today's meditation (Gn.34) Do Not Seek Revenge

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me in reading and understanding Your word...)

(Genesis 34:1-31)  Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the daughters of the land. 2 When Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force. 3 He was deeply attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her. 4 So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this young girl for a wife.” 5 Now Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter; but his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob kept silent until they came in. 6 Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. 7 Now the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved, and they were very angry because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing ought not to be done.

8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter; please give her to him in marriage. 9 Intermarry with us; give your daughters to us and take our daughters for yourselves. 10 Thus you shall live with us, and the land shall be open before you; live and trade in it and acquire property in it.” 11 Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, “If I find favor in your sight, then I will give whatever you say to me. 12 Ask me ever so much bridal payment and gift, and I will give according as you say to me; but give me the girl in marriage.”

13 But Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor with deceit, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. 14 They said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us. 15 Only on this condition will we consent to you: if you will become like us, in that every male of you be circumcised, 16 then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters for ourselves, and we will live with you and become one people. 17 But if you will not listen to us to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and go.”

18 Now their words seemed reasonable to Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. 19 The young man did not delay to do the thing, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. Now he was more respected than all the household of his father. 20 So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, 21 “These men are friendly with us; therefore let them live in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters in marriage, and give our daughters to them. 22 Only on this condition will the men consent to us to live with us, to become one people: that every male among us be circumcised as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their livestock and their property and all their animals be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will live with us.” 24 All who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and to his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.

25 Now it came about on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came upon the city unawares, and killed every male. 26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and went forth. 27 Jacob’s sons came upon the slain and looted the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28 They took their flocks and their herds and their donkeys, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field; 29 and they captured and looted all their wealth and all their little ones and their wives, even all that was in the houses. 30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me odious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and my men being few in number, they will gather together against me and attack me and I will be destroyed, I and my household.” 31 But they said, “Should he treat our sister as a harlot?”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Rape has never been an acceptable thing!  It has always been wrong!  Shechem not only raped Dinah, but kept her hostage.  As well, sinful human nature has always been to hide what has been done, as well as to try to justify it, as seen when Hamor went on and on about how much his son, Shechem, really loved Dinah and wanted her as his wife. 

Revenge is also wrong!  Jacob was present when his sons made "the deal" with Shechem and Hamor.  So it would appear that Jacob was probably fine with what had been agreed upon, but didn't know what his sons were actually planning.  Then when they were confronted after their savage attack on the Hivites, the sons tried to justify their actions.  But on and on it could go.  Other groups of people could attack Jacob's family "because" - they were liars - they couldn't be trusted... and Jacob understood this thinking very well.  

This is one reason why in college, I never got into pulling pranks.  And if someone pranked me - I simply ignored it.  Several times, I witnessed how this "fun" could escalate to hurtful and even dangerous proportions.  Like - seriously dangerous!  The police had even been called in when one prank almost killed someone.  But it was all done "in fun" which "just" got out of hand.

Imagine how serious true revenge could look like!  It never solves a problem;  it only adds to the problem.  Because He understands how this sort of thing goes, the Lord asks us to not seek revenge (Romans 12:19).  We need to pray for and let the country's justice system handle crimes.  And we should not neglect asking and trusting God for protection, and for justice to prevail, and for wisdom to guide us through all the various situations, no matter what.

today's meditation (Gn.33) Building an Altar of Devotion

(Dear Lord Jesus, open my eyes to Your message...)

(Genesis 33:1-20)  Then Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids. 2 He put the maids and their children in front, and Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3 But he himself passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4 Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5 He lifted his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said, “Who are these with you?” So he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the maids came near with their children, and they bowed down. 7 Leah likewise came near with her children, and they bowed down; and afterward Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed down. 8 And he said, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9 But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother; let what you have be your own.” 10 Jacob said, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then take my present from my hand, for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably. 11 Please take my gift which has been brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have plenty.” Thus he urged him and he took it.

12 Then Esau said, “Let us take our journey and go, and I will go before you.” 13 But he said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds which are nursing are a care to me. And if they are driven hard one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Please let my lord pass on before his servant, and I will proceed at my leisure, according to the pace of the cattle that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord at Seir.”

15 Esau said, “Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17 Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built for himself a house and made booths for his livestock; therefore the place is named Succoth.

18 Now Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram, and camped before the city. 19 He bought the piece of land where he had pitched his tent from the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money. 20 Then he erected there an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

I love hearing stories of reconciliation, which requires not only apologies, but forgiveness towards the people who have hurt you.  Jacob had sent his "apology-gifts" on ahead, so Esau would receive them before meeting up with them.  And obviously, Esau had long ago forgiven Jacob (even though he had never heard an apology from him until this point).  

You can see God's involvement in all of this.  And when Jacob found land to settle in, he built an altar as a place where he could worship, and called it "the mighty God of Israel".  It would seem that Jacob's scheming ways were a thing of the past, and he was now living up to his new name, Israel. 

