Old Testament Genesis 35:1-36:43
New Testament Matthew 12:1-21
Psalm 15:1-5
Proverbs 3:21-26
Family Ties
Genesis 35 is a rapid chapter where Jacob returns to the place where he initially met God. He calls the place Bethel “house of God” and there he builds an altar to God. This is where God changes his name from Jacob to Israel. This chapter is filled with the death of those who are close to Jacob, now named Israel. Deborah, his mom’s nurse dies (v8). His wife Rachel dies as she is in labor with Jacob’s twelfth son who is named Benjamin (v16-20). Israel and his brother Esau also bury their father Isaac. Israel’s offspring is now complete to birth the nation of Israel. There are twelve sons and one daughter from four different women. This diagram will help you to visualize what you have read from chapter 29 to 35.
Genesis 36 is completely devoted to the descendants of Esau. The scriptures detail Esau’s descendants here because the focus is going to move completely to Jacob, now Israel, descendants for they are the family to whom the covenant promises are given. From chapter 37 to chapter 50 the narrative will focus on Israel and his twelve sons’ with his eleventh son Joseph as the primary character.
In some way or another you have family ties. There are people who are directly related to you. With family comes times of rejoicing and times of weeping. Through the ups and downs of family life it is important to always trust and rely on God to see you through. God desires to use you mightily in your family to influence others to develop a God oriented life.