Genesis 34:1-31: Wake Up and Lead

Introduction

Running out of time… Pics of Luke and Hudson… I remember their births like it was yesterday… Remember coming from the hospital with Luke. What do we do now? Remember on the way to the hospital we hadn’t settled on Hudson’s name. I took advantage of Staci’s labor pains. Seems like yesterday, but it wasn’t yesterday.

Every day when I look at my kids, I’m reminded that I’m running out of time.

If you’re a parent… Hate to break it to you, but you’re running out of time. Grandparents, same. Running out of time to invest into the lives of your children what really matters.

If you’re not a parent… single, newly married, you have the opportunity to make the best use of your time - to lay a foundation that will help you become the kind of parent God wants you to be.

Since you’re running out of time, wake up and lead.

Gen. 34 - a tragic story of a dad who didn’t lead his kids well, and the results were disastrous.

One of the darkest stories in the Bible. A few weeks - Gen. 38 - another dark story.

Gen. 34 shows us what happens when we fail to influence the next generation for the glory of God.

Two truths from this passage of Scripture that will help you as you influence the next generation.

You cannot be passive in your response to sin.

Gen. 32-33 - The high points of Jacob’s spiritual life. He encountered God and it changed him.

But… like all of us, Jacob a work in progress. So many years of running from God. Deceiving was commonplace for him. Ignoring his own sinfulness was what he had grown accustom to.

In a powerful moment of reconciliation, Jacob lies to Esau. Esau invites Jacob to travel with him. Jacob tells Esau he’ll meet him later, and then Jacob goes a different direction.

He goes into the Promised Land. God promised to bring Jacob into this land, and now he’s there!

But… it’s not where Jacob’s supposed to settle down. Gen. 35:1 - where God wants Jacob is Bethel - the place where God appeared to Jacob in Gen. 28.

Why Shechem? Tired of travel? Prosperous area? Terrible decision.

Dinah, his only daughter, ventured away from the camp - curious - How did the other women live?

A teenage girl - alone in a pagan town. What happens is heartbreaking… Shechem - the town prince - saw her, took her, and violated her.

This sick man becomes infatuated with the young girl that he violated - like many abusers - he has his way and then fills her ears with words of love. To his father: “Get me this girl as a wife...”

vs. 5 - Jacob hears… His daughter violated and humiliated… the pagan man who violated her wants to marry her, and Jacob stays silent. He does nothing. Holy anger should have filled his heart. He should have rushed to defend his daughter. He should have cried out for justice. But he does nothing… Why? Don’t know… Leah’s child… He doesn’t love Leah, maybe he simply doesn’t care for Dinah. Saddening.

Jacob’s sins are catching up with him… He leads his family to settle in a pagan area, and he allows his daughter to roam the streets of Shechem.

His family is deteriorating, and as we continue to study his family’s story, we’ll see that his family continues to deteriorate, and Jacob really does nothing.

When it comes to sin, his response to sin, even the most heinous sin, is passive. He stands by and watches as sin grips his family.

We want to scream: “Wake up and lead, Jacob!”

And, I want to scream to you and to me, “Wake up and lead!”

Be reminded:

You are passive when you settle instead of follow.

More concerned about comfort than mission.

Set your kids up for success more than godliness.

Jesus is a part of your family but not the head of your family.

You are passive when you stand by instead of protect.

Your children are a precious gift. Fathers, your daughters are a precious gift.

1 in 5 women will experience attempted/completed rape in their lifetime. Of those victims, 1 in 3 will have experienced it between the ages of 11 and 17.

81% of women will experience some type of sexual harassment in their lifetime. (nsvr.org)

At Northwood - Darkness to Light training, background checks, security cameras, security team… Not afraid to report - we will not be a safe harbor for abusers.

Teach your kids about godly influences, wise choices, the danger of sin, etc. Know where your kids are… Know who influences them… Know who they’re talking to on social media…

You cannot treat sexual sin, or any sin, as if it’s no big deal. Teach your son to treasure women as made in God’s image - not as objects of pleasure. Stop looking at porn. Not: “Boys will be boys, or kids will be kids…” Or, “I’ve got to let them figure it out on their own...” No! Wake up and lead. Don’t be passive to your or your response to sin.

Your choice to be passive to sin doesn’t just affect you.

Parents, deal with your own sin - sin of omission - not doing what you ought to do. What you ought to be doing is protecting your children, monitoring their interactions, and constantly teaching them to make wise choices. Constantly putting them around godly, trustworthy people who will love them.

Man vomit on me… I remember my mom coming to my protection… the world vomiting on our kids and grandchildren… are we running to their protection?

You cannot be dismissive in your responsibility to lead spiritually.

