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创世记生命读经 · 第74篇

受对付（八）

Being Dealt With (8)
1创世记三十二、三十三章，包含雅各这个蒙拣选者一生中非常奇特的经历。我们已经指出，雅各并不信靠主。从他出生的时候，他就运用天然的能力为自己作事。在创世记三十一章他逃离拉班，神把他从拉班抓夺的手中救出来。因为拉班告诉雅各，神曾警告他不可伤害雅各，雅各就抓住机会，大胆斥责他。（创三一24，36。）虽然如此，主把他从那个难处带过来了。然而，在雅各前面的是另一个严重的难题－他的哥哥以扫。
1Genesis 32 and 33 contain a very strange experience in the life of Jacob, the chosen one. We have already pointed out that Jacob did not trust in the Lord. Since the time he was born, he exercised his natural ability to do things for himself. In chapter thirty- one he fled from Laban, and God delivered him out of Laban’s usurping hand. Because Laban told him that God had warned him not to hurt Jacob, Jacob took the opportunity to boldly rebuke him (31:24, 36). Nevertheless, the Lord brought him through that difficulty. However, in front of Jacob was another serious problem—his brother Esau
（15） 雅各怕以扫
15) Jacob’s Fear of Esau
2雅各在进退两难之中，后面有拉班，前面有以扫。我相信当雅各逃离拉班，返回他先祖之地的时候，这两个人使他大受困扰。要他留在拉班那里很困难，要他回到以扫所在之地也同样困难。因著神的怜悯，他从拉班那里得了释放，但现在他必须面对以扫。
2Jacob was in a dilemma. Behind him was Laban and in front of him was Esau. I believe that while Jacob was fleeing from Laban and returning to the land of his fathers, he was greatly disturbed by these two men. It was difficult for him to remain with Laban and it was just as difficult for him to return to the place where Esau was. By God’s mercy, he was released from Laban, but now he had to confront Esau
（a）被神的使者遇见
a) Met by the Angels of God
3创世记三十二章一、二节说，『雅各仍旧行路，神的使者遇见他。雅各看见他们就说，这是神的军兵；于是给那地方起名叫玛哈念。』玛哈念的意思是两队军兵。当雅各仍旧行路的时候，他可能在思想要如何面对他的哥哥。也许他对自己说，『我已经从我舅父那里被拯救出来了，但现在我要怎样应付我的哥哥以扫？』令他吃惊的是，神的使者遇见了他，指明他们要保护他。神的使者总是无形的与祂所拣选的人同在。在这种情形里，天使向雅各显现，雅各也看见了他们。他不是看见少数天使，乃是看见两队天使。这使我们想起诗篇三十四篇七节，那里说，『耶和华的使者，在敬畏祂的人四围安营，搭救他们。』两队天使的同在，对于这个受为难的雅各该是很大的鼓舞，但他仍旧害怕他哥哥会击杀他。
3Genesis 32:1 and 2 say, “And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s camp: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim,” which means two camps (Heb.). As Jacob went on his way, he was probably thinking about how he would face his brother. Perhaps he said to himself, “I have been delivered from my uncle, but how shall I deal with Esau, my brother?” Much to his surprise, the angels of God met him, indicating that they would protect him. God’s angels are always invisibly present with His chosen people. In this instance, the angels appeared to Jacob and he saw them. He did not see a small number of angels; rather, he saw two camps of them. This reminds us of Psalm 34:7, which says, “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” The presence of two camps of angels should have been a great encouragement to this troubled Jacob. However, he was still afraid that his brother would smite him
（b）仍然信靠自己的奋斗
b) Still Trusting in Self-striving
4雅各看见两队天使之后，应该得著安慰，但他没有信靠这两队天使。神给雅各看见这天使的异象，目的无疑是要安慰他，加强他，使他信靠神的天军。但雅各没有信靠他所看见的，反而仍旧信靠自己的奋斗，（创三二3～8，）模倣神的两队天使，把他的人口分作两队。他不信靠他所看见的，反模倣那个技术。虽然我们只能猜测雅各这样作时，心里在想甚么，（也许他以为他这两队家人，每一队都会受到两队天使的保护，）但有一件事是清楚的－雅各既没有信靠神，也没有信靠天使的异象；反之，他把时间和精力消耗在运用他天然的能力上。创世记三十二章七、八节说，『雅各就甚惧怕，而且愁烦，便把那与他同在的人口，和羊群、牛群、骆驼，分作两队；说，以扫若来击杀这一队，剩下的那一队还可以逃避。』这是雅各的聪明；但事实上他一点也不聪明，因为以扫若能击杀第一队的妇人和孩子，为甚么不能也击杀第二队呢？但这样把他的人口分开，是雅各所能作的最好的了。
4After Jacob saw the two camps of angels, he should have been comforted. Nevertheless, he did not trust in these two camps of angels. God’s purpose in showing him this vision of angels undoubtedly was to comfort him, to strengthen him, and to cause him to trust in God’s celestial armies. But Jacob did not put his trust in what he saw. Rather, Jacob, who still trusted in his self-striving (vv. 3-8), imitated God’st wo camps of angels by dividing his people into two camps. Instead of putting his trust in what he saw, he copied the technique. Although we can only guess at what Jacob was thinking when he did this (perhaps he thought that each of the two camps of his household would be protected by the two camps of the angels), one thing is clear—Jacob did not exercise trust in God nor in the vision of the angels; rather, he expended his time and energy in exercising his natural ability. Verses 7 and 8 say, “Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two camps; and said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.” This was Jacob’s cleverness. But actually it was not clever at all, for if Esau could have smitten the first camp of women and children, why could he not have also smitten the second camp? But this dividing of his people was the best that Jacob could do.
