The story of Jacob's Ladder is in the Book of Genesis in the Bible.  Jacob dreamed of a ladder between heaven and earth and angels were traveling on it both ways.
    The Torah interprets this as the period of the Jews being exiled.  Christians usually say it means Jesus as he is the one who links us to heaven.
    I think it is a symbol of the Way, the path we must follow to achieve Christ Consciousness, to get to heaven.  It could also symbolize the frequencies that allow us to communicate with the angels and other Beings of Light.
    The Jordan River, which is mentioned in several places in the Bible, may be a symbol that has essentially the same meaning.  Jacob crossed it to reach Horan, where he had the dream about the ladder.  John the Baptist baptized Jesus and others in the Jordan.  The Holy Spirit descended to Jesus on it's banks. Jesus crossed it several times and other crossed the Jordon to get to Jesus.  It is often used in songs, poems and stories as a symbol of freedom (and what could bring more freedom than linking with the powers of Heaven, the angels and God).
    The angels ascend and descend on Jacob's Ladder.  The river Jordan flows backwards at certain times and it's name means "descender".  The energy of Heaven or the spirit energy, is often described as flowing like water or on water.  The Jordan was the major river in the area, connecting the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea.