Bethel

Genesis 28:22 “And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”

Since the New Testament teaches us that we are the houses of God, we need to compare ourselves with Bethel the first house of God mentioned in the Bible. The place is very prominent even before it was named. This place was the first landmark inside Canaan in the Bible (Gen 12:8). This shows how we are predestined by God even before we are created. However verse 28:11 mentions this as “a certain place”. Even though the place was called as Luz (v19),it is important that this name is lost before it becomes Bethel. The call of God is so strong that Luz was originally called as Bethel. We can plan to do anything in our life, but God has destined us to become His house and want us to live here. If we read carefully, God had planned Jacob to start at the right time so that He would come to Bethel when the sun sets. A prominence with God makes Him place the right people and the everything works together as per Romans 8:28 so that our call to fulfill His will is executed.

In 35:15 we read Jacob naming the same place again as Bethel. This explains that the prominence God gives to us is easily lost. We become easily unrecognized and forgotten in this world. But God creates the right opportunities so that people will come back to us.

The role of Christ is also well established in this context as the cornerstone. The stone also is the gate of heaven which again is Christ Himself (John 10:7-9). This is the only way for us to reach the Father.  We have to come and rest on Christ to understand God. This was the first ever revelation to Jacob from God. Until this time, it was Rebekah who was influenced by God. Now, it is Jacob who has received communication directly from God. Now, verse 11 mentions that this stone belongs to Bethel. Christ had belonged to us completely even though He was the Father’s. He was laying down waiting for us to lay our life at Him. We read that in Isaiah 30:18 where God is patiently waiting for our repentance so that He would shower His grace upon us. All we have to do is come to Him and rest.

This is not a simple metaphor because the stone is given very much importance in this incident. Jacob anoints this stone and makes his vow at this stone. This stone is the only goodness inside Bethel. This stone as soon as it was identified, it needs to be raised up given the uttermost importance. We may not be in a position to build a temple at our current situation as we are running away into the world. But it is easy to raise Jesus Christ who is already present in us so that God will continue executing His plans in us. God does not expect us to build a temple immediately but He needs our sincere intention to build ourselves as a temple when and while He blesses us abundantly.

Sometimes it is marvelous to see God coming so low to us so that He could fulfill his desires in us. To Jacob He says that “I will be with you and keep you wherever you go”. This is the extreme patience God shows to Jacob because he was predestined. The purpose of God’s call is that Jacob should prosper in Canaan. But, since he is leaving in fear God, instead of expecting wisdom and courage, accepts to go along with Jacob and bring him back. But Jacob did not inherit this land completely. He was travelling around even after chapter 35. The problem is that God wants Jacob to live in Bethel but Jacob wanted to make Bethel God’s home and he would not stay there. We all make this mistake of not obeying God’s plan and staying at His presence. We try to achieve something on our own and give to God just like Jacob had vowed. But Jacob did not get a chance to tithe because there was trouble, disappointments, famine and more in his life. He thought God will give him food and clothing but God promised this land to him which he did not inherit or stay.

The word “behold” seen multiple times in the passage points to surprises. This sudden burst of hope can be read multiple times in the Bible. God uses the phrase to Himself as soon as man fell down from God’s plan (3:22). This is how God opens us doors for us in life with surprises. Jacob was sleeping and suddenly there was the ladder and again another unexpected vision was God Himself at the top of it. God uses behold again to say “I am with you”. This understanding of scripture where God says “listen carefully as a new thing is going to come up” is actual revelation.

Bethel is often referred in the Bible not as Bethel, but as a landmark of a desired place between Bethel and Ai. Bethel was God’s home where He expects us to live. Ai was not like that where even if we had captured it, it is destined to become a permanent heap of ruins. (Joshua 8:28). But we prepare to stay in the place between Bethel and Ai which is our problem. In Ezra 2:28 we read the men of Bethel and Ai shows that these cities were together.

Let us pursue to stay in Bethel or stay as Bethel to fulfill God’s will in our lives. Amen.