“And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it!” (Genesis 28:12 ESV).
On Jacob’s trip to Haran to find a wife, he had a vision from the Lord. As he slept on the ground with a rock for a pillow, he dreamt of a stairway between heaven and earth. At the top of the stairway stood the Lord, who told him that “all the families of the earth” would be blessed through his family. This was a confirmation of God’s covenant with Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham, to whom God had promised the same (See Gen. 12:3).
Has God kept His covenant promise to bless all the families of the earth through Jacob’s descendants? Yes! First of all, God has blessed the world with the gift of the Bible, which was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit by Jacob’s descendants. Most importantly, God has blessed the world with the gift of Jesus, who is a descendant of Jacob and the Son of God.
We understand the promise, but what of the ladder? In Genesis 11, mankind tried to reach heaven through their own effort by building the tower of Babel, but failed. Yet, Jacob saw a ladder that spanned the gap between heaven and earth. What did the ladder represent?
In John’s gospel, Jesus reveals the answer saying, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man” (John 1:51). The ladder in Jacob’s dream is Jesus!
What man couldn’t do, God did by sending Jesus. “For, there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5). Jesus is the Promised Seed and Ladder of Love that God revealed to Jacob. Jesus is God’s greatest blessing to all the families of the earth!
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for Jesus. For He is the Mediator between heaven and earth. Because of our faith in Him we have been made right with You. Now strengthen us with Your wisdom and power to proclaim the Good News of Jesus to all the families of the earth. In Jesus’ name, amen.