The Road to Bethel: Why Settling for Shechem Will Cost You Everything
Genesis 34:1—35:29
WATCH SERMON
It’s better to be at Bethel under God’s blessing than at Shechem with a Target.
That line from this week’s sermon has stuck with me all week, and I think it’ll stick with you too. Let me explain.
It’s better to be at Bethel under God’s blessing than at Shechem with a Target.
That line from this week’s sermon has stuck with me all week, and I think it’ll stick with you too. Let me explain.
After wrestling with God at Peniel and making peace with his brother Esau, Jacob should have gone straight to Bethel — the place where God first appeared to him, the place where he made a vow to worship. But he didn’t. He stopped short. He settled in Shechem instead.
Why? Because Shechem was a major crossroad in Canaan. It had everything a wandering Bedouin could want. It was comfortable, convenient, well-located. Bethel was less developed, fewer amenities, further off the beaten path.
Sound familiar?
Years ago, a pastor friend of mine was called to lead a great church, but the town didn’t have enough restaurants — not even a Target. He stayed in the larger city. Within ten years, his wife left him, his kids left the faith, and the church no longer needed his services. Before you relocate your family, make sure God is in it.
People train for years to climb Mount Everest, but the majority only make it partway up. Why? The Namche Bazaar — a warm and cozy Tea House at the first base camp with heated lounge tents and luxury pods. It becomes their Shechem. They choose comfort over the dream.
I wonder how many people reading this today are not where God wants them. Perhaps God called you to a particular occupation, but you found it easier to settle in Shechem. Maybe God called you to unite with a church, but you sojourned at Shechem instead.
As we’ll see, tragedy often occurs amid compromised obedience.
Why? Because Shechem was a major crossroad in Canaan. It had everything a wandering Bedouin could want. It was comfortable, convenient, well-located. Bethel was less developed, fewer amenities, further off the beaten path.
Sound familiar?
Years ago, a pastor friend of mine was called to lead a great church, but the town didn’t have enough restaurants — not even a Target. He stayed in the larger city. Within ten years, his wife left him, his kids left the faith, and the church no longer needed his services. Before you relocate your family, make sure God is in it.
People train for years to climb Mount Everest, but the majority only make it partway up. Why? The Namche Bazaar — a warm and cozy Tea House at the first base camp with heated lounge tents and luxury pods. It becomes their Shechem. They choose comfort over the dream.
I wonder how many people reading this today are not where God wants them. Perhaps God called you to a particular occupation, but you found it easier to settle in Shechem. Maybe God called you to unite with a church, but you sojourned at Shechem instead.
As we’ll see, tragedy often occurs amid compromised obedience.
What Happened at Shechem
Genesis 34 is an R-rated chapter of the Bible. Even as a sermon, it deserves the label “Parental Guidance Suggested.” But God preserved this story for a reason. It is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, went out to see the women of the land. Moses tells us she is Leah’s daughter for a reason — reminding us that Leah was the unwanted wife, the unloved one. It’s quite possible that Jacob’s dislike of Leah carried over to their daughter. If so, perhaps that’s why Dinah was seeking companionship elsewhere.
At face value, she was doing nothing different from any other teenage girl. She wanted friends. She wanted to do what the other girls were doing. But this was Shechem — a city whose inhabitants, as Leviticus 18 later reveals, were marked by the most deviant sexual practices.
May this be a warning to you, fathers. God gave you a daughter not only to provide for, but to protect. Know her friends. Be aware of where she goes for entertainment. I’ve never understood how a family can allow a teenager unfiltered access to the internet in the privacy of their room. Do you remember what it was like to be that age? You say, “Well, Pastor, don’t you trust your kids?” No. I don’t trust myself either. Paul said it best: “Make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof.”
Then came the unthinkable. Shechem, the son of Hamor — a prince of the land — saw Dinah, seized her, and violated her.
Let’s be absolutely clear: this was rape. The Hebrew word for “humiliated” (anah) is the same word used throughout Scripture for sexual violence. There is no ambiguity in the text. This was not a misunderstanding, not a cultural difference, not a “mistake.” This was a violent crime against a young woman.
And here is one of the most disturbing dynamics in the story: after violating her, Shechem says he “loves” Dinah. He wants to marry her. He speaks “tenderly” to her. This is textbook abusive behavior — assault followed by affection, violence followed by promises. He violated her body, and now he toys with her mind and emotions. This is one of the reasons violence goes unreported. The abuser manipulates and confuses the victim. She thinks: It was just one time. It won’t happen again. I know he loves me.
