Genesis 34:29

One wrong step away from our true position before the Lord leads to many a sin, scandal, and sorrow. That is what we find here. It all came from Jacob buying the land of the Hivite and building himself a house. His stay at Succoth and Shechem covers about ten years. He had to be unsettled to get him back to his pilgrim place. But the way was painful for all, and brought deep shame, humiliation and fear on Jacob himself.

Jacob seems to have grown tired of the pilgrim path, and gave in to the temptation to settle down and build a home. And what was the fruit of this? His daughter Dinah goes out to see the daughters of the land. Her father had settled down in the world instead of passing through it as a heavenly pilgrim. What could be more natural than his daughter wanting to be friends with the world?

Jacob's sons, however, only answered defiantly, "Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?" This was not fair-mindedness. Shechem had not treated her that way. And even if he had, did that justify Simeon and Levi in killing all the men of that city and plundering their houses? Their dealings with the city were far worse than Shechem's sin was.

Simeon and Levi make their sister's honour cover their covetousness. At least Jacob is honest, for he says, "You have brought trouble on me by making me stink … and I shall be destroyed, both I and my household."

How solemn is the calm with which Scripture tells this whole affair of corruption and violence! Hateful hypocrisy carried it out and covered it. The chosen race were the ones who did it, and Canaanites were the victims.

This whole action was so cruelly unjust that we wonder no punishment or correction followed at all. God has certainly exposed it in all its naked wickedness, and we know He could not approve of anything like this. Yet why was there no repayment? The answer seems to be simply this. God does not always settle His accounts quickly. The wheels of His government grind slowly. But He misses nothing, and in His own time He will deal with every detail of our ways.

When Jacob blessed his sons, he pronounced a curse on their cruelty, and added, "I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel." This illustrates the righteous government of God. Later faithful conduct won this tribe the service of the tabernacle and the priesthood, but that reward does not set that government aside. It was sovereign grace.

We have here a truly humbling view of human nature as seen in the light of God's holiness. It is as if the Lord would say to us: Look here! See a man dressed in nature's blackest clothing, showing nature's most repulsive face. Examine him closely. See what man is when stripped of the false clothing that ignorance or empty self-righteousness would put on him. Then you may know the rich abundance of My grace, which can lift even such a person into the highest places of communion.