19 Mar 2018, Gen 48-49 创48-49章, Preparing for Death 为死亡预备

Posted on Feb 2, 2018 in Devotions, Genesis |

Scripture Reading        : Gen 48-49

Theme                            : Preparing for Death

 

What should believers do for their family before God takes them in death? Just what Jacob did.

He praised God for the past.

He told his family what God had done for him and how God had blessed him. God had redeemed him and shepherded him all his life (48:15–16). Jacob had been in some hard places, but the “Stone of Israel” had been his refuge and defense (49:24). At the end of life, may we be able to say, “Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord” (Ps. 34:11).

He gave a blessing while he could.

Reuben’s sin cost him the blessing of the firstborn and Simeon and Levi’s sins also cost them their blessing. Jacob made Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh to replace Simeon and Levi (Gen. 49:5–7; Gen. 35:22ff; 1 Chron. 5:1–2.) God also changed the birth order as Jacob put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. Joseph was disturbed by the move, but Jacob was right. We must never try to tell God how to bless other people.

He warned about the future.

Chapter 49 is not only a father’s blessing on his sons. Rather, it is a prophecy of what the sons could expect in the future because of their individual characters and the decisions they had made. Reuben was the lustful prodigal son, but Levi and Simeon were angry elder brothers. Judah would be the royal tribe, for the Messiah (Shiloh, “the peace-bringer”) would come from Judah. Joseph was the vine that went over the wall separating Jews and Gentiles. He was shot at by his brethren, which often happens to those who are especially blessed of God. But the Lord was with him, strengthened him, and extended his boundaries of blessing (v. 26). Joseph suffered, and his sons were blessed by God. Reuben sinned, and his sons lost the blessing of God. [1]

 

Praying the Scripture

  1. Everyone will face death regardless if you are ready or not. What will you say to your family members on your dying bed? What legacy do you want to leave behind? Can you recount your life story and testimony to them? Every decision you make and every step you take will be woven into a story you will leave behind to your family. Let’s pray that it will be a story that glorifies God rather than you.
  2. The three sons of Joseph learned that their past conduct had cost them their future inheritance (vv. 3–7). Joseph replaced Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn (49:3–4; 1 Chron. 5:2); and now Joseph’s sons would replace Simeon and Levi (Gen. 49:5–7), Jacob’s second and third sons. We always reap what we sow. But something else was true: Jacob’s prophetic words must have given great encouragement to his descendants during their difficult time of suffering in Egypt, as well as during their unhappy years wandering in the wilderness. Jacob assured each tribe of a future place in the Promised Land, and that meant a great deal to them. Dear Lord, help me to remind our family to fix their eyes on you and your promises rather than ourselves.

[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, With the Word Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991), Ge 48:1.

 
 
 
 

经文：创48-49章

主题：为死亡预备

 

在神将在最终把每一个信徒都带回天家，信徒在回天家之前应该为家人做些什么呢？

他为过去赞美神

他告诉他的家人神为他所做的和神是如何赐福给他。神赎回了他并看护他的一生（48:15-16）。雅各经历过艰苦，但“以色列的磐石”一直是他的避难所和防御（49:24）。在生命的尽头时，愿我们能说，“众弟子啊，你们当来听我的话！我要将敬畏耶和华的道教训你们”（诗34:11）。

继续带给别人祝福

流便为自己的罪赔上自己的长子祝福，而西缅和利未的罪也为自己赔上了他们自己的祝福。雅各以约瑟的儿子以法莲和玛拿西来取代西缅和利未（创49:5-7;创35:22 ；代上5:1-2）。神也改变了两个兄弟的出生顺序，雅各把以法莲放在玛拿西之先。约瑟对此感到不安，但雅各是正确的。我们永远都不可试图告诉神该如何祝福别人。

他对未来的警告

第49章不仅是一个父亲对儿子们的祝福。同时它也是一个预言，儿子因为他们各自的性格和所作出的决定，雅各便可以知道会有什么样的未来。流便是淫荡的浪子，但利未和西缅是愤怒的哥哥。而弥赛亚将出自犹大这王室的家族（示罗，“和平使者”）。约瑟是墙上的葡萄树，把犹太人和外邦人分离开来。他虽被自己的弟兄们攻击，但这也经常发生在那些被神特别祝福的人身上。但是耶和华却与他同在，使他坚强起来，并扩大他祝福的范围（26节）。约瑟虽受苦，但神却祝福他的儿子。流便犯罪却失去了神的祝福。


用经文祷告

  1. 不管你是否准备好，每个人都会面对死亡。在你垂死的床上，你会对家人说些什么呢？你想留下什么呢？你是否可以叙述你的生命并向他们作见证呢？你所做的每一个决定、所走的每走一步，将是你留给家人的一个故事。让我们祷告这将是一个荣耀神的故事，而不是荣耀你自己。
  1. 雅各约瑟的三个儿子因为他们过去的行为已赔上了他们未来的奖赏（3-7节）。约瑟代替流便成为雅各的长子（49:3-4;代上5:2）：而现在雅各的两个儿子将取代西缅和利未（创49:5-7），雅各的第二和第三的儿子。我们必自食其果。除此以外，雅各还预言他的后裔将在埃及面临困难和痛苦，并且有多年徘徊在旷野。但雅各保证每支派在未来的应许之地时候，他们必有一席之地，这对他们有重大的意义。亲爱的主啊，帮助我提醒我们的家人要瞩目于袮和袮的应许，而不看我们自己身上。
  1. 神也应许了雅各关于弥赛亚的启示。在雅各的话中，你认识到示罗（49:10）、救世主（耶稣，49:18）、大能者、大牧者、盘石（49:24）和全能的（49:25），所有都指向我们的救主耶稣基督。亲爱的主，请帮我们在圣经中看到袮，尤其是在旧约里。