Genesis 28:16-19

[joi]

In Joel we see that Israel is the heritage of God, and much attention is given in scripture to Jerusalem so what is the significance of Beth-El?

Joel 3:2

I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

Genesis 28

¹⁶ And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.

¹⁷ And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

¹⁸ And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.

¹⁹ And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.

[bethel - house of God]

Zechariah 14

1 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.

² For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

³ Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

⁴ And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

[gdemoss]

Joi, as I have been seeking deeper understanding behind the names of things and their biblical links, I have come to realize that this question of yours is directly related to Psalm 78.

Psa 78:5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:

That which happened in Luz that caused Jacob to rename it Bethel is that which happened to the woman at the well (Jacob's well) in Samaria. The many pictures through out scripture and dark proverbial sayings are all designed to point to and uncover a simple fact. We must be born again. Our very bodies are simply made of earth and are meant to be the house of God. God in us and we in God. One together in Spirit. And thereby Jacob was given a name, the name of God, Israel, that he should be called by it and his children known as the children of Israel. That all who would come to believe would be called by this name. The whole family in heaven and earth are named by one name.

The name America itself reveals that it is another form of Bethel. Beth - house and el God. Am - Love and Eric - eternal and A - a bulding or that which is built, together meaning the 'house of eternal love' or 'house of God'. Today America is basically Herod's temple which not one stone will abide upon another according to prophecy. Thankfully, the vessels of gold an silver will be secured before the wood, hay and stubble is destroyed. Jerusalem means 'teaching of peace' and when the bible speaks about Jerusalem, it may be speaking only of a place that is a type of Jerusalem or a place where 'peace is taught'. A city of light.

One must understand that the bible is a book of prophecy wherein God has decreed the end from the beginning and is all inclusive and not exclusive. We must have eyes to see and ears to hear being given the increase by God that we might understand and this comes via our direct obedience to the light we have been given. May God bless your study and give you the increase as you delight in him.

[joi]

Thanks for the input. Very interesting and food for thought.