Genesis 35:1-8 Worshiping the Lord and Only Him

God commands Jacob to return to Bethel, the place where God appeared to him when He fled from Esau. Jacob tells his family of his intention to go. His statement shocks us, “Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves, and change your garments” (Gen 35:2). In response, they give Jacob all the foreign gods which Jacob hides under an oak tree (35:4).

How could the people still have foreign gods among them? After seeing God’s great care for the family, how could they still worship other gods? At this point we should not be too harsh on Jacob and his family. We too hold on to vestiges of the past. In fact, many Christians continue to read their horoscopes in the paper each day. They play with Tarot cards and Ouiji boards. They trust in material possessions rather than in the Lord. This passage is a stern warning to us. If we have trusted the Lord, then we have no business clinging to other gods. We must put them all behind and worship Him alone.

After they put away their other gods, the people began the move to Bethel. As they went, they found that the people of the land had great fear of them. This fear undoubtedly came from the Lord Himself. It was probably a supernatural protection by the One who had promised to go with them and fight for them.

When the people arrived at Luz, they built and alter to the Lord, the God of the Bible.

As those who trust in the Lord, we must continue to walk with Him even when the world around us spins out of control. When our neighbors and co-workers mock the Lord, worship false gods and try to dissuade us from walking with God, we must continue to trust in Him. He is with us. He is fighting these battles for us.

Second, we must worship Him daily. We do not need to have a special building or place to worship the Lord. At God’s command Jacob built an alter, but we must not think that we must go to a church in order to worship the Lord. Certainly, it is good to go to a church service and worship Him with other believers. However, we can also worship Him throughout the day as we pray, think of Scripture, share the gospel and use our spiritual gifts.

It is possible for a person lying in a vegetative state in a hospital nursing home to glorify God. That person can display the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, etc. (Gal 5). We need to think of our lives in this way. We are called to worship God and glorify Him. Let’s put aside the false gods and the things that so easily entangle us. Let’s glorify Him in these days.