Jacob and all the people with him came to Liz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan. There he built an altar, and he called the place El Bethel because it was there that God revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother. (Genesis 35:6,7—NIV)

Bethel is the house of God. El-bethel is the God of the house of God. When we begin as a Christian we proceed to learn about Bethel, about the house of God. We learn the vocabulary, the values, the practices of the believers. Soon we become familiar and at home with our church and its family.

Then, according to our calling, I suppose, God decides we are to have a greater knowledge of Himself. We are to know the God of the house of God. This experience can be somewhat unsettling because much of what we had experienced previously may suffer change. It is a very personal intervention in our life. The result is a humbling of our personality and a greater knowledge of God.

The following essay is not for baby Christians but for those who have walked with the Lord for a while.

For the first years of our Christian life we experience trouble of various kinds. These problems and afflictions are for the purpose of roughing out our character, knocking off bumps and corners and straightening and smoothing crooked places.

During this period we are taught that Jesus loves us and cares for us. We learn the hymns and choruses of our group. We are instructed in the principles of salvation and encouraged to do what we can to spread the Gospel of salvation to other people.

Much of what we learn is composed of essential aspects of the Kingdom of God. Other values and activities are just those of our particular group and vary from one assembly to the next.

And so we proceed along our merry Christian way, rejoicing over our blessings and praying and standing faithfully and patiently during times of trouble, fear, and pain.

Then, for some of us at least, in one form or another, God decides to reveal to us the God of the house of God.

If such an experience has happened or is happening to you, you will understand readily what I have to say. Otherwise my words will serve, hopefully, to prepare you for the future and interpret what takes place at that time.

Prior to God revealing Himself to us we have a picture in our mind of what Jesus is like. Maybe we saw a painting of Jesus in a Bible bookstore. He may be a bit taller than average, shoulder-length wavy hair, wearing a white robe, carrying the staff of a shepherd, surrounded by sheep or little children. This no doubt is a true picture of the Good Shepherd of the twenty-third Psalm.

Perhaps this is the only Jesus most American Christians know.

But there is another side of the Lord Jesus, a side shown to those who are coming to know God in a greater way, who are about to bring forth much fruit.

To be continued.