Genesis Chapter 33-35   

Restoration, Redemption, and Rededication

                                       

Lesson Aim: TO UNDERSTAND

THAT GOD BRINGS DELIVERANCE FOR HIS PEOPLE

Subtopic:  Reconciliation requires humility, forgiveness, prayer, and intentionality

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Background Reading

Genesis 32

Devotional Reading

Mon – The Atoning Sacrifice for the People – Leviticus 16:15-19
Tues – The Lord Hears the Righteous Cry – Psalm 34:11-18
Wed – Jesus Tasted Death for Everyone – Hebrews 2:5-9
Thur – Jesus Brings Salvation Through Suffering – Hebrews 2:10-13
Fri – Jesus Destroys the Devil’s Power – Hebrews 2:14-16
Sat – Jesus, the People’s High Priest Forever – Hebrews 7:18-28

Sun – Rejoicing in Restoration – Psalm 34:1-10; Hebrews 2:17-18

Central VerseS(gENESIS 35:1-3)

 "And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.

Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went."

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​​Key Terms

reconciliation

redemption

rededication

humility

forgiveness

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KEY POINTS

1. God’s steadfast love is solid toward those who are His is.

2. God will always be faithful to His promises to us, both for this life and our lives hereafter.

3. We can be assured of God’s providential care if we seek to have a blameless heart toward Him.

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INTRODUCTION / BACKGROUND

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Genesis 33 Summary

Genesis 33 records the reunion of Jacob and Esau after 20 years of separation and hostility. Jacob, who had wrestled with God and received a new name, Israel, prepares to meet his brother with fear and humility. He arranges his family and servants in groups, and sends ahead a generous gift of livestock to appease Esau. To his surprise, Esau runs to meet him with a warm embrace and a kiss. They weep together and reconcile their relationship. Esau introduces his family and offers to accompany Jacob on his journey, but Jacob politely declines. He asks Esau to go ahead of him, while he and his family travel at a slower pace. Jacob eventually arrives at the city of Shechem, in the land of Canaan, where he buys a piece of land and erects an altar to the Lord.

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Genesis 34 Summary

Genesis 34 tells the story of how Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, was raped by Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, who was the ruler of the land where Jacob had settled. Shechem then asked his father to arrange a marriage with Dinah, and offered to pay any price for her. Hamor and Shechem proposed to Jacob and his sons that they intermarry with them, and that they would share the land and its resources. Jacob’s sons, however, were outraged by the defilement of their sister, and they agreed to the marriage only on the condition that all the males of the city be circumcised. Hamor and Shechem agreed, and persuaded the men of their city to do the same. Three days later, when they were in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, attacked the city with their swords, killed all the males, including Hamor and Shechem, and rescued Dinah. They also plundered the city and took their women, children, livestock, and possessions. Jacob rebuked his sons for bringing trouble upon him and his family, but they justified their actions by saying that Shechem had treated their sister like a prostitute.

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Genesis 35 Summary

Genesis 35 narrates the final stage of Jacob’s journey from Paddan Aram to Canaan, where he fulfills his vow to worship God at Bethel (Gen 28:20–22). Before leaving Shechem, where his sons had committed a massacre (Gen 34), Jacob instructs his household to get rid of their foreign gods, purify themselves, and change their clothes. He also buries the idols and earrings under an oak tree. As they travel, God protects them from the hostility of the surrounding peoples by causing a terror to fall upon them. At Bethel, Jacob builds an altar and names the place El Bethel, meaning “God of Bethel”. There, God appears to him again and renews the covenant promises of a new name (Israel), a numerous offspring, and the land inheritance. Jacob erects a stone pillar and pours a drink offering and oil on it, and calls the place Bethel, meaning “house of God”.

