JACOB'S DREAM LADDER

PROCLAMATION

“And Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran.  And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.  And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.  And behold, The Lord stood above it, and said, ‘I am The Lord God of Abraham thy father, and The God of Isaac …’ ”  Genesis 28:10-13 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Isaac called Jacob and told him not to marry a Canaanite woman.  He told him to marry one of the daughters of his mother’s brother Laban and God would bless him. (Genesis 28:1-5)  Jacob was obedient and left to get a wife from among her people.  On his way there he stopped because night had fallen.  He used a stone for a pillow and fell asleep.  He dreamed that he saw a ladder extending from earth to heaven with angels going up and down on the ladder, and The Lord God was at the top of the ladder. (Genesis 28:10-12)  The Lord God spoke to him and said that He would bless him and his descendants.  God also said that He would give Jacob and his seed the land where he was sleeping and that He would be with him wherever he went. (Genesis 28:13-15)  When he woke up he remembered his dream and decided that place was holy.  He sat the stone, upon which he had lain his head, on a pillar and poured oil on it and renamed the place Bethel. (Genesis 28:16-19)  There Jacob made a vow saying that if God was going to bless him, then he would consider that place as God’s house and he would give unto The Lord one tenth of all that He gave to him. (Genesis 28:20-22)

 

APPLICATION

Today, those of us who believe can communicate directly with God and He can communicate with us.  However, in order for us to get to Him, we must use “the ladder” or “the bridge” which He provided for us and that connection is Jesus, The Christ.  Jesus said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto The Father, but by Me.” (John 14:6)  We must believe in Jesus to be saved. (John 3:16)  We all need to recognize and admit that we need a savior.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)  Only those of us with our names written in The Lamb’s book of life will see God.  Those whose name is not written in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15) and their soul will be tormented for eternity. (Revelation 20:10)