John 1:51 NLT‬
[51] “Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.”

Jesus said some startling things about Himself that puzzle us until we examine the Scriptures.

Let’s start at the beginning.

On his flight from his brother’s wrath, Jacob had a dream. He saw a ladder stretching between heaven and earth. Heavenly beings were ascending and descending the ladder and God Himself was at the top, speaking to Jacob.

‭Genesis 28:10-13 NLT‬
[10] “Meanwhile, Jacob left Beersheba and traveled toward Haran. [11] At sundown he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night. Jacob found a stone to rest his head against and lay down to sleep. [12] As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway. [13] At the top of the stairway stood the Lord, and he said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants.”

What God promised Jacob formed part of Israel’s long history that took them right to this point where Jesus described Himself as the link between heaven and earth. What Jacob saw as a ladder was a symbol of Jesus, the way to the Father, bringing heaven and earth into direct contact.

Jesus’ three-and-a-half years with His disciples would gradually explain and unfold this plan to them.

At His trial before the Sanhedrin, the high priest, Caiaphas, was incensed because Jesus claimed the title “Son of Man”, the title He used to describe Himself as the stairway between heaven and earth.

‭Mark 14:61-62 NLT‬
[61] “But Jesus was silent and made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” [62] Jesus said, “I Am. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

God’s great plan of salvation centred on this grand finale.

‭Revelation 21:1-7 NLT‬
[1] “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. [2] And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. [3] I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. [4] He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

[5] And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” [6] And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. [7] All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.”

This is the climax and conclusion of all God’s dealings with people from the beginning. His plan was to have a family of people, replicas of His Son, who would be with Him forever, ruling and reigning with Him on earth. Heaven and earth would merge to be the eternal home of God and His people.

Sin’s interruption of the plan was no deterrent to the Trinity. It gave opportunity for God to reveal His mercy to undeserving sinners and His grace to take them through a dangerous and hostile world to His home in heaven. There they would await the day when the Son will set up His kingdom on earth and take His rightful place as Lord of all.

The Son of Man is the ladder that joins heaven and earth to make them one and to fulfil God’s design to live with His people forever.

‭Revelation 21:2-3 NIV‬
[2] I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. [3] “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”