创世记生命读经 · 第95篇

祝福

BLESSING

1我们已经多次指出，创世记是一卷种子的书。本书中几乎每一项都是一粒种子，要在圣经以后的各卷书中发展。祝福这件事也是这样。本篇信息来看撒在创世记里祝福的种子，以及牠在旧约和新约里的发展。

1As we have pointed out many times, the book of Genesis is a book of seeds. Nearly every item in this book is a seed developed in the following books of the Bible. This is true also with the matter of blessing. In this message, the seed of blessing sown in Genesis and its development in the Old Testament and the New Testament.

1 祝福的原则

I. THE PRINCIPLE OF BLESSING

2希伯来七章七节说，『向来都是卑小的蒙尊优的祝福，这是一无可驳的。』在这节里，我们看见祝福的原则：位分大的祝福位分小的。位分大或位分小，主要不是年龄的问题，乃是基督度量的问题。我们的大小，乃是照著我们基督的度量。在马太十一章十一节主耶稣说，『我实在告诉你们，妇人所生的，没有一个兴起来大过施浸者约翰的；然而在诸天的国里最小的比他还大。』在这里主耶稣说，施浸者约翰大过所有在他以前的人。然而在诸天的国里，最小的比约翰还大。约翰大过以前的人，原因是他很接近基督。亚伯拉罕虽然大，但他没有见过基督。然而，施浸者约翰见过祂。约翰虽然这样接近基督，但他没有基督在他里面。那些在诸天之国里的人，不仅接近基督，也有基督在他们里面。因这缘故，在诸天的国里，最小的比约翰还大。在旧约里位分大的能说，基督要来；施浸者约翰能说，基督在他面前。但我们所有在诸天之国里的人都能说，基督在我们里面。我们甚至能说，『我活著就是基督。』（腓一21。）因此，我们比施浸者约翰以及所有在他以前的人，都更接近基督。我们的大小，在于我们基督的度量。你若多有基督，你就是大的。你若少有基督，你就是小的。我们若多有基督而大过别人，那么我们就有资格祝福别人；因为位分大的总是祝福位分小的。这原因是位分大的有更大量的基督可以给人。你若比我大，意思就是你基督的分量比我的大。若是这样，你就有更多的基督供应给我。祝福别人，意思就是把基督供应给他们。那些只有少量基督的人，需要那些有大量基督的人的祝福。我们用自己所有分并享受的基督祝福他们。我们若更多享受基督，那么我们就有更多的基督供应别人。这样把基督供应给人就是祝福。

2Hebrews 7:7 says, “But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater.” In this verse we see the principle of blessing: that the greater blesses the lesser. To be greater or lesser is not mainly a matter of age. It is a matter of the measure of Christ. We are greater or lesser according to our measure of Christ. In Matthew 11:11 the Lord Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, Among those born of women, there has not arisen a greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is smallest in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he.” Here the Lord Jesus says that John the Baptist was greater than all who had preceded him. However, the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John. The reason John was greater than his predecessors was that he was very close to Christ. Although Abraham was great, he did not see Christ. However, John the Baptist saw Him. But, although John was so close to Christ, he did not have Christ in him. Those in the kingdom of heaven are not only close to Christ; they have Christ within them. For this reason the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John. The great ones in the Old Testament could say that Christ was coming, and John the Baptist could say that Christ was in front of him. But all of us in the kingdom of heaven can say that Christ is within us. We can even say, “For to me to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21). Hence, we are closer to Christ than John the Baptist and all who went before him. Whether we are greater or lesser depends upon our measure of Christ. If you have more of Christ, you are greater. If you have less of Christ, you are lesser. If by having more of Christ we are greater than others, then we are qualified to bless them; for the greater always blesses the lesser. The reason for this is that the greater one has a larger measure of Christ to give to others. If you are greater than I, it means that you have a greater portion of Christ than I. If so, then you have something more of Christ to minister to me. To bless others means to minister Christ to them. Those who have just a small measure of Christ need the blessing of those who have a greater measure. We bless them with the very Christ in whom we participate and whom we enjoy. If we enjoy Christ more, then we have more of Christ to minister to others. This ministering of Christ is blessing.

