2019年4月18日 星期四

創世記32:1-21


32:1 雅各仍舊行路,上帝的使者遇見他。
32:2
雅各看見他們就說:「這是上帝的軍兵」,於是給那地方起名叫瑪哈念(就是二軍兵的意思)。
32:3
雅各打發人先往西珥地去,就是以東地,見他哥哥以掃,
32:4
吩咐他們說:「你們對我主以掃說:『你的僕人雅各這樣說:我在拉班那裡寄居,直到如今。
32:5
我有牛、驢、羊群、僕婢,現在打發人來報告我主,為要在你眼前蒙恩。』」
32:6
所打發的人回到雅各那裡,說:「我們到了你哥哥以掃那裡,他帶著四百人,正迎著你來。」
32:7
雅各就甚懼怕,而且愁煩,便把那與他同在的人口和羊群、牛群、駱駝分做兩隊,
32:8
說:「以掃若來擊殺這一隊,剩下的那一隊還可以逃避。」
32:9
雅各說:「耶和華我祖亞伯拉罕的上帝,我父親以撒的上帝啊,你曾對我說:『回你本地本族去,我要厚待你。』
32:10
你向僕人所施的一切慈愛和誠實,我一點也不配得;我先前只拿著我的杖過這約旦河,如今我卻成了兩隊了。
32:11
求你救我脫離我哥哥以掃的手;因為我怕他來殺我,連妻子帶兒女一同殺了。
32:12
你曾說:『我必定厚待你,使你的後裔如同海邊的沙,多得不可勝數。』」
32:13
當夜,雅各在那裡住宿,就從他所有的物中拿禮物要送給他哥哥以掃:
32:14
母山羊二百隻,公山羊二十隻,母綿羊二百隻,公綿羊二十隻,
32:15
奶崽子的駱駝三十隻各帶著崽子,母牛四十隻,公牛十隻,母驢二十匹,驢駒十匹;
32:16
每樣各分一群,交在僕人手下,就對僕人說:「你們要在我前頭過去,使群群相離,有空閒的地方」;
32:17
又吩咐儘先走的說:「我哥哥以掃遇見你的時候,問你說:『你是哪家的人?要往哪裡去?你前頭這些是誰的?』
32:18
你就說:『是你僕人雅各的,是送給我主以掃的禮物;他自己也在我們後邊。』」
32:19
又吩咐第二、第三,和一切趕群畜的人說:「你們遇見以掃的時候也要這樣對他說;
32:20
並且你們要說:『你僕人雅各在我們後邊。』」因雅各心裡說:「我藉著在我前頭去的禮物解他的恨,然後再見他的面,或者他容納我。」
32:21
於是禮物先過去了;那夜,雅各在隊中住宿。

 Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim.[b]
Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. He instructed them: “This is what you are to say to my lord Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban and have remained there till now. I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, male and female servants. Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes.’”
When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”
In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups,[c] and the flocks and herds and camels as well. He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one group,[d] the group[e] that is left may escape.”
Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, Lord, you who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’ 10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps. 11 Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. 12 But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’”
13 He spent the night there, and from what he had with him he selected a gift for his brother Esau: 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16 He put them in the care of his servants, each herd by itself, and said to his servants, “Go ahead of me, and keep some space between the herds.”
17 He instructed the one in the lead: “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘Who do you belong to, and where are you going, and who owns all these animals in front of you?’ 18 then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent to my lord Esau, and he is coming behind us.’”
19 He also instructed the second, the third and all the others who followed the herds: “You are to say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. 20 And be sure to say, ‘Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.’” For he thought, “I will pacify him with these gifts I am sending on ahead; later, when I see him, perhaps he will receive me.” 21 So Jacob’s gifts went on ahead of him, but he himself spent the night in the camp.

************

    雅各回到家鄉要勇敢面對與哥哥和好的問題,雖然過去得罪了哥哥,經過二十年並不能說事情就這樣過去,心裡總是覺得哥哥一定會找他算舊帳的,心中十分害怕!

    所以,在沒有和哥哥碰面之前,先派人去打聽不打聽還好,一打聽竟然發現哥哥帶了四百人向他而來,讓他更是懼怕!於是想用禮物來軟化哥哥的心,所以分了好幾批人帶禮物,希望能和平解決問題。

    這也告訴我們與人和睦的重要性,即使是家人也要彼此和睦。而在此,我們要感謝主耶穌,祂在十字架上滅去了一切的冤仇,使我們與上帝、與人人都能夠恢復正確合宜的關係!所以,主耶穌的福音是一個和好的福音!

