Jacob’s Ladder is a fascinating story from the Bible, found in Genesis 28:10-19. It’s about a dream that Jacob had while traveling, which had a special message from God.
Jacob’s Journey
Bible Verse: Genesis 28:10
“Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran.”
Jacob was traveling from Beersheba to Harran. This was a long journey, and he was alone. He was on this journey because he was following his mother’s advice to escape his brother Esau’s anger and also to find a wife from his mother’s family.
The Dream of the Ladder
Bible Verse: Genesis 28:12
“He had a dream in which 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.”
While Jacob was sleeping, using a stone as a pillow, he had an amazing dream. He saw a ladder, or stairway, that reached from the ground all the way up to heaven. Angels were going up and down this ladder.
God’s Promise to Jacob
Bible Verse: Genesis 28:13-14
“There above it 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. 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.'”
In the dream, God stood above the ladder and spoke to Jacob. He promised Jacob that his descendants would be many and that they would inherit the land he was on. God also promised to be with Jacob and to protect him wherever he went.
The Stone of Bethel
Bible Verse: Genesis 28:18-19
“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. He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.”
When Jacob woke up, he took the stone he had used for his pillow and set it up as a special marker of the place where he had his dream. He called the place Bethel, which means “house of God,” because he believed that God was in that place.