2 祝福的意义

II. THE MEANING OF BLESSING

3要给祝福下个正确的定义相当困难。多年前，我只能说，祝福就是为别人求好处，或者愿意别人得好处。但在多年经历之后，我能说，祝福乃是神藉著人生命成熟而有的满溢。没有人的管道，神无法将祂自己流到别人里面。基督若从来没有成为肉体，神就无法涌流给人，因为没有管道。神的涌流需要人作管道。神惟一可用来作管道的，乃是被神饱和并浸透的人。因这缘故，雅各直到成熟，才给人祝福。雅各没有祝福拉班或以扫。甚至他与拉班在一起二十年之后，见到他的哥哥以扫，也没有祝福他。直到他下了埃及，才祝福当时在地上最高的统治者法老。（创四七7，10。）那时雅各是被神充满了的。藉著雅各祝福法老，神的祝福就向法老涌流。两岁的孩子无法祝福人；七、八岁的孩子也许可以给人某种祝福。这说明祝福别人在于生命的成熟。生命成熟就是被神充满。当你充满了神，你就有神的满溢，因此你就能祝福所遇见的每个人。多年前，我不能说这些关于祝福的话。这种对祝福的领会，不是从书本上读来的，乃是单单从经历来的。

3It is rather difficult to give a proper definition of blessing. Years ago I could only say the blessing was asking or wishing something good for others. But after years of experience I can say that blessing is the overflow of God through someone’s maturity in life. God cannot flow Himself into others without a human channel. If Christ had never been incarnated, God would not have been able to flow to man, because there would not have been a channel. God’s flowing needs humanity as a channel. The only humanity God can use as the channel is one saturated and permeated with God. For this reason Jacob did not bless anyone until he had become mature. Jacob did not bless Laban or Esau. Even when he saw his brother Esau after the twenty years with Laban, he did not bless him. It was not until he went down into Egypt that he blessed Pharaoh, the highest ruler on earth (47:7, 10). At that time Jacob was filled with God. Through Jacob’s blessing of Pharaoh God’s blessing overflowed to Pharaoh. A child two years of age cannot bless anyone; however, a child of seven or eight may perform some kind of blessing. This illustrates the fact that blessing others depends upon maturity in life. Maturity in life is a matter of being filled with God. When you are full of God, you have the overflow of God, and thus you are able to bless everyone you meet. Years ago I could not say such a word about blessing. This understanding of blessing does not come from reading books; it comes only from experience

3 第一个祝福的事例

III. THE FIRST CASE OF BLESSING

4圣经中第一个祝福的事例，乃是麦基洗德祝福亚伯拉罕。（创十四18～。）麦基洗德是基督的豫表。所以，麦基洗德到亚伯拉罕那里，就是基督到了他那里。麦基洗德带著饼和酒来到亚伯拉罕那里，正如主也带著饼和酒来到我们这里。不仅如此，麦基洗德是以永远祭司的身分来到，而基督是照著麦基洗德永远的等次成为祭司。（来五6。）祭司是将人带给神。你若要祝福别人，你必须是神的祭司。以后我们会看见，在旧约里，神吩咐祭司祝福祂的百姓。祝福乃是神的满溢，这种满溢是藉著祭司带给百姓的。第一次的祝福是藉著祭司赐下的。我们都需要作祭司，将人带给神。

4The first case of blessing in the Bible is Melchisedec’s blessing of Abraham (14:18-20). Melchisedec was a type of Christ. Therefore, Melchisedec’s coming to 20 Abraham was Christ’s coming to him. Melchisedec came to Abraham with bread and wine, just as the Lord also comes to us with bread and wine. Furthermore, Melchisedec came as the eternal priest, and Christ became a priest according to the eternal order of Melchisedec (Heb. 5:6). A priest brings people to God. If you would bless others, you must be God’s priest. Later we shall see that in the Old Testament God commanded the priests to bless His people. Blessing is the overflow of God, and this overflow is brought to people through the priests. The first blessing was bestowed by a priest. We all need to be priests, those who bring people to God.

5我们若要祝福别人，我们自己必须亲近神。我们必须是将别人带给神的祭司。人需要神的祝福，因为人远离了神。祭司消除了神与人之间的距离；他将那些远离的人带到神面前。在大祭司的两肩上有两块红玛瑙，刻著以色列十二支派的名字；在他的胸牌上有十二块宝石，也刻著十二支派的名字。（出二八9～12，15～21。）每当大祭司进入至圣所，他就带著胸牌和肩带。这指明他将以色列人带到神面前。我们都晓得祭司是事奉神的，但我们也许从来没有看见，祭司也消除人与神之间的距离。在祭司祝福你以前，你与神之间也许有一段距离。但在他祝福你以后，这段距离被除去了，你就被带到神面前，有分于对神的享受。当麦基洗德祝福亚伯拉罕时，那祝福就将他带到神面前。麦基洗德甚至说，『愿…至高的神，赐福与亚伯兰。』（创十四19。）你若仔细读创世记十四章，会看见麦基洗德没有用神以外的东西祝福亚伯拉罕。他不是说，『愿你蒙福得好房子；』也不是说，『愿你蒙福得两个儿子。』他乃是说，『愿至高的神赐福与你。』这样，麦基洗德就带亚伯拉罕更接近神。

5If we would bless others, we must be close to God ourselves. We must be priests who bring others to God. People need God’s blessing because they are faraway from Him. A priest eliminates the distance between God and the people; he brings those who are far off into the presence of God. On the shoulders of the high priest were two onyx stones engraved with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and on his breastplate there were twelve stones, also engraved with the names of the twelve tribes (Exo. 28:9-12, 15-21). Whenever the high priest entered into the Holy of Holies, he wore the breastplate and the shoulder plates. This indicated that he brought the people of Israel into the presence of God. We all realize that a priest serves God, but we may never have seen that he also eliminates the distance between the people and God. Before you are blessed by a priest, there may be a distance between you and God. But after he blesses you, this distance is taken away, and you are brought into the presence of God to share in the enjoyment of God. When Melchisedec blessed Abraham, that blessing brought him into the presence of God. Melchisedec even said, “Blessed be Abram of the most high God” (14:19). If you read Genesis 14 carefully, you will see that Melchisedec blessed Abraham with nothing other than God. He did not say, “Be blessed with a good house”; neither did he say, “Be blessed with two sons.” Instead, he said, “Be blessed of the most high God.” In this way, Melchisedec brought Abraham much closer to God

4 祭司的祝福

IV. THE BLESSING OF THE PRIESTS

6在民数记六章二十三至二十七节，我们看见祝福的表样。在这里神吩咐祭司祝福百姓，对他们说，『愿耶和华赐福给你，保护你。愿耶和华使祂的脸光照你，赐恩给你。愿耶和华向你仰脸，赐你平安。』这里的祝福不是一重或双重，乃是三重。祝福是三重的，因为这是将神分赐到人里面。这包含了三一：父、子、灵。三一不是道理的事，乃是神将祂自己分赐到祂的百姓里面。

6In Numbers 6:23-27 we see a pattern of blessing. Here God commanded the priests to bless the people by saying to them, “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” The blessing here is not onefold or twofold; it is threefold. The blessing is threefold because it is a matter of the dispensing of God into man. This involves the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. The Trinity is not a matter of doctrine; it is a matter of God’s dispensing Himself into His people

7民数记六章的祝福，第一面与父神的祝福并保守的能力有关；第二面与子神光照的脸并祂的恩典有关。民数记六章二十五节的『赐恩』这辞，在希伯来文里含示对低微的人一种仁慈的降卑。这指明三一的第二者藉著成为人，对我们这些低微的人仁慈的降卑。当祂成为人的时候，的确是从天降卑。这就是恩典。

7The first aspect of the blessing in Numbers 6 is related to God the Father’s blessing and keeping power. The second aspect is related to the shining face of God the Son and His grace. The word “gracious” in Numbers 6:25 means more in Hebrew than the English word gracious conveys. The Hebrew meaning is to stoop in kindness to those who are inferior. This indicates that by becoming a man the second of the Trinity stooped in kindness to us, the inferior ones. When He became man, He surely stooped down from the heavens. This is grace.

