Jacob’s Ladder…

Morning!

Raises his cup of coffee ☕

With all our talk about vines and fruits, I thought it would make sense to take a deeper dive into Scripture regarding the Presence of God.  It strikes me that before Adam sinned, he lived in the constant Presence of God.  David was always seeking to dwell in the House of the Lord.  So let’s take a look at some Scripture that speaks directly about the Presence of God.

Genesis 28:1-5

“Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him: ‘You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.  Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father;

and take yourself a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother.  May God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may be an assembly of peoples; and give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and your descendants with you,

that you may inherit the land in which you are a stranger,

which God gave to Abraham.’ So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Padan Aram, to Laban the son of Bethuel the Syrian,

the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.”

Isaac gives Jacob a charge—to find a good wife.  And what is the purpose of finding the wife?  If we look at Isaac’s prayer, it is clear: For God to bless Jacob.   For him to be fruitful and multiply.  This reflects the very first directive given to humanity at the beginning.

Genesis 1:26-28

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’”

Jacob honors his father’s charge.  The son, honoring the command of his father, sets out to do the work given to him— to find his wife.  But have we considered how normal and everyday this is?  And yet, how epic and unique the experience of finding our spouses was—and still is?

There is anticipation.

There is expectation.

There is excitement.

Does this sound familiar?

Genesis 28:10-17

“Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran.  So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set.  And he took one of the stones of the place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep.  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.  And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: ‘I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants.  Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.  Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land;

for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.’  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!’”

A father gives a son a Godly task and blesses him in the Name of the Lord.

The son honors his father and sets out to do the task.

Then, God reveals Himself to Jacob in a dream.

This is personal.

A direct communication from God to Jacob—an unmistakable confirmation that God is with him and will remain present as he fulfills his task.

But here’s what I find interesting: Jacob receives the Presence of God after he begins the work.  And Jacob’s reaction is powerful: He reacts with amazement.  He reacts with excitement.  He reacts with anticipation.  He doesn’t simply acknowledge the experience— he is spurred to action by it.

Genesis 28:18-22

“Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it.  And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously.  Then Jacob made a vow, saying, ‘If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God.  And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.’”

The Presence of God leads Jacob to worship.

It moves him to:

• Serve God

• Recognize God

• Commit a place to God

Jacob’s encounter with God changed him.  It wasn’t just a spiritual moment— it shaped his future actions.  This passage gives us a clear pattern: God’s Presence brings unmistakable excitement.  It inspires worship.  It changes people.  It stirs the desire to give back to God.

This passage paints a clear picture of what happens when the Presence of God is revealed.

When God reveals Himself we are changed by it.

What do you think?