“Jacob’s Ladder” performed by the Angelic Choir from the 1991 album titled “The Preacher And The Indian.” Opening narration by Rev. Lawrence Roberts, on lead Rev. Charles Bowman. (If you don’t see the vide, refresh your page. Appreciated best with headphones.)
Genesis 28:16-18
New International Version (NIV)
16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”
18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it.
Jacob’s Ladder, early 1900s European Christian illustration (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
As a child in Sunday School, I remember singing about Jabob’s ladder. The words were:
We are climbing Jacob’s ladder. (repeat x 2)
Soldiers of the cross.
Every round goes higher, higher. (repeat x 2)
Soldiers of the cross.
Sinner do you love my Jesus? (repeat x 2)
Soldiers of the Cross.
If you love Him, why not serve Him? (repeat x 2)
Soldiers of the cross.
Every round goes higher and higher. (repeat x 2)
Soldiers of the cross.
Rise, shine, give God the glory. (repeat x 2)
We are soldiers of the cross.
This song “Jacob’s Ladder” is a message of hope handed down through generations of black folk who had survived being hunted, enslaved, and dehumanized for centuries. Slaves related to the story of the wily, worldly Jacob who stole his brother’s birth right, but none the less was loved by God, and eventually came to embrace righteousness.
Jacob’s ladder is about a dream that Jacob, (whose name was later changed to Israel), had. The setting is the beginning of Jacob’s journey. Jacob had been blessed by his father Isaac, Abraham’s son, and was on his way to get a bride from the place where his father had instructed him.
The sun was setting. Jacob was tired, and laid his head on a stone to rest. He fell asleep and had a dream. In his dream he:
“saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
13 There above it[c] stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.
14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.[d]
15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Jacob saw “a stairway to Heaven,” the ultimate destination of all who know God. The angels or messengers of God traveled to and fro on the stairway to Heaven. The Lord stood above the stairway. After identifying Himself as the God of Abraham and Isaac, the Lord then proclaimed these promises to Jacob:
- He and his descendants would be given the land on which he was lying.
- His descendants would be numerous, (“like the dust of the earth”), and the world would be blessed through him and his offspring.
- The Lord would shepherd the journey of Jacob and his offspring, and would fulfill His promise.
What We Can Learn From Jacob’s Ladder
Jacob’s ladder is a comfort and a lesson for us many thousands of years later. God sees “the end from the beginning” (Isaiah 46:10). Truly this was the beginning for Jacob, who had deceived his father in order to receive his brother’s blessing. God’s promise came to Jacob at a time when his heart was fresh with betrayal. The dream came as he slept, vulnerable, under the stars, with his head resting on a stone pillow. This is not a picture of comfort. How loudly would we scream if the Lord led us to a place where we had to sleep without a blanket, and have a stone for a pillow?
Jacob’s ladder teaches us that God is faithful. Sometimes He sends encouragement and long insight when circumstances look most uncertain, at a time when our hearts are not fully prepared, and our accomplishments in righteousness are few.
Despite his cunning ways, Jacob understood the dream the Lord had sent him. When he woke up, he was encouraged, and thought: “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”
Jacob then took the stone pillow and used it as a pillar on which he poured oil and worshipped God. Thus we should do with all our “rocks in a weary land.” Friend, when was the last time you allowed the Lord to turn your trials into worship? What have you done with your stone pillows? What will you do from now on?
Until we meet again: “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!” (Ephesians 6:10).
– Verneda
(Twitter handle: @vlights)
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The video “Jacob’s Ladder” performed by the Angelic Choir was posted on Youtube.com by tinascaravans on Mar 29, 2013. Verneda Lights and E-graphX Omnimedia have no ownership in this video, it is used for educational purposes only.
