Bethel is the place of revelation. This is why so many contemporary charismatic movements are attracted to the name. God’s revelation of Himself to Jacob at Bethel, though, is not in line with the contemporary charismatic movement. Jacob calls the people to end their idolatry prior to arriving at Bethel. They give up their idols and gold rather than having it shower down on them because the Holy Spirit is moving. When God reveals Himself, the result is not a miraculous appearance of gold or the sudden discombobulation of all reasonable sensibilities. The result is repentance and turning from idolatry. I suspect that if the Holy Spirit were to “show up,” so to speak, the entitlement and sensationalism present in the contemporary charismatic movements would immediately be forsaken.

Repentance and turning from idols is the sure sign of the Holy Spirit’s presence and the revelation of God.

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