Return To Bethel
Gen 35:1-3
[JAY cub] (a supplanter)-one of the twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah. The brother of Esau, he was known also as Israel (Gen 32:28).
Jacob was born in answer to his father’s prayer (Gen 25:21), but he became the favorite son of his mother (25:28). He was nicknamed Jacob because, at the birth of the twins, "his hand took hold of Esau’s heel" (25:26). According to the accounts in Genesis, Jacob continued to "take hold of" the possessions of others-his brother’s birthright (25:29-34), his father’s blessing (27:1-29), and his father-in-law’s flocks and herds (30:25-43; 31:1).
The pattern of Jacob’s life is found in his journeys, much like the travels of his grandfather ABRAHAM. Leaving his home in Beersheba, he traveled to Bethel (28:10-22); later he returned to Shechem (33:18-20), Bethel (35:6-7), and Hebron (35:27). At Shechem and Bethel he built altars, as Abraham had done (12:6-7,8). Near the end of his life Jacob migrated to Egypt; he died there at an advanced age (Gen 46-49).
The most dramatic moments in Jacob’s life occurred at Bethel (Gen 28:10-22), at the ford of the River Jabbok (32:22-32), and on his deathbed (49).
The experience at Bethel occurred when he left the family home at Beersheba to travel to Haran (a city in Mesopotamia), the residence of his uncle Laban (28:10). On the way, as he stopped for the night at Bethel, he had a dream of a staircase reaching from earth to heaven with angels upon it and the Lord above it. He was impressed by the words of the Lord, promising Jacob inheritance of the land, descendants "as the dust of the earth" in number, and His divine presence. Jacob dedicated the site as a place of worship, calling it Bethel (literally, House of God). More than 20 years later, Jacob returned to this spot, built an altar, called the place El Bethel (literally, God of the house of God), and received the divine blessing (35:6-15).
The experience at the ford of the River Jabbok occurred as Jacob returned from his long stay at Haran. While preparing for a reunion with his brother, Esau, of whom he was still afraid (32:7), he had a profound experience that left him changed in both body and spirit.
At the ford of the Jabbok, "Jacob was left alone" (32:24). It was night, and he found himself suddenly engaged in a wrestling match in the darkness. This match lasted until the breaking of the dawn. The socket of Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he struggled with this mysterious stranger, but he refused to release his grip until he was given a blessing. For the first time in the narrative of Genesis, Jacob had been unable to defeat an opponent. When asked to identify himself in the darkness, he confessed he was Jacob-the heel-grabber.
But Jacob’s struggling earned him a new name. For his struggle "with God and with men" in which he had prevailed, his name was changed to Israel (literally, Prince with God). In return, he gave a name to the spot that marked the change; it would be called Peniel-"For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved" (32:30).
In these first two instances, a deep spiritual sensitivity is evident in Jacob. He appears outwardly brash and grasping, always enriching himself and securing his future. Yet he responded readily to these night experiences-the dream and the wrestling contest-because he apparently sensed "the presence of the holy" in each of them. He also proved to be a man of his word in his dealings with Laban (Gen 31:6), and in the fulfillment of his vow to return to Bethel (35:1-3).
(from Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c)1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Returning to Bethel -Gen. 35:1-3
The call to Jacob to return to Bethel, is from God. Then God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel, and live there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau." Gen 35:1
God in the same way calls us to return. Return to our place of dedication, the place and time that we made a commitment to Him.
Lets take a look at Jacob at Bethel the first time. Read (Gen. 28:10-22)
1) Here we can see that Jacob had stopped to rest. 2) He heard God speak to him here. 3) God promised to be with him and bring him back to this place (v.15). 4) Jacob experiences God’s awesomeness. (Vv.16-17). 5) Jacob makes a vow to God. (Vv.18-22).
Bethel for us is that place of rest, letting God speak to us, revealing his promises to us. Bethel is the place where we experienced God’s awesomeness and said for the first time yes Lord. Yes You are my God and I will serve you.
We can also look at Bethel, as the place where God started working on the character of Jacob, and it is the place God started working on ours also. But, be confident, as the Apostle Paul writes in Phil. 1:6 “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus”.
There comes a time when God commands us to go back to Bethel. Read (Gen.35:1)
Why? Because we need to go back to our Bethel, and let God reveal these things to us again. To put us back on track with His will for our lives.
Returning to Bethel also meant a time of cleansing. Read (Gen. 35:2)
To make progress in our Christian walk we must make a complete break with the old life that hinders our faithfulness to God.
Before Jacob and his family could move forward, they had to clean house first. They had to rid themselves of idols, which represent anything which we trust, desire, or prioritize over God. Then they had to purify themselves, which was an outward washing, which represented the inward cleaning the Christian’’s experiences as they confess, repent, and renounce sin in their lives. They had to change their clothes, which was symbolic of leaving the old sin tainted clothes behind and putting on garments of righteousness. They even got rid of all their ear rings (verse 4), which apparently had some association with paganism or cultism. In summary, they had to completely renounce and rid themselves of those things which offended a holy God and hindered their spiritual walk.
What does this mean for us? It means that we cannot make progress until we willingly lay aside anything in our lives that the Bible or Holy Spirit has shown us is offensive to God. For each one of us It may be something different than someone else’s, but the point is that we cannot move forward in our spiritual life without leaving something behind! For example some of these things could be our plans, ungodly attitudes, goals other than God’s.
Returning to Bethel is a time of consecration. This is the consecration of Jacob’s heart as he return’s to the Lord. Read (Gen.35:3).
Consecration is the act of setting apart, or dedicating yourself to God. Let’s do as Jacob said to his people, “let us arise and go”. Lets go back to Bethel. Setting ourselves apart will allow us to do as Jacob did, worship the Lord, become faithful to Him (God).
We will remember how God had answered his promises and our prayers. And we will look back over the years and see how God has been so faithful to us. Read 2 Peter 1:2-11
Closing:
Bethel was a place of:
1. Acquaintance
God revealed Himself to Jacob
God revealed Himself to us
2. Affirmation
We need to go back and affirm our Grace which God has extended to us.
We need to go back and affirm our Goal that God has given us.
We need to go back and affirm that God id STILL our God.
3.Altars
While Jacob was away from Bethel, settled down among the heathens, his family was reaping the consequences.
His daughter was defiled. (Raped) - Gen.34:2
His sons had committed murder. - Gen.34:25
His family had many strange gods. - Gen.35:4
Here’s what was involved with going back. The IMPACT of Jacob’s return.
1. The impact on his family: they gave up their gods and gold
2. It had a impact on the community: his enemies feared him
4.Assurance
God reappeared to him.. - (v.7)
God changed his name. - (v.10)
Going back to Bethel means:
1. Back to a remembrance of our first love.
2. Back to the better life we once knew.
3. Back to the BIBLE.
4. Back to active service for the Lord.
God is calling each of us back to our Bethel. In doing so it will impact us and others for God and His kingdom.
