God has always wanted to dwell amongst His people. Eph 2:22 says we are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit. The church really is the House of God here on earth. In Hermeneutics (the study of the interpretation of Scripture) there is a law called the Law of First Mention. How this principle operates is that you have to look at the first mention of a subject in order to get the fundamental inherent meaning of that doctrine. The first mention of the House of God is found in Gen 28:17. So this passage (vs 10-22) defines the nature of the subject for the rest of Scripture.

So what does this passage have to say about the House of God? I want to look at four things:

Firstly, in vs 12 we see the House of God was connected to heaven (by a stairway or ladder).
God’s intention for His church was never to be a disconnected group of religious people on earth, but an intimate family of sons and daughters connected with the heavenly realm. Eph 2:6 says God has raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. I believe that this is not just an academic thought to embrace, but a living reality to experience.

Secondly, in vs 16 we see that the presence of God was there.
The revelation of the Kingdom is revealing more about God’s original intent for mankind. Rom 3:23 says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. God’s original intention for us was to live in His glory. 1 Thes 2:12 says we are called into His Kingdom and glory. Because His Kingdom is a glorious Kingdom (Ps 145:12) when believers begin to actively seek His Kingdom as a priority (Matt 6:33), the inevitable result is an encounter with the glory of God. Very simply, the glory of God is the “weightiness of His presence”, his goodness, having no doubt that He is in His house!!

Thirdly, in vs 17 we see it was a gate of heaven.
The Gospel of the Kingdom reveals that the main reason why Jesus came was not to take us to heaven, but to bring heaven to earth. Religion emphasizes leaving earth. In Matt 4:17 He said, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is near.” He did not say, “Repent, and one day you will get to heaven.” He said heaven is “near” or “at hand.” He taught us to pray specifically in Matt 6:10 for His Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. And this is what being a gate of heaven is all about – the church is to pursue heaven coming to earth, not sit around waiting to go to heaven! One of the most important Kingdom principles is that we don’t have to go to heaven to experience heaven! Heaven is a reality to enjoy now, not something to hope for in the future! Gates give access, and we are to access heaven! If people want to know what heaven is like, they should be able to come to the church and get a taste! Thanksgiving, praise and worship are some of the keys to accessing heaven on earth. Ps 89:5 says that the heavens praise your wonders in the assembly of the saints. We know from Ps 22:3 that God inhabits the praises of His people. As we get lost in His glory heaven and earth truly become one!

Fourthly, in vs 12 we see it experienced angelic activity.
What was the purpose of the House of God being connected to heaven? So angels could freely ascend and descend. Angels ascend when they have completed an assignment and descend when they are on the way to carry out a supernatural task. There are a lot of angels hanging around getting very bored because the church is not taking enough risks and stepping out in faith! There are a lot of rusty ladders because they have not been used for a long time. There are no angels coming or going because we haven’t stepped out into the supernatural. As the Kingdom is being restored the revelation of the necessity of the angelic realm is being realised. In Jn 1:51 Jesus said to a group of people that they would see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. We know that the church is His Body and He is the head. People are beginning to see and experience angelic activity in the church again. This is to be expected – it is normal church life! Somehow the devil has so deceived the church that they talk about demons far more than angels! We know why – angels perform and carry out task like miracles. We need them in the church!! Angels are simply ministering spirits sent to help all of us – Heb 1:14.

As the church returns to its original purpose expect change. Expect Angels. Expect supernatural activity. Expect His glory. Expect Him like never before! My faith is out for an invasion of heaven in our midst! It has been prophesied over us that we would be a gate of heaven. That we would have the capacity to see the Kingdom come in ways not yet seen in the church. That we would see realms of His glory not yet encountered. All of this makes me very hungry for more of Him. I say “Bring it on Jesus; we want to taste more of You and experience more of heaven!”