（c）也呼求主
c) Also Calling on the Lord
5作了这些安排之后，雅各可能还是不安，于是他作了一件不寻常的事－他祷告了。（创三二9～12。）在他的一生中，这是第一次记载他的祷告。（创世记二十八章二十至二十二节是他向神许愿，不是向神祷告。）二十年来，雅各在拉班压榨的手下，但没有他祷告的记载。虽然拉班十次改了他的工价，但他没有祷告。原则上，我们都是雅各。我们领受了神的应许，我们认识了神，但我们还是不祷告。无论甚么事发生在我们身上，我们都不祷告。我们不运用我们的灵祷告，反运用我们的心思考虑，运用我们天然的力量面对每个问题。当雅各和拉班在一起的时候，他没有祷告，他乃是应用天然的力量处理局面。但现在他即将面对以扫，他被带到一个地步，再也没有技巧了。他所有的技巧、技术、能力和力量都耗尽了。当他知道以扫带著四百人来的时候，他惊慌了。他最多只能把他的人口分作两队，心想如果第一队牺牲了，第二队也许能幸免。因为这是他所能作的最好的了，所以他被迫祷告。
5After making these arrangements, Jacob probably was still not at peace. Thus, he did something unusual— he prayed (vv. 9-12). This is the first record of Jacob’spraying in his entire life. (In 28:20-22 it was his vow, not his prayer to God.) During the twenty years Jacob was under the squeezing hand of Laban, there is no record that he prayed. Although Laban changed his wages ten times, Jacob did not pray. In principle, we all are Jacobs. We have received the promise of God and we have come to know God, but still we do not pray. No matter what happens to us, we do not pray. Instead of exercising our spirit to pray, we exercise our mind to consider and our natural strength to face every problem. Jacob did not pray when he was with Laban; instead, he employed his natural strength to manage the situation. But now, being about to face Esau, he was brought to a place where he had no more skill. All his skill, technique, ability, and strength had been exhausted. When he learned that Esau was coming with four hundred men, he was frightened. The most he could do was divide his people into two groups, thinking that if the first were sacrificed, the second might be spared. Because this was the best Jacob could do, he was forced to pray
6雅各祷告得很好，他的祷告比今天大多数基督徒的祷告好多了。雅各说，『耶和华，我祖亚伯拉罕的神，我父亲以撒的神阿，你曾对我说，回你本地本族去，我要厚待你。』这里我们看见，雅各抓住主的话来祷告。祷告最好的路，就是以神的话作你祷告的立场。雅各似乎说，『主，你不是说要厚待我么？现在我站在你的话上，求你为这作事。』虽然本节似乎指明雅各在祷告上相当老练，但以前的记载一点也没有暗示雅各曾祷告过。
6Jacob prayed a very good prayer. His prayer was much better than the prayers of most Christians today. Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will do thee good” (v. 9, Heb.). Here we see that Jacob prayed by holding on to the Lord’sword. The best way to pray is to take God’sword as the standing for your prayer. Jacob seemed to be saying, “Lord, didn’tY ou say that You would do me good? Now I stand on Your word and ask You to do something about it.” Although this verse seems to indicate that Jacob was quite experienced in prayer, there is no hint in the previous record that he prayed at all.
