| 经文: 创世记32:1-7, 21;33:8-11 "求你收下我带来给你的礼物。" 创33:11 | Scripture: Genesis 32:1-7,21;33:8-11 "Please accept the present that was brought to you." Genesis 33:11 |
| 那因欺骗而离家多年的雅各现正在回家途中, 为着快将见到哥哥以扫而颤心惊。雅各曾欺骗年老的父亲以撒, 窃取了属于以扫的长子祝福, 直到如今, 仍满心内疚。 此时的雅各, 仍离不开那谋算操纵的本色, 他把同行的人分为两队, 差他们先行去见以扫。这懦夫为了安全, 他计划自己最后才到, 让其他人先去面对那怀恨在心的以扫。就在那天晚上, 雅各和一个不知名的人搏斗, 这人可能是代表神的天使（参看何西阿书12:4）。事后雅各承认自己是逃过了大难, 因为天使告诉他, 和他搏斗的是神自己。雅各才知道他虽然面对面见了神, 然而神却保存了他的性命（创世记32:24-30）。 后来他终于见到以扫了, 当以扫亲切地拒绝接受他所送的牛群时, 雅各便坚持要他收下: "不然, 我若在你眼前蒙恩, 就求你从我手里收上这礼物。"此时此刻, 群畜不再是雅各用来叫以扫既往不咎的贿赂, 而是他发自心底的礼物, 希望能补偿他当年偷了的东西——就是长子的祝福。 究竟有什么事情发生在雅各身上了呢? 那个搏斗的晚上, 神改变了雅各, 使他成为一个新人。所以雅各能如此对以扫说: "我见了你的面, 如同见了神的面。" 对, 是神改变了雅各, 雅各的行为便开始更新: 他偿还从前偷取的东西, 他开始行走义路 —— 以公义正直行事了。 | After years of deceit, Jacob was on his way home. And he was worried about meeting his brother, Esau. Jacob had stolen Esau's blessing by deceiving his old father, Isaac. Now Jacob would have to face Esau. Ever the manipulator, Jacob divided his people into two camps and sent them ahead to Esau, while he stayed behind in the security of his own camp. The coward let others meet the vengeful Esau first. That night Jacob struggled with an unknown man, probably an angel who represented God (see Hosea 12:4). Afterward Jacob admitted he'd survived a great danger, for the angel said he had struggled with God, and Jacob realized he had been in God's presence and yet had lived (32:24-30). When he finally met Esau, Jacob gave him a gift of cattle. When Esau graciously refused the gift, Jacob insisted, "No, please! . . . If I have found favor in your eyes, accept this gift from me." The cattle were no longer meant as a bribe to forget the past. Jacob wanted to return what he had stolen—the blessing. What had happened to Jacob? That night in the camp God had made Jacob a new man. That's why he said to Esau: "To see your face is like seeing the face of God." God changed Jacob. And then Jacob began to act like a new man: he returned what he had stolen. He began walking the path of righteousness—doing what's right. |
祷告主啊, 感谢祢, 因着耶稣在十架上的受苦, 祢祝福我的生命。求祢像改变雅各一样改变我们, 帮助我矫正我以往的过错, 又靠着祢行公义正直的事。奉耶稣名祈求, 阿们。 | PrayerLord, I acknowledge your blessings on my life through Jesus' struggle on the cross. Help me to set straight what I have made crooked, and to do what's right, for you. In Jesus' name, Amen. |
今天经文： 创世记32:1-7, 21;33:8-111 雅各仍旧行路, 神的使者遇见他。2 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。 3 雅各打发人先往西珥地去, 就是以东地, 见他哥哥以扫, 4 吩咐他们说: "你们对我主以扫说: '你的仆人雅各这样说: 我在拉班那里寄居, 直到如今。 5 我有牛、驴、羊群、仆婢, 现在打发人来报告我主, 为要在你眼前蒙恩。'" 6 所打发的人回到雅各那里, 说: "我们到了你哥哥以扫那里, 他带着四百人, 正迎着你来。" 7 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、骆驼分做两队, 21 于是礼物先过去了; 那夜, 雅各在队中住宿。 8 以扫说: "我所遇见的这些群畜是什么意思呢?"雅各说: "是要在我主面前蒙恩的。" 9 以扫说: "兄弟啊, 我的已经够了, 你的仍归你吧！" 10 雅各说: "不然, 我若在你眼前蒙恩, 就求你从我手里收下这礼物; 因为我见了你的面, 如同见了 神的面, 并且你容纳了我。 11 求你收下我带来给你的礼物; 因为 神恩待我, 使我充足。"雅各再三地求他, 他才收下了。 回到页顶 | |
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