6 So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him. 7 And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother. 8 But Deborah, Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth. 9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him. 10 And God said unto him, 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. 11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; 12 And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land. 13 And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him (Genesis 35:6-13).
This is an interesting mixture of events. There is the death of Deborah followed by an appearance of God (Theophany). The recording of the death of Deborah is likely given to give a time reference for the original transmission of the sacred stories between generations. The Theophany (appearance of God) is highly significant as God is ratifying the covenant with Abraham and Isaac and applying it to Jacob. Jacob is renamed Israel and Israel becomes the child of the promise. The promise as we know is the promise ultimately of Christ as redeemer. Interestingly it is entirely possible that the Theophany is the pre-incarnate Christ. This is an intriguing possibility and although we do not know for certain if this is the pre-incarnate Christ, we do know that Christ was before all things and that all things were created through Him so that he might interact in human events before His incarnation is possible. Either way God is One and therefore the actions He takes all work together for our good and His glory.
This is an interesting mixture of events. There is the death of Deborah followed by an appearance of God (Theophany). The recording of the death of Deborah is likely given to give a time reference for the original transmission of the sacred stories between generations. The Theophany (appearance of God) is highly significant as God is ratifying the covenant with Abraham and Isaac and applying it to Jacob. Jacob is renamed Israel and Israel becomes the child of the promise. The promise as we know is the promise ultimately of Christ as redeemer. Interestingly it is entirely possible that the Theophany is the pre-incarnate Christ. This is an intriguing possibility and although we do not know for certain if this is the pre-incarnate Christ, we do know that Christ was before all things and that all things were created through Him so that he might interact in human events before His incarnation is possible. Either way God is One and therefore the actions He takes all work together for our good and His glory.
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