WHICH THING OUGHT NOT TO BE DONE

Genesis 34:7, ". . .Because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter, which thing ought not to be done."

Jacob has settled into the promised land. It is not his yet, it is a covenant property. The land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their descendants. It was not theirs until the book of Joshua, when they defeated the enemies of the land. They defeated all the -ites from the promised land. Even though he is in the land, he is surrounded by the citizens of that land, the Hivites.
As they got settled into this new land and new city, there is always the need to check things out. The boys were no doubt busy with the flocks and the set up of the tents. Dinah, being the only daughter to Jacob and to Leah, decided to venture out to visit the other young woman of the city. Now as see goes to meet and greet with them, the young prince of Shalem, Shechem by name, sees her. He professes to Jacob that he loves her. Love at first site, so he says. But in actuality, it was only lusts. For he seduced, allured, overpowered and took her 'and lay with her and defiled her.'
Here is the only daughter of Jacob; she is young; she is new to the land; and now she is defiled. In the verse for our theme, 'things that ought not to be done'; this is one of the most understated things to say to our young people, 'Don't commit fornication or adultery'. It is almost taboo to speak of these things. Yet, for Dinah, she is defiled by a Hivite and once the deed of sin is done, innocence can never be restored. The state of being naive is such a blissful time, yet when the deed of sin is done, it is all gone, never more to return. Oh, how many a young people have ruined their lives by one moment, one decision, one yielding to sin. These things ought not to be done.

Where is the prince of Israel, jacob, the descendant of righteous Abraham? He is sitting silently, holding his peace to the men that have defiled his only daughter. It is the boys that rise to defend her and squelch the sin that has been done. Look at their response in verse 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, becasue he had wrought folly to Israel. . .' they were grieved, they were wroth. Such should be the response of all toward sin.

Let us look now at this in light of our approach to sin. Is our motto, our edict, 'These things ought not to be done'? Yes, the one thing that ought not to be done to Dinah was to defil her. But what thing ought we not to be doing in the sight of the Lord? What is there that grieves and offends the Holy Spirit? What is there that brings reproach on His Holy Name? What is there that robs us of our joy? Name them, and see that these are the things that ought not to be done.

1. Neglect; this is our first mention of things that ought not to be done. The neglect of the so many things in our personal and public life for spiritual discipline- Neglect of Bible; neglect of prayer; neglect of being in His presence; neglect of forsaking ourselves together in worship and service; neglect of time to develop intimacy with God; neglect of being filled with His Spirit; neglect in sharing the Gospel. All these things are sign of such a spiritual sickness that requires of God for His mercy and restoration to renew us. This was not meant to be for any Christian to be in a sad state of neglect. God intended and provides a way for us to stay obedient and not reach a place of neglect. But when you examine your life and you see the neglect becoming more rampant; when you see it missing more than it is hitting, than you know that your state of decay is rapidly upon you. God has made a way for us to avoid and flee from neglect. He has sent the Spirit to speak to us, 'this is the way now walk in it.' He has given us promises and direction in His word to 'take heed' lest we fall prey to Satan and become those that neglect His ways.


2. Failure - Another thing that ought not to be for the church is failure. How can one who has the power and presence of God upon them and with them fail? To declare failure in your ministry, church, family or daily living is to say that God has failed. God cannot fail.