The House of God

The City of God

Hebrews 11:13–16 ESV

13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Jacob’s Dream

Genesis 28:10–17 ESV

10 Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! 13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. 14 Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

Three Elements

Land

Seed

Blessing

Three Generations

Abraham

Isaac

Jacob (Israel)

The Ramp

Angels of God were ascending and descending upon a ladder.

The Hebrew term for ladder in verse 12 is better translated as ramp.

And in verse 13, the phrase “and the Lord stood above it,” is better translated as “the Lord was poised over him,” which could literally be translated as on it. The Lord was on the ramp (ladder).

This dream was give to Jacob to encourage him.

God appointed angelic messengers to ensure Jacob that He was faithful to carry out His will and plans for Jacob’s life.

More than likely, the angels traversed a stairway rather than a ladder.

Joseph’s Dream

Genesis 37:2–5 ESV

2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. 5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more.

Tell Your Joseph Dream

Son of Man

John 1:51 ESV

51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

The term “Son of Man” replaced the ladder in Jacob’s dream, signifying that Jesus was the means of access between God and man. Son of Man.

The term at times may refer merely to a human being or as a substitute for “I,” it especially takes on an eschatological significance referring to Daniel 7:13, 14 where the “Son of Man” or Messiah comes in glory to receive the kingdom from the “Ancient of Days.”

Jesus used the term “son of man” as a name for Himself more than any other, eighty-three times in the Gospels. It is a messianic title (Dan. 7:13, 14) that refers clearly to the humanity and the humility of Christ. Yet it also speaks of His everlasting glory, as Daniel 7:13, 14 shows (cf. 24:27; Acts 7:56).

John 14:6 (ESV) -Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

1 Timothy 2:5 (ESV) - For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

Dreams & Visions

Joel 2:28 ESV

28 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.