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创世记生命读经 · 第69篇

受对付（三）

Being Dealt With (3)
1创世记二十八章十至二十二节是神启示中最重要的话语。我们若认识圣经，就会看见这里在神圣的启示中有一个根本的转变，一个新的开始。在创世记头二十七章里，没有用过神的家（或作神的殿，希伯来文，Bethel，伯特利）这辞。但在本章，却启示了神家的事。神的家不仅仅是地方，乃是活人的活组成。这些人在那里，神的家也在那里。因此，神的家不在于地方，乃在于人。人若迁走了，他们从前所在的地方就不再是神的家了。一个地方怎能称为神的家？只因神实际的、活的家，活人的活组成在那里。创世记一章二十六节说，人是照著神自己的形像造的。这真是奇妙！人是人，人不是神。然而，人有神的形像。换句话说，人看起来像神。这样说是正确的。一个人若有你的形像，他看起来一定像你。神照著自己的形像造人，这是很有意义的。
1Genesis 28:10-22 is the most crucial word in the revelation of God. If we know the Bible, we shall realize that here there is a radical turn, a new start, in the divine revelation. In the first twenty-seven chapters of Genesis, the term the house of God (Bethel in Hebrew) is not used. But in this chapter, the matter of God’sho use is revealed. The house of God is not merely a place; it is a living composition of living people. Where these people are, there the house of God is also. Hence, it does not depend upon the place but upon the people. If the people move, then the place where they once were is no longer God’sho use. How can a place be called the house of God? Only because the real, living house of God, a living composition of living people, is there. Genesis 1:26 says that man was made in God’sown image. This is wonderful. Man is man; he is not God. Nevertheless, he has God’sim age. In other words, man looks like God. It is correct to say this. If anyone has your image, he surely looks like you. It is very significant that God made man in His own image
2在创世记二章七节我们看到，照著神的形像所造的人，是用尘土构成的。你知道你是用尘土造的么？没有一个人例外。我们不是用金子、钻石或钢铁造的，我们都是用尘土造的。尘土宝贵么？你会将一把尘土放在口袋里保存起来么？没有人会这么作。然而，我们是从尘土造出来的。罗马九章二十一节启示，我们是泥巴的器皿。尘土和泥巴差不多是同样的。尘土加上水就成了泥巴。按我们物质的构成，我们并不宝贵。在创世记二十八章，尘土改为石头。本章的石头，成了尘土所造之人的安息，（创二八11，）因为石头现在托住了尘土。雅各，尘土所造的人，枕在石头上，这是很有意义的。想想创世记二十八章的图画。这里我们看到一个疲倦、孤单、失望、尘土所造的人，一个不确知未来的人。当太阳落下的时候，他需要休息一下，『便拾起那地方的一块石头，枕在头下，在那里躺卧睡了。』（创二八11。）认识圣经的方法，乃是凭著圣经。我们若只读创世记二十八章，不会明白这是甚么意思。但我们用属天的光来读整本圣经，就知道本章石头的意义。当彼得第一次来到主面前，主改了他的名，说，『你是约翰的儿子西门，你要称为矶法。（矶法繙出来，就是彼得。）』（约一42。）彼得的意思，就是石头。过了大约三年，彼得回答主所问的问题，说，『你是基督，是活神的儿子。』（太十六16。）然后主耶稣对他说，『我还告诉你，你是彼得，我要把我的召会建造在这磐石上。』（太十六18。）主似乎是说，『彼得，你记得你头一天到我这里来，我给你起名叫石头么？这不该只是名字－这必须是事实。彼得，你是石头，我要把我的召会16:18建造在这磐石上。』因此，马太十六章十八节启示，石头是为著召会的建造。
2In 2:7 we see that the man who was made in God’sim age was constituted with dust. Do you realize that you were made with dust? No one is an exception. We were not made with gold, diamond, or steel; we all were made with dust. Is dust precious? Would you put a handful of dust into your pocket and keep it? No one would do this. Nevertheless, we were made out of dust. Romans 9:21 reveals that we are clay vessels. Dust and clay are nearly the same. When water is added to dust, the dust becomes clay. According to our material constitution, we are not precious. In chapter twenty-eight the term changes from dust to stone. The stone in this chapter becomes the rest for the man of dust (v. 11), for the stone now holds the dust. It is quite meaningful that Jacob, a man of dust, rested upon a stone. Consider the picture in chapter twenty-eight. Here we see a tired, lonesome, disappointed, dusty man, a man who was not certain of his future. Needing some rest as the sun was going down, “he took one of the stones of that place, and made it his pillow, and lay down in that place to sleep” (v. 11, Heb.). The way to know the Bible is by the Bible. If we only read Genesis 28, we shall not know what it means. But when we read the whole Bible with the heavenly light, we see the meaning of the stone in this chapter. When Peter first came to the Lord, the Lord changed his name saying, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas (which translated means a stone)” (John 1:42). Approximately three years after this first meeting with the Lord, Peter, responding to a question asked by the Lord, said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). Then the Lord Jesus said to him, “I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church” (Matt. 16:18). The Lord seemed to be saying, “Peter, do you remember that on the first day you came to Me I gave you the name stone? This should not merely be a name—it must be a fact. Peter, you are a stone. I shall build My church upon this rock.” Thus, Matthew reveals that the stone is for the building of the church.
3召会是甚么？提前三章十五节说，召会是活神的家。至终，在永世里，活神的家将是新耶路撒冷。在启示录二十一章我们看见，新耶路撒冷不是用泥巴或尘土造的，乃是用宝石造的。论到新耶路撒冷，启示录二十一章十一节说，『城的光辉如同极贵的宝石，好像碧玉，明如水晶。』这不是我的寓意，这是神圣的启示。我们需要鸟瞰圣经。在创世记一、二章我们看见，人虽然是照著神的形像造的，却是由尘土构成的。神的形像是为著神的彰显，尘土当然不适合彰显神。因此，就有变化的需要。变化不仅仅是形状上的改变，也是性质上的改变，因为变化这辞是指新陈代谢的改变。我们需要在性质上有所改变，使我们的性质和外表不再是属尘土的。在创世记二章，人是尘土，但在启示录二十一章，人是宝石。在永世里，不需要清洗。我们在这满了尘土的地上，必须每天清洗。但因新耶路撒冷没有尘土，就不需要清洗。一切的尘土都要变化成为宝石。在创世记二章有一个泥土造的人，在创世记二十八章我们看见一个泥土造的人枕在石头上。圣经确实是神写的。我们在别的书里，找不到像创世记二十八章十至二十二节这样的一段话。这段话很简短，却很重要、深奥、有意义，范围包括了整本圣经。在十一节，我们看到雅各用作枕头的石头。大家都知道，枕头是用来枕著休息的。在十八节，这块枕石成了柱子。枕头是用来休息的，柱子却是用来支撑建筑物的。在所罗门所建造的圣殿里，有两根主要的柱子。（王上七21。）加拉太二章九节说，雅各、彼得、约翰是召会的柱石。此外，启示录三章十二节说，得胜者要在神殿中作柱子。在创世记二十八章有石头、枕头和柱子。不但如此，至终这根柱子成了伯特利，神的家。在这短短的一段话里，我们还看到一个梯子立在地上，梯子的头顶著天。（创二八12。）任何人都不可能写出这种记载。雅各怎么会作这样的梦。按人的历史看，没有人作过这样的梦。但雅各竟看见一个梯子，神的使者在梯子上，上去下来。这指明使者已经在那里等著要上去。当雅各在梦中看见梯子，使者也许立刻就升到天上报信说，雅各已经来了，并且看见了梯子。雅各睡醒后，领会这地方不仅是神的家，也是天的门。（创二八17。）除了这些奇妙的项目之外，本章还有其他重要的项目－我们的生活问题。我们传福音的时候，常常有朋友问：『我若相信耶稣，祂会照顾我的生活么？』有些圣徒也问类似的问题：『我若爱主，为主而活，我的生活将如何？我不需要顾到这事么？』我们都有谋生的问题。但在这段简短的记载里，我们看见神照顾我们的生活。15我们会看见，生活的照顾是次要的。在二十八章十五节主对雅各说，『我也与你同在，你无论往那里去，我必保佑你。』主在这里似乎说，『雅各，我必与你同在，也必照顾你的生活。我必给你食物吃，衣服穿。』这符合主在马太六章三十三节的话：『你们要先寻求祂的国和祂的义，这一切就都要加给你们了。』我们若寻求神的国，神必照顾我们的生活。虽然神已应许要与雅各同在并保佑他，雅各仍然和神办交易，说，『神若与我同在，在我所行的路上保佑我，又给我食物吃，衣服穿，使我平平安安的回到我父亲的家，我就必以耶和华为我的神。』（创二八20～21。）请注意二十一节的『就』字。神若为雅各作许多事，雅各就以耶和华为他的神。神若不为他作这些事，这项交易就作罢。雅各似乎说，『你若给我食物和衣服，照顾我的生活，我就必以你为我的神，这根柱子就必作你的家，你所赐给我的，我必将十分之一献给你。』这真是一笔非常赚钱的买卖。雅各说，『主，你必须先给我，然后我必给你。你若给我一元，我必还你一角。』神说，我们若寻求祂的国，祂必给我们食物。但我们说，神必须先给我们食物，我们就必寻求祂的国。你不需要和主办这样的交易。只要作一团泥，让主在你身上作工，你所需要的一切，祂必要加给你。马太六章三十三节的加字，含示基本的东西已经赐给我们了，其他的东西不过是加给我们的。我们会看见，神要赐给我们土地、后裔和祝福。此外，神还加上食物、衣服、和其他生活所需要的一切。
3What is the church? First Timothy 3:15 says that the church is the house of the living God. Ultimately, in eternity, the house of the living God will be the New Jerusalem. In Revelation 21 we see that the New Jerusalem is not built with clay or dust but with precious stones. Speaking of the New Jerusalem, Revelation 21:11 says, “Her light was like a most precious stone, as a jasper stone, clear as crystal.” This is not my allegorization; it is the divine revelation. We need to look at the Bible with a bird’s-eye view. In Genesis 1 and 2 we see that although man was made in the image of God, he was constituted with dust. While the image of God is for God’sex press i on, dust certainly is not suitable for the expression of God. Hence, there is the need for transformation. Transformation is not merely a change in form; it is also a change in nature, for the word transformation denotes a metabolic change. We need to have a change in nature that our nature and appearance might no longer be that of dust. In Genesis 2 man is dusty, but in Revelation 21 he is precious stone. In eternity, there will be no need for cleaning. While we are on this dusty earth, we must clean every day. But because there will be no dust in the New Jerusalem, there will be no need to clean it. All the dust will be transformed into precious stones. In Genesis 2 we have a man of clay, and in Genesis 28 we see a man of clay resting upon a stone. The Bible is surely written by God. In no other book do we find a portion such as 28:10-22. This passage is short, but it is crucial, deep, and meaningful, including the whole Bible in its scope. In verse 11 we see the stone which Jacob used for a pillow. As everyone knows, a pillow is something upon which to rest. In verse 18 this pillow-stone becomes a pillar. A pillow is for rest, but a pillar is used for support in a building. In the temple built by Solomon, there were two main pillars (1 Kings 7:21). Galatians 2:9 says that James, Peter, and John were pillars in the church. Furthermore, Revelation 3:12 says that the overcomers will be pillars in the temple of God. In Genesis 28 we have the stone, the pillow, and the pillar. But this is not all. Eventually, this pillar becomes Bethel, the house of God. Moreover, in this short portion of the Word we see a ladder set up on the earth, the top of which reached to heaven (v. 12). It is impossible for any man to have written this record. How could Jacob have dreamed such a dream? According to human history, no one has ever had such a dream. But Jacob saw a ladder on which the angels of God were ascending and descending. This indicates that the angels were already there waiting for the time to ascend. When Jacob saw the ladder in his dream, the angels might have immediately ascended to heaven to report the news that Jacob had come and had seen the ladder. After Jacob had awakened out of his sleep, he realized that this place was not only the house of God but also the gate of heaven (v. 17). In addition to all these wonderful items, there is another important item in this chapter—the matter of our living. Many times when we preach the gospel, the sinners ask, “If I believe in Jesus, will He take care of my living?” Some saints ask a similar question: “If I love the Lord and live for Him, what will happen to my living? Don’t I need to take care of this?” We all have the problem of making a living. But in this short record we see that God takes care of our living. As we shall see, taking care of our living is secondary. In verse the Lord said to Jacob, “Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest.” Here the Lord seemed to be saying, “Jacob, I will be with you and I will take care of your living. I’ll give you bread to eat and raiment to put on.” This corresponds to the Lord’sword in Matthew 6:33: “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” If we seek His kingdom, God will surely take care of our living. Although God had promised to be with Jacob and to keep him, Jacob still made a deal with Him, saying, “If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father’sho use in peace; then shall the Lord be my God” (vv. 20-21). Notice the word “then” in verse 21. If God would do so many things for Jacob, then Jacob would take Him as his God. But if God would not do these things for him, then there would be no deal. Jacob seemed to be saying, “If You give me food and clothing and take care of my living, then I’ll take You as my God, this pillar shall be Your house, and I will return to You the tenth of what You have given to me.” This was a very profitable business arrangement. Jacob was saying, “Lord, You must first give to me, and then I’ll give to You. If You give me a dollar, then I will return a dime to You.” God says that if we seek His kingdom, then He will give us bread. But we say that God must first give us bread and then we shall seek His kingdom. There is no need for you to make such a deal with the Lord. Simply be a lump of clay and allow the Lord to work on you, and He will add to you everything you need. The word add in Matthew 6:33 implies that something basic has already been given and that other things are simply added to us. As we shall see, God will give us the land, the seed, and the blessing. To all this, He adds food, clothing, and the other things we need for our living.
4我爱这段话，因为这段话的范围很广，包括整本圣经，从创世记一章至启示录二十二章。这就是为甚么我说这段话这么重要的原因。牠包括了从尘土到石头，从创造到神家建造的一切事物。牠包括了食物、衣服、神的家、梯子、和属天的事物。在这段经文里，雅各首先找到安息，至终得著应许，可以衣食无虑。人人都在寻找安息。安息总是包含满足。我们若不满足，绝不能安息。每当我们来到主面前，首先得著的，就是安息。我们是孤单、失望的人，不知道往那里去，我们需要安息。我们似乎没有盼望，没有未来，几乎失去了一切，我们渴望安息。为著主的安息赞美主！这安息是在石头上，而这石头正是在神家所在的地方。这里有我们安息的地方。
4I love this portion of the Word because its span is so wide, covering the whole Bible from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22. This is why I say that it is such a crucial portion. It covers everything from the dust to the stone, from the creation to the building of God’sho use. It covers the matters of bread, clothing, the house of God, the ladder, and the heavenly things. In this passage, Jacob firstly found rest and ultimately he received the promise that there would be no problem regarding food and clothing. Everyone is looking for rest. Rest always includes satisfaction. If we are not satisfied, we can never be at rest. Whenever we come to the Lord, the first thing we receive is rest. As lonesome, disappointed people who do not know where we are going, we need rest. As those who seem to be hopeless, who have no future, and who have lost almost everything, we long for rest. Praise the Lord for His rest! This rest is upon the stone, and this stone is in the very place where God’sho use is. Here is our place of rest
（d）第一次被神遇见
d) Being Met by God the First Time
5在十三节我们看到，这里雅各第一次被神遇见。我们都需要被神遇见。这是基本的。雅各生在一个敬虔的家庭里。亚伯拉罕、以撒、撒拉和利百加都是敬虔的人。生在这样一个敬虔的家庭里虽然很好，但我们仍须自己直接、个人的遇见神。你家里每个人都会吃，但你自己还必须是个吃的人。不要说，『哦，我的祖父是亚伯拉罕，祖母是撒拉，父母是以撒和利百加。』你自己如何？你家里每个人都是吃的人，但你自己吃不吃呢？关于神，雅各已得了知识，却没有吃过甚么。雅各生在一个敬虔的家庭里，但在伯特利作梦以前，他自己还没有直接遇见过神。使他大感意外的，在伯特利这里，神第一次遇见他。他并没有想要遇见神。是神在那里等著他。神已经从天上下来，在地上的伯特利那里。
5In verse 13 we see that here Jacob was met by God for the first time. We all need to be met by God. This is basic. Jacob was born into a godly family. Abraham, Isaac, Sarah, and Rebekah were all godly people. Although it is good to be born into such a godly family, we must still have our own direct, personal meeting with God. Everyone in your home may eat, but you must still be an eating person yourself. Do not say, “Oh, my grandfather was Abraham, my grandmother was Sarah, and my parents are Isaac and Rebekah.” What about you? Everyone in your family is an eating person, but do you yourself eat? Concerning God, Jacob had acquired knowledge, but he had not eaten anything. He had been born into a godly family, but before the dream at Bethel, he himself had had no direct meeting with God. But, much to his surprise, here at Bethel, God met him for the first time. Jacob did not intend to meet God. It was God who was waiting there for him. God had already come down from heaven and was there on earth.
6约翰四章撒玛利亚妇人的经历，与创世记二十八章雅各的经历相似。从天上下来的主耶稣，特意到井旁去遇见她。对那撒玛利亚妇人来说，雅各的井就是伯特利，而耶稣在那里就是天梯。如果她像雅各一样，作了一个真实的梦，她会看见使者升到天上，报告她遇见主的好消息。使者可能说，『那有罪的撒玛利亚妇人，就是那有过许多丈夫，现在和不是她丈夫的男人同居的，已经来到耶稣面前！』同样的情形，当你来到主面前，耶稣这天梯正等著你。在你得救那天，你有了第一次的梦，第一次被神遇见。这是何等美妙！你若察看自己的经历，你会说，『赞美主！现在我明白那天发生了甚么事。在我得救以前，天梯已经立在地上，神在那里等著遇见我。』神第一次遇见雅各的时候，祂说，『我是耶和华你祖亚伯拉罕的神，也是以撒的神。』（创二八13。）这含示神要成为雅各的神。我们都经历过亚伯拉罕的神和以撒的神。既然亚伯拉罕的神是称义的神，以撒的神是恩典的神，这意思就是，我们已经历了称义的神和恩典的神。我们虽然经历了这样的一位神，但我们还需要遇见并经历雅各的神。这意思是神对我们还要成为变化的神，对付的神。认识亚伯拉罕的神，意思是我们得称义；认识以撒的神，意思是我们享受神的恩典。但我们也必须有梦，在梦中雅各的神说，『我要作你的神，我要作抓脚跟者的神，抓夺者的神。你越抓夺，我越能对付你。你越抓别人的脚跟，我越要把你放进火炉里，对你我要成为雅各的神。』至终圣经说，神是亚伯拉罕的神，以撒的神，雅各的神，而这位神不是死人的神，乃是活人的神。（太二二32。）我的神不但是亚伯拉罕的神，以撒的神；祂也是雅各的神，对付的神，是终日对付我的。我们若只停留于亚伯拉罕的神和以撒的神，从未经历神是雅各的神，我们就得不著所需要的变化。你爱那一位的神－亚伯拉罕的神，以撒的神，或雅各的神？我们都爱享受，没有人爱对付。但神是三一神，是亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的神。要豫备好，有一天你会遇见祂是雅各的神。
6The experience of the Samaritan woman in John 4 is similar to Jacob’s experience in Genesis 28. The Lord Jesus, who had come down from heaven, went to the well purposely to meet her. To that Samaritan woman, Jacob’swell was Bethel, and Jesus was there as the heavenly ladder. If, like Jacob, she had had an actual dream, she would have seen the angels ascending to heaven to bring the good report that she had met the Lord. The angels might have said, “The sinful Samaritan woman, the one who has had so many husbands and who is living with a man who is not her husband, has come to Jesus!” The situation was the same when you came to the Lord. Jesus, the heavenly ladder, was waiting for you. On the day you were saved, you had your first dream and were met by God for the first time. How wonderful this is! If you examine your experience, you will say, “Praise the Lord! Now I understand what happened to me that day. Before I was saved, the heavenly ladder had been set up on earth, and God was waiting there to meet me.” When God first met Jacob, He said, “I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac” (v. 13). This implied that God was to be Jacob’s God. We all have experienced the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac. Since the God of Abraham is the God of justification and the God of Isaac is the God of grace, this means that we have experienced the God of justification and the God of grace. Although we have experienced such a God, we also need to meet and experience the God of Jacob. This means that God will be to us the God of transformation, the God of dealings. Knowing the God of Abraham means that we are justified, and knowing the God of Isaac means that we enjoy the grace of God. But we must also have a dream in which the God of Jacob says, “I shall be your God. I shall be the God of a heel-holder, the God of a supplanter. The more you supplant, the better I can deal with you. The more you hold the heels of others, the more I shall put you into the oven. I shall be to you the God of Jacob.” Eventually, the Bible says that God is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and that this God is not the God of the dead but of the living Matt. 22:32). My God is not only the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac; He is also the God of Jacob, the God of dealings who deals with me all day long. If we only stay with the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac, never experiencing God as the God of Jacob, we shall not have the needed transformation. Whose God do you love—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, or the God of Jacob? While we love the enjoyment, none of us loves the dealings. God is the Triune God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Be prepared—one day you will meet Him as the God of Jacob
7弟兄姊妹常常喜欢唱荣耀的召会生活。然而，我们越留在荣耀的召会生活中，越要受到对付。我们几乎都能见证，自从进入召会生活，神就一直对付我们。在进入召会之前，我们没有多少问题。但在我们进入召会，并开始唱荣耀的召会生活之后，事情就开始接连的发生了。你可能会说，『这是怎么回事？我也许错了。』不，你没有错，你是对的。因为你是在正确的路上，变化的路上，这一切事就临到你。神量度我们的环境和每件临到我们的事。譬如，祂可能让你生点小病，但这场病是量过的，不至于要你的命。这与神对约伯所作的类似，祂嘱咐撒但不可越过某个限度。（伯二6。）这就是神的对付。在创世记以下各章，我们看不到雅各有多少享受。反而，无论他到那里去，神就在那里对付他。神似乎说，『我是雅各的神，至终，我要作以色列的神。当你变化完成，我就不再对付你。』
7Often the brothers and sisters like to sing about the glorious church life. However, the more we stay in the glorious church life, the more we are dealt with. Nearly all of us can testify that since coming into the church life, God has dealt with us. Before we came into the church, we did not have many problems. But after we came into the church and began to sing of the glorious church life, things began to happen one after another. You might have said, “What is this? Perhaps I am wrong.” No, you are not wrong—you are right. Because you are on the right track, the track of transformation, all these things have been happening to you. God measures our environment and everything that happens to us. For example, He may let you have a little illness, but that illness is measured and will not kill you. This is similar to what God did with Job when He charged Satan not to go beyond a certain limit (Job 2:6). This is God’s dealing. In the following chapters of Genesis, we do not see that Jacob enjoyed very much. Rather, wherever he went, God was there dealing with him. God seemed to say, “I am the God of Jacob. Eventually, I want to be the God of Israel. When your transformation is complete, My dealings with you will be over
（e）第一次蒙神应许
e) Being Promised to by God the First Time
8神的对付没有一次是不带著应许的。我们每次所受的对付，都会带著一个应许。我们所受的对付越多，所得的应许就越多。在创世记二十八章十三至十五节，我们看到神对雅各的应许。按雅各的经历，神的应许不是在祂的对付之前临到。那应许不是先给我们食物和衣服，乃是先给我们土地和后裔，使我们成为地上万族的祝福。我们在这里看见三样东西－地、后裔和祝福。照著圣经一贯的启示，地是为著国度。在神的创造里，祂照著祂自己的形像造人，给他们权柄管治全地和地土。因此，地是为著管治权，为著国度。后裔是为著彰显，为著形像的扩展。创世记二十八章十三、十四节与一章二十六节有两个同样的东西：形像和管治权。此后，我们便成了祝福。我们的祝福就是基督，基督成了我们对别人的祝福。
8None of God’s dealings is without a promise. Every time we suffer a dealing there will be a promise along with it. The more dealings we suffer, the more promises we shall have. In 28:13-15 we see God’s promise to Jacob. According to Jacob’s experience, God’s promise did not come before His dealing. The promise is not firstly that we shall be provided with food and raiment. It firstly is that we shall have the land and the seed and that we shall be a blessing to all the families of the earth. Here we see three things—the land, the seed, and the blessing. According to the consistent revelation of the Bible, the land is for the kingdom. In His creation, God created man in His own image and gave him dominion over the earth, over the land. Thus, the land is for the dominion, the kingdom. The seed is for the expression, for the spreading of the image. In 28:13 and 14 we have the same two things that are found in Genesis 1:26— image and dominion. After this, we become a blessing. Our blessing is simply Christ, for Christ becomes our blessing to others.
9我们若察看自己的经历，会看见每当我们遭受或有一些从神来的对付，我们就得著地，并感觉自己是在国度里。此外，我们还感觉有一些神的东西藉著我们得了彰显，并从我们扩展出去。这就是后裔。除此之外，我们成了对别人，对我们的邻居、亲戚、朋友和每位环绕我们之人的祝福。神的应许不仅给了雅各；原则上，也给了我们。当我们在神的对付之下，我们就有分于地、后裔和祝福。我们分享地和神的彰显，并且对别人成为祝福。神知道我们的需要。在创世记二十八章十五节，神对雅各说，『我也与你同在，你无论往那里去，我必保佑你，领你归回这地，总不离弃你，直到我成全了向你所应许的。』神在这里应许要给雅各食物和衣服，并使他平平安安的回到他父亲的家。在宗教里的人对地、后裔和祝福一无所知。他们作见证时，常常这样说，『赞美主，祂一直与我同在。最近我到芝加哥旅行，神与我同在。多年来祂一直给我食物、衣服、和我所需要的一切。』我几乎没有听过人见证说，『赞美主！神对付我之后，我的领土扩大了。神的确在变化我。祂藉著我扩展祂的彰显。随之而来的是何等的祝福！』
9If we examine our experience, we shall see that whenever we suffered or had some dealing from God, we received the land and had the sense that we were in the kingdom. Furthermore, we sensed that something of God was expressed through us and was spreading out of us. This is the seed. In addition to this, we became a blessing to others, to our neighbors, relatives, friends, and everyone around us. God’s promise was not only given to Jacob; in principle, it is also given to us. When we are under God’s dealing, we participate in the land, the seed, and the blessing. We share in the territory and the expression of God and we become a blessing to others. God knows our need. In verse 15 He said to Jacob, “Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.” Here God was promising to give Jacob food and clothing and to bring him back to his father’s land in peace. The people in religion know nothing about the land, the seed, and the blessing. Often when they give a testimony, they say something like this: “Praise the Lord that His presence is always with me. Recently, I took a tour of Chicago and God’s presence was with me. Throughout all the years He has been giving me food, clothes, and all that I need.” I have hardly ever heard a testimony in which someone said, “Praise the Lord! After God dealt with me, my territory has been enlarged. God has truly been transforming me. He is spreading His expression through me. What a blessing has followed this
（f）他的反应
f) His Reaction
《一》称那地方为神的家（殿）
1) Calling the Place the House of God
10现在我们来看雅各的反应。首先，他睡醒之后，称那地方为神的家（殿）。（创二八17。）雅各从那里得著神殿的观念？亚伯拉罕不知道这事。我们曾指出，在创世记二十八章以前我们没有发现这辞。亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各都住在帐棚里。雅各为甚么不说神的帐棚，而说神的殿？这必然不只是一个梦，乃是一个启示。雅各虽然没有实际见过神的殿，却给他所看见的起名为神的殿，说，『这是神的殿。』这必定来自神圣的启示。
10Now we come to Jacob’s reaction. Firstly, after waking out of his sleep, he called that place the house of God (v. 17). Where did Jacob get the concept of the house of God? Abraham did not know of this. As we have pointed out, we do not find this term before Genesis 28. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all lived in tents. Why then did Jacob not say the tent of God but rather the house of God? Surely this is not only a dream but a revelation. Although Jacob did not actually see the house of God, he termed what he saw the house of God, saying, “This is the house of God.” Certainly this came from divine revelation.
