[Jacob] 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. There above it stood the LORD … — Genesis 28:12-13a
Jacob’s deception was beginning to backfire. He had won his father’s blessing but lost his father. In place of blessing, he was a fugitive, running for his life. Yes, he had a cover story — he was looking for a wife. But the real motivation for the trip was to escape Esau’s revenge. And while Jacob did gain a wife, he seems to have lost his mother; she is never mentioned again.
The road ahead for Jacob would not be easy. He would learn what it was like to be on the business end of a scam. He would spend years working to build up his household only to see his family and wealth almost taken away first by Laban, then by Esau. His dear Rachel would die in childbirth. Dinah would be raped. Bilhah would be defiled by Reuben. Simeon and Levi would nearly get them all killed. Judah’s sons would die. Joseph would disappear. Simeon would be taken prisoner. Benjamin would almost become a slave while famine gnawed away at their wealth and threatened their very lives.
But central to Jacob’s life is not deception, nor is it tragedy and loss. Central to Jacob’s life is his connection with heaven. All his troubles would have no meaning apart from his connection to the One who stands above the stairway.
And what are all these angels doing — ministering to those who will inherit salvation? The God who seems so remote and far away in our times of trouble is near, and busy with His angels keeping us connected to heaven, giving all our troubles a depth of meaning they would otherwise never have.
Be encouraged!
Dwight
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Visit DwightClough.com for more information. Dwight and his wife Kim are active members of Lake City Church in Madison.