"Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel.(which means house of God)."
{Genesis 35:15} (NIV)
Abraham built an altar near Bethel to call on the name of the LORD (Gen. 12:8). Isaac built an altar near Beersheba and called on the name of the LORD there (Gen. 26:25). Both of these men did this without any instruction from the LORD, however, Jacob needed the LORD to tell him to do it. “Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.” (Gen. 35:1)
Not only did Jacob build an altar, but he also set up a pillar of stone that he poured oil over. The purpose of this stone was to build an earthly reminder, outlasting Jacob, that God had kept His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This ‘house of God’, this name ‘Bethel’ is the most accurate description of a Christian that you will find in the Old Testament. God lives in us! The most fitting earthly reminder for a Christian to build, is the life we are living right now.
May our lives today bear testimony to all who come by us, that we are the house of God; that God Himself lives inside us, that His gracious promises always come true. May God Himself, pour out the oil of the Holy Spirit upon our lives today.
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