What a Stink!
11 minutes ago
3 min read
Today's Verse:
And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house. ~Genesis 34:30
Years ago, I purchased a clip-on air freshener for my car, thinking it would add a pleasant fragrance to the interior. However, the extremely hot temperatures combined with the car's air conditioning produced a musty smell instead. Needless to say, I removed the smelly clip-on! None of us enjoy anything that has a bad odor or that stinks. The word "stink" can also describe someone with ill repute. Jacob told Simeon and Levi, “Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land.” Let us see the consequences of a bad testimony.
We see the destination.
“And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.” Jacob was commanded to go back home. Instead, out of an unfounded fear for his personal safety, he kept going, pitched his tent, and bought a parcel of land in Shechem. Even though he made an altar there, he positioned himself and his family too close to the Canaanites in the land. A decline in our testimony for the Lord begins with going where we are not supposed to go and settling our roots outside of God’s will for our life.
We see the defilement.
Jacob’s daughter Dinah went out to see the daughters of Canaan. She went out, unsupervised and out of her own curiosity, to adapt to the lifestyle of these women. It was not long until young Shechem met her, pursued her, and took advantage of her. Word got back quickly to Jacob’s family of what Shechem had done. Even though part of the blame was to be shouldered by Dinah, Jacob must take responsibility for what happened because of his decision to settle his roots in that area. A disregard for our testimony among the lost eventually gives way to tolerating behavior that we would otherwise call sinful and prohibitive. Dinah’s defilement was a continuing downward spiral in the testimony of Jacob’s family.
We see the deceit.
Jacob’s sons were filled with wrath because of what happened to Dinah. They wanted to retaliate for what Shechem did. When Shechem asked for Dinah's in marriage, Jacob's sons appealed to the covetous desires of the men of Shechem and duped them into getting circumcised. They led the men of Shechem to believe that circumcision would lead to more intermingling and integration of the Hebrews and Canaanites. Hypocrisy is the sin of leading people to believe we are genuine and truthful believers. It is putting a mask over our face and play-acting as if we have their best interests at heart.
We see the disaster.
While the men of Shechem were incapacitated, Simeon and Levi took swords and killed every male in the city. The other brothers seized the moment to spoil the city and take the herds, wealth, land, and the women and children as slaves. In effect, an unsuspecting city was overtaken by murder and acquisition. When Jacob realized what had happened, he said, “Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land.” Their testimony for God was ruined, and they were looked upon as being no different from the surrounding pagans. Your testimony for Christ is too valuable to ruin! Be careful where you pitch your tent, and be careful not to become like the people who are not like you.
Have a godly God Morning!
Reading Schedule: Haggai 1-2
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