El Bethel - The God of the "House of God"

El Bethel - The God of the House of God

When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 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.” 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. He called that place Bethel," Genesis 28:16-19

"He (Jacob) built an altar there, and called the place El-Bethel, because there God had revealed Himself to him when he fled from his brother." Genesis 35:7 

"'I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.’” Genesis 31:13

Years after the rape of Dinah and his sons' brutal, murderous rampage, Jacob returned to Bethel, where he built an altar to Yahweh and named it "El-Bethel," because there God had revealed Himself to Jacob when he had fled from his brother.

Bethel was the place where Jacob saw heaven open and the Lord God standing at the top of the stairway to Heaven, the place God called him to return to after 20 years of servitude to Laban and the place he returned to after deep disappointment. But the actual place was not as significant as El Bethel - the God of Bethel. The God who promised to bless him wasn't limited to a specific location but was capable of keeping His promises wherever he was. 

Through this name we can see that, "the God who wonderfully revealed Himself to us in the Gospel, is the same God who remains covenantally faithful to us throughout our pilgrimage on earth and He is powerful to help us in our direst circumstances." 

Prayer

El Bethel, I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You have revealed your power and your strength in countless ways. The heavens tell of your glory. The skies display your marvelous craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak, and at night, they make you known. They speak without a word, and their voice is silent in the skies, yet their message goes out to all of us on the earth. For since the creation of the world, your invisible attributes—your eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made. You have revealed yourself to all of us, El Bethel, and I give you praise for who you are.

El Bethel, I confess I don’t always see you when you reveal yourself to me. I don’t always stand in amazement at the intricacy of your creation. I fail to marvel at the depth of your wisdom. Forgive me for those times when you have revealed yourself to me and yet I chose to view you with earthly eyes rather than with spiritual

El Bethel, thank you for making yourself known to me. Thank you for taking up residence in me through the death, burial, and resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ, which enabled your Holy Spirit to make my spirit your house. My body is now the temple of the living God. My life is bethel, where you dwell, and yet I still strive to make my own decisions in spite of your desires. Thank you for your patience and longsuffering as you dwell in and with me.

El Bethel, abide in me. Set up your home in the depths of my soul. Let your words dwell in me that I may know and live by them and for you. Reveal to me the sin I must confess and turn from so that I may be pure and blameless in your sight. Show me how to best honor you through this temple you have set up within me. Guide me in my eating habits, in my entertainment choices, and even in what I wear so that as your house—bethel—I may glorify you in all I do. Grant me the discernment to know how to reflect you well.  In Jesus' name, Amen. 

(Prayer taken from Praying Through the Names of God by Tony Evans)