“Jacob’s Ladder,” collection features several well-known Bible stories. We are pleased to award our “Faith-Friendly” Seal for ages 12+ to these episodes. It nicely combines the history of the Bible with the youth of today!
Episode 1: “Reluctant Hero,” it is revealed that the Hebrews have ceased following God and so God’s divine hand of protection is removed and the Midianites conquer Israel. The Israelites allow a woman of divination named Molakee to frighten them and encourage them to worship Baal and Asherah, false gods. Gideon has enough and encourages people to let go of their fears. The altar to the false goddess Asherah is destroyed. Episode 2: “Warrior by Faith,” Gideon puts out a fleece and asks God to make it wet and keep the ground dry so he will know God wants him to lead the army against the Midianites. Later, Gideon reverses the test and God allows the fleece to be dry but the ground to be wet. Gideon takes on the Midianites with an army of 300 men and a strong faith in God. Paul Amos does a very good job in the role of Gideon. He is believable and sincere Episode 3: The group of teens are transported back to the time of Ruth to help out. One of the teens, a girl named Jessica, acts as a cousin. We see the dry lands of Canaan and Naomi and her husband Elimelech moving with their two sons to Moab. While there the sons marry Ruth and Orpah. However, tragedy strikes and Elimelech and his two sons die, leaving Naomi with two daughters-in-law. Episode 4: Orpah moves on, but Ruth insists on following Naomi back to Canaan, telling Naomi that she will become part of her people and believe in her God. Ruth meets Boaz, a landlord that takes a liking to her and leaves blessings from the gleaning on the ground for Ruth. Will he eventually marry her, or will an elder relative get in the way? Episode 5: “The Invitation, Samuel enters God’s service after his mother, Hannah, tells of her promise that if God gave her a child she would give that child back to the church. God calls and Samuel willingly answers and follows Him. Episode 6: “Samuel’s Destiny—Part 1, Samuel demonstrates his wisdom by encouraging Eli, the High Priest, to be more firm with his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who are straying from God. Episode 7: “Samuel’s Destiny—Part 2,” Samuel hears God’s voice, and Eli encourages him to listen and obey if God speaks to him again. When tragedy strikes, the people look to Samuel, and finally to God, to protect them from their enemy. Episode 8: “A King for the Hebrews,” and ,” in the series Jacob’s Ladder focus on Israel’s desire for a king, and the anointing of that king by the prophet Samuel. Samuel warns the Hebrews against selecting a king, but they insist and God decides to give them a king in a man named Saul. Episode 9: “Saul Takes Charge, Saul begins to enjoy the power and glory of being king so much that he stops seeking God. By the end of the episode, Saul’s son Jonathan weeps for the hardened heart of his father, and Samuel tells Saul that his time as king won’t last much longer.Episodes 10 & 11: “The King Needs Help” and “Death Waiting.” These episodes continue the story of David. Saul plans to kill David, even knowing that David will succeed him as king.The episodes are introduced by Rafael, a middle-aged man from modern times who sends a group of young people back to Biblical times to help. In these episodes we see David playing his harp and walk with him during his near-death escapes before ascending the throne of Israel.
Episodes 12 & 13: Titled “David on the Run” and “A New King,” we see the events leading up to David’s crowning as king. David survives Saul’s plot to kill him, and endures while King Saul allows another man to sleep with David’s wife. David’s path to the throne is difficult and full of battles and danger. King Saul, in his desperation to see David killed, seeks out a woman of divination. He has the woman contact the deceased prophet Samuel and asks about his own future. Saul does not like Samuel’s answer.
