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Guest (Male): Compromise is often seen as a virtue, but there are dangers associated with it too. That's why the Bible tells us not to turn to the right hand or to the left. Hello and welcome to Study the Word with Pastor Thom Keller.

If you've been with us, you'll know that Pastor Thom is currently making his way through the Old Testament book of Genesis. Today on the broadcast, our focus is on chapter 34, which records an incident that was disastrous but could have and should have been avoided. With a message first presented at his home church, Calvary Chapel Lebanon, here's Pastor Thom.

Thom Keller: Abraham started in Ur and went up to Haran. Haran is where his father died and his brothers stayed on there. And then he continued on down and eventually ended up in Hebron. Jacob and Esau then split, and Jacob comes back down and he comes to Shechem. And that's where the story takes place today in Shechem.

Now, he was told in Genesis 31 to return to the land of your fathers and grandfathers, and I will be with you there. On the basis of that, he's to go to Hebron. That's the land of his fathers and his grandfathers, Abraham and Isaac.

It's also interesting again, remember at 70 years old is when Jacob stole the blessing from his brother, fled to Haran for 20 years, and spends 20 years in Haran. At this point, he's 90 years old. He meets Esau right around that same time at the age of 90. Now here's a quiz. Jacob was 90, how old was Esau?

Very good. They're twins. It should work that way, unless it was a very long delivery. And today, in this reading, Jacob is 107 years old. So about 17 years has taken place between when Jacob and Esau had their encounter and today, 17 years.

He's in Shechem. It's about a one-day's journey from Shechem to Hebron. That one-day compromise is the reason for this entire chapter, the disaster that takes place. Genesis 34 verse 1. One day Dinah, Leah's daughter, went to visit some young women who lived in the area.

But when the local prince, Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivites, saw her, he took her and raped her. But Shechem's love for Diana was strong, and he tried to win her affection. He even spoke to his father about it. "Get this girl for me," he demanded. "I want to marry her."

Kind of a demanding son. They guess that Diana here is about 17 years old. Her brothers would range from 30 to 16. So her oldest brother, Reuben, would be 30. Her youngest brother at this point would be who? Joseph, that's right. Her youngest brother, Joseph, is 16.

Benjamin hasn't been born yet. And then again, Jacob is about 107 years old. Josephus, the Jewish historian, adds one important piece to the story. He tells us that she went out to take part in the feast of the Shechemites.

So with that little twist, with that little additional piece known, it implicates Diana more than what we might guess from the start, although the Bible does say she went to visit some of the young women of Shechem. So she obviously had an interest in being a part of the culture of that heathen place because she went to visit those girls.

And if it's true that she went to take part in the festival of the Shechemites, she knew that that involved sexual immorality. That was just a part of their religious festivals. In any event, whether she went to participate in that festival as an additional piece, or if it's true that she just went to be with the other girls of that culture, of that city, she put herself in harm's way.

The New Living Translation says it uses the word raped, but the commentary said it is not entirely clear whether it was rape or fornication, which could indicate that it was consensual. There is that possibility. It's not as clear. And as you go into the story, it would appear that she remained in his house until the brothers went and killed all of the others.

There are some questions. When we get to heaven, we'll know the whole story, but those are possibilities. We want to present as clearly all the possibilities as we can. Also in the culture of this day, unattached women were considered fair game, fair game in the city.

An unattached woman in a city could have just been taken by a man and taken sexually. That was just the culture of that day. And if you remember back the story of Abraham and even Isaac, when they went into the cities, they said, "Tell them that you're my sister or they'll kill me to take you." Remember? It was just the culture of that day.

Promiscuity was not only uncommon, it was a part of the religious system itself, as it continued on up all the way into Paul's day. Therefore, if she chose to go to this heathen religious festival, she did knowing that this would be a part of the festival.

The son says to the father, "Get this girl for me." That's quite a demanding son, isn't it? He's a prince. His father's a king. "Get this girl for me." The son has more power than he ought to have. At this point, his father probably should have stood up and talked some sense into him, but his father acquiesced, he gave in.

In verse 3 it says that Shechem loved her. Did he love her? No, he violated her. He took her. It was a soulish love that Shechem had for Diana. It was a soul love, not a true heart love. It was all about Shechem and what Shechem wanted.

