Jacob and the stairway to heaven

When Isaac was very old, he knew that it was time to give his eldest son his special blessing. He asked Esau to go hunting and to cook some venison for him.

Rebekah heard them talking. She told Jacob, “Fetch two young goats. I’ll cook the meat so that you can take it to your father and pretend to be Esau.” Jacob said, “My father will know that I am not Esau!” Rebekah said, “Your father is old and blind. If you wear Esau’s clothes and cover your hands with animal skins, he won’t notice anything.” Jacob wanted to be the leader of the family. He took the meat to his father. Isaac was confused, but Jacob told him that he was Esau. He held out his hands for Isaac to feel. His clothes smelt like Esau’s. Then Isaac blessed his youngest son and promised that he would be the leader of the family. When Esau found out what Jacob had done, he was angry and sad. Isaac and Rebekah realised that it would be better for Jacob to go away for a while. They sent him to Rebekah’s family who lived far away.

Jacob had to leave his home. On the first day of his journey he walked until night fell. He had to sleep in the open and he used a stone as a pillow. He was tired and soon fell asleep. Then he had a wonderful dream. He saw a stairway going right up to heaven. Angels were going up and down the stairs, and the Lord stood beside the stairway. The Lord spoke to Jacob and said, “I am the Lord God. One day this land will belong to you and your children and their children. They will fill the earth. And I shall bless the world because your family believes in me. I am with you. I will watch over you everywhere you go. And I will bring you back to this land.” When Jacob woke up, he said, “The Lord is in this place, and I did not even know it.”

Then he poured olive oil on the stone on which he had placed his head. He called that place Bethel, which means “house of the Lord”. Then Jacob prayed to the Lord, “Please watch over me wherever I go and bring me back to this place. Then I will always serve you. I will give one tenth of everything I own to you.” Then Jacob went on his way. He lived with his mother’s family for many, many years, but in the end, he did go back to Bethel and to his childhood home. There he made peace with his brother. Genesis 25, 27 and 28