Genesis 35 Devotional Bible Study

Genesis 35 Chapter Summary

God told Jacob to move, and in response, he told everyone in his caravan to get rid of any idols they had with them. They did so, and no one pursued them as they moved back to Bethel, where Jacob had had his dream on his way to Laban. God appeared to Jacob again and repeated the covenant promises.

Later, as they moved on from Bethel toward Bethlehem, Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin.

 

They moved on from Bethlehem, and one day, Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, slept with Bilhah, and Jacob heard about it.

 

Jacob then visited his father Isaac, who was 180 years old. Isaac died, and Jacob and Esau buried him.

 

Following vs. Whole-Hearted Devotion

Genesis 35:1-5

Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”

So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.” So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem. Then they set out, and the terror of God fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.

At this point, Jacob is following and obeying the Lord – just not wholeheartedly. He’s still allowing his family and his servants to worship other gods. Remember, Rachel stole Laban’s gods when the family left to come back to Canaan. 

Jacob’s call to “get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes” is a call to us as well. Maybe you’ve been following the Lord, but there are still some things you need to get rid of. There are still some areas of your life you need to purify and change.

Start by looking at your daily life. How do you spend your time on a daily basis? What do you listen to and watch? What do you say? What do you think about other people?

I’m not saying you’re not Christian if you have some things to deal with. I’m saying deal with them. Put those things away. Purify yourself. Change your habits and attitudes like changing a set of clothes. Bury all that stuff that keeps you from living wholeheartedly for the Lord.

 

 

Remembering the Dead

Genesis 35:8, 19-20

Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried under the oak outside Bethel. So it was named Allon Bakuth...

So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day that pillar marks Rachel’s tomb.

We read of three deaths in this chapter – Deborah, Rachel, and later Isaac. Deborah got a special tree named after her. Rachel got a pillar. Isaac was most likely buried in the Cave of Machpelah with Abraham and Sarah.

It’s good to honor and remember the dead. How do you remember those who have passed? You might visit their grave, or keep their ashes in a visible location, or keep their pictures on display, or set up a memorial website for them.

I’d be interested to hear how you remember and honor your loved ones.

 

Sexual Sin

Genesis 35:21-22

Israel moved on again and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder. While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it.

In the last chapter, we read about the rape of Dinah. Now Reuben, the son of Leah, sleeps with Rachel’s servant Bilhah. In the coming chapters, we’ll read about Judah having sex with a supposed prostitute, and the wife of Potiphar trying to seduce Joseph.

Do you know what the common denominator in sexual sin is? Being attracted to someone you don’t have a right to. The fact that you’re not supposed to have sex with that person makes the thought of having sex with them even more appealing. In other words, knowing you shouldn’t do it makes you want to do it even more.

More than any other type of sin, our sexual desires show the deep depravity of humanity. If you think you’re not a sinful person, ask yourself what you find sexy.

Then ask the Lord to continue to cleanse and transform your mind.

 

He Thought He Was Going to Die

Genesis 35:27-29

Jacob came home to his father Isaac in Mamre, near Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years. Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Isaac lived for 180 years. Do you remember back in Genesis 27:2, where we read Isaac had gone blind and said, “I am now an old man and don’t know the day of my death”? Then he asked Esau to go hunt and make him some tasty food, so that Isaac could give him the blessing of the firstborn son before he died. Of course, that’s when Rebekah and Jacob conspired to trick Isaac and steal the blessing of the firstborn for Jacob. When the trickery was found out, Jacob had to flee to another country, to his uncle Laban, to avoid Esau killing him.

Then Jacob worked for Laban for 20 years in exchange for his two daughters and a flock of livestock. Afterward, Jacob returned to Canaan and lived in the land for some time before Isaac died.

The point is that Isaac lived a lot longer than he thought he was going to. I wonder how he spent those last 20 or 30 years. Was he feeling useless, ready to die? Or did he find some way to continue serving the Lord during those last years?

I don’t want to see anyone give up and just be waiting to die. While we still have breath, we can praise the Lord and minister to others. We might not be able to do what we used to. Isaac was blind, after all. We might need to get creative in how we serve. But the Lord will smile upon us if we continue to honor Him in whatever time we have left.