Genesis 35:1-8: a reflection

1God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and live there. Make there an altar to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.” 2Then Jacob said to his household, and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. 3Let’s arise, and go up to Bethel. I will make there an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me on the way which I went.” 4They gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the rings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem. 5They traveled, and a terror of God was on the cities that were around them, and they didn’t pursue the sons of Jacob. 6So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. 7He built an altar there, and called the place El Beth El; because there God was revealed to him, when he fled from the face of his brother. 8Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; and its name was called Allon Bacuth.

When God calls Jacob to return to Bethel, the place where God had appeared to him, Jacob prepares by calling his household to a fresh consecration. Put away the foreign gods that are among you, he says, purify yourselves, and change your garments. Before going up to worship God at Bethel, Jacob has his household rid themselves of the foreign idols they had gathered, and cleanse themselves; and they give up their idols, which Jacob buries. Returning to God meant putting away what rivaled him, the foreign gods that had crept into the household; it meant a fresh consecration, a cleansing, before drawing near to worship. To return to God is not only to come to him but to put away the idols we have gathered, to cleanse ourselves, to consecrate ourselves afresh. Coming back to God rightly involves putting away what has rivaled him in our hearts.

Notice what returning to God involved for Jacob's household: putting away the foreign gods, cleansing themselves, a fresh consecration. They had gathered idols, foreign gods that had crept into the household; and before going up to worship at Bethel, Jacob had them put these away and purify themselves. Returning to God was not only a matter of going to the place of worship; it meant ridding themselves of the rivals to God they had accumulated, cleansing themselves, consecrating themselves afresh. To draw near to God rightly, they first put away what had rivaled him. This is often what a true return to God involves: not only coming to him, but putting away the idols we have gathered, the things that have quietly taken his place, and consecrating ourselves afresh. Coming back to God rightly means letting go of what rivals him. A fresh return calls for a fresh putting-away.

That is worth taking to heart, for returning to God rightly involves putting away the idols we have gathered and consecrating ourselves afresh. Over time we can gather idols, rivals to God that quietly creep into our hearts and lives; and returning to God rightly is not only coming to him but putting these away, cleansing ourselves, consecrating ourselves afresh, as Jacob's household put away their foreign gods before going up to Bethel. A true return involves letting go of what has rivaled God. Do not return to God while clinging to the idols you have gathered; put them away, and consecrate yourself afresh, as Jacob's household did. Return to God with a fresh consecration, putting away the idols you have gathered and cleansing yourself, as Jacob had his household put away their foreign gods and purify themselves before going up to worship at Bethel; for over time we gather rivals to God that quietly take his place, and a true return to him involves not only coming to him but putting away what has rivaled him and consecrating ourselves afresh before we draw near to worship.

Lord, when you call Jacob to return to Bethel, the place where you had appeared to him, Jacob prepares by calling his household to a fresh consecration. Put away the foreign gods that are among you, he says, purify yourselves, and change your garments. Before going up to worship you at Bethel, Jacob has his household rid themselves of the foreign idols they had gathered, and cleanse themselves; and they give up their idols, which Jacob buries. Returning to you meant putting away what rivaled you, the foreign gods that had crept into the household; it meant a fresh consecration, a cleansing, before drawing near to worship. Show me what returning to you involved for Jacob's household: putting away the foreign gods, cleansing themselves, a fresh consecration. They had gathered idols that had crept into the household; and before going up to worship at Bethel, Jacob had them put these away and purify themselves. Returning to you was not only a matter of going to the place of worship; it meant ridding themselves of the rivals to you they had accumulated, consecrating themselves afresh. To draw near to you rightly, they first put away what had rivaled you. Take that to my heart, for returning to you rightly involves putting away the idols I have gathered and consecrating myself afresh. Over time I can gather idols, rivals to you that quietly creep into my heart and life; and returning to you rightly is not only coming to you but putting these away, cleansing myself, consecrating myself afresh, as Jacob's household put away their foreign gods before going up to Bethel. Keep me from returning to you while clinging to the idols I have gathered; help me put them away, Lord, and consecrate myself afresh, as Jacob's household did before going up to worship.