10/05/2023 - CUNNING MOTIVES

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And they said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a reproach to us.  Genesis 34.14

What Dinah’s brothers said about circumcision was right. However, they had a plan, and they were going to make Shechem pay dearly for the wickedness done to the girl. People don’t always let the truth come out in what they say. They were full of anger against the wicked prince, but at that moment they could do nothing, because the people would turn against them. It was a stratagem to consummate their revenge!

It’s good to live in communion with the Most High, so that the enemy does not cause us any harm. That is what he always wants to do (John 10:10a). When we turn away from the Lord, Satan sends his demons to do us “some good”. Then we will not want to return to God. Now, this is a decoy of the evil one, trying to shame us, destroy our family, and make us miserable.

For Jacob, what had happened to Dinah was unbelievable. You see, we are talking about an event that took place four thousand years ago. If she had not gone to see the daughters of the earth, she would not have met Shechem and nothing would have happened. Now, how often do we ignore some things that open the door for the agents of the kingdom of darkness to enter and do evil in our lives? Be alert! 

There are people considered holy who make proposals to us that come from hell. Their secret desires appear when they realize that we are innocent in Christ. But God grants us His assistance; we just have to live in His presence. It wasn’t someone from God proposing something to Dinah, but a veteran in error, who managed, with his craftiness, to take her to bed and then into his house.

For Jacob and his sons, this was beyond comprehension, but nothing more could be done. So, Shechem’s father, the owner of that region, asked the young prince to marry her. In addition, he proposed:  And make marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters to yourselves (Genesis 34.9). This way, the two peoples would merge. Where was God’s plan? The Hivites understood nothing about this, but Jacob and his family did, because they feared the Lord. What a situation!

Shechem would be circumcised on the outside, but the inside would still lack the knowledge of what the Most High teaches His children. Therefore, that marriage was impossible. Certainly, in Jacob’s mind, everything was confusing, but God would give the solution. The door that was open would be shown to them, and they would mend the failure. However, it would be difficult, because the people around would comment on what happened to the heiress of the promise.

It’s sad to know that some Christian families leave the fear of God and disobey the Word, consenting their children to marry those who are not born again in Jesus. In fact, the Bible’s instruction on this subject has not been taught as it should be. Therefore, children born into such families can easily fail to serve God!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares