Going Back to Bethel (Kenya 7 - 2023)

A doctor in a teaching hospital was discussing an X-ray with his students.

“This patient has been walking with a pronounced limp for some time,” he said. “The X-ray shows us his fibula and tibia are radically arched.”

He pointed to a student. “You—what would you do in this case?”

“Well, gee!” said the student. “I guess I’d limp, too.”

There was a man named in the Bible named Jacob who walked with a limp.

We are going to spend our time today talking about this man. Jacob was a strong willed man. He was self-sufficient. He was a schemer.

His life was filled with many twists and turns. We might all remember the turmoil that existed within the family as he was growing up.

Isaac, his father, loved and favored Esau, his older and stronger brother, and his mother, Rebekah, loved and favored Jacob.

As Isaac grew old and was preparing to pass on the blessing associated with the birthright, Jacob devised a plan to steal the blessing from Esau. Jacob was forced to flee Canaan because Esau sought to kill him.

In Gen. 28:18-22 Jacob had an encounter with God one night while he was sleeping. God showed him a glimpse of heaven and reminded Jacob that He was the God who had made a covenant with his grandfather Abraham. More than that - God was going to keep that promise through Jacob!

Genesis 28:14–15 CEV

14 Your descendants will spread over the earth in all directions and will become as numerous as the specks of dust. Your family will be a blessing to all people. 15 Wherever you go, I will watch over you, then later I will bring you back to this land. I won’t leave you—I will do all I have promised.

Jacob woke up and took a rock that he had been using as a pillow stood it up as a marker that this place was now called Bethel which means House of God. He recognized that God was in that place. Up until this point in his life he had only heard stories of this great God, but he had never had a personal experience. This moment defined his life and changed the course of humanity.

Because of this moment, Jacob made a vow to God:

Genesis 28:20–22 CEV

20 Jacob solemnly promised God, “If you go with me and watch over me as I travel, and if you give me food and clothes 21 and bring me safely home again, you will be my God. 22 This rock will be your house, and I will give back to you a tenth of everything you give me.”

Before I read the scripture we are going to study today I want to ask you some questions to get your head in the right place:

Do you remember when you first met God?

Do you remember how you felt when Jesus saved you?

Do you remember the thrill of those early days of serving God, when everything connected with God: the church, the Bible, worship, prayer, witnessing, etc., thrilled you beyond words?

Do you remember how wonderful those early days of blessing were?

How many of us would have to be honest and say that memories are all that we have left? That the things of God just don’t thrill us anymore? That we really don’t care anything about going to church all the time?

That reading the Bible, praying and telling others about Jesus just don’t thrill us anymore?

Jacob was a man who had an experience with God, made a vow to God, and as we are going to see he neglected God.

But God is full of grace and He is faithful.

Genesis 35:1–7 CEV

1 God told Jacob, “Return to Bethel, where I appeared to you when you were running from your brother Esau. Make your home there and build an altar for me.” 2 Jacob said to his family and to everyone else who was traveling with him: Get rid of your foreign gods! Then make yourselves acceptable to worship God and put on clean clothes. 3 Afterwards, we’ll go to Bethel. I will build an altar there for God, who answered my prayers when I was in trouble and who has always been at my side. 4 So everyone gave Jacob their idols and their earrings, and he buried them under the oak tree near Shechem. 5 While Jacob and his family were traveling through Canaan, God terrified the people in the towns so much that no one dared bother them. 6 Finally, they reached Bethel, also known as Luz. 7 Jacob built an altar there and called it “God of Bethel,” because that was the place where God had appeared to him when he was running from Esau.

It had been 27 years since Jacob had the experience at Bethel. Many things had happened. He spent 20 years working for his uncle, accumulated wealth, and grew his family. But those 27 years didn’t come without problems. In chapter 35 Jacob was in a bad place.

There is great application in this passage for our lives. No doubt there are some here today who started out well with God.

You were convinced that nothing would ever change the way you felt about the Lord. But sadly, over time, the joy is gone. You are no longer living for the Lord as you once did. The vows you made to God have been left unfulfilled. If that is the case, there is hope for you. God is calling you to return to Bethel.

Jacob had allowed his kids and wife to run wild. They worshipped idols, they had impure desires, they were murderers. Jacob was not leading his family and it showed. They were corrupt.

In our lives we need to evaluate what we are allowing in our family. As the head of our homes we need to lead by example. If you find that you haven’t set the example, it’s time to repent and return to God.

God is Calling

Just as he called Jacob, He is calling you. Let’s find some application to this scripture today.

Genesis 35:1 CEV

1 God told Jacob, “Return to Bethel, where I appeared to you when you were running from your brother Esau. Make your home there and build an altar for me.”

God spoke directly to Jacob. He didn’t deal his wives or children or his buddies; He came to Jacob. He was the one who had made the vow. He was the head of the home and this was his responsibility.

The same is true in our lives. Salvation is a personal experience. We must all deal individually with the Lord. Our service to Him is no different. We all have personal responsibilities to God. He may burden others to pray for us, but He will deal with us personally concerning our lives.

You alone are responsible for the life you live. You may not be where the Lord would have you be and blame others for that, but you must listen to the call of God in your life.

It’s not enough to HEAR the call - When God calls us away from our own plans it means we have to follow HIS plans.

“Return to Bethel” was a new plan. There was no question of what he was supposed to do next. The Lord was not vague or unclear with His command.

God will speak to us in the same manner. He has a plan for each of our lives. He has a direction that we are to follow.

Many times we hear the call of God and are unwilling to respond. Many have missed the Lord because they were unwilling to follow His call.

People talk about the “permissive” will of God but I’ve struggled with the idea that we can be in the will of God in two different places. To me, we are either where He wants us or we aren’t! It’s simple. Permissive will subjects God to OUR desires. God is NOT limited or bound by our wants and desires in life.

Genesis 35:1 (CEV)

...Make your home there and build an altar for me.”

This was not to be a temporary dwelling. It was not to be a place that Jacob visited from time to time; it was to be his permanent dwelling place. He was to remain at Bethel.

Where have we made our home? Are we comfortable in this world?

Ephesians 1:5 CEV

5 God was kind and decided that Christ would choose us to be God’s own adopted children.

We were adopted into the family when we were saved and we are expected at the Father’s house. You cannot live for God and please Him if you neglect His house!

Build God an Altar

Once Jacob arrived at Bethel, he had specific instructions on what to do. He was to build an altar unto the Lord. He knew what God expected.

People often wonder what God wants from their lives. They act as if there is no way to know what God desires. We have His blessed Word to lead us. If you want to know what God desires for you, read His Word.

Jacob was instructed to build an altar at Bethel. This represents several things to us. Each of these should be evident in our lives as well.

► Worship

The altar is always representative of worship. The first mention of worship is in Gen. 22:5. An altar was involved.

► Obedience

Jacob had to do as God commanded. When we lay ourselves, our hindrances, and our cares on the altar, we are obedient.

► Sacrifice

In Jacob’s day the altar was always a place of sacrifice. Blood was shed and an offering made. We no longer offer blood sacrifices, but our altars must remain a place of sacrifice. We must sacrifice ourselves to God.

► Obligation

Consider all that God had done for Jacob. There was no question that Jacob was obligated unto the Lord. Jesus paid our sin debt. We can’t repay that, but we are obligated to serve Him. He has been good!

It’s time for CHANGE

Genesis 35:2–4 CEV

2 Jacob said to his family and to everyone else who was traveling with him: Get rid of your foreign gods! Then make yourselves acceptable to worship God and put on clean clothes. 3 Afterwards, we’ll go to Bethel. I will build an altar there for God, who answered my prayers when I was in trouble and who has always been at my side. 4 So everyone gave Jacob their idols and their earrings, and he buried them under the oak tree near Shechem.

Before Jacob and his family could go to Bethel some things needed to be addressed and some changes made. The changes that Jacob made must be evident in our lives as well.

How do we change?

Surrender

In chapter 31 Rachel had taken idols from her father, who came looking for them, but Rachel was sitting on them to hide them. People of that time would worship these little idols.

I don’t think we worship idols like these, but we do allow other things to come before us and the Lord. There are things in life that we place priority on above the Lord. It may be our families, our jobs, our possessions, or even our hobbies. If we are to get back to Bethel and serve the Lord, He alone must be God in our lives. We must completely submit to Him.

