with Elder Elico Manenji
Genesis 35:1-7:God tells Jacob to go to Bethel
Whilst God led Jacob andhad returned to his own country, he forgot his vow he made previously to God at Bethel. He settled down for eight years before he visited Bethel under the direction of God.
It was only after a domestic affliction that God thereby reminded him of his neglected duties then he and his household went up to Bethel and paid his vows and had a renewed instance of God’s favour.
When we vow a promise to God it is best not to defer it's payment, it is better late than never.
God bade him go to Bethel and dwell there with his family and great was their fear amongst the nations.
When Israel was going to perform his vow to God for he said in Bethel is the house of God were we should desire to dwell so he encouraged his household to put away all strange gods and ornaments and he hid them under an oak tree.
Text: "For my own sake, even for my own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory to another" (Isaiah 48:11).
Jacob instituted a reformation amongst his family, Simeon and Levi had their hands full of blood, Rachel had her idols she took from.her father, so he encouraged a reformation of true godliness amongst them.
So, his family surrendered all they had that was idolatrous or superstitious, cleansed their consciences with a sign of putting on clean clothes before the Lord.
The prophet Isaiah says, "I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images")Isaiah 42:8)
2️⃣Genesis 35:8-15:God repeats His promise to Israel and the death of Deborah, Rebecca's nurse
The presence of Rebecca's nurse Deborah shows that Rebecca herself could have died and there was a constant contact with his father Isaac and so Jacob took Deborah to be a companion to his wives, her country women and an instructor to his children while they were at Bethel. When she died he buried her under an oak tree he called Allon-bachuth, the oak of weeping.
As he came to Bethel, he built an Altar and called it El-Bethel, the God of Bethel. He worshipped God by the name of El-elohe Israel for there God appeared to him and repeated to him the covenant he made to Abraham and Isaac.
Text: "But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty gives them understanding" (Job 32:8)
It is in the house of God were God renews and ratifies His covenant with humanity as His name is El-shaddai, the Almighty God and the All-sufficient God, One who is able to make good His promises in due time and support humanity is all their needs. The patriarch Job says, "Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that you are righteous? or is it gain to him, that you make your ways perfect?" (Job 22:3).
*_3️⃣Genesis 35:16-29:Birth of Benjamin, death of Rachel, the children of Israel and death of Isaac.
Rachel as her desire of another son gave birth to Benjamin but in her travail she died soon after delivery. She called him Benoni, for great afflictions sometimes befall us immediately after great comforts. But Jacob called him Benjamin, son of my right hand.
Rachel died before Bethel, so shall many die before they see the promise of the heavenly Canaan, but they that sleep shall do so in faith, on the way to Ephratah.
Then we encounter the sin of Reuben who slept with Bilhah, thus loosing his birthright to Judah from whom the promise of the Messiah was fulfilled.
Then we have the list of names of the children of Israel according to their legal order and according to their mothers.
This reminds us that God does not always cast out His visible Church for greatest of it's wickedness as Reuben is numbered with his brethren after such a deficiency of morals. As the twelve first patriarchs were ordained of God’s grace not for their worth, so those who come to God in true repentance will be considered as children of God by grace.
Then the death of Isaac, he had lived for 180 years and his sons Esau and Jacob united as they buried him.
Text: "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God"(Ephesians 2:8).
It is after great affliction that the Church of God will be delivered to become children of God's right hand. The Psalmist says, *"Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivers him out of them all" (Psalm 34:19).
Appeal
Faults and offences are part of the lives of those who are in this world even saints. Let God be true and all men liars. Let truth be truth, and all men sinful understand their sinful nature and turn to God in repentance and they will receive their healing. God, now and today, can heal your weaknesses as you willingly come to Him.in faith. The prophet Jeremiah says, "Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? "(Jeremiah 8:22).
Elico Manenji
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