As soon as we become believers, we are called "Christians".  The definition is in the name itself:  a Christ follower.  I know many people will say they are Christians even though they have not put Christ first in their lives... some do not have Christ in their lives anywhere, thinking that just because they are "good people", and/or come from a certain country or family - makes them a Christian.  

Following Jesus is to embrace everything He has done for us and everything He has said to us.  If we say we are Christian, our altar to Him should be evident in our hearts, as well as our actions of worshipful devotion.

today's meditation (Gn.32:24-32) Give God the Control

(Dear Lord Jesus, give me insight as I read Your word...)

(Genesis 32:24-32)  Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.” 31 Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh. 32 Therefore, to this day the sons of Israel do not eat the sinew of the hip which is on the socket of the thigh, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew of the hip.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Hosea 12 mentions that Jacob wrestled with an "angel", although "He" is capitalized.  And putting everything into context with this scripture above... it could most certainly be THE angel of the Lord (Jesus pre-incarnate).  

Jacob probably felt very vulnerable - like - being between a rock and a hard place.  He was leaving behind an angry father-in-law, and was now moving towards his brother, Esau.  And so now he found himself wrestling with God, trying to find some control in his life... only to learn that in order to receive God's blessings - he needed to give the control to God.

Jacob's name means "deceiver".  In those days, parents would often not name their babies for a while until they saw their child's character (or unless God told them to name them something specific).  But here, God renamed him "Israel", which means "He struggles with God".  

I see this "fight" as being more like a parent play-fighting with a child.  We know that there is no way we could ever win a physical fight against an angel, let alone God.  This fight went on all night because Jacob did not want to give up.  Then it was kind of like, "Oh, you haven't had enough yet?... okay then, what about this?"  

When one tries to fight against God - one is going to lose.  And even fighting with God - can cost us something.   It cost Jacob a dislocated hip!  And THEN Jacob submitted and sought God's favor... which brought about a blessing.

I prefer to figure out God's will before there are any consequences, but... making mistakes is something I cannot avoid even when trying.  There have been times when I have chosen to do things my way, and then God allowed me to lose something.  This usually gets my attention fairly quickly.  In these "wrestling-matches" with God, I can't be angry with Him when things don't go my way because I know God has a better way.  It is all about coming to grips with what God wants for us in our lives... submitting and giving the control to God and trusting that He knows best!

today's meditation (Gn.32:1-23) Prepare to Not Worry

(Dear Lord Jesus, keep me focused on Your word...)

(Genesis 32:1-23)  Now as Jacob went on his way, the angels of God met him. 2 Jacob said when he saw them, “This is God’s camp.” So he named that place Mahanaim.

3 Then Jacob sent messengers before him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 He also commanded them saying, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: ‘Thus says your servant Jacob, “I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now; 5 I have oxen and donkeys and flocks and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.”’”

6 The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and furthermore he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” 7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and the herds and the camels, into two companies; 8 for he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the company which is left will escape.”

9 Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord, who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will prosper you,’ 10 I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant; for with my staff only I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies. 11 Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children. 12 For You said, ‘I will surely prosper you and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which is too great to be numbered.’”

13 So he spent the night there. Then he selected from what he had with him a present for his brother Esau: 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty milking camels and their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16 He delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on before me, and put a space between droves.” 17 He commanded the one in front, saying, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, saying, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and to whom do these animals in front of you belong?’ 18 then you shall say, ‘These belong to your servant Jacob; it is a present sent to my lord Esau. And behold, he also is behind us.’” 19 Then he commanded also the second and the third, and all those who followed the droves, saying, “After this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him; 20 and you shall say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob also is behind us.’” For he said, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me. Then afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.” 21 So the present passed on before him, while he himself spent that night in the camp.

22 Now he arose that same night and took his two wives and his two maids and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream. And he sent across whatever he had.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

God had allowed Jacob to see His angels, probably to encourage Jacob and remind him that He was very present, and was very able to deliver His promises.  Although Jacob was very human in his thinking - that the angels only hung out in that location.  But from all of scripture, we know that the angels serve God, and can move around quite readily!  And one of their ministries is to protect.

Also very "human" was the fact that Jacob prayed to God when he believed his life was in danger.  He did state the fact that he was unworthy of God's lovingkindess and faithfulness, yet Jacob still seemed unsure that God really knew what He was doing, since God told Jacob to return home, but Esau was already on the move towards his camp.

We do spend a lot of time worrying about things - unnecessarily.  And even if the "worst" should happen, how did our worrying help anything?  It's not like it will affect change.  Now, it is not wrong to prepare for the worst (to be ready emotionally, physically and spiritually), but we obviously should be praying!!!  And then, we need to learn to rest and wait on Him, as we continue to talk with God.  

Hm... I'm thinking that I need to prepare myself to not worry!  So I need to include in my prayers a confession of sin when I have been worrying, and ask that God would help me trust and rest in Him.

today's meditation (Gn.31) Fear the Lord

(Dear Lord Jesus, may Your word bless us...)

