RACHEL – Part 6
Learn: John 4:24
God is a Spirit: ands they that worship him must worship him and spirit and in truth.
Read: Genesis 35:1-29
1.After the tragedy of Dinah’s rape and her brothers’ rage and retribution against the city of him who raped her, Jacob received a message from the LORD. List the 3 parts of God’s command to Jacob? v 1
NOTE: Bethe-el was the place where God confirmed the Abrahamic covenant to Jacob. It was about 15 miles south of Shechem. – Today in Israel, Shechem is held by the Palestinians, it is called Nablus and is located in the so-called “West Bank.” Remember that the “West Bank” is in actuality Samaria, the land on the west side of the Jordan River which was home to the 10 Northern Tribes of Israel. This was land conquered by the nation of Israel from the Canaanites, given to them by God.
2. Review and record a summary of the Abrahamic Covenant. See Genesis 28:10-19, especially note verses 13-15.
3. What is true of God, so that we know that he has not changed his mind concerning this promise that he gave to Abraham, in Genesis 13:15, 17, and reiterated to Jacob in Genesis 28?
Psalm 119:160
Deuteronomy 32:3, 4
Isaiah 46:9-11
4. What was Jacob’s first action upon receiving God’s command?
v 2
5. After giving the order to put away the strange gods, what did Jacob tell the family and servants?
v 3
6. What did Jacob’s family and servants do after receiving his order concerning the strange gods?
v 4
7. Why was it necessary for the whole group to remove all the idolatry from their midst before traveling to Beth-el to worship God?
Psalm 24:3-5
Psalm 15:1-5
Psalm 115:3-8
Joshua 24:14, 15
Exodus 20:3-6
John 4:24
8. What was Jacob’s fear because of what Dinah’s brothers, Jacob’s sons, had done to the men of Shechem? Genesis 34: 30
9. Though the surrounding Canaanite tribes were far superior to Jacob’s household numerically, what refrained them from attacking him? or What blessing did the LORD give to Jacob and his household that seems to be a direct result of their obedience in the matter of the idols?
Genesis 35:5
10. Jacob built an altar and the group worshipped the LORD immediately upon arrival at Beth-el. What occurred shortly afterwards?
v 8
NOTE: It is only in this verse and Genesis 24:59 that Rebekah’s nurse is mentioned. But it is obvious that she was very important in Jacob’s life. She would not have fled with Jacob to Padan Aram when he left home for fear of his brother Esau, but later was reunited with him, probably on an occasion when Jacob visited his father Isaac, who at this time was still living in Hebron. Rebekah’s nurse would have been very old by this time.
11. What did the LORD declare unto Jacob once again at Beth-el?
vv 9-12
12. According to the verses 9-12, who does the entire land of Israel, including Hebron (the land where Isaac lived and was buried with his wife Leah, the land now controlled by the Palestinians) belong to and for how long? Also see Genesis 13:15.
13. The family did not remain at Beth-el. What happened as they journeyed?
vv 16. 17
14. What was the result of Rachel’s hard labour?
vv 18a, 19
15. As she was dying, Rachel had given her last son the name Benoni, which means “son of my sorrow and misfortune.” What did his father Jacob rename the little baby boy?
v 18b
NOTE: The name Benjamin means “son of my right hand.” It is a much nicer name than the one that his mother gave him.
16. How did Jacob mark his beloved Rachel’s grave?
v 20
17. Looking back over the life of Rachel, one could be focused on her physical beauty, or the great love that Jacob had for her, or the fact that she was mistreated by her father and cheated out of being the first wife of Jacob, or the fact that God kept her from bearing the firstborn or even 2nd, or third, or fourth born son of Jacob, thus causing one to admire her or feel sorry for her due to her sometimes difficult circumstances. But if that is all one sees then some important lessons to be learned from her life would be missed. What are some specific warnings to be taken for us from the life of Rachel?
Genesis 29:17 v.s. I Samuel 16:7
Genesis 30:1-4 v.s. Proverbs 3:5, 6; Psalm 127:3
Genesis 31:19, 32-35; 35:2 v.s. Psalm 15:1, 2
NOTE: It is interesting to note that Jacob did not carry Rachel’s body to Hebron to be buried in the cave of Machpelah at Mamre, which is Hebron, where Abraham, and Sarah, as well as Rebekah had been buried.
NOTE: Verse 20 states that at the time of the recording of the book of Genesis by Moses, the place of Rachel’s tomb was still known. When in Israel today, a person can still go to the location of Rachel’s tomb. This certainly shows that there has been a continuous presence in and a connection to the Land of Israel by the Jewish people since the time that they came in to possess the land that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
18. Jacob’s 2nd and third sons, Simeon and Levi, had both done wickedly in murdering the men of Shechem, now Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn also committed grievous sin. What did he do?
v 22
19. List the twelve sons of Jacob, who was renamed by God to be Israel.
vv 23-26
20. After this Jacob arrived at Mamre, which is Hebron. What occurred at this time?
vv 27-29
21. Explain the meaning of our verse and how it applies to the life of Rachel.