Genesis 34:18 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Genesis 34:18

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Back in the Hivite city there is a public gathering of all. Hamor and Shechem are completely taken in. They become the ambassadors of the sons of Jacob for their evil scheme. They have a difficult task to persuade al their citizens to carry out this costly and painful step, but they manage it and ‘the young man deferred not to do the thing.’ He is more honourable than the sons of Jacob. ‘These men are peaceable with us‘ – how little they knew! Mark you, there is self-interest coming into this, because they go on to say in verse 23, ‘Shall not their cattle and their substance, and every beast of theirs be ours?’ If we are one people, we will be the people who gain in the end. Jacob had much better animals than the Hivites. The Israelites knew exactly what they were doing. They lived a nomadic existence, but they had been rearing these cattle and sheep for generations, and they were beautiful creatures and the Hivites were jealous. ‘We can soon get our hands on their expertise and we will be so much richer and so much better off.’ So with this carrot dangled before them, the men in that population consented to undergo circumcision in order that this agreement could be sealed. Look at the great persuasive argument. Gain is the motive. Prepared to go along with this. They misused the divine seal of circumcision. Their anger is greater than their repulsion for violence. It takes them over and compels them to ignore the warnings of conscience. They have every right to be angry, but it turns into deceit and murder.

Application

Note the quickest change of religion in the Bible. The Hivites are going to adopt the religion of the Jews. Fine, they will be circumcised if that is what it takes, but the motive is gain of the ‘meat that perishes’. Some people who are supposed to be evangelical will never learn how easily some will adopt religion for gain. They play right into the hands of this wrong motive when they offer salvation on the cheap – easy-believism. All the benefits of coming to Christ are emphasised, and nothing is said about repentance and the sinfulness of sin, and God’s hatred of it. Nothing is said about his holiness and his uncompromising standard. Consequently many are assured that they have found Christ who have never left the world, and the churches are filled with wood, hay and stubble. A faithful gospel presentation would have prevented this. It cost them a little discomfort, but that is all. The whole tribe – switched religion for gain.

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Genesis 34:18 Commentary and Bible Study