Bible Discussion Thread

...or perhaps these garments were worn when they worshipped their foreign idols and were defiled along with the bodies and hearts of the people. This is interesting to ponder. I ask myself, when was the last time I really "cleaned house", referring to my person, God's temple? Am I holding onto, storing, or treasuring anything that is impure before God, anything idolatrous, anything too dear to me than it ought to be. In my heart, do I make "back up plans" in case God does not come through for me in my need?

Jacob continues to speak, recounting how God had met him there at Bethel and answered him in his time of distress. That God had been with him in all his sojourning. Jacob probably needed to recount this to himself just as much as to those in his household. So the people surrendered their idols and earrings (may have been part of pagan identity) to Jacob and buried them (as into the grave our sins went with Jesus and did not rise with Him) in Shechem. Do not know the significance of the terebinth tree. It was a turpentine tree that people tapped the resin from and/or a pistachio tree.

Shechem was a turning point for this family. They were going to go God's way away from the "safety" of Shechem and into a walk of trust God and the leading by God. As they journeyed, God made the people in the area fearful of what He might do if they attempted to harm Jacob's group. Arriving at Luz (Bethel) in the land of Canaan, Jacob first built an altar there, renaming it Beth El (house of God). Deborah, is mother's nurse, dies here, and again, Jacob buries her under a terebinth tree. Jacob called named the site of the grave, Allon Bacuth (the tree of weeping). Jacob had known Deborah all of his life.

God appears to Jacob again. Here God reiterates that Jacob is no longer his name, rather Israel (He who contended with God). God tells Jacob the same promise He gave to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob