The
Book of Genesis
Lesson Verse:
I.
Lesson Introduction
II.
Study Lesson
A.
Getting Right with God (Gen 35:1-4)
1.
Get Back to Beth-el
2.
Put Away idols (2Cor 6:16)
a.
The Father’s responsibility to make sure it takes place
(Gen 18:19; Josh 24:15)
b.
All idols (Ps 101:3; Gen 31:19; Dan 5:4; Act 19:26)
c. All strange gods (Ex 20:3,4; 23:13; Dt 7:25; Lev 26:1; 1Sam 7:3)
d.
Christians can not serve two gods at the same time,
(Luke 16:13; 1Ki 18:21).
3.
Get Clean
a.
Personal Hygiene
b.
Personal Quiet Time (Jn 15:3)
c.
Change of clothes – don’t be grungy
d.
Gathering for Church, Group Bible Study requires that we
look our best
4.
Make an Altar – a place of sacrifice
a.
Lambs
b.
Your plans and wishes
c.
Your own life (Rom 12:1,2)
d.
Worship there, at the foot of that altar
e.
Make that place a monument, a mile-marker in your life
5.
Bury the Past
B.
God’s Presence (Gen 35:5)
1.
God spoke and gave His word
2.
God answered Prayer
3.
The terror of the Lord was on all the cities around them
as they passed near (Pr 16:7)
C.
Jacob’s Altar (Gen 35:6-8)
1.
Did what God had commanded him to do
2.
Called it El-Beth-el
“God, of the House of God” – now clearly worshipping the God of
Bethel, not worshipping the place Bethel
3.
It was here also, that Rebekah’s nurse, Deborah, had
died here, and was buried under the special oak tree, and so Bethel had the
following names
a.
Originally known as Luz
b.
Then changed to bethel by Abraham
c.
Also known as Allon-bachuth, “the oak of weeping”
D.
God’s Blessings (35:9-15)
1.
God Appeared – as the Angel of the Lord (Cf Hos 12:4)
2.
Changed name should mean a changed life
a.
From sinner to saint – no half-ways
b.
From curser, to Christian!
3.
Announced the source of the change: The I AM – I am God
Almighty
4.
Commanded a blessing
a.
Be fruitful and multiply – have lots of children
b.
A nation is waiting to be born
c.
Kings shall come of you
d.
You and your children will inherit the Promised Land –
resurrection verse
5.
God visibly went up from Jacob (35:13)
6.
Jacob made it a special place of remembrance – with a
pillar
a.
Poured wine - Drink offering
b.
Poured Oil
c.
Oil and Wine (Melchisedek)
7.
Jacob keeps calling the place Bethel – as if to say,
Wow! This is the place of God!
8.
Principle: Everywhere that God speaks to you, and blesses
you is Bethel!
E.
Bitter-Sweet Events (35:16-20)
1.
Rachel’s delivery
a.
Hard labour – dangerous delivery
b.
Benoni – son of my sorrow
c.
Benjamin – son of my right hand
2.
Rachel’s death (Cf Mic 5:2)
a.
Right in Bethlehem
b.
Same place as Naomi will come from, and return to (Ruth
1:1,2; 4:11)
c.
The last part of Jacob’s old life was now dead and gone
– his plans, his delights, his preference was now buried
F.
Jacob/Israel’s Family (35:21-26)
1.
Birth-order, and wife order and ordered by God
2.
Leah’s Children
a.
Reuben – Behold, a Son!
b.
Simeon - Hearing
c.
Levi – Joined, Mediator – the priest-tribe
d.
Judah - Praise
e.
Issachar – God Hears me
f.
Zebulun – Dwelling, At Rest, not frantic
g.
(Dinah – Judgment)
3.
Rachel’s Children
a.
Joseph – Adding, or Just the Beginning
b.
Benjamin – Son of My Right Hand
4.
Bilhah’s Children
a.
Dan - Judged
b.
Naphtali – My Wrestling
5.
Zilpah’s Children
a.
Gad – A Troop, Army
b.
Asher - Happy
G.
Coming Home (35:27-29)
1.
Back to the area that Abraham and Isaac spent most of
their time sojourning
a.
City of Abrah
b.
Mamre – this is where Abraham purchased the cave to bury
Sarah in, and where Abraham was also buried
c.
Hebron
2.
Isaac lived 180 years – longer than Abraham (Cf Gen
25:7)
3.
Both Esau and Jacob were home to bury their daddy – also
in the cave of Machpelah (Gen 23:19)
III.
Conclusion