01-76 The Gate of Heaven

Genesis 28:10-22

2-3 hundred years ago there was a cruel belief that thought the knowledge of God came thru reason rather than thru revelation. Those who held this perspective believed in a supreme Creator God who created all the universe including all the natural laws by which it would govern itself and then this god stepped away. The helpful analogy is that of a clockmaker who designed the clock, constructed it, wound it up and put it down—to let it run itself.

Deism—since it was based on reason and not what God revealed of Himself in Scripture, rejected miracles, prophecy, the deity of Christ, the doctrine of the Trinity, and the inerrancy and authority of the Bible. Most catastrophically they denied the resurrection of LJC which is the foundation true biblical faith.

Now, man’s understanding is darkened and we know that the unbeliever, left to their own reasoning would invent such a cruel doctrine as this believing that God was not present in the affairs of the world and especially not in their own lives.

I call it cruel b/c believers have always taken comfort in the awareness that God is with us, that He is superintending our lives, directing our steps, guiding us along the path of righteousness—fulfilling His purpose in us and thru us. So whether you are facing times of great joy, prosperity and blessing, or enduring profound hardships and trials of various kinds, our firm conviction is that God does not abandon us but is with us in every moment of our lives.

But there are too many times that good, God-fearing, Christ-adoring Xns, will become overwhelmed by our circumstances and we quickly forget the presence of God in our lives and live as though God has stepped away. Moving from the heights of active faith and trust in the Lord to doubting can flip on a dime and like Peter when he stepped out of the boat he was walking on water for a very brief time and when he took his eyes off the Lord, he was overcome by the sea.

Thankfully deism is not a belief system that we have to contend with today but there’s a residue of it that remains and we all have to be quick to avoid it and we can do that by living out the truth that God is with us in everything we encounter. This brings us hope, comfort and courage as we live out the Xn faith in this wicked and perverse generation.

This is a reality that God often reminded the patriarchs about in the OT:

to Isaac the Lord said: I have been with you, I am with you, I will be with you

Jacob: I am with you; I will be with you

Jacob told Joseph: The Lord will be with you

God told Joshua: I will be with you (several times)

There’s an episode in Jacob’s life that drilled this truth into him and I want to walk thru this passage with you—there’s a number of truths that emerge here that will strengthen our conviction about God’s presence in our lives. I’m dividing the passage into 4 parts:

1. The Place of Rest

10-11

Moses “Then Jacob departed” and he is referring to the events after Jacob deceived his father so that Isaac would give him the blessing instead of his brother Esau. When Esau realized that Jacob stole the blessing he became extremely angry, bearing a grudge against his brother (27:41), intending to kill him. Rebekah heard about Esau’s private words with himself and she warned Jacob to leave and to go to her brother until Esau’s anger subsides. It is at this point that Esau’s wives were unbearable to Rebekah and she told her husband as much.

Isaac called Jacob to himself and charged him to find a wife but not from the daughters of Canaan (cursed)—28:1-2. He sent him away with the added blessing of God (vv 3-5). Esau came to realize that his choice of wives (plural) was not pleasing to his father and so he took another wife (#3)—Ishmael’s daughter Mahalath (AKA Basemath “one who is fragrant”; another wife bears this name also).

So after his father charges him with finding a wife (Jacob is mid-70s), he sets out toward Haran (500 miles to the north). This is where Laban, his mother’s brother lived. This is Rebekah’s home and this is where she told Jacob to go to avoid his brother’s wrath. It was not a short journey (several weeks).

Jacob travels the 1st day “to a certain place” (vs 11) where he spends the night. This place will later be identified as Bethel (v19). This is the place where Abraham (many years before this) set up an altar and “called upon the name of the Lord” after God promised to bless him and before he went to Egypt. Now, whether Jacob knew that this was the place we can’t be certain but this is where Jacob finds himself on that 1st night away from home.

He takes a stone (come scholars make the case that this was one of the stones of Abraham’s altar) and uses it to rest his head. Now, I want you to take note that this is not just some random place. Though it is not yet named (as far as Jacob was concerned)—those Moses is writing to know very well that Luz/Bethel was a very special place and the later history of Israel would attest to this. Jacob will move his family to this place in ch 35. This is not some random place—as if this just happens to be where the sun sets as Jacob journeys toward Haran.

This place is appointed by God. The timing is appointed by God. It was unknown from Jacob’s perspective but this is the truth that every saint must bear in mind that as we live our lives, we too encounter these divine appointments—each one orchestrated by the sovereign Lord, His timing, His place, His initiative—so that we would be certain of His active presence in our lives.

Spurgeon:

Oh to feel God everywhere! In the little as well as in the great! In our risings up and in our sittings down, in our goings forth and in our comings in! I can conceive of no life more blessed and of no spirit more akin to the spirit of the glorified than the mind and heart of the man who lives in God and knows and feels that God is ever present with him.

If you’re not convinced that God is with you—then keep reading:

2. The Promise of God

12-14

Jacob falls asleep and he has a dream. In the Bible there is a difference b/t a dream and a vision. Both were used by God to reveal Himself to those whom He chose to do so. In visions, the person was quite awake, alert, and seeing a revelation from God (maybe like sort of watching a movie), in dreams, people are asleep, not awake, and in their subconscious, they receive a revelatory word from God. This is what Jacob is receiving.

This is an amazing truth: God speaks.

Hebrews 1:1–2 NASB95

1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

The world is trying to find its way to God. It has been that way for a very long time (remember tower at Babel?). But the comforting truth is that God is not out there, uninterested, inactive, unconcerned while we try to figure out life here and now. God speaks—He did so in many portions and in many ways in the OT (like Jacob’s dream) and today we have the living and abiding Word of God—that became flesh and dwelt among us. Today God is speaking thru His Son the LJC.

Notice specifics (features) of Jacob’s dream:

A Ladder

What we think of as a ladder is probably not what Jacob saw. The Heb term more likely hints at a stairway type structure like a stepped-ramp (what you might see on a ziggurat). Now, the bottom of this stairway was set on the earth and its top “reaching” (lit touching) to heaven. The significance of this was clear to Jacob. The visible world where he lived and moved about—where he was even now sleeping was connected to the invisible world where God is, thru this object—the ladder/stairway.

The Angels of God

A malak is a “messenger” (could be human, heavenly). Sometimes these heavenly messengers deliver divine communications, other times they accompany the message delivered by the Lord. This is the case here. They are silent but their presence amplifies the impact of this divine message. And Jacob gets it. He sees them ascending (from where he is) and descending (from where God is)—very active.

Not everyone saw angels, though a few did: Elisha’s servant at Dothan, Daniel, Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, women at the tomb, Paul, John and a few others. Heb reminds us that you may have encountered angels and not even been aware of the fact.

Hebrews 1:14 NASB95

14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

Hebrews 13:2 NASB95

2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

The Bible teaches us there are “myriads” (lit 10,000) of angels.

Hebrews 12:22 NASB95

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,

Revelation 5:11 NASB95

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,

We cannot know the number of angels but Jacob sees their activity, alertness, involvement with things on earth while going up and down on this stairway.

YHWH Above It

What Jacob sees is what I think is the supreme message in this account—the primary truth. The sovereign Creator, the ruler of heaven and earth, is exalted, lifted high above His creation standing above the stairway (above His creatures, above His creation) He is presiding over the affairs of His creation…and He sees Jacob. God is not uninterested, uninvolved, disconnected.

Too many people live as though they believe God is not involved it the affairs of the world or of their lives—personally and directly. Even believers can be tempted to think this way and the consequence is disorder, loss of peace, discouragement and fear.

At this point in his life, Jacob needed the divine message that God is the architect of His plans for His creation and the administrator Who brings this plan to pass. He works all things after the counsel of His will (Eph 1:11). The message every saint today needs to be convinced of is:

Romans 8:28 NASB95

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

God is exalted above His creation, on His throne, working out His good and perfect purpose in each of you. This is why you’re here today. By divine appointment. God has appointed everything about you: the day of your birth, your parents, your gender, the color of your skin, where you would grow up, to whom you would get married—appointing the details of your life, including the day of your death. And in all of this, He is present, guiding, directing, moving, working out His purpose (employing His angels often times) and while we don’t see it, like Elisha’s servant, angels are around, the stairway is right here and it busy with those who are ready to bring God’s purpose to pass—in your life and in mine.

