Heavenly Summit, Diptych by Rita Adams
Jacob’s Dream at Bethel - Jacob was in trouble. He had taken his brother Esau's place - buying his birthright for a bowl of lentils and receiving their father's blessing through trickery. Esau had sworn vengeance. Jacob had to escape. So he left his family and started on a long (walking) journey of nearly 500 miles. He was going to Haran, the land where his uncle Laban lived. One night, as he lay down to rest in the open with a stone for his pillow, he had a dream. For the first time, the Lord appeared to him, standing at the top of a ladder, or stairway. Going up and coming down that ladder were angels. The Lord spoke to Jacob, telling him who He was and promising that Jacob's descendants would be plentiful and dwell in the land of Canaan. When he woke from the dream, Jacob recognized the significance of God appearing to him. He set up a pillar to commemorate the event and made a vow that the Lord would be his God.
This was a major turning point in Jacob's life, not only because he was leaving home for the first time, but because of his dream. He had a vision of angels ascending and descending upon the ladder, with the Lord at the top. Like Jacob, we too sometimes have experiences that lift our spirits above ordinary things to see the Lord's presence in our lives.
