Do you have Religion or Jesus?

Are we into the things of the LORD, or the LORD himself?

Jacob had been a conniver, schemer, and a deceiver most of his life. He did have one thing most don’t have and that was a desire for the blessings of God. But did he know God? For many years of his life, I’m not sure he did.

Some people want God’s blessings but they do not necessarily want the God who blesses.

All his scheming forced him to get completely away from his family for fear of his life, for he had learned that his own twin brother wanted to kill him.

I believe Jacob came to know the LORD God at Bethel (Genesis 28.10-22). This is where he laid some stones down on the ground to use as pillows. I suppose when one rock got too hard, he would switch to the other. I don’t know.

In a deep sleep, (I guess you can sleep anywhere if you’re tired enough) he dreamed of angels ascending and descending on a ladder that reached heaven.

The LORD stood above the ladder and spoke to Jacob. He would grant to him all the promises of his Grandpa, Abraham and his Dad, Isaac. The LORD said that all the families of the earth would be blessed in him, just as he had told Abraham and Isaac. He also said he would give him the Promised Land and told him he would be with him in all the places he went.

When he awoke he made a little cathedral in that wilderness spot. He named it “Bethel” which means “house of God.”

Jacob was really enamored with this place, Bethel. While I am sure the LORD meant a great deal to him, he just kept talking about the location. There, he set his stone “pillow” up and made into a stone “pillar” as a memorial. His pillow became a pillar. It was also here that Jacob committed to start tithing.

You can all go back to the place where you first came to know the LORD and that spot may mean a great deal to you. You may have kept that first bible where you first read of Jesus’ love. Perhaps you are deeply fond of the person who led you to the LORD. Maybe the location of the church where you learned and grew so wonderfully is sacred to you.

All this is well and good, but these “things of God” cannot replace or compete with God, the Great Creator of the universe and Redeemer of your soul!

I don’t mean to be overly critical of Jacob, for he now had a true faith in the LORD and began to grow in his relationship to him.

Around twenty years later he determines to go back to Bethel (Genesis 35). He wants to return and build an altar there. He asks all his household and servants to put away all idols in preparation for this.

Pay close attention to these words. We are told, “he built there an altar, and called the place El Bethel: because there God appeared unto him…”

As you may have surmised, wherein Bethel means “House of God,” El Bethel means “God of the House of God.”

This might seem like a strange name to us but here’s what I think is significant about it:

Whereas Jacob had previously met God at Bethel, and the experience was so awesome that he always associated God with that place – it was, to him “The house of God,” even though there was nothing there except for some piled up stones. It remained special to him.

But now – Jacob had come to know not only the wonder of the house of God, he was now more enamored with the God of the house.

Do you have churchianity or Christianity? Are you into forms and rituals? Must you light a candle before you can enter into God’s presence? Are your prayers recitals or are they heartfelt expressions of faith and love for the LORD? Is the church building more important to you than the church – God’s redeemed people?

If you have experienced wonderful things from God in some certain place or through some certain person, by all means, love and respect them. But, above all, let’s love, admire, adore, honor, worship, and devote ourselves to the LORD God who Himself not only has, but shall deliver you “from every evil work and will preserve (you) unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory forever and ever.” (2 Timothy 4.17-18)