The chapter also records the deaths of two important women in Jacob’s life: Deborah, the nurse of his mother Rebekah, and Rachel, his beloved wife. Deborah dies at Bethel and is buried under an oak tree, which is named Allon Bakuth, meaning “oak of weeping”. Rachel dies while giving birth to Jacob’s twelfth son, Benjamin, on the way to Ephrath (Bethlehem). She names her son Ben-Oni, meaning “son of my sorrow”, but Jacob renames him Benjamin, meaning “son of my right hand”. Jacob sets up a pillar over Rachel’s grave, which becomes a lasting memorial. The chapter also mentions a shameful incident of Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, sleeping with Bilhah, his father’s concubine. The chapter ends with a list of Jacob’s twelve sons, who are the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel, and the death of his father Isaac, who is buried by his sons Esau and Jacob.

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​ESSENTIAL THOUGHTS: 

• Reconciliation is possible: Even if we have had conflicts with others in the past, it is possible to reconcile and restore a relationship. Jacob and Esau’s story demonstrates that even deep-seated bitterness and resentment can be overcome with time and effort.

• Offering forgiveness can be powerful: When Jacob offered gifts to Esau, it was a way of showing humility and asking for forgiveness. Esau’s response of embracing Jacob and weeping suggests that this gesture was deeply meaningful to him.

• Trust in God’s protection: Jacob was understandably anxious about seeing Esau after their long separation, but he put his faith in God’s protection and was able to face his brother with confidence. This can be a reminder to us that even in difficult or scary situations, we can trust in a higher power to guide and protect us.

• Material possessions are not everything: Jacob’s gifts to Esau were valuable, but in the end, it was the act of reconciliation that mattered most. This can be a reminder to us that material possessions are not the most important thing in life, and that relationships and human connection are ultimately more fulfilling.

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Genesis 35 Big Ideas

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• God is faithful and gracious to his people, despite their sins and weaknesses, and he fulfills his covenant promises to them, making them a chosen nation and a blessing to all nations.

• God is sovereign and powerful over all things, and he protects and guides his people in their journey of faith, revealing himself to them as El Shaddai, the God Almighty.

• God is personal and relational, and he calls his people to obey and worship him, and to consecrate themselves to him, renouncing idolatry and paganism.

• God is the God of life and hope, and he gives his people joy and hope in the midst of sorrow and pain, and he promises to restore and redeem them in the end.

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Main themes or sub-themes

• Obedience and worship: Jacob obeys God’s command to go to Bethel and worship him there, and he leads his family in purifying themselves and getting rid of their idols. Jacob’s obedience and worship demonstrate his faith and devotion to God, and his recognition of God’s grace and protection in his life. (Genesis 35:1–7; 28:20–22; 31:13; Hebrews 11:21)

• Covenant and blessing: God renews his covenant with Jacob and blesses him with a new name, a fruitful offspring, and a land inheritance. God also reveals himself as El Shaddai, the God Almighty, who is able to fulfill his promises and accomplish his purposes. God’s covenant and blessing connect Jacob to his ancestors Abraham and Isaac, and to his descendants Israel, who will become a great nation and a blessing to all nations. (Genesis 35:9–15; 17:1–8; 26:2–5; 28:13–15; Exodus 6:2–8; Galatians 3:6–9)

• Sorrow and joy: Jacob’s family experiences both sorrow and joy as they journey from Bethel to Ephrath. They mourn the death of Deborah and Rachel, two beloved women in Jacob’s life, who die in the land of promise. They also rejoice over the birth of Benjamin, Jacob’s twelfth and last son, who completes the number of the tribes of Israel. Jacob’s sorrow and joy reflect the realities of life in a fallen world, where death and pain coexist with life and hope. (Genesis 35:8, 16–20; 49:29–31; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; Romans 8:18–25)

• Sin and grace: Jacob’s family also exposes their sin and weakness, as Reuben commits incest with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Rachel dies with the name of her son on her lips, indicating her attachment to the children she bore for Jacob. These sins and flaws foreshadow the future troubles and conflicts that will arise among Jacob’s sons, especially Joseph and his brothers. However, God also shows his grace and mercy to Jacob’s family, by protecting them from their enemies, by fulfilling his promises to them, and by preserving them as his chosen people. (Genesis 35:22; 31:19, 34–35; 37:1–36; 49:3–4; 50:15–21; Romans 5:20–21; Ephesians 2:1–10)