But love never violates. What Shechem calls “love” is control. Any relationship that begins with violence will end in disaster.
Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, went out to see the women of the land. Moses tells us she is Leah’s daughter for a reason — reminding us that Leah was the unwanted wife, the unloved one. It’s quite possible that Jacob’s dislike of Leah carried over to their daughter. If so, perhaps that’s why Dinah was seeking companionship elsewhere.
At face value, she was doing nothing different from any other teenage girl. She wanted friends. She wanted to do what the other girls were doing. But this was Shechem — a city whose inhabitants, as Leviticus 18 later reveals, were marked by the most deviant sexual practices.
May this be a warning to you, fathers. God gave you a daughter not only to provide for, but to protect. Know her friends. Be aware of where she goes for entertainment. I’ve never understood how a family can allow a teenager unfiltered access to the internet in the privacy of their room. Do you remember what it was like to be that age? You say, “Well, Pastor, don’t you trust your kids?” No. I don’t trust myself either. Paul said it best: “Make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof.”
Then came the unthinkable. Shechem, the son of Hamor — a prince of the land — saw Dinah, seized her, and violated her.
Let’s be absolutely clear: this was rape. The Hebrew word for “humiliated” (anah) is the same word used throughout Scripture for sexual violence. There is no ambiguity in the text. This was not a misunderstanding, not a cultural difference, not a “mistake.” This was a violent crime against a young woman.
And here is one of the most disturbing dynamics in the story: after violating her, Shechem says he “loves” Dinah. He wants to marry her. He speaks “tenderly” to her. This is textbook abusive behavior — assault followed by affection, violence followed by promises. He violated her body, and now he toys with her mind and emotions. This is one of the reasons violence goes unreported. The abuser manipulates and confuses the victim. She thinks: It was just one time. It won’t happen again. I know he loves me.
But love never violates. What Shechem calls “love” is control. Any relationship that begins with violence will end in disaster.
The Silence of a Father
Where was Jacob through all of this?
Scripture says he “held his peace.” Silence. No outrage. No protective fury. No justice. Jacob did nothing. He was paralyzed. And that silence — that failure to act, to speak up, to defend his daughter — compounded the trauma. Dinah was violated, and her own father wouldn’t even acknowledge it.
So many have experienced this. The assault itself is horrific, but then comes the silence. The family that doesn’t believe you. The church that tells you to move on. Silence can be almost as damaging as the assault itself.
Solomon reminds us in Proverbs 29:2: “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.”
This is why we should pray for godly people to be in government — locally and nationally. When godless people rule, the people will always suffer.
It was recently brought to my attention that our local county library experienced a sudden, significant uptick in book purchases of a concerning nature. I spoke with an employee and asked if these books were sent by publishers or specifically ordered. He told me they had to be ordered directly, by title, by the library. I asked if children had access. He replied, “The kids can take the books and read them all they want, but they have to have a parent’s permission to take them home.”
How does this happen in the most conservative county in the state? The righteous of the land haven’t been paying attention — or they simply don’t care.
Scripture says he “held his peace.” Silence. No outrage. No protective fury. No justice. Jacob did nothing. He was paralyzed. And that silence — that failure to act, to speak up, to defend his daughter — compounded the trauma. Dinah was violated, and her own father wouldn’t even acknowledge it.
So many have experienced this. The assault itself is horrific, but then comes the silence. The family that doesn’t believe you. The church that tells you to move on. Silence can be almost as damaging as the assault itself.
Solomon reminds us in Proverbs 29:2: “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.”
This is why we should pray for godly people to be in government — locally and nationally. When godless people rule, the people will always suffer.
It was recently brought to my attention that our local county library experienced a sudden, significant uptick in book purchases of a concerning nature. I spoke with an employee and asked if these books were sent by publishers or specifically ordered. He told me they had to be ordered directly, by title, by the library. I asked if children had access. He replied, “The kids can take the books and read them all they want, but they have to have a parent’s permission to take them home.”
How does this happen in the most conservative county in the state? The righteous of the land haven’t been paying attention — or they simply don’t care.
When Leaders Fail, the Unqualified Step In
Jacob’s sons, at least, were angry. They called what happened an “outrageous thing” — a phrase in Hebrew (nebalah b’Yisrael) that means a covenant-breaking abomination. They recognized the evil.
When someone has been violated or exposed to something sick and twisted, it is necessary to speak up and clearly label what has happened. If we fail to do so, the soul of the victim will find no healing, and generations will suffer in the wake.
