El Bethel

“…but don’t ever prophesy at Bethel again, for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.” – Amos 7.13, CSB

In Genesis 28, Jacob was journeying from Beer-sheba toward Haran. One night, he had a dream about a stairway that went from earth to the heights of heaven with angels ascending and descending on it. And while I imagine his gaze fixed on that stairway, he saw the Lord standing next to him. And then the Lord spoke these words to him.

The LORD was standing there beside him, saying, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your offspring the land on which you are lying. Your offspring will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out toward the west, the east, the north, and the south. All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. Look, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. I will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” – Genesis 28.13-15, CSB

After Jacob woke up, he said, “’ Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.’ He was afraid and said, ‘ What an awesome place this is! This is none other than the house of God. This is the gate of heaven ’” (Genesis 28.16-17, CSB). He then went on to name that place Bethel. Beth means house, and el means God. Jacob, after that experience with the Lord, named that place “the house of God.”

Some time later, Jacob obeyed God and returned to Bethel with his family, where he built an altar to God, who had appeared to him there, and renamed that place. What was once Bethel was now El-bethel, God of the house of God. His focus was now on God.

After so much history had passed, we come again to Bethel. It was in Bethel, a central place of worship and prophecy, where Amos was told by Amaziah the priest, “Go away, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah. Earn your living and give your prophecies there.” Amos, a breeder of sheep who God called to be a prophet (Amos 1.1), spoke the words of God. This wasn’t a calling that he worked toward or even asked for. Instead, his life was interrupted by the Lord. And he was faithful to speak the things of God. But his message to Israel wasn’t one of comfort and peace; instead, it was a strong warning to repent, because God’s judgment was coming because of their rebellion.

And what did Amos get for his obedience? He was falsely accused by Amaziah, the priest, of conspiring against the king of Israel because of the prophetic words of Amos that Israel would not be able to endure (Amos 7.10). Then, he was instructed to leave Israel and go to Judah to prophesy. The reason behind Amaziah’s instructions to Amos was that Bethel had become “the king’s sanctuary and the national place of worship” (Amos 7.13, NLT). Bethel, the house of God, was no longer considered the house of God because God was no longer valued and worshiped at Bethel.

So what do we do? Let us remain constantly aware of God’s presence with us. Let us present ourselves to him every day in humble service and reverent worship. Let us long for the truth of God’s word, whether it’s a word of rebuke or encouragement. Let us keep away from replacing God with anything or anyone else while trying to masquerade as followers of Jesus. Let us confess sin and repent from it. Let us enjoy Jesus and joyfully receive his grace that he lavishes upon us (Ephesians 1.7-8). Let our church gatherings be about praise and worship to God, rather than us simply showing up at a building that we’ve constructed, making it more about us. And let us be forever focused on El Bethel, the God of the house of God.