At the expense of abandoning some of the obvious ongoing themes in Genesis for one day, I can’t help but to use the opportunity presented in this chapter to talk about forgiveness.

I have a good friend who has as much a reason as anyone to be unforgiving toward his mother. She was physically and verbally abusive to him all of his life, and since his father passed away, she only seems to call when she needs something from him. I personally led this friend to a relationship with Christ. This was a journey that took two years, and along the way we had to unpack a lot of stuff from his past. At the top of the pile, was the issue with his mother. I remember him asking me once, “what does the Bible say about forgiveness? Do I really have to forgive her for everything she’s done to me? Because, I don’t know that I’m ready to do that.”

Let’s start by answering the question. What does the Bible say about forgiveness? Here’s some references that point to basic principles outlined in scripture…

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. – Ephesians 4:32

…as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. – Colossians 3:13

If you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. – Matthew 6:15

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. – Matthew 18:21-22

These verses, and many others like them can be summarized like this: the Bible commands us to forgive others without limits, because God has forgiven us without limit. If you’ve been wronged by someone, no matter how badly, there is simply no room in scripture for us to withhold forgiveness, as it is a clear statement of our feelings toward how God has forgiven us. For the Christian, forgiveness is a “Pay it Forward” type of concept, and is in fact one of the only areas where we should rightfully feel condemnation for not practicing it. The reason I say this is that the sin of un-forgiveness is not a weakness of the flesh, but rather an unwillingness of the spirit and a hardness of heart.

This brings us back to Joseph, who in this chapter comes face-t0-face with his brothers who ruined his life years earlier because of their jealousy. Let’s be honest, what they did to him was probably worst than anything that’s been done to most of us. Surely if anyone had reason to withhold forgiveness it was Joseph.

Of course, Joseph does forgive his brothers in the end, but not without a little bit of drama as a prelude. You might think that Joseph’s actions are not forgiving at first, and that perhaps he was struggling with finding room in his heart to overlook the offenses committed against him. However, I see something more nuanced than that.

As a pastor, it always feels slightly irresponsible to present anything in the Bible as nuanced. We have such a built-in reverence for black and white authority and Scripture is certainly that. However, when we discuss forgiveness, we ought not to do so without admitting that wisdom has it’s place in reconciliation as well. What I mean to say is that I believe there is a difference between forgiveness and offering someone a second chance. Certainly there are times when forgiveness is accompanied by second chances, but they aren’t inextricably linked.

For example, let’s imagine a couple with two kids. The husband is physically and verbally abusive to both the wife and the kids. One day one of the kids winds up seriously injured and the wife finally has had enough. She leaves him for the safety of her children as much as her own. Some time later, the husband turns his life around. Actually, let’s go one step further and say that the husband finds Christ and significantly turns his life around. He comes back to his wife and in the most sincere way possible, humbly apologizes for his behavior and tearfully asks for her forgiveness.

Now, if the wife is a believer, I would suggest that she needs to forgive the husband, as she is certainly not perfect herself and has been forgiven of much by God. However, I still grant her the right to decide whether or not it is a good idea to reconcile based on the circumstances. She could be putting her children at risk, and it may be more appropriate to forgive the past, with some wise caution being reserved for the future.

What we see here with Joseph is a bit of a test. I believe that more than anything Joseph wants to reconcile. However, the level to which they will be able to reconcile will greatly depend on if his brothers have changed their ways. If he takes the lid off and reveals who he truly is then his brothers may act differently out of fear. He wants to know how they act when he’s not in the room. Make sense?

It’s a fine line to walk as this kind of discernment can easily manifest itself inappropriately. If we approach possible reconciliation with “I’ll forgive you but I’ll never forget” or “let’s put you on trial to see how you do” then we won’t have a chance. On the other hand, I also believe that unless biblical forgiveness allows for this type of discernment, there may be some people that we never even try to forgive as there is simply to much risk involved.

We need more forgiveness, not less. We need to take chances on relationships that have been broken and need to be restored. The slate isn’t wiped clean in the sense that we forget what they’re capable of, but rather we no longer bring up their past offenses. This is the type of forgiveness that Joseph offers…one that is willing to forgive people of the worst kind of injustice, while being tempered by a wisdom that comes from experience.

