Faith Journey (Genesis 34) by Pastor Paul Liu

Welcome to One in Christ Church, where the radiant story of Jesus comes to life.

Genesis 34 is a heavy chapter. It tells a story of violence, deception, silence, and the consequences of unfaithfulness—not just from outsiders, but from within God’s covenant family.

Dinah, Jacob’s daughter by Leah, goes out to visit the women of the land. Shechem, a local prince, sees her, seizes her, and rapes her. Afterward, he speaks kindly to her and asks his father Hamor to arrange marriage. It’s a twisted picture—where the abuser now seeks union.

Jacob hears of it but remains silent until his sons return. Hamor and Shechem approach with a proposal: intermarriage, economic sharing, and unity between their people. They make it sound like peace, but it’s built on a terrible crime.

Jacob’s sons, especially Simeon and Levi, burn with anger. They deceitfully agree to the union—only if all the men of the city are circumcised. While the men are still in pain, Simeon and Levi attack and kill every male, including Shechem and Hamor. Then the rest of Jacob’s sons plunder the city.

Jacob responds not with moral clarity, but with fear: “You have brought trouble on me… I am few in number, and they will attack me.” The chapter ends with Simeon and Levi’s question: “Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?”

The silence is haunting. Dinah never speaks. Jacob never speaks to her. God does not speak in this chapter either.

So what can we learn from such a dark moment?

1. Cultural compromise leads to moral confusion. Jacob had settled near Shechem, not fully in the land God promised. He built an altar, but compromised in where he led his family. Dinah, left unprotected, enters a world that doesn’t fear God. The result is devastation. When we flirt with the values of the world while claiming the name of God, confusion and harm follow.

2. Violence cannot fix violation. Simeon and Levi’s response feels like justice, but it is not righteousness. Their vengeance is deceitful, excessive, and dishonoring to God. They destroy an entire city. Later in Genesis 49, Jacob will curse their anger and deny them blessing. True justice belongs to God.

3. Silence is not safety. Jacob says nothing when he hears what happened to Dinah. He’s passive, indecisive, and self-focused. His concern is about danger to himself, not dignity for his daughter. In contrast, his sons act decisively—but without wisdom. The absence of godly leadership creates a vacuum that anger fills.

4. God is not absent—He is preparing a move. Though God is silent in this chapter, He speaks immediately in Genesis 35:1: “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there.” In the face of sin, compromise, and brokenness, God calls Jacob back to the place of worship, repentance, and remembrance. That’s grace.

If your life is in a season where God seems silent, or chaos surrounds you, remember this: silence is not absence. Even when we are unfaithful, God is not done. He calls us again—back to Himself.

Let’s pray. Father, we grieve the darkness in this chapter—and in our world. We long for true justice, for protection of the vulnerable, and for healing in broken families. Forgive us when we are silent or angry without righteousness. Restore us, lead us to worship, and show us Christ, who bore violence to bring peace. In His name, amen.

Thank you for listening. This is a hard passage, but the gospel speaks into every corner of our lives. One in Christ Church welcomes you to walk this journey of faith with us.