Genesis 35 – Remember who you are and what God calls you for

After the horrifying incident in Shechem, God called Jacob to go back to Bethel. Bethel was the place and moment, where Jacob experienced the awesome God’s presence and received God’s promise and purpose.

The distressful event of the possibility wiped out by their enemies was just solved in one sentence. God created terror that noone pursued them. Settled. Easy peasy for God.

So, Jacob also purified his people by getting rid of all the idols and left them behind at Shechem.

Jacob went back to Bethel and set an altar.

A little confusing, but this chapter has a non-chronological section, where the writer repeated the story of how earlier God blessed Jacob, gave him new identity, God gave vision and purpose and the Bethel experience. The writer inserted this repeat to emphasize the intention. It’s like a flashback in drama series.

After that Rachel died on the way to Bethlehem when giving birth. She named her son, the son of pain, but Jacob refused the negativity and changed it to Ben-Yamin, son of my right hand. Rachel’s attitude was still negative and blamed her newborn….compare with Leah who decided to praise.

Another blow to Jacob was Reuben laid with his concubine.

Isaac died old age and full days at Hebron, Esau and Jacob came to bury him. Obviously showing the peace of the twins.

Takeaway: God gave you identity and purpose. Live by it! When you’re drifted away, remember again your Bethel! Remember that stone, you used as pillow and you poured oil and you set as pillar!

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Recently I texted my mentor Pdt Joshua Husada, abt one of my bethel moments 35 yrs ago, when he was with me there. He quipped and said, wow u still remember…

The idiom used when Isaac died is “old and full of days” – recently I learned about Batak culture from Amang Asigor Sitanggang , when someone died they will put one’s hand folded on the breast, but when someone died really old age, has seen greatgrandchildren and has fulfilled life, they will put the hands by the side.

So, that’s Isaac’s life, he has lived his kairos to the fullest.