JESUS CHRIST THE LADDER/THE GATEWAY/THE HOUSE OF GOD TO HEAVENLY PLACES
November 24, 2002 am
MF Blume
John 1:43-51 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. (44) Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. (45) Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. (46) And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth-- Philip saith unto him, Come and see. (47) Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! (48) Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me-- Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. (49) Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. (50) Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou-- thou shalt see greater things than these. (51) And he saith unto him, 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.
Genesis 28:10-19 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. (11) And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. (12) 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. (13) And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; (14) And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. (15) And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. (16) And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. (17) And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. (18) And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. (19) And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.
Jesus told Nathanael that He saw him under the fig tree.
- That astounded Nathanael, letting us know there must have been no natural way Jesus could know he was beneath a fig tree earlier.
- Nathanael actually worshipped Him.
- Jesus then said he would see greater things than that.
- Nathanael would see angels ascending and descending on Jesus.
This is a direct link to the night when Jacob dreamed of seeing angels ascending and descending on a ladder.
- The Lord stood above the ladder at the top.
- Heaven was opened.
- Jesus told Nathanael that he would see heaven opened.
But Jesus is not saying He was like Jacob with a ladder stretching from Jacob up to Heaven.
- Jacob did not say the ladder reached to him with God at one end on top and him at the bottom.
- Jacob simply saw the ladder going from the earth to heaven, and God at the top of it.
- The angels were ascending and descending ON THE LADDER.
- Jesus actually said HE WAS THE LADDER.
- Jesus is the LADDER.
- Jesus is the Way.
- No man cometh to the Father but by Jesus.
Jacob then heard God speak.
(13b ) I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; (14) And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. (15) And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
He spoke about the LAND of promise.
- This was the same land that we have been preaching about lately.
- The promised land of blessings.
- Canaan.
- Where God eventually brought Jacob’s descendants back in the days of Moses and Joshua.
They had a physical land of promise.
We have a spiritual land of promise.
God told Jacob He would be with Jacob and bring him again to that land.
- God would not leave him until He led Jacob into that land.
- In other words, He would not leave him after He brought him there either, but assured Jacob that He wanted Jacob there.
In John 1:48, Jesus told Nathanael that He saw him beneath the fig tree.
- This was a term used to speak about prosperity in the land of Promise.
1 Kings 4:25 And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.
Zechariah 3:10 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.
Micah 4:4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.
And following this He told Nathanael that he would see the angels descending and ascending on the SON OF MAN.
- He would be like JACOB!
- Jacob saw that!
- Jacob was given a promise of God!
- Jacob was given the PROMISED LAND!
- Jesus is telling Nathanael that he is going to receive the promises of God.
- Why?
John 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
He praised Jesus indicating he would follow Jesus.
- Jesus was telling him that he was on the right track!
- He told him that all that God told Jacob was now a promise to Nathanael.
- Nathanael had come tot he REAL promised land and the REAL LADDER TO GLORY!
- JESUS CHRIST!
And its wonderful that in that physical land of promise for natural Israel, God showed Jacob a dream of the SPIRITUAL LAND of HEAVENLY PLACES that He has for us.
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Jesus told Nathanael he’d see HEAVEN OPENED.
Jacob saw heaven opened.
And Jesus said HE was the stairway that led up to Heaven.
Angels went up and down that stairway.
He’s the only entrance into Heaven – Jesus!
John 14:2-6 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (4) And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. (5) Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way-- (6) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
He said they knew the WAY.
- The reason He said that was because HE WAS THE WAY, and they knew Him.
- He said that the Father’s house with many mansions is for them.
- And there is a way to get there.
- HE IS THE WAY.
Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: (14) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Jesus is that Gate.
Few find it because in order to enter its very narrow way, you must die with Christ, be buried with Him, be quickened with Him, resurrect with Him and be ascended with Him.
Hebrews 11:9-10 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: (10) For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Hebrews 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (14) For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. (15) And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. (16) But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Notice we read a BETTER COUNTRY.
- The better country is the HEAVENLY COUNTRY.
Abraham and Isaac and Jacob were in one sort of Country where God wanted them.
- But even they were actually going to a far better country.
- They were going to a heavenly country.
- And this is not just talking about going to heaven after WE DIE.
- Paul said we already have access into this HEAVENLY country.
- Heavenly places.
- The Old Testament people could not get there in their time, because JESUS HAD NOT COME.
- But WE can get there NOW.
Jacob saw the ladder but never used it.
We USE IT NOW!
Jacob saw God in Heaven speaking to Him.
- Only one way was possible to get into Heaven where God was.
- The ladder.
- Look what Jacob called that ladder where heaven was opened.
“This is the gate of heaven.”
John 10:1-2 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. (2) But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Jesus said YOU CANNOT “CLIMB” up any other way.
John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Then He says I AM THE DOOR.
He is the GATE.
In what specific manner can Jesus be said to be the WAY--
Many people believe in Jesus and many know He existed and they tend to agree with all that Jesus is about.
- So does that mean everyone has found the way--
- Well, they might know the WAY, but they need to USE THE WAY.
- You must WALK UP A LADDER to use it.
Ephesians 1:18-21 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, (19) And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, (20) Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (21) Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Notice that we read about our INHERITANCE.
- The promised land was Israel’s INHERITANCE.
- Our inheritance is in HEAVENLY PLACES.
- Its at the top of this ladder.
- And it’s all associated with the POWER WHEREBY GOD RAISED UP CHRIST FROM THE DEAD.
When it says He is the WAY, it is talking about a specific WORK HE DID that opened up Heaven for us.
- There is power for us that God used to resurrect Jesus from the dead.
- So the WAY is Jesus in His death, burial and resurrection.
- You have to go through Jesus.
- He is the ladder.
- You have to climb up the proper way.
Jacob saw God and saw one single ladder getting to Him, in heaven.
- Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection is the only way to get to God and to get into this heavenly country, these heavenly places.
Ephesians 2:5-6 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) (6) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
In order to raise us up TOGETHER with Christ, we somehow have become connected to the raising that Jesus experienced.
We are quickened with Christ.
We are raised up together with Christ.
WE ACTUALLY SHARE IN JESUS’ RESURRECTION AND QUICKENING.
We become attached to His experience.
These are His experiences in those three days from the cross to Heaven!
All of that is what Joshua’s words spiritually mean to us when he said:
Joshua 1:11 Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.
IN THREE DAYS.
See the connection between Jesus being the LADDER TO HEAVENLY PLACES and Joshua saying it takes THREE DAYS TO PASS INTO THE PROMISED LAND--
They had to cross Jordan to enter that land.
Jesus was BAPTIZED in the Jordan River.
Baptism speaks of entering into His death.
Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death--
God was in that land and Jacob realized it.
(16) And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. (17) And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
We go three days by faith.
- Not three days physical walking.
- We believe that the three days of Jesus’ experience from the cross to the resurrection are our experiences.
- The point is what happened in those three days.
- If you understand obedience to Acts 2:38 actually causes you to die with Jesus, be buried with Him, and resurrect with Him, and obey hat, the you have gone the three days journey into the promised land.
Interpret Joshua’s words into our Gospel terminology.
You’ll only get into the promise land if you obey Acts 2:38 and know how Jesus’ 3 days from the cross to the burial to the resurrection is our experience, that God sees us as having fulfilled them in each of our lives!!”
Go through that understanding and believing.
CLIMB THE LADDER!
The Bible even calls Christ’s BODY, the CHURCH, the HOUSE OF GOD.
Hebrews 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
God had Israel build a HOUSE called the TEMPLE in the land of Canaan in Jerusalem.
- Jacob said there was a HOUSE OF GOD where the GATE and LADDER WAS FOUND.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you--
Ephesians 2:21-22 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: (22) In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Paul even tells Christians they need to become more HEAVENLY MINDED in the very things they stress in their religion.
Colossians 2:20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
Colossians 3:1-3 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (2) Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (3) For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.