With all of that said, I hope it wasn’t too pragmatic to be personally challenging. Who is it that you need to forgive? Isn’t it time that you set that burden down? Hasn’t it ruined your life enough? When we refuse to forgive, we are the ones who suffer, not the people who wronged us. We carry that chip on our shoulder. We get furious at the sight of the person and loathe any success they have. We allow their misdeeds to ruin our ability to enjoy life on any given day while we fixate on their awfulness. When this happens, not only have they hurt us in the past, but now we allow them to continually hurt us in the future. Let’s turn the tables and allow their misdeeds to give us something positive – a personal experience of something beautiful, of forgiving the way we ourselves have been forgiven.

One day God found such favor in his servant, Solomon, that he came to him with an amazing offer. He offered to give to Solomon anything he wanted. He could have all the riches of the earth. He could have rule over all the nations. He could have any woman he wanted. Instead, Solomon asked simply for wisdom, so that he could govern God’s people effectively.

I heard a pastor once telling a personal story about how God had used that story in his life. This pastor had been faithful to God for a long time, and felt released to ask God for one thing, the way that Solomon did. He shared how he asked for a loving marriage, and has never regretted it.

Since that time, I’ve wondered what it would be like to have God give me that opportunity. If God could find me so faithful that I felt released to ask him for one thing, what would I ask for? What would you ask for? Perhaps my answer will change over time, but for the last year, the answer has been the same: influence. I would ask God to increase my influence with people. It would be an incredible burden and responsibility to be gifted with great influence, and my fear is that I would squander it. For that reason, I don’t really want it right now, but I want to become the kind of man that would use it exclusively for the glory of God.

It is with this in mind, that I read the account of Joseph’s rise to power in Genesis 41. He came through hardship and unjust treatment only to be given an opportunity at greatness in front of Pharaoh himself. Pharaoh asks him to interpret his dreams which his wisest of counselors could not do. Joseph has one chance to make a good impression and you’d think that he would want to make sure that he looked good in the eyes of Pharaoh. Most of us would see this as an opportunity to feign humility while in reality extolling our own virtues, in order that we could win favor with the King. Perhaps this is where Joseph gives us the best lesson of all: Always give credit to God.

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”

“I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” – Genesis 41:15-16

It was a big risk to be that cheeky with Pharaoh. Knowing the situation, my response might have sounded like “Sure I’ll give it a try. Whatcha got?” Joseph’s response however is the ideal mix of faith (that without question God would provide the interpretation) and humility (in that Joseph would really just be the messenger).

This story reminds me of how much I have to learn if I want to be trusted with that level of influence. As much as I hate to admit it, I am still full of pride. I hate even writing it, as if it’s a secret that no one would have known if I didn’t open my big mouth. Pride is the enemy of influence. Let me correct that, Pride is the enemy of good influence, as it can only push it’s own agenda and has no room for God’s plans if they contradict each other. My prayer today scares me so badly that I feel I must write it or I will never honestly ask for it. My prayer is that God will do whatever he needs to do to humble me so that I can be emptied of myself and filled up with him.

It’s not difficult to admire a guy like Joseph. In the midst of some pretty awful circumstances, where his hardship was unjustly thrust upon him as penalty for something he didn’t do, he rises above it all and seems to always respond with an amazing attitude. If the world is what we make of it, Joseph was determined to make it different. He does not give a proportional response to his circumstances, as that would almost assuredly be bitterness. Instead, Joseph trades in sorrow for…diligence. I almost said ‘joy’ there, but let’s make sure that we don’t go too far, or else we’ll expect Joseph to start walking on water as well.

I doubt Joseph was very happy in his circumstances, but I don’t think it was a sin not to be either. Sometimes life deals us harsh blows and sometimes we get the really crushing ones. I don’t think God expects us to enjoy the experience of either. I can, however, make rational sense of the idea that a person can be so focused on eternity, that hardship becomes more of a detour than it does a roadblock. Indeed, our faith can potentially reach the point that we continue to praise God and serve him with all of our hearts in the midst of the darkest storms of our lives. That’s not zealotry, but the natural outflow of a heart fully surrendered to the idea that God is in control and that he will restore us in his time.

