09/05/2023 - THE DECEITFULNESS OF THE BROTHERS

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But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, and spoke deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. Genesis 34.13

We cannot judge the sons of Jacob in the light of our Law. They lived in a very different time from ours; therefore, the set of rules accepted in those days is not the same today. The prince would experience this when he believed the proposal of the brothers of the abused woman. They could not accept the shame that this “daddy’s boy” inflicted on their sister, and they would certainly pay back and they did. This sad episode shows that on they Day of Judgment there will be no forgiveness, only justice! (Psalm 145.17).

In Jacob’s day, no man sinned for having several wives and concubines, but today this is not allowed in most nations. Now, the law that governs Christians, – that of liberty – is a perfecting of the Law of Moses, the prophets and the Psalms (Hebrews 3.1-3). This proves that God’s way of dealing with what they call gender difference and other issues became more rigid with Jesus. After all, God created man and woman in His image and likeness. Male and female He created them (Genesis 1.27)!

Jesus initiated the change of the Law and customs, saying: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also (Matthew 5.38,39). Now we have the law of love, but what the lost call making love, in God’s Word it is classified as transgression. Every moral deviation is widely condemned by the Lord (Galatians 5.19-21).

The Most High used the marriage experience of the prophet Hosea to show that man without the new birth is never mended (Hosea 1.1-5). The prophet was told to marry a prostitute. No doubt, such an event produced pejorative comments about him. He loved her and had children with her, but, like a sow that has been bathed and given the most expensive perfumes, she returns to the pigsty of infidelity (2 Peter 2.22). It was proof of God’s love for mankind!

Hosea, a contemporary of Isaiah, was used to provide us with revelations, which if understood and accepted, will help us a lot. From his writings we draw out true pearls, and here is the main lesson: God’s love is unconditional, in spite of the woman that Hosea took and the sufferings that she inflicted on him, due to her sinful and ungrateful nature. The Lord devotes His incomparable love to us. The Father loves us to the point of saving us (2 Corinthians 5.14).

What the Hivite prince had done was beyond the comprehension of Dinah’s brothers. They did not yet have the love of God in operation, so they acted deceitfully. As I said at the beginning, in those days the understanding was different and the “eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” prevailed. However, today, we cannot rely on what they did. Now, at the same time, we must remember that on the Day of Judgment there will be no repentance nor forgiveness, but only condemnation!

Jesus declared that the person who has done wrong needs to take advantage while he is here and make amends with those he has wronged: When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison (Luke 12.58). Obey!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares