(1) Sometimes religion is used for financial gain. In this narrative, one of the sad realities is the lack of parental involvement and leadership. 20Therefore thus says the LordGod: Behold,my anger and my wrath will be poured out on this place, upon man and beast, upon the trees of the field and the fruit of the ground;it will burn and not be quenched.. Live in it, travel freely in it, and acquire property in it. Then Shechem said to Dinahs father and brothers, Let me find favor in your sight, and whatever you require of me Ill give. Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for you if you belong to Him (John 14:1-4). In periods of modern droughts, aerial photographs document the receding water levels in reservoirs around the stateshorelines growing wider and drier as water levels fall. She was a child of Leah, and she wasnt a boy. They said to them, We cannot give our sister to a man who is not circumcised, for it would be a disgrace to us. . A result is a thing that is produced by something else; it is an outcome. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed in their passions for one another. Disobedience brings a wide variety of consequences such as spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental consequences. The church in Corinth was an undisciplined church, and he was letting them know that even though the culture around them was in flux, their faith in Jesus Christ needed to remain focused and sure. God's Word contains the answer to resisting temptation before it's too late. Please help Betsy complete her mission "Books for Souls." document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Scripture taken from New King James Version. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12) Walking in the light isn't just theological jargon. Those who walk with God obey Him no matter what. Then he became very attached to Dinah, Jacobs daughter. J. Vernon McGee, The Lord your God cares. Choose God and His divine path for your life, and you will find true, inner happiness and fulfillment in this life. (2) In a society where people neglect God, not only will parents neglect their responsibilities by not setting appropriate boundaries, but they also will tend to not discipline their children at all. How do you see Gods discipline operating in the church and society? Whether we realize it or not, it is part of our past, and it will be part of our future. Sadly, that often happens in our world as well, when believers neglect God. The treasury of Scripture will enrich your mind, refocus your goals, replace your doubts, and redirect your pathbut only if you read it and heed it. We have victory now and for eternity only because of the victory Christ won for us. The way to cover our sin is to uncover it by confession. Because of our human nature, we can easily be overwhelmed by troubles, especially, when they stay with us for long. Paul uses that image to say that Christ leads His followers in a victory procession through every difficulty in life (2 Corinthians 2:14-15). Verse Concepts. Ecclesiastes 8:10-13 - Then I saw the wicked buried. This is what happens in a society that disregards God. Sometimes, in the course of life, your walk with God becomes weakened by the hardships, storms, trials, and difficult circumstances. 2 Guzik, D. (2013). As a young man, Ezekiel had dedicated himself to be a priest. Theydevotetheir livestotheserviceofGodusing their spiritual gifts. I dont wait well. When David committed adultery and murder, Scripture says Gods hand was heavy upon him until he repented (Psalm 32:3-5 ESV). The passage 1 Samuel 13:13-14 shares the consequence for not waiting on God: You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. Instead, the Lord sought a new King to replace Saul. Inside was $4,000! They captured as plunder all their wealth, all their little ones, and their wives, including everything in the houses. In 2 Timothy 4:2-4 (ESV), Paul warns Timothy of this: Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. As we read the Bible and immerse ourselves in Gods truth and character, our lives are changedwe become more like Him. Proverbs 11:28 speaks to the consequences of trusting in riches (and other things) instead of God. God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son, Jesus Christ (1 John 5:11). Ezekiel 1:1, NIV, We often need fresh starts after enduring bitter disappointments. With Dinah, Jacob is probably quiet because she wasnt his priority. You're a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month, n ever dropping a leaf, always in blossom. You shall call to them, but they will not answer you. You dont have to go to heathen lands today to find false gods. In response to Hamors and Shechems offer, Jacobs sons said that it would be disgraceful for Dinah to marry someone uncircumcised. That is the life that goes beyond the one we live on earth to the one we will live in Heaven with God. John 11:10. Now Dinah, Leahs daughter whom she bore to Jacob, went to meet the young women of the land. Marine litter is a huge ecological problem. By following the instructions of God. Gen 19, Judges 19)! 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. As the story begins, Dinah, Jacobs only daughter, goes to the city to meet with the young ladies of the land and is raped by Shechem, the prince of the land. I LOVE thinking about this. When the apostle Paul wrote to his young pastoral protg, Timothy, he told him to show integrity in doctrine, to be incorruptible in belief and in actions. When you taste the goodness of God, you wouldnt want to go back to a life without Him. Also, because sons were favored over daughters during that period of time, Dinah might have been his least favorite. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. This deal was deceptive. Then we will give you our daughters to marry, and we will take your daughters as wives for ourselves, and we will live among you and become one people. Psalm 32:4. So Jacob remained silent until they came in Jacobs sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully when they spoke because Shechem had violated their sister Dinah. For example, He forgives your sins, heals you, redeems you from the pit of hell, crowns you with love and compassion, and satisfies your desires with good things (Psalm 103:1-5). Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. Genesis 39:1-9, 41:38-44. You do not have because you do not ask; you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, so you can spend it on your passions. Psalm 119:162. This would have led to compromise and the Israelites further adopting the sins of that culture. Though God is never mentioned in this terrible narrativehope in him is implied. He fell in love with the young woman and spoke romantically to her. Generations are being wiped out because of inconvenience. Then Shechems father Hamor went to speak with Jacob about Dinah. It is true for us today also. The apostle James argued that if temptation becomes serious, it is because we have allowed it to do so. For twenty years of hostile service in Haran, God protected and prospered Jacob. Ecclesiastes 8:10-13 Then I saw the wicked buried. "Woe to the rebellious children," says the Lord, " Who take counsel, but not of Me, and who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin; who walk to go down to Egypt, and have not asked My advice, to . When his thirtieth birthday came, he must have struggled with questions of why and if only.. Woe to the rebellious children, says the Lord, . Artists who sing about their abuse of women, drug selling, and gang banging will go platinum and get movie deals. Even when there was an easy way out, they would still stick to Gods plan, His instructions. Luke 6:12. To stop this gradual fall, we must be faithful and disciplined. Moses reminded the Israelites that God was taking them into a land of hills and valleys, of water and streams, a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year (Deuteronomy 11:11-12). So Jacob remained silent until they came in. Temptation. He is committed to caring for us, watching over us, and giving us strength when we are within His will. And it also happened to Jonah: The word of the Lord came to Jonah the first time (Jonah 1:1) and then the second time (Jonah 3:1). Hearing the voice of God is comforting, and it reminds you that you have a loving Father who cares about you and will always be with you. 1 Bruce Goettsches sermon from Genesis 34, When God Is Absent, accessed 5/25/2018 from http://www.unionchurch.com/archive/101099.html. Asking someone to explain the importance of walking with God won't be the same for each person. One of the most striking and helpful illustrations of Jesus humanity was His prayer life. After all, according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, love is known by its actions more than its words. Proverbs 20:24 says that the Lord directs our steps, or in other words, when you walk with God, you shall always go in the right direction. 3 Guzik, D. (2013). God eventually takes this blasphemous and murderous family and makes them the twelve tribes of Israel. Q. The beautiful imagery of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 lets us know that the new earth will be a place that reflects the glory of God throughout. I wonder how many Christians have missed out on entering into their Promised Land this side of heaven all because they failed to fully follow God and take the path that He wanted them to take in this life! Shechem said to his father Hamor, Acquire this young girl as my wife. When Jacob heard that Shechem had violated his daughter Dinah, his sons were with the livestock in the field. However, God delivered Jacob from that situation as wellbringing reconciliation. He enables us to live a life that pleases Him, and we bear fruit in the work that He has called us to do. Yet Ryries Notes Say Otherwise. The adage, "You can't keep a good man down" is a biblical concept. While in Shechem and living in prosperity, his family had started worshiping pagan gods. If Jesus, the Son of God, needed to go to His Father in prayer for strengthening and guidance, how much more do we (Psalm 32:6)? Genesis 34 is one of the more tragic chapters in the Bible. In 2 Timothy 3:5-6 (NIV), Paul describes abusive spiritual leaders: having a form of godliness but denying its power. https://s3.amazonaws.com/qbchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/24212608/2016-08-14-Consequences-in-a-Life-Not-Walking-in-the-Fear-of-God-Ecc-810-13-AM.mp3, 6356 Post Road, North Kingstown, Rhode Island 02852. Something else that may imply the neglect of God in this narrative is the fact that this is one of the few chapters in the Bible where God is never mentioned.2 In the book of Esther, God is never mentioned either, but his sovereign and positive influence is seen throughout the pages. He favored Rachels children over Leahs. How can we tell that Jacob and his family neglected God? Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. Why Dinahs father or brothers are not with her is unclear. So Jacob remained silent until they came in. We must look for and take "the way of escape" God provides in every situation where temptation is found (verse 13). Be careful of those times. David, the king of Israel, will not only have many wives and concubines, but will also commit adultery (2 Sam 11). The people leaned on their own understanding and were hardened with evil. You were moving forward, doing something, you even loved doing it, and suddenly all stopped. He was accused of blaspheming by saying He had the authority to forgive sinssomething only God can do. King Saul was out of the will of God when he offered a sacrifice before going to war. Application Question: How have you seen or experienced violence increasing in the world? ), then the one or two hours a day with parents and one hour of church on Sunday wont be very influential. The evidence of you having a relationship with God is people see that God is in your life. The hardest part of forgiving another person isacting like the offense never occurred. You are. When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, who ruled that area, saw her, he grabbed her, forced himself on her, and sexually assaulted her. They were offended and very angry because Shechem had disgraced Israel by sexually assaulting Jacobs daughter, a crime that should not be committed. The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; (Proverbs 30:25) 1. Sometimes like Jacobs sons, they go even farther than thatreturning face for tooth and body for finger. To live a life that pleases God and inspires others to know Him means that you know Him well and are intimate with Him. When we think life has collapsed around us, the God of glory appears above us. I pray for ears that can hear and eyes that can see. 2:5) 2. But this is not just a problem for society, it is also a problem for believers. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. But if you do not agree to our terms by being circumcised, then we will take our sister and depart.. Look up. You may realize it or not, but we are all connected with God. He didnt protect her by loving her and establishing appropriate boundaries for her. 2 Peter 3:9. He doesnt charge Shechem with wrong and doesnt even get involved with the negotiation. In Romans 12:3 Paul exhorts the believers not to think of themselves pridefully but rather to think of themselves soberlythat is, realistically or accurately. Take more time to read and meditate on Gods Word, and allow Him to speak into your life. Talent vs. Faithfulness: What is God Looking For? When you live a life of obedience to God, you make fewer mistakes, and you mostly make the right choices in life. Enoch walked with God and entered Heaven alive. (3) Religion is also abused when it primarily focuses on people securing their passions, like lust or wealth, instead of holiness. There is not too much we read about Enoch in the Bible. He listed them in verses 710. All rights reserved worldwide. If the Spirit is in your heart, He is going to make it very difficult for you to be comfortable with anything that violates God's Law. I LOVE trusting Him. We can imagine a child writing an appreciative and sentimental memoir about her perfect father, understanding that perfect was not intended to be taken literally. Many might question, Why is this story in the Bible? and What can we learn from it? There are many things: For one, stories like this give evidence of the Divine authorship of Scripture. Get information about upcoming sermons, ministry updates, special events and news delivered right to your inbox! I must pray for alignment with His heart and pray for a repentant heart. After God resolved that situation, Jacob sought reconciliation with his brother Esau; however, Esau responded with bringing 400 men to meet him. They said to them, We cannot give our sister to a man who is not circumcised, for it would be a disgrace to us. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. When God is neglected, parents neglect their responsibilities to their children. Get instant access to the Grow Your Faith Devotional series delivered to your email. (1) They dont establish appropriate boundaries for them. Titus 1:16. You can unsubscribe at any time. Often God has to do the same with us. Verse Concepts. Many people ask how one hears God, and this is because they dont understand how it happens. They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed. The time to strengthen your walk with the Lord is now (Prov. With the other prophets, the second time meant additional prophetic utterances they were to deliver. When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, who ruled that area, saw her, he grabbed her, forced himself on her, and sexually assaulted her. Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him. He spoke of looking forward to these things. and [looking] for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13-14). These studies will take us through the idea of walking with God. Living our lives with God in it, makes things easier and gives us hope. The Bible . In Romans 1:28, Paul adds: And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. When people neglect God, their thinking becomes depravedleading to depraved actions. 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