Sacred events occurred in these three places. “Beth” means house in Hebrew. Bethel means “The House of God.” Bethany means “The House of the Poor.” Bethlehem means “The House of Bread,” which is most appropriate, as the birthplace of Jesus Christ–the bread of life. We will see the great importance of Bethel, Bethany, and Bethlehem as we find these key town names in the Bible.
There are many other occurrences of “Beth” in the scriptures with great and often sacred significance. Family being the most important unit in time and in eternity, the home Beth of a family is very important to the Lord. Relatively recent research has found BethLehi, where Lehi and his family lived before leaving for America—their new “Promised Land.”
When I was helping the Israelis improve their atomic clock system, we stayed in Bethbelgium, adjoining the laboratory, where we worked. Some of the Jews in Belgium had donated this nice facility to the laboratory.
Bethel and Bethany
The home of Lazarus was in the town of Bethany, where Mary anointed Jesus with very expensive ointment in preparation for His crucifixion and burial. This sacred ordinance performed by Mary on our Savior makes Bethany a sacred place.
Apocryphal literature indicates that the family of Lazarus were relatives of Jesus. Jesus clearly loved going there and lodging there. Bethany is about two miles east of Jerusalem, just over the Mt. of Olives. And it is next to the road going to Jericho from Jerusalem. Jesus and His disciples often frequented the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha.
Simon the Leper also lived in Bethany, and Jesus had healed him. Simon held a feast for Jesus, and Lazarus attended.
Bethany is mentioned eleven times in the New Testament, but not at all in the Old Testament. In contrast, Bethel is mentioned prominently in the Old Testament, but not at all in the New Testament. The Ark of the Covenant was in Bethel in the days of the Judges—making Behtel a sacred place. (Judges 20:26-27)
My Bethany Israel Experience
In 1987, I was invited by the Israelis to help them improve their official atomic clock timekeeping system for the State of Israel, (UTC(INPL)). We spent a week in Jerusalem at their standards laboratory. We ended up publishing some interesting papers together over the five years I worked with my colleagues there.
After this first trip, I went back three more times to help them. I took a special GPS timing receiver that we had developed and made to tie their timing laboratory more accurately with the rest of the world’s atomic-clock timing community. My wife was able to be with me for all four trips and five of our children were able to go to Israel as well. Being where the Savior walked and taught and worked out His infinite atonement is a life-changing experience.
During our first week in Jerusalem, a professor prided himself in knowing all of the interesting historic places both for the Jews and Christians. Every afternoon he would take us to some fascinating place in Biblical history. I asked him if he would take us to Bethany. He was puzzled. He had not heard of Bethany and clearly did not know where the town of Bethany was.
Where Did Bethany Go?
On Friday of that week, he said, “We are going to find Bethany.” I knew about where it was because of the New Testament description. We got into his van and drove to a monastery on the south end of the Mt. of Olives, where he received directions. He then drove us to the “Bethany Souvenir Shop” which is all that is left of the town of Bethany. Since Bethany was the place of the tomb of Lazarus, it simply did not make sense to us that the town of Bethany didn’t exist.
Two weeks later we went on a tour with Dan Rona, who was born in Haifa and is a convert to our church. He is a dear friend, and he took us to the place where it is believed that Lazarus was raised from the dead. Dan shared that because of this miracle, the name of the town went from Bethany to the Town of Lazarus. In Arabic, it is called al-Azariya–meaning the place where Lazarus lived.
Christ’s Planned Miracle
It is interesting that the Jews had a tradition that the spirit of a dead person lingered around the body for three days. The Savior purposely waited four days to raise Lazarus to demonstrate the “glory of God” to the world. “Jesus saith unto her (Martha), Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou should see the glory of God?” (John 11:40)
Jesus knew that raising Lazarus from the dead would bring the Pharisees to plan His death. However, He also knew that the outcome would be for the “glory of God”. He yielded and performed the perfect and infinite atonement. This action would give the world the greatest gift and miracle ever witnessed–the full blessings of the infinite atonement. The miracle at Bethany was the trigger.
Christ’s incomprehensible gift would save the world from sin and death. His suffering, death and resurrection would overcome spiritual and physical death brought about by the fall of Adam and Eve and cover or sins and sufferings, as we come unto Him. Everyone who “believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16) with a glorious resurrected body. Without the resurrection one cannot have a fullness of JOY. (D&C 93:33-34) Jesus’ resurrection set on fire the Christian movement.
The now-changed name, al-Azariya, “Town of Lazarus” bears record of that amazing miracle, which gave rise to the greatest miracle of all. The resurrection of our Lord is the best documented and most important miracle in the history of the entire earth. Even though it occurred over two thousand years ago, Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection changed the world far better than we can comprehend.
Bethlehem and Bethany
Bethlehem being the birthplace of our Savior, slept there his first night on earth. Bethany is the last place He slept here on earth—giving it that sacred significance.
In Hebrew tradition, Rabbis needed to be married. The celibate monks and other transcribers, because of their religious paradigms removed the information about Jesus, as a Rabbi, being married to Mary Magdalene.
The Bride and Bridegroom ceremony is very important in Hebrew tradition. Where did this take place for Jesus and Mary Magdalene? Was it in Bethany? There is a mural in Glastonbury, England of our Resurrected Lord standing by the side of Mary Magdalene—holding her hand—and she is pregnant.
Our wonderful daughter, McKaylee, is our genealogy researcher, and she has traced my wife’s lineage back to Sarah, daughter of Jesus and Mary Magdalene.
Let BethZion be our Home
How blessed we are to live in the day and time when the “Lord will bring again ZION.” How exciting it is to know we can be part of BETHZION. In Zion, motivated by the pure love of Christ, we will have the ideal celestial society. I hope and pray that our homes may be so. May we all live and share the Lord’s “Message of Gladness”—the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therein is the promise of a FULLNESS OF JOY and our participation in BETHZION!
Then there will be the most sacred cities of all: The New Jerusalem and the restored Jerusalem of old. Jerusalem, the most fought over city in world history will come be what the name means: The City of Peace! (Ether 13:1-12)
David W Allan
Photo: CC Pixabay