Jacob’s ladder connects heaven to earth. This ladder makes a beautiful transition from the Old Testament to the New through Jesus Christ. This new understanding of Jacob’s ladder is a powerful eye-opener in discovering ourselves. Choose any of the links to unlock this revelation and celebrate this empowering truth.
What is Jacob’s ladder?
What does Jesus say about the ladder to Nathaniel?
What did Jesus teach his disciples about prayer?
What is the revelation from the Gospel of John?
Do you have anything to do with Jacob’s ladder?
Does Jacob’s ladder have any other connotations?
What is Jacob’s ladder?
Jacob’s Ladder is a stairway between heaven and earth. Jacob dreamt about this ladder when he slept with his head on a stone, as we use a pillow under our head, in Bethel. In the dream, he saw angels ascending and descending on the ladder. The angels descended from heaven with specific assignments on the earth. They ascended to heaven after completing the job on the earth. Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. (Genesis 28:12 NKJV) The place where Jacob saw this dream, he called this place “Bethel”, meaning “house of God”, after his dream. The place was called Luz earlier.
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 than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”Initially, the place was called Luz. (Genesis 28:16-17 NKJV)
Angels carry out God’s will of protection, healing, and provision here on earth for God’s children. Angels are God’s messengers. Angel Gabriel informed Zachriah, the priest, that his wife Elizabeth would bear a son who would grow to become ‘John the Baptist’, the forerunner of Jesus Christ. Although Zachariah and his wife Elizabeth, had earnestly prayed for a child, and since they were old beyond childbearing age, they had given up hope and did neither expect nor believe that God could make the impossible happen. Zacharias had to be muted for a season so that he would not speak out any words of disbelief and possibly cause a hindrance and a stumbling block to this miracle happening.
The very same angel that appeared to Zachriah, the priest, appeared to Mary six months later. The angel conveyed to her that she was the chosen vessel to bring God’s begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into the world. Mary asked the angel, How could this happen, as she was a virgin .
The angel explained that the Holy Spirit of God would come upon her and overshadow her. This would cause Mary to be pregnant with the son of God, who is to be called Jesus. Mary accepted the explanation of Gabriel, the angel. Yet the angel knew that Mary could do with some encouragement. So Gabrie,l the angel told Mary about her old aunt who was six months pregnant! Mary’s aunt Elizabeth was barren and of old, beyond childbearing age. But what was considered impossible by man was possible for God. Both these instances explain the miracles and impossibilities that angels of God make possible as messengers of God.
When God answers your prayers, would you choose to be stubborn like Zachariah and speak about your disbelief? Have you spoken words contrary to your prayer requests and caused the blocking of answered prayers?
What does Jesus say about Jacob’s ladder to Nathaniel?
Jesus started having disciples only when he was around thirty. Philip, a disciple of Jesus, told Nathaniel in great excitement about Jesus. Philiph was brimming with excitement as he was able to meet Jesus, about whom Moses had mentioned in the Book of Laws, 1400 years ago.
But Nathaniels, with typical scepticism, considered nothing great could come from Nazareth. Jews at that time considered Nazareth a small village of little significance. Much like we assume nothing of significance would come out from nice, ordinary people around us. Often, we forget what God can do through anyone with a surrendered will to God and a loving heart to God. Yeah, we forget that anyone with God makes that person invincible.
Even when people of a place are liked, God chooses to bless the nation or a place because of them. Back to Nathaniel. But this perception of Nathaniel changed when he heard Jesus mention details about him that no one knew. Before they came close to each other, Jesus, seeing Nathaniel from far, knew Nathaniels supernaturally when he told, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” Nathaniel got zapped and asked Jesus how Jesus knew him. Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” (John 1:48 NKJV)
Although Nathaniel had heard from Philip about Jesus, about whom Moses had mentioned in the book of the Law, he had not yet considered Jesus as the Son of God, as the first thought that nothing good comes from Nazareth was still the dominant thought Nathaniel had in his mind.
How many times does a dominant thought block us from receiving an encounter with God? Asking the Holy Spirit to show us any dominant thought that’s a hindrance to a divine encounter is a good practice to follow.
Nathanael said to Jesus, “How do You know [these things about] me?” Jesus answered, “Before Philip called you, when you were still under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered, “Rabbi (Teacher), You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” (John 1:48-49 AMP)
Jesus knew that the journey of building up faith had just begun in Nathaniel. Jesus wants to take us to the next higher level, once we get to a level. The faith level Nathanel just got upgraded to at this instant was to know and accept Jesus as the Son of God and King of Israel. He got to this level because Jesus clearly showed He knew Nathaniel before Philip had called him (i.e. Nathaniel). This knowing was ordinary matter, was very unusual, it was supernatural knowing.
Jesus replied, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe [in Me]? You will see greater things than this.” Then He said to him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man [the bridge between heaven and earth].”(John 1:50-51 AMP)
Here we see the angels of God ascending and descending on Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the ladder by which angels visit from heaven and get back to heaven, doing heaven’s assignments here on earth. Isn’t it beautiful to know that the very purpose of Jacob’s ladder is fulfilled in Jesus Christ?
What prayer does Jesus teach his disciples
Jesus Christ was asked by the disciples to teach them to pray. This portion is the prayer for disciples as taught by Jesus.
‘Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10 AMP)
Jesus wanted the disciples to pray for the Kingdom of Heaven to come on earth as it is in Heaven.
Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
(John 14:6 AMP)Thus, we know that the only way for the Kingdom of Heaven to come here on earth is through Jesus.
We see signs, wonders, miracles, including resurrection, worked out by Jesus Christ. Jesus sees and hears what the Father is doing and saying, and follows that to bring about the manifestation of heaven here on earth.
Essentially in the Our Father prayer is the key wherein we ask for the Kingdom of Heaven to manifest here on Earth. And how do we do it? We do it only by faith in Jesus Christ. Just as Jesus told Nathaniel, he speaks the same to us. But there is still a more exciting matter. Read on.
What is the revelation from the Gospel of John?
Jesus says that He and Father God will come and abide in us, stay within our bodies. Read the verses below.
Jesus answered, “If anyone [really] loves Me, he will keep My word (teaching); and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling place with him. One who does not [really] love Me does not keep My words. And the word (teaching) which you hear is not Mine, but is the Father’s who sent Me. (John 14: 23-24 AMP)
Jesus says that anyone who believes in Him will do the signs, wonders and healings, miracles and even resurrection from death. Read this verse from the Gospel of John, chapter 14.
I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Saviour] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My name as My representative, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified and celebrated in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name [as My representative], I will do it. (John 14:12 14 AMP)
Do you have anything to do with Jacob’s ladder?
From the above, you can see that Jacob’s ladder in the Old Testament, in very clear terms, is Jesus Christ in the New Testament. These days, as believers in Jesus Christ, we have the privilege to believe in Jesus and have the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to abide in us. Read the blue lettered verses on the above-mentioned portion of Revelation from the book of John. Read it twice or thrice or more times until you get it into your heart.
With belief in Jesus Christ, we have Father and Jesus abiding in us, making us the Lord’s channels of signs, wonders and miracles. Very many Christians, both lay people, people leading ordinary lives as farmers, teachers and business owners, very many preachers, and healers are God’s chosen instruments of signs, wonders and miracles, making us the Jacob’s ladder.
Thus, in the prayer for the disciples which Jesus taught the disciples, by faith in Jesus, by loving and obeying Him, we become the Jacob’s ladder of this day and age through which angels ascend and descend. Signs, wonders, miracles happen everywhere we desire these to manifest and bring glory and honour to God Almighty and Jesus Christ.
God intends that every believer in Christ Jesus becomes God’s preferred channel of signs, wonders and miracles. So you and I become truly the image of Christ, walking in signs, wonders and miracles. This is the expectation. Let us not delay this. Let us bring more glory and honour to the Lord Jesus starting today.
In doing so, for a person more familiar with the Old Testament, we become Jacob’s ladder to people around us, bringing Heaven’s Joy, Peace, Fulness, Signs, Wonders, Healing in body and Mind, Rivers in the Desert, Fruitfulness in farms, business and lives.
Hi, Jacobs ladder! Yes, you are Jacob’s ladder. Function like one. People around you need you.
Does Jacob’s ladder have any other connotations?
Transformation into wholeness, perfection as intended by God, from weakness and limitation, is what the Jacob ladder implies for some. An exercise brand has equipment which has moving stairs. Here, people who use the equipment improve their physique.
Here we climb these stairs to improve our physical health. As heaven’s creation, we use the equipment to be healthy. Let’s remember that God created us in His image and likeness. As we are God’s temple, we are to take care of our bodies.
