Jacob's Ladder - Stairway to the Father
Joni
“And
Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, 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 non-believers 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!
Blessings,
Joni and Friends
Joni and Friends Daily Devotional
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