Perchance to dream

Ladders are so useful. You can use them to reach all those out of the way places and with some adaptors they can achieve what seems to be the impossible. These days ladders are so much lighter than their wooden counterparts even with extentions. However there need to be some precautions when attempting to use them. The angle from base to wall, ground to tree or whatever needs to be right so that a safe and comfortable working height can be achieved. It is important to make sure that there is someone else present who can call 999 when you fall off! Of course that ‘other’ person may not like you and decide to shake or wobble the ladder while you are on it. I’m sure you don’t have friends like that unless, of course, you know different.

Unfortunately there have been some fatal accidents involving in churches or in church grounds by people who are not perhaps skilled in the art of using them. There are many more accidents caused by the use of ladders on church premises. So much of what needs to be reached in our church requires the use of a ladder.  A light bulb needs replacing, so instead of someone getting out the ladder and doing the job we need two people to ensure safety. Once it costs us over £50.00 to have one bulb changed because we employed an electrician and accomplice. The roof can only be accessed by ladder and that too can be fraught with dangers. We now have alternatives such as tower scaffolds which are safer if used correctly yet not as convenient as just fetching a ladder.

No surprise then that a ladder gets a mention in the bible in Genesis, chapter 28, verse 12 according to the authorised version. Other translations use the word stairway or ramp. It gets a mention in the story of Isaac and Jacob. Isaac sends Jacob away to find a suitable wife because if he stays Isaac’s wife does not know what good her life will be if he marries a local Hittite women. So he gets sent off to find a wife from his mother’s father’s family, a daughter of Laban.

So Jacob leaves Beer-Sheba and goes towards Haran. Before he arrives  Jacob stays overnight at a place and whilst asleep he dreams. He dreams that there was a ladder set up on earth, the top of which reached into heaven. There were angels ascending and descending on the ladder. Then, in his dream God appears beside Jacob and promised that the land he is in will become his and that he will have many offspring. Further God promises never to leave Jacob until this promise is fulfilled. He wakes suddenly declaring, ‘surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it. How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’ He goes on to name the place Bethel (meaning House of God) and promised to give back to God a tenth of all he has.

Much was made of dreams in ancient Egypt and in Babylon. In all this God speaks clearly and the meaning comes with the dream. Did Jacob know about the great Ziggurat at Ur? (see also John 1 vs. 51) Many people today still believe in the power of dreams, even religious ones. Times change and perhaps the humble ladder in this story also links earth with heaven, a means of communication between two very different worlds. It may not be safe to use a ladder or a dream in the wrong way but they are here to stay until something much better comes along. So, wherever you are this Summer, sweet dreams!

Canon Michael Bradley

July/August 2010