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创世记生命读经 · 第73篇

受对付（七）

Being Dealt With (7)
1圣经都是神的呼出，（提后三16，）而整本圣经乃是一本生命的书。你真相信创世记三十一章，就是我们在本篇信息中所要看的，是神的呼出么？我年轻的时候，认为以弗所书的每一字每一句必然是神所默示的，但我没有那样欣赏创世记三十一章，像欣赏以弗所书一样。你相信本章的记载是生命的话么？在本章里没有题到生命；反而题到偷了家中的神像和外交的辞令。这是生命的话么？如果我们要看见创世记三十一章如何是生命的话，我们需要将本章与全本圣经摆在一起思想。在创世记二十八章，雅各在往拉班家的路上，作了一个梦。那梦的意义乃是启示神如何渴望在地上得著一个家，以及祂的心意如何要把祂所呼召的人作成石头，作成为著祂建造的材料。在创世记二十八章所启示的雅各是建造神家的合式材料么？不，当他看见那梦的时候，他不是一个君子，乃是一个狡诈的人。你相信像雅各那样狡诈的人，能为著神的家在地上的建造，成为宝贵的材料么？如果你回答『能，』那是因为你知道你和雅各一样。我们都是雅各。但狡诈的雅各确是被定意要成为建造神家的材料。三十一章启示，藉著神的对付，这样一个狡诈的人能成为为著神居所的材料。这一章乃是继续记载神对付祂所拣选的人。因著这一章给我们看见神对付雅各，所以牠必然是生命的话。
1All Scripture is God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16) and the whole Bible is a book of life. Do you truly believe that Genesis 31, the chapter which we shall consider in this message, is the breath of God? When I was young, I thought that surely every word and phrase in Ephesians was inspired by God, but I did not appreciate Genesis 31 as much as I did Ephesians. Do you believe that the record in this chapter is the word of life? There is no mention of life in this chapter. Rather, there is the mention of the stealing of household images and of diplomatic talk. Is this the word of life? If we would see how Genesis 31 is the word of life, we need to consider it along with the whole Bible. In Genesis 28, as Jacob was on his way to Laban’sho me, he had a dream. The significance of that dream was that it revealed how God was desirous to have a house on earth and that His intention was to make His called one a stone, the material for His building. Is the Jacob revealed in Genesis 31 the proper material for the building of God’sho use? No, he was not a gentleman but a subtle man when he saw the dream. Do you believe that a subtle man like Jacob could become the precious material for the building of God’sho use on earth? If you answer, “Yes,” it is because you know that you are the same as Jacob. We all are Jacobs. But the subtle Jacob is intended to be the material for the building of God’sho use. This chapter reveals that through God’s dealings, such a subtle one can become the material for God’s dwelling place. This chapter continues the record of God’s dealings with His chosen one. Because this chapter gives us a view of God’s dealings with Jacob, it is surely the word of life
2雅各和拉班同住了二十年。在创世记三十一章七节雅各说，拉班十次改了他的工价。十这数字表征某种对付的完成。雅各似乎说，『拉班不是九次改了我的工价，乃是十次。他已经完全对付了我。』二十是双倍完成的数字，由二乘十组成。神把雅各放在拉班手下二十年，叫他彻底受到对付。但那二十年过后，我们在创世记三十一章看到雅各还不是一个完全被变化的人。我们看到这点可能会失望，说，『如果二十年还不能完成变化的过程，那么需要多少年？也许在变化还没有完成以前主就回来了。』但你如果把本章的雅各和前几章的雅各比较一下，会看见他的确经历了相当的变化。和拉班相处二十年后，在雅各身上发生了很大的改变。在这二十年的开头，雅各真是一个抓夺者，但在那段时间的末了，他至少有了一些变化。我们读创世记三十一章，看见那狡诈的雅各已经历了重大的改变。虽然他已经有了一些变化，但在本章他还是相当天然。
2Jacob stayed with Laban for twenty years. In 31:7 Jacob said that Laban had changed his wages ten times. The number ten signifies the completion of a certain dealing. Jacob seemed to be saying, “Laban has not changed my wages nine times but ten times. He has dealt with me in a complete way.” The number twenty, which is double the number of completion, is composed of two times ten. God put Jacob under Laban’s hand for twenty years that Jacob might have a thorough dealing. But after those twenty years were over, we see in Genesis 31 that Jacob was still not a fully transformed person. We may find this disappointing, saying, “If the process of transformation cannot be completed in twenty years, then how long will it take? The Lord may come back before it has been accomplished.” However, if you compare the Jacob in this chapter with the Jacob in some of the earlier chapters, you will see that he certainly has experienced an amount of transformation. A great change has taken place in Jacob after spending twenty years with Laban. At the beginning of these twenty years, he was truly a supplanter, but at the end of that time, he was at least somewhat transformed. As we read chapter thirty-one, we see that the subtle Jacob has undergone a significant change. But although he has been somewhat transformed, in this chapter he is still quite natural.
