From last month’s article, we recall that Shechem’s history helps us to understand some of the reasons why God chose to gather his children there in Joshua 24.
- Shechem was the first place Abram visited upon entering the land of Canaan (Gen. 12:1-7) and he built an altar at the oak of Moreh — he crossed over and worshipped.
- Jacob buried his household gods under an oak at Shechem (Gen. 35:1- 4) — idolatry was put away.
- Joseph’s coffin was buried at Shechem according to his own word (Gen. 50:26; Josh. 24:32) — death in the hope of resurrection to the promises.
- The blessings and cursing of the law were pronounced at Shechem (Josh. 8:34) — blessing and cursing.
- Joshua and the people committed themselves to serve God faithfully (Josh. 24:24) — commitment to obedience.
Connections to our Lord
These five events at Shechem draw our minds to our own association with the Lord Jesus Christ: we have crossed from the world to Christ and worship in him where idolatry is put away; we have died to sin in hope of sharing in the promises; we stand related to blessings, but are aware there could be cursings, therefore we have committed ourselves to faithfully serving God.
A further link of Shechem to Christ is that the word means “shoulder” (Young’s Concordance) and is used in Messianic prophecies: “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon his shoulder (she kern). And his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace;” “The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder (shekem); so he shall open, and no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and no one shall open” (Isa. 9:6; 22:22 NKJV as all quotes).
The authority of the kingdom rests on Christ’s shoulders, but before that he had to bear our sins. Because of this, his Father says; “Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isa. 53:12).
The burden placed upon the shoulders of Jesus could not have been borne by any man. It took the Son of God. The death of our Lord was the fulfillment of a life already sacrificed to his Father, for his brethren. Not just in his death—but in his life, his shoulders bore us. We are called to do the same in I Peter 2:21-24: “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.”
Because the Lord was prepared to bear the burden of our sins, God will divide him a portion with the great and he will bear the glory of King in the kingdom age.
Blessing and cursing
The parable of Shechem contains another allusion of things yet unfulfilled. When our Lord returns, the judgment will be set, and the books will be opened. The faithful will be gathered on his right hand, and the unfaithful on the left. In II Corinthians 5:10, we read: “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” And of that day, our Lord says in John 12:48-50: “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”
Our own memorial
At the table of the Lord, we call to remembrance our history, as Israel did in their journey to Shechem under the leadership of Joshua. We remember that which we leave behind—the Ur and Egypt of our day—the world and all that is in it. We call to mind our commitment to forsake the old man who continually needs to be mortified, by the crucifying of our flesh, and the carrying of crosses on shoulders—our shoulders—and live unto Christ.
We see these things emblematically illustrated in the ancient landscape of Shechem. And we see the mountains of blessing and cursing which stood on either side of the city. Let us choose blessing, and our Lord will remember us when he comes in his kingdom.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One