In Genesis 34 there is a young man named Shechem who rapes Jacob’s daughter, Dinah. It is a terrible thing. Strangely, Shechem falls in love with Dinah, the girl he most certainly did not love while he was taking advantage of her.<\/p>\n
In love as he is, Shechem goes to Jacob to seek Dinah’s hand in marriage. Amidst the talks, we read in verse 11 of Genesis 34, “Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, ‘Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give.”<\/em><\/p>\n Shechem is seeking favor by offering to pay whatever bride price they ask of him. It was a fatal flaw. Shechem did not receive their favor as Dinah’s brothers, Simeon and Levi, avenge their sister’s rape by slaughtering Shechem and his people.<\/p>\n So it is with God, we cannot buy his favor. There is no price we can pay to remove the stain of our sin and guilt. No, favor with God is only something that is given. God’s eyes look upon us with favor only in Christ through the gift of His righteousness, paid for by the riches of His grace.<\/p>\n Without God’s favor, only slaughter awaits. But with it, only everything awaits.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In Genesis 34 there is a young man named Shechem who rapes Jacob’s daughter, Dinah. It is a terrible thing. Strangely, Shechem falls in love with Dinah, the girl he most certainly did not love while he was taking advantage of her. In love as he is, Shechem goes to Jacob to seek Dinah’s hand […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":685,"featured_media":3496,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,32],"tags":[63,205,274,378,484,539,557,562,567,669,678,679,698,699,741,1014,1056,1105,1124,1140,1354],"class_list":{"0":"post-3497","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-faith","8":"category-theology","9":"tag-63","10":"tag-bible","11":"tag-christ","12":"tag-dinah","13":"tag-favor","14":"tag-genesis","15":"tag-god","16":"tag-gospel","17":"tag-grace","18":"tag-jacob","19":"tag-jenkins","20":"tag-jesus","21":"tag-josh","22":"tag-joshua","23":"tag-levi","24":"tag-rags","25":"tag-riches","26":"tag-scripture","27":"tag-shechem","28":"tag-simeon","29":"tag-with","30":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/02\/img_1160.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3493,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/a-gospel-application-from-genesis-34\/","url_meta":{"origin":3497,"position":0},"title":"A Gospel Application from Genesis 34","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"February 16, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Genesis 34 is a dark and difficult chapter in Jacob and his family's life. To begin the chapter, Dinah, Jacob's daughter, is raped. As the story unfolds, the young man, Shechem, who took advantage of Dinah, ends up wanting to marry her. Dinah's brothers who are justifiably outraged, deceitfully strike\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Faith"","block_context":{"text":"Faith","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/faith\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/02\/img_1156.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3503,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/the-depth-of-mercy-in-the-pits-of-sin\/","url_meta":{"origin":3497,"position":1},"title":"The Depth of Mercy in the Pits of Sin","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"February 22, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Genesis 34 narrates the darkest hours of Jacob's life. Not only in terms of things that happen to him, but also in terms of his own sin in response to those things. His only daughter, Dinah, is raped. Jacob responds with what seems like apathy - clearly the rotten fruit\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "theology"","block_context":{"text":"theology","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/theology\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/02\/2016-02-27-1456600071-9967635-blackhole.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/02\/2016-02-27-1456600071-9967635-blackhole.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/02\/2016-02-27-1456600071-9967635-blackhole.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5122,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/with-a-strong-hand\/","url_meta":{"origin":3497,"position":2},"title":"With a Strong Hand","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"August 8, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"But the\u00a0Lord\u00a0said to Moses, \u201cNow you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with\u00a0a strong hand he will\u00a0drive them out of his land.\u201d 2\u00a0God spoke to Moses and said to him,\u00a0\u201cI am the\u00a0Lord.\u00a03\u00a0I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/08\/MOSHED-2022-8-8-15-2-5.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/08\/MOSHED-2022-8-8-15-2-5.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/08\/MOSHED-2022-8-8-15-2-5.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3578,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/his-dying-breath-has-brought-us-life-commentary-on-genesis-49v1-27\/","url_meta":{"origin":3497,"position":3},"title":"His Dying Breath Has Brought Us Life: Commentary on Genesis 49v1-27","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"June 26, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 In this chapter we see a great deal of length and detail given to Jacob\u2019s blessing of his sons. We must understand that there are great thematic elements of a father\u2019s blessing to his sons on display here that are a theme throughout Scripture, and carried on into the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/06\/81gyfu-6m6l-_sx463_.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3551,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/josephs-brothers-there-and-back-again-commentary-on-genesis-42\/","url_meta":{"origin":3497,"position":4},"title":"Joseph’s Brothers: There and Back Again – Commentary on Genesis 42","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"May 7, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"In this passage there are three themes that will consider: God strikes the land with famine, God strikes Joseph with tenderness, and God strikes the brothers with guilt. God Strikes the Land with Famine In the opening verses of Genesis 42 we are met by Jacob and his sons back\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/531131259.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/531131259.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/531131259.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3567,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/there-again-feasting-in-famine-commentary-on-genesis-43\/","url_meta":{"origin":3497,"position":5},"title":"There Again: Feasting in Famine – Commentary on Genesis 43","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"May 14, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"In Genesis 43 there are three overarching themes that will guide our consideration of this passage: the famine grows in severity, the brothers grow in honesty, and Joseph grows in mercy. The Famine Grows in Severity In the last chapter we noted how God uses means to accomplish his purposes;\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/desk-and-bible.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/desk-and-bible.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/desk-and-bible.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/desk-and-bible.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/desk-and-bible.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/desk-and-bible.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3497","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/685"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3497"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3497\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3496"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3497"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3497"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3497"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}