3也许你不知道本章怎样启示雅各的天然。雅各怕拉班，他可能领悟自己无法击败他。雅各承认自己无能为力，这是他从拉班那里逃跑，偷偷离开他的原因。如果他有勇气，有把握能击败拉班，他不会逃跑。反而他会说，『拉班，你太虐待我了。现在我要离开你，再见！』但雅各不敢这样作，反而偷偷的离开。拉班追赶离开的雅各，在他追上雅各的前一晚，神在梦中对他说，『你要小心，不可与雅各说好说歹。』（创三一24。）拉班比雅各更狡诈，但这次神逼他要诚实。拉班甚至把神对他所说的告诉雅各，说，『我手中原有能力害你，只是你父亲的神昨夜对我说，你要小心，不可与雅各说好说歹。』（创三一。）如果我是拉班，我绝不会把这事告诉雅各。然而拉班真愚蠢，竟把这事说出来。于是雅各在斥责拉班搜查他的所有物之后，就说，『神看见我的苦情，和我的劳碌，就在昨夜责备你。』（创三一42。）雅各似乎说，『拉班，你手中有能力，但我有神与我同在，你的能力不能击败我的神。』因著拉班告诉雅各的话，雅各对他变得很刚强。这是雅各天然人的反应。如果雅各真的属灵，当拉班述说他的梦时，他只会说，『赞美主，主阿，感谢你。』雅各可以说，『拉班，既然我父亲的神已经对你说了话，我就不需要说甚么了。赞美祂！』但即使他说了这么多，他仍会露出天然人的尾巴。若不是天然人的尾巴留著，他就不会说别的，只会说，『赞美主，拉班舅父。』然后他会转向主说，『主阿，我赞美你。我何等感谢你，我在你的手中。』雅各听见神如何对拉班说话，嘱咐拉班不可对他作甚么，就放胆无惧，当面斥责拉班，指出拉班如何搜索了他的家具，如何逼他赔偿被偷去的牛羊，并且十次改了他的工价。（创三一36～41。）雅各似乎说，『看看你所作的！我服事了你二十年，你十次改了我的工价。现在你搜遍了我一切的东西，并没有搜出甚么。这是甚么意思？』这好像很坦率，但这是天然人的坦率。这里启示雅各不是坏人或狡诈的人，乃是天然的人。这指明雅各还未完全被变化。
3Perhaps you are wondering how this chapter reveals Jacob’s naturalness. Jacob was afraid of Laban, probably realizing that he could not defeat him. Jacob admitted that he was unable to do this. This is the reason that he fled from Laban, stealing away from him. If he had been bold, being assured that he could have defeated Laban, he would not have fled. Rather, he would have said, “Laban, you have treated me very badly. Now I am leaving you. Good-by!” But Jacob did not dare to do this. Instead, he stole away. As Laban was pursuing the departed Jacob, God spoke to him in a dream the night before he overtook Jacob, saying, “Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob from good to bad” (v. 24, Heb.). Laban was more subtle than Jacob, but this time God forced him to be honest. Laban even told Jacob of what God had spoken to him, saying, “It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt; but the God of your fathers spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob from good to bad” (v. 29, Heb.). 29 If I had been Laban, I would have never told Jacob of this. Nevertheless, Laban was foolish enough to speak of it. Then after upbraiding Laban for searching through his possessions, Jacob said, “God hath seen mine affliction and the labor of mine hands, and rebuked thee yesternight” (v. 42). Jacob seemed to be saying, “Laban, you have power in your hand, but I have God with me. Your power cannot defeat my God.” Because of what Laban had told him, Jacob became quite strong with him. This was a reaction of Jacob’s natural man. If Jacob had been truly spiritual, when Laban related his dream, he would simply have said, “Praise the Lord. O Lord, thank You.” Jacob could have said, “Laban, since the God of my father has spoken to you, there is no need for me to say anything. Praise Him!” But even if Jacob had said this much, he would have exposed the tail of his natural man. If not even the tail of the natural man remained, he would have said nothing except, “Praise the Lord, Uncle Laban.” And then he would have turned to the Lord, saying, “O Lord, I praise You. How I thank You that I am in Your hands.” After hearing how God had spoken to Laban, charging him not to do anything to Jacob, Jacob was emboldened to rebuke Laban to his face, pointing out how he had searched his stuff, had forced him to bear the loss of what was stolen, and had changed his wages ten times (vv. 36-41). Jacob seemed to be saying, “See what you have done! I served you twenty years and you have changed my wages ten times. Now you have searched through all my things and have found nothing. What is the meaning of this?” Although this may appear to be frankness, it is the frankness of the natural man. Here Jacob is revealed not as a bad man or as a subtle man but as a natural man. This indicates that Jacob had not yet been fully transformed.