Colossians 3:1–2 CEV

1 You have been raised to life with Christ. Now set your heart on what is in heaven, where Christ rules at God’s right side. 2 Think about what is up there, not about what is here on earth.

Sanctification

In verse 2 Jacob told his family to put on clean clothes. Jacob also knew there must be cleansing if they were to meet with God at Bethel. Their lives needed to be cleaned up and their garments changed.

This is a picture of sanctification. It involves taking inventory of our lives and becoming clean before the Lord. There must be an inward cleansing that only God can see. We must deal with the issues that hinder us from fellow-ship and worship. Cleansing needs to be done on a routine basis. If we neglect our daily cleansing, we will soon become dirty.

Also there must be an outward cleansing. When we get our hearts right with God it will be evident for all to see. We will no longer live as we once did. We will lay aside the garments that are spotted by the world for garments that honor the Lord. How long has it been since you took inventory and had a spiritual cleansing? Maybe it is about time.

Repent

Genesis 35:4 CEV

4 So everyone gave Jacob their idols and their earrings, and he buried them under the oak tree near Shechem.

Jacob’s family gave him all that hindered them in their walk with God. He then did a strange, but necessary thing. Jacob hid those things; he literally buried them under an oak tree so that they would no longer be a temptation or part of their lives. Jacob created a separation from the idols of life.

I am convinced that there are Christians who need to get rid of some things in their lives and bury them for good. They need to be abandoned, buried, and walked away from. We cannot be pleasing unto God if we continually go back to the things that hinder our walk with Him. Just give it to the Lord. It’s a choice!

God is Faithful

Genesis 35:5–7 CEV

5 While Jacob and his family were traveling through Canaan, God terrified the people in the towns so much that no one dared bother them. 6 Finally, they reached Bethel, also known as Luz. 7 Jacob built an altar there and called it “God of Bethel,” because that was the place where God had appeared to him when he was running from Esau.

Canaan at this time was still occupied by hostile enemies. They sought to defeat and destroy Jacob. He would’ve been vulnerable as he traveled with his family had it not been for God’s protection.

There is benefit to serving the Lord. Our lives are not without trouble, but God is with us! We face a determined adversary, but he is restricted by God. He is only allowed to go as far as God permits. Walking in the way of the Lord is a good way to ensure that protection. Satan cannot prevent you from getting back to Bethel.

Jacob made it to Bethel with his entire family. Not a one was lost or turned back. Jacob’s family as a whole was making their way to the house of God.

This presents a great spiritual truth. I know that the decision to accept Christ and serve Him is personal, but our obedience will have a significant impact on our families. If we will set the standard, especially the fathers, our children will be influenced to follow. When they are brought to Bethel, they will likely remain at Bethel. They will be far less likely to abandon the ways of God for the ways of the world.

Here’s the last thing I want to point out to you: A rock was replaced with an altar.

In chapter 28 Jacob had an experience with God and turned up a rock, poured oil on it, and called it the House of God.

Now we see him back at the same place but he wasn’t having a new experience with God. He was remembering that God made a promise, that HE made a promise and he was recommitting himself in a permanent way.

Listen, you CAN’T go back to that first day you accepted Christ, but You CAN remember your commitment and make a decision to give Him everything.

Jacob was reminded of the faithfulness of God in his life. He built the altar and worshipped the Lord. No doubt this was a defining moment in Jacob’s life. He finally reached Bethel and kept his vow.

God had been patient and continued to work in his life even when Jacob was unaware and even when he was unconcerned.

Let me tell you something. God HAS been working in your life too! How do I know? Because you’re here today! You’re alive today!

This passage is a blueprint for personal revival.

Some are wandering in a distant land apart from God and away from His house. God would be just to leave us there, but He loves us too much. He is waiting patiently for those who have made a vow to get back to Bethel and serve Him.

How is your heart today? I am certain that God has spoken to hearts through His Word. You have heard the call; will you respond? We must take inventory of our lives and see where we stand with the Lord. I assure you that God will place that hedge about you so that you can return unto Him. The adversary is telling you to wait, but God is patiently waiting. Why not submit to the Lord and return unto Him?