I have had some personal struggles where I found myself with nothing to give…or so I thought. When I think of it now, it seems silly, but the fact is that no matter what I had or lacked, my attitude was what made the difference. I am sorry to say that many times, I did not respond very well at all. I would tell myself ‘if I only had this or that, perhaps I could do something for God’. What I failed to do was to faithfully steward what he had given me.

Think about Joseph for a moment. What did he really have? He was in prison, which meant he did not have freedom, family or possessions. The only things that he had were the intangibles: his abilities, his work ethic and his influence.. Sounds like a lot of nothing, right? What good is work ethic in prison? What good is influence if the only people around are the prison guard and your cell mates?

Influence is probably the most poorly used asset in the kingdom of God. It has always been God’s plan to use his people’s influence on the world in a big way. For this reason, God often put many of his people in high-ranking serving positions so that they could affect change. Abraham was in many ways seen as an equal by King Abimilech. Esther became a wife to the king during the Persian empire. Nehemiah was a cup-bearer for the king. And Joseph? Well, at this point, he shares a cell with the recently fired baker and cupbearer for Pharaoh. No, it doesn’t seem like much to work with.

The difference between Joseph and the rest of us, is that Joseph seems to understand at a high level that we are meant to use what we HAVE and not what we long for. With that in mind, Joseph begins a relationship with the cupbearer. Keep in mind, that his purpose in meeting the cupbearer is not initially catalyzed by his desire to be released from prison, but rather his own compassion…

And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation. When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why are your faces downcast today?” – Genesis 40:5-7

Joseph noticed that his new cellmates were sad. God uses every part of our personality to accomplish his purposes, and with Joseph, he used his caring, nurturing side to begin a relationship that would eventually be the impetus that would elevate Joseph to the highest position in Pharaoh’s kingdom.

We can learn a lot from Joseph about how to use our influence more, but for now, let’s try to get this one thing right – let’s look at what we already have and acknowledge that it is more than enough for God to use to do something great. Wouldn’t you like to be a part of what he’s doing? Surrender involves more than just giving up what we have – it requires us to acknowledge that what we have is all he needs.

 

Is there another passage in scripture that so blatantly screams that we ought to work hard at what we do no matter what our circumstances are? I know, I know…it doesn’t seem to work out for Joseph, at least in the short term. After all, Joseph worked in his new master’s house as hard as he could and in the end was framed for something he didn’t do and thrown in prison.

Whenever something doesn’t work out, we tend to link the effort with the result. Our response is “what a waste” or “if I had known how that would have played out, I wouldn’t have wasted so much time”. However, most of time I have found that nothing could be further from the truth. For example, a couple of times I’ve had an idea for a business. I decided to give it a try and it didn’t work out. I worked incredibly hard at it and during that time I lost my focus on so many things that I cared about. You would think that I would be tempted to call that time a waste, but I know better. If I had not tried it at all, I would have always wondered and this might have kept me to fully selling out to what I’m doing now. If I had tried but not worked so hard, the result would have been the same. I would have always wondered what would have happened had I applied myself. I would have truly felt like a failure. In fact, I would have regretted it.

I was told once that regret should be reserved for things we haven’t tried, not things we’ve done wrong. I would imagine if you could visit Joseph in his prison cell, he’d tell you that he didn’t regret a single moment of servitude to Potiphar nor the effort he showed while doing it. If you could allow me to speculate a bit, Joseph’s experience in Potiphar’s house gave him the education he needed for his next career move, which would be even greater. In Potiphar’s house, he had to learn management. He was put in charge of the entire estate. He had to learn all about the different activities that went on, about wages and currency and about communication and leadership. He would not have learned these things had he not applied himself.

No doubt these skills were on display when the prison guard took notice of Joseph. They were the reason he was put in the position that he was in the jail. A small compensation, I’m sure you’ll say, but again, it was a stepping stone to what God had for him next. Would Joseph have ended up in Pharaoh’s palace if not for the prison guards taking notice of him? In that moment, do you think Joseph regretted the “wasted time” he spent serving in Potiphar’s house?

I don’t regret failing at things. I regret the times I didn’t apply myself. I have come to realize this, the effort is ours and the results are God’s. We don’t question God’s results, but we certainly shouldn’t feel the right to either if we don’t work hard wherever we are. I am reminded of Paul’s words to the Colossians…

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. – Colossians 3:17

Today, honor your King by working hard for your boss, in the home, running your business, doing your school work – whatever you do, do it as if for Him, and trust the he has a plan for you.

