Jacob's Ladder

It’s important when interpreting scripture to read and study the entire scripture in context. Examining the passages that proceed and follow sections of scripture, help us to frame the intent and meaning of what is being communicated. Another solid method is to find verses in the New Testament that refer back to and explain verses in the Old Testament. My favorite tool in the carpenter’s box is when the Lord Jesus quotes from the Old Testament. When Jesus Himself is interpreting the scripture then you can’t go wrong! Let’s take a look at one example of how we can apply a New Testament scripture to illuminate a passage in the Old Testament book of Genesis chapter 28.

As Abraham’s son Isaac grows into manhood he married Rebecca and had two sons of his own, Esau and Jacob. These two were twin boys who evidently began fighting in their mother’s womb. At birth, Esau emerges first with Jacob close behind grabbing onto his heals. Later on in life Esau sells his birthright, as the first born, to Jacob for a mere bowl of stew and a piece of bread. Jacob deceives his father Isaac for his blessing at the request of his mother Rebecca and the seeds of brotherly hatred are planted.

Esau, furious over his brother’s trickery, threatens and plots to kill him. Rebecca urges Jacob to leave home in haste before his brother can make good on his threat. Jacob sets out on a one day, 42 mile, trip north to the area around Haran. Jacob is exhausted upon arrival and uses a rock for a pillow and falls fast asleep. In Genesis 28:12 we read “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”.

If we were to interpret this verse without additional scripture we would not have much to go on except a very tall ladder, heaven, earth and ascending and descending angels. Reading on and examining the verse in its context we find that when Jacob awoke from his dream he said in Genesis 28:16-17 “Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place; and I did not know it” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

God then goes on to reaffirm to Jacob the promises He made to Abraham and Isaac. God said that their descendants would be like the stars in the night sky or grains of sand on the shore and that in his seed all the families of the earth would be blessed. Later on in the chapter Jacob will name this place Bethel meaning house of God. In this verse Jacob interprets this place as an entry point into heaven or a gate of heaven. If we only had these verses we might still miss the meaning the Holy Spirit intended. Right now we only have a ladder extending into heaven with angels ascending and descending on it and Jacob referring to it as a gate to heaven. Using additional New Testament verses from the book of John 1:45-51 we can turn the focus knob a bit to get a clearer picture. 

Philip finds Nathanael and says to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote-Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Then as Jesus is talking to Nathanael He tells him “You will see greater things than these.” 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.” Jesus was declaring: I am the ladder on which the angels ascend and descend. I am the ladder that brings men to God. I am the ladder that bridges the gulf. You see, since the “fall” in the Garden of Eden a true divide was created between a holy God and sinful man. God’s plan from the very start was to send His One and only Son into the world to become sin for us, to pay our sin debt in full and to become the only gate that opens into the presence of The Most High God.

So you can see why it’s very important to draw the intended meaning out of the scriptures by using all the tools available in our tool box. And one of the very sharpest tools is the one where the Lord Himself explains for us these great truths of God. So I will leave you with the words of our Master Himself from John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”