Title: The God of Elbethel
Contents
A. Introduction
1. If you are experiencing spiritual stagnation and retreat, let's go back to God.
1) Two reactions after the mysterious experience
(1) Ascending curve of the religious life (2) Life does not change and stagnates
2. Jacob's Peniel experience (face to face with God) and 10 years of Shechem's life
1) The field bought from Hamor - Shechem (Genesis 33:19)
2) The humiliation and misfortune suffered at Shechem-Daughter was raped
3. God’s command to come “Go to Bethel and live there” (Genesis 35:1)
4. Jacob's command to his family before returning to Bethel
1) Throw away foreign gods.
2) Let us purify ourselves.
3) Change clothes.
B. Body
1. Throw away the foreign gods (teraphim). (Passive, but the first thing to do is the religious life)
1) Rachel's Teraphim idol
2) Idols before believing in Jesus: (1) Obsession with material things (2) Status (honor) idols (3) Network idols (Preferences people more than God)
3) All things that prevent us from loving God are idols: covetousness (Colossians 3:5)
4) 1 John is a book that emphasizes fellowship with God
(1) Content: Living in fellowship with God is the privilege of the saints (2) Conclusion: Stay away from idols (1 John 5:21)
5) Give up the hidden teraphim.
2. Let us purify ourselves. (Active religious life)
1) Let us wash away our polluted mind and purify our mind.
2) If you want to be used by God, you must be clean.
3) Joshua's command to the people before crossing the Jordan: "Sanctify yourself for the sake of the Lord" (Joshua 3:5).
4) What the miracle servants have in common: Saint → Clean vessel
5) If it is clean, there is no vessel that God cannot use.
3. Change your clothes with what is right, that is, clothing of impartiality.
1) Clothing regulates and determines a person's behavior
(1)Military uniform (2)Police uniform (3)Sportswear
2) Let's become saints who only wear clean white linen (linen cloth: righteous deeds of saints).
C. Conclusion
1. Let's go to God's house (Bethel) and meet God again. (The God of El Bethel)
2. Let's become saints. (Still Jacob or Israel?)
3. Let's go from Shechem to Bethel.
1) 10 years of failure in Shechem’s life
2) Bethel is only 50km pseudonymous.