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Return To Bethel by Charles Laws
I
n Genesis 35, God told Jacob to go up to Bethel and settle
We have looked upon the drug addict and the alcoholic
there. At the time, Jacob lived in the land of Canaan and
with a “better than thou” attitude. The church must set up
was surrounded by the Canaanites, who were enemies.
programs to rehabilitate these people. We must answer
God instructed Jacob to have the people give him all their
the question, “What causes a person to turn to drugs and/
foreign gods, and he buried them under an oak tree. The
or alcohol?” We must work to get government at all levels
terror of God fell upon all the people who surrounded them,
more involved in these issues. Heroin addiction is now
and no one followed them. When they got to Bethel, God
sweeping our nation! Piles of syringes are found in parks, in
appeared to Jacob again and blessed him. In verse 10, we
wooded areas, and in other areas where addicts congregate.
read, “Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called
Incarceration in jails and prisons is not the answer: perhaps
Jacob; Your name will be Israel. So He named him Israel.”
except for the dealers.
The land that God had given to Abraham and Isaac was now given to Jacob (Israel). God promised him that he would be a father to a great nation. As we know, that nation today is called Israel, and its inhabitants are called Israelites. In verse 15, we read, “Jacob named the place where God had talked to him Bethel.” In about every city, there is a church named “Bethel.” The church, not only the ones named Bethel, is a place where we can meet with God and be changed. False gods must be left behind either before we get to Bethel or after we get there! Also, Bethel is a place where we, and consequently the church, can and must be changed. What are some of the changes that must
Finally, we must realize that any given denomination
happen and are changing in the lives of Christians and the
cannot solve the problems discussed above and others that
church today?
we face working alone. It is going to take all of us working
In the past, we, as a church and as a nation, have been
together! We are members of the church of God first and a
divided by race and national origin. We, as individuals
denomination next. We must break down barriers that exist
and as a church, have not loved people of other races and
between denominations and work together to solve the
national origins. It is time to plant churches for people of
problems that exist in our country.
Hispanic and other origins, or in larger churches provide for a translator so that these people can participate in the
We, as a church and as individuals, must return to Bethel and allow God to change us again.
neighbor as thyself.”
36 // July 2020
About The Author
worship of God with us! Jesus said, “Thou shalt love thy Charles Laws, Retired Assoc. Prof. of Mathematics, CLSCC. He holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Tennessee. He enjoys chess, writing, walking, and music.
