V.    God’s Purpose in Building

You shall see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. –John 1:51

God’s ultimate intention is not merely recovered humanity, enlivened humanity, or transformed humanity. He is looking for a dwelling place among built up believers (Isa. 66:1-2). John distills this colossal revelation in an apropos allusion to Jacob’s ladder (Gen. 28:12).

This story would have been more than familiar to a Jewish audience. Jesus takes the liberty, however, to make one major revision to the story when He relates it. He exchanges the ladder for Himself, the Son of Man! He is the ladder that joins earth to heaven, that unites God and man. This entity is called the church and is the house of God. Even Jacob realized this upon waking from his dream, “This is none other than the house of God (Gen. 28:17).”

You yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house into a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. –1 Peter 2:5

Thus, in 51 verses John sweepingly covers the major points of God’s eternal purpose—creation, incarnation, redemption, regeneration, transformation, and the building of God’s house.

Catch the recap of all the other sections below:

Kyle Barton
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