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创世记生命读经 · 第68篇

受对付（二）

Being Dealt With (2)
（4） 在伯特利的梦
4) The Dream at Bethel
1在本篇信息中，我们要来看雅各一生中非常关键的转变－他在伯特利的梦。（创二八10～22。）虽然我们都很熟悉雅各的梦，但我怀疑我们是否知道这梦真实的意义。我们若要知道这梦的意义，就必须领会他为甚么作这梦，他在甚么地方，甚么时候作这梦。为甚么他和父母同在家中时不作这梦？一旦我们找到这问题的答案，就会知道这梦对我们众人的意义。
1In this message we come to a very crucial turn in Jacob’s life—his dream at Bethel (28:10-22). Although we are all familiar with the story of Jacob’s dream, I doubt that we know the true significance of it. If we would know the significance of this dream, we must understand why Jacob had it where and when he did. Why did he not have this dream when he was at home with his parents? Once we find the answer to this question, we shall see what this dream means to us all
（a）在孤单的旅途中飘流
a) Wandering on His Lonesome Journey
2雅各在孤单的旅途中飘流时，作了这梦。（创二八10。）他原本生在非常好的家庭里，有美好的父亲、慈爱的母亲和一个有趣的哥哥。在创立世界以前，神拣选并豫定他得长子的名分。在雅各的故事中，我们看见神的心意和人的愿望。神要雅各作长子，雅各也想作长子，不肯作老二。因此，雅各的愿望与神的心意一致。这指明我们若有一个与神心意一致的愿望，那个愿望必定是起源于神，而不是起源于我们自己。神要给我们长子名分，我们也想作长子。这个愿望并没有错，是绝对正确的。但我们必须学习不用天然的才能和天然的力量，来完成神的心意，并满足我们的愿望。我们天然的力量和才能带来问题。
2Jacob had this dream while he was wandering on his lonesome journey (28:10). Jacob had been born into a very good family. He had an excellent father, a loving mother, and an interesting brother. Before the foundation of the world, God chose and predestinated him to have the birthright. In the story of Jacob we see God’sin tent i on and man’s desire. God intended that Jacob be the first, and Jacob also desired to be the first, not the second. Thus, Jacob’s desire corresponded to God’sin tent i on. This indicates that if we have a desire which corresponds with God’sin tent i on, then that desire must originate with God and not with ourselves. God intends to give us the birthright, and we also desire to be the first. This desire is not wrong; it is absolutely right. However, we must learn the lesson of not exercising our natural ability and our natural strength to fulfill God’sin tent i on and to satisfy our desire. Our natural strength and ability present a problem
3把创世记配著整本圣经来读，我们看见神要把长子名分给雅各，雅各也想要得著这名分。但雅各天然的力量必须受对付。因此神的主宰使他成为老二。虽然神已经拣选他作长子，但神使他生为老二，叫雅各知道他天然的人毫无价值，必须被除去。神要给我们长子名分，但我们天然的人没有资格得这名分，我们需要被变化。因著神知道雅各需要变化，所以叫他成为老二，而不是老大。没有这样主宰的安排，雅各天然的人和天然的力量绝不会被暴露。神若叫雅各生在以扫之先，雅各会自以为非常属灵。他不会挣扎，因为他已经是长子。然而神知道雅各里面所存的，神使以扫先生，好让雅各天然的人暴露出来。甚至雅各还在母腹里，就争著先出来。这是神的安排。
3By reading the book of Genesis along with the whole Bible, we see that God intended to give the birthright to Jacob and that Jacob desired to get it. However, Jacob’s natural strength had to be dealt with. Therefore, God sovereignly caused him to be the second. Although God had chosen him to be the first, God caused him to be born the second that Jacob might learn that his natural man was altogether unworthy and had to be cut off. God wants to give us the birthright, but our natural man is unqualified for it. We need to be transformed. Because God knew that Jacob needed transformation, He made him number two instead of number one. Without such a sovereign arrangement, Jacob’s natural man and natural strength would never have been exposed. If God had put Jacob ahead of Esau, Jacob might have thought that he was very spiritual. He would not have struggled, be cause he would already have been the first. But God knew what was in Jacob and He put Esau first that Jacob’s natural man might be exposed. Even while he was still in his mother’s womb, Jacob struggled to come out first. This was God’s arrangement.
4我们所遭遇的一切都是按著神的安排。不要自以为太渺小，不配这样主宰的安排。神对我们有一个目的－给我们长子名分。因著我们天然的人没有资格得这名分，神必须变化我们。祂不是仅仅藉著创造的手，乃是藉著只有经过一生的遭遇才能完成的漫长过程，来变化我们。我们看过，祂用以撒、利百加和以扫来对付雅各。虽然这三人从未召开会议，商量如何对付雅各，然而他们却为著这目的合作得很好，因为每一件事都在神主宰的手下。神安排以扫先生出来，也使以扫身体强壮，却不精于思考。以扫虽不善于思考，他却能以体力胜过雅各。并且神使雅各有一个只知吃喝享受的父亲。甚至雅各装作以扫到以撒跟前的时候，虽然以撒发觉事情不对，但他仍然只关心他的吃喝。这是他变成瞎眼的原因。当以撒采取中立时，绝顶聪明的利百加却非常偏爱她的宠儿雅各。这三人一同工作，使雅各离开他的慈母和父家，成为一个孤单的流浪者。在古时，从别是巴旅行到拉班所住之地，是一件大事。对雅各来说，离开母亲、父亲、和他从小长大的环境，走上这样漫长的旅途，不是一件小事。雅各成了一个孤单的流浪者，在旅途中必定受了许多苦。你若以正确的领会回顾你的已往，会发现你的经历和雅各完全一样。我们很少人是在美好的家庭中，在慈母的照顾下得救的。我们大多数人是在孤单并且被迫受苦的时候得救的。有的失去了他们的母亲、父亲、未婚妻、妻子、丈夫或儿女，成了孤单的人。原则上，我们许多人得救，是在受苦并孤单的时候。当我们在慈母照顾下的那些年间，属天的梦没有临到我们。第一次属天的梦是甚么时候临到你的？我们都有过这样的梦。我们属灵生命第一次的梦是我们的得救。我们要看见，每一个属灵的异象都是一个梦。你作第一次的梦是在甚么情形下？我们许多人都能作见证，那时我们的处境一点也不偷快。有的正在受苦，有的孤单寂寞，还有的在不愉快的环境中。我们被迫受苦、飘流，成了孤单的人。照著我们的感觉来说，当我们失去了地上的一切，受苦且孤单时，第一次属天的梦就临到了我们。
4Whatever happens to us is according to God’s arrangement. Do not think that you are too small to be worthy of such a sovereign arrangement. God has a purpose for us — to give us the birthright. Since our natural man is not qualified for this, God must transform us. He does not do this simply by His creating hand, but by a long process which can only be carried out through all the circumstances of life. As we have seen, God used Isaac, Rebekah, and Esau to deal with Jacob. Although these three people never held a conference to discuss how to deal with Jacob, they nevertheless worked in a good coordination for this purpose, because everything was under God’ss ove reign hand. God arranged for Esau to be born first. He also arranged for Esau to be physically strong but not to be skillful in exercising his mind. Although he could not exercise his mind very well, he could exercise his physical strength to defeat Jacob. Furthermore, God arranged for Jacob to have a father who only knew to eat and enjoy. Even when Isaac realized that something was wrong when Jacob came to him disguised as Esau, he only cared for his eating. This was the reason that he had become blind. While Isaac was neutral, Rebekah, who was very clever, was partial, very much favoring her beloved son Jacob. These three persons worked together to cause Jacob to leave his loving mother and his father’sho me and to become a lonesome wanderer. In ancient times it was a great thing to travel from Beer- sheba to where Laban lived. It was not a small matter for Jacob to leave his mother, father, and the environment in which he had been raised and to take such a long journey. Having become a lonesome wanderer, he must have suffered a great deal on this journey. If you consider your past with the proper understanding, you will realize that your experience was exactly the same as Jacob’s. Not many of us were saved when we were in a good home under our loving mother’s care. Most of us were saved when we were lonesome and had been forced to suffer. Some had lost their mother, father, fiancée, wife, husband, or children and had become lonesome. In principle, at the time many of us were saved, we were suffering and lonesome. During the years in which we were under the care of our loving mother, the heavenly dream did not come. When did the first dream from heaven come to you? We all have had such a dream. The first dream of our spiritual life was our salvation. As we shall see, every spiritual vision is a dream. In what kind of situation were you when you had your first dream? As many of us can testify, our circumstances were not at all pleasant. Some were suffering, others were lonely, and still others were in an unpleasant environment. We had been forced to suffer, to wander, and to become lonesome. When, according to our consciousness, we had lost everything on earth and we were suffering and were lonely, the first heavenly dream came to us.
（b）无家可归枕石而睡
b) Sleeping Homelessly with a Stone as His Pillow
5创世记二十八章十一节题到雅各说，『到了一个地方，因为太阳落了，就在那里过夜；便拾起那地方的一块石头，作为他的枕头，在那里躺卧睡了。』（另译。）雅各在旷野没有住宿的地方，睡的时候需要一样东西枕头，他就拾起一块石头作枕头。这是甚么意思？这意思是人所有的作为都除去了。没有家，没有住处，没有任何人造的东西。在那里每样东西都是神的工作。雅各在家的时候，情形完全两样，那里每样东西都是人造的。但在旷野的那一夜，没有一样东西是人造的。在那个环境里，每样东西都是神造的。你若察验自己过去的经历，就会看见你属灵生命中第一次的梦，是在每样人造的东西几乎都被除去并撇下的时候临到的，那时所留下的只有神所造的天和地。雅各住在家里时，他可以住在人造的居所里，安枕于人造的枕头上。然而在旷野，他必须安枕于神造的石头上。我若是雅各，我会比较聪明，用木头或泥土当枕头，而不用石头。我想我无法安枕于石头上。但雅各既不用木头，也不用泥土。我们要看见，他用石头作枕头是很有意义的。你若是雅各，你会用泥土或石头当枕头么？我会用泥土堆成一个枕头，安枕在上面。然而这是人造的东西。而雅各用来作枕头的，却是神所创造、所豫备的。
5Speaking of Jacob, Genesis 28:11 says, “He lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took one of the stones of that place, and made it his pillow, and lay down in that place to sleep” (Heb.). Jacob was in the wilderness and had no lodging place. Needing something on which to rest his head as he slept, he took a stone and made it his pillow. What is the meaning of this? It means that all human doing had been put away. There was no house, no lodging, nor anything made by man. Everything there in that place was God’s work. When Jacob was at home, the situation was very different. There everything was made by man. But that night in the wilderness, there was nothing man-made. Everything in that environment had been made by God. If you examine your past experience, you will see that the first dream of your spiritual life came at a time when nearly everything man-made had been crossed out and put aside. All that remained was the heaven and the earth created by God. When Jacob lived at home, he could lodge in a man-made dwelling and rest on a man-made pillow. But in the wilderness he had to rest on a God-created stone. If I had been Jacob, I would have been more clever, using either wood or clay instead of stone. I do not think that I could have rested on a stone. But Jacob did not use either wood or clay. As we shall see, it is very meaningful that he used a stone for a pillow. If you had been Jacob, would you have used clay or stone? I would have made a pillow out of clay and rested my head upon it. But this would have been something man-made. The stone which Jacob used for a pillow, on the contrary, was something created and prepared by God
6几乎所有蒙召的人都能作见证，在他们得救以前，他们被迫受苦，忍受寂寞，并且在每样人造的东西都变为无有的环境中。按照他们的领会，一切人造的东西都是无用的，他们信靠神的创造，信靠神所造的东西。在这样的时刻，属天的梦就来了。
6As nearly all the called ones can testify, before they were saved, they were forced to suffer, to be lonesome, and to be in an environment in which everything man-made had become nothing. According to their understanding, everything man-made was useless, and they trusted in God’s creation, in the things made by God. It was at such a time that the dream from heaven came
7今天原则是一样的。你若要另一个属天的异象，你就必须受一些苦；当弟兄们为难你，妻子烦扰你的时候，属天的梦很可能又要临到你。你若一直很喜乐，并在愉快的情况中，梦可能不会临到你。大多数属天的异象是在你受苦或被苦待时临到的。我所看见的异象，几乎都是在受苦的时候临到的。没有人喜欢受苦。然而在神主宰的手下，当苦难临及我们的时候，我们不能拒绝说，『苦难，我不喜欢你，离开我罢！』我们越说这话，苦难追赶得越紧。
