It’s a question that pops up surprisingly often in ancient texts. to one particularly vivid example from the Book of Jubilees.

We’re talking about Jacob, remember him? He’s had quite the life – wrestling angels, scheming for blessings, and generally navigating a rather complicated family dynamic. Now, after years away, he’s heading back to the land promised to his ancestors. But first, a little spiritual housecleaning is in order.

The Book of Jubilees, a text considered canonical by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and valued by many for its insights into ancient Jewish thought, tells us that Jacob gathers his family and says, "Let us arise and go up to Bethel, where I vowed a vow to Him on the day when I fled from the face of Esau my brother, because He hath been with me and brought me into this land in peace." It’s a powerful moment of recognition. Jacob acknowledges the divine protection that has guided him through all his trials.

But there's a catch. Before they can return to Bethel – literally "House of God," a place of sacred significance – Jacob demands a purification. "Put ye away the strange gods that are among you." for a second. After all that Jacob had been through, his family was still holding onto their idols! It’s a stark reminder that shedding old beliefs and practices isn’t always a clean break. Sometimes, we cling to familiar comforts, even when we know they don't serve us.

So, what happens to these idols? Well, the family doesn’t just toss them in the trash. Jubilees continues, "And they gave up the strange gods and that which was in their ears and which was on their necks, and the idols which Rachel stole from Laban her brother she gave wholly to Jacob."

Wait, Rachel? Yes, that Rachel. The one we also read about in Genesis 31:19, who famously swiped her father’s idols. It seems that even after all this time, she was still holding onto them. This detail, included in Jubilees, adds a layer of complexity to her character. It suggests a possible struggle between her loyalty to her family and her growing faith in the God of Jacob.

And what does Jacob do with these discarded idols? He doesn’t just bury them. The text says, "And he burnt and brake them to pieces and destroyed them, and hid them under an oak which is in the land of Shechem." The burning and breaking – these are acts of deliberate destruction, a symbolic rejection of the old ways. Hiding them under an oak in Shechem marks a definitive end to their power.

Why an oak tree, though? Trees often symbolize strength, longevity, and connection to the earth. Perhaps burying the idols beneath an oak was a way of ensuring they would never resurface, a way of rooting out the old beliefs and planting something new in their place.

What can we learn from this story? It’s more than just an account of ancient idol disposal. It's a story about transformation, about the messy process of letting go of old beliefs and embracing a new path. It’s a reminder that even those closest to us may be grappling with their own internal conflicts, clinging to familiar comforts even as they strive for something more. And it’s a testament to the power of intentional action, of deliberately dismantling the things that hold us back from fully embracing our own journeys. What idols might we need to confront in our own lives? What oaks await?