Gen 35:2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments.

Genesis 35 is about Jacob’s journey to Bethel. Jacob’s family was in a mess. His daughter was raped and his sons had killed all the men of the city because of what Shechem had done to their sister (Genesis 34). The crime of his sons had made him a public enemy to all who dwelled in Canaan. Jacob was considered a foreigner. How could a foreigner do such a thing to the natives? Hence, it was necessary that Jacob should leave Shechem. God commanded Jacob to pack up and go to Bethel. Bethel means “house of God”. It was the place that God first appeared to Jacob when he was fleeing from his brother (Genesis 28:10-22). Upon God’s instruction, Jacob prepared his family to set out for Bethel. His first instruction to his family is this: “Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments” (v.2). Put away the strange gods – Rachel had stolen an idol from her father (Genesis 31:32). While dwelling in Shechem, Jacob had tolerated the possession of foreign gods. But today, he made a resolution to return to Bethel. To return to Bethel, he must first remove all the idols in his home. The first thing when we come to Bethel is to remove any idol in our hearts. An idol is anything that comes in between our devotion to God. It can be job, money, family, or pleasure. Some are too busy with work and making money that they have no time for God. Some may leave God because of family. Others left because of pleasures of this life – they love their hobbies and vacations. Coming to Bethel means removing the distractions in our lives and putting God first: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment” (Mark 12:30). Be clean – This refers to the heart. David asked: “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?” (Psalm 24:3). He answered: “He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully” (Psalm 24:4). The second thing when we come to Bethel is to remove sins in our lives. God is holy and so He expects us to be holy (1 Peter 1:15). Hebrews 12:14 says without holiness no one shall see the Lord. Do we have clean hands and pure hearts? Change your garments – Throughout the Scripture, garments/clothes often symbolize character. Paul told the saints at Ephesus and Colossae to “put on the new man” (Ephesians 4:24’ Colossians 3:10). Here Jacob’s family were told to change the clothes that had been polluted in Shechem and put on new clothes associated with character. The third thing when we come to Bethel is a changed life. It is not a small change but a thorough overhaul; a transformation like a caterpillar to a butterfly. Paul explains it: “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness” (Colossians 3:12-14). Jacob was in trouble. God called him to go to Bethel. Likewise, when we are in trouble, go to Bethel.