8我喜欢『使祂的脸光照你』这句话。你岂没有经历这事么？林后四章六节说，神的荣耀照在耶稣基督的面上。耶稣是真光，这光就是神自己。（约八12，约壹一5。）神自己作光，在耶稣基督的面上光照我们。因此，三重祝福的第二面与子神有关，祂仁慈的降卑来眷临我们，使我们得著恩典。约翰一章十四节说，『话成了肉体，支搭帐幕在我们中间，丰丰满满的有恩典，有实际。』因为主对我们仁慈的降卑，如今我们就有了这祝福。祝福的第三面与灵神的脸面并祂的平安有关。主向我们仰脸，并赐平安，的确是三一的第三者－那灵－恩典的工作。今天那灵经常使神向我们仰脸，并赐我们平安。祂不仅在我们的环境里赐平安，也在我们的全人里，我们的心里，我们的灵里，甚至我们的心思里赐平安。我们在那灵里，藉著那灵，并同著那灵，就有平安。别人也许在心、心思、灵和环境里，感到困扰，但我们不该受困扰。无论我们在那里，都有平安，因为神的灵与我们同在，并且祂向我们仰脸。我们可以简单的说，祝福就是将人带到神面前，带到神的享受里。民数记六章的三重祝福，乃是在旧约里藉著祭司祝福的表样。这表样启示正确的祝福，乃是将人带到神面前，带到祂的面光中，并带到祂脸的光照中，使他们有分于祂的恩典，并得著平安。这确实是正确的祝福。何等佳美！何等奇妙！

8I like the words “make his face shine upon thee.” Have you not experienced this? Second Corinthians 4:6 says that the glory of God shines in the face of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the true light, which is God Himself (John 8:12, 1 John 1:5). God Himself as light shines over us in the face of Jesus Christ. Thus, the second aspect of the threefold blessing is related to God the Son who stooped in kindness to visit us that we may have grace. John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us...full of grace and reality.” Because the Lord has stooped in kindness to us, we now have this blessing. The third aspect of the blessing is related to God the Spirit’s countenance and His peace. The lifting up of the Lord’s countenance upon us and the giving of peace is certainly the gracious work of the third of the Trinity, the Spirit. Today the Spirit is constantly lifting up God’s countenance over us and giving us peace. He gives peace not only in our environment, but also in our being—in our heart, in our spirit, and even in our mind. In the Spirit, through the Spirit, and with the Spirit we have peace. Others may be troubled in heart, mind, spirit, and environment, but we should not be troubled. Wherever we are, we have peace because the Spirit of God is with us and His countenance is uplifted over us. In summary we may say that blessing is the bringing of people into the presence of God, into the very enjoyment of God. The threefold blessing in Numbers 6 is the pattern of blessing by the priests in the Old Testament. This pattern reveals that the proper blessing is to bring people into the presence of God, into the light of His face, and into the shining of His countenance that they may participate in His grace and may have peace. This surely is the proper blessing. How wonderful! How marvelous

5 使徒的祝福

V. THE BLESSING OF THE APOSTLE

9在林后十三章十四节，使徒保罗也给人祝福的表样。这节说，『愿主耶稣基督的恩，神的爱，圣灵的交通，与你们众人同在。』我们已经看见，祭司将人带给神。然而，使徒将神带给人；他带著神临到人。在林后十三章十四节，我们看见三一神恩典的眷临。在使徒保罗的祝福里，三一神临到人，作他们的享受。这享受就是神的爱，作了基督的恩典，凭著圣灵的交通。爱、恩典和交通，不是三样分开的东西，乃是一样东西的三个方面或三个阶段。牠们是神的三个阶段，作我们的享受。爱是里面的，恩典是爱得了彰显，交通是恩典传输到我们里面。爱是在神自已里面。这爱得了彰显，就是恩典，而恩典是在交通里得以传输。我可能爱一位弟兄，这爱是在我的里面。这爱如何才能彰显出来？我可以送他一本圣经，把这爱彰显出来。圣经代表恩典，作我里面对这位弟兄爱的彰显。我要将这恩典传递给他，就必须真的将圣经交给他。这就是交通。在旧约里，关于祝福的基本思想是将人带到神面前。但在新约里，与神同来的使徒，不仅将人带到神面前；也将神带到人里面。旧约藉著祭司祝福的表样，与新约藉著使徒祝福的表样，有很大的不同。新约的祝福高得多，也深得多。一方面，祝福别人就是将人带到神面前；另一方面，祝福乃是将神作为爱、恩典和交通带到人里面。所有的基督徒对祝福这辞都很熟悉。有一首诗歌甚至说，『数主祝福！要一一的数！』毫无疑问，这首诗歌对祝福所表达的观念是，祝福就是得著好妻子，得著儿女、教育、升迁、房屋和轿车。照著这首诗歌，这些就是我们该一一数算的祝福。三十五年多以前，我在一年的最后几小时唱这首诗歌。我把一些人召聚在一起，说，『让我们一一数算已过这一年的祝福。』但照著神纯正的话，祝福与这大不相同。照著旧约藉著祭司祝福的表样，与新约藉著使徒祝福的表样，正确的祝福乃是将人带到神面前，并将神当作恩典、爱和交通带到人里面，使他们享受三一神－父、子、灵。因此，祝福乃是一件享受三一神的事。

9In 2 Corinthians 13:14 the Apostle Paul also gives a pattern of blessing. This verse says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” We have seen that a priest brings people to God. An apostle, however, brings God to people; he comes to people with God. In 2 Corinthians 13:14 we see a gracious visitation of the Triune God. In the blessing of the Apostle Paul, the Triune God comes to people for their enjoyment. This enjoyment is the love of God as the grace of Christ by the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Love, grace, and fellowship are not three separate things; they are three aspects or stages of one thing. They are the three stages of God for our enjoyment. Love is within, grace is love expressed, and fellowship is the transmission of grace into us. Love is within God Himself. When this love is expressed, it is grace, and grace is transmitted in the fellowship. I may love a certain brother, but this love is within me. How can it be expressed? I may express it by giving him a Bible. The Bible represents grace as the expression of the love I have within me for this brother. In order to communicate this grace to him, I must actually hand the Bible to him. This is fellowship. In the Old Testament the basic thought with respect to blessing is that of bringing people into God’s presence. But in the New Testament the Apostle, coming with God, not only brought people into the presence of God; he also brought God into them. There is a great difference between the Old Testament pattern of blessing by the priests and the New Testament pattern of blessing by the Apostle. The New Testament blessing is much higher and deeper. On the one hand, to bless others is to bring them into the presence of God; on the other hand, it is to bring God into them as love, grace, and fellowship. All Christians are familiar with the word blessing. One hymn even says, “Count your blessings, name them one by one.” Undoubtedly, the concept of blessing expressed in this hymn is that blessing is a matter of being given a good wife, children, education, promotions, houses, and cars. According to this hymn, these are the blessings we should count one by one. More than thirty-five years ago, I sang this hymn during the last few hours of the year. I would gather some together and say, “Let us count the blessings of this past year, one by one.” But the blessing according to the pure Word is much different from this. According to the Old Testament pattern of the blessing by the priest and the New Testament pattern of blessing by the Apostle, the proper blessing is to bring people into the presence of God and to bring God into them as grace, love, and fellowship that they may enjoy the Triune God, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. Hence, blessing is a matter of enjoying the Triune God.

6 主的祝福

VI. THE LORD’S BLESSING

除去人天然的操纵

CROSSING MAN’S NATURAL MANEUVERING

10现在我们来看与祝福有关的一些实行的点。主的祝福除去人天然的操纵。（创四八13～20。）当约瑟把他的儿子玛拿西和以法莲带到雅各面前，他操纵那个局面，使长子玛拿西在雅各右手前。父亲把长子放在祖父的右手前，来领受上等的祝福，把次子放在祖父的左手前，来领受次等的祝福。约瑟的操纵是照著天然的观念。照著天然的观念，约瑟是正确的。然而，雅各将双手交错。虽然他的眼睛昏花，但他灵里非常清楚。创世记48:17四十八章十七节说，『约瑟见他父亲把右手按在以法莲的头上，就不喜悦，便提起他父亲的手，要从以法莲头上挪到玛拿西的头上。』约瑟说，『我父不是这样，这本是长子，求你把右手按在他的头上。』（创四八。）雅各不从，说，『我知道，我儿我知道。』（创四八19。）这样，主的祝福除去了人的操纵。因为父母有自己天然的喜好，天然的拣选，和天然的观念，他们总是操纵环境。但这种操纵必须除去。我作过许多操纵的事，甚至在传福音的事上也如此。当我看看听众，内中有一些很有才能，很有前途的，我就对自己说，『这些是好材料。』然而，他们多半根本不信，或者马马虎虎的相信。但其他我认为无用的，却信得很好，成了有用的。我们在召会的事奉里看到另一种操纵。我们认为有些人很可靠、属灵、优秀。但许多时候我们很失望，因为他们没有达到我们的盼望。我们的操纵并不符合神的祝福。操纵是我们的拣选，我们的选择。三十多年前我说，『这些人非常不错。他们在长大，他们要被建造，他们要成为一。』然而，最终上好的不是来自我所拣选的那班人，乃是来自另一个方向。这是将手交错的例子。

10Now we come to some practical points concerning blessing. The Lord’s blessing crosses man’s natural maneuvering (48:13-20). When Joseph brought his sons Manasseh and Ephraim to Jacob, he maneuvered the situation so that the firstborn, Manasseh, would be in front of Jacob’s right hand. The father put the firstborn in front of the grandfather’s right hand to receive the first blessing and the second in front of the left hand to receive the second blessing. Joseph’s maneuvering was according to the natural concept. According to the natural concept, Joseph was right. However, Jacob crossed his hands. Although his eyes were dim, he was very clear in his spirit. Genesis says, “And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it was evil in his eyes: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’she ad unto Manasseh’she ad” (Heb.). Then Joseph said, “Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn: put thy right hand upon his head” (v. 1 8). Jacob 18 refused and said, “I know it, my son, I know it” (v. 19). Thus, the Lord’s blessing crossed man’s maneuvering. Because parents have their natural taste, natural choice, and natural concept, they are always maneuvering the situation. But maneuvering must be crossed out. I have done a good deal of maneuvering, even in the preaching of the gospel. As I considered the audience, including some who were brilliant and very promising, I said to myself, “These are the good ones.” However, most of them never believed at all or else believed in a sloppy way. But others, whom I considered useless, believed in a good way and became useful. Another kind of maneuvering is found in the church service. In the past we thought that certain ones were trustworthy, spiritual, and superior. But many times we were disappointed because they did not measure up to our expectations. Our maneuvering does not correspond to God’s blessing. Maneuvering is our choosing, our selecting. More than thirty years ago I said, “These are very good. They are growing, they will be built up, and they will be one.” Eventually, however, the best ones did not come from the group I had chosen; they came instead from another direction. This is an instance of the crossing of hands.

11主从来不照著我们的操纵按手。所以，在我们的家庭里，在福音的传扬里，在召会的事奉里，我们必须学习放开我们的手。我们只该把两个儿子带到神面前，把他们信托给祂主宰的手。我们都是约瑟。我们喜欢把我们的玛拿西带到主的右手前，把我们的以法莲带到祂的左手前。但一次又一次，主将祂的手交错。你若看召会生活，并研读召会历史，你会看见神的祝福总是主宰的，绝不依从人的操纵。例如，彼得在耶路撒冷是领头的。你相信他会祷告，叫大数的扫罗成为使徒么？绝对没有！反之，彼得也许会祷告：『主，扫罗太活跃了。我求你捆绑他。』但主的手越过十二使徒，按在扫罗身上。行传在一章以后，除了彼得、雅各、约翰以外，其他的使徒都没有题起。但扫罗在往大马色的路上时，主特意伸出手来，祝福就临到了他。

11The Lord never places His hand according to our maneuvering. Therefore, in our families, in the preaching of the gospel, and in the church service, we must learn to keep our hands off. We should simply bring our two sons to God and trust them to His sovereign hand. We all are Josephs. We like to bring our Manasseh to the right hand of the Lord and our Ephraim to His left hand. But time after time the Lord crosses His hands. If you consider the church life and study church history, you will see that God’s blessing is always sovereign, never subject to man’s maneuvering. For example, Peter was a leading one in Jerusalem. Do you believe he prayed that Saul of Tarsus would become an apostle? Certainly not! Rather, Peter might have prayed, “Lord, Saul is too active. I ask You to bind him.” But the Lord’s hand crossed over the twelve Apostles and was placed upon Saul. Apart from Peter, James, and John, nothing is mentioned about the other Apostles in the book of Acts after the first chapter. But as Saul was on the way to Damascus, the Lord guided His hand purposely, and the blessing came upon him.

