Arriving On The Road You Travel

Genesis 34:30

Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the Inhabitants of the Land.

It is easy enough to point the finger at other people’s failures, and the two areas in which Jacob failed are two areas in which many of us have failed today.

He failed as a pilgrim (Genesis 33:17) and

he failed as a parent.

His failures in those two areas were now going to cost him dearly. (John Phillips)

The Bible does not hesitate to hold the mirror up to our fallen nature, or show us what we are.

Here is Israel, the prince with God, who had power with man, in a very sorry plight.

His children had involved him in it; but first, he had involved them.

Rebellion In A Child. Dinah.

Little did she realize all the evil which that visit of hers would bring on her people and on those whose guest she was.

What took her there? Had her upbringing been unnecessarily strict, and did she want a little more freedom?

The probability, however, is that the laxity of her father's home, and the effect of her mother's gods, had made the line of separation a very faint one, and she felt no difficulty in overstepping it.

Revenge And Conformity. Simeon and Levi.

"Ye have made me to stink." On his dying bed Jacob remembered this treacherous cruelty and pronounced their scattering in Israel; though Levi undid the effect of that bitter curse by his obedience and devotion.

Reason For Compromise. Jacob.

The real mistake of it all was that Jacob bought that land, and settled too near the city (Gen 33:18). As a pilgrim he had no right to do this.

When Christian parents will settle down in fellowship with the world, they have themselves to thank for all the misery which accrues to themselves and children, and the dishonor to God.

Here are the sad RESULTS of Compromise. I. We Lose Our Faith.

Instead of believing God we work things out according to our understanding.

Instead of obeying God we seek to be liked.

II. We Lose Our Family.

Watching child after child turn out bad.

Watching those we pray for walk contrary to the Lord.

III. We Lose Our Fellowship.

Our church life begins to weaken until it no longer exists.

Excuses are made until no one asks.

IV. We Lose Our Freedom.

Our personal life begins to be based on bondage to the world.

Our personal choices become our authority.

Conclusion:

Now that you know this, how can you get back what you have willingly gave away?

There are two things that must be done:

First there must be Biblical repentance. Luke 13:3, 5; Hosea 14:1-9

Then there must be fasting. Isaiah 58:1-14