11神不仅在清楚的话里，也在人类的生活里启示祂的经纶。雅各，一个完全生活在人水平上的人，作了一个梦。在那梦里他看见了一样东西，醒来后他说，『这是神的殿。』无疑的，神的殿这观念来自神自己。
11God has revealed His economy not only in clear words but also in the lives of human beings. Jacob, a man living altogether on the human level, had a dream. In that dream he saw something, and after he awoke he said, “This is the house of God.” Undoubtedly, this concept of the house of God came from God Himself
《二》称那地方为天的门
2) Calling the Place the Gate of Heaven
12雅各也称他遇见神的地方为天的门。（创二八17。）他在那里所看到的是指向著天。那个地方在地上，却联于天。因此，他称那里为天的门。每当我们有属灵的异象，就感觉自己是在天的门。我们是在地上，却看见并经历属天的事。
12Jacob also called the place where he met God the gate of heaven (v. 17). Whatever he saw there pointed to heaven. It was a place on earth, but it was joined to heaven. Hence, he called it the gate of heaven. Whenever we have a spiritual vision, we sense that we are at the gate of heaven. We are on earth, but we see and experience the things of heaven
《三》以枕石为柱，且膏这柱
3) Making the Pillow-stone a Pillar and Anointing It
13创世记二十八章十八节说，『雅各清早起来，把所枕的石头立作柱子，浇油在上面。』雅各把石头立作柱子是何等的希奇。我若是他，绝不会用石头作柱子。这是甚么意思？这必定符合圣经的整个启示。这里最显著的是用油膏石头。那里有油，这是神的主宰。雅各从那里取得油？他这个逃亡的人，从家里逃出来的时候带著油么？我不知道。照著我的看法，浇油在石头上，只会弄得一团糟。但照著圣经，这个举动非常有意义。在圣经里，石头无疑是表征变化过的人，一团泥已变化为一块石头。在豫表里，油表征三一神的第三者临到人。当神临到你的时候，祂乃是灵。因此，被立作柱子并被浇油其上的石头，象征变化过的人与三一神是一。现在三一神不仅在天上，也在一个变化过的人身上，并且与这变化过的人成为一。这人是神在地上的彰显。当你注视那石头，你就看见油。当你注视那立在地上变化过的人，你就看见神的彰显。雅各怎么知道要把油浇在石头上？在二十八章以前，从末记载过这样的举动。然而，雅各从他的梦中醒来，却作了这事。
13Verse 18 says, “Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had made his pillow, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it” (Heb.). How peculiar it was that Jacob set up the stone for a pillar. If I had been he, I would never have done that with the stone. What is the meaning of this? It certainly corresponds to the whole revelation of the Bible. The most striking thing here is the anointing of the stone with oil. It was sovereign that the oil was there. Where did Jacob get it? Did he, an escapee, bring it with him when he fled from home? I do not know. According to my opinion, pouring oil upon the stone would only have caused a mess. But according to the Bible, this act is very significant. In the Bible, the stone undoubtedly signifies a transformed man, a lump of clay which has been transformed into a stone. In typology, the oil signifies the third Person of God reaching people. When God reaches you, He is the Spirit. Thus, the stone which was set up as a pillar and which had the oil poured upon it, is a symbol that the transformed man is one with the Triune God. Now the Triune God is not only in heaven but also on a transformed man and is one with this transformed man. This man is God’sex press i on on earth. When you look at the stone, you see the oil. When you look at the transformed man standing on the earth, you see the expression of God. How did Jacob know to pour oil on the stone? Before chapter twenty-eight, there is no record of this type of action. Nevertheless, after waking up from his dream, Jacob did this
《四》给那地方起名叫『伯特利』
4) Naming the Place “Bethel
14雅各把油浇在柱子上以后，『就给那地方起名，叫伯特利。』（创二八。）雅各为甚么给那地方起名叫伯特利，神的家（殿）？当他膏柱子的时候，他自己也在那灵的膏抹之下。那柱子就代表他自己－那变化过的雅各。我不相信那时雅各知道自己在作甚么。他不像我们今天这么清楚。
14After pouring oil upon the top of the pillar, Jacob “called the name of that place Bethel” (v. 19). Why did Jacob call the name of that place Bethel, the house of 19 God? As he was anointing the pillar, he was under the anointing of the Spirit. That pillar represented himself, the transformed Jacob. I do not believe that at that time Jacob understood what he was doing. He was not as clear as we are today.
