Today's Reading:

Genesis 34
Genesis 35
Genesis 36
Genesis 37

 
There are sensitive topics in the Bible, but they should be discussed as they are Scripturally based and can uncover God working behind the scenes. Genesis 34-37 is full of rape, deceit, murder, idolatry, betrayal and grief, but the loudest voice underneath it all is still Divine protection and His presence. If these chapters feel heavy or hard to read, keep going—have faith that God is revealing Himself even in this difficult time. God was already at work, keeping a dysfunctional family that He had chosen by grace alone to show that His covenant and His choice depend on His own character, not the worthiness of the people He chose. Grace, not merit, is pointing to God’s purpose. If tomorrow you failed at everything you are trying to earn, would you still believe that you are safe and cherished by God?

Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, was raped by Shechem, a local Hivite prince who then oddly falls in love with her and asks to marry her. Jacob, hearing that his daughter had been defiled, was angry as she could no longer marry legitimately. Shechem treated Dinah like a prostitute and asked to pay the “bride price” for her. This covered the penalty that was paid if a woman was defiled before marriage, as well as the dowery given to the family. What Shechem was really after was the intermarriage between tribes (for political and economic alliances). But true repentance cannot be bought. Jacob and his sons agreed that Dinah could be married on one condition: all the men of Shechem must be circumcised. The men agreed, but while they are still recovering and in pain, Jacob’s sons Simeon and Levi snuck into the city and massacred every male, including Shechem and Hamor. They looted the city and took the women and children captive. Jacob was furious and afraid of retaliation, but his sons defend themselves: “Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?” (34:31).

God told Jacob to move to Bethel; to remove them from the Shechemites and Spiritually cleanse the family to start over. God renewed the covenant with Jacob, officially renaming him “Israel”. There are times Scripture used the name Jacob and that is when we can know that Jacob is looking back at his old self and ways verses the name Israel, where he is looking to God. A short time later, Rachel died while giving birth to Benjamin, son number 12 to Jacob. She died in childbirth while traveling on the way back to Cannan, many think that this was a punishment for her stealing her father’s idols years ago.

Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob, slept with Bilhah (his father’s concubine), losing his birthright privileges. Another, where the firstborn is no longer reaping the benefits of being the first born. Then Jacobs father, Isaac, died and brothers, Jacob and Esau, bury him showing there was reconciliation and grace between them after Jacob moved back. Esau’s descendants are then listed to close the chapter on Esau and the Edomites, in a way Scripture says here is all you need to know about Esau’s line, they were blessed with wealth and kings, but they are not the covenant line.

The narrative then shifted to Joseph, Jacob’s favorite son (born to Rachel the wife he loved the most). At 17, Joseph brought a bad report about his brothers and their jobs as shepherds to their father. Jacob then gave him a beautiful robe (“coat of many colors” but was most likely not a multicolored coat, more of an ornate long sleeve tunic), making his brothers hate him even more. Joseph had two dreams showing that one day his whole family, including his father and brothers, would bow down to him. (Note that Jacob would remember this year later). He naively told the family his dreams, and their hatred turns murderous. His brothers plotted to kill him. When far from home, the brothers saw Joseph coming (sent

by Jacob to check on them). They stripped him of his special robe, threw him into a pit, and debated killing him. Judah suggested selling him instead. Midianite/Ishmaelite traders pass by, they were the same lineage of Ishmael, so they were distant relatives; Ishmael being Isaacs half-brother from Hagar. The brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for 20 pieces of silver, just over $200 today. The traders then took Joseph to Egypt.

The brothers dipped Joseph’s robe in goat’s blood and showed it to Jacob, who was devastated and believed Joseph was torn apart by a wild animal. He refused to be comforted and mourned deeply.

Meanwhile in Egypt, Joseph was again sold, this time to Potiphar, an officer of the Pharaoh. The Lord was with Joseph, and he quickly rose to become Potiphar’s trusted head servant, running the entire household. The same God who let evil hands sell Joseph had already determined to use that very betrayal to save the world, proving once again that His grace triumphs where humans fail.

Today's Discussion question: 
God continued to protect and preserve this broken family for His greater purpose. If tomorrow everything you’ve been striving for crumbled- if your reputation was ruined, your plans failed, your family fell apart, would you still trust that you are safe and deeply cherished by God, not because of your works, but because of His unbreakable grace and promise?

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