Genesis 34:25–On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and came against the city while it felt secure and killed all the males.

When we think about the epitome of evil, Satan quickly comes to mind.  Though he has many evil characteristics, consider that he preys on our weaknesses/sins to destroy us, is what makes him the most evil.  That though we may be “secure” in God’s hands, we are lured by our sins and weaknesses to do Satan’s will…(James 1:13-14, 1 Corinthians 7:5, Luke 22:31, 1 Peter 5:8, 2 Timothy 2:26)

When we take advantage of people because they are weak in an area, or in a vulnerable situation that makes them weak, we are practicing evil.  Much like a physically stronger man intimidating and abusing a physically weaker woman, in his wickedness he is taking advantage of her weakness.  Which is the complete opposite of what strong people are to do for the weaker in bearing their burdens…(Romans 15:1)

Much like the two brothers in today’s passage.  Simeon and Levi were enraged at Shechem treating their sister Dinah “like a prostitute”, and rightly so!  But they agreed with their father Jacob, and made a covenant with Hamor the father of Shechem to have them circumcised, if they are going to marry into each other’s families…(Genesis 34:13-30)

 But in premeditated retaliation, Simeon and Levi waited until Shechem and the other men were “sore” from circumcision, and slaughtered them in their “weakness”, while they sat “secure” in the covenant they had made with Jacob and his sons.  Jacob would later curse their rash violence and cruelty in repaying evil for evil (Genesis 49:5-7, Romans 12:17).

The Satanic wickedness behind doing evil to people in their “weakness”, is a foreshadow of what we as a human race did to our Lord in His crucifixion (2 Corinthians 13:4).  To take advantage of people in a “weakness” is the cowardice of Satan.  As Christians who look to walk with the Lord, the resistance to not repay evil for evil can make us look weak.  But it takes supernatural strength (grace/faith) to resist paying people back in evil, that generally would be natural for us to do. Like Christ we are to bear the burdens of the weak, not take advantage of them…

In His Love, LD