Jacob's Ladder and Life-Landscape
Jacob experienced a disruptive, transformative, and yet… blessed life. His relationships were often flawed. He sinned and selfishly manipulated people and was also a victim of deceitful and sinful people. His life was all too often chaotic and disheartening. Yet its central theme, as Pastor Robb has recently pointed out, is Jehovah’s sovereign and victorious plan to save His people. We can see Jacob’s ups & downs and moments of divine renewal and dependence on God’s promises are woven together. Like Jacob’s dream at Bethel, we can see how God interrupts our anxiety-filled situations; His angels are active on our behalf, and His presence is revealed in our sometimes mixed up and messy lives. He wants us to always depend on Him and the Gospel of grace.
Romans 15 tells us such Old Testament narratives point out the source of hope and endurance— Jesus Christ. We have endurance and encouragement because our God is the “God of endurance and encouragement.”
“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scripture we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus.” Rom 15:4-5
“Where is God: When Truth Is In Short supply?”
Mike Lane
This painting focuses on the “social landscape” of Jacob and in particular the challenge of deceit and falsehood that seemed to invade his life many times. Despite the lack of truth and the deceiving world around him (Jacob was both a deceiver at times and a victim of deceit), God was in control and working out his grand plan of redemption. At the center of Jacob’s “life-landscape” is Joseph’s coat of many colors that his brothers tore and spotted with blood in order to deceive their father, Jacob. This is such a disheartening event; yet God’s redemptive hand of grace wins the day.
Gen 50:20
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive today.”
“The Bridge”
Collaboration between Will Corr & Claudia Finn
This painting represents God’s initiative to bridge the distance between heaven and earth, establishing a way for man to be in His presence again.
“Jacob’s Vision”
Brenda Cottle
“The Flock”
Quincy Clement
This piece was inspired by Werner Bronkhorst’s style of large pallet strokes with small detailed subjects. I wanted to focus on the well where Jacob watered the sheep in Genesis 29. I love the reoccurring theme of flocks of sheep and their shepherds on God’s story (especially when Jesus is born). The common and unassuming role playing such a big part in God’s story reminds me of how God chooses to use the everyday for miracles.
“Jacob’s Ladder: Angels Going Up And Going Down”
Emerson Rose Timmons
“The Ladder”
Concept and words by Dennis Borgerding
Artwork by Kenneth Borgerding
The sides of the Ladder, supporting everything, are God’s promises to Jacob. The rungs of the Ladder are how God supports us, just as He supported Jacob.
“God Came Down”
Poem by Dennis Borgerding
Artwork by Kenneth Borgerding
When Jacob was at his lowest, God used a heavenly Ladder to come to him. When we were at our lowest, God sent his heavenly Son to come to us.
“Wrestling”
Dennis Borgerding
Inspired by a discussion at house church on how the sun rose on Jacob after a night of wrestling with God. We too have wrestled with God and the Son rose for us.
“Jacob’s Dream”
This is a 40-foot-tall bronze sculpture on the campus of Abilene Christian University, was commissioned and dedicated as part of the university’s Centennial Celebration in 2006. The sculpture features four 8-foot-tall angels ascending and descending a ladder reaching to heaven, illustrating the biblical account of Jacob’s dream from Genesis 28. It is surrounded by an arrangement of limestone blocks inscribed with scriptures and a limestone pool.
Its sculpture, ACU art and design professor Jack Maxwell, included art students in the creation of the project.
Derivative work, digital photo by Karen D., original sculpture by Jack Maxerll, et. al., print artwork and caption photo, Dana Bradshaw.