Jacob left the place energized. Before he left however, he took the stone he had put under his head, and he set it up for a pillar, and he poured oil on its top and he named that place Bethel (the house of God); and this stone which I have set up as a pillar, he said, shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will give the tenth to You (Gen. 28:18, 19, 22). Jacob acknowledged the prophetic significance of the stone he used to lay his head on and anointed it to be called the house of God. Stones, in Bible times had spiritual and prophetic meanings. They were used for buildings, to mark important events that took place (Gen. 28: 17; Joshua 24:22-27); they were used for weapon (I Sam 17: 48-50); they were used for a tomb’s door (John 11: 41; Matt. 27: 60). Peter used the term “living stones” to illustrate the believer intimate relationship with the Lord YAHSHUA. He is the Living Cornerstone providing the strength and support of His church; He is the foundation of the Christian faith. In Him we are His living stones to declare the praises due Him. We were called out of the darkness of sin into the light of life and glory (I Peter 2:9).
God called Jacob out of the darkness of deceit to light of truth when he laid his head upon that stone which symbolized YAHSHUA, Who was to come from his lineage to fulfill the Law. He was to come as a Cornerstone for His people and His bride, the church. Much was happening at that time in God’s plan that Jacob had no idea, neither understanding. All he could say was: “Surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it.” Thousands years later when God took the incarnate form of man, he met a man called Nathaniel of whom he said: “Here is an Israelite indeed [a true descendant of Jacob], in whom there is no guile nor deceit, nor falsehood nor duplicity! … Then He said to him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you all, you shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man!” (John 1:46-51). Nathaniel was the only disciple of whom YAHSHUA said this. It could be that Nathaniel had come from the same lineage that YAHSHUA had come, and as a true son of Jacob, he was representing the sinless qualities of the Son of God. When YAHSHUA mentioned the Jacob’s dream to Nathaniel, He was saying that in Him God was fulfilling the Abrahamic covenant He had confirmed to Jacob.
The ladder Jacob saw was YAHSHUA, who was to come to unite heaven and earth through His death. He was the bridge through Whom the world was reconciled to God. II Corinthians says, It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but canceling them] and committing to us the message of reconciliation (II Cor. 5:19). YAHSHUA said, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14: 6). If the foundation of your faith is built on someone else, then you have rejected the true Cornerstone and the foundation of true faith. The Bible says that those who have rejected YAHSHUA as their Cornerstone and foundation of faith will perish. While you still have breath, there is time for you to turn to the true Savior and Redeemer. There is no other way to heaven. Heaven is not Rome; not any or every way will take you there; only through YAHSHUA you will get to heaven!
Light from the Word 