15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。』人子这名称指明神不再只是神，祂也成了人。这启示神不再只是在天上，祂也成了一个活在地上的人。梯子已经立在地上，因为神已经成了人。在祂成为肉体以前，祂不能称为人子。当主耶稣告诉拿但业说，他要看见使者上去下来在人子身上，拿但业必定立刻明白，这是雅各的梦的应验。雅各的梦是基督的启示，因为基督这梯子乃是这梦的中心、焦点。这里随著这天梯有敞开的天、变化过的人、在这人身上的膏抹、以及由于这人而有之神家的建造。今天的召会生活是雅各的梦完全的应验，因为召会生活是天的门，是柱子和梯子的所在地，也是天使升到天上报好消息，并降到地上带来属天之物的地方。伯特利就在召会生活这里。我们是今日的伯特利。在创世记二十八章，地方和石头都称为伯特利。石头不仅称为伯特利，也建造成伯特利，那地为甚么称为伯特利？因为伯特利石头在那里。召会生活就是这样。我们都需要看见这奇特的梦。
15In John 1:51 the Lord 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.” The title the Son of Man indicates that God no longer is merely God but that He has become a man. This reveals that God is no longer just in the heavens but that He has become a man living on the earth. The ladder has been set up on earth because God has become a man. Before He was incarnated, He could not be called the Son of Man. When the Lord Jesus told Nathanael that he would see the angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man, Nathanael must have realized immediately that this was the fulfillment of Jacob’s dream. Jacob’s dream is a revelation of Christ, for Christ as the ladder is the center, the focus, of this dream. Here with this heavenly ladder we have an open heaven, the transformed man, the anointing upon this man, and the building up of the house of God with this man. The church life today is the complete fulfillment of Jacob’s dream because the church life is the gate of heaven, the place where the pillar and ladder are, and the place where the angels ascend to heaven bearing good news and descend to earth bringing something heavenly. Bethel is here in the church life. We are today’s Bethel. In Genesis 28, both the place and the stone were called Bethel. The stone was not only called Bethel; it was made Bethel. Why was the place called Bethel? Because the Bethel stone was there. The church life is like this. We all need to see this marvelous dream
《五》许愿
(5) Vowing
16神应许了，我们就不需要许愿。我若是雅各，会简单的说，『主，感谢你。』但雅各没有感谢主，也没有赞美祂，反而许愿说，若神与他同在，保佑他，给他食物吃，衣服穿，使他平平安安的回到他父亲的家，他必以耶和华为他的神，他所立为柱子的石头也必作神的家，凡神所赐给他的，他必将十分之一献给神。（创二八～22。）雅各所许的愿是有条件的。我们在召会生活中也是有条件的。虽然我们在召会生活中都很快乐，但在深处我们却有条件，说，『只要神给我食物吃，我会留在召会生活中，并成为召会生活的一部分。』也许我们没有说这样的话，这话却在我们深处。假定你失业了，赋闲多月，此外，又病得很严重，你还会唱荣耀的召会生活么？可能不但没有召会生活，连柱子都没有了。你对主和召会的爱是有条件的。当雅各答应将十分之一献给神时，意思是神若不给他甚么，他也不给神甚么。雅各似乎说，『让我们作个交易。你若要从我得甚么，必须先给我。你若不给我，我能给你甚么？』
16When God makes a promise, there is no need for us to make a vow. If I had been Jacob, I would simply have said, “Lord, thank You.” But instead of thanking the Lord and praising Him, Jacob vowed that he would take God as his God, make the pillar - stone the house of God, and give God a tenth of all that He would give him on the condition that God would be with him, keep him, give him bread and raiment, and bring him back to his father’sho use in peace (vv. 20-22). Jacob’s vow was conditional. Our being in the church life is also 20 conditional. Although we all are happy in the church life, deep within we have a condition and say, “I will remain in the church life and be a part of the church life as long as God gives me bread.” Although we may not say this in words, it is nonetheless deep within us. Suppose you lose your job and are unemployed for many months. Besides this, you become quite ill. Will you still sing about the glorious church life? Not only will there be no church life, but probably there will not even be a pillar. Your love for the Lord and for the church is conditional. When Jacob promised to give the tenth to God, it meant that if God did not give anything to him, then he would not give anything to God. Jacob seemed to be saying, “Let’s make a deal. If You want something from me, then You must first give me something. If You don’t give anything to me, what can I give to You?”
17雅各信不信神？信。他若不信神，就不会说到神与他同在。既然他信神，为甚么在他的愿里还有这样的条件？因为他是人，就像今天我们是人一样。一面我们信神，另一面我们有条件。几乎没有人是无条件的爱主。我听过许多弟兄姊妹说，他们将自己绝对的奉献给主。每当我听到这样的见证，我就问说，『你真的对神绝对么？』圣灵若记下我们的经历，可能会和雅各的完全一样。我的记载，一定和他的一样。但我们不需要为生活忧虑。神会赐给我们地、后裔和祝福；除此以外，祂还会顾到我们的生活，供应我们食物、衣服、和所需要的一切。我们若先寻求神的国，父会将我们生活所需要的一切给我们。这就是雅各的梦。
17Did Jacob believe in God? Yes. If he did not believe in Him, he would not have spoken about God’s being with him. But since he believed in God, why did he still have such a condition in his vow? Because he was human, just like we are today. On the one hand, we believe in God; on the other hand, we have a term. Hardly anyone loves the Lord unconditionally. I have heard many brothers and sisters say that they consecrate themselves absolutely to the Lord. Whenever I hear such testimonies, I ask, “Are you really absolute with the Lord?” If the Holy Spirit were to write an account of your experience, it would probably be exactly the same as Jacob’s. My record, for certain, is just the same as his. But there is no need to worry about our living. God will give us the land, the seed, and the blessing, and, in addition to all this, He will take care of our living, providing food, clothing, and everything we need. If we seek first the kingdom of God, the Father will give us whatever we need for our living. This is the dream of Jacob