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创世记生命读经 · 第72篇

受对付（六）

Being Dealt With (6)
（11） 浇了油的石头和神的家（殿）雅各的梦是整本创世记中最紧要的
11) The Stone with Oil Poured upon It and the House of God Jacob’s dream is the most crucial point in the whole
1点。（创二八10～22。）甚至创世记一章二十六节，也没有雅各在二十八章的梦那样紧要。这梦最显著的一面是石头。雅各经过了长途的跋涉，疲倦而孤寂，拾起一块石头作枕头，露天而睡。这可能是历史上第一次人用石头作枕头。你曾将头枕在石头上休息么？我从来没有这样作过。首先，雅各把石头作枕头；其次，他把这石头立作柱子。（创二八18。）枕头是为著休息，柱子是为著建造。你有没有领悟，有一天你的枕头要成为柱子？以后我们要看见这枕头是甚么。在创世记二十八章二十二节，雅各说，『我所立为柱子的石头，也必作神的家（殿）。』除了石头、柱子和家（殿）之外，还有浇在石头顶上的油。（创二八18。）雅各这孤寂的流浪者，怎会随身带著油？我不知道。然而，他清早将油浇在石头上。因此，在这梦中有四个基本元素：石头、柱子、家（殿）和油。这四项是组成圣经的基本因素。我们曾题过几次，神的心意是要将人作成祂团体的彰显。在创世记中我们看不见神得著这样的彰显。创世记一章二十六节宣告神造人的目的，告诉我们人是照著神的形像造的。但在那里我们没有看见神得著祂的彰显。在亚当、亚伯、以挪士、以诺、挪亚、亚伯拉罕或以撒身上，神都没有得著祂的彰显。当我们来到雅各身上，我们看见他是一个抓夺者，一个抓脚跟的人，一个非常狡诈的青年。在整本圣经的光下，我们知道这个年轻的抓夺者蒙神拣选，并且被豫定得长子的名分。在创立世界以前，在已过的永远里，神就豫定他得长子的名分。我们曾指出，长子名分包括三件事：作祭司彰显神，作君王代表神，并作后嗣承受神的产业。这长子名分完全是为著神在地上团体的彰显。创世记二十八章的事，约发生在人被造后二千二百年。神呼召亚伯拉罕，约在亚当被造后二千年；从亚伯拉罕到雅各，为时约二百年。在这漫长的时间里，神并没有得著祂所愿望的。
1book of Genesis (28:10-22). Not even 1:26 is as crucial as Jacob’s dream in chapter twenty-eight. One of the most striking aspects of this dream is the stone. After traveling on a long journey, Jacob, being tired and lonesome, took a stone, made it his pillow, and slept in the open air. This might have been the first time in history that a man used a stone for a pillow. Have you ever laid your head upon a stone for rest? I have never done this. Firstly, Jacob made that stone a pillow; secondly, he set it up for a pillar (28:18). A pillow is for resting and a pillar is for building. Do you realize that one day your pillow will become a pillar? Later we shall see what this pillow is. In 28:22 Jacob said, “This stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’sho use.” In addition to the stone, the pillar, and the house, there was the oil poured upon the top of the stone (28:18). How could Jacob, a lonesome wanderer, have had oil with him? I do not know. Nevertheless, early in the morning, he poured oil upon the stone. Hence, in this dream there are four basic elements: the stone, the pillar, the house, and the oil. These four items are the basic factors with which the Bible is composed. As we have mentioned several times, God’s in tent i on is to make man His corporate expression. In the book of Genesis we cannot see that God obtained such an expression. In 1:26, a declaration of God’s purpose in making man, we are told that man was made in the image of God. But here we do not see that God gained His expression. God did not have His expression with Adam, Abel, Enosh, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, or Isaac. As we come to Jacob, we see that he was a supplanter, a heel-holder, a very crafty young man. Under the light of the whole Bible, we know that this young supplanter was chosen by God and was predestinated to have the birthright. Before the foundation of the world, in eternity past, God predestinated him to have the birthright. As we have pointed out, the birthright includes three things: expressing God as priests, representing Him as kings, and inheriting God’s inheritance as heirs. This birthright is absolutely for the corporate expression of God on earth. The events in Genesis 28 occurred approximately twenty- two centuries after the creation of man. God called Abraham approximately two thousand years after the creation of Adam, and the period of time from Abraham until Jacob was about two hundred years. During this long period of time, God did not obtain what He desired.
2由于抓夺而陷入麻烦的青年抓夺者雅各，在孤寂的旅途上作了一个梦。雅各所看见的是一个梦，还未成为事实，因为雅各仍是一个抓夺者。在他的深处，他可能还抓著以扫的脚跟。这样一个抓夺者，怎能成为神的家？这是不可能的。因此，在那时候，雅各的梦只是一个梦。例如，虽然我们现在还不能登陆月球，但我们可以梦见已经登陆月球。这可能是梦，却不是事实。我们需要在属灵生命中有梦。已往我有过很多梦，今天我愿意有另一个。你得救以后如果没有梦，你的光景必定极其可怜。你得救以后有过多少梦？每一个属灵的异象都是一个梦。梦的意义是甚么？梦的原则乃是不可能的事在梦中发生在你身上。我们的得救是一个梦，那是我们属灵生命中的第一个梦。虽然得救是件不可能的事，但是我们得救了。进入召会生活也是一个属灵的梦。每一个进入召会生活的人都有过一个梦，在梦中不可能的事发生了。我喜欢这些属天的梦。我们看过，在雅各属天的梦中，启示了四样东西：石头、柱子、家（殿）和油。在创世记二十八章以前，找不到这四样东西。譬如，在前二十七章半，从来没有题过石头。但我们看见创世记十一章三节题到，人用砖头建造巴别那魔鬼的城和属鬼的塔。当我们研读创世记十一章的时候，我们曾经指出，砖表征人的工作，是人的努力配上泥土的结果。每一种宗教都由砖来代表，因为每一种宗教都是人的努力配上泥土。人类是泥土，宗教作工在人类身上以产生砖。在创世记二十八章以前，也没有题过柱子。当圣经说到巴别的城和塔的时候，并没有题到柱子。不要以为圣经是一本平凡的书。圣经不是平凡的，反之，圣经是独特的。在所罗门建造的圣殿中，有两根大柱。（王上七21。）加拉太二章九节告诉我们，彼得、雅各、约翰是召会的柱石。再者，在启示录三章十二节，我们看见得胜者要作柱子建造在神的殿中。家（殿）与油和柱子一样，在创世记二十八章以前也没有题过。亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各都住在帐棚里。但雅各在伯特利从梦中醒来之后，他不说帐棚，却说神的家（殿）。因此，这四项在创世记二十八章是首次题到。
2While Jacob, the young supplanter who had gotten into trouble due to his supplanting, was on his lonesome journey, he had a dream. What Jacob saw was a dream; it was not yet a fact, because Jacob was still a supplanter. Deep within, he was probably still holding on to Esau’she el. How could such a supplanter be the house of God? It was impossible. Hence, at that time, Jacob’s dream was only a dream. For example, although it is impossible for us to land on the moon right now, we may dream that we have landed on the moon. This may be a dream, but it is not a fact. We need to have dreams in our spiritual life. I have had a number of dreams in the past and I would like to have another one today. If you have had no dreams since you were saved, your situation must be most pitiful. How many dreams have you had since you were saved? Every spiritual vision is a dream. What is the significance of a dream? The principle of a dream is that in it something impossible happens to you. Our being saved was a dream, the initial dream in our spiritual life. Although getting saved was an impossibility, we have been saved. Coming into the church life was also a spiritual dream. Everyone who has come into the church life has had a dream in which something impossible took place. I like these heavenly dreams. As we have seen in Jacob’s heavenly dream four things were revealed: the stone, the pillar, the house, and the oil. These four things are rarely found before Genesis 28. For instance, apart from the onyx stone in 2:12 no stone is mentioned in the foregoing twenty- seven and a half chapters. However, we do find mention of the bricks used for building the devilish city and demonic tower of Babel (11:3). When we were studying chapter eleven, we pointed out that bricks signify human work, the issue of human effort with clay. Every religion is represented by bricks, for every religion is a human effort with clay. Mankind is clay, and religion works upon mankind to produce bricks. No pillar is mentioned before Genesis twenty-eight. When the Bible speaks of the city and tower of Babel, no pillars are mentioned. Do not think that the Bible is common. It is not common; rather, it is unique. In the temple constructed by Solomon there were two great pillars (1 Kings 7:21). In Galatians 2:9 we are told that Peter, James, and John were pillars of the church. Moreover, in Revelation 3:12 we see that the overcomers will be built as pillars into the temple of God. Like the pillar, neither the house nor the oil is mentioned prior to chapter twenty-eight. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all lived in tents. But after having his dream at Bethel, Jacob did not speak of a tent; he spoke of God’sho use.
3我们看过，圣经中首次题到一件事，总是设立一个原则。当彼得第一次来到主面前，主把他的名字从西门改为矶法，（约一42，）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。）』约在三年之后，主问祂的门徒说，『人说人子是谁？』（太十六13。）彼得说，『你是基督，是活神的儿子。』主耶稣就对他说，『我还告诉你，你是彼得，我要把我的召会建造在这磐石上。』（太十六16，18。）主说这话是题醒彼得，三年前把他的名字从西门改为矶法的事。后来，彼得写第一封书信时说，『你们…也就像活石，被建造成属灵的殿（直译，家）。』（彼前二4～5。）在这一节彼得题到石头和殿（家）。在林前三章，保罗有同样的观念，他告诉哥林多信徒说，他们是神的建筑。（林前三9。）在林前三章十节保罗告诉我们，要谨慎怎样建造。我们必须小心怎样建造，并用甚么来建造，因为我们的工程要受到火的试验。我们若用金、银、宝石建造，我们的工程就存得住。所以我们看见，在林前三章，保罗也说到石头是为著神的建造。到了启示录，圣经的终结，我们看见一座用宝石建造的城。按照圣经的原则，城总是家（殿）的扩大。当家（殿）大得扩展时，就成了城。在新耶路撒冷中没有殿，因为殿已经扩大成了一座城。那城是用宝石所建，扩大的家（殿）。圣经是何等的一贯！由圣经这些话我们看见，石头是建造神家（殿）的材料。甚么是神的家？神的家就是神的满足、安息和彰显。你住在怎样的家里，就显出你是怎样的人。你若是肮脏的人，就会有肮脏的家；你若是清洁的人，就会有清洁的家。十年前，我被带到旧金山所谓的嬉痞区。我不能相信人竟能住在这样污秽的环境中。虽然那时我没有看到嬉痞，但由他们住所的情况，我可以知道他们是肮脏、懒散的人。我们的家是我们的彰显。你若参观日本人的住家，只要走过那里，就会知道那是日本人居住的。苏格兰人的住所也是这样。同样，神的家也是神的彰显。至终，祂的家要扩大成为一座城，那城显出来的样子与神一样。按照启示录四章二、三节，神显出来的样子好像碧玉；按照启示录二十一章十一节，整座新耶路撒冷城显出来的样子也好像碧玉。这就是说，那城有神显出来的样子，而成了祂的彰显。我们甚至可以说，这城就是神的扩大。
3As we have pointed out elsewhere, in the Bible a stone is mainly for God’s building. When Peter first came to the Lord, the Lord changed his name from Simon to Cephas (John 1:42), saying, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas (which translated means a stone).” Approximately three years later, the Lord questioned His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that the Son of Man is?” (Matt. 16:13). After Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” 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). In saying this, the Lord reminded Peter of what He had done three years ago in changing his name from Simon to Cephas. Later, in writing his first Epistle, Peter said, “You yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house” (1 Pet. 2:5). In this one verse Peter mentions both the stone and the house. In 1 Corinthians 3 Paul held a similar concept, telling the believers at Corinth that they were God’s building (1 Cor. 3:9). In 1 Corinthians 3:10 Paul tells us to take heed how we build. We must be careful of how and with what we build, for our work will be tested by fire. If we build with gold, silver, and precious stones, our work will remain. So we see, that in 1 Corinthians 3 Paul also speaks of stone for God’s building. As we come to the book of Revelation, the ultimate end of the Bible, we see a city built up with precious stones. According to the principle of the Bible, a city is always the enlargement of a house. When a house is immensely enlarged, it becomes a city. There will be no temple in the New Jerusalem because the temple will have been enlarged into a city. That city will be an enlarged house built with precious stones. How consistent is the Bible! By all these portions of the Word, we see that stone is the material for the building of God’sho use. What is God’s house? God’s house is simply God’s satisfaction, rest, and expression. The kind of house you live in expresses the kind of person you are. If you are a dirty person, you will have a dirty house, and if you are a clean person, you will have a clean house. Ten years ago I was taken to the so - called hippie section of San Francisco. I could not believe that people could live in such a filthy environment. Although I did not see any hippies at that time, I could tell by the condition of their lodgings that they were dirty, sloppy people. Our house is our expression. If you visit a house in which a Japanese family lives, you will know, simply by walking through it, that it is inhabited by Japanese. The same is true of the lodging of a Scot. In like manner, God’sho use is His expression. Eventually, His house will be enlarged into a city, and that city will have the same appearance as God. According to Revelation 4:2 and 3, God has the appearance of jasper, and according to Revelation 21:11, the whole city of New Jerusalem will also have the appearance of jasper. This means that the city will have God’s appearance and be His expression. We may even say that this city will be God’s enlargement.
4虽然石头和家（殿）是最紧要的，但仍然需要油。在豫表里，油表征临到人的神。神是三一的。父是源头，子是流道，灵是临到我们的流。雅各浇油在石头上，表征三一神流到了人。神是在天上，但祂已经浇灌到人身上。当三一神临到人的时候，祂就使人成为神的家（殿）。在油浇石头以前，石头仅仅是石头；但在油浇石头以后，石头就成了神的家（殿）。
4Although the stone and the house are most crucial, there is still the need of the oil. In typology, oil signifies God reaching man. God is triune. The Father is the source, the Son is the course, and the Spirit is the flow reaching us. Jacob’sp our ing oil upon the stone signifies the Triune God flowing to reach man. God is in heaven, but He has been poured out upon man. When the Triune God reaches man, He makes man the house of God. Before the oil was poured upon the stone, the stone was merely a stone. But after the oil had been poured upon it, the stone became the house of God
（a）无家可归、没有安息的光景
a) A Homeless, Restless Situation
5在创世记二十八章，雅各是在无家可归、没有安息的光景中。（创二八10。）人无家可归的时候，神也无家可归。（赛六六1。）所以在创世记二十八章，神与雅各都无家可归。同样，人干渴的时候，神也干渴；人不满足的时候，神也不满足。当主耶稣来到叙加井旁，（约四，）祂是干渴的，有一个干渴的妇人也来到祂那里。撒玛利亚的妇人和主耶稣都是干渴的。当人无家可归，没有安息，神也无家可归，没有安息。创世记二十八章是一幅图画，表明神和人都无家可归。人真正的家是甚么？就永远来说，人的家乃是神。如果你没有神，你就没有家。没有得救的人，总不会觉得在家，因为人真正的家乃是神。神的家是甚么？乃是人。人的家是神，神的家是人。甚么时候人与神分开，神与人就都没有家了。例如，离婚总是影响夫妻二人。我们不能说，妻子离婚，丈夫没有离婚。因此，当人无家可归的时候，神也成了无家可归的。但是当我们在家里，神也有了家。当我们得著神作我们的家，我们就成了神的家。在创世记二十八章那个晚上，雅各与神分开，他与神就都无家可归。雅各因著没有家，也就没有安息。没有家的人，就是没有安息的人。家是甜美的，因为有安息。很多时候，我经过了长途旅行，回到家里，我就说，『赞美主，我回家了！』这意思就是，我可以安息了。但是在那个晚上，雅各和神都没有家，也没有安息。
5In Genesis 28, Jacob was in a homeless and restless situation (v. 10). When man is homeless, God also is homeless (Isa. 66:1). Thus, in Genesis 28, both Jacob and God were homeless. In like manner, when man is thirsty, God also is thirsty, and when man is unsatisfied, God also is unsatisfied. When the Lord Jesus came to the well of Sychar (John 4), He was thirsty, and a thirsty woman came to Him. Both the Samaritan woman and the Lord Jesus were thirsty. When man is homeless and restless, God is also homeless and restless. Genesis 28 is a picture showing that both God and man were homeless. What is man’s real home? For eternity, man’s home will be God. If you do not have God, you do not have a home. No unsaved person can ever feel at home, for man’s real home is God. What is God’sho me? Man. Man’sho me is God, and God’s home is man. Whenever man is separated from God, both God and man are homeless. For example, a divorce always affects both the husband and the wife. We cannot say that the wife is divorced and that the husband is not. Thus, when man is homeless, God is made homeless, but when we are at home, God also has a home. When we have God as our home, we become God’sho me. That night in Genesis 28, Jacob was separated from God, and both he and God were homeless. Since Jacob was homeless, he was also restless. A homeless person is a restless person. Home is sweet because it is restful. Many times after I have completed a long journey, upon returning home, I have said, “Praise the Lord, I’m home!” This means that I can rest. But that night Jacob and God were homeless and without rest.
（b）石头
b) The Stone
6我们看过，雅各拾起一块石头，作成枕头。多年来我不懂这事的意义。虽然我们无法照著外面的字句来领会。但我们能照著里面的经历来领会。在我们得救以前，我们没有安息。我们总是觉得不是在空中，就是在海底，我们没有坚固的东西可抓住、支持或维持。虽然你也许是百万富翁，但你的钱财不能支持你；相反的，钱财夺去你的平安和安息。我们无论男女老幼，在得救以前，都没有坚固的支持。但有一天我们得救了，有件事情在我们深处发生；我们在深处所经历的，产生了一样东西，成了我们坚固的支持。在得救以后，我们也许有难处，但我们在里面深处却有把握，有一块坚固的磐石，我们可安息在其上。这块坚固的磐石就是基督那已经作到我们里面的性情、元素。我们人是用地上的尘土造的。（创二。）罗马九章指明我们是泥土器皿，不是石头器皿。如果我是雅各，我要堆一堆土安枕在上面。但在神的眼中，泥土永远不能成为我们的安息。我们人的生命，天然人的生命和所是，不能成为我们的安息。无论我们受了多好的教育，得著多高的地位，只要我们里面没有神圣的性情，我们就不过是泥土。这种泥土不能作我们坚固的支持。我们没有一个人寻得安息，直到我们得救的时候。在那一天，一种神圣、属基督的东西，作到我们里面，成了我们里面坚固的支持。这是我们的安息，我们的枕头。我们的枕头就是那已经作到我们里面的神圣元素，基督。当我们行走人生路程的时候，我们突然作了一个梦，在梦中基督自己作到我们里面。基督的性情就是那已经作到我们泥土性情里的磐石。因此，我们有一块可以安枕的磐石。
6We have seen that Jacob took a stone and made it his pillow. For years I could not understand the significance of this. Although we cannot understand it according to the outward word, we can understand it according to our inward experience. Before we were saved, we had no rest. We always felt that we were either in the air or in the bottom of the sea. We had nothing solid to hold, support, or sustain us. Although you might have been a millionaire, your money could not support you. Rather, it deprived you of peace and rest. Whether we were old or young, male or female, before we were saved, we had no solid support. But one day we were saved and something happened deep within us. What we experienced deep within produced something which became our solid support. After being saved we might have had troubles. Nevertheless, deep within, we had the assurance that there was a solid rock upon which we could rest. This solid rock is the very nature, the very element of Christ, which has been wrought into our being. As men, we were made from the dust of the ground (2:7). Romans 9 indicates that we are vessels of7 clay, not of stone. If I had been Jacob, I would have made a pile of clay and rested upon it. In God’se yes, however, clay can never be our rest. Our human life, our natural human life and being, cannot be our rest. It does not matter how well educated we are nor what position we have. As long as we do not have the divine nature within us, we are merely clay. This clay cannot be our solid support. None of us found rest until we were saved. On that day, something divine, something of Christ, was wrought into us and became the solid support within us. This is our rest, our pillow. Our pillow is the divine element, the very Christ, which has been wrought into our being. As we were taking our human journey, we suddenly had a dream in which Christ Himself was wrought into us. Christ’s nature is the rock which has been wrought into our nature of clay. Hence, we have a rock upon which we can lay our head.
7不信的人常对基督徒说，『我看出你们在为难的时候，里面有平安。我为甚么没有？不信的人所以没有平安，是因为他们里面没有神圣的元素。他们只有堕落人性元素的泥土。如果你要知道泥土是多么可怜，只要倒一点水在上头，不久泥土就成了泥浆。但你越把水倒在石头上，石头越干净、越光亮。让难处来罢，难处是洗净人的水。基督徒所历经的每个难处，都像洁净的水。我感谢神，我会多次被难处洁净。准备受洁净罢。从我们得救那天开始，我们就有了可以安枕在其上的石头。现在不管夜如何黑、如何深，我们可以安枕在这石头上。我再说，创世记二十八章的石头，表征那已经作到我们里面的神圣元素，成了我们人生的枕头。不信的人没有这枕头，他们的枕头是可怜的人性泥土。但我们的枕头是石头，是已经作到我们里面的神圣元素，基督自己。我们的难处越多，就越需要这枕头。表面看来，在石头上不能安息；但照著我们的经历，这枕头供给我们坚固的安息。这石头不是客观的基督，离我们很远的基督；乃是作到我们里面的基督，是我们可以安枕其上的主观基督。这是那成为我们经历的基督，祂的神圣元素已经作到我们里面。这位基督是我们人生的枕头。为著这枕头，感谢主！雅各梦醒以后，就把这块石头立作柱子。（创二八18。）我们所安枕的石头，必须成为建造的材料。在进入召会生活以前，我们不明白这点。但现在我们已进入召会生活，领悟我们所安枕的石头必须成为柱子，也就是说，那块石头必须成为神建造的材料。赞美主，我们已经得救，且在安息中。但神有没有安息？除非我们把所安枕的石头立起来，作为祂建造的柱子，祂就不能有安息。神不会立起这柱子，必须我们来立。我们的枕石必须立作柱子。换句话说，我们对基督的经历必须成为柱子。我不信在我们之外有基督徒知道，他们对基督的经历必须立作柱子。在进入召会生活以前，我们没有立起柱子。但在进入召会生活以后，一天又一天，我们把我们对基督的经历立作柱子。牠不再只是枕头，乃是柱子。这不仅是我们安息的问题，乃是神的建造为著祂安息的问题。你所经历的那基督，仅仅是你的安息呢，或者祂是为著神家的建造材料？答案可由我们的经历来证明。首先，我们安枕于基督，寻得了安息。至终，我们使我们对基督的经历成为柱子，成为为著神建造的材料。凡我们对基督所经历的，必须成为建造神家的材料。换句话说，那曾经是我们枕头的，必须成为柱子。你今天所有的是甚么－枕头还是柱子？
7Often unbelievers have said of Christians, “I have noticed that in times of trouble you have peace within. Why don’t I have it?” The reason unbelievers do not have peace is because they do not have the divine element in them. They only have the clay of the fallen human element. If you would know how poor clay is, pour water on it. After a short time, it will become muddy. But the more you pour water upon a stone, the cleaner and brighter it becomes. Let the troubles come. They are water that washes. Every trouble which a Christian undergoes is like cleansing water. I thank God that I have been cleansed by troubles many times. Be prepared to be cleansed. Since the day we were saved, we have had a stone upon which we can lay our head. Now, however deep and dark is the night, we can rest our head upon this stone. I doubt that there is another Christian writing which says that the stone in Genesis 28 signifies the very divine element which has been wrought into our being to become the pillow for our human life. Non-believers do not have this pillow. Their pillow is the poor clay of human nature. But our pillow is a stone, the divine element, Christ Himself, which has been wrought into us. The more difficulties we have, the more we need this pillow. Seemingly, a stone is not restful. But according to our experience, it affords us a solid rest. This stone is not the objective Christ, the Christ far away from us; it is the Christ who has been wrought into our being, the subjective Christ on whom we may lay our head. This is the Christ who becomes our experience, the One whose divine element has been wrought into us. This Christ is the pillow of our human life. Praise the Lord for this pillow! After having the dream, Jacob set up the stone for a pillar (28:18). The stone upon which we lay our head must become building material. Before coming into the church life, we could not understand this. But now, having come into the church, we realize that the very stone upon which we lay our head for rest must become a pillar, that is, the stone must become the material for God’s building. Praise the Lord that we have been saved and are at rest. But what about God’s rest? He cannot have rest until the stone upon which we rest our head has been set up to be a pillar for His building. God will not set up this pillar—we must do it. Our pillow must be set up to be a pillar. In other words, our experience of Christ must become a pillar. I do not believe that, apart from us, any Christians know that their experience of Christ must be set up as a pillar. Before we came into the church life, we did not set up a pillar. But after coming into the church life, day by day we are setting up our experience of Christ to be a pillar. It is no longer just a pillow but a pillar. It is not only a matter of our rest; it is a matter of God’s building for His rest. Is the very Christ whom you have experienced merely your rest, or is He the building material for God’sho use? The answer can be proved by our experience. Firstly, we laid our heads upon Christ and found rest. Eventually, we turned our experience of Christ into a pillar, into the material for God’s building. Whatever we have experienced of Christ must become the material for the building of God’sho use. In other words, what has been our pillow must become a pillar. What do you have today—a pillow or a pillar?
8在大多数的基督徒中间没有建造，因为他们最多只有枕头，并没有柱子。在进入召会生活以前，我们也只有为著我们安息的枕头，但在进入召会生活后不久，我们把我们对基督的经历立作柱子，使牠成为为著神家有价值的材料。四十五年前，我的枕头立起来成为柱子，牠不再仅仅是在我头下的枕头，乃是为著建造神家的柱子。枕头很适合叫我们得安息，但神需要一个家来安息其中。这家如何能得建造？只有藉著我们的枕头成为柱子。我们首先有石头，然后有建造。
8There is no building among most Christians because, at best, they have only a pillow, not a pillar. Before we came into the church life, we also had only a pillow for our rest. But a short while after coming into the church, we set up our experience of Christ as a pillar, turning it into worthy material for God’sho use. Forty-five years ago, my pillow stood up to become a pillar. It was no longer merely a pillow under my head; it was a pillar for the building of God’sho use. While a pillow is good for our rest, God needs a house in which to rest. How can this house be built? Only by our pillow becoming a pillar. Firstly we have the stone, then we have the building
（c）浇在石头上的油
c) The Oil Poured upon the Stone
9雅各不但把石头立作柱子，他也浇油在石头上面。（创二八18。）许多基督徒谈论圣灵的浸。这事不需要谈论得这么多。只要你把枕头立作柱子，油就会浇在上面。自从我们进入召会生活，把我们的枕头立作柱子以后，我们对油有何等的经历！何等圣灵的经历！我能作见证，当我说，『枕头，立起来，』我就经历圣灵的浇灌。我多次经历圣灵的浸。当你的枕头立起来，油就要浇灌下来。我不是在这里空说，这可以由我们的经历来证明。当我们说，『主耶稣，我爱你，』我们也许有一点兴奋；但是当我们进一步说，『主耶稣，我爱你的召会，』我们会兴奋得几乎不能克制自己。有的基督徒定罪我们，说我们把召会讲得比基督还重要。我们为甚么谈论召会这么多？因为我们越说到召会，我们就越兴奋。所有的美国人都喜爱甜点，诸如冰淇淋、水果饼、蛋糕。召会生活就像甜点。你若只有基督而没有召会，你的正餐就像几片犹太面包，虽然扎实，却不是甜点。召会生活是最好的甜点，这甜点甚至比正餐更丰富。这就是为甚么召会的人喜欢说，『阿们，主，我爱你，我也爱召会。我是为著基督与召会。我将自己献给基督与召会。』枕头立作柱子的时候，便完全受了浸。这才是真正圣灵的浸。在约翰一章也有浸、石头和雅各的梦。（约一33，42，51。）
9Jacob not only set up the stone as a pillar; he also poured oil upon it (28:18). Many Christians talk about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. There is no need to talk very much about it. As long as you set up your pillow to become a pillar, the oil will be poured upon it. What an experience of oil we have had since we came into the church life and our pillow stood up to become a pillar! What an experience of the Holy Spirit! I can testify that when I say, “Pillow, stand up,” I experience the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I have experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit many times. When your pillow stands up, the oil will be poured out. I do not say this in vain. This can be proved by our experience. When we say, “Lord Jesus, I love You,” we may be somewhat excited. But when we go further and say, “Lord Jesus, I love Your church,” we are so excited that we can hardly contain ourselves. Some Christians condemn us, saying that we make the church more important than Christ. Why do we talk so much about the church? Because the more we talk about it, the more excited we become. All Americans love desserts, such as ice cream, pie, and cake. The church life is like a dessert. If you only have Christ without the church, your meal may be like a few slices of Jewish bread. It is solid, but it is not dessert. The church life is the best dessert, a dessert which is even larger than the meal. This is why the church people like to say, “Amen, Lord. I love You and I love the church. I’m for Christ and the church. I consecrate myself to Christ and the church.” When the pillow is set up to be a pillar, it is fully baptized. This is the genuine baptism of the Holy Spirit. In John 1 we also have the baptism, the stone, and Jacob’s dream (vv. 33, 42, 51).
（d）神的家
d the House of God
10油浇柱子以后，柱子就成了神的家。我们说，『主耶稣，我爱你，我也爱你的召会，』结果就是家。在我们进入召会生活以前，我们是个人主义者。但自从我们进入召会生活，并且见证我们是多么爱召会，就发现甚么时候我们搞个人主义，我们就失去了甜点，反代之以苦药。甚么时候你享受美妙的召会生活，你每天就都有甜点。但甚么时候你有一点个人主义，你就开始尝苦药。甚至不需要搞个人主义；即使说你不喜欢某弟兄，你也会感觉苦味。你若说，『召会生活很美妙，但我不喜欢那位姊妹，』甜点就没有了。有的时候，我们吃了包里糖衣的药，不久糖衣溶化，我们就尝到了苦味。对基督真正的经历，成了建造的材料，这建造的材料终结于神家的建造。在这里神有安息和满足，在这里我们也有安息和满足。雅各的梦第一次是应验在以色列人被救出埃及，帐幕立起来的时候。那是神在人中间的第一个家，是雅各的梦第一次的应验。帐幕指明神与人寻得了安息，指明神在地上的居所是神与人的满足和安息。以色列人在美地建造圣殿之后，神在地上有了更坚固的家。然后在新约里，召会是神的家。（提前三15。）至终，在新天新地，将有新耶路撒冷作神永远的居所。（启二二～3。）在那里神与我们要有永远的安息，享受永远的满足。今天，我们都在雅各之梦的应验中。我们不仅有石头和柱子；我们也有家。事实上，我们就是家。（来三6。）这家是神性与人性的组成，是三一神与人的组成。在这里有成为神与人共同安息的家。现在我们不仅在这梦中，也在这梦的应验中。感谢主给我们石头、柱子、家和油。在召会生活中，这四样东西我们都经历了。
10After the oil was poured upon the pillar, the pillar became the house of God. The issue of saying, “Lord Jesus, I love You and I love the church,” is the house. Before we came into the church, we were individualistic. But since coming into the church and testifying how much we love the church, we find that whenever we are individualistic, we lose the dessert. Instead of dessert, we have bitter medicine. Whenever you enjoy the wonderful church life, you have dessert every day. But whenever you are the slightest bit individualistic, you begin to taste the bitter medicine. There is not even the need to be individualistic. Even if you say that you don’t like a certain brother, you will sense a bitter taste. If you say, “The church life is wonderful, but I don’t like that sister,” there will be no dessert. At times, we have sugar-coated medicine. After a while, however, the sugar coat melts and we taste the bitterness. The genuine experience of Christ becomes the building material, and this building material consummates in the building of the house of God. Here God has rest and satisfaction, and here we also have rest and satisfaction. Jacob’s dream was first fulfilled when the children of Israel erected the tabernacle after being delivered out of Egypt. That was the first house of God among men, the first fulfillment of Jacob’s dream. The tabernacle indicated that God and man had found rest, that God’s dwelling place on earth was the satisfaction and rest for both God and man. After the children of Israel had constructed the temple in the good land, God had a more solid house on earth. Then, in the New Testament, we have the church as the house of God (1 Tim. 3:15). Eventually, in the new heaven and the new earth, we shall have the New Jerusalem as God’s eternal dwelling place (Rev. 21:1-3). There God and we 1 shall have eternal rest and enjoy eternal satisfaction. Today we are all in the fulfillment of Jacob’s dream. We not only have the stone and the pillar; we also have the house. In fact, we are the house (Heb. 3:6). This house is the composition of divinity with humanity, the composition of the Triune God with human beings. Here we have the house which becomes the rest for both God and man. Now we are not only in the dream but also in the fulfillment of the dream. Thank the Lord for the stone, the pillar, the house, and the oil. In the church life we experience all four of these.