BETHEL REVISITED – Genesis 35:6-15

Today's text recounts another life changing moment for Jacob in 'Bethel' – a place he named: “The House of God”. It is here where he set up his first pillar (28:18) which had doubled for a pillow as he dreamed of the gates of heaven flung open to extend a stairway to earth with Yahweh at its head and the exiled son at its foot. 20 plus years later, Jacob is directed to return to this place of covenant revelation. True to form, God visits him again, this time to confirm His covenant to the limping patriarch. The experience is so moving, that Jacob takes it with him all the way to his deathbed where we find a few of his last words reserved for recounting the Bethel promises as he confers the legacy of covenant sonship to the next generation (48:1-4). Jacob has named various places along the way that bear some significance to his life and calling. In this chapter he assigns 3 names: 'El-Bethel', 'Allon-Bacuth', and 'Bethel'-- this final location is a place he had originally named in chapter 28 when he was fleeing his brother's murderous intentions. 'Bethel' becomes a memorial for the continuity of covenant promises reaching back to his grandfather Abraham. Many other similarities are evident in this encounter recalling previous visitations. Commentator Albert Barnes explains why: “At Bethel, he renews the change of name, to indicate that the meetings here were of equal moment in Jacob's spiritual life with that at Penuel. It implies also that His life had been declining in the interval between Penuel and Bethel, and now had been revived by the call of God to go to Bethel.” At Bethel we find Jacob face to face with God once again.