Once upon a time there was a young man named Jacob. One day, Jacob had to go on a long journey. He ran and ran until he got tired. When night fell, Jacob looked for a place to sleep. On the ground lay a large, smooth stone. Jacob laid his head on it and fell asleep.
While Jakob slept, he had a very special dream. He dreamed of a great ladder. This ladder reached from earth to heaven! There were many angels on the ladder, going up and down. Then Jacob saw that God was standing at the top of the ladder.
God spoke to Jacob and said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham and your father Isaac. I will be with you and take care of you wherever you go. And I’ll take you back to this land. You should have many children and grandchildren and experience great joy.”
When Jacob woke up, he was quite surprised. He thought, “This is a holy place! God himself was with me!” Jacob took the stone on which he had slept and set it up. Then he poured oil over it to bless the place and make it a special place for God. Jacob called this place “Bethel,” which means “house of God.”
Jacob rejoiced because he knew that God was with him and would protect him. He said, “God, if you are really always with me and take care of me, then I will trust you and love you always.”
Message of history
God is always looking out for us, no matter where we are. We can trust him, because he is always with us.
Bible passage
The story of Jacob and the ladder to heaven can be found in 1. Moses 28:10-17:
“And Jacob went out from Beersheba and went to Haran. And he came to a place where he stayed the night, for the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place, put it under his head, and lay down to sleep in that place. And he had a dream: Behold, a ladder was set on the earth, the top of which reached to heaven; and behold, the angels of God ascended and descended on it. And behold, the Lord stood on top of it, saying, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham, and the God of Isaac.” The land on which you lie, I will give to you and your descendants. And your descendants shall become like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread out to the west and east, and to the north and south; and in you and in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And behold, I am with you, and I will keep you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land; for I will not forsake you until I have done what I have told you. And 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 dreadful is this place! Here is nothing but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
