称那地方为神的家（殿）——首先，他睡醒之后，称那地方为神的家（殿）（创二八17）。雅各从那里得着神殿的观念？亚伯拉罕不知道这事。亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各都住在帐棚里。雅各为甚么不说神的帐棚，而说神的殿？这必然不只是一个梦，乃是一个启示。雅各虽然没有实际见过神的殿，却给他所看见的起名为神的殿，说，“这是神的殿。”
称那地方为天的门——他在那里所看到的是指向着天。那个地方在地上，却联于天。因此，他称那里为天的门。每当我们有属灵的异象，就感觉自己是在天的门。我们是在地上，却看见并经历属天的事。
以枕石为柱，且膏这柱——雅各把石头立作柱子是何等的希奇。我若是他，绝不会用石头作柱子。这是甚么意思？这必定符合圣经的整个启示。这里最显著的是用油膏石头。那里有油，这是神的主宰。在圣经里，石头无疑是表征变化过的人，一团泥已变化为一块石头。在豫表里，油表征三一神的第三者临到人。当神临到你的时候，祂乃是灵。因此，被立作柱子并被浇油其上的石头，象征变化过的人与三一神是一。现在三一神不仅在天上，也在一个变化过的人身上，并且与这变化过的人成为一。这人是神在地上的彰显。当你注视那石头，你就看见油。当你注视那立在地上变化过的人，你就看见神的彰显。雅各怎么知道要把油浇在石头上？在二十八章以前，从末记载过这样的举动。然而，雅各从他的梦中醒来，却作了这事。
给那地方起名叫“伯特利”——雅各为甚么给那地方起名叫伯特利，神的家（殿）？当他膏柱子的时候，他自己也在那灵的膏抹之下。那柱子就代表他自己－那变化过的雅各。雅各的梦是基督的启示，因为基督这梯子乃是这梦的中心、焦点。这里随着这天梯有敞开的天、变化过的人、在这人身上的膏抹、以及由于这人而有之神家的建造。今天的教会生活是雅各的梦完全的应验，因为教会生活是天的门，是柱子和梯子的所在地，也是天使升到天上报好消息，并降到地上带来属天之物的地方。伯特利就在教会生活这里。我们是今日的伯特利。在创世记二十八章，地方和石头都称为伯特利。石头不仅称为伯特利，也建造成伯特利，那地为甚么称为伯特利？因为伯特利石头在那里。教会生活就是这样。我们都需要看见这奇特的梦。
信息重点：雅各将石头立作柱子，并浇油其上。这预表变化过的人与圣灵联合，成为神在地上的见证。今天，教会生活就是雅各之梦的实现。
应用祷告：主啊，使我不仅享受教会生活，也成为建造教会的人。愿我被变化、被膏抹，成为你居所中的柱子。
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Jacob’s Response — Gen. 28:17-19
Calling That Place God’s House (Temple)
First, when Jacob awoke, he called that place God’s house (Gen. 28:17). Where did Jacob get the concept of God’s temple? Abraham did not know of this. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all dwelt in tents. Why did Jacob not speak of God’s tent, but of God’s temple? This must have been more than a dream — it was a revelation. Though Jacob had never actually seen God’s temple, he named what he had seen “God’s temple,” saying, “This is the house of God”.
Calling That Place the Gate of Heaven
He also called that place the gate of heaven, because what he saw there was pointing toward heaven. That place was on earth, yet joined to heaven. Therefore he called it the gate of heaven. Whenever we have a spiritual vision, we feel as though we are at the gate of heaven. We are on earth, yet we see and experience heavenly things.
Setting Up the Pillar-Stone and Anointing It
How remarkable it was for Jacob to set up the stone as a pillar! If I were he, I would never use a stone for a pillar. What does this mean? It must correspond to the entirety of the biblical revelation. The most striking thing here is the anointing of the stone with oil. The presence of oil signifies God’s sovereignty. In the Scripture, the stone unquestionably typifies a transformed person — a lump of clay transformed into a stone. In typology, oil signifies the third of the Triune God coming upon man. When God comes upon you, He is the Spirit. Therefore, the stone set up as a pillar and anointed with oil symbolizes the transformed person being united with the Triune God. Now the Triune God is not only in heaven but also upon a transformed person, becoming one with that transformed person. This person is the expression of God on earth. When you look at that stone, you see oil. When you look at a transformed person standing on the earth, you see the expression of God. How did Jacob know to pour oil on the stone? Before chapter 28, no such act is recorded. Yet Jacob awoke from his dream and did exactly this.
Naming That Place “Bethel”
Why did Jacob name that place Bethel — God’s house (temple)? When he anointed the pillar, he himself was also under the anointing of the Spirit. That pillar represented Jacob himself — the transformed Jacob. Jacob’s dream was a revelation of Christ, for Christ as the ladder is the center and focus of this dream. Accompanying this heavenly ladder are the opened heavens, the transformed person, the anointing upon this person, and the building of God’s house through this person. The church life today is the complete fulfillment of Jacob’s dream, for the church life is the gate of heaven — the place of the pillar and the ladder, where angels ascend to heaven with the good news and descend to earth with heavenly supply. Bethel is right here in the church life. We are today’s Bethel. In Genesis 28, both the place and the stone are called Bethel. The stone is not only called Bethel but also built into Bethel. Why is that place called Bethel? Because the Bethel stone is there. Such is the church life. We all need to see this remarkable dream.
Message Focus: Jacob set up the stone as a pillar and anointed it with oil. This typifies the transformed person being united with the Holy Spirit, becoming God’s testimony on earth. Today, the church life is the fulfillment of Jacob’s dream.