And young girls, if a guy ever tells you he loves you, and because of that he wants you to do certain things, it's all about him. If he really loved you, if he really cared about you, he'd care more about what your thoughts were in that than what his thoughts were.

The Amplified Bible says this of verse 3. It says that Shechem spoke comfortingly. He spoke comfortingly to her young heart's wishes. He sold her with smooth talk. If not before, afterward, certainly. This guy was smooth. As you're going to see what he sold the people of the city on, this guy was very smooth.

He takes this girl, he rapes her, he says to his father, "I want her. Get her for me." Verse 5. Word soon reached Jacob that his daughter had been defiled. But his sons were out in the fields herding cattle, so he did nothing until they returned.

Meanwhile, Hamor, Shechem's father, came out to discuss the matter with Jacob. He just arrived as Jacob's sons were coming in from the field. They were shocked and furious that their sister had been raped. Shechem had done a disgraceful thing against Jacob's family, a thing that never should have been done.

The son says, "Get her for me. I want her." So the father, Hamor, goes to visit Jacob about getting his daughter, Diana, for his son. Before he gets there, somehow Jacob learns of this fact, that his daughter has been raped. His sons don't know it yet, but he does. He does nothing.

We don't know how much in advance of this he knows, but he knows in advance and does nothing. That's very significant in this story. Jacob knows about it. He's thinking about it. He does nothing. Hamor comes in the distance to visit him. And at the same time Hamor comes, this boy's father, his sons come in from the field.

They all converge at the same time. And at that moment, the boys learn that Shechem has raped their sister. Now Shechem is also here. Right here it says only Hamor came. In a couple of verses, you'll see that Shechem is also present. So it's Jacob, the man that raped his daughter, the boy's father, and all the brothers are standing there.

Why was Jacob not outraged? Why was he not infuriated? Why did he do nothing about this? Sin is like an infection. If we don't deal with an infection, it spreads and can cause the loss of a limb, it can even cause the loss of a life.

He did nothing. And by doing nothing he brought about, he was really responsible for the tragedy that takes place on the other side of this. Because Jacob did nothing, his sons decided to do something. If you know the story of David and Bathsheba, and you know then out of that came incestuous relationship between Amnon and Tamar.

David's son Amnon and David's daughter Tamar, half-brother, half-sister. Amnon took Tamar, raped her. When David learned of it, he did nothing. He did nothing. And the same thing took place here. Absalom comes along and decides, "I'm going to deal with this. I'm going to take matters in my own hands." And he then kills his brother Amnon.

Same thing, because the father chose to do nothing. Verse 8. Hamor told Jacob and his sons, "My son Shechem is truly in love with your daughter, and he longs to be his wife. Please let him marry her. We invite you to let your daughters marry our sons." It's interesting there, it's plural.

If you ever thought of Diana was the only daughter, there were more daughters, at least two we know here because it's plural. "Let your daughters marry our sons and we will give our daughters as wives for your young men. And you may live among us. The land is open to you. Settle here, trade with us. You are free to acquire property among us."

He's trying to make this marriage a new NAFTA deal, North American Free Trade Agreement. This is going to be the Northern Hebron trade free trade agreement. They're trying to set a bargain. Look, if you let my son marry your daughter, it'll link our two economies together and you can become wealthy off of us.

And what they're really thinking is we can become wealthy off of you. No one does deals like this, these free trade deals, for the benefit of the other. Then verse 11 it says Shechem addressed Diana's father and brothers. "Please be kind to me."

Now we know Shechem is in that scene. He's there. As these 11 brothers are infuriated, ages 16 to 30, as they are standing there infuriated, seeing their father with little response, the man that actually took their sister and raped her, Shechem speaks.

"Please be kind to me." I wonder what the brothers are thinking. Yeah, we'll be kind to you. "Please be kind to me and let me have her as my wife," he begged. "I will give you whatever you require. No matter what dowry or gift you demand, I will pay it. Only give me the girl as my wife."

It's interesting what a dowry was used for back in biblical days. A dowry was really alimony paid in advance. The idea of a dowry was a gift that was to be given to the father of the girl, and he was to hold that in the event that the new husband ever abandoned her.

