The Feed Mill

Today’s Bible Reading: Genesis 34-36

Today’s Devotional: Genesis 34:1-5

Genesis 33 we read that Jacob met Esau and they were restored. Though it’s likely Jacob did not trust Esau with his life.

Jacob then instead of going directly to where he should have gone, at Bethel. Jacob tarried, built a house, and dwelt at Succoth. We then read that after sometime Jacob came to Shechem and tarried a while longer. Buying land, pitching his tent, and building an altar where God never appeared to him, where God never told Him to, and where Jacob had no business being in the first place. Jacob was comfortable.

Genesis 34 We see now the consequences of Jacob going to, residing at, and doing business where God never told him to dwell. There is nothing more dangerous in our lives than to stay anywhere for any amount of time other than where God has led us. The fruits of disobedience have their way of ripening at the most unfortunate of times.

Tarrying at Shechem for some worldly advantage will reap what it’s sown with. Jacob here, is not in obedience of centering his life around Bethel and the altar of worship where God had made Himself known (the presence of God and the revelation of who He is). Instead Jacob centered his life around his comforts and other worldly advantages.

Jacob’s complaint to Levi and Simeon was completely selfish. The perfect idiom here is, You lay with dogs, you’ll get fleas. The world is selfish and greedy, wanting it’s comforts and conveniences with no consideration of others or a higher being other than themselves.

Jacob gave no consideration to the Honor of God or the purity of the Seed to come from his descendants, the Messiah. Jacob was fearful for himself only, the culture had rubbed off on him because of the distance he placed Himself from the will of God for His life. When trusting God ceases to be the central principal & purpose of our lives, selfishness is now given the throne room of our hearts.

Jacob trades the peace and courage of obedience, for fear of personal discomfort and suffering.

Galatians 6:7-9 Paul writes to the Galatians of the concept of sowing and reaping. Jacob in Genesis 34 had done exactly what Paul pleaded with the Galatians not to do. Not to sow to the flesh, but instead to the things of God.

Genesis 33 and 34 for the Bible Student, sirens should be going off in your heads of Lot and his decision when he and his family dwelt at Sodom in Genesis 19.

Joel 2:13 and notice in todays reading, this is all that Jacob had to do. God’s heart and desire for all people is to return to Him. And because of our pride or our own desires we don’t do that, that’s why in Joel 2, God says to rend your heart because God knows us, God knows you and He knows me. He knows that the only way we’ll ever return or turn to Him we have to be willing to tear our pride and our desires for our own life. And after we do this God is gracious and merciful, God doesn’t spew His anger onto us, He shows us the kindness of His Grace. So if you find yourself on the edges perhaps where you think God could never love you or never accept you, or possibly accept you again. I just want to tell you that just isn’t so. Continue going through our daily readings together continue reading, and over the next couple of days we’re going to see that because Jacob returns to the Lord and listens to God’s general will for his life, returning and dwelling at Bethel, at the favor and love that God is then able to poor out in abundance on Jacob. And that’s the same for you and I, when we are in God’s general will for our life, we then have our hearts prepared to receive of His specific will for our lives.

Joel 2:13 – So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.