Genesis 46:10 The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. NKJV
Gracious Assimilation
Born in France in 1040, it was Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaqi, better known as ‘Rashi’ the famed author of the first comprehensive commentaries on the Talmud, Torah and Tanakh, first suggested that the ‘Shaul’ of our text for tonight, was in fact Dinah's son by lusty young Shechem! Rashi relates, that following the rape of their sister Dinah, Simeon and Levi later killed all the men in the city, including Shechem and his father. At that time, records Rachi, Dinah refused to leave the bloody palace of Shechem unless Simeon removed her pregnant shame, by agreeing to marry her! Of course Rashi goes on to say that Dinah only lived in Simeon’s house and did not have sexual relations with him. In any event, Rashi relates that because of this redemptive and shame covering marriage, Dinah's son Shaul, is counted among Simeon's children and consequently, Shaul also received a portion of land in Israel in the time of Joshua. Rashi suggests that Dinah, apparently because of her stupidity, because of her rape by Shechem and because of her being buried in the land of Canaan is regarded as that “Canaanite woman” of our text for tonight!
Well what can we say regarding our text and this Rash’ite recounting of a very strange story?In this strange time in which we live, we are surrounded by women who have children by multiple fathers. The rise of divorce and remarriage has led to a multitude of composite families, of both composite colours and cultures. These are mere observations rather than condemnations, these are just a fistful of frightening facts at the beginning of the 21st Century. It seems that both the world and the church are a mass and a mess of relationships gone wrong!
I wonder if our text for tonight then, mentions Shaul as a special son of Simeon, because he is a figurehead of redemptive assimilation? Shaul’s free acceptance and full adoption into Israel of old, is then a picture of the way in which we need to try and adopt all the unasked for sons of Canaan into the fantastic family of God.
Speaking as a son of a Canaanite woman myself, I know that God puts His love on all sorts of folks and brings them into the blessings of His family and into the very heart the promised land. Let’s make sure in the coming days that we can all, with righteousness and grace, widen our tent pegs of both accommodation and assimilation.
Listen: - And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth." Revelation 5:9,10 NKJV
Pray:- Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honour and glory and blessing! Yes blessing and honour and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever! Amen!
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