Moving From Tragedy to Triumph
30. Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me obnoxious to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in the land.” “We are few in number, and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.”
31. But they replied, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?”
1. Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, Who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”
2. So, Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes,”
3. “Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, Who answered me in the day of my distress and Who has been with me wherever I have gone.”
Genesis 34:30-31, 35:1-3
Tragedy is Nothing New – It’s Just Different People
The old hymn that we sang in Church is still true today. Time is filled with swift transition – naught of earth unmoved can stand – build your hopes on things eternal – hold to God’s unchanging Hand. Yes, things are constantly changing and sadly for the worse.
We have witnessed the invasion of Russia on the people of Ukraine and have seen the tragic results of war all for the sake of pride and greed. We have witnessed yet another shooting, this time in Texas, that claimed the lives of nineteen children and two adults. A few weeks ago, we mourned with the people of Buffalo, New York as innocent people shopping at a local grocery store were gunned down by a man with hatred in his heart. Some say, blame it on mental health, but just for the record, most people with mental health issues are not violent and for those who are, they are more likely to harm themselves than others. Just for the record.
Also, just for the record, we must admit that something is horribly wrong in our world today, especially in America. It looks much like the shrine of freedom has been worshipped to the extreme that people will do anything to anyone in order to exercise their freedom. That includes taking the life of other people. Yet, massacres are nothing new for the world and particularly for America. On May 31, 1921, a mob of angry racists launched an attack on the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma. In the aftermath, an estimated three hundred prosperous African Americans were killed, over 1,200 homes and businesses destroyed, and there was an intentional coverup of the event by the local and state government. It wasn’t until the 1970s, when scholars began a search for records of the horrendous tragedy and found that the event was purposely deleted from law enforcement documents and newspapers. Yet, there were some survivors still alive to tell the story of the Tulsa Race Massacre. The whole thing started over a claim that a Black teenager had sexually assaulted a white female elevator operator and she screamed. That set the tragedy in motion. The question is, how do you get past the tragedy? How do you move on in a world that is stilled charged with racism, bigotry, and hatred?
The Tragedy at Shechem
This brings us to a Bible event that happened nearly 3,800 years ago. The thirty-fourth chapter of Genesis records the event as a tragedy in Israel’s history. Long before it grew into a nation, long before there were even tribes, the first family led by Jacob faced a tragic situation in a place called Shechem. What started the whole thing was a visit by Jacob’s daughter Dinah to the local girls in the neighborhood. The long story short is that the local leader’s son raped Dinah. That is the first phase of this tragic situation.
Jacob found out about the incident because he was visited by Hamor (the father of Shechem). According to Genesis 34:6, Hamor talked with Jacob about arrangements for marriage between his son Shechem and Jacob’s daughter Dinah. Well, Jacob shared the news and proposal with his sons, and they were furious. Rather than attempting to smooth things over, they resorted to a tactic that was all too common in the family: deception. They deceived Hamor and the entire town to have all the males to be circumcised and then they would agree to the marriage arrangements. Sounded like a good plan only that was not the plan for two of Jacob’s sons, namely Simeon and Levi. They were not going to let it go. Genesis 34:21 records Hamor and his son Shechem convincing all the males in town to commit to the circumcision in order to take advantage of Jacob’s marriage agreement. The entire town endorsed the plan. Then, three days later, Simeon and Levi attacked the town and killed every man in the village, seized their property and wealth, and took their women and children as captives. What a way to settle a dispute. One tragedy led to an even greater tragedy. Now, Jacob is at a terrible place in life. His sons have committed this atrocity. His daughter’s life is ruined. She was raped; she got engaged, and now her fiancé has been murdered by her own brothers. How could she move on from there? Is there life after a tragedy?
Finding God’s Grace After a Tragedy
Believe it or not, millions of people down through time have asked that same question. Many have stood at that cross road where life meets hardship. The survivors of the Tulsa massacre stood there. The people in Ukraine are standing there. The families and survivors in Buffalo, Texas, and many other towns are standing there. They are all asking a similar question – how can we move on with our lives?
The first step in dealing with a tragedy is to find God’s Grace. Apart from the Grace of God, any manmade solution is temporary at best and at worst will only turn the tragedy into something worse. What I find as amazing is that Jacob did not pray but God answered him anyway. Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, Who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.” To those in a tragedy, that same God who spoke to Jacob has an important message. God says, “I Am here.” Just knowing that God is present in the suffering is comfort in itself. We often ask the question when bad things happen, “where is God.” Pay attention and you and I will find that God is right there.
Not only was God there, but God spoke instructions to Jacob. He thought that he was stuck in a mess. He thought that his life was over and that his future was lost. He thought that everything was destroyed in the tragedy. God had to redirect Jacob to think about his future rather than his present circumstance. Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, Who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.” Three great truths emerge from that passage.
First, God wanted Jacob’s life to take a new course. He directed Jacob and his entire family to relocate to Bethel. By the way, the meaning for Bethel is House of God. Today, there are a lot of people going to a lot of places to find answers. They are going to the White House. They are going to the House of Congress. They are going to the State House. But when are people going to turn their attention to God’s House. Go to Bethel and there you will find the real answers. When are we going to get to the place where we finally convince ourselves that man can’t solve our problems. Only God can solve these issues. Go to God and He will show you the way.
The second great truth was that God gave Jacob a place of refuge. Please notice the wording. Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, Who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.” The Lord reminded Jacob that this was not his first time on the run. He had fled from his brother Esau and the Lord met him at Bethel. Psalm 46:1 is a wonderful verse to reflect on when we are on the run. It is a reminder that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. The question is not only what are you running from but where are you running to. Those who run from something aimlessly, will eventually run into another problem in life. Life is more than a series of brief interludes between problems. My advice is to run to Jesus and find help.
The third great truth is to change your focus after the tragedy. Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, Who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.” We don’t utilize the Power of the Altar much these days. But the Altar is not only the place to meet with God, it is still the place of sacrifice. When you give up something you also get something. The real problem for Jacob and his family is that they were living too close to the world. Had they been in Bethel in the first place, they would not have been led astray at Shechem. The Lord was now redirecting them to change their focus by building an Altar to God. If you and I fail to build the Altar to God, the tragedy of the past will keep replaying itself. The focus must change in order for the life to change.
By following God’s instructions, Jacob was able to move from that tragedy to an opportunity to start fresh at Bethel. The issue is more than going to Church, it is time to Get the Church in you. Do you realize the mess that is just brewing inside you? Do you realize that without God, you are a mess waiting to happen? It is only when you start on your way to Bethel that you will discover that God has your back.
Look at what happened at the close of this tragedy. Genesis 35:5 states, and as they journeyed, the fear of God fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them. Wait, say what? Yes! God put His fear on all those nations so that no one pursued after Jacob. In his mind, Jacob had entertained the thought of revenge by his enemies. But God had another plan. Jacob even predicted that they would be destroyed. “We are few in number, and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.” Was Jacob in the wrong? Yes. Had Simeon and Levi repented of their sin? Probably not. But God had mercy anyway. God had another plan for their future. It is the same mercy that God shows to you and me. Your past mistakes are not following behind you to destroy you so stop looking back. Start looking ahead. Start moving forward. Let God take you to Bethel where you will find your new life.
In conclusion, I share these points. Tragedies will happen in life but live close to God and He will guide you from the tragedy. Don’t complicate those tragic moments by seeking your own way, seek God instead. Lastly, look to the Lord and allow Him to lead you from your tragedies to your triumphs. Remember 2 Corinthians 2:14, Thanks be to God who always causes us to triumph in Christ. Amen!