EXTRACT

At Peniel, at the time of his wrestling with God, Jacob got a new name—a title. But he did not move in suitability to his title until he had been in Bethel. After that we read for the first time “Israel journeyed”; he moved in the dignity of his place with God; this is only acquired at Bethel. I do not think it is possible for us to move with God apart from the sense of what His house is. God can be with us as He was with Jacob, who was the subject of God’s discipline, care, and protection all the time. God had said, “I will never leave thee”; but it is one thing for God to be with me in His grace and faithfulness, and another for me to be with God in holiness. The moment the question of Bethel was raised in Jacob’s soul he was a different man. Shechem is a fine place! They put away the earrings and strange gods there—everything connected with idolatry—“Jacob hid them under the oak that is by Shechem”. Shechem is the place where Joshua said, “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord”. It is the place of uncompromising decision. Joshua was a man at Shechem; he took his course definitely, and declared the line that he purposed to pursue. When Jacob got to Shechem the images and other things went down at the foot of the tree. The tree seems to be a suggestion of the cross. If we leave our idols at the foot of the cross we are then in light marching order; many Christians have so much baggage, so many teraphim about them that they cannot move! When Jacob got to Bethel and anointed the pillar and offered a drink offering, it is said, “Then Israel journeyed”. He moved in the dignity of his new name.

C. A. Coates (‘An Outline of Genesis’, p.218, 219)

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