Welcome beloved to this blog. Thank GOD for a glorious day that the LORD has made and that we are alive, fine and well. To GOD Alone be all the Glory. Thank you JESUS.

Today, we want to look at the story of Dinah in Genesis 34, which I have titled ‘Just One Day – Only One Life Dinah.’

Her story is a story that is very much prevalent now in societies. We can relate with it in this present age.

Dinah, the only daughter of her parents, was born into a family treasured by GOD, a covenanted family of GOD, a precious family of GOD, a priesthood of GOD.

She had been seeing the daughters in the neighborhood passing by seemingly having ‘fun’ and she thought she was missing out. She felt she was lonely, only her brothers were always around her. So, she needed to go out and visit the girls to find out what’s the latest in town. This thought of ‘I’m missing out’ must have dwelt in her mind for some time. This time around she said to herself­­­­, let me give it a try, let me visit them so we can gist and have fun. She was insensitive to the fact that though they were neighbours, yet they were different. Yes, they were females probably of the same age bracket but some of them might have been world-wise and promiscuous. Even if some might have been innocent, the fact was that she did not even know them as they had nothing in common except that they were in the same neighbourhood and were girls. Dinah did not pay attention to details. She just felt like hanging out with the girls. She only wanted to visit, just a visit. Dinah came from a covenanted family of GOD and forgot who she was. She forgot that she could not just mingle with people who don’t even know her GOD, people with whom anything goes. YES.

Well, this particular day she went as she was, a virgin, precious and honourable to GOD. She left home thinking she will have fun with these girls, today would not be boring, it will not be the same routine, at least something different, something exciting, and she will come back home to rest. Well, she went. What did she find?  The most horrible, the most unexpected, the worst imagination, the most disgusting. She lost her treasure. Treasures are not found on the surface. You dig hard to find a treasure. She lost her virginity, not through her consent, she was raped. She lost her sense of value, she lost her crown of Glory and it was replaced with shame. She was debased and reduced to a sex object. Dinah was now a reproach, she had lost her identity in Israel but of course, she could easily be among the girls in the neighbourhood. Was that not what she craved for? Can you imagine how many ‘had I known’ she would have cried? The shame of losing her sense of dignity and pride, how devastated she was. Well, you can’t cry over spilt milk. The deed had been done. She was raped by the prince of the land, the owners of the land. How come the prince was there? Was it not to see the girls? Can you deal with that?

That ‘one day’ brought a series of unpleasant consequences. Yes, the prince proposed to marry her after the defilement, as he ‘loved’ her and was willing to do anything he was asked to do – but was that the will of GOD for this daughter of Zion, a heritage of GOD? It was recorded that ‘it was a disgraceful thing which ought not to have been done’. Well back to the prince who was more honourable than his brethren but could not control himself from raping a girl. Even, though he was more honourable than his brethren and was most willing to marry her, yet he was unqualified, as he was uncircumcised, an unbeliever, not qualified to marry a princess of GOD. But now in this circumstance, there has to be compromise, a little here a little there, no more straight jacket. The prince was told he needed to be circumcised outwardly and he jumped at it, being sure that Dinah was different, not like the girls in his land. He must have thought he will go all the way to get her at whatever cost. He promised to do so to fit into Dinah’s culture and family. He wasn’t going to do this alone; he convinced his father and the entire males in that community. He was that influential. Great isn’t it? But God looks at the heart, it’s the heart that transforms to the external act.  Do you now see why some parents do not support their daughters marrying that seemingly gentle man who has no relationship with our LORD JESUS CHRIST? Beloved, that gentle man could be a monster, he could be anybody, less than his ‘good’ appearance.

Because of the ugly background on which this marriage proposal was built, the trend was deceit. Dinah’s brothers were furious, but they concealed it and hatched their plan. Thereafter, after the prince, his father and all the males had circumcised themselves. On the third day when their pain was intense, Dinah’s brothers murdered all the males. Their reason, ‘he treated our sister as a harlot’. Can you just imagine the untold agony of every innocent family involved? Remember, just one day of visitation. Can you also imagine Dinah’s state?

It may have been many days for some, identifying with the wrong people, moving with the wrong crowd and making wrong choices. Things may seem normal for now, you know you ought not to be in that relationship, you ought not to be involved, but remember just one day and the bubble can burst.

Beloved, just one day could even be a day of retracing our steps and surrendering our lives to JESUS and asking HIM the OWNER of our lives, our REDEEMER, I need YOU, LORD, PLEASE forgive my sins, correct my errors, reverse the irreversible, take away my shame and my reproach. Please give me a new beginning of honour, of Glory. Restore me, LORD. One thing I can assure us is that HE will do much more for us than we have asked if we are willing to surrender our lives to The SOURCE OF LIFE – Our LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. Make it today and you shall testify to the amazing results.

Beloved, there are so many devices of the devil in luring us to defile ourselves some seem harmless like Dinah’s case. Please let us be more sensitive and open to those who truly love us. Perhaps, if she has told her mum or discussed her intention with her brothers they may have known or heard something that they would share with her that would have prevailed on her sense of reasoning.  

Thank you for reading please share the blog with others. Someone out there may just need this for such a time as this.

Beloved, please feel free to contribute, and the Almighty GOD Bless us all. Love you all with love of the LORD.

Shalom,

Myrtle