09/29/24 Let Us Arise and Go Up to Bethel
/**Sermon Study 30
**Date:** September 29, 2024
**Title:** "Let Us Arise and Go Up to Bethel"
**Text:** Genesis 35:9-15
**[Genesis 35:9-15]**
9 God appeared to Jacob again when he returned from Paddan Aram, and He blessed him.
10 God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel." So He named him Israel.
11 And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations will come from you, and kings will descend from your body.
12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you."
13 Then God went up from him at the place where He had spoken with him.
14 Jacob set up a pillar at the place where God had spoken with him, a stone pillar, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it.
15 Jacob called the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.
### The Ages of the Old Testament Figures
One of the remarkable things we’ve noticed while studying the history of Genesis over the past few weeks is that these people, though they lived thousands of years ago, in many ways aren’t so different from us.
We live in an age of space shuttles, the internet, A.I., and self-driving cars, while they had no means of communication and traveled mostly by foot. Yet the differences between them and us aren’t as significant as we might think.
This fact challenges evolutionists, as it suggests that humanity has not undergone substantial changes over thousands of years. Despite the rise and fall of many civilizations, the moral and ethical foundations of these people remain very similar to our own. This is largely due to the Bible, which has become the most important moral guide throughout human history.
Even today, thousands of years later, the stories of these biblical figures are still the most widely read and shared across the globe, with the same scriptures being proclaimed today as they were then.
However, one key difference we’ve discovered while looking into the lives of these people is that they lived much longer than we do. When viewed through the lens of our modern age, many of the events in Genesis seem hard to comprehend.
For example, when Pharaoh wanted to take Sarah as his wife, she was in her late 60s. Later, when Abimelech desired her, Sarah was almost 90 years old. Of course, it’s also quite shocking to think that Sarah gave birth to Isaac at such an advanced age.
It’s almost unimaginable.
And when we calculate Jacob’s age when he fled after receiving Isaac’s blessing, the results are just as astonishing. We typically think of Jacob as a young man during that time, as we picture him meeting Rachel, falling in love at first sight, and getting married after seven years of labor. But when you add up the years in the Genesis narrative, Jacob was actually in his mid-70s when he fled to Haran to escape from Esau.
For many people, this is a shocking reversal of the image they had in their minds.
Theologians explain that because the lifespan during that time was nearly double what it is today, it’s more accurate to think of their ages as roughly half of what we calculate by today’s standards.
This would mean that when Pharaoh found Sarah attractive, she was about 30 in today’s terms, and Abimelech desired a Sarah who was in her mid-40s.
Likewise, Jacob would have been in his late 30s when he left home, according to our standards. And when Jacob wrestled with the angel on his way back to his homeland, although he was nearly 100 in biblical terms, it’s easier to understand him as being in his late 40s by today’s standards.
This makes the story much easier to relate to.
### A World Corrupted by Sin
Geneticist and former Cornell professor, Dr. Sanford, in his book *"Genetic Entropy and the Mystery of the Genome,"* warns that humanity's genome is deteriorating due to accumulating genetic mutations, and that this weakening will eventually render human reproduction impossible.
In Genesis, after sin entered the world, we see that the first humans lived over 900 years, but after the global flood and subsequent environmental changes, the human lifespan drastically decreased. Noah’s son, Shem, lived to be 600, his son lived about 400 years, and Abraham’s father Terah lived to be 205. Abraham himself lived 175 years. These are remarkably specific numbers recorded in ancient texts, showing a clear trend of declining lifespans over generations.
The Bible attributes this shortening of life to the fall of creation due to sin. As we take a closer look at Genesis, it’s clear that even the great patriarchs of faith were marked by weakness and sin.
Despite their weaknesses, God still helped them, but He required a minimum level of faith. Yet God did not want them to stay at the minimum; He wanted them to rise beyond it. At times, we even see God’s joy when they exceeded expectations.
This was true when Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac in obedience, and when Jacob, despite being injured, held onto the angel all night, refusing to let go until he was blessed. This moment finally earned Jacob the name “Israel.”
### Back to Being Jacob
Jacob’s transformation into Israel is undoubtedly one of the most significant moments in the Old Testament, defining his life. But unfortunately, Jacob didn’t always live up to his new name.
When we look closely at Genesis 33, we see that Esau, by God’s grace, had no anger toward Jacob. Yet Jacob continued to act cautiously. He repeatedly referred to Esau as "my lord," and in one instance even said, "Seeing your face is like seeing the face of God," an excessive and insincere flattery.
To make matters worse, Jacob wasn’t being truthful. Esau invited him to come to his home in Seir, and Jacob agreed, saying they would follow shortly. However, Jacob had no intention of keeping that promise. Instead, he settled in Succoth, deliberately avoiding Esau.
In Succoth, Jacob and his family lived peacefully for about ten years before moving to Shechem. Although Jacob had promised to return to Bethel, where he had encountered God in his dream, he curiously chose to settle in Shechem instead.
