Do not cross the boundary
📖 Genesis Chapter 34
Jacob and his family had settled down in Shechem – a pagan city ( Gen 33:18-19) . Dinah’s ( who must be 12-14 years) visit to the Canaanite women ( v 1) had brought disgrace upon her and her family. Her beauty had attracted the attention of Shechem, who took her and raped her @ A serious crime– A minor girl lured , raped and abducted.
Jacob’s sons were shocked and furious ( v 7-8) and they devised a plan to take revenge ( v 13-17).
✅ All these episodes had cropped up because Dinah had crossed the boundary of her dwelling place 👣
📌 Today , we are accustomed with a number of social evils and crimes because we have crossed the boundary of morality, decency and social values. 👣
The Israelites have sinned because they have crossed beyond the boundary of God’s Commandments 👣
📌 The proposal of circumcision addressed to the Shechemites by Jacob’s sons and the willingness to go for it by the Shechemites was supercial and out of selfish ambitions ( v 13-24). Circumcision was the mark of the Covenant between the Lord and Abraham and his descendants.
👉🏽 To me the episodes of circumcision to a non Jews in today’s passage seems to be a mark of forceful conversion to Judaism. We the Indians are aware of this allegations of Religious Conversion and it’s consequences.
💕 Beloved, let us not cross the boundary of the gospel of Jesus Christ ( Mat 28:19-20) and to lure the people on account of free Education and Material benefits.
✒️ CHECK POINT
✅ Dinah had crossed the boundary of her dwelling place.
✅ Shechem had crossed the boundary of his lust.
✅ Jacob’s sons had crossed the boundary of anger and revenge .
✅ Shechemites had crossed the boundary of greediness.
📌 May the good Lord gives us wisdom and the strength to stand firm in faith, and help us not to cross the boundary of His Statutes 🛐
Glory to God 🙏
✍🏽 Mark Boje, ArP🌄