7在创世记三十二章十节雅各说，『你向仆人所施的一切慈爱和信实，我一点也不配得；我先前只拿著我的杖过这约但河，如今我却成了两队了。』我喜欢雅各这里的发表。他似乎说，『主，我的度量很小，无法盛装你一切的慈爱和信实。』在这里，雅各在神面前很谦卑，承认他不配得神向著他丰富的慈爱和信实；他先前只拿著他的杖过约但河，如今主却使他扩增成两队了。这里我们看到一幅生动的图画，有天上的两队和地上的两队。因此，蒙拣选的人应该完全安心。在下一节雅各继续说，『求你救我脱离我哥哥以扫的手，因为我怕他来杀我，连妻子带儿女一同杀了。』这里我们看见雅各惧怕以扫。雅各祷告的高峰是在十二节：『你曾说，我必定厚待你，使你的后裔如同海边的沙，多得不可胜数。』在他这部分的祷告里，雅各摸到了神的经纶，因为他说到了后裔。这样祷告不但抓住神的话，更摸著祂的心。神拣选了雅各，目标是要得著后裔，好达成祂的目的，在地上得著祂自己团体的彰显。雅各也许不明白这点，但他仍祷告得很好。当我们研读这祷告时，我们看到这祷告在每一面都很美妙。我盼望我们都要这样祷告。
7In verse 1 0 Jacob said , “ I am smaller than all the lovingkindness and all the faithfulness which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two camps” (Heb.). I like Jacob’sex press i on here. He seemed to be saying, “Lord, my capacity is so small that it cannot contain all Your lovingkindness and faithfulness.” Here, Jacob was humble in the presence of God, confessing that he was not worthy of God’sr i ch lovingkindness and faithfulness toward him and that he had passed over Jordan with just his staff, but that the Lord had increased him to two camps. Here we see a vivid picture of two camps in the heavens and of two camps on earth. Due to this, the chosen one should have been perfectly at peace. In the next verse Jacob continued, saying, “Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me and the mother with the children.” Here we see Jacob’s fear of Esau. The high point of Jacob’spray er is in verse 12: “And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.” In this part of his prayer, Jacob touched God’secon o my, for he spoke of the seed. To pray like this is not only to hold on to God’sword but also to touch His heart. God had chosen Jacob with the goal of having seed for the fulfillment of His purpose to have a corporate expression of Himself on earth. Jacob probably did not understand this, but he still prayed very well. As we study this prayer, we see that it was marvelous in every respect. I hope that we all shall pray like this
（d）进一步凭自己奋斗
d) Further Striving by Himself
8在这样美妙的祷告之后，雅各当然应该安心了。但他仍然活跃，他没有睡觉，反而『从他所有的物中拿礼物，要送给他哥哥以扫。』（创三二13。）他把这礼物分作九群，『每样各分一群，交在仆人手下，就对仆人说，你们要在我前头过去，使群群相离有空闲的地方。』（创三二16。）这样作的目的是要看以扫对他的态度如何。雅各很聪明，他把九群牲囗送给以扫为礼物，每群之间都有空闲的地方。这就增加他和以扫之间的距离，让他有时间知道以扫要作甚么，使他有机会豫备争战。
8After praying such a marvelous prayer, Jacob surely should have been at peace. But he was still active. Instead of sleeping, he “took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother” (v. 13). He divided this present into nine droves “and delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove” (v. 16). The purpose of this was to see what Esau’s attitude toward Jacob would be. Jacob was clever, sending a present of nine droves of cattle to Esau with a space between each drove. This increased the distance between him and Esau and allowed him time to learn what Esau would do so that he might have the opportunity to prepare himself for a battle.
9想想整幅图画。首先，雅各把他的人口分作两队。然后，在绝佳的祷告后，他应该平安的去睡觉。但他没有这样作，反而把牲口编成九群，作为礼物送给以扫，为要增加他自己和以扫之间的距离，因而给他时间豫备应付局面。这是描绘一个非常奇特的经历。一面雅各恳切祷告，但另一面他运用他的智慧。这是我们自己的照片。雅各也许只作过这一次，我却作过许多次。一面我尽力豫备应付麻烦的局面，另一面我向主恳切的祷告。无论我的祷告多么好，我还是不信靠。雅各祷告得很好，但他不信靠他的祷告。他若信靠，祷告后也许不会这样活跃。我若是雅各的一个仆人，我也许会说，『雅各，你既作了这样的祷告，就无须作这么多了。』雅各称他的九群牲口为礼物，但实际上那是贿赂。我不信雅各对他的哥哥以扫有这样的好心，爱心。这礼物不是出于爱的心，乃是出于恐惧的心，目的是要解以扫的恨。雅各甚至说，『我藉著在我前头去的礼物解他的恨。』（创三二20。）雅各的人口和仆人也许安然睡觉，但他自己却无法安息。他在神面前拚上一切。这是生死攸关的事。雅各豫期一场屠杀要来临，相当确定以扫要来杀他和他全家，因此他没有平安。当剩下雅各一人的时候，突然『有一个人和他摔跤，直到黎明。』（创三二，直译。）这个对手不是天使，而是在人形状里的耶和华自己。只有圣经能有这样的故事。令雅各大吃一惊的是，在深夜当他拚上一切的时候，有一个人尽力要将他摔倒。因为雅各不肯让步，两个人就整夜摔跤直到黎明。在这之前，雅各怕被屠杀；现在他怕在这场摔跤比赛中被击败，他全力挣扎。主没有立刻征服雅各，为要向雅各暴露他是何等的天然，他天然的力量是何等的大。最后，主摸了雅各的大腿窝，使他瘸了。雅各仍然不容祂去，直到祂给他祝福。在下篇信息中我们要更多来看这事。
9Consider the whole picture. Firstly, Jacob divided his people into two camps. Then, after praying an excellent prayer, he should have gone peacefully to sleep. But instead of doing so, he formed nine droves of cattle as a present for Esau in order to increase the distance between himself and Esau, thus giving him time to prepare to cope with the situation. This is a portrait of a very strange experience. On the one hand, Jacob prayed earnestly, but on the other hand, he exercised his wisdom. This is a photograph of ourselves. Although Jacob might have done this only once, I have done it many times. On the one hand, I tried my best to prepare for coping with a troublesome situation, and on the other hand, I prayed earnestly to the Lord. No matter how good my prayer was, I still did not trust in it. Jacob prayed very well, but he had no trust in his prayer. If he had, he probably would not have been so active afterward. If I had been one of Jacob’s servants, I might have said, “Jacob, after praying such a prayer, you don’t need to do so much.” Jacob called the nine droves of cattle a present, but they were actually a bribe. I do not believe that Jacob had such a good, loving heart toward his brother Esau. This present did not issue out of a heart of love but out of a heart of fear. Its purpose was to appease Esau. Jacob even said, “I will appease him with the present that goeth before me” (v. 20). While Jacob’sp eople and servants might have been sleeping peacefully, he himself could not rest. He was desperate before God. It was a matter of life or death. Jacob anticipated that a slaughter was coming, feeling quite certain that Esau would slay him and his family. Hence, Jacob had no peace. Suddenly, as Jacob was left alone, “there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day” (v. 24). This combatant was not an angel but the Lord Himself in the form of a man. Only the 24 Bible could have this kind of story. Much to Jacob’s surprise, in the depths of the night, while he was desperate, a man came to him trying His best to pin him down. Because Jacob would not give in, the two of them wrestled all night until the breaking of day. Before this, Jacob was afraid of being slaughtered. Now, he was afraid of being defeated in this wrestling match and he thrust all his energy into the struggle. The Lord did not subdue him immediately so that He might expose to Jacob how natural he was and how great his natural strength was. Eventually, the Lord touched the hollow of Jacob’st high, causing him to become lame. Still, Jacob would not let Him go until He blessed him. We shall consider this more in the following message.
10雅各在伯特利的梦中从主领受了坚定的应许。主曾告诉他：『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。』（创二八15。）不仅如此，到了雅各要离开拉班的时候，耶和华对雅各说，『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。）但雅各仍然信靠他自己，运用他天然的技巧和能力，要把自己从艰难的环境中拯救出来。他与主还有过一段挣扎的时间。在这一切之后，雅各似乎不会再作甚么了。但在创世记三十三章我们看见，雅告还没有停下自己的奋斗。即使在本章，也没有指明雅各信靠主。雅各和那在人的形状里来的主摔跤以后，『举目观看，见以扫来了，后头跟著四百人。』（创三三1。）在主一切的应许、他的祷告、并与主的摔跤以后，雅各仍有新事可作。他再把他的妻子并孩子分开。他第一次的分法是照著两队天使，把他的人口分作两队；第二次是把他的礼物分作九群。但现在，他把事情再考虑之后，就照著他的心意，再把人口分开。『他就把孩子们分开交给利亚、拉结、和两个使女；并且叫两个使女和她们的孩子在前头，利亚和她的孩子在后头，拉结和约瑟在尽后头。』（创三三1～2。）因为雅各爱拉结和约瑟，就把他们放在最后。即使在这里，到了最后关头，雅各还是运用他的技巧来应付局面。两个使女和她们的孩子先行，必要时作牺牲。第二批，包括利亚和她的孩子，跟在后面。他深爱的妻子拉结，和她所生的孩子约瑟，在最后。这就是那全然天然之抓夺者的作为。他有过神的应许、对付和苦难、绝佳的祷告、摔跤，并且先前把人口分作两队，但他还作别的事。这就是我所说，本章乃是叙述一个奇特的经历。
10In his dream at Bethel, Jacob received the firm promise from the Lord. The Lord had told him, “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” (28:15). Moreover, when it was time for Jacob to leave Laban, the Lord said to Jacob, “Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee” (31:3). But Jacob still trusted in himself and exercised his natural skill and ability to save himself from the difficult situation. He also had a desperate time with the Lord. It would seem that after all this, Jacob would no longer do anything. But in chapter thirty-three we see that Jacob had not yet ceased from his own striving. There is no indication, even in this chapter, that Jacob trusted in the Lord. After wrestling with the Lord who came in the form of a man, “Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men” (33:1). After all the Lord’s promises, after his prayer, and after wrestling with the Lord, Jacob still had something new to do. He divided his wives and children again. His first division was a division of his people into two camps according to the two camps of the angels. His second division was that of his present into nine droves. But now, after reconsidering the matter, he redivided his people according to his heart. “He divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids. And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph last” (33:1-2, Heb.). Because Jacob loved Rachel and Joseph, he put them last. Even here, at the last minute, Jacob still exercised his skill to cope with the situation. The two maids and their children went first, to be a sacrifice if necessary. The second group, including Leah and her children, followed. Rachel, the one he loved so much, and her child, Joseph, were last. This is the work of the supplanter, the one who is altogether natural. He had had the promises of God, the dealings and sufferings, the excellent prayer, the wrestling, and the previous dividing of his people, but still he did something else. This is what I mean when I say that this chapter relates a strange experience
（e）以扫迎接雅各
e) Esau’s Welcome of Jacob
11在这一切之后，雅各看到了以扫，他勇敢却谦卑的走到前头去见他。创世记三十三章三节说，『他自己在他们前头过去，一连七次俯伏在地，才就近他哥哥。』就一面说，他对妻子和孩子很诚实忠信，走到前头领路。雅各这样迎见以扫，使以扫大感惊讶。『以扫跑来迎接他，将他抱住，又搂著他的颈项与他亲嘴。』（创三三。）雅各和以扫都哭了。由此我们看见，雅各所有的恐惧都是他自己忧虑的产物，他所作的一切都是徒然的。他无须将人口分作两队，无须作最好的祷告，无须呈献九群牲口给以扫为礼物，无须和在人形状里的主摔跤，也无须把妻子、孩子和使女再次分开。他若真的认识神，并且信靠祂，就会一直在平安中，说，『我不因以扫忧虑，因为神已经应许把我带回我父亲之地。祂甚至告诉我要回去，因此我有平安，祂会带我到那里。无论以扫会对我怎样，我都不担心，因为我的神已经给我祂的话。』我们都必须从雅各的经历有所学习。我们不必作这么多。我们不是今日的雅各，蒙拣选的人么？当然是的。主没有给我们祂的应许么？的确给了。天使没有围绕我们么？我们必须相信有。也许我们以为某些人是我们的仇敌，仇敌撒但可能把关于我们的拉班和以扫的思想注入我们的心思里。所有这样的思想都是徒然的。回想你的已往，你岂没有作过许多事，最后证明是无用的么？凡我们所作的都是徒然的。我多次对自己说，『人哪，你真笨，浪费了时间和精力去作徒然的事。你所作的事没有一件是有帮助的，因为主不用这些。』当然雅各从来没有梦想，以扫会带著这样热切的爱来见他。神藉著在梦中对拉班说话来阻挠他；神也兴起以扫向著雅各弟兄的爱。因此，以扫并没有带著憎恨或复仇的意愿来见雅各；相反的，他带著温暖的弟兄之爱而来。以扫已经忘记雅各给他的痛苦。但雅各这抓夺者，并没有忘记他对哥哥所作的。在这里我们看见神美妙的作为。我要特别对青年弟兄姊妹说一句话。无疑的，你们爱主。因著爱主，你们有把握自己是一个蒙拣选的人。既是蒙拣选的人，主的应许、祂的目标和定命，就都是为著你们的。主已经嘱咐我们众人向目标迈进，前往我们父的地，在那里我们能为著主永远的目的享受祂的丰富。所以我们只需要在祂里面享受平安，不可被任何一位拉班或以扫所困扰。无论发生甚么事，只管安息在祂里面。你们如果现在不能接受我的话，等一段时间你们会发现，所有叫你忧虑的事都会化为乌有。你们不需要作甚么。因为实际上在你的前面或后面并没有真正的困难。表面看有许多难处，实际上因著你们是神所拣选的人，在祂全足的看顾下，根本就毫无难处。你们是神所拣选的人，有祂的应许来保证，并有祂的目标托付你。现今你正在路上。我不在意一切的反对和谣言，很多时候我一笑置之。只要我们是在达到神目标的路上，只要我们这些蒙拣选的人有祂的应许，一切就都好了。
11After all this, when Jacob saw Esau, he was bold, yet humble, to go to the front to meet him (33:3-4). Verse 3 says, “And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.” In a sense, he was honest and faithful to his wives and children and went to the front to pioneer the way. Jacob’s coming to him in this manner greatly surprised Esau who “ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him” (v. 4). Both Jacob and Esau wept. By this we see that all of Jacob’s 4 fears were products of his own worrying and that all he did was in vain. He did not need to divide his people into two camps, to pray the best prayer, to present nine droves of cattle as a gift to Esau, to wrestle with the Lord in the form of man, and to divide his wives, children, and maids the second time. If he had truly known God and had trusted in Him, he would have been continually at peace, saying, “I am not worried about Esau because God has promised to bring me back to my father’s land. He even told me to go back, and I have the peace that He will bring me there. No matter what Esau might do to me, I am not concerned because my God has given me His word.” We all must learn from Jacob’s experience. We do not need to do so much. Are we not today’s Jacobs, the chosen ones? Surely we are. Has not the Lord given us His promise? Certainly He has. Are not the camps of angels encompassing us? We must believe that they are. We may think that certain people are our enemies. The enemy, Satan, may inject thoughts into our minds regarding our Laban or Esau. All such thoughts are vain. Recall your past. Have you not done many things which eventually proved to be useless? Whatever we did was in vain. Many times I have said to myself, “Man, you are really stupid. You have wasted your time and energy in doing things in vain. Nothing of what you have done was a help, for the Lord did not use them.” Surely Jacob never dreamed that Esau would have come to him with such fervent love. God frustrated Laban by speaking to him in a dream and also He aroused Esau’s brotherly love toward Jacob. Hence, Esau did not come to Jacob with hatred or with the desire for vengeance; rather, he came with warm, brotherly love. Esau had forgotten the suffering Jacob had caused him. But Jacob, the supplanter, had not forgotten what he had done to his brother. In this we see God’s marvelous acts. I would like to say a word especially to the young brothers and sisters. Undoubtedly, you love the Lord. By loving the Lord, you have the assurance that you are one of the chosen ones. As chosen ones, the Lord’s promise, His goal, and His destination are for you. The Lord has charged us all to advance toward the goal, to go on to our Father’s land where we can enjoy the riches of the Lord for His eternal purpose. So we simply need to enjoy peace in Him. Do not be bothered by any Labans or Esaus. Whatever happens, simply rest in Him. If you cannot take my word now, wait for a certain period of time, and you will discover that all the things that worried you will come to nothing. You do not need to do anything, for actually there is no real trouble either in front of you or behind you. Apparently, there is a great deal of difficulty; actually, because you are God’s chosen ones under His all - sufficient care, there is no difficulty at all. You are God’s chosen ones assured with His promise and charged with His goal. Now you are on the way. I do not care about all the opposition and rumors. Many times I laugh at them. As long as we are on the way to reach God’s goal and as long as we have His promise as His chosen ones, everything is all right.
12这两章是一幅图画，启示我们的神是怎样的神。我能为祂的慈爱和信实作见证。如果雅各搆不上主一切的慈爱和信实，我比他更搆不上。无论我们的境遇怎样，主总是在这里。我们的确有祂，有祂的应许、祂的目标和祂的军兵。忘记你应付局面的技巧和能力罢。雅各很有技巧，把他的人口首先这样分，然后又那样分。我们看过，他第二次把人口分开是照著他的心愿，以保全拉结和约瑟。但他所作的，没有一样有用，一切都是徒然的。今天这对我们真是一幅好图画。我在豫备这篇信息的时候，大得帮助。我对自己说，『可怜的人，你仍然至少还有几分像雅各。一面你有神的话，你信靠神，你也向祂祷告过。另一面你还有多种的分法。最后，你所惧怕的人乃是爱你的人。』很多时候，我们所惧怕的人成了帮助我们的人。这是在雅各与以扫的事上所发生的。雅各有许多财物，需要人帮忙运送，以扫带四百人是来帮助他。但雅各听见这事，反而害怕起来。他所惧怕的人实在是帮助他的人。
12These two chapters are a portrait revealing what kind of God our God is. I can testify of His lovingkindness and faithfulness. If Jacob was smaller than all the Lord’s lovingkindness and faithfulness, then I am even smaller than he. No matter what our circumstances are, the Lord is here. We do have Him, His promise, His goal, and His armies. Forget about your skill and your ability to cope with the situation. Jacob was very skillful, dividing his people firstly in one way and then in another. As we have seen, the second division of his people was according to his heart’s desire to preserve Rachel and Joseph. But nothing he did was useful; everything was in vain. What a good picture this is for us today. As I was preparing this message, I was greatly helped. I said to myself, “Poor man, you are still at least somewhat like Jacob. On the one hand, you have the word of God, you trust in God, and you have prayed to Him. On the other hand, you still have so many kinds of dividing. Eventually, the person you are afraid of is one who loves you.” Many times, the ones whom we were afraid of became our helpers. This happened to Jacob with Esau. Jacob had a great deal of wealth and needed help to transport it. Esau brought four hundred men to help him, but Jacob was frightened when he heard of this. The people whom he feared were actually his helpers
13圣经有时玩弄字眼。例如有两队天使，雅各也把他的人口分作两队。后来他把牲口分作九群。当以扫看见这一群群时，他不称这些为群，却称之为队，说『我所遇见的这些队是甚么意思呢？』（创三三8，另译。）以扫似乎说，『雅各，你差遣这些队来和我争战么？这是甚么意思？』雅各回答说，『是要在我主眼中蒙恩的。…求你收下我带来给你的祝福。』（创三三8，11，参英译美国标准本注。）请注意雅各把礼物这辞改为祝福。他似乎说，『以扫，我并不是来和你争战，我乃是把这祝福带给你。这些不是队，乃是我给你的祝福。』此后，雅各和以扫就有了和平。
13Sometimes the Bible has a play on words. For example, there were two camps of angels, and Jacob divided his people also into two camps. Later, he divided the cattle into nine droves. When Esau beheld all these droves, he did not call them droves, but camps, saying, “What meanest thou by all this camp which I met?” (33:8, Heb.). Esau seemed to be saying, “Jacob, did you send these camps to fight against me? What does this mean?” Jacob replied, “These are to find favor in the sight of my lord...Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee” (vv. 8, 11, ASV). Notice that Jacob changed the word from present to blessing. Apparently he was saying, “Esau, I do not come to fight against you but to give you this blessing. These are not camps; they are my blessing to you.” After this, Jacob and Esau were at peace.
14好心的以扫对雅各说，『我们可以起身前往，我在你前头走。』（创三三。）但雅各仍然有几分惧怕以扫，不愿长久留在他面前。他再次运用他的聪明说，『我主知道孩子们年幼娇嫩，牛羊也正在乳养的时候，若是催赶一天，群畜都必死了。求我主在仆人前头走；我要量著在我面前群畜和孩子的力量慢慢的前行，直走到西珥我主那里。』（创三三13～14。）换13-句话说，雅各在说，『请离开我，我不愿和你在一起。只要你在这里，我就受到威胁。』当以扫说，『容我把跟随我的人留几个在你这里，』雅各说，『何必呢？只要在我主跟前蒙恩就是了。』（创三三15。）雅各只要看到以扫的面或属以扫的人的面，他就无法有平安。很多时候，即使在我们经过了某件事之后，那问题的尾巴还留在我们里面，我们就不愿意人题起那件事。实际上，那不是麻烦的事，乃是可爱的事。以扫带著爱心而来，但雅各的恐惧还未完全消失。这是我们经历的一幅准确图画。如果我是雅各，我会对自己说，『笨人，你不需要作甚么。你有主的应许，你正走向祂的目标。你见过祂的天使，祂自己甚至和你摔跤，把你的名字改为以色列，并且给你祝福。你还需要甚么？你不该作甚么了。』但雅各与这相反，他非常忙碌，像热锅上的蚂蚁，到处乱窜。在这两章里，没有暗示雅各有甚么享受。我不信他吃得好或睡得好。他一直很忙，思想著如何面对情况，如何对付以扫。即使以扫带著亲爱的态度来见他，他还不信任他，却要他在前头先行。事实上，雅各是在说，『以扫，不要留在这里。带著你的四百人在前头走罢，你的人叫我害怕。我不要他们任何一个和我在一起。』这是何等奇特的经历！