Though no specific reason is given for this decision, one thing is certain: Shechem was the largest city Jacob would have encountered on the way to Bethel. It’s likely that Jacob was drawn to the city’s strategic advantages and chose to settle there instead of continuing on to Bethel.
**[Genesis 33:18-20]**
18 Jacob arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan, having come from Paddan Aram, and camped within sight of the city.
19 For a hundred pieces of silver, he bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, the plot of ground where he pitched his tent.
20 There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel.
Verse 18 says that Jacob arrived safely—“in peace”—at the city of Shechem. In ancient times, cities with walls and gates were considered safe havens. This indicates that Jacob’s family, after living for so long in Succoth, no longer felt secure there and sought out the safety of a walled city.
There, Jacob built an altar and called it “El Elohe Israel,” meaning “God, the God of Israel.” This scene is familiar, as Abraham and Isaac also built altars and called on the name of the Lord when they returned to the Lord.
However, this time, there is no response from God.
This silence from God foreshadows the tragedy that is about to occur.
The name “El Elohe Israel” is incredibly grandiose, even somewhat excessive. When translated literally, it means “The God of the God of Israel.” Since the word “Israel” already includes the name of God, Jacob seems to be using overly embellished language.
When religion begins to decline, the crosses grow larger and the symbols more ornate.
Jacob’s family settled in Shechem, bought land, and prospered. But soon after, tragedy struck. Jacob’s teenage daughter, Dinah, went out to visit the women of the city and was raped by Shechem, the son of Hamor, the local chieftain.
Shechem, however, became infatuated with Dinah and asked his father Hamor to request her hand in marriage from Jacob. Hamor approached Jacob, offering to pay a generous bride price. But Jacob, strangely, remained silent until his sons returned home.
When Jacob’s sons, particularly Simeon and Levi (Dinah’s full brothers), heard what had happened, they were filled with rage. Dinah was still staying in Shechem’s household, and her brothers began to plan a scheme for revenge.
They told Shechem and Hamor that they would only agree to the marriage if all the men in Shechem were circumcised. Shechem, eager to marry Dinah, persuaded all the men of the city to undergo circumcision.
On the third day, when the men were in the most pain, Simeon and Levi attacked and killed every male in the city, including Hamor and Shechem. They then took Dinah from Shechem’s house and returned home. Their brothers joined in, looting the city and taking its women, children, and livestock as spoils.
This violent and shocking story, which took place 4,000 years ago, is so dramatic that it could easily be adapted into a modern film and still be a hit.
Jacob, after this violent incident, finally found out what had happened. Upon hearing the news, he rebuked Simeon and Levi harshly.
**[Genesis 34:30-31]**
30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have brought trouble on me by making me obnoxious to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land. We are few in number, and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed."
31 But they replied, "Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?"
Jacob's reaction shows that the reason he had remained silent when he first heard about Dinah's assault was because he was afraid. He feared for his life and his family’s survival in the foreign land.
Some might argue that Simeon and Levi appear to be heroes here—rescuing their sister and exacting revenge. But what they did wasn’t God’s will. Simeon and Levi’s plan of revenge wasn’t a matter of righteous anger. It was a mix of cunning deception and brutal violence, reflecting not just their father Jacob's tendencies but also the cruelty of the pagan peoples around them.
Though it might seem like Simeon and Levi acted justly, their actions led to a lifetime of consequences for them both.
Yet the root cause of all this tragedy, beginning with Dinah’s assault, can be traced back to Jacob’s decision to settle in Shechem rather than fulfill his vow to return to Bethel. Jacob had settled in a place that seemed good to him rather than where God had called him to go.
### The Call to Bethel
Finally, amidst his fear and distress, God spoke again to Jacob.
**[Genesis 35:1]**
1 Then God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau."
God recalled His earlier encounter with Jacob, as if it had only happened yesterday. He told Jacob to go to Bethel, where they had first met, and to build an altar to honor Him there. God reminded Jacob of the time when he had fled from Esau and made a vow to return to Bethel.
At long last, after enduring so much heartache, Jacob began to resolve the long-neglected issues in his life. We can now see why Jacob had not gone up to Bethel earlier—why he had delayed fulfilling his vow. Jacob's family had become entangled in the worldly ways around them, so much so that they were not ready to dwell in God’s presence. Their clothing and their appearance symbolized the internal state of their hearts; they had grown distant from God and resisted living intimately with Him.
What does "Bethel" mean? It means "house of God."
Jacob wanted the benefits of God’s protection and provision, but he was not ready to live in close fellowship with God. He offered sacrifices and worshipped, but he kept God at a comfortable distance, treating Him like a distant deity to be called upon only when needed.
This attitude is what grieved the heart of God. To believe in God but to keep Him at arm’s length, treating Him like any other god, and only seeking Him in times of crisis, is to misunderstand the relationship God desires with us.
**[Genesis 35:9-15]**
9 God appeared to Jacob again when he returned from Paddan Aram, and He blessed him.
10 God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel." So He named him Israel.
11 And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants.
12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you."