The money was then hers to live her life with, now separate from her husband. That's what the dowry was for, for him to hold it. That's why when Jacob wanted to take his two wives and leave Laban, he said, "Let's go." And the daughters said, "Yeah, he spent our dowry a long time ago."

Laban didn't keep the money that was given to them. He spent it. So he's saying, "I'll give you a dowry, I'll give you a gift, whatever you want. I'll pay it. Whatever it is, I'll pay it." You know, it's interesting what happened was Diana and Shechem had no relationship. They had had sex. They had had sexual intercourse.

There is a soul tie that occurs through the act of sex that is a bonding and a uniting that has power. I have met with men in counseling where through an event of even just one time having relationships, there is a bond, a tie, an emotional connection to that woman that is absolutely out of the natural.

And that's because in 1 Corinthians it says, "Don't you know that if a man joins himself to a wayward mouth, the two become one in God's eyes?" There's a one-flesh union that takes place through the act of sex. And that's why when people have relationships outside of marriage, there's that union that many times it's like they say, it's almost like you can go outside and put your tongue up against the stop sign when it's about 10 degrees below zero.

Take your wet tongue and put it up against the stop sign. You'll get your tongue off that stop sign. You will, but it's going to hurt a lot, and you're going to let part of your tongue there. And that's how it is in sex outside of marriage. When that one-flesh union takes place, it is a difficult thing.

You don't just walk away from it. It changes things. It can be done, but the answer is to pray to God and asking God to break that soul tie that you don't want that connection. It's obvious he has it. He's not in love with this woman. In lust, probably. A soul tie connection, probably.

Verse 13. But Diana's brothers deceived Shechem and Hamor because of what Shechem had done to their sister. They said to them, the brothers said, "We couldn't possibly allow this because you aren't circumcised. It would be a disgrace for her to marry a man like you.

"But here is the solution. If every man among you will be circumcised like we are, we will intermarry with you and live here and unite with you and become one people. Otherwise we will take her and be on our way." These guys are thinking quick.

Shechem says, "Whatever you want, I'll do it." Okay, tell you what. We're very religious people. And as a part of our religion—isn't it interesting how they do that? Draw religion and as a part of our religion, every male must be circumcised. We couldn't possibly be so heathenistic.

We're far too religious to let our sister marry such a heathen as you. But if you'll be circumcised, and every man in this community circumcised, then it'll be all right. You know, it's interesting how they use this as an excuse. There are situations where men date women, women date men, and in order to get the woman to say yes, they'll say yes to anything.

And this plays out many times in the girl has an interest in church, the guy doesn't. But he wants to win her, and so he knows it's important to her, so he starts going to church. He starts playing the part, starts acting out the role. And when they get married, boom, he's nowhere to be seen. Drops off the face of the earth.

And what I'd suggest to young girls especially? This happens with guys too, but it does seem this happens disproportionately to girls. Who you're dating is who you're going to marry. Don't expect some gigantic change to take place at some point in his future, the next five years.

What you see is what you get. God can do miraculous things in the life of a person, and apart from that, who you see is who you get. If he doesn't have an interest in spiritual things now, don't marry him on the basis of "I hope, I think he will someday."

Well, makes you wonder what Jacob is thinking as all this takes place. Remember Shechem, Hamor are there, the sons and Jacob. And Jacob's hearing them say this, "Couldn't possibly let our sister marry you. Why, you're uncircumcised. But if you be circumcised..."

What's Jacob thinking? He didn't speak up. He knows that this is a ruse, it's a con. And then in verse 18 is amazing. Hamor and Shechem gladly agreed. Men, can you believe that? Gladly agreed.

And Shechem lost no time in acting on this request, for he wanted Diana desperately. Shechem was a highly respected member of his family, and he appeared with his father before the town leaders to present this proposal. Other translations say the city gates, which is where all the city business took place.

Verse 21. "Those men are our friends." Now they're in the city now, selling the men of the city. "Those men are our friends. Let's invite them to live here among us and ply their trade, for the land is large enough to hold them, and we can intermarry with them.

"But they will consider staying here only under one condition." You can see the men all leaning forward. They're into it. They're into it. We can ply their trade, we can get wealthy from them, we can marry their daughters. "But... but what?"

