第14章 雅各与天使
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第14章 雅各与天使
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Chap. 14—Jacob and the Angel
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雅各这时又形象地想起自己过去用欺诈手段骗取他哥哥福分的错误，他就惟恐上帝容许以扫杀害他。他在急难之中整夜向上帝祷告。我看到有一位天使站立在雅各面前，向他指明他错误的真相。那位天使正要转身离开雅各时，他便抓住他不让他走。雅各流泪祈祷。他哀求说：他已经深深地痛悔自己的罪和他得罪他哥哥的事，这些罪曾使他离开父家达二十年之久。他胆敢诉诸上帝的应许，以及他在远离父家时屡次向他表示眷爱的凭证。雅各整夜和那位使者较力，求他赐福。那使者似乎在抗拒他的祈祷，不住地叫他想起自己的罪，同时也力图要摆脱他。雅各却决心拉住那位天使，不仅靠赖体力，而且靠赖活泼信心的能力。雅各在急难中提到了自己心灵的痛悔，他对自己错行所感到的深刻自卑。那位天使似乎不大注意他的祈祷，不断地力图使自己摆脱雅各的纠缠。他很可能施展他超自然的能力挣脱雅各的手，但他并没有选择这样作。及至他看到自己不能胜过雅各，使他相信他超自然的能力，他便摸了雅各的大腿窝，大腿便立时脱了节。但雅各却不因身体方面的痛苦而放弃他恳切的努力。他的目的乃是要得福，因此身体方面的痛苦，并不足以使他的思想转离这个目标。他的决心在争战的最后时刻中比开始时更加坚强。他的信心也变得更加恳切恒切，直到最后天都快亮了。他拉住那位天使不肯放松，定要他为他祝福。“那人说：天黎明了，容我去吧。雅各说：你不给我祝福，我就不容你去。”于是天使问他说：“你名叫什么？他说：我名叫雅各。那人说：你的名不要再叫雅各，要叫以色列，因为你与上帝与人较力，都得了胜”（创32:26-28）。{3SG 128.1}[1]
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Jacob’s wrong, in receiving his brother’s blessing by fraud, is again brought forcibly before him, and he is afraid that God will permit Esau to take his life. In his distress he prayed to God all night. An angel was represented to me as standing before Jacob, presenting his wrong before him in its true character. As the angel turns to leave him, Jacob lays hold of him, and will not let him go. He makes supplications with tears. He pleads that he has deeply repented of his sins, and the wrongs against his brother, which have been the means of separating him from his father’s house for twenty years. He ventures to plead the promises of God, and the tokens of his favor to him from time to time, in his?absence from his father’s house. All night Jacob wrestled with the angel, making supplication for a blessing. The angel seemed to be resisting his prayer, by continually calling his sins to his remembrance, at the same time endeavoring to break away from him. Jacob was determined to hold the angel, not only by physical strength, but by the power of living faith. In his distress Jacob referred to the repentance of his soul, the deep humility he had felt for his wrongs. The angel regarded his prayer with seeming indifference, continually making efforts to release himself from the grasp of Jacob. He might have exercised his supernatural power and forced himself from Jacob’s grasp, but he did not choose to do this. But when he saw that he prevailed not against Jacob, to convince him of his supernatural power, he touched his thigh, which was immediately out of joint. But Jacob would not give up his earnest efforts for bodily pain. His object was to obtain a blessing, and pain of body was not sufficient to divert his mind from his object. His determination was stronger in the last moments of the conflict than at the beginning. His faith grew more earnest and persevering, until the very last, even till the breaking of the day. He would not let go his hold of the angel until he blessed him. “And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.” The angel then inquired, What is thy?name? “And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel, for as a prince hast thou power with God, and with men, and hast prevailed.”?{3SG 128.1}[1]
§5
雅各恒切的信心终于获胜了。他紧紧拉住那位天使，直到得着他所企求的福，以及自己罪恶得蒙赦免的保证。他的名字从篡夺者雅各改为以色列，意思就是“上帝的王子。”“雅各问他说：请将你的名字告诉我；那人说：何必问我的名？于是在那里给雅各祝福。雅各便给那地方起名叫毗努伊勒，意思说，我面对面见了上帝，我的性命仍得保全”（创32:29,30）。那与雅各彻夜较力，而为雅各所恒切执住，直到祂给他祝福为止的乃是基督。{3SG 130.1}[2]
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Jacob’s persevering faith prevailed. He held fast the angel until he obtained the blessing he desired, and the assurance of the pardon of his sins. His name was then changed from Jacob, the supplanter, to Israel, which signified, a prince of God. “And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel; for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” It was Christ that was with Jacob through that night, with whom he wrestled, and whom he perseveringly held until he blessed him.?{3SG 130.1}[2]
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主垂听了雅各的呼求，并改变了以扫的心意。祂并没有认可雅各所采取的任何错误行径。雅各一生充满怀疑、困惑、和因自己的罪而生出的悔恨，直到他与天使诚恳较力，并在那里得到上帝赦罪的凭据为止。{3SG 130.2}[3]
§8
The Lord heard the supplications of Jacob, and changed the purposes of Esau’s heart. He did not sanction any wrong course which Jacob pursued. His life was one of doubt, perplexity and remorse, because of his sin, until his earnest wrestling with the angel, and the evidence he there obtained that God had pardoned his sins.?{3SG 130.2}[3]
§9
他“与天使较力并且得胜，哭泣恳求，在伯特利遇见耶和华，耶和华万军之上帝在那里晓谕我们以色列人；耶和华是祂可记念的名”（何12:4-5）。{3SG 130.3}[4]
§10
“Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed. He wept, and made supplication unto him. He found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us, even the Lord God of hosts. The Lord is his memorial.”?{3SG 130.3}[4]
§11
这时以扫正带着一队人向雅各进军，志在杀害他的兄弟。但正当雅各和天使较力的那一夜，另一位天使奉差遣在以扫睡眠的时候感动他的心。他在梦中看见雅各因逃命而远离父家达二十年之久。他也注意到他得悉母亲去世而生的悲伤。他在梦中看到雅各的谦卑，以及上帝的天使环绕着他。他也梦见他们相会时，他已无意加害于他了。以扫醒来，便向他手下的四百人讲说这梦，并告诉他们千万不可伤害雅各，因有他父亲的上帝与他同在。所以在他们遇见雅各时，他们中间任何人都不可加害于他。“雅各举目观看，见以扫来了，后头跟着四百人……他自己在他们前头过去，一连七次俯伏在地，才就近他哥哥。以扫跑来迎接他，将他抱住，又搂住他的颈项与他亲嘴，两个人就哭了。”雅各央求以扫接受一批和好的献礼，以扫却谢绝不受，但雅各坚求他收下，说：“求你收下我带来给你的礼物；因为上帝恩待我，使我充足。雅各再三的求他，他才收下了”（创33:1-4；11）。{3SG 130.4}[5]
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Esau was marching against Jacob with an?army for the purpose of killing his brother. But while Jacob was wrestling with the angel that night, another angel was sent to move upon the heart of Esau in his sleeping hours. In his dream he saw Jacob an exile from his father’s house for twenty years, because he was afraid of his life. And he marked his sorrow to find his mother dead. He saw in his dream Jacob’s humility, and angels of God around about him. He dreamed that when they met, he had no mind to harm him. When Esau awoke, he related to his four hundred men his dream, and told them that they must not injure Jacob, for the God of his father was with him. And when they should meet Jacob, not one of them should do him harm. “And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked and behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men.” “And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near his brother. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him, and they wept.” Jacob entreated Esau to accept a peace-offering, which Esau declined, but Jacob urged him. “Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.”?{3SG 130.4}[5]
§13
雅各和以扫代表两等人：雅各代表义人。以扫代表恶人。雅各在听说以扫带着四百人向他进袭时所感到的急难，正代表义人在主复临前夕有法令发出要将他们处死时所遭受的艰难。恶人既包围他们，他们势必忧心如焚，因为他们也象雅各一样，看不出自己有什么生路。那位天使既已置身于雅各面前，雅各便抓住那位天使，与他整夜较力。义人也必如此，他们遭受艰难痛苦时，也必在祈祷中与上帝较力，正如雅各与天使较力一样。雅各在急难中彻夜祷告，要求脱离以扫的手。义人在受到心灵方面的痛苦时，也必昼夜呼求上帝，求祂拯救他们脱离那包围着他们之恶人的手。{3SG 131.1}[6]
§14
Jacob and Esau represent two classes; Jacob the righteous, and Esau the wicked. Jacob’s distress when he learned that Esau was?marching against him with four hundred men, represents the trouble of the righteous as the decree goes forth to put them to death, just before the coming of the Lord. As the wicked gather about them they will be filled with anguish, for like Jacob they can see no escape for their lives. The angel placed himself before Jacob, and he took hold of the angel and held him, and wrestled with him all night. So also will the righteous, in their time of trouble and anguish, wrestle in prayer with God, as Jacob wrestled with the angel. Jacob in his distress prayed all night for deliverance from the hand of Esau. The righteous in their mental anguish will cry to God day and night for deliverance from the hand of the wicked who surround them.?{3SG 131.1}[6]
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雅各承认了他的不配：“祢向仆人所施的一切慈爱和诚实，我一点也不配得”（创32:10）。义人在急难中也必深深感到自己的不配，并且不住流泪承认自己的完全不配，象雅各一般，提出上帝借基督所赐给象这样无依无靠，不能自主而痛悔之罪人的种种应许。{3SG 132.1}[7]
§16
Jacob confessed his unworthiness. “I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast showed unto thy servant.” The righteous, in their distress, will have a deep sense of their unworthiness, and with many tears will acknowledge their utter unworthiness, and like Jacob will plead the promises of God through Christ, made to just such dependent, helpless, repenting sinners.?{3SG 132.1}[7]
