With prophesy of any kind one might not understand the meaning til later. It maybe metaphorically or real. Yet in our hearts we will understand the saying. Yet it is more then saying but a vision from God to enable his people to return from exile. Jacob in Genesis seen a ladder in a vision come down from heaven and angels coming and going up the ladder to heaven. Yet at the close of the first chapter of John Jesus speaks of the vision. Did Jacob see anything other then a vision. That vision allowed him to know the reality of God and he seen it and then felt he was in a dreadful place. Perhaps it was not Bethel Jacob found himself in a dreadful place, because in he running away from home physicial and spiritually. A place he felt he could not return to, but he would one day return for he promise God that if he allowed him to return he would follow Him. (Genesis 28 is where the story of Jacob is found and ladder from heaven). If we look to the meaning of John 1:51 Nathanael is being told he will keep him and go with him all the days of his life.

Nathanael story simple that Philip found him and told him to come see if this was the Christ, that they believed it to be Jesus of Nazareth. Nathanael attitude is can anything good come out of Nazareth. We must understand that Nazareth was a gentile region of Israel. Not only gentile land but also not the birth place of the Messiah. Nathanael was Israelite. Can anything good come out of a place that Gentiles live? Knowing the whole prophetic story of Jesus birth only allows the question as to why would Christ the Messiah even live among heathens. And so when Christ declared to Nathanael to be a true Israel and he seen him under a fig tree, he knew Jesus was the Messiah. It took very little evidence to convince Nathanael of who Jesus is. Yet because of his faith he would see miracles and wonders performed as he followed him.

Let us follow Christ not to be afraid of visions, prophecy, and dreams, but to embrace the truth of God's word whether it be a blessing or a time of exile. Sometimes we have to go through the trial of faith to overcome the obstacles within the trial. To overcome the stumbling stones of our faith. To learn to trust completely in his word and his grace. It hard to be in exile but we must in order to go home to be with God the Father. When we follow Christ the road is not always easy. Nathaneal and Philip both would see their brethern killed for following Christ. They would see those they lead to Christ also lead to the slaughter. Yet they did not loose faith or hope, because being with Jesus was enough to spur on their faith for a life time. It is the stories of the ministers of faith that spur believers on to walk the road of faith often times, but it can not be the only thing that he does. We must learn to trust in his promise and his word ourselves.

Are you trusting in Christ today. If so allow his word, don't doubt in what God is able to do, or what he is able to speak to your heart, your mind through his still small voice, his loud voice, in visions, quiet mediations, and dreams. When we limit God's ability to speak to us, our unbelief causes us to fall. It is hard to believe in miracle, and answers to prayer, but God is able to do more then we even think possible. That why we seek to know God so we know in our life the possibility of the reality of God is not just in our heads but in our hearts. To believe in God is simple to believe he has the power to change our life and circumstances of faith.

Dear Heavenly Father no matter where your children are in life, in exile or walking in freedom of the world we live in give them hope through visions, dreams and miracles, evidence of your reality, so it not just a book of words but a book of hope and life in our hearts not just knowledge in our heads. Help us to receive and believe in you to the very core of our being. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study for Devotion:

Revelation 1:1-3 KJV
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.