14Esau, having a good heart, said to Jacob, “Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee” (v. 12). Jacob, however, was still somewhat fearful of Esau and 12 did not want to stay in his presence very long. Using his cleverness once again, he said, “My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die. Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir” (vv. 14). In other words, Jacob was saying, “Please leave me. I don’t want to stay with you. As long as you are here, I am threatened.” When Esau said, “Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me,” Jacob said, “What needeth it? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord” (v. 15, ASV). As long as Jacob could see Esau’s face or the faces of Esau’s men, he could have no peace. Many times, even after we have passed through a certain thing, the tail of that problem is still within us, and we do not want to be reminded of it. Actually, that was not a troublesome thing; it was a loving thing. Esau came with a loving heart. But Jacob’s fear had not entirely subsided. This is an accurate picture of our experience. If I had been Jacob, I might have said to myself, “Stupid man, you didn’t need to do anything. You have the Lord’s promise and you are moving toward His goal. You saw His angels and He Himself even wrestled with you, changed your name to Israel, and gave you a blessing. What else do you need? You should not do anything.” Jacob, on the contrary, was very busy, scurrying about like an anton a hot frying pan. In these two chapters there is no hint that Jacob had any enjoyment. I doubt that he either ate or slept well. He was constantly busy, thinking about how to face the situation and how to deal with Esau. Even when Esau came to him in a loving way, Jacob still did not trust him but asked him to go on ahead of him. Actually, Jacob was saying, “Esau, don’t stay here. Take your four hundred men and go ahead. Your men frighten me. I don’t want anyone of them to stay with me.” What a strange experience this was!
（16） 雅各回到迦南
16) Jacob’s Return to Canaan
15神是信实的，雅各终于回到迦南。（创三三17～20。）创世记三十三章十八节说，『雅各…平平安安的到了…示剑城。』钦定英文译本译为：『雅各到了示剑的一座城撒冷。』他经由『撒冷』回到迦南。（创三三18。）撒冷是耶路撒冷这辞的后半，意思是平安、安全。因此，雅各经由『撒冷』回到迦南，意思就是他平平安安的回来。在以后的信息里我们会看见，雅各是跟随亚伯拉罕的踪迹。照创世记十二章看，亚伯拉罕进迦南时，所到的第一座城是示剑。雅各也平安的到了示剑城。这证明神遵守祂的话，成就祂的应许；因为祂曾应许雅各，要平平安安的把他带回他祖他父之地。这段旅程不是雅各凭自己定出的，乃是神为他定出的。在示剑这里，雅各作了两件和他祖父所作同样的事：他支搭帐棚，并且筑了一座坛。（创三三，20。）现在他开始有了见证。在前二十年中，他既没有坛，也没有帐棚，指明他没有正确的生活作神的见证。现在回到了正确的地方，正确的立场，他就有了一个带著神见证的生活。在这里我们看见，这个神所拣选的人，因著神的恩典，已被带回到正确的立场，来达成神永远的目的。
15God is faithful, and eventually Jacob returned to Canaan (vv. 17-20). Verse 18 says, “And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem.” This could also be translated, “And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem.” He returned to Canaan by the way of “Salem” (v. 18). Salem, the second half of the word Jerusalem, means peace, safety. Thus, for Jacob to return to Canaan by the way of “Salem” meant that he came safely in peace. In a later message we shall see that Jacob followed the tracks of Abraham. According to chapter twelve, when Abraham entered Canaan, the first city he visited was Shechem. Jacob also came safely to the city of Shechem. This proves that God kept His word and fulfilled His promise, for He had promised Jacob that He would bring him back safely to the land of his fathers. Jacob did not make this journey by himself; God made it for him. Here, in Shechem, Jacob did the same two things that his grandfather did: he pitched a tent and erected an altar (vv. 18, 20). Now he began to have a testimony. During the previous twenty years, he had neither 18 the altar nor the tent, indicating that he did not have the proper life as a testimony of God. Now, having returned to the proper ground in the proper place, he had a life with the testimony of God. Here we see that this chosen one of God has been brought back, by God’s grace, to the proper standing for the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose.