Genesis 28:18-19 reads “And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.”

The name of the Hittite city where Jacob consecrated a pillar from the stone he has used as pillows was Luz. According to Strong’s Hebrew dictionary, Luz means an almond tree/wood, and the name of the city was possibly named such because of the almond trees in that region (Genesis 30:37), but Strong’s Hebrew dictionary also indicates that Luz could mean, to turn aside, depart, crookedness or perverseness, possibly because of the wicked people of the city. While either of these meanings are subject to human interpretation, what we ought to recognize from this account, is that where the Lord God is, and where there is a consecration of the place – then that is Bethel (House of God).

Points to ponder:
When we believe in Jesus Christ, as our Lord, Savior and King, we are turned aside from our perverseness of sin and the Holy Spirit of God is poured upon us, like oil anointing our head (Psalm 23:5) and Jesus who has been standing at the door of our heart and knocking (Revelation 3:20) comes into our lives and takes residence. In other words, we become the house (temple) of God. We go from being Luz (crooked and perverse in our sinfulness) into being Bethel (the House of God – perfect). Are you a Luz or a Bethel?

Genesis 28:18-19 (KJV)
18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.
19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.