4在创世记三十二章以前，没有记载雅各祷告。在创世记三十二章三至四节，雅各打发人去见以扫，吩咐他们称以扫为他的主。所打发的人回到雅各那里说，『我们到了你哥哥以扫那里，他带著四百人，正迎著你来。』（创三二6。）雅各听到这消息，就惧怕并为这事祷告主。雅各害怕以扫计画要杀他和他的全家，就被迫祷告。照著创世记的记载，这是雅各第一次祷告。在此之前，雅各没有祷告过，因他总有自己的办法。当他从拉班那里逃跑，他用了巧妙的方法，极力说服他的妻子们，劝她们与他站在一起反对她们的父亲。雅各不像以扫，他不是个好战士，但他的确很会讲话。创世记三十一章的记载暴露了我们自己的情况，给我们一幅我们所是的准确图画。这必然是生命的话。本章虽然没有题到生命这辞，但在这里可以看见约翰福音－生命的福音－中的生命。在约翰十章十节主耶稣说，『我来了，是要叫羊得生命，并且得的更丰盛。』得更丰盛生命的路是在创世记三十一章，不是在约翰十章。创世记三十一章是我们这人的启示。在我尽职的这些年间，我见过许多关于夫妻关系的事例，也常被请作他们中间的调解人。每位姊妹要我为他们夫妇调解，都盼望我为他们祷告，然后她的丈夫会变成天使。我们很多人直到今天还持守这种观念。有些姊妹也许对自己说，『我的丈夫真可怜，如果长老和领头姊妹为他祷告，主必定会将他变成天使。我的丈夫若不能在召会中作长老，至少也能作执事。』虽然主必会答应这祷告，但祂不是照著我们的方法，乃是照著祂的方法。主的方法不是玩魔术。不要盼望一天之内你的丈夫会变成天使，然后你就能在下次的召会聚会中作见证。
4Before chapter thirty-two, there is no record that Jacob prayed. In 32:3-4 Jacob sent messengers to Esau, commanding them to address Esau as his lord. The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him” (32:6). When Jacob heard this news, he was afraid and prayed about it to the Lord. Fearing that Esau was planning to kill him and his family, Jacob was forced to pray. According to the record of Genesis, this is the first instance of Jacob’spraying. Before this, Jacob did not pray because he had always had his own way. When it came to fleeing from Laban, he used his skillful way, talking to his wives in a very convincing tone and persuading them to stand with him against their father. Unlike Esau, Jacob was not a good fighter, but he certainly was a good speaker. The record in Genesis 31 exposes our own situation, giving us an accurate picture of what we are. This surely is the word of life. Although the word life is not mentioned in this chapter, the very life in the Gospel of John, the Gospel of life, is found here. In John 10:10 the Lord Jesus said, “I came that they may have life and may have it abundantly.” The way to have life abundantly is in Genesis 31, not in John 10. Genesis 31 is a revelation of our being. Throughout all my years in the ministry, I have seen many cases concerning the relationship between husband and wife, and often I have been asked to mediate between a husband and wife. Every sister who has asked me to mediate between her and her husband has expected that after I prayed for them, her husband would be changed into an angel. Many of us still cling to this concept. Some sisters may say to themselves, “My husband is so pitiful. Surely if the elders and the leading sisters pray for him, the Lord will change him into an angel. If my husband cannot be an elder in the church, he can at least be a deacon.” Although the Lord will certainly answer this prayer, He will not answer it according to our way, but according to His way. The Lord’sway is not magical. Do not expect that in one day your husband will be changed into an angel and that you will be able to testify about it in the next church meeting.
