THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NE S S
July, 1942
264
dualistic philosophy of Plato and the Gnostics. Second, "Behold the angels" (v. 12). We may learn here that there is communication between heaven and earth. God hot only created the earth, but He also maintains a line of communication with the earth and those who live there, contrary to the notion of the Deists who thought that God made the world, wound it up like a Clock, and- then withdrew from the scene. Third, "Behold, the Lord [Je hovah]” (v.13). This is the best of all. Heaven is not only connected with our earth, there is not only communi cation between the two, but the God who stands above the “ ladder” is Je hovah the great Covenant-God of Abraham and Isaac. It is sometimes possible to go wrong in our discovery of types, but there can be no mistake here. According to His own Word, our Lord Jesus Christ is the “Ladder” con necting heaven and earth (John 1:51). Golden Text Illustration G enesis 28:15 A little village' lad once had to make an unknown journey to a dis tant town. When he was ready to start, he paused uncertainly in the doorway. “Mother,” he said, in trou bled tones, “it’s so far, and it’s a new road to me; I—I’m not.’zdctly afraid, but—but couldn’t you go a little way with me?” She caught the anxiousness of the childish appeal, and Said quietly, “Mother-will-go all the way with you, Son.” And so, the little brown hand con fidently held in mother’s, he walked the new way unafraid.— Golden Hours. A Ladder to Heaven G enesis 28 MEMORY VERSE: “ I. will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only rhakest me dwell in safety" (Psa. 4:8). APPROACH: Did you ever have a strange dream? Was it a beautiful dream or something that frightened you? Did you wonder what it meant?
the covenant at its face value. He manifested the natural legalism of all men by his offering to make a cove nant with God, a covenant in which he would bind himself as well as God. How presumptuous he was! In this lesson we can see the dis- pehsational character of the passage when we look at Jacob as a represen tative of his own nation. The people, of Israel are now cast out of their t own land because of their rebellion ' and sin. They wander through a land of strangers; they are guarded— though it may not always be evident —by the unseen God to whom they belong, and they are to be brought back ultimately to. their own land in safety and peace. There they will be so changed by the grace and power of God that they will be the acknowl edged and accepted channel through ■which the blessing of God will be poured upon all the families of the earth. Thus will be brought to the world its dreamed-of golden age. Points and Problems . 1. 'Took of the stones , . . and put them for his pillows" (v. 11). For those who delight in finding shadows of the Coming One, it may be sug gested that here we have Jacob, great ancestor of Messiah, j o u r n e y i n g through the land which was his by divine grant, yet with no place ex cept some stones to lay his head. And we are reminded that our Lord, King of the Jews and the Heir of all things, once walked through the same land with no placé to lay His head. 2. 'Took of the stones of that place" (v. 11). The Hebrew reads, “ He took one of the stones.” Certain Jewish commentators think this place was Mount Moriah, and that the stone he took was one which had originally formed the altar-upon which Abraham had placed his son Isaac for sacrifice. This idea is based on the name "Beth-El" given by Jacob to the place (v. 19), and which means “house of God.” Since the temple of God was later built on Mount Moriah, they re garded the name “Beth-El” as pro phetic. But it is better to take the name simply to refer to the town of Bethel. 3. "And he dreamed" (v. 12). The dream here undoubtedly-was given of God, which is not true of the ordinary dreams of men. There are three defi nite stages in the dream as it rises to its great climax, and each of these stages is introduced by the word “Be hold.” First, "Behold a ladder" (v: 12). Since this ladder reached from earth to heaven, the first simple lesson to be learned is that there is a connec tion between heaven and earth, that there is no unbridgeable chasm be tween God and the world, between the material and the spiritual. This is an assertion that the Universe, is really a Uni-verse, and a denial of the
whom the God of great grace delights - to reveal His goodness, Jacob was given a dream by God. He beheld a ladder, the bottom being just where he was, and the top just where God was. The angels of God were passing from where the man was to where God was, implying that from Jacob to God there was an open way for copv munication. Surely Jacob, despite his ■hitherto unconquered nature, was an heir of salvation, and angels were even then fulfilling their purpose in ministering to this lonely, man (cf. Heb. 1:14). ; II. J acob ’ s C ovenant ( 13-15) To Jacob was given an uncondi tional covenant, one in which God ■andertook to fulfill- all its obligations. It was given perhaps in answer to prayer (cf. Gen. 35:3). Here is seen the manifestation of the grace of the “ God of Jacob." The covenant included the land, already given to Abraham and Isaac, and now given to Jacob and his descendants. Thus there is no question that actually the land still belongs to Jacob’s seed, the twelve tribes of , ■ Israel. The covenant declared that the seed : should be as the dust of the earth in multitude. It may be noticed that the promise to Abraham was 'concerning a seed that should be as the stars and the sand; the promise to Isaac was of a seed that should be as the stars; while the promise to Jacob concerned only the sand, or that connected with the earth. Abraham*7it will be noted, is the father of dll the faithful, both the heavenly and the earthly people (cf.- Gen. 22:17; 26:4; 28:14; John 8:39, 40; Lk. 19:9; Rom. 4:11-16). The covenant also included blessing, through Jacob’s seed; upon all the families of the earth: If the Gentile peoples only knew it, their hope for a’ golden age will, never he fulfilled until the despised descendants of Jacob are brought into their promised place of blessing under God (cf. Isa. 2:1-4; Zech. 8:22, 23). Moreover, the covenant included the protection by God from all dangers in Jacob’s path, the presence of God in all places of Jacob’s pilgrimage,- and the providence of God overruling for Jacob’s good. And added to all this, Jacob could have full assurance that he would return Safely to the land which was now given him. III. J acob ’ s C onduct (16-22) When Jacob awoke, he was beset with fear because of the supernatural experience he had passed through. The supernatural always produces fear because of the sinful condition of humankind. Then Jacob revealed his inner na ture by beginning to bargain with God, instead of thankfully receiving
We can’t be sure that our dreams m e a n anything, but when the Bible tells us about how G o d t a l k e d t o s o m e o n e i n a .dream, we can al ways be sure ' o f what He said. LESSON STORY:
Today we have the story of a man who dreamed a strange dream. This man,' Jacob, saw a ladder set up bn the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. He saw the angels of God ascending and descending uppn it. My*; what a wonderful sight! But that wasn’t all. The Lord stood above the
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