There are times when it seems that the setup for Jesus is almost too perfect. When you consider the prophecies that were fulfilled about him, it seems that he just fits the mold so well. How could anyone ever miss who he is? He MUST be the Messiah! It’s all setup so perfect.

Indeed, Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. From his birthplace, to his escape to Egypt as a child, to his ministry highlights to the details of his death – it’s all there for anyone who wishes to check it out.

Know this though, if we only look at the prophetical trail of Christ, we might miss the historical trail, and that’s where some of the best stuff is. That’s where you find that Jesus genealogy might be perfect in God’s eyes, but it is far from ideal. For example, Hebrews speaks about how Jesus was a priest, but not by the law. What that means is that he wasn’t from the tribe of Levi. See that? He’s not even from the right tribe! Think of who Jesus’ ancestors were…David was an adulterer. Ruth wasn’t even Jewish to begin with. And then there’s Judah – one of the 12 sons of Jacob from whose seed the Messiah would eventually be delivered.

There’s not much good to say about the sons of Judah is there? After Joseph, it’s hard to like people who sell others into slavery. None of them are really shown to be the best of men in the Bible. However, Judah is perhaps given the best treatment. We can at least relate to him on some level. He seems to try to reach for that which is right most of the time. When his brothers decide to kill Joseph, it’s Judah who comes up with the alternate plan. When Joseph later asks for Benjamin to come, Judah offers his own life to Jacob if anything happens to Benjamin. When Joseph demands that Benjamin be punished for something he didn’t do, it’s Judah who pleads his younger brother’s case.

Judah certainly has his good moments, and by the time we find him again in chapter 38, he seems to be mostly concerned with what’s best for his family. A true patriarch, he realizes that even his daughters-in-law need to be taken care of, and when one of his sons dies, he does his best to make sure that his son’s widow won’t be alone. Though he tries to pass her off to one of his other sons, two of them die for dishonorable behavior with her. He tells her to go home to her father’s house and live as a widow. Later, Judah’s own wife dies, and in the midst of his grief, he is deceived by his daughter-in-law into sleeping with here and she conceives.

I have a lot of compassion for Judah. You have to understand what a huge deal this is in that time, and how easily the sin came upon him. He is lonely. He misses his wife. He misses his dead sons. The touch of a woman is so therapeutic to him, and he convinces himself he needs this. After all, he probably thought “I’m not really cheating on anyone anymore”. He makes one mistake in the midst of a flood of emotions and ends up paying dearly. He has impregnated his own daughter-in-law and everyone knows about it. His shame is on full display for all to see.

Now again, I have a lot of compassion on Judah, but what I like about the story is simply this: Jesus was perfect, but his ancestors were not. Jesus knew no sin, but was acquainted with every sorrow, every temptation and every pain that we know. I’ve always known that, but haven’t been able to let it’s truth soak into me as much as it should. Instead, whenever I give in to temptation, I think about how Jesus would’ve have never done that and then I end up feeling horrible.

In reality, I should take two things from this: 1) The purpose of Jesus not sinning was not to show us how to do it, but rather so that he could be offered as a perfect sacrifice for those of us who can’t do it, and 2) Anytime I need further proof, I need to look no further than Judah, who in spite of his sin was chosen as the line to deliver the Messiah to the world. Before realizing it was his daughter-in-law, Judah simply thought he was going to bed with a prostitute. That’s not really the best argument to use if he tries to explain his actions is it?

Judah is a reminder that we are all broken and susceptible to temptation. We all have the ability to throw it all away in an instant, and yet God can still use us in spite of all of that. He’s in the business of healing hurts and closing wounds.

Judah must have felt like his influence was no longer valid – that he had no right to speak up anymore. This is the kind of sin that can crush your family for generations, and cause you to cower away in embarrassment. However, by the time Christ arrived on the scene, he would show that Judah’s offspring was ready to roar again. He would be the Lion of Judah and would triumph over the sins of his ancestors. John puts it this way in the Book of Revelation…

Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. -Revelation 5:1-5

I look to the story of Judah for inspiration today, and ask that Christ would help me rewrite my own history into a story of renewal.

