The humbling experiences of Jacob had not come to their close; but the way was being prepared for better blessing than he had yet known, and a nearer, truer, approach to what had been the cherished portion of Abraham and Isaac. Had he forgotten his vow at Bethel? Why so slow after so many mercies? Why the delay at Succoth, and yet more disastrously at Shechem? where only God's overruling hand sheltered them from vengeance after the cruel plot of Simeon and Levi. No doubt Shechem had behaved unrighteously, but Jacob's sons hypocritically and without mercy. God in grace interfered, and this leads to a decisive change.
“And God said to Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there; and make there an altar to God that appeared to thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. And Jacob said to his household, and to all that [were] with him, Put away the strange gods that [are] among you, and cleanse yourselves, and change your garments; and we will arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar to God that answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way that I went. And they gave to Jacob all the strange gods that [were] in their hand, and the rings that [were] in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth that [was] by Shechem. And they journeyed; and the terror of God was upon the cities that [were] round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob. And Jacob came to Luz which [is] in the land of Canaan, that [is], Bethel, he and all the people that [were] with him. And he built there an altar, and called the place El-bethel; because there God had appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother. And Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died: and she was buried beneath Bethel, under the oak; and the name of it was called Allon-bachuth” (35:1-8).
Jacob was now to meet God, as he had never hitherto done. This he realized from the words spoken to him. And the effect was immediate and great on his conscience. Put away, said he to all that were with him, the strange gods that are among you. We may be assured that he was as much deceived by Rachel's trick as her father, and that his indignant denial of false gods, stolen and secreted, was simple and genuine. “With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live.” Never would he have spoken thus if the least suspicion of his beloved Rachel's dishonesty and dishonor of God had crossed his mind. But he had learned it since, and had taken it quietly. But to meet God thus woke him up from his indifference. Even the lawless vengeance at Shechem weighed not so heavily. “Put away the strange gods that are among you” took the first place in his charge. This did not trouble him at Succoth, or at Shechem; but God's call to Bethel at once cast light on his carelessness, and produced self-judgment.
Far was Jehovah from saying of him, “I know that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice, in order that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham what he hath spoken of him” It was the reason of their being to the fathers chosen, called, and faithful. Even Terah was an idolater; and Abraham was separated to the one true God by the promises of which sovereign grace made him and his seed in the line of Isaac the depositary. Yet now his son was forced to feel and confess the sinful presence of strange gods in the midst of his household. No wonder that his was a checkered lot; but how great the goodness that had watched over his trials and intermingled mercy at every time of need, and at length summoned him to Bethel, that he might clear himself and his house from their veiled ungodliness, and return to consistency with his calling! “Put away the strange gods that are among you, and cleanse yourselves, and change your garments; and we will arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make there an altar to God that answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way that I went.” Who of us has followed the Lord without the proofs of the same fidelity on His part? chastising our waywardness too that we might be partakers of His holiness?
“And they gave to Jacob all the strange gods that were in their hand, and the rings that were in their ears; and Jacob buried them under the terebinth that was by Shechem.” Idolatry pervaded even their little ornaments, all of which had therefore to disappear. “And they journeyed; and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them; and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.” The living God knows how to control and dispose the heart, not only of enemies, but of those naturally resenting injury. Let His children fear and withal trust Him.
“And Jacob came to Luz which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him. And he built there an altar and called the name El-bethel; because God there had appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother.” It is not now an altar called by a name that limits God to himself like El-Elohe-Israel. His faith is now cleared, and fuller. He is the God of God's house, which is richer, better, and higher up the source of blessing.
“And Deborah Rebekah's nurse died; and she was buried beneath Bethel under the oak; and the name of it was called Allon-bachuth,” the oak of weeping. It is remarkable that she should have joined Jacob s household, no doubt after Rebekah's death. There her heart turned, her mistress gone, to Rebekah's beloved son. That they requited her love is plain from the record of their tears.