As I studied in depth this passage of scripture, I learned that I have long carried misconceptions about “Jacob’s ladder.” My first surprising discovery was that all the commentaries I read suggested that Jacob’s vision was not of a ladder as we know it today, but more of a “ramp” or “stair-like pavement.”9 This “ramp” was to handle traffic between heaven and earth.10 Heavenly messengers could approach thereby those dwelling below.

After reading about Jacob’s ladder being a ramp-like structure, I decided to look at the familiar song I loved to sing at youth camp, “We Are Climbing Jacob’s Ladder.” We would sing the song as we walked in single file up the path at night to the outdoor chapel. But when I studied the song’s text, I soon realized that it really was not about the story of Jacob fo…