12我们作父母的，对儿女不该有我们自己的喜好。我们不晓得神要拣选那一个。我们不能豫知那一个孩子要得救。这完全不在我们的操纵，乃在主的祝福。在召会生活中，我不信靠自己的拣选。在拣选长老、执事、和召会事奉里的领头人时，我常常缩回我的手，因为我不信靠我的鉴别。多数的时候，我们的拣选导致操纵，而神交错的手却来祝福我们所没有拣选的。那些作父母的，以及在召会事奉里领头的人，对于他们的拣选必须谨慎。不要照著你们的好恶行使任何一种操纵，因为神的祝福总是除去我们的操纵。

12We parents should not have our own taste concerning our own children. We simply cannot tell which of them the Lord will choose. We cannot foresee which of our children will be saved. It absolutely does not depend on our maneuvering; it depends on the Lord’s blessing. In the church life I have come to have no trust in my choice. Often my hand has been held back in the choice of elders, deacons, and the leading ones in the church service because I have no trust in my discernment. Most of the time our choosing leads to maneuvering, and God’s crossing hand comes into bless the one we did not choose. Those who are parents and those who are leading ones in the church service must be careful about their choosing. Do not exercise any kind of maneuvering according to your likes and dislikes, for God’s blessing always crosses our maneuvering

13关于雅各祝福以法莲，有些事该非常鼓励我们众人。也许有时候你认为自己没有盼望，没有用处。在已过几个月里，我听见许多人感到失望，对自己有这种感觉。有些人甚至觉得生活没有意义。有些人也许说，『我已经相信主耶稣，我已经进入召会生活。我知道我必须在召会中尽功用，但我没有被拣选作甚么事。显然我没有盼望。我若不能在召会中尽功用，那么生活就没有意义。』要受鼓励；你还没有了了。在许多召会，尤其是大召会，有一种气氛，使人觉得召会不需要他们。虽然在大召会中，只有几个人能作长老，但每个人仍是重要的。不要用任何作法操纵你的环境，因为主祝福的手会交错过来临到你。

13There is something about Jacob’s blessing of Ephraim which should be very encouraging to us all. Probably there have been times when you considered yourself hopeless and useless. During the past few months I heard of many who were disappointed and felt this way about themselves. Some even felt that life was meaningless. Some may have said, “I have believed in the Lord Jesus, and I have come into the church life. I know that I must function in the church, but I have not been chosen to do anything. Apparently, there is no hope for me. If I cannot function in the church, then life has no meaning.” Be encouraged; you are not through. Among many churches, especially the large churches, there has been an atmosphere that made people feel they are not needed. Although in a large church only a few can be elders, everyone is still important. Do not maneuver your situation in any way, for the Lord’s blessing hand will cross over to you.

14虽然我们从来不知道属灵的祝福要往那里去，但我们确实知道主祝福的手总是除去人天然的操纵。你也许说，『这是长子，』祂却说，『我知道。』主将手交错，在你眼中也许认为不对，在祂眼中却全然美丽。祝福不在于你的操纵，乃在于神的愿望和拣选。凡我们所作的任何拣选，都可能是照著我们的爱好所作的操纵。不要操纵，也不要失望。要相信主的手会交错过来临到你。

14Although we never know where the spiritual blessing will go, we do know that the blessing hand of the Lord always crosses man’s natural maneuvering. You may say, “This is the firstborn,” but He says, “I know it.” The Lord’s crossing His hands may be evil in your eyes, but it is altogether beautiful in His eyes. Blessing does not depend on your maneuvering; it depends on God’s desire and selection. In any selection we make there is the possibility of maneuvering according to our taste or choice. Do not maneuver, and do not be disappointed. Rather, believe that the Lord’s hand will cross over to you

7 人天然的观念

VII. MAN’S NATURAL CONCEPT

拦阻主祝福的手

HOLDING BACK THE LORD’S BLESSING HAND

15我们已经看见，约瑟想要拦阻他父亲祝福的手。这指明人天然的观念拦阻主祝福的手。在召会生活中，主会兴起许多我们不喜欢的人，其中有些会成为最好的长老。当然，我有人的感觉、观念和喜好。但我天然的观念已经被除去了。我们简直不知道大数的扫罗会从那个方向来。你以为最好的，也许会成为最差的。但一个反对者要成为今日的使徒保罗。你不喜欢他，主却喜欢他。许多不合你观念的人要兴起来。要忘掉你的拣选，你的拣选永远无效。若是有效，就不需要豫定了。新约没有一处记载使徒儿女的名字，原因就在这里。新约只记载属灵儿子的名字。保罗称提摩太为『凭信作我真孩子的，』（提前一2，）称提多为『照著共同的信仰，作我真孩子的，』（多一4，）彼得说到『我儿子马可。』（彼前五13。）新约不题使徒儿女的名字，因为他们不是都蒙了豫定。照样，我们也必须承认，我们的孩子不是都蒙了豫定。然而，不要让豫定的事使你忽略了传福音。那样作是走极端。不要操纵任何事。只要把孩子带到神面前，让祂拣选。不要让你天然的观念拦阻主祝福的手。

15We have seen that Joseph tried to hold back his father’s blessing hand. This indicates that man’s natural concept holds back the Lord’s blessing hand. In the church life, the Lord will raise up many we do not like, and some of them will become the best elders. Surely I have had my human feelings, concepts, and tastes. But my natural concepts have been crossed out. We simply do not know from which direction Saul of Tarsus will come. The one you think is the best may turn out to be the worst. But one of the opposers will become today’s Apostle Paul. Although you do not like him, the Lord likes him. Many will be raised up who do not fit your concept. Forget your selection. It will never work. If it did, there would be no need for predestination. This is the reason the New Testament nowhere records the names of the children of the Apostles. Only the names of the spiritual sons are given. Paul called Timothy his “child in faith” (1 Tim. 1:2) and Titus his “genuine child according to the common faith” (Titus 1:4), and Peter spoke of “Mark my son” (1 Pet. 5:13). The names of the Apostles’ children are not mentioned because not all of them were predestinated. Likewise, we must also admit that not all our children have been predestinated. However, do not allow the matter of predestination to cause you to neglect the preaching of the gospel. To do that is to go to an extreme. Do not maneuver anything. Simply bring the boys to God and let Him make the choice. Do not let your natural concept hold back the Lord’s blessing hand

8 雅各篡夺的手

VIII. JACOB’SS UP PLANTING HANDS

成了祝福的手

BECOMING BLESSING HANDS

16雅各篡夺的手最终成了祝福的手。（创二五26，四七7，10，四八～16。）在创世记二十五章我们看见，雅各甚至在母腹中就开始篡夺。他在篡夺的事上真有技巧！但在四十七和四十八章我们看见，这两只篡夺的手成了祝福的手，将人带到神面前，并将神供应到人里面，使他们享受祂。你相信雅各篡夺的手能成为一个成熟之人祝福的手么？在这里我们看见生命的长大并成熟。一个篡夺者，抓脚跟者，成了当时地上最伟大的人。他能祝福法老，因为他比法老大。他藉著生命的路成了这样的人。我们需要生命的长大和生命的成熟，这样我们就能被基督充满，成为能祝福别人的人。

16Jacob’ss up planting hands eventually became blessing hands (25:26; 47:7, 10; 48:14-16). In chapter twenty- five we see that Jacob began his supplanting even 14 when he was in his mother’s womb. How skillful he was in supplanting! But in chapters forty-seven and forty-eight we see that these two supplanting hands have become blessing hands, bringing people into God’s presence and ministering God into people so that they may enjoy Him. Would you have believed that Jacob’s supplanting hands could become the blessing hands of a mature person? Here we see the growth and maturity in life. A supplanter, a heel - holder, became the greatest person on earth at the time. He was able to bless Pharaoh because he had become greater than Pharaoh. He became this kind of person by the way of life. We need the growth in life and the maturity in life so that we may be filled with Christ to become those who are able to bless others.