"And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south." (Ge.13:1)
Abram is without a heir. At the end of making a circle his name is changed into Abraham. "but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee."(17:5)
Jacob similarly makes a similar circle but it runs across. As with Abraham his name is changed from Jacob to Israel. "Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel."(35:10)
From many nations Israel is associated with Jacob. Both Abraham and Israel stand as double for Jesus Christ who serves as the sign. Abraham heard the call (12:1) and when God tells Jacob "And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God." (35:1,7,15) Bethel is set in an altogether context. Bethel was earlier called Luz ; After Peniel incident seeing God face to face, Bethel acquires significance. God blesses Jacob to promise, "And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." (28:14) The same promise conferred on Abraham is extended to him. (12:3). Also 13: 14-17 El-bethel signifies that God restores fellowship with Israel and no more his name shall be Jacob as was on his flight from Esau. So the house of God signified spiritual regeneration of Israel mentioned in vv.2-4
Nations are differentiated by triadic motives of dust, sand and stars. "thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth" (13:16) After the Mahanaim episode where angels of God met Jacob God promises still better than the quality of dust. "And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude."(32:12)
"And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south." (Ge.13:1)
Abram is without a heir. At the end of making a circle his name is changed into Abraham. "but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee."(17:5)
Jacob similarly makes a similar circle but it runs across. As with Abraham his name is changed from Jacob to Israel. "Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel."(35:10)
From many nations Israel is associated with Jacob. Both Abraham and Israel stand as double for Jesus Christ who serves as the sign. Abraham heard the call (12:1) and when God tells Jacob "And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God." (35:1,7,15) Bethel is set in an altogether context. Bethel was earlier called Luz ; After Peniel incident seeing God face to face, Bethel acquires significance. God blesses Jacob to promise, "And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." (28:14) The same promise conferred on Abraham is extended to him. (12:3). Also 13: 14-17 El-bethel signifies that God restores fellowship with Israel and no more his name shall be Jacob as was on his flight from Esau. So the house of God signified spiritual regeneration of Israel mentioned in vv.2-4
Nations are differentiated by triadic motives of dust, sand and stars. "thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth" (13:16) After the Mahanaim episode where angels of God met Jacob God promises still better than the quality of dust. "And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude."(32:12)
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