7The principle is the same today. If you want another heavenly vision, then you must have some suffering. When the brothers give you a difficult time or when your wife troubles you, the heavenly dream will probably come once again. If you are always happy and in a pleasant situation, maybe no dream will come. Most heavenly visions come at a time when you are suffering or ill - treated. Nearly all the visions I have seen have come in times of suffering. No one likes to suffer. But when suffering comes to us under God’ss ove reign hand, we cannot reject it, saying, “Suffering, I don’t like you. Go away.” The more we say this, the faster the sufferings will pursue us.
8我从自己的经历知道，在我们喜乐的时候，异象不常来；在我们受苦的时候，异象就来了。当我们正在美妙的召会生活中喜乐时，属天的梦可能不会来。然而当我们受弟兄们、姊妹们、或长老们为难时，梦就来了。如果从你得救以来还未有过属天的梦，这可以证明你还没有受过苦。若没有苦难，就不会有梦。然而每当我们许多人造的东西被剥夺，并且被带到一个地方，只有神造的东西，也就是说，当我们与属人的东西断绝，而信靠属神的东西，那时异象就来了。属天的异象乃是这样来的。看看雅各的经历。他蒙神拣选并豫定，然而因著他挣扎努力，要得著神所要给他的，自己就落在难处中。于是神的主宰来迫使他离家，把他带到孤单无助的境地。假定你是雅各，必须离乡背井，寂寞孤单，你的感觉如何？我若是雅各，我会完全失望。然而就在这时候，梦来了。
8I know from my own experience that the vision does not often come when we are happy; it comes when we are suffering. When we are happy in the wonderful church life, the heavenly dream may not come. But when we are troubled by the brothers, the sisters, and the elders, the dream comes. If you have not had a heavenly dream since you were saved, this may prove that you have not been suffering. If there is no suffering, there may be no dream. But whenever we are deprived of so many man-made things and are brought to the place where there are only the God-created things, that is, when we are cut off from what is of man and put our trust in what is of God, the vision comes. The heavenly vision comes in this way. Consider Jacob’s experience. He had been chosen and predestinated by God. But because he was struggling and striving to get what God intended to give him, he found himself in difficulty. Then God sovereignly came in to force him to leave his home, bringing him into a situation where he was lonely and without the help of man. Suppose you had been Jacob, having to leave your home and family and being so lonely. How would you have felt? If I had been he, I would have been completely disappointed. Nevertheless, at that very time, the dream came
（c）梦见豫表基督的天梯
c) Dreaming of a Ladder Which Typifies Christ
9创世记二十八章十二节说，『梦见一个梯子立在地上，梯子的头顶著天，有神的使者在梯子上，上去下来。』这梦的中心是梯子。在这梦中，梯子是不是从天而降的？不是，那梯子已经在地上，雅各只需要看见这异象。在他作梦之前，他看不见梯子。这意思是早在我们得救之前，为著我们得长子名分所需要的一切，都在那里了。问题是我们看不见。我们必须得著异象，才能看见。不要以为雅各梦见一个梯子降下，好像彼得看见一块大布10:9-从天降下一样。（徒十9～16。）雅各没有看见甚么东西降下。他是看见那已经在地上的东西。圣经没有告诉我们梯子达到地上，乃是说，『立在地上，』又说，『梯子的头顶著天。』那是已经存在地上的梯子，不是从天降下的。
9Genesis 28:12 says, “And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.” The center of this dream was a ladder. In this dream, did the ladder come down from heaven? No, it was already there on earth, and Jacob only needed to have a vision of it. Before he had the dream, he could not see the ladder. This means that everything necessary for receiving the birthright was there long before we were saved. The problem was that we could not see it. We had to have a vision in order to see it. Do not think that in his dream Jacob saw the ladder descending like Peter saw the sheet descending from heaven (Acts 16). Jacob did not see something coming down; he saw something which was already on earth. We are not told that the ladder reached the earth but that it was “set up on the earth” and that “the top of it reached to heaven.” It was a ladder already existing on earth, not one descending from heaven.
