Part 3 Chapter 11: The Cross Raises the Believers

[尼古拉前执事]

Part 3 Chapter 11: The Cross Raises the Believers to the Mountainous Jerusalem

[Reader Benjamin]

Refering to the vision of Patriarch Jacob and the ladder to heaven the Angel talks to Stavrophila.

Angel: This vision manifests, among other things a good example of trouble and endurance, because the stairs represent a labourious road unto heaven which the diligent ascend by efforts and trouble; but others, overcome by despondency and laziness, never reach it and are cast down into the valley.

I am sure most of us have climbed stairs or a ladder, the reference here in the book is to stairs and I think that it is probably a good example. A few steps is not hard to do, but a stairway to heaven is long. Getting to the top of long stairs is laborous. We may run up the first steps, then the next are much slower. Finally we are laboring for each step. When we finally get to the top we are exhausted, but we got to the top, our goal. With the stairs to heaven, God grants us all we need to make it all the way to the top. This help is abtained by faith, trusting that God will and does help us get to where He wants us. Lord have mercy on me.