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Christ, the Ladder to Heaven, March 1
And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the
top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending
and descending on it.
Genesis 28:12
.
Let us consider this ladder which was presented to Jacob.... The sin of
Adam cut off all intercourse between heaven and earth. Up to the moment
of man’s transgression of God’s law there had been free communion
between earth and heaven. They were connected by a path which Deity
could traverse. But the transgression of God’s law broke up this path and
man was separated from God....
Every link which bound earth to heaven and man to the infinite God
seemed broken. Man might look to heaven, but how could he attain it?
But joy to the world! The Son of God, the Sinless One, the One perfect in
obedience, becomes the channel through which the lost communion may
be renewed, the way through which the lost paradise may be regained.
Through Christ, man’s substitute and surety, man may keep the command-
ments of God. He may return to his allegiance and God will accept him.
Christ is the ladder. “By me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and
shall go in and out and find pasture.”
John 10:9
....
The ladder is the medium of communication between God and man.
Through the mystic ladder the gospel was preached to Jacob. As the
ladder stretched from earth, reaching to the highest heavens, and the glory
of God was seen above the ladder, so Christ in His divine nature reached
immensity and was one with the Father. As the ladder, though its top
penetrated into heaven, had its base upon the earth, so Christ, though God,
clothed His divinity with humanity and was in the world “found in fashion
as a man” (
Philippians 2:8
). The ladder would be useless if it rested not
on the earth or if it reached not to the heavens.
God appeared in glory above the ladder, looking down with compas-
sion on erring, sinful Jacob.... It is through Christ that the Father beholds
sinful man.... The broken links have been repaired. A highway has been
thrown up along which the weary and heavy laden may pass. They may
enter heaven and find rest.
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