JACOB'S LADDER

 

Jacob's Ladder is one of the fascinating episodes we witness in the Bible. Jacob, the Biblical patriarch and the second son of Isaac didn't start his life as a saint. His very name meant 'trickster'.  Our story starts at a point when he was fleeing from home after deceiving his father  and stealing his brother's birthright from him. 

That night, as he was sleeping with a stone under his head, at the middle of nowhere,  he had a strange dream. He saw a ladder that was placed on the earth with its top reaching to heaven and angels of God ascending and descending on it. (Genesis 21:12). He saw God standing above it and making this momentous statement: "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham and Isaac. I will give to you and to your descendants this land on which you are lying. They will be as numerous as the specks of dust on the earth. They will extend their territory in all directions, and through you and your descendants I will bless all the nations" (Genesis 28:13-14).

Apparently Jacob had had enough religious training to be impressed by the sight and to wonder about its significance. Jacob's ladder is a great story of God's love and protection. It affirms the truth that God is faithful to keep His promises and nothing or nobody will stop Him from accomplishing them. I see four blessings God had promised us through this grand visual -- four blessings that are available to anyone who obeys God.

1. The first blessing that comes with the ladder is God's promises. It is most unfortunate that many believers today are unaware of  God's promises.  They don't understand that through claiming God's promises in their prayers they can move heavens to act on their behalf on earth. It is a real tragedy to have a ladder to heaven and not even know about it! Satan has effectively kept Christians from knowing about God's promises. And due to their ignorance they are discouraged when they don't have to be discouraged, they are complaining when they don't have to complain. They feel defeated when they ought to be victorious.  You can't claim what you don't know, and this is why it is of paramount importance to have a thorough knowledge of the Word of God.

2. The second blessing we receive with the ladder is God's presence. Jacob was startled when he woke up next morning and realized he had been in God's very presence. "This is none other than God's house", he asserted. He took the stone that was under his head, and set it up as a memorial. Then he poured olive oil on it to dedicate it to God. He named the place Bethel meaning "The House of God". The memory of the place where he saw the awesome presence of God and his angels remained with him forever. The Bible tells that God's presence never left him all the days of his life.

3. The third "ladder blessing" is God's protection. Jehoshaphat was one of 'good' kings of Judah who outlawed idol worship in his country and destroyed their altars. During his reign he faced a critical situation when three of the neighbouring countries brought their armies together and attacked Judah. They were determined to wipe out the nation and the royal house from the face of the earth. The king was in no position to fight them. In deep despair he humbled himself and called upon Lord. He humbled himself and confessed his inability to do anything by himself. He ordered a nation-wide fast and prayer and the whole nation was looking up to God in prayer. God was moved by this display of humility and dependance and acted.The next day when Judah's army and the citizens went to meet the enemy, they found everyone of the invading force lying dead!

The Bible promises "No weapon will be able to hurt you; you will have an answer for all who accuse you. I will defend my servants and give them victory" (Isaiah 54:17). Also

"The Lord saves the righteous and protects them in times of trouble" (Psalms 37:39).

4. The fourth and final blessing that comes with our ladder to heaven is God's provision. Under God's instruction prophet Elijah confronted the evil king of Ahab and cursed the land that there won't be any rain or snow for three years. Then he escaped and stayed by the brook of Cherith; he drank water from the brook, and ravens brought him bread and meat every morning and every evening (1King 17:6). Later on after his momentous victory on Mount Carmel against Ba'al's priests and after destroying them to one man, he was running away afraid of Jezebel. God sent him food through an angel in the middle of the desert. When the Lord Jesus had completed His forty days of fasting He was hungry and angels came and ministered to Him (Matthew 4;2, 11). 

"Even if a mother should forget her child, I will never forget you" says Isaiah 49:15a. 

"The righteous will possess the land and live in it for ever" according to Psalms 37:29.   

In conclusion, it may be said that through the illustration of angels ascending and descending, a perpetual association has now been opened between heaven and earth, through the medium of Christ, who redeemed mankind from the bondage of sin by paying the price not in gold or silver but in His precious blood. This is probably what Jesus meant when He prophetically told Nathaniel in John 1:51 “I am telling you the truth: you will see heaven open and God's angels going up and coming down on the Son of Man.”

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