BETHEL, GILGAL, BEERSHEBA (Symbolism)

But do not seek Bethel, nor enter Gilgal, nor pass over to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nothing. Seek the LORD and live. Amos 5:5-6

Sprirtual/Prophetic Application to the counterfeit trinity of Revelation?:
BETHEL: the Beast {Papal Rome}
GILGAL: the False Prophet {Apostate Protestantism}
BEERSHEBA: the Dragon {Secular Governments/Powers of the world}

Do Not Seek Bethel

"Bethel, in Hebrew, is the House of God. Abraham camped near Bethel when he first entered the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:8).
Jacob’s dream of the ladder was at Bethel (Genesis 28:10-12). When he returned there after his exile, he called the place El-Bethel (Genesis 35:6-7) and formally named the place Bethel (Genesis 35:15). In fact, Jacob had his name changed to Israel at Bethel (Genesis 35:9-15). The nation Israel consulted with God at Bethel during the times of the Judges (Judges 20:18; 21:2). The Ark of the Covenant

was kept at Bethel for many years (Judges 20:26-28), and Samuel held one of his circuit court houses in Bethel (1 Samuel 7:16).
However, Bethel later became Beth-aven, the House of Idols (Hosea 4:15). Jeroboam I established a temple to the golden calves at Bethel (1 Kings 12:28-33), and after the destruction of Israel, Assyria left false priests at Bethel to corrupt the land (2 Kings 17:27-34). Bethel became the place to worship God!
Here’s the subtle shift. God becomes fixed to a place or an event. The place or the event substitutes for God. The place or event is used to verify God’s way. The place is where “I feel comfortable” worshiping God. Result? There is more concern for property than people. The kind of place substitutes theology for truth. The experience gives more credence to intuition than inspiration. Ultimately, worship of a place or an event supersedes the worship of God." ICR

Do Not Enter Gilgal

"Gilgal was the place of new beginnings. As Israel prepared to begin the conquest of Canaan, Joshua commissioned 12 men to take 12 memorial stones from the bed of the Jordan River to commemorate the people’s miraculous crossing of the river (Joshua 4:3). Gilgal was the first place Israel camped in the land of promise (Joshua 4:19). It was at Gilgal that the people were circumcised in preparation for their possession of the land (Joshua 5:5), the Passover was celebrated (Joshua 5:10), and the manna ceased (Joshua 5:12).
The Ark of the Covenant returned to Gilgal every day after encircling the city of Jericho during its siege (Joshua 6:11), and Gilgal served as headquarters for all the battles during the conquest. The Gibeonites came to Gilgal to make their treaty (Joshua 9:3-6) and to ask aid against the Amorites

(Joshua 10:6). The subsequent great battle against the Amorites was directed from Gilgal (Joshua 10:15), and the entire victorious campaign in the hill country of Judea extending to Kadesh Barnea and Gaza was conducted from Gilgal (Joshua 10:15). Gilgal was the site for many important “firsts” during Israel’s history.
But activity at Gilgal began to obscure the revealed Word of God. Saul, Israel’s first king, disobeyed God at Gilgal when he thought the need for activity overruled the requirement to obey God. Saul was told to wait for God’s permission to start the battle against the Philistines. He waited for Samuel as instructed, but grew impatient and acted ahead of God’s instructions. He claimed the people needed his leadership and insisted that he forced himself to disobey, giving a religious reason for his disobedience, all the while claiming he had merely responded to the voice of the people (1 Samuel 13:7-24).
After a while, the cause begins to justify the activity, and loyalty to the activity becomes the test for holiness. Ultimately, preservation of the activity overrides biblical truth." ICR

Do Not Pass Over to Beersheba

"The final warning from Amos concerns Beersheba, an extremely important part of Israel’s earliest history. It was at Beersheba (the Well of the Oath or the Well of the Sevens) that Hagar was rescued by God after Sarai banished her (Genesis 21:14-19). Hagar later became the mother of many nations through Ishmael (Genesis 25:12-18).
Abraham improved the well at Beersheba and settled there during the time he made a covenant with Abimelech, the Philistine king (Genesis 21:23-31). At Beersheba, Abraham built a grove and “there called on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God” (Genesis 21:33). He was living at Beersheba when God told him to sacrifice Isaac in the land of Moriah (Genesis 22:1-4, 19).
Beersheba figured prominently in the long life of the nation. Isaac made a covenant with the Philistines there, re-dug the well, and lived at Beersheba for some time (Genesis 26:17-33). Jacob was encouraged at Beersheba on his way to live in Egypt with his entire family (Genesis 46:1-4). Elijah hid in Beersheba when Jezebel sought to kill him (1 Kings 19:3).
But just as the other places of great importance dwindled in time and memory, Beersheba

became a place often associated with evil. Samuel’s wicked sons lived in Beersheba. They were entrusted with leadership as judges, yet they took bribes and perverted judgment (1 Samuel 8:1-3). They were the main reason Israel wanted a king (1 Samuel 8:4-5). Beersheba became known for political oaths (agreements) with the ungodly." ICR