1创世记是一卷美妙的书。我们越研读,就越体认牠不是人手能写出来的。表面看来,创世记不过是一卷故事的书;然而,我们藉著圣灵的引导探入本书的深处,就发现牠包含一些有关我们生命经历深奥的事物。我们若读表面,就不能懂得三十八章的事件为甚么放在三十七章的事件之后。直到我们发现这两章的属灵意义,我们才能赏识这次序的深刻意义。照著创世记的记载以及我们属灵的经历,我们不该认为约瑟是与雅各分开的人,乃该认为他是雅各里首次来看亚伯拉罕时,曾指出在属灵的经历上,亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各不是三个分开的个人。他们乃是代表一个圣徒三方面的经历。亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各是代表一个属灵人的三方面,他们的传记是描绘一个圣徒完整生命的不同方面。亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各是一个人的三方面,有点像父、子、灵是神格的三。在创世记的记载里,神启示祂自己是亚伯拉罕的神,以撒的神,雅各的神。但亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的神不是三位分开的神;祂是一位三一神。照样,按属灵说,亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各不是三个分开的人,乃是一个完整人的三方面。所以,不仅有三一神,也有具备三方面的完整人。我们很难断定亚伯拉罕和雅各究竟是谁在先。照著历史的记载,亚伯拉罕是祖父,雅各是孙子。然而,照著属灵的经历,雅各必须在先。雅各在出生以前就蒙了拣选。(罗九~13。)这意思是完整的圣徒乃像雅各一样,在出生以前就蒙了拣选。以弗所书启示这拣选是发生在创立世界以前。(弗一4。)因此,完整的人是像雅各一样蒙了拣选,也像雅各一样是堕落的。然后这蒙拣选且堕落的人,像亚伯拉罕一样蒙了呼召。就如亚伯拉罕,他不仅蒙了召,并且得称义,凭信而活。不仅如此,他也像以撒一样,承受并享受基督一切的丰富。在他蒙召且得称义之后,他凭信而活,就承受基督一切的丰富,并享受这些丰富。但这不是全部。他也像雅各一样,因著奋斗而挣扎、受苦。此外,他受了对付而成熟。这一切都是雅各的经历。为著这一切的经历-拣选、堕落、呼召、因信称义、凭信而活、承受并享受在基督里的丰富、自我挣扎、受苦、对付并成熟-需要三个人,需要亚伯拉罕、以撒和雅各。
1Genesis is a wonderful book. The more we study it, the more we realize that no human hand could have written it. Apparently Genesis is simply a book of stories; however, when we probe into the depths of this book through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we find that it contains something profound related to our experience of life. If we read superficially, we shall not be able to understand why the events of chapter thirty-eight are put after those of chapter thirty - seven. Not until we discover the spiritual significance of these chapters can we appreciate the deep meaning of their sequence. According to the record of the book of Genesis and according to our spiritual experience, Joseph should not be considered a person separate from Jacob, but first came to Abraham in this life-study, we pointed out that, in spiritual experience, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are not three separate individuals. Instead, they represent three aspects of the experience of one saint. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob represent three aspects of one spiritual man, and their biographies portray different aspects of the complete life of a saint. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are three aspects of one person, somewhat like the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are the three of the Godhead. In the record of Genesis, God revealed Himself as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. But the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is not three separate Gods; He is one Triune God. In a similar way, spiritually speaking, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are not three separate persons, but three aspects of one complete person. Therefore, we have not only the Triune God, but also a complete man of three aspects. It is difficult to determine whether Abraham or Jacob comes first. According to the historical record, Abraham was the grandfather, and Jacob was the grandson. According to spiritual experience, however, Jacob must come first. Jacob was chosen before he was born (Rom. 9:1 1-1 3). This means that the 11 complete saint was chosen as Jacob before birth. The book of Ephesians reveals that this selection took place before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4). Thus, the complete person was chosen as Jacob. He was also fallen as Jacob. Then this chosen and fallen one was called as Abraham. With Abraham, he not only was called, but also was justified and lived a life by faith. Furthermore, he inherited and enjoyed all the riches of Christ as Isaac. After he had been called and justified, and while he was living a life by faith, he inherited all the riches of Christ and enjoyed them. But this is not all. As Jacob, he also struggled and suffered because of his strivings. Moreover, he was dealt with and became matured. All this is the experience of Jacob. For all these experiences—the choosing, the fall, the calling, the justification by faith, the living by faith, the inheritance and enjoyment of the riches in Christ, the self-struggling, the sufferings, the dealings, and the maturity—there is the need of three persons, the need of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.