In this episode we continue studying the Book of Genesis. In this episode Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, goes out to visit the daughters of the land.

Shechem the prince of the land saw her, took her and raped her. After he raped her, he said he loved her and wanted to marry her.

But her brother’s were not about to let that happen. They become angry and filled with rage, when they discovered what happened when they came out of the field from keeping cattle.

Yet, they were able to hide their rage and convince Shechem and his father, that the only way they would let Dinah marry him, is if all the males in their city, were circumcised and the men gladly agreed.

But on the 3rd day Levi and Simeon went into the city and killed all the males and took Dinah back home.

Jacob did not agree with the way his sons handled the matter. He said they made him stink among the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

When he rebuked them, all they could say was that, "he shouldn’t have treated their sister like a harlot."

Jacob never forgot the incident and even mentioned their behavior on his death bed, as he spoke “the blessing” over each of his children. Here’s the text:

Genesis 49:5  Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.

Genesis 49:6  O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.

Genesis 49:7  Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

We note that although Jacob cursed their fierce anger and wrath. God chose the tribe of Levi to be his priest.

They were chosen for their bravery and willingness to stand up for what was right, they were not afraid to defend God’s name. When they found out what happened to Dinah, they said, Shechem had done something that should not have been done in Israel.

Simeon inherited land within Judah’s borders. Simeon warred with the tribe of Judah against the Canaanites and expelled them from the land.

The Levites took a stand with Moses when the Israelites, made a golden calf after God delivered them from Egypt. When Moses said, “whose on the Lord’s side,” the Levites arose and slew 3,000 people.

Here’s the text:

Exodus 32:26  Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD'S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.

Exodus 32:27  And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.

Exodus 32:28  And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

God didn’t chose the Levites because of their anger and fierce wrath but because of their bravery.

It would take bravery and boldness to to stand up for what was right and teach the truth when everyone else was overcome with sin or too afraid to take a stand for truth.

Because of fearlessness and boldness, they were given charge over everything that pertained to the tabernacle.

The Levites were supposed to pitch themselves around the house of God, keeping strangers away from the tabernacle. This would protect his house from those who desired to bring in damning heresies.

Unfortunately, the Levites, God’s mighty priests, did not always keep God’s house.
And God notes how they let him down in the book of Malachi:

Here’s the text:

Malachi 2:5  My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.

Malachi 2:6  The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.

Malachi 2:7  For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

Malachi 2:8  But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

Malachi 2:9  Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

Paul said, in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 46, that first comes the natural then the spiritual. Just as there was a group of natural Levites perhaps there are spiritual Levites.

There was natural Sodom and now there is a spiritual Sodom.

Here’s the text:

Revelation 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

There are natural Jews and a spiritual Jews.

Romans 2:28  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

Romans 2:29  But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

God has been silently waiting for the Levites to come out of the field.

They must rescue the church by taking her away from the prince of this world by slaying his lies. This will be done by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.