Genesis Week 24 - Covenant (renewed at bethel)

Jacob’s detour in Shechem costs his family dearly with the rape of his daughter and the retribution his sons enact. After Jacob’s remarkable encounter with God, we are told of one of the lowest points in his family and that his household has acquired many foreign gods. How can that be? We might prefer the narrator to leave out horrific and faithless moments in the lives of God’s people, but that would paint an incomplete picture of their need for God’s grace. When Jacob returns, God again changes his name and throughout the rest of his life we will see both natures at play - sometimes he is Jacob the deceiver, other times he is Israel, surrendered to God. So too with our own faith journey. Romans 7-8, Ephesians 4:20-32 and Galatians 5:16-26 speak of this battle between our old self and our new identity in Christ. Jacob’s wrestle with God marks the beginning of His new nature, not the full completion of it. As you read look honestly at the mixture of cowardice, failure, depravity, idolatry, return, repentance, and restoration.Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Genesis 34-36