0 - Bible Commentary | Karuna Sadan

How to Stop Evil Pursuers

Then Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, Put away the [images of] strange gods that are among you, and purify yourselves and change [into fresh] garments;

Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make there an altar to God Who answered me in the day of my distress and was with me wherever I went.

So they [both young men and women] gave to Jacob all the strange gods they had and their earrings which were [worn as charms against evil] in their ears; and Jacob buried and hid them under the oak near Shechem.

And they journeyed and a terror from God fell on the towns round about them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. (Genesis 35:2-5)

It was something that Jacob and the team did that brought the terror of God upon the surrounding people. That something was sanctification. Sanctification is necessary for deliverance from the pursuers

So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). (Genesis 35:19)

After Jacob and his family began their journey back to Canaan, Laban and his sons followed in hot pursuit. He also accused him of stealing his household idols. Unknown to Jacob, Rachel had stolen the idols. Jacob, not knowing of Rachel’s part in this matter, announced that “whoever you find has your idols, that person shall not live. (Genesis 32:32)

And while Rachel did not succumb to the curse immediately, several years later her life was, indeed, cut short.

Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor. Now it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, “Do not fear; you will have this son also.” And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died) (Genesis 35:16-18)

And as her soul was departing, for she died, she called his name Ben-oni [son of my sorrow]; but his father called him Benjamin [son of the right hand]. (Genesis 35:18)

Benjamin means ‘son of my right hand’

We are the Benjamin Generation

Jesus sat at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 10:14)

We are seated in Christ in heavenly places - that makes us the son of the right hand

Rachel called her son Ben-oni meaning son of my sorrow but Jacob called him Benjamin meaning son of the right hand. Jacob did not want to renew the sorrowful remembrance of his mother's death every time he called his son by his name and so changed his name,

You are not a reminder of the past but of the future glory that is to be revealed in Christ. Benjamin was the smallest and the weakest tribe but God made use of it. Apostle Paul was from the tribe of Benjamin.

Chapter 35