Genesis 28:12, 19 (NIV)
12 [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.
19 He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.
John 1:51 (NIV)
51 [Jesus] then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”
“It is fitting that after all the questions, testimonies, and confessions regarding Jesus’s messiahship from others, Jesus for the first time speaks about himself. Jesus’s statement breaks all messianic categories and expands the horizon regarding what Jesus’s disciples are invited to ‘come and see.’ Although contextually the statement is a final response to Nathanael, the statement itself is plural: ‘You (plural) will see.’ Thus, this authoritative statement is an address to all the disciples, both in the early ministry of Jesus and in the history of the church.
Jacob’s vision of God in Genesis 28 is realized by the disciples, by the church. Jacob saw a vision; the disciples saw the Word-become-flesh. The dwelling place of God is fully realized in ‘the Son of Man.’ A person, not a place, is Bethel, the ‘house of God.'” (Edward Klink III, John, ECNT)
Prayer: Father, how blessed we are. Jesus, you are the Word-become-flesh dwelling place of God, and we worship you. May we stay, follow, and remain with you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Let’s worship to the song, “House of the Lord” by Phil Wickham (click here).
– AK