It was while Jacob was struggling to lead his family that God called him to return to Bethel which means “house of God.” God had commanded him to go there and build an altar for worship. From Jacob’s response, we see that he was finally ready to lead his family spiritually. He told them that in order to prepare themselves for worship, they must:
1. Relinquish their idols
Gen. 35:2-5 “Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you,”
2. Repent of sin
“and be clean, and change your garments:”
3. Return to the house of God.
“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.”
LESSON - When the patriarch of the family chooses to love the Lord, follow the Lord, and lead his family to do the same they typically follow. When true repentance occurs, the grace of God makes things right. Those who have been touched by sin can be reconciled, the name of the Lord can once again be glorified, and honor can be restored to the family’s name. Consider this as we prepare to return to God’s house after the quarantine is over! I pray that God has used this time to challenge all of us to relinquish our idols, turn from our sins, and once again genuinely desire to worship in God’s house. God has brought change into our lives so that through us He will change others.
“And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem. And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.”
~Mike