God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.” Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him. And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.
Comment: To his Grandfather, Abraham, to his Father, Isaac, and now to Jacob God gives the promise that to him God will give a land and from him God will raise up a nation and a company of nations. It is recorded that God was there, that God re-iterated the changed name Israel which he had been given when returning from Laban, and then God went up to heaven. Previously at Bethel Jacob had twice worshipped at a pillar which he had setup. Was this setting up just a strengthening of his previous altar? At any rate, and in the light of the promise from and the Presence of God is not at all surprising that the name Bethel (the House of God) was reinstituted and God was worshipped. This was indeed a very holy place and would have been seen as such! Sometimes we are much too flippant in our worship of God.
Prayer: You graciously bend down to us but please help me to realize how High and Great You are, God.
As I read it! 