The Long Form of “What was Jesus telling Nathaniel?”

"And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." - John 1:51

In Genesis 28:10-22, the Bible tells of Jacob and a dream he had of angels ascending and descending from heaven.

In that dream, Jacob realized that the awesome presence of God was in that place, and he had not known it. He said, “This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

He took the stone that was his pillow, sat it up for a pillar, poured oil upon the top of it, and called the place Bethel – “House of God.”

When Jesus said ye shall see the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man, it appears He was connecting Jacob’s dream to Himself.

Jesus is God in human flesh, yet the world knew it not. Jesus is the house of God (God’s human body). He is the gate of heaven. He is the anointed stone that was rejected and become “the head of the corner.”

"And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.

“And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

“And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; and thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

“And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

“And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

“And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.

“And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee." - Genesis 28:10-22

What is the connection?

Jacob was in the very presence of the LORD, and yet did not know it!

The LORD walked among His creation in the form of Christ, and yet they did not know it! Even His own people did not recognize Him.

"He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not." - John 1:10 KJV

Jacob said, “How dreadful is this place!”

The meaning of “dreadful” in this verse according to Thayer’s is, “venerable, august,” which means, “commanding respect because of impressive dignity; inspiring reverence or admiration; of supreme dignity or grandeur; majestic:”

Jesus is God, but instead He was treated otherwise.

"He came unto his own, and his own received him not." - John 1:11 KJV

Jacob said, “This is none other but the house of God…”

One day, Jesus’ disciples were speaking to Him about the Temple in Jerusalem.

"Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. ... But he spake of the temple of his body." - John 2:19, 21

Because Jesus is God in flesh, His body is the house of God.

When Jacob awoke from his dream he said, “This is the gate of heaven.”

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." - Matthew 7:13-14

"Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures." - John 10:9 NLT

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." - John 14:6

He then “took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.” Then he said, “And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house.”

“Christ” means “anointed.”

"And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him." - Leviticus 8:12

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." - Luke 4:18-19

Jesus is called, “The stone that the builders rejected.”

"Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?" - Matthew 21:42