Genesis 35:14-15
And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.
Tag: We All Need a House of Bethel
The Word “Bethel” in the above text is the Hebrew word: ḇêyṯ-’êl. It is a word made up of two words: beyt = house and el = God. So, the name means, “house of God.” It was at this place that Jacob had his name changed to Israel.
Genesis 35:10
And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel.
This is a change in “position” for Jacob. Regretfully, the change in name doesn’t change his basic disposition. He still makes mistakes in his walk with God. But, this “place” is a place he finds communication with God. It was this place that Jacob found a place to rest when he was headed toward Laban and away from Esau:
Genesis 28:10-13 (Jacob's Dream)
Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring.
Now he found himself running from Laban and toward Esau. Despite who he was running from and headed to, Jacob (now Israel) meet with God. Israel had a Bethel. We all need a Bethel ... a place, no matter where we are headed, that we can meet with God. This is a place that God speaks to us and we speak to God. It is in this place that God can give us promises, remind us of His promises and even change our name. God doesn’t need a place to do any of this, however. The place is for the psychological need for Israel. When he was there at the first. At that time he also took a stone and set a marker for where he meet with God:
Genesis 28:18
So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it.
He did the same thing in the passage in chapter 35. Each time he was placing a reminder to himself of God’s presence and God’s promises. We all need a Bethel to hear God’s promises and sense His presence.
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