seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 28:16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”
18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. 19 He called that place Bethel,[e] though the city used to be called Luz.
18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. 19 He called that place Bethel,[e] though the city used to be called Luz.
e. Genesis 28:19 Bethel means house of God
I love it when Jacob says "How awesome is this place!" It's so hippie! At least to me....
OK, here's what the blueletterbible.org says.
Jacob was right in sensing the presence of the LORD there, but he was wrong in perhaps thinking God was in some places and not in others. David knew this: Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? (Psalm 139:7)
How awesome is this place! From his fleshly perspective, Jacob puts too much emphasis on a particular place. He doesn't realize that if the presence of the LORD is not with him in every place, then God can never fulfill His promise to him.
The city of Bethel plays an important (though not glorious) role in Israel's history. It is second only to Jerusalem in the number of times mentioned in the Old Testament.
How awesome is this place! From his fleshly perspective, Jacob puts too much emphasis on a particular place. He doesn't realize that if the presence of the LORD is not with him in every place, then God can never fulfill His promise to him.
The city of Bethel plays an important (though not glorious) role in Israel's history. It is second only to Jerusalem in the number of times mentioned in the Old Testament.
Later, when speaking to Jacob, God refers to Himself as the God of Bethel (Genesis 31:13).
Bethel would eventually become a high place, notorious for idolatrous sacrifice (1 Kings 13:32, Hosea 10:15, Amos 4:4).
Bethel would eventually become a high place, notorious for idolatrous sacrifice (1 Kings 13:32, Hosea 10:15, Amos 4:4).
The easy English commentary has a somewhat subdued view.
Jacob said, ‘I did not know it before.’ Until this time, he did not know that God was with him. He knew that God was the God of his father, Isaac. But Jacob himself did not know God until God came to him in a dream. But after this time, he knew God. He knew that God was with him. And he knew that he belonged to God.
‘Bethel’ means ‘God’s house’
‘Bethel’ means ‘God’s house’
I guess there are two lessons this morning. The first is that Jacob knows God now. The second is that God is not confined to one place.
