CHURCH: A BIBLICAL HISTORY OF HORROR, HURT, HOPE AND HEALING: BETHEL - House of God

 

The Bethel Church of Redding, California or any other church named BETHEL, did not coin the phrase or come up with the key word BETHEL! Bethel is a foundational key word and place found in the book of Genesis! The key word BETHEL is first recorded in Genesis 12:8, when Abraham our Father of Faith pitched a tent and built an altar to the LORD in this place. This building of an altar was an act of WORSHIP! So this was and is the CHURCH in the Old Testament Book of Genesis. 

And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the eastof Bethel, H1008 and pitched his tent, having Bethel H1008 on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.

Later, in the Book of Genesis, God directs Abraham's Grandson, Jacob to go to Bethel and build an altar.

And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, H1008 and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.

The final mention in the Old Testament of the House of God (1008) is found in the Book of  Zechariah. 

The House of God existed prior to the Church of the New Testament and sometimes this place of WORSHIP is referenced with many other key words, such as Sanctuary, Assembly, Congregation, Tabernacle, Tent, Temple, Synagogue, House and Church. 

The Holy Word of God is the original creator of all that is scandal and intrigue. The first family (Adam), the second family (Noah) and the third family (Abraham) of the Old Testament sinful displayed and demonstrated much horror and hurt in so that we can witness much hope and healing. 

Each fore-mentioned family belonged to a place of WORSHIP, which transcends both testaments!

The first family's place of WORSHIP is the GARDEN! The second family's place of WORSHIP is the ARK or what I call The Sacred Seaworthy Sanctuary and the third family's place of WORSHIP is the BETHEL (The House of God) or The House of Bethel.

All of the Horror, Hurt, Hope and Healing of the Old Testament is in preparation for the SAVIOR of the world to be birthed onto the scene in the New Testament!

So, if this writing finds you horrified and hurt by someone in a church, know, you my friend are not alone, know, sadly you join the first families of the Bible in the horror and the hurt. But also know, you still have the opportunity to return, stay or join the first families and many many others in the true hope and healing of the one and only Jesus.  

And also know I for one super hate that horror and hurt found you in what should have been a safe and sacred place! But, please know, trust and believe the keeper of the secret place is the one and only true and trustworthy path to hope and healing: his name is Jesus and he is the way, the truth and the life. Reference John 14:6