## Back to Bethel

## Genesis 35:1-7

The life of Jacob is an interesting study. Some Bible characters burst onto the scene and we can know very little about them, but Jacob's life is detailed in the Scriptures so that we can really get to know him. We know about his birth, youth, manhood, dreams, aspirations, deceptions, old age, and death. The Word of God gives us an unretouched photo of Jacob's life. He was both bad and good. He was a cheater, a liar, a deceiver, a schemer, and a swindler. At the same time we see he wrestles with an angel of God pleading for a blessing. In our text this morning we find him cleansing his household of evil as he prepares to get back to Bethel and back to God.

He had been to Bethel n the past. He had seen the Lord in a way that changed his life. But time and distance had taken their toll on him. He had gotten away from the Lord and been involved in all sorts of difficulty. Now God orders him back to Bethel. He tells him to go back to that place of blessing in his past.

I. What was Bethel?

A. It was a geographical location near the city of Luz where Jacob had spent an incredible night.

1. He was fleeing from his brother Esau whom he had tricked into selling his birthright.

2. Esau was angry with him and was threatening to kill him. Ge. 27:41-44

3. Sin drove Jacob from his home and family.

a. Sin will not let you stay put.

b. Sin always drives a person away from their home, friends, joy, and peace.

c. Examples:

1) Adam & Eve were driven out of the garden.

2) The prodigal son left his home because he wanted to live a life of sin.

3) Peter sinned and denied his Lord and the Bible says he went out.

4) Sin has an impact on those around us and often will drive us or them away.

B. It was a place of great victory for Jacob.

1. He came upon this place while he was on the run, and God met with him there.

2. There God affirmed the covenant with him, and promised His presence, protection, and provision.

3. Note: Ge. 28:10-15

C. It was a place of spiritual commitment for Jacob. cf Ge. 28:16-22

1. He named the place Bethel (which means the house of God).

2. He made some promises to God there.

a. He promised to be faithful to Him: "the Lord shall be my God."

b. He promised to remember the place as God's house, where God had met with him, and set up a stone for a memorial.

c. He promised to tithe on all of God's blessings to him. Note: For any who might think that tithing is only for those under the law, this was years before the law was given. Tithing, giving back to God a tenth of what He has given to us, is a biblical principle which we find throughout the Scriptures.

II. What did it mean for Jacob to get back to Bethel?

A. He had to put away his idols.

1. Jacob had not been to Bethel in perhaps thirty years.

2. In that amount of time he had built altars to God, but he had also tolerated the false worship of idols.

3. What had happened to him was he had developed a philosophy of worship that embraced the world while trying to maintain a relationship with God.

4. It didn't work with Jacob, and it won't work for us!

B. He had to clean up and make a change.

1. That is what repentance is all about.

2. Too many want to get near God without cleansing themselves from the filth of this world.

3. If we are truly repentant, we will turn our backs upon sin and turn towards a holy and righteous God.

C. He led his family back to God.

1. His family had followed his lead before.

a. His sons had become deceptive and murderous.

b. His wives were involved with idolatry.

c. Every step away from God, his family took with him.

2. Now it was time for him to get back to God and to take his family with him.

3. God has established the husband and father to be the spiritual leader in the home, and all too often they lead their families away from God rather than toward Him.

4. A little girl looked up at her daddy while sitting on his lap and asked, "Daddy, is God dead?" The father said, "What would make you ask such a question?" His daughter replied, "Well, I never hear you talk to Him anymore."

5. Jacob took the lead and brought his family with him when he returned to Bethel.

III. What does all this mean to us today?

A. It means getting back to our first Love.

1. The Lord rebuked the church at Ephesus because they had left their first love.

2. Remember the joy and excitement that you knew when you first became a Christian?

3. The desire that you had to spend time in God's Word, in God's House, and with God's people?

4. Have you grown cold toward the things of God? Get back to Bethel.

B. It means putting away our idols.

1. Don't fool yourself, anything that you hold more dear than the Lord is an idol.

2. That can be a job, a family, or material possessions.

3. Where do we put our priorities? That will tell us much about what are idols in our lives.

4. Jacob buried all the idols under an oak tree, wE must put away anything that hinders our relationship with our Lord and get back to Bethel.

C. It means getting back to active service for the Lord.

1. There is no stopping place for the child of God when it comes to serving the Lord.

2. You may retire from your occupation, but not from serving the Lord.

3. There are far too many "used of beens" and "should be nows" in the church.

4. God did not save us to sit...He saved us to serve!

5. We need to get back to Bethel!

We have been talking about the importance of getting back to God this morning. But, perhaps there are some here today who have never met the Lord personally. You can today! God loves you and desires to be your Lord and Savior, will you come and trust Him this morning?

Christian, has God shown you that you need to get back to Bethel? Why wait? Get back to the place of blessings. Get back to the place of service. Get back to the place where God wants you to be. Do it today!