Outside of the Garden

Outside of the Garden

Genesis 33: ¹⁸ Then Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram; and he pitched his tent before the city. ¹⁹ And he bought the parcel of land, where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money. ²⁰ Then he erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel.

 

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Jacob wanted to settle down peacefully in the land GOD told him to return to. He paid one hundred pieces of money, or silver to the children of Hamor. Hamor was the founder of Shechem.

 

My Observations:

• GOD allowed humans to own discipline when HE promised that HE would never flood the earth.
• Noah cursed Canaan, causing him to try to become powerful to avoid the curse.
• Many followers of Canaan settled in areas where Jacob bought his land.

 

After the flood, people were looking for pieces of the Garden of Eden. Gold was highly sought after and so was sliver, a lesser metal. Jacob used one hundred pieces of money to procure the land in Canaan. While it looked like Canaan avoided Noah’s curse, this purchase would become pivotal in history.

 

Canaan was told that his descendants would serve the descendants of Shem, who is in the lineage of JESUS. Canaan had no idea what Noah’s curse was about. Those who would cause havoc on humans because of their rebellion against GOD would eventually serve those who believe in CHRIST as their Savior. This prophecy does not seem to mean, CHRIST followers would be slave owners, rather, all evil will fall subject to GOD’s judgment.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think this transaction was important enough for GOD to tell Moses?
• Have you ever thought one place was less cursed than another, even though GOD cursed all of creation?
• Can you remember GOD’s promise to be with you always, even to the end of the age?