Introduction
Look at story of Jacob’s dream- general sense/what is God saying/doing in the earth now, here at COTR.
Jacob’s Dream Gen 28:10-22
Gen 28:10 (who were Abraham, Isaac, Esau?)
Jacob- on a journey by himself, alone, apart from family, running for his life.
Jacob- deceiver- facing the consequences of his sin.
He had stolen from his brother Esau …
first his first born birthright, and now
the father’s blessing.
Isaac sent him to- mother’s family- Haran- 500 miles.
Gen 28:11
A day or two out- 40-60 miles from Beersheba.
Gen 28:12-15
Jacob has a dream that is from God.
Before we look at the dream in detail I want to set it in the bigger context of what is going on with Jacob.
Gen 28:20-21
Jacob had been an …
independent man,
his behavior had not always been godly,
now he is alone, afraid,
his natural wisdom/strength is no longer enough
He was on a journey to a place he had never been.
He was unsure of the future.
He had nothing but the clothes on his back.
Sometimes the scariest places drive our hearts to God.
Pro 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge … NASU
Jacob had watched His father/grandfather walk w/God
Here we find Jacob wrestling with issues of faith.
Would he take the god of his father as his own God.
Every person must …
face this same struggle
find God on their own
establish a personal relationship with God.
Jacob again tries his cunning to cut a deal with God.
We can almost hear God say, Jacob …
I made a promise to your grandfather,
I made a promise to your father, and
I will fulfill that promise in your life as well.
it has nothing to do with you, but
everything to do w/Me, my grace/love/mercy.
Gen 28:12
God takes the initiative- as He did w/Abraham/Isaac, to reveal Himself to Jacob- begins to realize …
he is not alone- God with him.
Jacob had-consciousness of life- no awareness of God
God takes the initiative to reveal Himself to Jacob, as He had to Abraham and Isaac- as He will with us.
ASIDE: Abraham/Isaac- left behind a godly heritage for Jacob. There obedience now opened the door for Jacob. But Jacob had to step into it for himself- as each of us must do.
He sees a ladder reaching from earth to heaven.
Ladders- useful tools- bridge gaps between two places
They allow people to …
pass from one place to another,
to reach places they could not otherwise reach.
Jacob did not build this ladder, unlike the men in …
Gen 11:4 They said, "Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth." NASU
Jacob could never reach God on his wisdom/merit.
He needed a ladder- something/someone to bridge the gap between God and man.
In his dream, Jacob was reaching to God in heaven for help and God was reaching down to earth to help.
Dream demonstrates- heaven is not closed to men.
There is a way to cross the gulf between heaven/earth.
John 1:45-51
The ladder represents Jesus Christ- the one who bridged the breach between …
heaven and earth,
the Father and His children,
the unseen/seen, the eternal/natural.
Gen 28:13-15
Jacob not only sees angels, He sees God.
Each of us must encounter God/revelation of His love.
God- acknowledging- promise- made- Abraham/Isaac.
He was assuring Jacob that He was God not just of the present, but also the past and the future.
ASIDE: (JPJackson)- Bible says God does not change/He knows everything. Therefore the future is not some place God has not been. There are no surprises in the future for God, otherwise He would not know everything. There are no surprises in the future because He has been there- lives outside of time/space. If God says something in the future is true- it is true!
God will complete what He has started.
Phil 1:6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. NASU
We can trust our lives, past/present/future, to God.
Gen 28:16-17
Jacob recognized the presence of God in that place.
God opened the gates of heaven over that place.
As we saw earlier, Jesus Christ is both the House of God and the Gate of Heaven.
Jn 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. NASU
When we receive- HSpirit, we become a house of God
1 Cor 3:16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? NASU
As the church gathers together corporately, we are the house of God.
We also are to be a gate of heaven for the supernatural
God wants to minister to the world supernaturally through His Church.
Prophetic people today- portals- geographical places where heaven and earth meet.
Historically called- thin-place- places on earth where
space between heaven/earth seems very thin,
divine-human interaction seem more common
distractions of world seem far away- God close.
Perhaps we can see thin-places in the scriptures-
shepherds on hillside outside of Bethlehem,
Stephen- being stoned- God opened the heavens
Peter/John- Jesus- transfigured- Moses/Elijah.
Whether there are actual geographical gates/portals or not, Jacob realized he could not live there.
He had to resume his journey- to go on with his life.
Whether there are actual geographical gates/portals or not- we need to be careful not to
put much weight on them.
There are some things we hear about prophetically that come out of very small portions of scripture,
even just a phrase or a word.
We must be careful not to build our theology or make life decisions based on these concepts/ideas.
Gen 28:18-19
Jacobs response to the dream/encounter was worship.
The love of God rose above the darkness of his sin.
Stone pillar- expression of Jacob’s gratitude to God.
Gratitude should be- fruit of our religion if it is true.
Bethel- house of God- in some sense, any place you are is the house of God because God is in you.
Pouring oil on the stone was an act of consecrating it for God- dedicating it to a sacred purpose.
This can be a picture of Jacob beginning to realize that he must pour his life out for God.
Phil 2:17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. NASU
Stones pillars- erected- testimony of some great event.
1 Tim 3:15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. NASU
God says- I am erecting the church as a pillar today, it is my house, it is a place of my presence.
Jacob did not find God in the …
busyness of the journey, or
the fretting of his mind and thoughts,
he found Him when he settled down to rest.
Gen 28:20-21
After his encounter w/God, Jacob took a hold of the promise God made to Abraham- made it his own.
God indeed forgave Jacob of his sins, but he would suffer consequences for them.
As Jacob deceived Isaac, Laban would lie to Jacob.
God in …
His grace forgives us our sins,
His righteous government upholds the principle that we will reap what we sow.
Gen 28:22
Jacob, out of love for God, makes a commitment
ASIDE: Many believe this is the origination of the tithe- 400 years before Moses- under the Abrahamic covenant of grace rather than the Mosaic covenant of works.
Conclusion
As Jacob saw …
ladder w/angels going in/out of God’s presence,
Bethel- house of God- place of God’s presence,
Bethel as a gate of heaven,
… God has already opened gates for us.
When Jesus died to provide- bridge between heaven and earth- veil in temple torn- top to bottom.
The veil separated the holy place from the holiest place- high priest visited once per year.
Heb 9:7 but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. NASU
Jesus has opened the door, or portals of heaven, for us to experience the very presence of God in our lives
Prophetic word over COTR …
1 Cor 16:9 for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. NASU
God has opened and is opening the gates of heaven for His people to experience His presence today.
He is likewise opening possibilities/opportunities for you and I to step into new levels of faith.
He is allowing us to know Him intimately and to partner with Him in building His Kingdom.
