Shechem” (Vs. 18, margin) that it was the central location of the city, its accessibility, and the great advantage in its abundant water supply that attracted him and caused him to remain and to settle there. In his raising an altar and in his giving it an extraordinary name would suggest some compunctions of conscience. In calling the altar “Elelohe Israel”, God is the God of Israel, another has written, “He did not name it Elelohe Bethel, God is the God of Bethel for that would have reminded him of his failure. In what he did, he reminded himself of the experience at Jabbock, but not of the experience at Bethel.”
The altar gives to his actions a religious tone which when completely analysed reveals a measure of hypocrisy, for while seemingly dedicating himself and his family to the Lord, he had established himself contrary to the divine intention away from Bethel. It is remarkable how the human heart can pretend to possess spiritual qualities even in paths of disobedience.
Degeneracy
Divine principles are unalterable. The divine principle of headship is clearly stated in the New Testament, “I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God” (1 Cor. 11:3). “The husband is the head of the wife” (Eph. 5:23).
This principle that is so clearly stated in the New Testament was likewise in force in times of the Old Testament. The head in each household during patriarchal days was also the priest. He was God’s representative in the home; and, furthermore, he was the family’s representative before God. See Job 1:5.
Jacob was therefore the head of his house and responsible for the behaviour of each member. God always expects a leader to be “one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity” (1 Tim. 3:4).
It was in this particular sphere that Jacob failed. Dinah must have been only in her teens, and therefore in need of guidance and control. The entire narative of chapter 34 is a sad proof that Jacob had lost control over his household.
Only in the measure that the head of a family is controlled by the Word of God and the Spirit of God, can he rule well his own home.
Disgrace
The shame of Dinah is the dishonour of her father. The trouble began when this young unrestrained teen-ager “went out to see the daughters of the land.” Like many another young girl, she yearned for companionship. In this there is nothing wrong; the wrong lies in the place where she sought companionship. Well might James write, “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (Jas. 4:4).
Another has written wise words concerning Dinah’s fall, words that should be impressed upon the minds of young daughters by the heads of all families, especially Christian families: “Dinah is found mingling, as it would seem, freely and without reproof, in the gay circle in which female beauty is apt to be a snare to the possessor, and female innocence is in danger of falling a prey to the arts and flatteries of the seducer.”