Jacob's Dream

(Genesis 26-28)

Esau determines to kill his brother after Jacob steals his blessing and the approval of his father. Upon learning of her son’s plans, Rebekah tells Jacob to leave home and go back to Paddan Aram to find a wife from his own people. Esau had married the local women and this had caused no end of grief for Isaac and Rebekah. You might say that Rebekah was killing two birds with one stone, saving her sons life and making sure that he married a God fearing woman. So off he goes.

Along the way, he stops at a place called Luz and spends the night. He sleeps on the ground with his head on a stone. During this nights rest, he has a dream that every Christian knows about. In this dream, he sees a ladder reaching from earth to heaven with angels ascending and descending on it. (ch 28, v 12) Much has been said about this ladder and its meaning and significance. Some would say that it is a visible demonstration of the providence of God, His working in this world. Others would say that it is intended to point out the intercourse or connection between heaven and earth and the ministry of angels. Both are fine and probably reasonable thoughts about the dream.

But the meaning that I want to explore is a third idea that others have placed on the table for our consideration. This third notion is that the ladder is a "type" of Christ. The ladder reaching from heaven to earth is a place where both the divine and human nature meets. We know that in Christ, God was manifested in the flesh and "in Him dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily". (Colossians 2:9) This ladder is a beautiful expression of God's incarnation and its effect; Jesus as the perfect connection between heaven and earth; God and man. By Him, God descends to man and through Him, man ascends to God. Jesus is the ladder and by Him access to God is made available. Before Him, the heavens were closed and unreachable, after Him, the heavens are open and the path is clear.

Jesus uses this same imagery to describe himself in his discussion with Nathaniel. And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." (John 1: 51) He tells him that he, the Son of Man is the conduit through which heaven is opened and blessings are given. And then in John 14: 6, Jesus tells Thomas that "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." There is no other ladder, no other means of connecting with God than by Jesus.

Whatever the meaning of the dream, Jacob is forever changed. God reaffirms his covenant with Abraham and Isaac in the person of Jacob. This encounter with the ladder is the turning point in his life. He takes the stone that he had used as his pillow upon which he had his dream and makes a monument to mark the place of his encounter with God. He renames the place "Bethel" which means house of God as a memorial to the fact that God was in that place. Jacob is forever changed by his encounter with God.

Of course, this gets us, you and me to our encounter with the Christ. Jacob encountered a "type" of Christ; we get in on the real thing. We know the God-man and understand that He reaches from heaven to earth to provide the connection between God and man. We are blessed to have the stories in the Old Testament and understand that they were pointing to the fulfillment, the reality that is found in Jesus.

Hebrews 11 (the faith chapter) ends with a couple of interesting verses..."These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." What we have is "better"! While Jacob saw the ladder, we see Jesus. While he and the others in Hebrews lived lives of faith, what they had was imperfect. Now, through Christ they join with us and we all get His perfection. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, you, me and every other person that belongs to Him is the beneficiary of God's completed plan for the redemption of all mankind. And that plan is found in Jesus.

Have you set your memorial stone and become "Bethel", the place where God lives? Have you encountered the ladder (Jesus) that connects God and man? He made the trip down because He loves you and He made the trip up to prepare your eternal home. If you have not encountered the Christ, may you decide today to accept His free gift of life. He has already paid the price for your sins. The question for you to ask is "How do I get in on that?". Send me a note on my blog and we can start looking into His word to find the answers.