Wrath of man

• 1^st – No more fear… vs. 1-4
  • 1^st – Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming with 400 men… vs. 1-3
    • Understandably Jacob was still uncertain of the intentions of his brother…
    • Coming out to meet him – his 4 wives – 11 sons – was an ARMY!
    • Therefore Jacob lined up his family – perhaps in order of priority….
    • FIRST – the maidservants and kids – THEN Leah and her kids – FINALLY Rachel and Joseph…
    • But Jacob went out in FRONT before them all – to meet Esau first!
    • Jacob had been AFRIAD of what ESAU might do with a 400 man army…
    • But now he no longer had any FEAR – because he knew who stood with him!
    • We FEAR what we do not KNOW – and we usually assume the worst!
    • And if we are depending on ourselves – we have good reason to be AFRAID!
    • Yet Jesus does KNOW – nothing is a surprise to Him – He sees it all – Hebrews 4:13
    • IF we are looking to Jesus – we therefore have NOTHING to FEAR…
    • FEAR is the opposite of trust– we are AFRAID because we are not looking to God!
    • II Timothy 1:7 – “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and sound mind.”
  • 2^nd – The result of having no FEAR… vs. 4
    • God changed hearts…
      • Esau embraced (piel) his estranged brother – kissed him – and wept!
      • Whether Esau ever had hostile intentions (400 men) or not we are not told…
      • We do know by the time he met his brother – whom he had wanted to kill – Genesis 27:41
      • He now INTENSELY embraced him – and rejoiced to see him again!
      • What we forget is – when God is for us who can be against us – Romans 8:31
      • God can turn even those who might want to harm us – into good friends…
      • If only we will learn to TRUST in Jesus – rather than to give into our FEARS!
    • God RESTORED…
      • I am sure Jacob believed the relationship with Esau was hopeless…
      • It turned out his problem was not with Esau – it was with God…
      • Jacob had not been battling Esau – he had been wrestling his whole life with the Lord!
      • Once Jacob surrendered to God – it HEALED his friendship with Esau!
      • If we have bitterness towards someone / a broken relationship…
      • It speaks of a battle in our heart – not with that person – but with the Lord!
      • Because we CANNOT love God – and have hatred towards our brother – I John 4:20
    • Considering how much we have been forgiven – how could we not forgive…
      • Jesus went to the cross to pay for our sins – ALL of our sins…
      • He was willing to forgive everything we ever have done – or will ever do!
      • How then could we not forgive someone for the little sin they have done against us…
      • If we are unwilling to forgive – then God will not forgive us – Matthew 6:15
    • When we are hurt by someone – and refuse to forgive…
      • It will grow into bitterness – we become consumed with what they did…
      • With un-forgiveness in our hearts – God does not hear our prayers – Mark 11:25
      • Forgiveness is not just for the one who did us wrong – it is also for us…
      • It sets us free – we do not dwell on the past – we get to move forward in Jesus!

• 2^nd – No more need… vs. 5-11
  • 1^st – Jacob introduced his family to Esau – then got asked about all the gifts…
    • Jacob had sent waves of animals to appease Esau the day before – Genesis 32:13-20
    • Esau refused the gifts – he had also been blessed – had MORE than enough…
    • Yet Jacob was overwhelmed to be greeting with love by his brother…
    • He insisted that Esau keep the gifts!
  • 2^nd – A glimpse at the change that occurred in the heart of Israel!
    • Jacob had schemed and scraped for everything he had – now he was giving it away…
    • Things were no longer so important – it was about being thankful to Jesus!
    • When we get our FOCUS on the Lord – not only do FEARS melt away…
    • Our priories change – we no longer look for more – we are CONTENT with what we have…
    • In Jesus we are thankful we have all we NEED for today – trusting Him for tomorrow!
