The Exclusive Worship of God
The Exclusive Worship of God.
Genesis 33-36
“So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, ‘Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves and change your garments; and let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make an alter there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.”
From the very beginning of history, God demanded obedience and exclusive worship. This is a message that we see repeatedly throughout the Scriptures. To worship other gods is to invite the wrath and judgment of God. When God codified his moral law in the Ten Commandments, the first three commands focused on the exclusive worship of God. In the third command, God affirms that He is a jealous God. The jealousy of God points to His intolerance of any competitor, anything or anyone who becomes the object of our worship. It reminds us that God is wholly committed to His people, and His love is unwavering and undivided. This love for us does not allow for anything or anyone who would threaten this relationship by dividing our loyalty to Him.
Jacob had spent his life focused upon himself and his desires. He saw God as his provider and protector but not as the object of his love and complete worship. In Chapter 28, we see his conditional obedience. He would serve God only if God protected him. We also see the fickleness of his faith when he allowed his family to continue to worship the idols and gods of that day. The turning point, which started in his fear of Esau’s revenge in chapter 32, becomes fully realized in chapter 35. The treachery of Jacob’s sons in their revenge upon Shechem had again put Jacob and his family in a precarious position (34:30). In response to his fear, God instructs Jacob to go to Bethel.
Bethel was significant, for it was at Bethel that Jacob’s spiritual awakening began. Bethel was where God appeared to Jacob for the first time and affirmed that He would bless Jacob (28:10-22; 35:7). While Jacob’s spiritual journey started there, it was not complete, for he was still living with one foot in his old life. While affirming his loyalty to God, he continued to allow his family to worship their idols. Therefore, God instructed Jacob to go back to the beginning. Sometimes in our Christian life, God takes us back to our conversion to remind us of what it genuinely means. To accept the salvation God offers, to enter into a personal relationship with God, we must worship Him exclusively. Jacob surrendered himself entirely to God for the first time in his life. Instead of living in two spiritual realms, he set God as the sole object of his worship and his family's worship. It is not by chance that when Jacob finally worships God exclusively for himself and his family that God then appears to Jacob and affirms His covenant with Jacob that He will make in the channel through whom the Abrahamic covenant would be accomplished (35:9-11).
If we are honest, we are often like Jacob. While we affirm that God is our God, we still live with divided loyalties. We turn to God in times of crisis, but we forget and ignore Him when life is going well. We set other priorities in our life. Anything that becomes a higher priority than our relationship and service of God becomes an idol, for it replaces God as the sole object of our affections. We experience His salvation, but we do not fully realize the abundant blessing of His plan for us. God desires to bless us, but He also wants to change us radically.
The change of Jacob’s name to Israel is not superficial. It indicates a complete change of his identity and character. His name is no longer synonymous with being a manipulator (Jacob means “supplanter”). Instead, his name became Israel, a name that became synonymous with the people of God.
Likewise, God desires to transform us to be known by our associating with Him. He desires that we would be known as followers of Jesus. He changes our name to “Christian” (Acts 11:26). When people describe you, is the first description an affirmation that you are a follower of Jesus? Do you live your life in such a way that there is no question of your identity—that you are a Christian? If not, you need to return to your point of conversion and remember what it means. Ask God to make your relationship with Him so evident that everyone would recognize that you are a follower of Jesus and that you worship no other god and allow no other priority to become higher than following Him.
Genesis 33-36
“So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, ‘Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves and change your garments; and let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make an alter there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.”
From the very beginning of history, God demanded obedience and exclusive worship. This is a message that we see repeatedly throughout the Scriptures. To worship other gods is to invite the wrath and judgment of God. When God codified his moral law in the Ten Commandments, the first three commands focused on the exclusive worship of God. In the third command, God affirms that He is a jealous God. The jealousy of God points to His intolerance of any competitor, anything or anyone who becomes the object of our worship. It reminds us that God is wholly committed to His people, and His love is unwavering and undivided. This love for us does not allow for anything or anyone who would threaten this relationship by dividing our loyalty to Him.
Jacob had spent his life focused upon himself and his desires. He saw God as his provider and protector but not as the object of his love and complete worship. In Chapter 28, we see his conditional obedience. He would serve God only if God protected him. We also see the fickleness of his faith when he allowed his family to continue to worship the idols and gods of that day. The turning point, which started in his fear of Esau’s revenge in chapter 32, becomes fully realized in chapter 35. The treachery of Jacob’s sons in their revenge upon Shechem had again put Jacob and his family in a precarious position (34:30). In response to his fear, God instructs Jacob to go to Bethel.
Bethel was significant, for it was at Bethel that Jacob’s spiritual awakening began. Bethel was where God appeared to Jacob for the first time and affirmed that He would bless Jacob (28:10-22; 35:7). While Jacob’s spiritual journey started there, it was not complete, for he was still living with one foot in his old life. While affirming his loyalty to God, he continued to allow his family to worship their idols. Therefore, God instructed Jacob to go back to the beginning. Sometimes in our Christian life, God takes us back to our conversion to remind us of what it genuinely means. To accept the salvation God offers, to enter into a personal relationship with God, we must worship Him exclusively. Jacob surrendered himself entirely to God for the first time in his life. Instead of living in two spiritual realms, he set God as the sole object of his worship and his family's worship. It is not by chance that when Jacob finally worships God exclusively for himself and his family that God then appears to Jacob and affirms His covenant with Jacob that He will make in the channel through whom the Abrahamic covenant would be accomplished (35:9-11).
If we are honest, we are often like Jacob. While we affirm that God is our God, we still live with divided loyalties. We turn to God in times of crisis, but we forget and ignore Him when life is going well. We set other priorities in our life. Anything that becomes a higher priority than our relationship and service of God becomes an idol, for it replaces God as the sole object of our affections. We experience His salvation, but we do not fully realize the abundant blessing of His plan for us. God desires to bless us, but He also wants to change us radically.
The change of Jacob’s name to Israel is not superficial. It indicates a complete change of his identity and character. His name is no longer synonymous with being a manipulator (Jacob means “supplanter”). Instead, his name became Israel, a name that became synonymous with the people of God.
Likewise, God desires to transform us to be known by our associating with Him. He desires that we would be known as followers of Jesus. He changes our name to “Christian” (Acts 11:26). When people describe you, is the first description an affirmation that you are a follower of Jesus? Do you live your life in such a way that there is no question of your identity—that you are a Christian? If not, you need to return to your point of conversion and remember what it means. Ask God to make your relationship with Him so evident that everyone would recognize that you are a follower of Jesus and that you worship no other god and allow no other priority to become higher than following Him.
Recent
Archive
2025
January
Who do we listen to?God's Patience and the Certainty of JudgmentThe Present Implications of the FutureAcknoweldgement, Confession, and ForgivenessThe Mark of a Genuine DiscipleThe Unchanging WordThe Lost ARt of DiscernmentA Life that Pleases GodThe Subtle Danger of Spiritual PrideContending for the FaithThe Judgement of False TeachersKeep Our Faith in a Fallen WorldSecurity in a Insecure WorldThe God who Controls HistoryThe Terrifying Majesty of ChristThe Majesty of GodThe Praise of God's JusticeHaving Right Priorities in Life
February
The Autobiography of GodThe God who CreatesThe God who RecreatesThe God Who Gives Us SignificanceThe Blessing of God's PlansTrusting in the Timing and Plan of GodThe God who ProvidesGod's Sovereignty and GraceThe King of Self or the King of KingsThe Exclusive Worship of GodHas God Forgotten?The Wonder of God's Plan and TimingGod's Sovereignty and Forgiveness
2024
January
The Coming JudgmentThat is My KingThe Certainty of Christ's WordsThe Uncertain CertaintyThe Importance of Spiritual PreparednessThe Danger of Spiritual ComplacencyChrist's Measure of SuccessThe Unpopular TopicRejection, Confusion, Betrayal, and WorshipBetrayal and RedemptionThe Inexplicable Act of LoveBetrayal, Bravado, and FearBetrayal, Bravado, and FearThe Unlikely Witnesses of Jesus' DietyRemorse, Repentance and ForgivenessThe Power of the Crowd and the Power of FaithThe Irony of the CrucifixionThe Cost of SinThe Cure for SinThe Reality of the ResurrectionLiving a Life of SignificanceThe Attitude of a SlaveThe Basis for Confident LivingThe Basis for Confident Living
February
The Prayer God AnswersWhen Adversity Becomes a TriumphFinding Joy in the Ministry of OthersPursuing the InsignificantPerspective in SufferingThe Sacrifice of SelfIf God can do it, then why can't we.The "Kenosis" of Christ"THE NAME"Divine Initiative and Human ResponsibilityThe Age of ComplaintReorienting our Focus Pt 1
March
Reorienting Our Focus Pt 2The Basis of SalvationDetermining ValueSetting the Right Goal in LifeFollowing the Right PeopleRecognizing our CitizenshipResponding to ConflictThe Keys to PeaceLearning to Think RightlyThe Secret of ContentmentThe Blessing of GivingA Life without SignificanceThe Futility of LifeThe Endless PursuitThe Futility of PleasureThe Limits of WisdomEvaluating Our WorkFinding Joy in LifeThe Doctrine of Right Time
April
Categories
no categories
No Comments