One of my favorite books in the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis is “The Horse and His Boy”. Truth be told, I read it as an adult for the first time, while I read most of the other books as a child. I doubt I would have liked it much as a child as it doesn’t seem to be among the more exciting books in the series, but I loved it as an adult for one paragraph in the book.

I couldn’t possibly do it justice here, as describing the book’s plot in any detail would take some time. In short, the book is about Shasta, an orphan boy who is found floating in a boat as a young sick child, sold into slavery and through a series of seemingly random circumstances ends up saving the kingdom of Narnia. The events that lead to this seem so unnecessary at best and possibly cruel at worst. The paragraph that means the most to me though, happens when Shasta is lost in the fog at night, and senses that someone is with him. He can’t see him, but manages to speak to him as he can sense his presence. Shasta relays his true feelings about the troubles he has gone through, including being pursued by lions twice. He makes the comment, “If nothing else, it was bad luck to meet so many lions.” His companion, Aslan then reveals himself as the single lion whom Shasta has encountered during his journey…

“I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you.”

So many things are at play here, but most of all was Aslan’s providence. Aslan of course, representing God, has orchestrated every event to prepare young Shasta for the purpose that would be fulfilled in him. The parallels to Joseph’s life abound, as the circumstances surrounding his sale to Potiphar seem every bit as random – mere coincidences that lead to one heck of a story in the end.

Was it really a coincidence, though? No, it was a divine plan executed by a divine God. God brought to Jacob’s mind to look in on his sons. Perhaps someone in Shechem would have seen what was done to Joseph, so God ordained that brothers would not be there. Someone was in the fields at Shechem though and knew exactly where Joseph’s brothers had gone. When he arrived, it was God’s will that Reuben was among his brothers when the decision was made to kill him, so that he could talk them into sparing his life. Likewise, God willed that he would not be there when Joseph was sold to the Ishmaelites, as he probably wouldn’t have allowed it. The fact that the brothers simply sat by the well and had a snack gave just enough time for the caravan to come by and buy Joseph from them. I’m sure that some bizarre circumstance occurred to facilitate the meetup of the caravan with Potiphar, who bought Joseph and just happened to work for Pharaoh.

In every instance, God was not controlling, but orchestrating. It was in Reuben’s nature to stand up against killing his brother. Judah was always the pragmatist, and the Ishmaelites, being laden with spices and perfumes from far away lands, were always in the market for making a deal. The natural instincts of everyone involved were orchestrated by God to accomplish his purposes. Perhaps even Joseph himself is unscathed here, as he may have been until that point a bit of a loudmouth. Who in their right mind would speak out loud of dreams in which everyone is subject to you and expect to be perceived of as a good guy? He may have sealed his own fate, but that fate would in turn affect the fate of everyone in the land.

If you’re going through some stuff right now, it is appropriate in one sense to ask “why” but not in the sense of “what have a I done to deserve this”. Have confidence that God works out everything for the good of those who love him and ask him what you should do. Do that, and while you wait, simply be still, and know that he is God.

While this chapter concludes with another line of descendants, there is a bit of story here of which we can ask some significant questions. Jacob and Esau are at this point both very wealthy. Having reconciled, they are now living in the same area. However their wealth continues to increase, to the point that it becomes very apparent that the land will not support both of them. Their cattle need grazing areas, and their farmers need fields to work. It’s simply a problem of space – there really isn’t room for both of them.  So Esau moved his family away from Canaan to settle far away in the hill country of Seir.

This was a smart thing to do. A good businessman will rightly tell you that competition brings out the best in companies. However, this is only true when there is a sufficient market for both companies to exist. If there are only enough resources for one to thrive, then the only way to succeed is to move from a competitive mode to an annihilation one. Your company’s success now depends on the other company’s failure. When this happens, there is a clear winner and a clear loser.

Perhaps this is easier to explain using businesses simply because they aren’t actual people. We can be somewhat nonchalant about our characterizations and absolute in our thinking when we are talking about things that shouldn’t hold emotional sway with us. However, when family is involved, it takes on a whole new meaning. Imagine if you and a close family member were finally together after years of enmity between you. You are looking forward to the future together and then realize that you can’t stay together because if you do, one of you will end up broke. There’s not enough land or money for you both to prosper. What would you do?

Most likely, you would respond with something like “we’ll figure it out…” or “there must be a way”. Perhaps you’ll try to consider some sort of mutual partnership. You’ll try to do anything except the smart thing because this is about family, right? It’s difficult to make a decision that would actually be best for the family when the peripheral consequence of separation is so obvious.

I’ve thought about this a lot before concerning churches. I grew up in a very different area from where I currently serve, but both places have something unique in common. All of the churches are grouped in the same area. They are literally in competition with each other. The problem is not just that it causes many of them to struggle, but rather that it distracts them from Kingdom building. Each church is so focused on growth within the body that very few resources are set aside for taking the gospel out to people who don’t have it.

A philosophy of divide and conquer would be more appropriate in the church today. If we were somewhat more strategic, I believe our method of growth would naturally be to introduce new people to Jesus, not introduce a new church to believers.

I do know that was a bit of a rant, so let me move on to explain what I think is necessary for this to happen. It’s so easy to point out a problem without offering a solution. To solve this problem, someone needs to display great humility. Esau displayed a certain kind of virtue by moving his family away. Reminiscent of his ancestor, Abraham, who deferred to Lot when choosing where each would settle, Esau, whose original birthright was stolen by Jacob, makes himself subject to his brother, and leaves the promised land for him to prosper in. This was an incredibly selfless act and an act of true love. Esau models for us that no matter what hurt someone else has caused you, your response is what is important, and your response can allow both of you to prosper. Here’s the catch though: that same humble heart has to be without malice as well, as you need to have the desire for the other person to prosper.

How do we develop an attitude like Esau’s? How does he get to this place in his life where he runs out to meet the one who betrayed him, kisses his neck and then leaves the land they settle in so that one can enjoy it? My only answer is that this only happens when we fix our eyes on Jesus, a man of sorrows who died for those who wronged and betrayed him.

If you fall off of a horse, the idea is to get right back on, right? Sounds almost easy, but I’ve actually fallen off of a horse at top-speed, and let me tell you the only reason I got back on was pride. There were people watching me, and I wanted to look tough. It’s much harder to get back on the horse when God’s the only one watching. We know he is forgiving and that he must understand. However, we must also know that he wants to see us ride again.

Jacob has certainly had some tough times and just when you think you’re seeing a glimpse of change in his life, he falls even harder than before. In fact, there is only one thing that is consistent in Jacob’s life with God…God himself. God continues to literally reveal himself to him. No matter what Jacob’s done, God’s not done. He has a purpose for Jacob’s life and it will be realized.

Jacob comes once again to this place called Bethel. Guess what? That’s not it’s real name. The real name of the city is Luz, but Jacob calls it Bethel. Why? Well, for starters, this is where God has repeatedly revealed himself to Jacob. It started during a time of shame, when Jacob had to leave his family for fear of his brother’s wrath…

Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house… – Genesis 28:18-22

The word “Bethel” means “House of God”. Notice that he starts his journey by laying a stone, which he calls a pillar. A pillar is but the start of a mighty building, and ever since then God has been building Jacob’s faith one stone at a time. Every time he fell, God was there to help him up again and each time he was adding another stone to structure he was building in Jacob. God is a careful, particular builder. He doesn’t rush, as he’s more concerned with the finished product than he is with the time it takes to get there.

Think I’m being too metaphorical? Was he really just marking a place he’d come back to later? I don’t think so. If he did, he’d come back and simply find that stone again. Instead, he lays another stone, or at least many stones to form an altar. This is what Jacob does when he meets God. He builds an altar every time to signify the very name that he gives this particular place – the House of God. What is the house of God? I would suggest this. It’s not a physical place. I say this because if Jacob had indeed found the place where God was, why would he ever leave? He did leave. He didn’t stay in “Bethel”…or did he? It is my belief that Jacob had stumbled on a truth that the Psalmist David would soon put to music in the 23rd Psalm – “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me, and I will dwell in house of God forever”.

If something follows you then you are moving. If you’re moving, you’re not dwelling anywhere, at least not in the physical sense. The House of God not a specific place, but any place where Jacob encounters God. In fact, it’s this truth that carries Jacob throughout his life and it can do the same for you. Imagine, being outside the safe walls of your church and yet having the confidence that God is ever-present wherever you are. You don’t need a building or place of worship to meet with him. The place where you stand is holy ground!

The house of God is where God is, and it’s where God does his best work in our lives. Jacob is laying stones every time he meets with God, both physically (as he builds each altar) and more importantly, spiritually. God is in effect building in Jacob his own temple or dwelling place, and he won’t stop until he’s done.

I remember a song that I used to sing when I was a child…I won’t quote it directly as I don’t want to diminish the weight of the message with children’s rhymes, but the essence of the song is this: God took just a week to make the entire universe, and yet he’s not even finished with me yet. He’s still working on me. He’s still chiseling off the rough edges, smoothing out the bumps. He’s taking his time…why? Because I’m his masterpiece. A work of art that he wants to enjoy forever.

Oh, how he loves us.

Sin will always play on our basic human tendencies. We already have the desire somewhere deep in our hearts to go there. The enemy just needs to tempt us. This why, by the way, that Jesus could be “tempted” and yet not sin. There was simply no hint of sin anywhere in his soul. There was no foothold for the enemy, nothing he could sink his teeth into.

When we consider the lives, mistakes, faithfulness and failures of the patriarchs, it can sometimes be very difficult to see who is in the right and who is in the wrong. In fact, as I’m sure you’ve realized by now, it’s almost always that way. No one is untainted by the experience. No one has been born any different – at least not in the sense of a propensity to sin. Everyone has it in them. Everyone is capable of a certain level of poor judgment and disobedience.

When we read the horrible story of the rape of Dinah, we can all probably relate on some level to both Jacob and his sons. You may find that you relate to one more than the other and that’s fine. That is most likely a product of your personality and experiences. But here’s the question: who was right? Or, in the discussions that follow, who made the better argument?

Let’s review the facts: Dinah is raped and then her attacker’s father comes to Jacob with a request that she be released to his son as his wife. A generous offer is made to Jacob, after which his sons devise a plan – actually, it’s more of a scheme – and using their deception they manage to kill every man in the city and take the women and children with them.

Afterward, a confrontation ensues between Jacob and his sons. Jacob is furious, as his son’s actions have put him and his family at risk. The sons argue that they should not tolerate their women being treated like that. Both are right, and both are terribly wrong.

Jacob is older and knows something his sons don’t. Our actions always affect other people. If we so quickly take revenge when someone wrongs us, the consequences could be even further pain suffered by the people we love. This is Jacob’s point, not that his own life might be in jeopardy but “I and my household…”. Having said that, Jacob is most likely just too quick to get along. He will always have that self-preservative tendency  to look out for number one. In his past, he has done this at the expense of his character, and perhaps this would have been much of the same had his sons not intervened.

Levi and Simeon on the other hand, were indeed too reckless in their behavior. Theirs was an overreaction to say the least. It was simply not a proportional response. Their sister was defiled, so every mother, daughter, sister and wife in town would pay by losing their son, father, brother and husband. Every man they had ever known would be wiped out in a single day. Would that really right the wrong that had been done to Dinah? But…would it have been better to give her over to attacker to be his wife? After all, when a man is bold enough after this act to say “just name your price”, what he’s really saying is “I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer”.

I believe the problem is that the more we experience the ways of the world without a healthy dose of God’s Word to counteract its effect, the more worldly we become. The loftier idea of morality (knowing right from wrong) soon becomes something else called moral conviction (what feels right or wrong), which is another term for personal morals (I decide what is wrong), which is another way of saying I make up my own rules (my way is right). In this alternate reality, we tend to justify everything that we do for one reason or another. What some might point out as a misstep in our lives can easily be explained if they truly knew our side of the story.

What we must remember is that sin will always play on our basic human tendencies. If it feels right, don’t do anything. This isn’t about feelings. There are moral absolutes, and though I have certainly failed and not lived up to the principles that I claim to have, I know this after coming out the other side: it is never wrong to do right. It is never right to do wrong. My best advice? Listen to your conscience. If you find yourself in one of those situations where your morals are questioned, bail out immediately on the side of doing what you know is right. Pick up the pieces of whatever happens next afterward. Honest mistakes can be corrected. You can grow and learn from them. However, when we err on the side of diplomacy – and in doing so compromise our morals even the slightest – we do something to our soul that is more permanent than we’d like to believe. Don’t corrupt your soul, feed it. Make an appointment to feed on God’s Word today and ask him to help you fight the good fight.