10梯子上神的使者如何？多年前我研读的时候，总以为神的使者是下来上去。然而这一节是说，使者上去下来。这意思是雅各还未作梦，使者就在那里了。当雅各看到他们的时候，他们是先上去然后下来。雅各若看见梯子从天而降，神的使者降在梯子上，他的梦就可看作是他的愿望或祷告得答应。雅各若说，『神阿，我很孤单，我要看见一个从天上来的异象。』然后有一个梯子从天而降，并有使者降在梯子上，那就是他的祷告得了答应。然而事情完全不是这样。雅各甚至没有祷告，就突然看见一个梯子立在地上，梯子的头顶者天。使者在梯子上，上去下来，指明这梦不是神对雅各祷告的答应，乃是神豫先计画好的。不要以为你得救是你的祷告得了答应。在你祷告之前，救恩已在那里等著你。并不是你祷告，然后突然间救恩从天而降，临到你身上。不，在你得救之前，救恩就等著你；但你必须被迫离开你的家和一切人为的景况，被带到孤单寂寞的环境中，然后你的眼睛才得开启，看见已经在那里的救恩。创世记二十八章十二节没有告诉我们，雅各看见天开了，这与约翰一章五十一节不同。雅各没有看见天开了，因为在他还没有到那地方以前，天就开了。为著你的救恩，天是甚么时候向你开的？是不是你禁食、祷告，呼求主把天向你开启，然后突然间你看见天开了？不，天从来没有向神的选民关闭过。虽然天向我们开著，但我们仍需要来到伯特利。也许我们不愿意来这里，但我们别无选择。我们像雅各一样，已被迫来到这里。我们许多人来到召会生活中，是因为我们别无选择，我们被迫来此。你也许说，『我若有办法，我要离开召会生活。』但是感谢主，你没有办法。也许你曾说，『我不喜欢召会生活中的情形，我要离开。』然而赞美主，这是不可能的。我们都已被迫来到伯特利，在这里我们看见已经存在的梯子。我们无须请求或等候天开启，一旦我们的眼晴得开，就看见梯子已经在这里。这是属天的异象，属天的梦。在这梦里，我们不是看见梯子降下，我们乃是看见一个已经在这里的梯子。
10What about the angels of God on the ladder? When I read about them in years past, I always thought that they were descending and ascending. But this verse says that the angels were ascending and descending. This means that the angels were there before Jacob had the dream. When he saw them, they were firstly ascending and then descending. If Jacob had seen the ladder coming down from heaven and the angels of God descending on it, his dream could have been taken as an answer to Jacob’s desire or prayer. If Jacob had said, “O God, I’m lonely and want to see a vision from heaven,” and a ladder had come down from heaven with angels descending on it, it would have been the answer to his prayer. But it was not at all like this. Without even praying, Jacob suddenly saw a ladder set up on the earth, the top of which reached to heaven. That the angels were ascending and descending on this ladder indicates that the dream was not an answer to Jacob’spray er but that it had been preplanned by God. Do not think that your salvation was an answer to your prayers. Before you prayed, salvation was there waiting for you. It was not that you prayed and then suddenly salvation descended from heaven and fell upon you. No, before you were saved, salvation was waiting for you, but you had to be forced to leave your home and every man-made situation and be brought into a lonesome environment. Then your eyes were opened to see what was already there. In verse 12, unlike John 1:51, we are not told that Jacob saw heaven opened. Jacob did not see heaven opened, because it was opened before he even got to that place. When was heaven opened to you for your salvation? Did you fast, pray, and cry to the Lord to open heaven to you and then suddenly see heaven opened? No, heaven has never been closed to God’s chosen people. Although heaven is open to us, we still need to come to Bethel. We may not want to come here, but we have no choice. Like Jacob, we have been forced to come here. Many of us came into the church life because we had no choice. We were forced to come. You may say, “If I had a way, I would get out of the church life.” But, thank the Lord, you do not have a way. Perhaps you have said, “I don’t like the situation in the church life. I want to go away.” But praise the Lord that this is impossible. We all have been forced to come to Bethel, the place where we see the already- existing ladder. There is no need for us to beg and wait for heaven to be opened. Once our eyes are opened, we see that the ladder is already here. This is the heavenly vision, the heavenly dream. In this dream we do not see a ladder descending; we see the ladder which is here already
11当我们来到新约，我们看见基督就是雅各所看见的梯子。在约翰一章五十一节，主耶稣对拿但业说，『我实实在在的告诉你们，你们将要看见天开了，神的使者上去下来在人子身上。』基督是那将天带到地，将地联于天的一位。首先，祂将天带到地；然后，祂将地联于天。创世记二十八章十二节说，梯子『立在地上』照我们的观念，基督已经离开地了。然而照神的观念，基督已经立在地上，没有人能移动祂。十九个半世纪以来，人类尽其所能想摇动这个梯子，但他们无能为力。不要以为基督正在下来。不，祂已经立在地上。按照你里面深处的感觉，你得救的时候基督在那里－在天上，还是在地上？照你天然的观念，祂是在天上；但照你里面的感觉，基督正在你面前，因为祂已经立在地上。我们都经历过这事。然而因著宗教的影响，我们就随著想像，而不随著经历往前。在我们得救的经历中，基督是在地上。我们的基督，就是将天带到地，将地联于天的梯子，现今不仅在天上，也在地上。基督已经立在地上，并且顶到天上，目的是要来到我们这里，并且将我们带到祂那里。我们已经指出，在雅各的梦中，神的使者在梯子上上去下来。使者在等著上去。我相信无论何时一个罪人接受主耶稣，得救了，许多使者就升到天上去报喜信。首先使者欢欢乐乐的升到天上，然后立刻将好东西带下来给初信者。这种交通不是从天开始，乃是从地开始，升到天再回到地。同样，每当我们悔改，并且说，『主，我要更多得著你，也要更多被你得著，』这些使者真是报信者，马上将消息带到天上。
11When we come to the New Testament, we see that Christ is the ladder which Jacob saw. In John 1:51 Jesus said to Nathanael, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you shall see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” Christ is the One who brings heaven to earth and joins earth to heaven. Firstly, He brings heaven to earth and then He joins earth to heaven. Genesis 28:12 says that the ladder was “set up on the earth.” According to our concept, Christ has gone away from the earth. But according to God’s concept, Christ has been set up on earth, and no one can move Him. For nineteen and a half centuries, people have tried their best to shake this ladder, but they have been unable to do it. Do not think that Christ is coming down. No, He has already been set up on earth. According to your deep, inner sense, where was Christ at the time you were saved—in heaven or on earth? According to your natural concept, He was in heaven. But according to your inner sense, Christ was directly in front of you, for He had been set up on earth. We have all experienced this. However, due to the influence of religion, we went along with our mental figuration instead of with our experience. In our experience of salvation, Christ was on earth. Our Christ, who is the ladder bringing heaven to earth and joining earth to heaven, is now not only in heaven but also here on earth. Christ has been set up on earth and He is reaching into heaven for the purpose of coming to us and bringing us to Him. As we have already pointed out, in Jacob’s dream the angels of God were ascending and descending on the ladder. The angels are waiting to ascend. I believe that whenever a sinner receives the Lord Jesus and is saved, many angels ascend to heaven bearing the good news. Firstly, the angels gladly ascend to heaven and then they immediately descend with good things for the new believer. This traffic does not start from heaven; it starts from earth and goes to heaven and back to earth again. In like manner, whenever we repent and say, “Lord, I want to gain more of You and to be gained more by You,” the angels, who truly are reporters, bring the news to heaven
