How to take spiritual stock (Gen 35:1-15)

Moving house is often a time to take stock and decide what to keep, what to let go of. It is an opportunity to sort through those boxes that have not been opened since the last move and to walk down memory lane. There are the souvenirs bought on holiday trips that somehow got packed away, those cards from loved ones, tapes of favourite music (who remembers those?). There’s aunt so-and-so’s gift that did not match our taste but could not be passed on or thrown out, a journal kept from years ago, that outfit for a special occasion that has not been worn for years but is hard to discard because of its sentimental value; all reminders of stages and phases in our lives. In a spiritual sense, major turning points (a change in health, jobs, family whether marriage, children, bereavement or children leaving the nest) are likewise opportunities to take stock of where we are and where we intend to go.

A wake-up call

For Jacob, the terrible events of the previous chapter are a wake-up call, and indeed, God reminds him to return to Bethel, the place where he encountered the Lord (Gen 35:1). More than a physical return, this is also a spiritual homecoming, a re-orientation towards God that involves getting rid of other gods and purification before worshipping the Lord (Gen 35:2-3 cf. Exod 19:10). Whether Jacob’s household brought idols back from Paddan-Aram or they were part of the loot from Shechem (Gen 34:29) is unclear, but this is the first explicit mention of the need to worship God exclusively. Jacob’s re-commitment to God and His ways finds its response in the Lord’s protection of him as he travels. While in the last chapter he was terrified of the repercussions for Shechem’s massacre (Gen 34:30), here it is the pagan cities along the way that experience terror,[1] so that Jacob is not attacked and arrives safely to Bethel (Gen 35:5-6). In this the patriarch’s life foreshadows the journey of Israel into the Promised Land, which will likewise evoke terror and dread in the nations (Exod 15:16; Deut 2:25).

Encounter with God and reminder

Jacob’s recommitment to God leads to another encounter with the Lord who once again blesses him, confirms his new name and reiterates the patriarchal promises (Gen 35:9-12; 17:5-6, 8). While much of this is a repetition of what has already been revealed, it emphasises that despite the patriarch’s failures, God has not abandoned him. The blessings and promises of the Lord still stand because they are rooted in God’s character and grace, not in Jacob’s achievements. God’s revelation also reminds Jacob of his identity and destiny. Although his name change is not explained again, it is a prod for him to remember that he is no longer a cheat but a fighter who has overcome (Gen 32:28). Yet being called Israel opens another possibility of interpretation, one that is also inherent in the name itself, which can mean ‘God fights’. In other words, it may be an implicit promise that God fights for him as He had certainly done in protecting him from the vengeance of the Canaanites.

Re-committing ourselves to God

These incidents in Jacob’s story highlight the importance of re-orienting our lives to God. When we drift away from faithfulness, it may be tempting to think that there is no use in returning to God because things have got too bad, and we are past help, but God’s answer is that while we draw breath, it is not too late to turn back to Him. Even if we live faithfully for God, it is good practice from time-to-time to remind ourselves where our journey started and what our calling and identity is as the people of God. This is true in a more general sense as Christians, called to become more like God in character and godliness and to be lights and witnesses in the world, but also in the specific sense of our gifting and abilities and the ways in which we may serve Him. Most of all, it is important to remember that we are not alone in our struggles, in our fears, even in our failures. All that we have become and achieved are by God’s grace and the Lord Himself fights for us.

---

[1] The Hebrew literally reads ‘terror of God’. The Hebrew elohim (normally God or gods) can mean strong or great, hence the NASB translation ‘great terror’ in v.5. Alternatively, it could emphasise that God sent terror into their hearts to protect Jacob from attack.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it with others.