31/05/2023 - UNDER THE TEREBINTH TREE

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So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem. Genesis 35.4

After hearing from the Lord that he needed to return to Bethel, Jacob began to prepare his people. They understood the message and saw that they needed a change. If they continued living that way, further harm would come to them. It was very important that they go where God had found the patriarch and made him strong enough to return to his land and continue to be a member of the Covenant made with Abraham.

Jacob had asked them to remove the strange gods among them, as well as the earrings from their ears, and give them to the patriarch. It was the beginning of the journey that would change their lives for the better. So, they gave these objects to have done to them that which was necessary. Know what you need to do before you turn to the Almighty. Everything that comes from the evil one must be cast away.

All this happened before Jacob’s family left the territory of Shechem. In the same way, before you take the first step to reunite with the Father, get rid of what has a connection with the enemy. Then you will open your heart and be renewed by the Holy Spirit. That which comes from the devil must never be in your life, or you will waste your time going to Bethel. Once there, seek the Lord with all your heart, and He will let Himself be found by you (Jeremiah 29.14).

Whoever does not remove idols from their midst becomes a stranger to the one true God. As a result, his prayers will no longer be answered. For you to be victorious in battles, nothing of the anathema can be in your hands. As Jacob’s family members divided their faith in God with that which is of no avail, but rather brings the forces of evil to disturb them, they became involved with the wickedness of the land.

As soon as Jacob received those things, he buried them as if they were the bodies of the dead. Thus, the stench would no longer bother him. Now, people who have given themselves to the Lord must never remember the past, because they are new creatures in Christ, and all things have become new to them (2 Corinthians 5.17). Bethel was still far away, but Jacob and his followers would get there. Those who decide to live by faith in Jesus need to wait just a little bit more.

They did not understand what it meant to walk by faith in God. Now, using objects consecrated to the evil one only hindered them, and this happened when they decided to put an end to Shechem, his father and his friends. All things become new to the one who does the divine will. He who decides to belong to Christ must never go back to the dark and directionless past. He must take a stand in the Son of God; after all, to accept Jesus is to receive the power to become a child of God (John 1.12)!

It was the journey of change, and no doubt they would succeed. But if they had carried the strange gods, they would have gone on with life erring. Whoever really wants to change must get rid of evil objects and amulets!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares