Jacob "Ladder"

Genesis 28:11-13 "And he (Jacob) lighted upon a certain place and tarried there all night because the sun was set and he took of the stones of that place and put them for his pillows 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. And behold the Lord stood above it, and said I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Issac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it and to thy see."

We are leaving Genesis 28 for now but I did want to mention this story. It is an amazing event in the life of Jacob. He has been told to leave his home and threatened by his brother. It seems he is a lonely man. He knows himself pretty good and knows he is a crafty fellow. But with him, the promise lies. So he sleeps on a pillow of rocks. While he sleeps, he sees an incredible sight. A ladder to heaven with angels going up and down with the Lord standing at the top. Jacob then awakes and makes the statement v16 ...surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not." I suppose we sometimes feel that we are alone on the journey and that God is a million miles away but then there He is watching over us.

Jacob was inclined to make a promise to God there. Just give me something to eat and some clothes to wear and peace when I return home and v21 "...then shall the Lord be my God." He also says that the stone he has set up will be the Lord's house and that he will give a tenth of what he receives to the Lord.

It is a very good story and marks the passing of the promise to Jacob.

Proverbs 10:30 "The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth."

Proverbs 30:12 "There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes and yet is not washed from their filthiness."