"And he dreamed, and behold a ladder is set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it." --- Genesis 28:12.
This ladder the Lord Jesus applies to himself, John 1:51.; and it may be considered as representing the Divine Providence which governs all things. The several steps of the ladder are the motions and actions of Providence; the angels going up and down show that they are the great ministers of Providence, never idle, but always employed in the preservation of the just; their ascending means that their going up to recieve the Divine orders and commands; and their descending, their coming down to earth to put them into execution.
So that, in this representation, God signified Jacob, now full of care and uneasy apprehensions, that the man who was under the custody and protection of Divine Providence wanted not company in a wilderness, wanted no security in the midst of dangers, wanted not direction in the most difficult of undertakings; since there were so many ministering spirits holding correspondence between earth and heaven, and daily and hourly sent forth from God's presence "to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation."
Thou, Jesus, my safe ladder art;
To lift me to the skies;
And on it when I find I'm got,
My heart begins to rise.