What Happened to Bethel?

Genesis 28:10-22

INTRODUCTION: Technically, there was nothing significant about Bethel save what God did in that place. As such, the place became identified with God’s presence and His working. It was God’s house. It was the place where God confirmed His promises. However, somewhere along the way, Bethel went from the house of God to a den of idolatry. The sad truth is that the desecration of Bethel parallels the desecration of today’s churches.

I. BETHEL—THE HOUSE OF GOD

A. Its Sanctification (Genesis 28:10-22)

1. As Jacob fled from Esau, he came to a place called Luz (Genesis 28:19).
2. As Jacob slept, he dreamed about a ladder reaching to heaven with angels of God ascending and descending upon it (Genesis 28:11-12).
3. The Lord was at the top of the ladder, reconfirming the Abrahamic Covenant’s application to Jacob (Genesis 28:13-15).
4. Jacob awoke and sanctified the place where God met with him (Genesis 28:16-22).

B. Its Safety (Genesis 31:1-3, 13)

C. Its Sanctifying Power (Genesis 35:1-15)

1. Jacob and his family sanctified themselves in preparation for a trip to Bethel (Genesis 35:2-5).
2. Jacob built an altar and called upon the Lord (Genesis 35:6-7).
3. God appeared unto Jacob and changed his name (Genesis 35:8-10).
4. God reconfirmed the covenant (Genesis 35:11-13).
5. Jacob sanctified the place where God met him (Genesis 35:14-15).

II. BETHEL—THE HOUSE OF IDOLATRY

A. The Split of the Kingdom (1 Kings 12:16-24)

1. The people grew weary of Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:16-19).
2. The people called Jeroboam to be their king (1 Kings 12:20).
3. The kingdoms were at odds (1 Kings 12:21-24).

B. The Concern of the New King (1 Kings 12:25-27)

1. Jeroboam worried about the people returning to the house of David (1 Kings 12:25-26).
2. He worried about losing the people (1 Kings 12:27).

C. The Solution for Bethel (1 Kings 12:28-33)

1. The king placed a golden calf in Bethel (1 Kings 12:28-29).
2. The king established false priests and false worship (1 Kings 12:30-33).

D. A Man of God Prophesied Against the King and Altar (1 Kings 13:1-6)

III. BETHEL—THE TURNING POINT

A. Failure to Drive Out Influences

1. Israel was warned that they should drive out the inhabitants of the land.
2. Failure to drive out these inhabitants was going to be “pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land” (Numbers 33:55).

B. The Affinity for Culture

1. Over time, the people fell in love with the culture surrounding them.
2. They determined that likeness to the world was superior to a pure walk with God (1 Samuel 8:4-5, 7, 19-20).
3. They took the culture around them and adopted it as their own.

C. The Appeal to Egyptian Heritage

1. A king worried about losing his people, made religion convenient.
2. He reached back to an old Egyptian manner of worship and introduced calves.

CONCLUSION: Unfortunately, scripture has lost its preeminence. Instead, we seek to make church entertaining, comfortable, and culturally acceptable. In doing so, we have replaced a personal walk with God with the worship of Egyptian culture. Shame on us!