DECEMBER 14 - Jacob’s Ladder
And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night . . . 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. — GENESIS 28:10 – 12 KJV
When I was a girl in Sunday school, we used to sing a popular chorus: “We are climbing Jacob’s ladder . . . soldiers of the cross.” The song harkened to a story in the Bible about Jacob. He fell asleep and had a wonderfully mysterious dream — Jacob saw a ladder stretching from heaven to earth with angels ascending and descending on it. The ladder bridged the yawning gulf between man and God. When he woke up, Jacob realized it was a divine visitation. It’s interesting that Jacob’s ladder is never mentioned again in the Old Testament. That is, until Jesus arrives on the scene . . .
Right after he was baptized, Jesus begins proclaiming his true identity and divine mission. He announced in John 1:51, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” Jesus was pointing to himself as Jacob’s ladder! He had come to close the distance, to bridge the gaping chasm between God and man. Just as angels were ascending and descending on the ladder in Jacob’s dream, so they were ascending and descending on the Son of Man, glorifying the One who stretched the gulf between heaven and earth!
We live in a “spiritual” age with many people searching for meaning. As a believer in Jesus, you have the gospel . . . you know the Way . . . you know the Truth: Jesus Christ is man’s only “ladder” to heaven. Look for opportunities today to help nonbelievers find the first rung on that Ladder. Show them that Jesus has provided a way — the only way — to heaven.
Jesus, thank you for being my Bridge to God, my Stairway to the Father, my Highway to heaven!
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