Israel’s Dream: The Gate of Heaven

Beit El, Israel, site of Jacob's Dream

Reflections on Genesis 28 — The Dream of Yakov and the Season of Dreams

“Surely Adonai is in this place, and I did not know it.” — Genesis 28:16

In Genesis 28, we find Jacob leaving Be’er Sheva and journeying toward Haran, away from family, away from the land of promise. The sun is setting, and darkness settles over him. Yet it is precisely there, in the loneliness of night, that heaven opens.

This isn’t just Jacob's story; it is Israel’s dream, a prophetic picture of how the Lord meets His people in exile and reveals the connection between heaven and earth through HaMashiach.

When God Speaks Through Dreams

Have you ever had a dream so real it woke you in the night. A dream that felt almost holy? Scripture reminds us that the Lord sometimes speaks through dreams. Not every dream carries a divine message, but there are moments when the Spirit of God uses dreams to change the direction of our lives.

The Jewish visionary Theodor Herzl, known as the father of modern Zionism, once dreamed as a boy of 12 0r 13, that the Messiah took him in His arms and said, “Go and tell the Jewish people I am coming soon.” That dream marked his life and helped shape the rebirth of Eretz Yisrael.

Dreams can be more than imagination — they can be invitations from heaven.

Kislev: The Month of Light and Dreams

It’s no coincidence that this Torah portion, the story of Yakov’s dream — is always read during the Hebrew month of Kislev, the month of Hanukkah, the month when we light candles in the darkest time of the year.

Kislev is the ninth month on the biblical calendar, also known as the month of dreams. In the Torah readings of this month, we encounter nine dreams, more than in any other section of Scripture. Jacob dreams. Joseph dreams twice. Pharaoh dreams twice. And others follow.

Each dream reveals The Lord’s guidance in uncertain times.

Even the symbolism speaks to this: the ninth stone on the choshen (the High Priest’s breastplate) is the amethyst, from the Hebrew root chalom, meaning “dream.” The Hanukkiah (the Hanukkah menorah) also holds nine lights, shining in the darkest season.

The Lord often speaks most clearly when the night is longest. His light pierces the darkness with revelation and hope.

Jacob's Journey Into the Dark

As Jacob travels, he stops in what seems like a random place. He takes a stone, lays it by his head, and rests. But with the Lord, nothing is random.

That “certain place” turns out to be Beit El, the very spot where Avraham built an altar generations earlier. Coincidence? Not at all. As the rabbis say, “coincidence is not a kosher word.”

That night, Yakov dreams of a stairway set upon the earth, its top reaching into heaven. Angels of God are ascending and descending upon it, and The Lord stands above, reaffirming His covenant promises.

The Meaning of the Stairway

The Hebrew word for “stairway” is sulam, found only here in Scripture. This wasn’t a man-made ladder like the tower of Bavel (Babel), a symbol of human pride. This sulam was established by God Himself, bridging heaven and earth.

Centuries later, Yeshua revealed the true meaning of this dream. When He called Natan’el (Nathaniel), He said:

“Amen, Amen, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” — John 1:51

Yeshua was saying, “That dream of our father Jacob... it was about Me.”

He is the living Sulam, the bridge between heaven and earth. What humanity could never build through effort or religion, The Lord provided through His Messiah. In Yeshua, heaven touches earth and the promises of God come alive.

The God of Promise

The Lord speaks to Jacob in the dream:

“I am Adonai, the God of your father Avraham and the God of Yitzchak. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your seed… and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

Up to this point, Jacob had only known the Lord as the God of his fathers. But now, He meets Him personally. From this night forward, He becomes the God of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yakov, the covenant-keeping God who walks with His people through every exile and return.

The Lord promises:

“Behold, I am with you. I will watch over you wherever you go. I will not forsake you until I have done what I have promised.”

Even in the dark seasons of life, His presence goes before us.

The Gate of Heaven

When Yakov awakens, awe fills his heart.

“Surely Adonai is in this place, and I did not know it… This is none other than the house of God — this is the gate of heaven.” — Genesis 28:16–17

He takes the stone that had been beside his head, stands it upright, and anoints it with oil — the first mashach (anointing) in Scripture, a prophetic act pointing to HaMashiach, the Anointed One.

In Hebrew, Eben (stone) and Ben (son) are related. The anointed stone foreshadows the anointed Son — Yeshua, the Chief Cornerstone upon whom heaven’s gate stands open.

The Dream of Israel and Our Hope

This is more than one man’s dream. It is Israel’s dream, the prophetic hope of a people destined for restoration.

Just as Jacob returned from exile into the sunrise, so will Israel return and behold Messiah. Yeshua the Messiah is the tikvah — the hope of Israel — the light that shines in every dark night.

And just as He called Natan’el, He calls us too:

“Follow Me.”

Those who have met the living Sulam — who have seen heaven opened through grace — are called to walk in that same light and share His love with the world.

Reflection

We are living in the season of Kislev, the month of dreams and light. In the darkness, the Lord still speaks. The Sulam still stands. Through Yeshua, heaven remains open.

Even when our path feels uncertain, He is arranging divine encounters. What feels like an ordinary “certain place” may actually be the Beit El where He meets us.

Prayer

Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, thank You for speaking through the night seasons of our lives. Thank You that You are near even when we cannot see You.Let the light of Hanukkah remind us that You bring revelation in the darkness. Teach us to dream again and to see heaven open through Yeshua HaMashiach, our Sulam, our hope, and our peace.Amen.

“Coincidence is not a kosher word. The Lord is always at work — even in the dark night of the soul.”