Time to Clean House

O.T. #71 "Time to Clean House"
June 18, 2013
Genesis 35-Part 1
And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there, and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.
Genesis 35:1
*Please pray for our son today. He is having some health issues.
If he has surgery, we can't go on our mission trip Friday. He works at our tire shop. Trusting God today; His will be done.
LET IT GLOW

Guess what? I got a new vacuum cleaner for Mother's Day. I know it was a strange gift, but I actually did need one since the old vacuum stopped working. I really didn't consider that my
Mother's Day gift, although we purchased it that weekend. My husband did, however, so I let it be. I'm happy because it is light and easy to maneuver around things and does a great job cleaning.
Now I have no excuse for not cleaning the floors. Yes, every week, it's time to clean house. Did
you know Rachel and Leah were told to clean house? Are you curious? Read on dear friend. (It wasn't exactly in those words.)

Let's review for a moment. Jacob ran away from Esau and from Laban. Laban pursued Jacob and after a week caught up with him. Laban was looking for his idols, which Rachel had taken and did not return to her father. Laban and Jacob made a boundary agreement and separated on good terms. We recall that Esau had sworn to kill Jacob after deceiving their father into giving his first-born's (Esau) blessing to the younger son (Jacob). Jacob wasn't sure how Esau would treat him after having 20 years to stew on it. They had a good reunion and departed on good terms.

Jacob was told by God to return to Bethel, but he settled in Shechem instead. That's where his daughter Dinah was raped and two of his sons massacred all the men of the city. Now we're up to date. If only Jacob had obeyed completely, it would not have happened.

God spoke to Jacob again in chapter 35. This is the 5th of 7 times that is recorded of God speak-
ing to Jacob (31:3, 11-13; 32:1-2, 24-30; 35:1, 9-13; 46:1-4). God had intervened with directions
and defense in Jacob's life, just as God had promised. Now it was time for Jacob to hold up his part of the bargain-God would be his God.

Jacob was told to:

• arise and go to Bethel and dwell there; (Jacob's dream about the ladder occurred there in chapter 28); where God confirmed the Abrahamic covenant to Jacob;
• make an altar unto God, a place of worship of the one true God, Jehovah.

Jacob realized that God had answered him in his day of distress and was with him those 20 years.
Isn't God so faithful!

Am I listening for God's voice to speak to my heart? When was the last time we heard Him give
us directions, friend? Have we totally obeyed the last thing God told us to do?

LET IT GROW

What did Jacob tell  his household after God spoke to him?

• Put away the strange gods that were among them; Rachel had brought her father's idols with them whenever they left Laban.
• Be clean (bathe) and change their garments; This pictured both cleansing from defilement      by idolatry and consecration of the heart to the Lord; it was time to clean up heart and soul.

They gave Jacob their idols in their hands and earrings in their ears; (earrings were probably idolatrous significance as in Exodus 32:2-3). Jacob buried the idols and earrings under an oak tree near Shechem.
The tribe of Jacob was traveling again. This time it was a good thing-returning to a place where
God met Jacob and Jacob met God.

Are we willing to get rid of any ungodly thing in our house or any idols we've made in our life?
Is there anything that has taken God's place in our heart that we need to remove? A good time to ask Him.

LET IT GO

Take inventory and clean house, my life of any idols.

Bury those things that are more important than my God.

Follow Jesus wherever He says go.

Obey fully, not half-heartily.