12基督这位受差遣者，将天带到地，将地联于天，祂现今就在地上。许多时候我在房间内，感觉基督在那里。当我回应祂的时候，有些使者行动似乎比火箭还快，升到天上报告好信息。我们许多人都可以作见证，有时候我们和主有极甜美的交通，是我们无法用言语描述的。那是有力的证明，使者在那里上去下来。然后，当我们继续与主有这样美好的交通，我们觉得与主更往前一点，那些使者又快快乐乐的升到天上报告新闻，并且立刻下来带给我们更多的美物。
12Christ, the sent One, the One who brings heaven to earth and joins earth to heaven, is here on earth right now. Many times in my room I have had the sense that Christ was there. As soon as I responded to Him, it seemed that some angels, moving faster than a rocket, ascended to heaven to report the good news. Many of us can testify that on some occasions we had such a wonderful time with the Lord that we had no words to describe what was happening. That was a strong proof that the angels were there ascending and descending. Then, as we continued to have this good time with the Lord, we went a little further with Him, and the angels happily ascended to heaven again to report something new and to descend immediately with more good things for us.
13按照正确的异象，神的使者是上去下来。我们无须祷告或禁食。我们只需要被神的手所迫，离开一切属人的东西，进到一种环境中，在那里我们有一个梦，我们的瞎眼得开。然后我们就要说，『阿们，主耶稣。梯子在这里，使者在梯子上上去下来。』当我们得救的时候，这样的事就发生在我们身上，然而我们没有话来解释这事。今天基督这梯子，宇宙的中心，就在这里。这梯子已经立在地上，等著我们一次一次的看见并接触。每当我们得著一个异象，我们也许无法领会，或者没有言语描述，然而我们觉得有个梯子在我们面前。每当我们享受一个属灵的经历，我们里面深处就会觉得，在我们面前或里面有个东西，将我们联于天；我们若摸著牠，我们就摸著天。这就是基督。当我们在召会生活中更有经历时，我们会笑著说，『已往我为甚么没有看见？我真笨！有个东西已经立在地上并通到天上；当我摸著牠，牠就将我联于天。』这就是那梯子。在下篇信息我们要看见，这梯子产生伯特利，神的家，天的门。用今天的话说，就是产生召会。雅各在伯特利的梦不是出于他，乃是完全出于神。雅各已经失去一切，完全失望。他无望无家，然而，令他大感意外，在他失望之中，梦来了。这梦是甚么？这梦就是异象，就是看见。在我们的经历中，梯子在那里，但我们没有看见。现在我们有了视力，看见了一直在那里的梯子。这就是雅各的梦的意义。
13According to the proper vision, the angels of God are ascending and descending. There is no need for us to pray or fast. We simply need to be forced by God’s hand to leave everything human and to come into an environment where we have a dream and our blindeyes are opened. Then we shall say, “Amen, Lord Jesus. The ladder is here, and the angels are ascending and descending on it.” When we were saved, something like this happened to us. But we did not have the words to explain it. Today, Christ, the ladder, the center of the universe, is here. This ladder has been set up on the earth and is waiting for us to see and touch it again and again. Whenever we have a vision, we may not have the understanding or the words to describe it, but we sense that a ladder is before us. Whenever we enjoy a spiritual experience, we have the sense deep within that something either before us or inside us is joining us to heaven and that if we touch it, we touch heaven. This is Christ. Often, when we have a further experience in the church life, we smile and say, “Why didn’tIs ee this before? How stupid I was! Something has been set up on earth that reaches