Chapter 34 - Vengeance Is Not Ours

Jacob had only one daughter, and her name was Dinah. She had eleven older brothers to look after her, but on one occasion she was by herself. In one of those moments when she was alone she was raped by Shechem, a young man from the local village. Even though Shechem loved Dinah, and wanted to marry her, what he had done to her was unforgivable by Dinah’s brothers. Shechem would pay a mighty price for his uncontrolled passion. And, as usual, sexual sin has such far reaching consequences that not only would Shechem have to pay, but he was the cause of every male in his village being deceived, circumcised, and then murdered by the sons of Jacob.


The brothers of Dinah wanted revenge for their sister being violated. They took the matter into their own hands rather than leaving it in God’s hands. Even though Shechem’s act was evil, Simeon and Levi allowed their uncontrolled anger to lash out and murder even the innocent men. The first mistake they made goes back to the same pattern of their father Jacob…that of being deceitful. "Oh the games people play....never meaning what they say...."


We can be sure if any of our plans start with, or include, deceit, we are plotting our own destruction. One day we will pay. And the price will be far greater than we ever imagined.


When we have been wronged, it is best for us to take the wrong to Jesus and leave it with Him. He can give us peace in our turmoil; love in place of hate; and grace to overcome evil with good. That is what Jesus is all about. What would we do without Him?

"Without Him I could do nothing,
Without Him I’d surely fail;
Without Him I would be drifting
Like a ship without a sail.
Without Him I would be dying,
Without Him I’d be enslaved;
Without Him life would be hopeless
But with Jesus, thank God, I’m saved.
Jesus, Oh Jesus, do you know Him today?
You can’t turn Him away,
Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus
Without Him, how lost I would be."
(Mylon LeFevre, Copyright 1963 The LeFevres)