1 Mar 2018, Gen 28 创28章, The Presence of the Lord 在主面前

Posted on Feb 2, 2018 in Devotions, Genesis |

Scripture Reading        : Gen 28

Theme                            : The Presence of the Lord

 

A day of disappointment (1–9).

Jacob was a lonely fugitive, forced to flee from home. Even though he left with his father’s blessing (and Isaac knew what he was doing), Jacob faced an unknown future, and his brother still wanted to kill him. Not an encouraging beginning for a new chapter in his life! But God was still in control (Rom. 8:28).

A night of discovery(10–15).

Jacob was literally between a rock and a hard place. But that night, Jacob made several discoveries that helped to change his life. He discovered that God was with him and working for him and had a perfect plan for his life. Jacob may have been separated from home, but he was not separated from heaven. (See John 1:51.) The very angels of God were caring for him (Heb. 1:13–14). “When the night is the darkest, you see the stars the brightest.”

A morning of dedication(16–22).

Jacob began his day worshiping God and turning his hard pillow into a holy altar. He gave the place a new name: “house of God.” Wherever God meets us, that place becomes a holy sanctuary. Jacob’s faith as yet was weak, but he did lay hold of God’s promises, even if there is a bit of “the bargainer” in his vow to give God the tithe. Jacob was making a new beginning, and twenty years later he would return to Bethel a more mature believer.[1]

 

Praying the Scripture

  1. Jacob the “home boy” is now without a home and is starting on a five hundred mile trek to Haran. He was fleeing from an angry brother and facing an unknown future, and all he had to depend on was his father’s blessing. From now on, the home boy would have to become a pilgrim and walk by faith. Jacob put his head on stone and slept (vv. 11, 18), a common practice in the Near East. As he slept, he had a dream in which he saw a ladder or stairway with angels going up and down between heaven and earth. Jacob discovered that he wasn’t alone but that God was with him! The God of Abraham and Isaac was watching over him and His angels were there to guard him and serve him. Yes we are also pilgrims on earth and we are also not alone. The Lord is with us. Let’s pray that we are constantly aware of the omnipresent Lord who is with us always.
  1. On awakening, Jacob’s first response was one of fear and surprise. God was in there and he didn’t know it! But “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Prov. 1:7) His next act was to worship God who had appeared to him. He turned the headpiece into a pillar to memorialize the great experience. By pouring oil on the stone, he consecrated it to the Lord. In later Hebrew liturgy, the pouring out of liquid was symbolic of pouring one’s life out in devotion to the Lord (Ex. 29:38–41; see also Phil. 2:17; 2 Cor. 12:15). Pray that we will also devote our entire lives to the Lord who is always with us as Jacob did.

[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, With the Word Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991), Ge 28:1.

 
 
 
 

经文：创28章

主题：在主面前

 

失望的一天（1-9）

雅各被迫离家成为了一个孤独的逃犯。即使他带着父亲的祝福离开，但他仍然必须独自面对未知的将来和面对想要杀他的兄弟。雅各就是在这种灰暗的环境开始了新的生活！但神仍然是掌权的主（罗8:28）

发掘的一晚（10-15）

雅各的确在两难之间。但在这一夜雅各有许多改变自己生命的新发现。他发现神与他同在、并且有完美的计划。雅各虽然已离家，但他并没离开天家。 （见约1:51）神的使者正在细心照料着他（希1:13-14）。 “夜晚最黑暗的时候，也就是星星最光亮的时候。”

奉献的一上午（16-22）

雅各把他的石枕变为一个神圣的祭坛，以敬拜神来迎接新的一天。他为这地方取了一个新的名字：“神的殿” 。神在哪里与我们同在，那个地方就成为神的殿。雅各的信心虽然软弱，在奉献上与神“讨价还价”，但他仍然紧握住神的应许。这就是雅各新的开始，20年后他将以成熟信徒的面目返回伯特利。


用经文祷告

  1. 雅各这“居家男孩”竟然失去了家，并开始跋涉500里到哈兰。他正在逃离愤怒的哥哥，面对着未知的将来，他只能依赖着父亲对自己的祝福。从现在起，“居家男孩”将成为一个“旅居者”，并需要凭信心走前面的道路。把头放在石头上睡觉（第11、18节）是东方人普遍的做法。在他睡觉的时候，他做了一个梦，看到神的使者从一个梯子在天地之间上去下来。这时，雅各发现他并不孤单，而且神与他同在！亚伯拉罕和以撒的神正在看守着他，天使们也在保护、服侍他。是的，我们也是世上的旅居者，我们也不孤独。因为主与我们同。让我们祷告，我们能够下意识记得那一直与我们同在、无所不在的主。
  2. 当雅各醒来时的第一反应是恐惧和惊讶。神就在这里，他竟然不知道！但是“敬畏耶和华就是知识的开端”（箴1:7），所以雅各马上敬拜神。他把所枕的石头立作柱子来纪念这次重大的发现。通过浇油在石头上，他把一生奉献给主。在希伯来人的礼仪上，浇油等于把一生奉献给主（出29:38-41；腓2:17，林后12:15）。请祷告，我们也像雅各一样把自己的一生献给永远与我们同在的主。