OLD TESTAMENT & ART: Long before the Incarnation, Scripture gave us signs — and Jacob’s ladder is one of the clearest glimpses of the Word made flesh.

Jacob has fled from the murderous anger of his brother, Esau. He comes to a certain place, and he falls asleep. As he sleeps, he dreams of a ladder that stretches from the earth to the heavens ...

Two events of that period — the vision of Jacob’s ladder and his wrestling with God — will be our next topics. Jusepe de Ribera, “Isaac and Jacob,” 1637, Museo del Prado, Madrid ...

The angels have already seen God’s portrait of us — God’s ideal portrait of us. They are going up and down upon the ladder, because they want to see who we are — who we really are.

Movies like The Shining, or The Babadook instantly come to mind. So, with that being said, I think that Jacob’s Ladder might be the purest form of psychological horror that I’ve ever seen.