Jacob is passive, but his sons are not. vs. 7 - grieved and very angry - outrage against Israel (first time Israel is referred to as a people) - such a thing should not be done.

vs. 8 - Hamor: “give us your daughters, we’ll give you ours. Come and be one of us...” The call of sin… We know that God did not want his people to intermarry with Pagans. He certainly does not want you to intermarry with the sinfulness of this world.

vs. 11-12: Shechem: “I’ll give you whatever you ask...” The call of sin… “I’ll give you what you want, just give me your life in exchange...”

Jacobs sons take after their daddy. They deceive: “You’re uncircumcised… You have to become like us. Be circumcised.” Sign of the covenant - God’s people. But, no intention of making the people of Schechem into God’s people. This is not about converting people to the covenant family - this is about revenge. Where’s Jacob? Does Jacob know the plan? Does he approve?

The people agree - It seems like a good deal. They get the daughters of Jacob’s people, and they get all of Jacob’s stuff. They become one with Jacob’s family.

Men circumcised… Perfect time for Jacob’s sons to enact their plan of revenge. While the men of Schechem are still in pain and can’t defend themselves - Dinah’s full brothers, Simeon and Levi, slaughter the men. They killed Hamor and Shechem and every male. They plundered the city and took their wives and children captive.

Sweet revenge...

Jacob’s response? He should have been outraged at how his daughter was violated. He should have been outraged at what happened at his daughters. He should have been outraged at his sons. This wasn’t justice. This was taking matters into their own hands. This wasn’t punishment that matched the crime. This wasn’t letting God deal with the hearts of sinful people. This was outright revenge.

What happened to Dinah was saddening, but the response of Jacob’s sons was just as saddening.

Jacob’s response: “You have brought trouble on me…”

What about the trouble Jacob had brought on his own family settling in Shechem? Or, the trouble he brought by not standing up for his own daughter? Or, the trouble he brought by not leading his sons to respond appropriately to what had happened?

Jacob a dismissive father - He doesn’t lead. He doesn’t take responsibility for his own actions, and he doesn’t take responsibility to lead his children to honor God.

Story ends with a question: “What about the way our sister was treated?”

Jacob - passive and dismissive. When in Jacob’s story have we seen Jacob step in and say to his family, “Let’s do it God’s way.” He doesn’t do it when Rachel and Leah were feuding in Gen. 30, and he doesn’t do it in Gen. 34.

Why? It had never been done in his life… Neither his mom nor his dad ever stepped into Jacob’s life and said, “Do it God’s way.” Yes, Jacob encountered God. Yes, Jacob was being changed by God. Yes, Jacob has made some progress, but he still does what he knows: sins.

Three questions you need to answer that will help you not be dismissive but instead a spiritual leader in your home and among others:

Who are my biggest influences? Your family of origin. Good or bad, your parents were likely your biggest influence. Maybe you had great parents who followed Jesus. They taught you to walk with Jesus. Yet, you strayed. Maybe you’re saying: “I should have listened to my parents.” Maybe you didn’t have the influence of godly parents, and maybe today, what you need to do is stop the cycle of godlessness in your family tree by being the one person in your family who says, “We’re going to do it God’s way.” Reality: your are your children’s greatest influencers. Don’t waste the influence God has given you.

What am I teaching? You’re always teaching. Are you teaching your children to follow their dreams or surrender to the plan of God? Are you teaching your kids to walk in godly wisdom or worldly wisdom? What are you teaching about priorities?

What am I showing? Are you teaching one thing at home but living another? What are you teaching your children about following Jesus by the way you follow Jesus?

What needs to change? This week, how can you center your family on God’s way? What do conversations need to look like around the table? What habits need to change in the home? Will you do it? Wake up and lead. You get one shot at this.

You can’t afford to be dismissive in your responsibility to lead spiritually.

Terrible story… but grace! Gen. 35 - God appears to Jacob again. “Let’s go to Bethel.”

Gen. 49:5-6 - Simeon and Levi - Don’t receive words of blessing but words of cursing.

Yet… from a murderer - a man who took matters into his own hands and took lives - God is going to raise up a priesthood that would intercede on behalf of the Israelites before God. Grace! Levi’s story wasn’t over. In God’s grace, he would restore Levi’s family line for His purpose.

Years later - the great high priest - King Jesus - who is so different than Levi. He didn’t take lives in vengeance. Instead, in mercy, He gave His life as a once and for all sacrifice for sins. Gen. 34 - Levi had his hands in the blood of those he had ruthlessly murdered as an act of revenge. On the cross, Jesus shed His own blood as a divine act of justice. The price for our sin was paid. Jesus died the death we deserve to we could receive what we did not deserve: grace. He rose from the dead to give us life. Turn to Him by faith today.