9 Mar 2018, Gen 35-36 创35-36章, The New Horizon 全新的视野

Posted on Feb 2, 2018 in Devotions, Genesis |

Scripture Reading        : Gen 35-36

Theme                             : The New Horizon

 

Moving from Genesis 34 to Genesis 35 is like going from a desert to a garden. The atmosphere in Genesis 35 is one of faith and obedience, and the emphasis is on cleansing and renewal. God is mentioned ten times in chapter 35; and He used His name  El Shaddai, which means “God Almighty, the all-sufficient One.” Best of all, in chapter 35 you see God’s pilgrims making progress and arriving at the place of God’s appointment.

New beginnings.

God once more appeared and told Jacob what to do. This was a part of the Bethel promise (28:13–15). We walk by faith when we obey God in spite of circumstances or consequences. But a change in geography does not guarantee a change in life, so Jacob told the whole family to bury the past and get rid of their heathen charms and idols. At Bethel, Jacob built a new altar and worshiped “the God of the house of God.”

New sorrows.

Three deaths are recorded in this chapter, for death is one of the facts of life. Jacob’s obedience to God did not prevent him from experiencing trials. He lost a friend, Deborah; a favorite wife, Rachel; and then his beloved father. (In spite of what he said in 27:2, Isaac lived for forty-three years after that!) Perhaps the greatest sorrow of all was the sin of his firstborn son Reuben. Sin is expensive, and this one cost Reuben the birthright (49:3–4; 1 Chron. 5:1).

New joys.

The birth of Benjamin cost Rachel her life (30:1). Jacob wisely changed the name from “son of my sorrow” to “son of my right hand” (the place of honor). It was an act of faith at a time when Jacob’s heart was broken. Like Benjamin, our Lord Jesus is a Son of sorrow (Isa. 53:3) and a Son of the right hand (Ps. 110:1; Mark 16:19). The tribe of Benjamin gave us the apostle Paul (Phil. 3:5), so the mother’s sacrifice bore a rich harvest for the whole world (John 12:24–25). [1]

 

Praying the Scripture

  1. No matter how many times we’ve failed the Lord, we can go back to Him provided we truly repent and obey. It happened to Abraham (13:1–4), Isaac (26:17), David (2 Sam. 12), Jonah (Jonah 3:1–3), and Peter (John 21:15–19); and now it’s happening to Jacob. Jacob returned to God. Dear Lord, I am not fooled by my propensity to sin but help me to rely on you and if I sin again, please help me to repent and return to you and ask for forgiveness immediately.
  1. Rachel named his son Ben-oni which means “son of my sorrow.” But Jacob renamed his new son Benjamin, which means “son of my right hand,” that is, a son of honor. The first king of Israel came from the tribe of Benjamin (1 Sam. 9) and the Apostle Paul was also a Benjamite (Phil. 3:5). Jacob’s faith brought him hope rather than sorrow. Lord, help us to see our problems with spiritual lenses. You are a good God and you cause all things to work together for good. So let us receive your grace, including discipline from your hand, with gratitude and learn from it.

[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, With the Word Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991), Ge 35:1.

 
 
 
 

经文：创35-36章

主题：全新的视野

 

从创世记34章读到创世记35章就好像从沙漠到了花园一样。在创世记35章所强调的是信心和顺服、圣洁和重生。在第35章中，神的名字就提到十次；而所用的名字是El Shaddai，“全能神，自供自足的神”。最重要的是在第35章中我们看到旅居世界的“过客”更迈进神所预备的地方了。

新的开始

神再次出现并指示雅各要做的事。这是伯特利应许的一部分（28:13-15）。“凭信心行事”就是不顾后果的顺服神。环境的改变并不能代表生命的改变。雅各要全家忘记过去，并处理掉外邦偶像。雅各在伯特利建立了一个新的祭坛献并且敬拜“在神殿中的神。”

新的悲伤

本章节记录了三个死亡，因为死亡是生命的一部分。顺服神并不表示没有试炼。雅各失去一个朋友（底波拉）、心爱的妻子（拉结）和敬爱的父亲。但是他最大的悲哀就是他的长子流便的罪。罪的代价是非常昂高，流便因此失去了长子的名分（49:3-4；代前5:1）。

新的喜乐。

拉结在生便雅悯时难产而失去了生命（30:1）。雅各明智地把名字从“儿子，我的悲伤” 改成“儿子，我的右手的”（荣誉的位置）。当雅各还在悲哀时，却能做出这样的表现，这是出于信心的。如便雅悯一样，我们主耶稣也是悲伤的儿子（赛53:3）和在右手的儿子（诗110:1；可16:19）。从便雅悯支派神给了我们使徒保罗（腓3:5），所以这母亲的牺牲带给了全世界一个极大的祝福（约12:24-25）。

 

用经文祷告

  1. 无论我们辜负主多少次，只要我们真正的悔改和服从，我们就可以回到主那里去。这发生在亚伯拉罕（13:1-4）、以撒（26:17）、大卫（撒下12）、约拿（约拿3:1-3）、彼得的身上（约21:15-19）；现在也发生在雅各的身上。亲爱的主，我们不能因习性的犯罪而找借口，请帮助我们多多依靠袮，在犯罪的时候，请帮助我悔改、回到你那里并立即请求宽恕。
  1. 拉结为儿子名为便俄尼，意思是“儿子，我的悲伤。”但雅各改为便雅悯：“儿子，我的右手的”，亦是荣誉的位置。以色列的第一任国王就是出于便雅悯支派（1撒9），使徒保罗也是便雅悯人（腓3:5）。雅各的信心，带来希望而不是悲伤。主啊，请帮助我们以属灵的眼光来看待我们的问题。袮是一个美善的神，袮使万事互相效力来完成美好的旨意。因此，让我们接受袮的恩典，包括以感恩的心来接受袮的磨练，并从中吸取教训。