Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1395
“And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there.” Genesis 35:1.
THERE are critical times in most families—times when much decision of character will be needed on the part of the father to guide things aright. They say there is a skeleton in every closet and, if so, I would add that occasionally the unquiet spirit takes to troubling the household and needs to be laid low. There are times when the evil in the hearts of the children and in the nature of the parents becomes especially energetic and brings about difficulties and perplexities, so that if a wrong turn were taken, the most fearful mischief would ensue. And yet, if there is Divine Grace in the hearts of some or all of the family, a strong and gracious hand at the helm of the ship may steer it right gallantly through the broken waters and bring it safely out of its dangers to pursue its journey much more happily in the future.
Now, such a crisis had come to Jacob’s family—things had reached a sad pass and something had to be done. Everything seemed out of gear and matters could not continue any longer as they were. All was out of order and threatened to become much worse. Even the heathen began to smell the ill savor of Jacob’s disorganized family and the one alternative was mend or end. A stand must be taken by the head of the house. There must be reform in the household and a revival of religion throughout the whole family. If you notice, Jacob himself was in a bad way. His business was to remain in Canaan a mere sojourner, dwelling in tents, not one of the people, but moving about among them, testifying that he looked for “a city that has foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God.”
He expected to inherit the land, but, for the time being, he was to be a stranger and a sojourner as his fathers Abraham and Isaac had been. Yet at Succoth we read that he built booths—scarcely houses, I suppose—but more than tents. It was a compromise and a compromise is often worse than a direct and overt disobedience of a command. He dares not erect a house, but he builds a booth and thus shows his desire for a settled life. And though it is not ours to judge the purchase of land at Shechem, still, it looks in the same direction. Jacob is endeavoring to find a resting place where Abraham and Isaac had none. I will not speak too negatively, but the Patriarch’s acts look as if he desired to find a house for himself where he might rest and be on familiar terms with the inhabitants of the land.
Now the Lord his God would not have it so. The chosen family was intended, by the Divine purpose, to dwell alone and maintain a peculiar walk of separation. The seed of Abraham was ordained to be, in the highest sense, a Nonconformist tribe, a race of separatists! Their God meant them to be a distinct people, entirely severed from all the nations among whom they dwelt and so they must be. But the inclination to be like their neighbors was very manifest in Jacob’s family. The spell of Esau’s greatness had, no doubt, affected the clan of Jacob. They had, from the Patriarch, himself, down to the youngest child, made very willing obeisance before “my lord Esau,” and the homage paid was not without its effect.
That obeisance was an act which, from some points of view, we cannot condemn, but it was scarcely becoming in one who was a Prince with God and elect of the Most High—and its effect could not have been elevating. The sons seem to have taken very readily to paying homage to profane Esau, though they were not little children, but young men. They bowed before their noble-looking uncle with his grand band of warriors and were, perhaps, fascinated by the charms of so warlike a member of the family, whose sons were dukes and great ones in the land. It added importance to the shepherds to feel that they were related to a great captain!
Now that they had come to Shechem and their father had purchased a piece of land there and had built booths, they felt themselves to be of some importance—and they must go visiting, for everybody loves society. And now comes the mischief of it. Jacob’s only daughter must visit with the prince of the people. The daughter of Israel is invited to the dances and the assemblies of the upper circles of the land. It is winked at by the father, possibly, and the brothers aid and
abet it. She is often away at the residence of Shechem, the fine young Hivite prince, a very respectable gentleman, indeed, with a mansion and estates. But there comes an evil matter of it not to be mentioned.
Then her brothers, in their hot anger, run into a sin that was quite as evil as Shechem’s crime, by way of making some amends for their sister’s defilement. With dastardly treachery they slay the whole of the Shechemites and so bring the guilt of murder upon a family which ought to have been holiness unto the Lord! Children of God cannot mix with the world without mischief! The world does hurt to us and we to it when once we begin to be of the world and like it. It is an ill-assorted match. Fire and water were never meant to be blended. The seed of the woman must not mix with the seed of the serpent. It was when the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were fair, and took of them as they pleased, that the deluge came and swept away the population of the earth.