“And he dreamed, and behold there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold the angels of God were ascending and descending on it!”
— Genesis 28:12
Most of us heard the “Jacob’s Ladder” story in Sunday School: Jacob falls asleep, dreams of angels climbing a heavenly staircase, wakes up amazed, and names the place Bethel meaning “House of God.”
But here’s what probably didn’t get mentioned: Jacob was sleeping on a rock.
Wait, a Rock Pillow?
Yep… definitely not from Bed, Bath & Beyond.
Genesis 28:11 says Jacob “took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head.” Excuse me? Who curls up on a rock like it’s a MyPillow?
This wasn’t a quirky travel habit. In Jewish tradition, the stone Jacob laid his head on becomes hugely symbolic:
Midrash Rabbah says the stones merged into one under his head, representing the tribes of Israel uniting in him.
Later tradition even connects this stone to the foundation stone of the Temple, the meeting place of heaven and earth.
The Point Isn’t Comfort
Jacob wasn’t exactly on a cozy Airbnb stay. He was running for his life, exiled from family, alone in the wilderness. That rock pillow became a reminder that even in our desert places, God shows up. The most unlikely “bed” became the very place of divine encounter.
New Testament Connection
Jesus picks up this imagery in John 1:51: “You will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
He’s saying: I am the ladder. I am the connection point between heaven and earth. What Jacob just caught a glimpse of in a dream, Jesus embodies in reality.
Why This Matters for Us
Sunday School gave us a sweet flannelgraph ladder (does anyone remember those things?? I STILL see them clearly in my mind!) with sweet looking cherubs all around. Scripture gives us a wilderness encounter with a scared man, a rock pillow, and a God who says: “I am still with you.”
The lesson here? God meets us in our hardest places, our loneliest nights and turns even a stone pillow into a sanctuary.
📖 Scripture Study:
Genesis 28:10–22 — Jacob’s dream at Bethel
John 1:47–51 — Jesus as the true ladder
Psalm 118:22 — The stone the builders rejected
💭 Reflection:
Where do you feel like you’re laying your head on a “stone pillow” right now; uncomfortable, uncertain, unsettled? How might God be turning that very place into a Bethel, a house of encounter with Him?
✨ Takeaway:
Sunday School gave us a ladder. The text gives us a stone, a dream, and a Savior who becomes the true meeting place of heaven and earth.
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Gosh this blessed me so much this morning. 😭🙌🏽
Your reflection on Jacob’s stone pillow is powerful. That rock wasn’t for rest; it was a reminder of God’s promise. Genesis 28:11–12 reveals how even exile can lead to encounter. May struggle become sanctuary. Our God is near.