Scripture:
Genesis 35:1-4 NKJV
[1] Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.” [2] And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. [3] Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.” [4] So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem.
Observation:
I tend to write a lot about the New Testament. However, I never want anyone to believe that it’s because the Old Testament doesn’t apply today. There are lots of great learning moments in it, and everything in it points to the coming Messiah. There are pictures and shadows of Jesus all through it. From the front of the bible to the back, it’s all about Jesus. My point to the scripture chosen this morning is just to get a little Old Testament bible in our hearts and show us that GOD is calling us all out of our sins. That’s where we find Joseph. His mother and he had come up with a plan to deceive his father and steal the inheritance from his older brother, and that sin had caught up to him. Verse 1 of chapter 35 in the book of Genius is where we pick up the story. Joseph knew his brother was mad, and he knew something was going to have to be done. I’m sure he was crying out to GOD because it’s mentioned in verse 3 that GOD answered him in his distress, but I’m not trying to skip ahead. In verse 1, GOD speaks to him with clear directions, to get up, and go. Build an altar in Bethel to the GOD who appeared to you when you ran from the wrath of your brother Esau. Jacob’s very next move was extremely important. Going to his family and telling them it’s time for change… all the foreign gods, all the idol worship all the things that steal their focus away from YAHWAH had to go. A cleansing needed to take place, and Jacob, as the spiritual leader of his home, was doing the right thing. GOD, who had answered him in his distress, gave him instructions, and he went to work on making it happen. Cleaning up his home and his family to get them ready for a new life in Bethel. That name caught my attention this morning when I read it, so I looked up its meaning. The definition is a holy place or a temple. In fact, it’s a temple of nonconformists. I’m kind of curious if that’s because Jacob is unwilling to conform to the ways of the world. After all, let’s look at the situation. Jacob was the second son who stole his older brother’s birth rights. Because he refused to conform. Then, he turned away from foreign gods in an even more rebellious desire to not conform. He packed up his family and moved away so that he could worship the only GOD who answered him in his distress. His family is glad to be a part of this newfound freedom and gladly gives him their idols and on to a new life they went.
Application:
First of all, I have to say from experience. That GOD heard the cries of a desperate sinner. I know this because HE heard mine many times in life. My sin had caught up with me, and I had hit my knees desperately, seeking answers, not knowing what to do but knowing something had to be done. Thank GOD that HE heard my prayers and gave me direction. It seems to always start with repentance. Every time I found myself far away from GOD, it was because of sin in my life… choices I had made that led to me hiding from HIM or thinking I wax anyway, but we all know that’s just not possible. John, the Baptists, and Jesus had the same message repenting the kingdom of heaven is near. It’s the same message that Paul spoke, and the same thing GOD says throughout the entire Bible. We have to turn from sin. We have to be new creations in Christ. The more I read and study the Bible, the more I find my desire for sin slipping away and the desire to please GOD with the way I conduct my life, getting stronger and stronger. GOD’S word has transformed me and is still doing so as I write. Laying aside the sin that so easily besets me can be a task. GOD has removed so much from my life. From addiction and life-controlling issues to people I put before him as points of worship, HE has removed my idols and grabbed my focus. Now, my life is an altar. It is my act of worship. I want how I live, speak, and breathe to be submissive to the plan that GOD has for me to renew my mind and not conform to the world but transform who I thought I was into who HE made me to be. My challenge to you is this. Find the idols in your life. Is it your phone? Is it TV? Is it your bank account? Your job? What is it that steals your attention from GOD? Lay it under the terebinth tree and come to a place that conforms to GOD’S will only… that’s where I want to be.
Prayer:
Father, your word is the same from the beginning of it to the end of it. The message doesn’t change. Show us how to lay down the idols in our lives and walk into a new existence with you. We do not want this world we want you. We want more of you. The world can keep all of its trash. We want to run towards you with reckless abound. Because you are all that matters. You are our life, our breath, and our song. Let us sing it throughout our day in the mighty name of Jesus. I pray, amen.