Key Verse: Genesis 35:3
"Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone."
Genesis 35 marks a spiritual renewal for Jacob and his family. After years of wandering, deception, and conflict, God calls Jacob back to Bethel, the place where He first appeared to him. This chapter is about repentance, renewal, and reaffirmation of God's promises.
1. God Calls Jacob to Return to Bethel
"God said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.’” (Genesis 35:1)
Jacob had first encountered God at Bethel in Genesis 28, when he was fleeing from Esau. At that time, he made a vow to serve God if He protected him. Now, after 20 years, God calls him back to fulfill his vow.
Key Lesson:
God often calls us back to the place where we first encountered Him.
When we stray, He invites us to return and renew our commitment.
2. Purification Before Worship
Jacob tells his household:
"Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments." (Genesis 35:2)
Jacob’s family still held onto idols, likely from their time with Laban (Genesis 31:19). Before they could meet God at Bethel, they needed to cleanse themselves.
Key Lesson:
True worship begins with repentance and removing anything that competes with God.
We cannot experience spiritual renewal while holding onto sin.
3. God's Protection and Jacob’s Obedience
"And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob." (Genesis 35:5)
Jacob had feared retaliation after his sons massacred Shechem (Genesis 34). But instead of facing attack, God protected them.
When they arrive at Bethel, Jacob builds an altar and renames the place El-Bethel ("God of Bethel"). This shows his growing faith—he no longer just acknowledges the place but worships the God who met him there.
Key Lesson:
When we obey God, He fights our battles for us.
Worship should not be about places or rituals but about knowing God personally.
4. Death and Transition – A Season of Change
Several key figures die in this chapter:
Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse (Genesis 35:8) – This suggests Rebekah had also died. Deborah’s burial at "Allon-bacuth" (oak of weeping) shows her importance to Jacob’s family.
Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin (Genesis 35:16-19) – As she dies, she names him Ben-Oni ("Son of my sorrow"), but Jacob renames him Benjamin ("Son of the right hand").
Isaac dies at 180 years old (Genesis 35:28-29) – Jacob and Esau reunite to bury him.
Key Lesson:
Life transitions are inevitable. The deaths of Rachel and Isaac mark the passing of one generation and the beginning of the next.
Even in sorrow and loss, God’s promises continue.
5. God Reaffirms His Promise to Jacob
"And God said to him, ‘Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.’” (Genesis 35:10)
God repeats Jacob’s name change, reinforcing that he is now "Israel"—not the deceiver, but a man chosen to lead God’s people.
God then reaffirms the covenant made to Abraham and Isaac:
A great nation will come from Jacob.
The land of Canaan is promised to his descendants.
Key Lesson:
God’s promises remain, even after our failures.
When God gives us a new identity, we must walk in it.
Genesis 35 teaches us that God invites us to return to Him, no matter how far we’ve wandered.
Are We Ready for Spiritual Renewal?
Is there a "Bethel" we need to return to—a place where we once encountered God?
Are we holding onto idols or distractions that prevent us from fully worshiping God?
Are we walking in our God-given identity, or are we still living like our old selves?
Jacob returned, repented, and was restored. The same God who called him back calls us to renewal today.
Comments