Genesis 35 has two acts: 1) God's bringing Jacob back to Bethel and the Promised Land, as well as reaffirming his name change and reminding him of the covenant promises, and 2) the pain of Rachel's and Isaac's deaths, as well as the betrayal of his son, Reuben.  This chapter ties up a lot of loose ends in Jacob's life and signals the end of the narrative that is centered on Jacob, before we get to his son, Joseph's life.  Would the earlier promises of God and His faithfulness sustain Jacob when he had to deal with the family pain in the later part of the chapter?  Does God's character and gracious acts in our lives steel us for the pain and trials that we will endure?