The older book
Ladder
Jacob saw a way from earth to heaven.
Most certainly, I tell you all, hereafter you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.
Genesis 27:35 · Genesis 28:10-22 · Genesis 35:9-10 · John 1:43-51 · Irenaeus, Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching 45
The scene
Jacob is travelling when the sun goes down. He stops for the night, takes one of the stones from the place and lies down to sleep.
He dreams of a ladder standing on the earth and reaching to heaven, with the angels of God ascending and descending on it. Yahweh stands above it and repeats the promise given to Abraham and Isaac: the land will belong to Jacob's descendants, and through them all the families of the earth will be blessed.
When Jacob wakes, he is afraid. He says that this is God's house and the gate of heaven, sets up the stone as a pillar and calls the place Bethel.
Much later, Philip brings Nathanael to Jesus. Jesus sees him coming and says:
"Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"John 1:47
Jacob was the man God renamed Israel. Deceit had been part of his story. When he took his brother Esau's blessing, Isaac said:
"Your brother came with deceit, and has taken away your blessing."Genesis 27:35
Nathanael asks how Jesus knows him. Jesus tells him that he saw him under the fig tree before Philip called him, and Nathanael answers:
"Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are King of Israel!"John 1:49
Jesus tells him he will see greater things than these, then describes something we've already seen:
"Most certainly, I tell you all, hereafter you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."John 1:51
The angels in Jacob's dream were ascending and descending on the ladder. In Jesus' words, they are ascending and descending on him.
Irenaeus noticed the connection too, and went further. He saw Jacob's ladder as the tree of the cross, writing that through it those who believe ascend to heaven, because Christ's sufferings are "our ascension on high."
The point
In Jesus' words, the angels ascend and descend on him.
Sit with this
This is the gate of heaven.Genesis 28:17