Jacob's Altars by Rev. M.D. Rogers

Jacob's Altars

While Jacob was still with Laban, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "I am the God of Beth-el . . . arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred" (Gen. 31:13). Answering to the divine call, Jacob set off for the land of promise, but he had many experiences on the way. Laban came after him, but God spoke to Laban before he came up with Jacob, warning him to be careful of what he said to Jacob. The angels of God met Jacob, and God Himself came to him before he met Esau his brother. On leaving Esau, he came to Shechem, and there pitched his tent, and bought a field.
At Shechem Jacob evidently intended to stay, for having purchased his field he built an altar and called it El-elohe-Israel (Gen. 33:20), which means, God, the God of Israel. Jacob's intentions were good, but it seems clear that he had not fully entered into the mind of God. It was Bethel that God had spoken to him of while still in Padan-aram, for had He not said, "I am the God of Bethel"?
The sad story of Genesis 34 is a warning to us of the sorrows that can come through coming short of the purpose of God for us as His saints. God allowed his dear servant to pass through his trials and testings that we might learn from His ways with him. Having allowed Jacob to learn the lessons of Shechem, "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" (Gen. 35:1). At once Jacob realises afresh that he has to do with a holy God, for he says to his household, "Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments".

Although Jacob had his altar at Shechem, there had been the allowance of much that the God of Bethel could not allow to proceed, and this surely accounts for the solemn and sad discipline that came on the house of Jacob. There was the outward appearance of communion with God in the altar of El-elohe-Israel, but the God of Israel could not tolerate the idolatry that was evidently in the house of Jacob, and known to him. God had allowed shame and dishonour to enter the house of Jacob, and his sons had sought to deal with it in a fleshly way, only to bring fear on Jacob. God has to intervene to tell his servant the way to separation from evil and to divine blessing.