What should believers do for their family before God takes them in death? Just what Jacob did.
在神接信徒回天家之前，他们当为家人做些什么？以下就是雅各所行的。
He Praised God For The Past 他为过去赞美神
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).
雅各告诉他的家人神为他所做的一切，并神是如何赐福给他。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堡垒（49:24）。到了生命的尽头，愿我们都能说：“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）。
He Gave A Blessing While He Could 他赐予祝福
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.
流便为自己的罪赔上作长子的福分，而西缅与利未的罪也叫他们失去祝福。雅各以约瑟之子以法莲和玛拿西取代西缅和利未（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，叫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。我们绝不可教神该如何祝福他人。
He Warned About The Future 他对未来的警告
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 by 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.
第49章不仅是一个父亲对众子的祝福，同时也是预言，即他们因为各自的性情和决定做能展望的未来。流便是淫荡的浪子，但利未和西缅是愤怒的兄长。犹大则是王室家族，因弥赛亚将从犹大而来（示罗，即“和平使者”）。约瑟是墙上的葡萄树，把犹太人和外邦人分离开。他虽被自己的弟兄攻击，但这也经常发生在那些被神特别祝福的人身上。但是耶和华与他同在，使他坚强，并扩大他蒙福的范围（26节）。约瑟虽受苦，但神却祝福他的儿子。流便犯罪，叫他与众子失去了神的祝福。
Praying the Scripture 用经文祷告
- 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.
不管你是否做好准备，必面临死亡。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。
- The three sons of Jacob 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.
雅各的三个儿子因为他们过去的行为失去未来的奖赏（3-7节）。约瑟代替流便，成为雅各的长子（49:3-4;代上5:2），而约瑟的两个儿子将取代西缅和利未（创49:5-7），即雅各的第二和第三个儿子。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。但雅各保证每一个支派将在未来的应许之地必有一席之地，这对他们有重大的意义，也使他们在困境中坚持下去。亲爱的主啊，求您帮助我提醒我的一家要注视您与您的应许，而不是看自己。
