“AND JACOB went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.” He becomes now a picture of exiled and wandering Israel, heir of the promises and watched over, yet an outcast. Abraham’s wanderings had been within the land of promise; Jacob’s were outside of it. Still God was with Him and watched over him, for He abides faithful. Abraham had walked with God and worshiped in His presence. But Jacob was not one in communion nor had he an altar. Although primarily he had taken this journey to escape the wrath of Esau, it was going to prove God’s means of revealing Himself to Him — not an open revelation in communion as Abraham had enjoyed — but a dream.
“And he 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.” vv. 11,12.
There are things very instructive in this portion. Heretofore, Jacob had been seen acting in his energy and imaginations of his mind, but never a word about heavenward thoughts, nor even a recorded expression toward God. But now he is seen, weary, at the end of a day’s Tourney — the comforts of home left behind — a stone for his pillow, and the open heavens his covering fallen into sleep. In other words, he was (for the moment) at the end of his strength. There was nothing more he could do for himself, no mother to turn to for comfort. Thus it was that, in a dream, he received a heavenly vision and message. Do it not bring to mind that wonderful word: “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly"? Ah, yes, it is only when one recognizes himself without any merit or ability of his own — utterly without strength — that God can bring His grace into the heart and life.
While Jacob slept he could not scheme or act. He was as helpless as a babe and in this condition he experienced his first recorded encounter with the God who loved him greatly and who would deal with him in spite of himself. The ladder speaks of the fact that there is a means of access to heaven and a channel of communication between God and man. While in Jacob’s vision it was the angels who ascended and descended, it is now, in our present day of grace, the Lord Jesus of whom it is said: “He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.” Eph. 4:1010He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) (Ephesians 4:10).
It is our blessed Saviour who alone is man’s way of access to God — the One who descended to bring salvation and life and who, having triumphed over death, ascended again into heaven, where He now waits for His redeemed to be with Him. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” I Tim. 2:5,6.
ML-08/28/1966