But here’s the tragedy: when Jacob failed to lead, his sons took matters into their own hands. Through deception and violence, Simeon and Levi slaughtered the men of Shechem. They weaponized the covenant sign of circumcision to exact revenge. What resulted was unjust, tragic, and a sin against the covenant with Yahweh.
And saddest of all — it could have been prevented had Jacob simply led his family to Bethel.
When someone has been violated or exposed to something sick and twisted, it is necessary to speak up and clearly label what has happened. If we fail to do so, the soul of the victim will find no healing, and generations will suffer in the wake.
But here’s the tragedy: when Jacob failed to lead, his sons took matters into their own hands. Through deception and violence, Simeon and Levi slaughtered the men of Shechem. They weaponized the covenant sign of circumcision to exact revenge. What resulted was unjust, tragic, and a sin against the covenant with Yahweh.
And saddest of all — it could have been prevented had Jacob simply led his family to Bethel.
Chapter 35: The Pivot
Everyone has suffered. Everyone has been through trauma. But in chapter 35, the family finally makes a good move. Jacob takes all the sin and pain to God at Bethel.
“God said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.’” — Genesis 35:1
God intervenes. He doesn’t tell Jacob to fix what happened. He doesn’t chastise him. He simply says: if you and your family will find healing, it will be at Bethel.
And then Jacob does something remarkable. He tells his household: “Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments.”
Wait — foreign gods? Jacob’s household had been living with idols this entire time? Rachel stole her father’s household gods back in chapter 31, and apparently nobody dealt with it. For years, they’d been carrying these false gods around, paying lip service to Yahweh while hedging their bets with pagan deities.
Sometimes it takes a crisis to show us where we’ve been compromising. Sometimes God allows us to see the consequences of settling in Shechem so we’ll finally be willing to go to Bethel. The pain wakes us up. The brokenness drives us home.
“God said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.’” — Genesis 35:1
God intervenes. He doesn’t tell Jacob to fix what happened. He doesn’t chastise him. He simply says: if you and your family will find healing, it will be at Bethel.
And then Jacob does something remarkable. He tells his household: “Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments.”
Wait — foreign gods? Jacob’s household had been living with idols this entire time? Rachel stole her father’s household gods back in chapter 31, and apparently nobody dealt with it. For years, they’d been carrying these false gods around, paying lip service to Yahweh while hedging their bets with pagan deities.
Sometimes it takes a crisis to show us where we’ve been compromising. Sometimes God allows us to see the consequences of settling in Shechem so we’ll finally be willing to go to Bethel. The pain wakes us up. The brokenness drives us home.
Three Truths for the Road Back
Healing requires honesty. The first step toward healing is naming what happened. Jacob tried silence — it didn’t work. The brothers tried revenge — it made things worse. But God’s way starts with honesty: acknowledge the trauma, call sin what it is, bring it into the light.
If you’ve been sexually assaulted or violated, you need to tell someone. Not because you’re weak, but because secrets keep you sick. Find a safe person — a trusted friend, a counselor, a pastor who will believe you and support you. You don’t have to carry this alone.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” — Psalm 147:3
Christ died for our sins, but He also died for the sins committed against us. By His stripes, we find healing. The cross is God’s demonstration that sin is real, that it has eternal consequences, and that justice will either fall on Christ or on the sinner. No sin has been or will be overlooked. Bring Him your broken heart. You have to let Him see your wounds.
Healing requires release. Jacob’s household had to stop compromising in Shechem and return to Bethel. They had to get rid of their idols. They had to believe God is enough.
The reason we cling to idols is that they are small enough for us to feel some measure of control. Victims, in particular, are drawn to what they can control, because a loss of control is what got them in the mess in the first place. It’s not uncommon for them to bow at the altar of a bottle, a pill, or to throw themselves into work or the gym — all in an attempt to control something.
God’s call to put away foreign gods is an invitation to freedom. You don’t have to perform to have value. You don’t have to control everything to be safe. You don’t have to numb the pain to survive. Come to Bethel. Let God be God. Trust Him with your healing.
Healing requires returning. This is the heart of the passage. God says, “Go to Bethel and make an altar.”
Worship is not a luxury for people who have it all together. Worship is how broken people find healing. Worship reorients us. It reminds us that God is still God, even when our world has been shattered. It reconnects us to the One who sees us, knows us, and loves us anyway.