(Genesis 31:1-55)  Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what belonged to our father he has made all this wealth.” 2 Jacob saw the attitude of Laban, and behold, it was not friendly toward him as formerly. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” 4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to his flock in the field, 5 and said to them, “I see your father’s attitude, that it is not friendly toward me as formerly, but the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I have served your father with all my strength. 7 Yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times; however, God did not allow him to hurt me. 8 If he spoke thus, ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flock brought forth speckled; and if he spoke thus, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock brought forth striped. 9 Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me. 10 And it came about at the time when the flock were mating that I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats which were mating were striped, speckled, and mottled. 11 Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’ 12 He said, ‘Lift up now your eyes and see that all the male goats which are mating are striped, speckled, and mottled; for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you made a vow to Me; now arise, leave this land, and return to the land of your birth.’” 14 Rachel and Leah said to him, “Do we still have any portion or inheritance in our father’s house? 15 Are we not reckoned by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and has also entirely consumed our purchase price. 16 Surely all the wealth which God has taken away from our father belongs to us and our children; now then, do whatever God has said to you.”

17 Then Jacob arose and put his children and his wives upon camels; 18 and he drove away all his livestock and all his property which he had gathered, his acquired livestock which he had gathered in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 When Laban had gone to shear his flock, then Rachel stole the household idols that were her father’s. 20 And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing. 21 So he fled with all that he had; and he arose and crossed the Euphrates River, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.

22 When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23 then he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night and said to him, “Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.”

25 Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen camped in the hill country of Gilead. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done by deceiving me and carrying away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly and deceive me, and did not tell me so that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with timbrel and with lyre; 28 and did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly. 29 It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to speak either good or bad to Jacob.’ 30 Now you have indeed gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house; but why did you steal my gods?” 31 Then Jacob replied to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 The one with whom you find your gods shall not live; in the presence of our kinsmen point out what is yours among my belongings and take it for yourself.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two maids, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them in the camel’s saddle, and she sat on them. And Laban felt through all the tent but did not find them. 35 She said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the household idols.

36 Then Jacob became angry and contended with Laban; and Jacob said to Laban, “What is my transgression? What is my sin that you have hotly pursued me? 37 Though you have felt through all my goods, what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two. 38 These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 That which was torn of beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself. You required it of my hand whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 Thus I was: by day the heat consumed me and the frost by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 These twenty years I have been in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock, and you changed my wages ten times. 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night.”

43 Then Laban replied to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, and the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne? 44 So now come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.” 45 Then Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones.” So they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Now Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. 48 Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore it was named Galeed, 49 and Mizpah, for he said, “May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from the other. 50 If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us, see, God is witness between you and me.” 51 Laban said to Jacob, “Behold this heap and behold the pillar which I have set between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass by this heap to you for harm, and you will not pass by this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 53 The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his kinsmen to the meal; and they ate the meal and spent the night on the mountain. 55 Early in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

So in this passage we see that the Lord had given Jacob guidance in the selective breeding process in order to make Jacob wealthy.  This was not cheating Laban out of anything.  It was all about blessing Jacob and allowing him to recoup his fair wages for all the work he had done for Laban, who had cheated Jacob many times.

It is interesting that when the Lord told Jacob that he should return to his homeland, both Rachel and Leah agreed with the plan, and even gave God the credit for that decision.  It is not clear whether these women were believers or not, but because Rachel stole her father's household idols, I would venture to say that she was not, not at that point anyway.  And then she seemed to have no qualms about lying to her father about taking the idols.  Now, did she steal the idols so she could have them, or was it just to hurt her father.  Either way - not cool.

Obviously, Laban wanted his household idols back, since he would have believed that there was some power attached to those.  But he also wanted everything else back - his daughters and grandchildren, and all the wealth - which all really belonged to Jacob.  Who knows what Laban would have actually done had God not appeared to him in a dream to warn him not to even speak badly or manipulatively to Jacob. 

Although, with his strategic mindset, when Laban set up the covenant between him and Jacob, he put (Jacob's) God into the equation as witness and judge, and not any of his own gods.  Curious why Jacob then swore by "the fear of his father Isaac"???  But somehow Laban was fine with that.  More than likely, Laban didn't intend to really honor the covenant, but wanted to control Jacob with the fear of the Lord, or just anything that Jacob would "fear".

God understands that people are controlled by fear, which is why in His word, He tells us to not fear anyone or anything.  Notice that even though Laban chose a life of sin and worked against Jacob, God protected Jacob several times in this passage, and blessed him and made him exceedingly prosperous. 

We ARE to only fear the Lord.  This "fear" is a healthy respect of the One Who is actually in control of everything, even though He gives everyone a free will.  So why not choose to fear the One who loves us so much that He came to die in our place for all sin, so that we would not have to live in fear or sin???!!!  (1 John 4:18)  Living a life which honors God will bring about blessings... maybe not in the way that we expect, but there will be blessings!