Jacob's Ladder Dream

Jacob left home and began a long journey by himself. When evening came, he stopped to rest, used a stone as a pillow, and fell asleep under the stars. During the night, he had a wonderful dream: a shining stairway reached from the earth to heaven, and God’s messengers were going up and down on it. God spoke to Jacob from above the stairway and promised that wherever Jacob went, God would be with him and would not leave him. When Jacob woke up, he said with awe, “Surely Yahweh is in this place, and I didn’t know it!” He stood up the stone he had used as a pillow, poured oil on it, and named the place Bethel, which means “House of God.” As Jacob continued his journey, he had courage and hope because he knew God was with him.