13 Then God went up from him at the place where He had spoken with him.
14 Jacob set up a pillar at the place where God had spoken with him, a stone pillar, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it.
15 Jacob called the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.
Do you see the heart of God here? Like a father rejoicing over the return of a prodigal son, God embraced Jacob with joy, blessed him, and reaffirmed His covenant with him. Even though Jacob had taken detours and delayed his return, God welcomed him back, saying, "Well done for coming back."
Interestingly, though, God says that Jacob had come from Paddan Aram, when in fact, Jacob had come from Shechem. This is also mentioned when Jacob moved from Succoth to Shechem. The Bible consistently frames Jacob’s journey as though he had come from Paddan Aram, even though he had been in Shechem and Succoth before arriving at Bethel.
This isn’t a coincidence. God was showing Jacob that Succoth and Shechem had not been part of His divine plan for him. They were the result of Jacob’s own choices, decisions based on self-interest, rather than God’s direction.
**[Genesis 33:17]**
17 Jacob, however, went to Succoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Succoth.
While God didn’t stop Jacob from going to Succoth or Shechem, neither did He meet with Jacob there. God neither visibly guided Jacob nor prevented him from settling in those places. Jacob had interpreted this silence as God’s permission to go wherever he wished, leading him to rationalize that God had approved his choices.
Do we not sometimes do the same? How many people remain in that vague middle ground, living in a "Succoth" or "Shechem" of their own making? There are many who live their entire lives this way—holding on to the memory of past blessings, while believing that as long as God doesn’t explicitly stop them, they’re on the right path.
Like Jacob, we sometimes offer empty sacrifices, living in false peace, but avoiding the true encounter with God.
**Let us listen to Jacob’s call today:**
"Let us arise and go up to Bethel! To the God who answered me in my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone." Let us return to the house of God!
Not to the places that merely seem good in our eyes or paths that offer superficial comfort, but to the place where God has called us, even if the way seems steep or challenging.
This is where God declared to Jacob, "You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel."
The name "Israel" appears about 2,600 times in the Bible—both in the Old and New Testaments. God spoke tenderly to Jacob: "Jacob, you who I created; Israel, you whom I formed—do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine."
This is a deeply moving testimony of how dearly God loved Jacob. And it is a reminder of why we, as Christians, must become spiritual Israel—those who possess and are possessed by the Holy Spirit.
### The Trials that Come Upon Israel
However, it may seem puzzling. As we’ve seen from Jacob’s life, it wasn’t always filled with blessings. In fact, Jacob faced many hardships.
In the final years of his life, Jacob moved to Egypt, and when he met Pharaoh, he said:
**[Genesis 47:9]**
9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my ancestors."
Jacob had come to realize that the true Promised Land, the place of ultimate peace, could only be found in the Kingdom of God. Until we reach that eternal home, we remain pilgrims, travelers, and strangers in this world.
This coming Wednesday, we will begin reading a book in our study group titled *"Suffering is Never for Nothing"* by Elisabeth Elliot. From the title alone, it may seem like it’s a book meant only for those who are going through great suffering.
But I believe that every Christian needs to grapple with this topic as part of their spiritual growth. The book helps us understand the true basis of hope for those who live as Israel, in a world full of "why?" questions.
Think about it: Is there any fear or anxiety greater than the desire to escape from all suffering and misfortune in life?
True peace, joy, and blessing come from a deep understanding of the meaning of this life.
Thus, the exact opposite of what we might expect begins to happen. If we see this world as the final destination—the land of promise where all blessings should be fulfilled—we will constantly find new sources of anxiety and fear. We will live our entire lives in an endless cycle of worry.
However, if we live in this world like travelers or pilgrims, we will find more peace, joy, and freedom. Even kings of this world, who seem to have everything, will eventually bow their heads and seek blessings from those who live as pilgrims, those who live for God's purpose.
**[Genesis 47:10]**
10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.
God’s promise to Abraham wasn’t just, "You and your descendants will be blessed." No, the greater promise was, "You will be a blessing."
When our lives align with God’s purpose, when we live not as wanderers wasting time in vague places like Shechem, but as pilgrims traveling towards our true home, then all things work together for good. Fear and anxiety will begin to disappear.
People who make God's house, Bethel, their home—those who live in the presence of God—will be spared many meaningless hardships.
Yet, there are certain trials meant to renew us, reminding us that we are temporary residents in this world. These trials keep us uncomfortable so that we don’t forget our true purpose as missionaries and travelers in this life. Such trials are like the refining process of metal, purifying us into gold. We must welcome this process with trust in our Master, who is perfecting us through these challenges.
No one can be sure that they will never face suffering again and, as a result, live in total peace and freedom.
Only those who trust in the Lord can love Him even in the midst of difficulties. Only they can truly praise the Lord and look forward to the genuine light of God’s presence, which will shine brightly in their lives.
### We Are Now at Bethel
You are now in Bethel. If our hearts reside in the house of God, if we dwell with Him in intimacy, then God’s heart will be with us. He will speak to us as well:
"I have called you by name. You are Mine."
Let’s pray.