Then the Lord God speaks: this is the reiteration of what He spoke to Abraham and to Isaac (vv 13-14). Jacob is not setting out on this journey to find a wife, forgotten by the Lord, but every step will be part of the divine plan that will bring God’s promise to fruition in his life.

3. The Presence of God

15-17

Continuing God’s promise “I will be with you…”

I want you to note how many times God is the subject in vs 15. God stresses that He is the one that will accomplish His purpose…it is not left to chance, luck, karma. Jacob needed to hear this promise of God’s presence wherever he would go.

Those of you who trust in LJC have the same promise:

Matthew 28:20 (NASB95)

and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Hebrews 13:5 NASB95

5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”

God is with you, when you rise up in the morning, when you lay down at night, in your goings and comings, in your work, recreation, in your schooling, in your retirement. God is with you right now, right beside you (even better, right in you). You trust in JC:

1 John 1:3 (NASB95)

and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

I believe this strengthened Jacob’s resolve to live the life God had called him to. And what he will encounter, the difficulties that lie ahead, he will face them knowing that God will always be with him.

And he confessed it… “when he woke…” (vs 16). This was a unique dream for Jacob and when he set out from his father and mother, you can almost sense a measure of defeat and fear. Jacob did not know that YHWH was here (at least lived as though He wasn’t). There’s a sense of shame at not acknowledging that the Lord was in this place.

“how awesome” (vs 17)—Jacob is right now gripped with fear (lit Heb). This is how Solomon concludes Eccles:

Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 NASB95

13 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. 14 For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

Fear is the beginning of wisdom-when you realize that God is with you, every moment of your life, bringing His purposes to pass, this will humble you, it will bring you to worship and praise.

Jacob confesses “this is none other…” “gate of heaven.” This is the dividing line b/t human and divine. This is where the angels move back and forth, from where God is directing all things (controlling access and giving it thru LJC). This is what JC speaks of in GJohn.

Jn 1:45-51;

Jacob saw it and worshiped—by setting up a—

4. The Pillar of Memorial

18-22

There are several activities of Jacob following his dream.

Rose early (shows his eagerness to worship)

Took stone (set up as pillar)

Anoints with oil (act of consecration of the place and himself)

Called this place “Bethel” (formerly Luz—nut, almond). Bethel lit “house of God”

This would become a place set apart for worshiping YHWH. Later Jacob will move his family here, to be near to this place God revealed Himself to the patriarch.

“Then Jacob made a vow…” (vs 20). This was a solemn, binding oath that if God would be with him and this journey, keep him, provide for him—if all this happens, then “the Lord will be my God.” Jacob could utter this knowing that the God he had seen standing above the gate of heaven and directing the affairs of the universe from His heavenly throne, was not only the God of the universe, but in a very real and experiential way—the Lord is MY God. There’s a vast difference b/t God being God (He is that regardless of what you do), and God being “My God.”

The difference is what you do with LJC (who has become our “ladder”, our access, He is the gate of heaven (I am the door, way, etc). If you trust in the LJC then the Lord is your God. This is very personal. It was for Jacob and he shows that in the next act of worship: giving a tenth.

Now, I don’t personally believe the Bible commands that Xns give a 10th of what they have. After the Law is given to Israel—this becomes a means of taxation to immediately provide for the Levites who did not have a share of land (there were other tithes required also). The NT pattern of giving is not tied to an amount or percent but to the condition of the heart.

2 Corinthians 9:6–7 NASB95

6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

That is the only requirement of your offering to the Lord—that it be of the heart, cheerful (not grudgingly or under compulsion). Many have grown up under the perspective that God wants your “tithe” (10th). That has created churches filled with people who give under compulsion and not freely. Some can never give 10% and have the burden of guilt for not giving what they feel compelled to give. Some of you may give 10% and you’re satisfied with that but you may be able to give much more. I’m not going to say anything else about this—other than your gift (whether its a dollar or thousand) should be given as an act of worship b/c the Lord is your personal God. For God loves the cheerful giver.

The only way to encounter God in this personal way, is to come to Him by faith in LJC. He is the only access b/c He is the only one who has died in our place and has been raised from the dead, conquering sin and death.

Acts 4:12 NASB95

12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Believe on the Savior today!