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Christ the Mystic Ladder, January 15
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
.
Jacob’s experience as a wanderer from his home, when he was shown
the mystic ladder, ... was designed to teach a great truth in regard to the
plan of salvation....
The ladder represented Christ. He is the channel of communication
between heaven and earth, and angels go to and fro in continual intercourse
with the fallen race. The words of Christ to Nathanael were in harmony
with the figure of the ladder, when He said, “Verily, verily, I say unto
you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending
and descending upon the Son of man” (
John 1:51
). Here the Redeemer
identifies Himself as the mystic ladder that makes communication possible
between heaven and earth....
In assuming humanity, Christ planted the ladder firmly upon the earth.
The ladder reaches unto the highest heaven, and God’s glory shines from
its summit and illuminates its whole length, while the angels pass to and
fro with messages from God to man, with petition and praise from man to
God.... In the vision of Jacob was represented the union of the human and
the divine in Christ. As the angels pass to and fro on the ladder, God is
represented as looking down with favor upon the children of men because
of the merit of His Son....
The gaining of eternal life is no easy thing. By living faith we are to
keep on reaching forward, ascending the ladder round by round, seeing
and taking the necessary steps; and yet we must understand that not one
holy thought, not one unselfish act, can be originated in self. It is only
through Christ that there can be any virtue in humanity.... But while we
can do nothing without Him, we have something to do in connection with
Him. At no time must we relax our spiritual vigilance, for we are hanging,
as it were, between heaven and earth. We must cling to Christ, climb up by
Christ, become laborers together with Him in the saving of our souls
[22]
32
The Review and Herald, November 11, 1890
.
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