    • Philippians 4:19 – “God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

• 3^rd – Finding where we belong… vs. 12-20
  • 1^st – Esau wanted to accompany Jacob back home…
    • Let us take a journey (cohortative) – let us go (cohortative) …
      • The COHORTATIVE adds emphasis – Esau REALLY wanted Jacob to go with him!
      • But Jacob countered – I have the kids – and newly born flocks…
      • They move slow and would not keep up with the ARMY of Esau!
      • Therefore – he encouraged Esau to go ahead (jussive)!
    • Jacob would SURELY follow (cohortative) at a slower pace!
      • Ironic that Jacob said he could not move at a quick pace…
      • Recall when he was fleeing from Laban – he traveled 600km in 10 days – Genesis 31:23
  • 2^nd – Esau REALLY wanted to leave (hiphil / cohortative) some men with Jacob…
    • Jacob REALLY did not want him to – let me find favor (cohortative)!
      • So Esau left – and returned to Seir (harry) – the home of Esau!
      • But Jacob was not in any rush to get to Esau – he stopped and built houses (Succoth)
      • Building houses for your family and herds means you are not in a hurry!
      • If you asked me to come live with you – and I said yes – then started building a house…
      • You might get the idea I was only being polite – I was not coming after all!
    • Jacob never even made it to Seir or anywhere close to the Red Sea…
      • He only got as far as Shechem – where Abraham had first entered the Land – Genesis 12:6
      • It is in the northern Israel – opposite from Seir – there Jacob bought a piece of a field!
      • The reason – he was not called to go to Seir – but to the land of Canaan!
      • Jacob had wandered for 60 years – never knowing what was next…
      • Jacob did not know where he belonged – until he stopped running…
      • Then he found the Lord brought him to exactly the right place – the land of Israel!
    • Jacob built an altar to – El Elohe Israel [אֵל אֱלֹהֵי] – God is the God of Israel…
      • God had done exactly what He had promised – Genesis 28:15
      • God brought Israel – against all odds – safely back to the Promised Land!
      • If we are not sure where we belong in life – what we are called to do…
      • If we feel like we are wandering – not sure where we are going…
      • The answer is to focus on the Lord – get into the Word – spend time with Jesus…
      • He will remove our FEAR – He will make us CONTENT…
      • He brings everything into FOCUS – and we will find we are exactly where we belong!
      • Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”

• 4^th – Lust not Love… vs. 1-12
  • 1^st – Dinah – the daughter of Leah – went out to see the other women of the land… vs. 1
    • There is a fact missing from our story – how did Shechem get Dinah alone…
      • The suggestion here is Dinah was hanging around with worldly girls – bad crowd…
      • And as a result of being with her barkada – she was seen (sequential) by prince Shechem!
      • You can almost hear the conversation – the prince is looking at you – he thinks your cute…
      • Why not go over and say hi – what can it hurt!
    • Ladies – be VERY careful who you hang out with…
      • For sure there is safety in numbers – but make sure they are GODLY women…
      • Those who are going to encourage you to be PURE in Jesus – not talk to cute guys…
      • I often see young men and women alone together – and it is not wise…
      • Even if they were just talking – other people do not know that…
      • II Thessalonians 5:22 – “Stay away from all appearance of evil.”
      • And ladies if you ever have an eerie feeling about a guy – get out – do not wait around!
  • 2^nd – Shechem – the prince of the land – saw her… vs. 2-4
    • He took her – raped her – and violated / humbled (piel) her…
      • If a woman has been raped – there is a great deal of shame!
      • She is often left to feel like it was at least partly her fault – she tempted the man…
      • She may feel like she cannot tell anyone – because it is very embarrassing…
      • But the truth she did NOTHING wrong – and it must be shared!
      • Whether it is to a close friend / family member / or police – do not hide…
      • Both for the sake of the girl – so she can talk about it and begin to heal…
      • And for the sake of other women – who might fall prey to the same guy!
    • His soul became attached to Dinah – and he loved her – and spoke kindly to her…
      • He even demanded his father Hamor (donkey) – get him Dinah as his wife!
      • All verbs – saw – took – raped – humbled – attached – loved – are sequential imperfects… 
      • Meaning his looking at Dinah led to him raping and humiliating her!
      • The battle over sexual immorality is not just fought in what we do…
      • Temptation becomes sin when we look – fantasize about it – then act…
      • We avoid sexual immorality by fighting the battle in our mind – Matthew 5:28
      • We allow our mind to dwell on a desire – then that desire turns to action – sin!
      • James 1:12-15 – “Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.  Then, when desire has conceived, it… brings forth death.”
    • Raping Dinah did not show her he LOVED her – obviously…
      • It showed Shechem did NOT love Dinah – he only LUSTED after her!
      • The difference – LOVE is from the Lord – LUST is our own sinful desires!
      • If Shechem had loved Dinah – he would have honored and respected her…
      • But it was not about Dinah – it was just about what he wanted – LUST!
      • Men look for sex – but do not stop to consider the consequences for the girl…
      • Women are not looking for sex – they are looking for love – they give sex to get love…
      • Men devastate a girl by taking her purity – NOT an act of love – just a response to LUST…
      • And the Lord is the one who will punish those who take advantage of His kids!
      • Luke 17:2 – “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones…”
  • 3^rd – Jacob and the brothers… vs. 5-7
    • Jacob heard Shechem had defiled (piel) Dinah – but he held his peace…
      • It can be easy to misinterpret this as INACTION – he should have done SOMETHING!
      • But here again we see the new character of Israel – he was NOT the solution…
      • Jacob new his ANGER would NOT help his daughter – he was waiting on the Lord!
      • James 1:20 – “The wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
      • I do not want to think about what I would do if someone harmed my daughter…
      • The temptation for rage and revenge would be almost overwhelming…
      • But what would my rage accomplish – would it bring any healing to the one I love!
      • When Jesus was crucified on the cross – when our sins cost the Father His Son…
      • He did not react in fury and revenge – instead He reached out in love and compassion…
      • He set a powerful precedent – we are called to LOVE our enemies!
      • Luke 6:35 – “Love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.”
    • In contrast – when the brothers found out what Shechem had done – they were VERY angry!
  • 4^th – The proposal of Hamor / Shechem… vs. 8-12
    • Hamor and Shechem came to Jacob to speak (piel) to him…
      • The soul of Shechem longed (perfect) for Dinah – give her as his wife (imperative) …
      • But he did not stop at Dinah – let us make marriages (imperative) …
      • You give us your daughters – we will give you our daughters – become ONE people…
      • Then they would inherit the land – blending with the people who lived there…
      • This would have been very tempting to Israel and his sons…
      • They had been promised the land – this would seem to fulfill the promise!
      • Cheat on the test – steal what you want – move in with your boy / girlfriend…
      • The worlds way can seem to be the easy answer – but it does not end well!
    • Plea of Shechem – ask ANYTHING – no matter how much – and I will give it…
      • Because Shechem had been driven by LUST – he was blind to its consequences…
      • He was willing to do anything to get what he lusted after!
      • Have you ever craved a certain kind of food – mouth salivating to get it…
      • And when we finally eat it – one bite is NOT enough – we want more…
      • We could eat till we become sick – and yet it is never enough!
      • Lust can never be satisfied – it will always want more…
      • Lust wants – more money / more pleasure / more things / more power…
      • But it is never enough – in the end it costs us everything – for nothing…
      • When we are driven by our lusts – we will hurt ourselves!
      • Galatians 5:16 – “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”

• 5^th – Ungodly anger… vs. 13-31
  • 1^st – The brothers of Dinah were very ANGRY… vs. 13-24
    • So they answered VERY deceitfully (piel) because of what happened to Dinah…
      • Their only condition – all of the men of the city of Shechem be CIRCUMCISED…
      • If they would do this one thing – then the intermarrying could happen!
    • The words pleased Shechem and Hamor…
      • Shechem – did not delay (piel – intensive) to do this thing – get everyone CIRCUMCISED…
      • He convinced his men to be CIRCUMCISED – by appealing to their GREED…
      • If they intermarried – all the wealth of Israel would become theirs!
      • So ALL the men of the city agreed – and were CIRCUMCISED!
    • Yet Shechem was more honorable (niphal– passive) than all his house!
      • A greedy liar – who had raped Dinah – because he lusted after her…
      • If he was more honorable than the rest of his house – what were the rest like!
      • These were the very last people Jacob wanted to join with!
      • The worlds way seems the easier way – but to join them is to become like them…
      • We are not called to conform to this world – but to stand as a light for Jesus in it!
      • James 4:4 – “Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
  • 2^nd – Vengeance NOT Justice… vs. 25-30
    • When all of the circumcised men were in unbearable pain…
      • Levi and Simeon (the full brothers of Dinah) – came into the city with swords…
      • They killed every man – including Hamor and Shechem – and took Dinah…
      • They took all their sheep – oxen – donkeys / they took what was in the city and the fields…
      • ALL their wealth / ALL their wives and children (as slaves) / ALL that was in their houses!
      • ALL this they did – because of ONE sin – Shechem raped (piel) Dinah!
    • The Old Testament version of justice was an eye for eye – Deuteronomy 19:21
      • The Law was not meant to be vindictive – it was meant to be limiting…
      • Meaning you were not allowed to do more to someone in revenge than they had done…
      • We want revenge – if you take my eye – I want to take both of yours / and ears / nose…
      • If you start the fight – I am MORE than willing to be the one to finish it!
      • We naturally want to get back – take revenge – on those who attack us!
      • Even after they apologize – we want to hold onto our hurt – we want JUSTICE!
      • But we are called to forgive – no matter what anyone has done to us – Luke 17:1-10
      • Romans 12:19 – “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
    • When Jacob found out he was furious…
      • You have caused me to STINK (hiphil) among the people in the Land…
      • Jacob was concerned about backlash from the other Canaanite tribes…
      • They would gather (niphal – passive) in great numbers…
      • Then they would destroy (niphal) Jacob and his sons who were still few!
      • They would wipe out his family for what Levi and Simeon had done!
    • Levi and Simeon answered – should we let them treat our sister like a harlot!
      • Their ANGER was not wrong – but their RESPONCE was…
      • We get additional insight into the character of these two men at the end of Genesis…
      • They killed – not just for revenge – they liked it and were men of VIOLENCE!
      • VIOLENCE – [חָמָס] hamas – violent / wrong / cruel / and unjust!
      • Genesis 49:5-6 – “Simeon and Levi are two of a kind—men of VIOLENCE.  O my soul, stay away from them. May I never be a party to their wicked plans. For in their anger they murdered men, and they crippled oxen just for sport.”
    • Dealing with ANGER without SIN…
      • John 2 – Jesus made a whip and drove out those selling animals for sacrifice…
      • The temple – the Jewish religion – had become a moneymaking industry…
      • One that took advantage of the poor and those who were seeking to know God!
      • And it frankly made Jesus ANGRY – they were keeping men from God!
      • Jesus got angry – but never sinned – so we can be ANGRY and not sin!
      • Ephesians 4:26 – “Be angry, and do not sin…”
      • There are times when we as believers in Jesus – we should be angry…
      • When you see movies depict living together as an acceptable lifestyle…
      • When you see adds that make it look cool to be drunk!
      • Not angry at sinners – they need our help – but angry at sin…
      • We need to speak out – we need to take action – because it destroys lives!
      • Isaiah 5:20 – “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil…”
    • Being ANGRY does not mean taking vengeance on others
      • When men do wrong against us – or those we love – we have 2 choices
      • We can take vengeance in our own hands – or we can leave it to the Lord
      • God is a far better at defending us – God is far fairer in judging others!