Some of you have been avoiding church, avoiding worship, avoiding God because you feel too damaged. You think, “I’ll come back when I’m better. I’ll worship when I have my life together. I’ll seek God when I’m clean enough.” But that’s backwards. You come to Bethel broken. You worship your way toward wholeness. You encounter God in your mess, and He meets you there.
If you’ve been sexually assaulted or violated, you need to tell someone. Not because you’re weak, but because secrets keep you sick. Find a safe person — a trusted friend, a counselor, a pastor who will believe you and support you. You don’t have to carry this alone.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” — Psalm 147:3
Christ died for our sins, but He also died for the sins committed against us. By His stripes, we find healing. The cross is God’s demonstration that sin is real, that it has eternal consequences, and that justice will either fall on Christ or on the sinner. No sin has been or will be overlooked. Bring Him your broken heart. You have to let Him see your wounds.
Healing requires release. Jacob’s household had to stop compromising in Shechem and return to Bethel. They had to get rid of their idols. They had to believe God is enough.
The reason we cling to idols is that they are small enough for us to feel some measure of control. Victims, in particular, are drawn to what they can control, because a loss of control is what got them in the mess in the first place. It’s not uncommon for them to bow at the altar of a bottle, a pill, or to throw themselves into work or the gym — all in an attempt to control something.
God’s call to put away foreign gods is an invitation to freedom. You don’t have to perform to have value. You don’t have to control everything to be safe. You don’t have to numb the pain to survive. Come to Bethel. Let God be God. Trust Him with your healing.
Healing requires returning. This is the heart of the passage. God says, “Go to Bethel and make an altar.”
Worship is not a luxury for people who have it all together. Worship is how broken people find healing. Worship reorients us. It reminds us that God is still God, even when our world has been shattered. It reconnects us to the One who sees us, knows us, and loves us anyway.
Some of you have been avoiding church, avoiding worship, avoiding God because you feel too damaged. You think, “I’ll come back when I’m better. I’ll worship when I have my life together. I’ll seek God when I’m clean enough.” But that’s backwards. You come to Bethel broken. You worship your way toward wholeness. You encounter God in your mess, and He meets you there.
Shechem and Calvary
Consider the stark difference:
At Shechem, a daughter is violated. At Calvary, the Son is violated.
At Shechem, a father is silent. At Calvary, the Father speaks from heaven.
At Shechem, brothers spill guilty blood. At Calvary, innocent blood is shed to satisfy justice.
At Shechem, revenge multiplies sin. At Calvary, justice absorbs sin.
Where are you today? Are you sojourning in Shechem or worshipping at Bethel? What has it cost you? Is it worth it?
The road back to Bethel is available to all of us. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or what’s been done to you. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in Shechem. God is calling you home. He’s calling you back to the place of encounter, the place of covenant, the place of blessing.
Arise. Go to Bethel.
Listen to the full sermon: The Road to Bethel — First Baptist Fernandina Beach, Genesis Series
Subscribe to my Substack: Zach Terry on Substack
Learn more: Maximum Life with Zach Terry
Download the Maximum Life+ App: Available on the App Store and Google Play
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, contact RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) at 1-800-656-4673 or visit www.rainn.org.
Dr. Zach Terry is the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Fernandina Beach, FL, and President of Maximum Life, Inc.
At Shechem, a daughter is violated. At Calvary, the Son is violated.
At Shechem, a father is silent. At Calvary, the Father speaks from heaven.
At Shechem, brothers spill guilty blood. At Calvary, innocent blood is shed to satisfy justice.
At Shechem, revenge multiplies sin. At Calvary, justice absorbs sin.
Where are you today? Are you sojourning in Shechem or worshipping at Bethel? What has it cost you? Is it worth it?
The road back to Bethel is available to all of us. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or what’s been done to you. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in Shechem. God is calling you home. He’s calling you back to the place of encounter, the place of covenant, the place of blessing.
Arise. Go to Bethel.
Listen to the full sermon: The Road to Bethel — First Baptist Fernandina Beach, Genesis Series
Subscribe to my Substack: Zach Terry on Substack
Learn more: Maximum Life with Zach Terry
Download the Maximum Life+ App: Available on the App Store and Google Play
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, contact RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) at 1-800-656-4673 or visit www.rainn.org.
Dr. Zach Terry is the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Fernandina Beach, FL, and President of Maximum Life, Inc.
The Maximum Life Blog
My name is Zach Terry. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this blog are my own, with occasional interjections from my bride of nearly 25 years, Julie. This format of publication is meant to allow for engagement and interaction. Feel free to comment. But please, be nice.
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