"But they will consider staying here only under one condition." They're leaning forward more. "Every one of us men must be circumcised just as they are." Whoa! Whoa! Shechem, you're nuts. You're crazy. You talk about selling refrigerators to Eskimos.

Imagine the mayor of Lebanon having a meeting of all of the citizens of Lebanon. Let's say Lebanon is in an economic blight. And the mayor calls everyone together and says, "I have a plan to bring 50 large corporations into Lebanon. There will be no unemployment, your standard of living will double. Every one of you."

Everyone's leaning forward. "Only one condition. Every man has to be circumcised." Assuming no man in the community was. "I like my job. I like my job. I'm going to look harder for a job. I'm telling you, I'm going to look harder for a job. I'll find a job." But they sold them. What a salesman.

Well, the agreement is presented and they buy in. Isn't it amazing what people do for wealth? I ran across an article a number of years ago, they did a survey of people asking, "What would you do for $10 million?"

What would you do for $10 million? They gave them a list of choices. 25% said they would abandon their entire family. 23% said they would become a prostitute for one week. 16% said they would leave their spouses.

Here's one that amazes me: 7% said they would kill a stranger. 3% would put up all their children for adoption. $10 million. Now here's the thing to think about. When you walk through a mall someday, after you walk by 100 people, seven of those people would kill you for $10 million.

Seven of those people you never met would kill you for $10 million. That's the world we live in. It's an amazing thing what people do to get wealth. The Bible says the love of money is the root of all evil, and it's sure playing a part in this process.

Verse 24. So all the men agreed and were circumcised. But three days later, when their wounds were still sore, two of Diana's brothers, Simeon and Levi, took their swords, entered the town without opposition and slaughtered every male there, including Hamor and Shechem.

They rescued Diana from Shechem's house and returned to their camp. Then all of Jacob's sons, all 11 including Joseph, then all of Jacob's sons plundered the town because their sister had been defiled there. They seized all the flocks and herds and donkeys, everything they could lay their hands on, both inside the town and outside in the fields.

They also took all the women and children and wealth of every kind. It says three days later when their wounds were sore. I was talking to Dan Van Vleet about this last Sunday, and he said he knows of two men that were circumcised as adults.

And they said they always thought it would be painful, but they didn't know how painful. And they said that after going through that procedure, they could understand how these men could have just been slain. Because they said when they were in that pain—women, you think childbirth is something—just kidding, just kidding. Don't throw things.

I have a friend that said one time, he said this to his wife after she had just delivered a baby. He said, "Honey, you think that was bad? I have to deal with razor burn." Brave man, huh? Or a fool. But anyway, Dan's friend said, knowing that story, now they can relate.

They said if somebody came in and had a sword and said, "Fight or I'll kill you," "Kill me. Kill me. I'm not going anywhere." So it's very probable that this was just men laying there waiting to be killed. They plunder the whole town. They take everything: flocks, herds, donkeys, women, children, wealth. It was a brutal deceptive act.

What do you think Jacob thought about when he heard all this? Probably he was seeing the reaping that he was receiving from the way he lived his life, from his own deception, the way that he lived his lives. His own deception, his own deceitfulness of the past to see his sons in that conversation with Shechem and Hamor so professionally, so calculatingly deceive them and trick them.

Guest (Male): It's a shocking ending this one-time compromise has led to. And it serves as a reminder for us today of the disastrous end that compromise can lead to. We're studying Genesis right now with Pastor Thom Keller on Study the Word.

You can hear this message again by going to ccleb.com. Again, we're at ccleb.com. There are many other messages for your growth and edification there too. Or call and request a CD copy at 717-507-7862. That's 717-507-7862.

Thanks for remembering that Study the Word is a listener-supported ministry. We look to listeners like you to help us provide these Bible studies on your station every day. Here's where to write: Study the Word, 740 Willow Street, Lebanon, Pennsylvania, 17046. Or call 717-507-7862.

Thom Keller is a senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Lebanon, and if you're in the area, we hope you'll come by for a visit. For directions and service times, go to ccleb.com. When you get a chance, download our free Android app. Search Calvary Chapel Lebanon in the Google Play Store. Thanks for studying the Word with Pastor Thom Keller. We'll get back into Genesis with Pastor Thom next time. We hope you can join us.