2019年4月16日 星期二

箴言25:8


不要冒失出去與人爭競,免得至終被他羞辱,你就不知道怎樣行了。

What you have seen with your eyes
do not bring hastily to court
for what will you do in the end
    if your neighbor puts you to shame?

***********

    人與人之間還是和平相處最重要,不要主動去挑臖別人製造紛爭,對我們絕對沒有好處,還會受到人的羞辱!

    其實做人還是低調為宜,如此才可以有真正的平靜生活,也才不會羞辱主名!

箴言25:6-7


25:6 不要在王面前妄自尊大;不要在大人的位上站立。
25:7
寧可有人說:請你上來,強如在你覲見的王子面前叫你退下。

Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,
    and do not claim a place among his great men;
it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”
    than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.

***********

    路加福音中,也記載主耶穌有類似的教導:你被人請去赴婚姻的筵席,不要坐在首位上,恐怕有比你尊貴的客被他請來;那請你們的人前來對你說:『讓座給這一位吧!』你就羞羞慚慚地退到末位上去了。你被請的時候,就去坐在末位上,好叫那請你的人來對你說:『朋友,請上座。』那時,你在同席的人面前就有光彩了。因為,凡自高的,必降為卑;自卑的,必升為高。」(14:8-11

    不管是箴言》和《路加福音》的教導都是告訴我們要做一個「自卑」的人,不要做「自高」的人。當然這裡的「自卑」不是叫我們有「自卑感」,認為自己處處不如人。這裡的「自卑」是情願站在卑微的立場,也就是做人要低調,不要擺架子,不要自以為是!

    一個人若喜歡以高調在人面前,不但不能得人的尊重,還會被人羞辱呢!不要忘記,不管地位有多高,謙卑總是會給自己帶來尊榮,就像主耶穌就是最好的模範,祂本是上帝的兒子,是萬王之王,竟然還願意為了拯救我們而走上十字架的道路!所以,祂是配得尊貴和榮耀的!




