Our Church Name

RSV Matthew 1:23: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means. God with us).

RSV Isaiah 7:14: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

Bethel

RSV Genesis 12:8: "Thence he removed to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD."

Bethel: \ (Heb: beth-'el; Grk: Baithel and Grk: oikos theou,literally, "house of God"):

A town near the place where Abraham halted and offered sacrifice onhis way south from Shechem.

Identification and Description:

It lay West of Ai (Gen 12:8).

 

It is named as on the northern border of Benjamin (the southern of Ephraim, Josh 16:2), at the top of the ascent from the Jordan valley by way of Ai (Josh 18:13).

 

It lay South of Shiloh (Jdg 21:19). Eusebius, Onomasticon places it 12 Roman miles from Jerusalem, on the road to Neapolis.

 

It is represented by the modern Beitin, a village of some 400 inhabitants, which stands on a knoll East of the road to Nablus.

 

There are four springs which yield supplies of good water.

 

 

RSV Genesis 31:13: "I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go forth from this land, and return to the land of your birth."

Emmanuel Bethel:  God with us, in His house