Jacob's vision a type of the ministration of angels
to christ.
Gen. xxviii. 12, 13. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set upon the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven : and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the Lord stood above it.
NOW that God has given to the world a complete revelation of his mind and will, we are no longer to expect any extraordinary and personal communica- tions with him : but, in former days, he frequently instructed his more favoured servants by dreams and visions. The particular vision recorded in the passage before us is almost universally considered as typical, though few, if any, have given any satisfac- tory account wherein the type consists. We shall endeavour therefore to put the subject in a just point of view ; and for that purpose shall consider,
I. The immediate end of the vision —
When so remarkable a revelation is vouchsafed to man, we may conclude that some end, worthy of the divine interposition, is to be answered by it. The intent of the vision here given to Jacob, seems to be,
1. To dispel his fears of merited evils —
[Jacob could not but be conscious that he had acted a base and treacherous part : and that therefore he had incurred the divine displeasure, at the same time that he had excited a murderous rancour in the breast of his injured brother. He was now fleeing to avoid the effects of his brother's wrath, and had but too much reason to dread some righteous judg- ment from the hand of God. But God, who is altogether sovereign in the distribution of his favours, and frequently bestows them at seasons, when, according to our conceptions, they could be the least expected, appeared to him, with ex- pressions of love and mercy. He assured the unhappy fugi- tive, that he was reconciled towards him, and would give his angels charge over him to keep him in all his way., to protect him from all danger, and to supply his every want a. Thus were all his apprehensions at once removed, and his mind restored to perfect peace.]
a ver. 15.
43.] Jacob's vision. 223
2. To confirm his hope of promised blessings —
[He had received a promise of the birthright, while yet he lay in his mother's womb; and doubtless he had expected its accomplishment. But when he saw his father dying, and knew that the rights of primogeniture were about to be con- firmed to his elder brother, his faith failed him ; and, instead of waiting like David for the throne of Saul, he yielded to the solicitations of his mother, and sought to obtain by craft, what, if he had waited God's time, he would have received in a fair and honourable way. And now he had good reason to doubt, whether he had not forfeited his interest in God's promise, and entailed a curse upon himself instead of a blessing. But God, on this occasion, renewed his promise to him, almost in the very terms, in which, but a few hours before, it had been declared by his father b; and thus assured to him, not only a numerous seed, and the inheritance of Canaan, but (which was infinitely the dearest right of primogeniture) the descent of Christ from his loins. From henceforth therefore we behold him walking steadfastly in the faith of Abraham, looking for- ward with joy to the day of Christ, and maintaining a conduct suitable to his profession.]
While the vision was replete with personal benefit to Jacob, it conveyed instruction also to the Church, by,
II. Its typical reference —
Instead of supposing, with all writers upon this sub- ject, that the ladder was a type of Christ in his divine and human nature mediating between heaven and earth (which is fanciful, and without any warrant from Scripture), we rather think that the vision itself was the type (if it was indeed a type), and that it prefigured,