2019年4月14日 星期日

創世記31:22-55


31:22 到第三日,有人告訴拉班,雅各逃跑了。
31:23
拉班帶領他的眾弟兄去追趕,追了七日,在基列山就追上了。
31:24
夜間,上帝到亞蘭人拉班那裡,在夢中對他說:「你要小心,不可與雅各說好說歹。」
31:25
拉班追上雅各。雅各在山上支搭帳棚;拉班和他的眾弟兄也在基列山上支搭帳棚。
31:26
拉班對雅各說:「你做的是甚麼事呢?你背著我偷走了,又把我的女兒們帶了去,如同用刀劍擄去的一般。
31:27
你為甚麼暗暗地逃跑,偷著走,並不告訴我,叫我可以歡樂、唱歌、擊鼓、彈琴地送你回去?
31:28
又不容我與外孫和女兒親嘴?你所行的真是愚昧!
31:29
我手中原有能力害你,只是你父親的上帝昨夜對我說:『你要小心,不可與雅各說好說歹。』
31:30
現在你雖然想你父家,不得不去,為甚麼又偷了我的神像呢?」
31:31
雅各回答拉班說:「恐怕你把你的女兒從我奪去,所以我逃跑。
31:32
至於你的神像,你在誰那裡搜出來,就不容誰存活。當著我們的眾弟兄,你認一認,在我這裡有甚麼東西是你的,就拿去。」原來雅各不知道拉結偷了那些神像。
31:33
拉班進了雅各、利亞,並兩個使女的帳棚,都沒有搜出來,就從利亞的帳棚出來,進了拉結的帳棚。
31:34
拉結已經把神像藏在駱駝的馱簍裡,便坐在上頭。拉班摸遍了那帳棚,並沒有摸著。
31:35
拉結對她父親說:「現在我身上不便,不能在你面前起來,求我主不要生氣。」這樣,拉班搜尋神像,竟沒有搜出來。
31:36
雅各就發怒斥責拉班說:「我有甚麼過犯,有甚麼罪惡,你竟這樣火速地追我?
31:37
你摸遍了我一切的家具,你搜出甚麼來呢?可以放在你我弟兄面前,叫他們在你我中間辨別辨別。
31:38
我在你家這二十年,你的母綿羊、母山羊沒有掉過胎。你群中的公羊,我沒有吃過;
31:39
被野獸撕裂的,我沒有帶來給你,是我自己賠上。無論是白日,是黑夜,被偷去的,你都向我索要。
31:40
我白日受盡乾熱,黑夜受盡寒霜,不得合眼睡著,我常是這樣。
31:41
我這二十年在你家裡,為你的兩個女兒服事你十四年,為你的羊群服事你六年,你又十次改了我的工價。
31:42
若不是我父親以撒所敬畏的上帝,就是亞伯拉罕的上帝與我同在,你如今必定打發我空手而去。上帝看見我的苦情和我的勞碌,就在昨夜責備你。」
31:43
拉班回答雅各說:「這女兒是我的女兒,這些孩子是我的孩子,這些羊群也是我的羊群;凡在你眼前的都是我的。我的女兒並她們所生的孩子,我今日能向他們做甚麼呢?
31:44
來吧!你我二人可以立約,作你我中間的證據。」
31:45
雅各就拿一塊石頭立作柱子,
31:46
又對眾弟兄說:「你們堆聚石頭。」他們就拿石頭來堆成一堆,大家便在旁邊吃喝。
31:47
拉班稱那石堆為伊迦爾撒哈杜他,雅各卻稱那石堆為迦累得(都是以石堆為證的意思)。
31:48
拉班說:「今日這石堆作你我中間的證據。」因此這地方名叫迦累得,
31:49
又叫米斯巴,意思說:「我們彼此離別以後,願耶和華在你我中間鑒察。
31:50
你若苦待我的女兒,又在我的女兒以外另娶妻,雖沒有人知道,卻有上帝在你我中間作見證。」
31:51
拉班又說:「你看我在你我中間所立的這石堆和柱子。
31:52
這石堆作證據,這柱子也作證據。我必不過這石堆去害你;你也不可過這石堆和柱子來害我。
31:53
但願亞伯拉罕的上帝和拿鶴的上帝,就是他們父親的上帝,在你我中間判斷。」雅各就指著他父親以撒所敬畏的上帝起誓,
31:54
又在山上獻祭,請眾弟兄來吃飯。他們吃了飯,便在山上住宿。
31:55
拉班清早起來,與他外孫和女兒親嘴,給他們祝福,回往自己的地方去了。

 22 On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled. 23 Taking his relatives with him, he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 Then God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”
25 Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You’ve deceived me, and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war. 27 Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me, so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels and harps? 28 You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. You have done a foolish thing. 29 I have the power to harm you; but last night the God of your father said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’ 30 Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household. But why did you steal my gods?”
31 Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force. 32 But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live. In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.
33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he found nothing. After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them inside her camel’s saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched through everything in the tent but found nothing.
35 Rachel said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I’m having my period.” So he searched but could not find the household gods.
36 Jacob was angry and took Laban to task. “What is my crime?” he asked Laban. “How have I wronged you that you hunt me down? 37 Now that you have searched through all my goods, what have you found that belongs to your household? Put it here in front of your relatives and mine, and let them judge between the two of us.
38 “I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. 39 I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night. 40 This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. 41 It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times. 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you.”
43 Laban answered Jacob, “The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks. All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne? 44 Come now, let’s make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.”
45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 He said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and piled them in a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.[b]
48 Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” That is why it was called Galeed. 49 It was also called Mizpah,[c] because he said, “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. 50 If you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me.”
51 Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this heap, and here is this pillar I have set up between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me. 53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.”
So Jacob took an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac. 54 He offered a sacrifice there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night there.
55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then he left and returned home.

************

    雅各偷跑被拉班發現,雖然彼此有爭執,最後在上帝面前立石為證,互相保證不會侵犯彼此!

    立石為證讓我們想到,我們和上帝之間的「活石」或「磐石」,就是耶穌基督!上帝看見耶穌基督,就想到祂赦免我們一切的罪,因著耶穌基督!而我們看見耶穌基督,就想到我們是被上帝拯救的,我們是因這耶穌基督渴已與上帝同在!

    有形的石頭,有一天會被風化或是地面凹陷,石頭就不見了!但是耶穌基督卻是永不改變,我們與上帝的關係是永不更改的!



創世記32章

       創世記32:1-21   ,      

       創世記32:22-32  ,  創世記32:26  , 創世記第32:26

       創世記32:28  ,  創世記32:28 ,

創世記31章

       創世記31:1-21  ,

      創世記31:22-55  ,