5你们很多人已经在召会生活中几年了，也许你一直为自己祷告，求主变化你。你被变化了么？你必须承认，你多少还有几分天然。在聚会中，我们好像都被变化了，但你和妻子在饭桌上的时候如何？我们很多人都得承认，我们和创世记三十一章的雅各完全一样。我赞美主，历年来，在很多圣徒身上有重大的改变。但今天你在那里？是在创世记四十八章，还是在创世记三十一章？你必须承认，你最多是在创世记三十一章。我们不可能在一夜之间，甚至在几年之内，得著生命的成熟，生命的变化。这是一生之久的事，不会像蘑菇一样生长。你若研读雅各的传记，就会看见甚至他在母腹中，神就开始对付他了。雅各天然的生命知道，有两个人在母腹中。虽然他尽力要先生出来，神却让他哥哥先出来。从那时起，一章又一章，我们看见雅各的奋斗。但在创世记末了，雅各的奋斗过去了。当他敬拜神的时候，那抓夺的手扶著杖头，就是他在地上客旅生活的记号。（来十一21。）在创世记末了，雅各彻底被变化了。只有在他一生的末了，他的变化才完成。变化需要我们的一生。不要盼望在数年间变化完成。我相信每天，甚至每小时，都有事情为著我们的变化效力。虽然如此，这需要很长的时间。在这卷书的五十章中，关于雅各的记载占了一半以上。这是对变化的生命漫长的记载。主耶稣能在瞬间拯救我们，我们能立刻献上自己，甚至能很快的进入召会生活，但要被变化却需要很长的时间。我们需要多次上上下下，有时一天之内会有三次起落。这是我们天然的所是，我们天然的生命。在神的拣选和变化的事上，雅各是圣经中的原型。罗马九章告诉我们这点。但是历代以来看见这点的基督徒不多，他们以为论到雅各历史的各章不过是有趣的故事。很少基督徒把这几章看作变化的生命模型的记载。
5Many of you have been in the church life for several years. Perhaps you have been praying for yourself, asking the Lord to transform you. Have you been transformed? You must admit that you are still somewhat natural. In the meetings, we all appear to be transformed, but how do you appear at the dining table with your wife? Many of us must admit that we are exactly the same as the Jacob in Genesis 31. I praise the Lord that there has been a significant change in many of the saints throughout the years. But where are you today—in Genesis 48 or in Genesis 31? You must admit that, at best, you are in chapter thirty-one. We cannot have the maturity of life, the transformation of life, overnight, or even in a few years. It is a life-long matter. It does not grow like a mushroom. If you study the biography of Jacob, you will see that even when he was in his mother’s womb God began to deal with him. The natural life of Jacob realized that two were in the womb. Although he tried his best to be born first, God allowed his brother to come out first. Since that time, in chapter after chapter, we see the striving of Jacob. But at the end of the book of Genesis, Jacob’s striving is over. As Jacob worshipped God, the supplanting hands now leaned upon the top of his staff, the sign of his pilgrim life on earth (Heb. 11:21). At the end of Genesis, Jacob was thoroughly transformed. Only at the end of his lifetime was his transformation complete. Transformation requires our whole lifetime. Do not expect it to be accomplished in a few years. I believe that every day and even every hour something is working for our transformation. Nevertheless, this takes a long time. Of the fifty chapters in this book, the record relating to Jacob occupies more than half of them. This is the long record of a transformed life. The Lord Jesus can save us instantaneously, we can consecrate ourselves quickly, and we may even come into the church life in a very fast way. But it takes a long time to be transformed. We need to have a great many ups and downs. Sometimes within one day we may have three ups and three downs. This is our natural being, our natural life. In the matters of God’ss election and transformation, Jacob is the prototype in the Bible. Romans 9 tells us this. But throughout the generations not many Christians have seen this, thinking that the chapters dealing with Jacob’s history are merely interesting stories. Few Christians view these chapters as the record of the model of a transformed life
（12） 雅各境遇的改变
12) The Change of Jacob’s Circumstances
6在创世记三十一章，雅各的境遇突然改变了。他的表兄弟嫉妒他，（创三一1，）他舅父的气色向他也不如从前了。（创三一2。）这种改变是为著雅各的益处。在本章雅各是在变化的过程中。神主宰的豫备每件事叫我们变化。我们必须相信这点。在创世记三十一章，没有一件事是偶然的；每件事都是豫先计画好的。按著神的主宰，拉班有很多儿子。已往，我想拉班若是没有儿子，只有两个女儿，对雅各就比较好了。但拉班有好几个儿子。在雅各和拉班同住的二十年中，拉班和他的儿子们把雅各当作他们的利益。拉班承认，雅各和他同住乃是祝福。（创三十27。）但创世记三十一章一节说，『雅各听见拉班的儿子们有话说，雅各把我们父亲所有的都夺了去，并藉著我们父亲的，得了这一切的荣耀。』（荣耀在这里指财富－创三一16。）这是事实。照著关于雅各的记载，神在梦中启示，祂怎样把拉班的羊拿来赐给雅各。（创三一11～12。）那些年间，拉班的儿子们看见他们父亲的羊群减少，雅各的却不断增多。到一个时候，他们嫉妒雅各，无法再容忍了。这不是偶发事件。同时，『雅各见拉班的气色向他不如从前了。』（创三一2。）在过去的二十年中，拉班向雅各可能是笑脸相迎，因为雅各使他得利。但拉班察觉雅各不再使他得利后，他向雅各的气色就改变了。任何人看见你使他的利益减少，都会向你变脸。不要相信别人真对你好，每个人都是自私的，都是为自己活。雅各和拉班同住了十四年之后，告诉拉班他要离开。（创三十25～26。）但实际上他可能无心要走，这不过是他的策略，要从拉班得些东西。拉班看得很清楚，神的祝福与雅各同在，他不要雅各离开。故此他们商议，谈妥一些条件，根据这些条件，雅各要和拉班再住一段时间。但又过了几年，拉班察觉所有的扩增都在雅各那边，因此他向雅各的气色就改变了。这也是神豫先计画好的。因为这是雅各回去的时候了。神就安排了他的表兄弟表明态度，也安排了拉班改变向他的气色。雅各对于他的去留必定深为忧愁。在这时候，神来干豫，对雅各说，『你要回你祖你父之地，到你亲族那里去，我必与你同在。』（创三一3。）如果雅各已经是完全被变化的人，他会立刻赞美主，并且告诉主，他信靠祂清楚的引导。但雅各没有祷告，他把他的两个妻子叫到羊群那里，不敢在舅父面前和她们说话。他对她们说了境遇的改变后，她们就同意离开父亲。（创三一4～16。）在雅各的境遇和环境中，这些改变都是神所豫先安排的。
6In chapter thirty-one Jacob’s circumstances suddenly changed. His cousins envied him (v. 1), and his uncle’s countenance changed toward him (v. 2). This change was for Jacob’s benefit. In this chapter, Jacob was in the middle of the process of transformation. God sovereignly prepares everything for our transformation. We must believe this. Nothing in Genesis 31 was accidental; everything was pre-planned. According to God’s sovereignty, Laban had many sons. In the past, I thought that it would have been better for Jacob if Laban had had no sons and the two daughters. But Laban had several sons. Throughout the twenty years of Jacob’s stay with Laban, Laban and his sons regarded Jacob as a profit to them. Laban admitted that Jacob’s stay with him was a blessing (30:27). But 31:1 says, that Jacob “heard the words of Laban’ss ons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s; and of that which was our father’s hath he gotten all this glory.” (Glory here means riches—v. 16.) This is a fact. According to Jacob’s record, God revealed in a dream how He took the cattle from Laban and gave them to Jacob (31:11-12). Throughout the years, Laban’ss ons saw their father’s flocks decreasing and Jacob’s continually increasing. At a certain point, being envious of Jacob, they could not tolerate it any longer. This was not an accident. At the same time, “Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before” (v. 2). During the past twenty years, Laban’s countenance might have smiled upon Jacob because Jacob was a cause of his profit. But after Laban realized that Jacob was no longer a cause of his profit, his countenance changed toward him. When anyone sees that you are causing his profit to wane, his countenance will change toward you. Do not believe that people are really good to you. Everyone is selfish and lives for himself. After staying with Laban for fourteen years, Jacob told him that he was leaving (30:25-26). However, he might actually have had no heart to go. This was just his policy to gain some thing from Laban. Laban saw clearly that God’s blessing was with Jacob and he did not want him to go. Therefore, they negotiated and agreed upon the terms according to which Jacob would remain with Laban for another period of time. But after several more years had passed, Laban realized that all the increase was on Jacob’ss i de, and thus he changed his countenance toward Jacob. This also was pre-planned by God. Because it was time for Jacob to go back, God arranged for his cousins to express their attitude and for Laban to change his countenance. Jacob must have been seriously exercised concerning whether he should stay or leave. At that juncture, God intervened and said to Jacob, “Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee” (v. 3). If Jacob had been a completely transformed person, he would have immediately praised the Lord and told the Lord that he was trusting Him for His clear guidance. But Jacob did not pray. Instead, he called his two wives to his flock, not daring to talk with them in his uncle’s presence. After he talked with them about the change of circumstances, they consented to leave their father (vv. 4-16). These changes in Jacob’s circumstances and environment were all prearranged by God.
（13） 雅各逃离拉班
13) Jacob’s Fleeing from Laban
7雅各环境中一切的改变，指明他应该回家。雅各的确回去了，但不是堂堂正正的回去。你想雅各是正正当当的离开拉班么？不，他是偷偷逃跑的。如果他不这样逃跑，会发生甚么事？拉班也许会运用他的权势，扣留他的两个女儿、她们的使女、和所有的孩子。他也许会告诉雅各说，『雅各，你若要走，就走罢，但必须将每个人和每样束西留在我这里。』雅各因为害怕这事，就偷偷的逃跑了。虽然雅各离开的作法不对，但神许可这事发生。因为他还没有成熟，他有弱点。雅各为甚么不信靠神？神既是全能的，没有不能的，雅各就该信靠神来保护他的妻子和孩子。信靠神说来容易，实行起来却不容易。信靠神不是一个道理。你若是雅各，你敢不敢到拉班那里说，『拉班舅父，我要离开了。』要这样作不容易，因为这需要生命的成熟，和信心的度量。要有所需信心的度量，我们需要在生命里长大。但雅各没有这个。我不是定罪雅各；反之，我完全同情他。我们也曾多次被摆在一些情况里，除了逃跑，除了偷溜，没有别的选择。责备雅各不光明正大的离开拉班很容易，但我们若察验自己，就会看见我们也曾多次作了事情，而不让我们的丈夫或妻子知道。本章告诉我们，雅各偷了拉班的心。（创三一20，直译。）雅各在里面偷了拉班的心，拉结在外面偷了家中的神像。（创三一19。）即使在那些敬畏神的人中间，仍然有偶像。这些不是庙里的偶像，乃是家中的偶像，是他们在家里所拜的。他们把这些偶像看得非常重要，所以拉结偷去了，拉班就搜查。不要以为雅各是神所呼召的圣徒，他就有正直的家。表面上我们有些人有很正常的家庭，但神知道我们仍然有一些家中的偶像。圣经如果不题这些偶像，没有人会相信拉班或雅各家中有偶像。但即使雅各有弱点，偷了拉班的心，也是神所许可的。
7All the changes in Jacob’s environment were indicators that he should go back home. Jacob did go, but not in a noble way. Do you think that Jacob fled from Laban in a proper way? No, he stole away from Laban. But what would have happened if he had not fled from Laban in the way he did? Laban would have exercised his power to detain his daughters and their maids and all their children. He probably would have told Jacob, “Jacob, if you want to go, then go, but you must leave everyone and everything with me.” Because Jacob feared this, he stole away. Although Jacob’s way of leaving was not the right way, God allowed it to happen. Because he was not yet mature, Jacob had a weak point. Why did Jacob not put his trust in God? Since God is all-powerful and all- capable, Jacob should have trusted Him to protect his wives and children. It is easy to talk about trusting God, but it is not easy to practice it. Trusting God is not a doctrinal matter. If you had been Jacob, would you have dared to go to Laban and say, “Uncle Laban, I am leaving”? It is not easy to do this, for it requires the maturity of life and a measure of faith. In order to have the necessary measure of faith, we need the growth in life. Jacob, however, did not have this. I do not condemn Jacob; rather, I wholly sympathize with him. Many times we also have been placed in situations where we had no choice except to flee, to steal away. It would be easy to rebuke Jacob for not leaving Laban publicly in an honorable and noble way. But if we examine ourselves, we shall see that many times we have done things without letting our husbands or wives know about them. In this chapter we are told that Jacob stole the heart of Laban (v. 20, Heb.). While Jacob stole Laban’s he art inwardly, Rachel stole the household images outwardly (v. 19). Even among those God - fearing people there were still idols. These were not the temple idols but the household idols, the idols which they worshipped in their homes. Because they were considered so important, Rachel stole them and Laban searched for them. Do not think that because Jacob was a saint called by God that he had an upright family. Apparently so me of us have a very proper family, but God knows that we still have some household images. If the Bible did not mention these idols, no one would have ever believed that Laban or Jacob had idols in his family. But even Jacob’s weakness in stealing Laban’she art was permitted by God.
