DCLM Daily Manna Sunday 10 March 2024
TOPIC: Not Without Repercussions
TEXT: GENESIS 34:1-13
34 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.
3 And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel.
4 And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife.
5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter: now his sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his peace until they were come.
6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him.
7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter: which thing ought not to be done.
8 And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.
9 And make ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you.
10 And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.
11 And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.
12 Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.
13 And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister:
KEY VERSE
“And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her”
(GENESIS 34:2).
DCLM Daily Manna Sunday MESSAGE
There are great consequences when we deviate from the moral compass guiding our lives. The world can only be a fair place if there is justice. Sometimes, the innocent suffers unjustly. However, the immoral shall not go unpunished.
Today’s text contains the account of four principal actors. First, Dinah, Leah’s daughter, who went out to see the daughters of the land and became a victim of rape. Her sauntering into and mixing with the daughters of the land turned out to be her undoing. Second, Shechem, the son of Hamor, defiled Dinah and tried to appease her with a marriage proposal. Third, Hamor, the father of Shechem who, though heard of the abomination, did not condemn it; thereby failing in his parental responsibility. Fourth, the sons of Jacob who pretentiously agreed with Shechem and Hamor with the intent to avenge the defiling of their sister. The actions or inactions of each of these characters had grave consequences.
READ DCLM Daily Manna Friday 8 March 2024 – Never Be Caught Unaware
When a believer, like Dinah, chooses to wander away into the midst of unfriendly friends, such becomes a ready prey upon which the enemy of his soul prowls. When parents and leaders, like Hamor, decide to keep mute in the face of immoral behaviour of their children and followers, grave repercussion lies ahead. The actions of the sons of Jacob also had repercussion. Their deception and vengeance caused the death of many people and eventually led to the sudden evacuation of this family from that community.
We are warned against unequal yoke with unbelievers since light and darkness cannot dwell together. Failure to adhere to the biblical injunctions on separation from the world, transparent holy living, standing for the truth and non-retaliation, attract the wrath of God.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Actions have weight and consequences.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 15-18