The Jacob’s ladder incident is a bit of an odd story, but there is prophetic depth to it that relates to Israel today. Sometimes there are phrases in the Bible that leap out as ridiculously relevant. The Bible is alive—a sharp sword, living and active—so we shouldn’t be surprised when it happens really.

This phenomenon happened a few times in the wake of the events of October 7, 2023. Psalm 27 seemed to pack a whole new punch as it described not only an enemy attack (v3), but also the very word “Hamas” which means violence in Hebrew (v12):

Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
    for false witnesses have risen against me,
    and they breathe out violence (= Hamas in Hebrew)

The prophetic element in the story of Joseph

Several times the weekly Torah portion read in the synagogues seemed to speak directly into the trouble of Israel, even the terrible hostage situation. Last week’s Bible portion was about Joseph, and the fateful journey he took sent by his father to go and find his brothers. Here’s what happens:

A man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” (Hebrew = “What is your request?”)
“I am seeking my brothers,” he said. (Genesis 37:15-16)

In Hebrew it’s very poignant, and almost sounds like a prayer: אֶת-אַחַי אָנֹכִי מְבַקֵּשׁ – it’s literally saying something like, “It’s my brothers I am asking for.”

This has been made into a big poster hung on the streets of Jerusalem, joining the myriads of other posters and stickers, memorials and requests of loved ones and lost ones, fallen soldiers and hostages still in captivity.

But just as prophetic as the Scriptures may be about Israel’s trouble, there are also words of living hope that speak to us directly today.

For example, the passage about Joseph being reunited with his brothers gives us a powerful, prophetic picture of Jesus finally being recognized by his Jewish brethren. In many ways, Joseph was a foreshadowing of the Messiah. Joseph was sold for 20 silver coins as Yeshua was betrayed for 30, he suffering at the hands of, and on behalf of, his brothers, out in the land of the Gentiles, unrecognizable to his brothers, yet procuring salvation both for his family and a whole lot of other Gentiles besides. The time will come when this revelation will come to the people of Israel.

The deeper meaning of Jacob’s ladder in the Bible

In the episode of Jacob’s encounter with God with the ladder from heaven, part of the story seems to be prophetically speak about the future of Israel, and the awakening that will one day come. In his dream, Jacob receives a promise from God, and then says something interesting in response. Here’s what God says, and then notice what Jacob says next:

“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. 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.”

Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”

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.”

In essence, God says that Jacob (who would later be named Israel) will be scattered throughout the earth, and promises His constant presence and blessing, then He says He will bring Israel back to the Land of Promise…

…And then Jacob WAKES UP.

Jacob wakes up, and what does He say? “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it!”

This points towards the spiritual awakening of the regathered people of Israel, when they suddenly realize the significance of Israel and more importantly, the God of Israel. And also, the fact that they had been unaware of it before!

“How awesome is this place!” Israel marvels… “This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

Jacob, AKA Israel, understands with new eyes, after this revelation, that he is in a very special place: none other than the house of God. The gate of heaven. Indeed, Israel, and specifically Jerusalem, is the place where heaven and earth were connected when Jesus paid for the sin of humanity on the cross.

Jesus Himself draws the parallel at the very end of John 1. He goes to meet Nathanael, a “true Israelite” whose name means “gift of God”. Here’s how the conversation goes:

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”
Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?”
Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” (John 1:47-50)

Then what does Jesus say to this representative of Israel?

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

Jesus IS the ladder.

He is the Messiah, sent to bring peace between heaven and earth, and Israel is the place He chose to do it. This is the gate of heaven, made open to all the families of the earth. So now all the nations are hearing this Good News and are being reconciled to God through Jesus who made the way. But what about Israel? What about the beloved descendants of Jacob? Israel’s time will come. But let these prophetic Scriptures act as a directive from the Father urging you on to seek out the lost brothers and pray for the regathered people of Israel:

אֶת-אַחַי אָנֹכִי מְבַקֵּשׁ – et achai anochi mevakesh: “It’s my brothers I am asking for.”

Wake up Israel!

Photo by John Salvino on Unsplash