8我们都会犯错，但神永远不会错。当然，雅各逃跑不是堂皇的，但连这事也在神的许可之下。不要懊悔你的错误，因为连你的错误也为你的变化效力。我们没有一个人是绝对诚实、高尚、忠信或正直的。只有主耶稣是这样的人。我们都有我们的弱点，我们天然的软弱。雅各逃离拉班，因为他信心软弱，牺牲的能力也软弱。也许雅各应该说，『无论我会失去甚么，即使会失去我的生命，我也必须对神诚实。』这样说很容易，但你行行看；时候到了，你也会逃跑，并且偷了别人的心。我们的一切错误，甚至过失，都在神的主宰之下，被神用来变化我们。我不是鼓励你们犯错，我希望你们不犯任何错误。四十年前，我嘱咐人不要犯错，但现在我不再这样作，因为我领悟这样作是愚蠢的。无论我怎样有力的勉励你们不要犯错，你们仍会继续犯错。没有一个人愿意犯错。我能作见证，一天又一天，一年又一年，我祷告主保守我不犯错。虽然我恨恶犯错，也无意犯错，但我仍犯了一些大错。那么，我嘱咐别人不要犯错，有甚么用处呢？我若是伦理教师，我会吩咐你们不要犯错，但我不是伦理教师，我是帮助你们变化的人。为著变化我们，神会使用我们的错误。我能作见证，我若没有犯过某些错误，我不会被变化为今天的我。在我生命中最大量的变化，是来自我的错误。没有一件事比错误更困扰我了。甚么时候我以为不错，主就容许我犯错。没有一件事像我们的错误这样帮助我们变化。这不是说，我们该作恶以成善。不，你若故意犯错，那些错误不会帮助你变化。那些错误会使你下沉并定罪你。但当我们尽力避免错误，祷告说，『主阿，保守我在你的面光中，永远不要让我犯错。主，我在你面前恐惧战兢。』虽然我们会这样祷告，但一段时间后仍会再犯错，主会主宰的用牠叫我们变化。
8We all make mistakes, but God can never be mistaken. Certainly it was not noble of Jacob to run away, but even this was under God’s permission. Do not regret your mistakes, for even your mistakes work for your transformation. None of us is absolutely honest, noble, faithful, or upright. Only the Lord Jesus is such a person. We all have our weak points, our natural weaknesses. Jacob fled from Laban because he was weak in faith and weak in the ability to sacrifice. Perhaps Jacob should have said, “Regardless of what I would lose, even if it would be my life, I must be honest with God.” It is easy to say this, but try to practice it. When the time comes, you will also flee and steal another’she art. All our mistakes, even our wrongdoings, are under God’s sovereignty, and He uses them to transform us. Now I am not encouraging you to make mistakes. I hope that you do not make any mistakes. Forty years ago, I charged people not to make mistakes. But I no longer do this, because I realize that it is foolish to do so. However strongly I encourage you not to make mistakes, you will continue to make them. No one wants to make mistakes. I can testify that day after day and year after year, I have prayed to the Lord that He would keep me from making mistakes. Although I hate mistakes and have no intention of making them, I still have made some big mistakes. What then is the use for me to charge others not to make mistakes? If I were a teacher of ethics, I would command you not to make mistakes. But I am not a teacher of ethics. I am one who is helping you to be transformed. In order to transform us, God will use our mistakes. I can testify that if I had not made certain mistakes, I would not be as transformed as I am today. The greatest amount of transformation in my life has come about through my mistakes. Nothing troubles me more than my mistakes. Whenever I thought that I was all right, the Lord allowed me to make a mistake. Nothing helps us to be transformed like our mistakes. This does not mean that I am saying that we should do evil that good may come. No, if you intentionally make mistakes, those mistakes will not help your transformation. They will depress and condemn you. But as we try our best to avoid mistakes, we may pray, “O Lord, keep me in Your presence and never allow me to be mistaken. Lord, I fear and tremble in Your presence.” Although we may pray like this, after a period of time we may still make another mistake, and the Lord will sovereignly use it for our transformation.
（14） 拉班追赶雅各
14) Laban’s Pursuing after Jacob
9我们已经看过，拉班追赶雅各，并且追上了。（创三一22～55。）拉班有能力害雅各，但神在梦中警告他，不可对雅各作甚么。（创三一24。）拉班虽然不能作甚么，但他作了全人类都作的事－抱怨。他抱怨雅各逃跑，藉此表达他的怒气。（创三一26～29。）抱怨是发泄怒气最好的方法。其次，拉班控告雅各偷了他的神像。（创三一30～35。）然后，因著没有搜到神像，雅各就斥责拉班的苦待。（创三一36～。）此后，拉班被征服了，由于他很狡诈，就改变了态度，与雅各订立和约。这是人类外交的好例子。本章启示没有一个人是可信靠的。在创世记二十七章，雅各的母亲利百加以为拉班会保护并帮助她的爱子雅各，所以打发雅各到她哥哥那里。但想想拉班对雅各所作的。没有一个人－即使我们最近的亲戚－是可信靠的。绝不要信靠任何人。如果我们领悟我们是神所呼召的人，现今在经历祂变化的过程，我们就必须领悟每件事都是神的手，不是甚么人可信靠的问题。我们不该信靠任何人，但我们该感谢主，在我们环境中的每个人都在神主宰的手下，叫我们得益处。你也许以为你有一个忠信可靠的舅父，但这样的舅父对你的变化不会有多大的帮助。我们将本章一读再读，就能看见我们不该信靠任何人，也不该责怪任何人。无论我们的舅父诚实不诚实，我们仍必须说，『赞美主。神是主宰的。我不是在我舅父的手中，乃是在神主宰的手中。为著我的变化，甚至我那不可信靠的舅父，也在神的手中。』我们都需要看见这点，并知道在我们的环境中没有一样是可信靠的。不要信靠任何事、任何人或任何物。在我们环境中的每件事和每个人，都是神的主宰所用来变化我们的工具。为著你的变化，你若需要一个诚实人，神会给你一个诚实人。但我们多半需要一个拉班，以及像拉班儿子们那样的表兄弟。不要抱怨，倒要为每个人感谢神，说，『主，我为著所有的表兄弟感谢你。我也为著我的舅父，甚至为著我的软弱感谢你。』赞美主，即使是我们的软弱，也是神用来变化我们的凭藉。
9As we have seen, Laban pursued Jacob and overtook him (vv. 22-55). Laban had the power to hurt Jacob, but God warned him in a dream not to do anything to him (v. 24). Although Laban could not do anything, he did what all human beings do — he complained. He expressed his anger through complaining about Jacob’s fleeing (vv. 26-29). Complaining is the best way to ventilate your anger. Next, Laban accused Jacob of stealing his images (vv. 30-35), and then, after the images were not found, Jacob rebuked Laban for his mistreatment (vv. 36-42). After this, Laban was subdued and, being subtle, he changed his attitude 42 and made a covenant of peace with Jacob. This is a good example of human diplomacy. This chapter reveals that no man is trustworthy. In chapter twenty-seven, Jacob’s mother, Rebekah, thought that Laban would be a protection and help to her beloved son, Jacob. Thus, she sent Jacob away to her brother. But consider what Laban did to Jacob. No human being, even our closest relative, is trustworthy. Never put your trust in any human being. If we realize that we are God’scall ed ones and that we are now undergoing His process of transformation, we must realize that everything is a matter of God’s hand. It is not a matter of anyone’s being trustworthy. While we should not trust any human being, we should thank the Lord that everyone in our environment is under God’ss ove reign hand for our good. You may think that you have a faithful and trustworthy uncle. But such an uncle will not be very helpful for your transformation. As we read this chapter again and again, we can see that we should neither put our trust in anyone nor blame anyone. Whether our uncle is honest or not, we must still say, “Praise the Lord. God is sovereign. I am not in my uncle’s hand, but in God’ss ove reign hand. Even my uncle who is not trustworthy is in God’s hand for the sake of my transformation.” We all need to see this and to know that nothing in our environment is trustworthy. Do not trust anything, any person, or any matter. Everything and everyone in our environment is an instrument sovereignly used by God for our transformation. If, for the sake of your transformation, you need an honest person, God will give you one. But mostly we need a Laban and cousins like Laban’ss ons. Do not complain, but thank God for everyone, saying, “Lord, I thank You for all my cousins. And I thank You for my uncle and even for my weaknesses.” Praise the Lord that even our weaknesses are a means employed by God for our transformation.
10在本章所描绘的一幕中，关键的人物是那看不见的神同祂看不见的手。本章不仅仅是人生的故事，更是启示那变化人的神同祂变化人的手。我们都必须看见本章所启示的神。关键的角色不是拉班或雅各，乃是那隐藏的神，祂为著我们的变化，主宰的豫备我们的环境。在本章中，神是隐藏的，但祂是警觉的，知道何时是进来干豫、对雅各或拉班说话的准确时间。祂作祂所要的。所以，这里关键的人物是那主宰、变化人的神。我们若看见这幅图画，我们将安息于祂，相信无论我们是甚么，无论在那里，一切都是好的，因为一切都在那变化人的神主宰的手下。
10In the scene portrayed in this chapter, the crucial person is the invisible God with His invisible hand. This chapter is not merely a story of human life; it is the revelation of the transforming God with His transforming hand. We all must see the God revealed in this chapter. The crucial character is neither Laban nor Jacob, but the hidden God who sovereignly prepares our environment for our transformation. In this chapter, God is hidden, yet He is on the alert, knowing the exact time to intervene and to speak to Jacob or to Laban. He does whatever He intends to do. Thus, the crucial person here is the sovereign, transforming God. If we see this picture, we shall rest in Him, believing that whatever we are and wherever we are, everything is all right because everything is under the sovereign hand of the transforming God