to heaven, and when I touch it, it brings me and joins me to heaven.” This is the ladder. As we shall see in the next message, this ladder produces Bethel, the house of God, the gate of heaven. Using today’s term, it produces the church. Jacob’s dream at Bethel was not of him; it was absolutely of God. Jacob had lost everything and was fully disappointed. He had become a hopeless and homeless case. But, much to his surprise, in the midst of his disappointment, the dream came. What is this dream? It is simply a vision, a seeing. In our experience, the ladder was there, but we did not see it. Now that we have the sight, we see the ladder which was there all the time. This is the significance of Jacob’s dream
14每一个属灵的经历都是一个梦。我无法告诉你这些年来我作了多少梦。进到召会生活是一个梦，认识召会的实行也是一个梦。许多时候我们说，『天哪，这个经历真好！这必是个梦。我得了怎样的梦！』我们的梦越多越好，因为梦越多，我们接触并享受那梯子也越多。
14Every spiritual experience is a dream. I cannot tell you how many dreams I have had through the years. Coming into the church life is a dream. Knowing the practicality of the church is also a dream. Many times we have said, “My, this experience is so good that it must be a dream. What a dream has come to me!” The more dreams we have, the better, for the more dreams we have, the more we touch and enjoy the ladder.
15每一个属灵的梦的中心总是基督这梯子，祂是那将天带到地，并将地联于天的一位。每当我们里面深处觉得被带到天上，并且联于天，与天成为一，天也与我们成为一，那就是对基督的经历。我们应当把胜过罪和软弱的想法忘掉。正确生命的经历乃是梦见基督这天梯，已经立在地上，并且将我们带到天上。不要想去胜过罪，或克服软弱。当你接触这梯子，你就在天上，天就是你的。在天和地，地和天之间会有许多交通。你要得著你所需要的，一切消极的事物都要在你脚下。这就是经历基督作天梯。不要祷告求梯子降到你这里。无论你祷告或不祷告，只要你是神所拣选的人，并且有一个与神心意一致的愿望，迟早你会被迫来到伯特利，在这里你要作梦。这梦的目的总是叫我们看见基督是梯子。这天梯产生伯特利，神的家，召会。在创世记二十八章十至二十二节这里，我们看见产生召会的基督。这真是个梦。
15The center of every spiritual dream is Christ as the ladder, as the One who brings heaven to earth and joins earth to heaven. Whenever we sense deep within that we have been brought into heaven and have been joined to and made one with heaven, and that heaven has been made one with us, that is an experience of Christ. We should forget about trying to overcome sin and weaknesses. The proper experience in life is to have a dream of Christ as the heavenly ladder which has been set up on earth and which brings us into heaven. Do not try to overcome sin, nor to conquer your weakness. When you touch this ladder, you will be in heaven, heaven will be yours, and there will be much traffic between earth and heaven and between heaven and earth. You will have whatever you need, and every negative thing will be under your feet. This is the experience of Christ as the heavenly ladder. Do not pray that the ladder will come down to you. Whether you pray or not, as long as you are God’s chosen one and have a desire which corresponds to God’sin tent i on, you will sooner or later be forced to come to Bethel where you will have a dream. The purpose of this dream is always that we see Christ as the ladder. This heavenly ladder issues in Bethel, the house of God, the church. Here, in 28:10-22, we see the Christ who brings forth the church. This is truly a dream