Sin’s compromise

Gen. 34

As we read through Genesis 34, we see the story of Jacob, his sons, and most importantly, Dinah. Jacob had settled in Sechem. There at Sechem, Dinah went out to visit the women of the region. Sechem, the son of Hamor, prince of the region “saw her, he seized her and lay with her by force” (Gen. 34:2). From that time, Sechem became infatuated with Dinah and wanted to marry her and even told his father about what he had done. Jacob also learnt what had happened to his daughter. Hamor then went to Jacob and said to his sons, “Make marriages with us; give us your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. You shall live with us; and the land shall be open to you; live and trade in it, and get property in it” (Gen. 34:9-10). The real reason for this offer is later seen when they said, “Will not their livestock, their property, and all their animals be ours?”

But the LORD was with Jacob and Jacob’s sons treated the Sechemites with deceit that ended in the plunder of the city and the death of the men there.

Let us learn and think for a moment here. Sin always tries to deceive us into doing something rash. He would show us things that attracts the eyes, things that are pleasing to look at, things that we see as ‘all gain and no loses.’ But in the end, they always lead to destruction and sorrows. Jacob and his sons, had they acquiesced to the offers of Hamor, would have been assimilated and destroyed; Israel would not have survived, even before he became Israel.

Sin follows us everywhere. Let us be careful, trusting in the LORD and in His wisdom to see us through all our sufferings and doubts.