§17
雅各在急难中紧紧握住了那位天使而不容他去。他流泪恳求时，那位天使就叫他想起他过去所犯的错误，并竭力要摆脱雅各，要试验他。义人在遭难的日子也要如此经受试炼和考验，为要显明他们信心的力量、他们的恒心以及对于上帝拯救他们之神能的坚强信赖。{3SG 132.2}[8]
§18
Jacob took firm hold of the angel in his distress, and would not let him go. As he made supplication with tears, the angel reminded him of his past wrongs, and endeavored to escape from Jacob, to test him and prove him. So will the righteous, in the day of their?anguish, be tested, proved, and tried, to manifest their strength of faith, their perseverance and unshaken confidence in the power of God to deliver them.?{3SG 132.2}[8]
§19
雅各不肯被拒绝。他知道上帝是有怜悯的，所以他就恳求上帝的怜悯。他指出他过去如何为自己的罪忧伤痛悔，所以竭力恳求拯救他脱离以扫的手。他如此继续不断地请求了一整夜。他既回顾自己过去的一切错误，便几乎要绝望了。但他深知他必须得到上帝的帮助，否则就必灭亡。他紧握住那位天使，并用痛苦、恳切的呼求提出他的请求，直到他得到胜利为止。义人的经验也必如此，他们在回顾过去一生事迹时，他们的希望几乎要消沉了。但他们既认识到这事的有关生死存亡，就必热切地呼求上帝，向祂申诉他们过去曾经如何为自己的许多罪恶忧伤与谦心痛悔，同时也提出祂的应许：“让他持住我的能力，使他与我和好；愿他与我和好”（赛27:5）。这样，他们的恳切呼求就必日以继夜奉献到上帝面前。{3SG 133.1}[9]
§20
Jacob would not be turned away. He knew that God was merciful, and he appealed to his mercy. He pointed back to his past sorrow and repentance of his wrongs, and urged his petition for deliverance from the hand of Esau. Thus his importuning continued all night. As he reviewed his past wrongs, he was driven almost to despair. But he knew that he must have help from God or perish. He held fast the angel, and urged his petition with agonizing, earnest cries, until he prevailed. Thus will it be with the righteous. As they review the events of their past life, their hopes will almost sink. But as they realize that it is a case of life or death, they will earnestly cry unto God, and appeal to him in regard to their past sorrow and humble repentance of their many sins, and then will refer to his promise, “Let him take hold of my strength, and make peace with me, and he shall make peace with me.” Thus will their earnest petitions be offered to God day and night.?{3SG 133.1}[9]
§21
如果雅各没有事先悔改他过去用欺诈手段骗得长子福分的罪，上帝就不会垂听他的祷告，也不会开恩拯救他的性命了。{3SG 133.2}[10]
§22
God would not have heard the prayer of Jacob, and mercifully saved his life, if he had not previously repented to his wrongs in obtaining the blessing by fraud.?{3SG 133.2}[10]
§23
义人也必象雅各一样，表现不屈不挠的信心和诚挚的决心，不甘于被拒绝。他们必感到自己的不配，但决不至有隐藏而尚未揭露的过错。如果他们这时还发现有未曾承认，未曾悔改的罪，而仍在为惧怕和痛苦所困，因此深感自己的完全不配，他们就必无法抬头了。他们热切的信心将要被绝望所截断，他们就没有把握如此恳切地请求上帝施行拯救，而他们宝贵的光阴便要用来承认隐藏的罪，并为自己毫无指望的情形哀哭了。{3SG 133.3}[11]
§24
The righteous, like Jacob, will manifest unyielding faith, and earnest determination,?which will take no denial. They will feel their unworthiness, but will have no concealed wrongs to reveal. If they had sins, unconfessed and unrepented of, to appear then before them, while tortured with fear and anguish, with a lively sense of all their unworthiness, they would be overwhelmed. Despair would cut off their earnest faith, and they could not have confidence to plead with God, thus earnestly for deliverance, and their precious moments would be spent in confessing hidden sins, and bewailing their hopeless condition.?{3SG 133.3}[11]
§25
自称信主到了大艰难时期却没有准备好的人，必绝望地在众人面前以极其痛苦的言辞承认自己的罪，同时恶人却因他们的苦恼而欢喜雀跃。凡属这种人的情况是无望的。当基督站起来，离开至圣所时，大艰难时期就开始了，每一个人都已定案，再没有赎罪的血洁净罪污了。当耶稣离开至圣所时，祂以果断的口吻和君王的权威说：“不义的，叫他仍旧不义；污秽的，叫他仍旧污秽；为义的，叫他仍旧为义；圣洁的，叫他仍旧圣洁。看哪，我必快来！赏罚在我，要照各人所行的报应他”（启22:11,12）。{3SG 134.1}[12]
§26
Those professed believers who come up to the time of trouble unprepared, will, in their despair, confess their sins before all in words of burning anguish, while the wicked exult over their distress. The case of all such is hopeless. When Christ stands up, and leaves the most holy place, then the time of trouble commences, and the case of every soul is decided, and there will be no atoning blood to cleanse from sin and pollution. As Jesus leaves the most holy, he speaks in tones of decision and kingly authority, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”?{3SG 134.1}[12]
§27
那些迟延，不赶快为上帝的大日作准备的人，决不能在大艰难时期或将来任何时期准备好。义人不会停止呼吁拯救的恳求。他们虽然想不起任何具体的罪，但在自己的一生中却看不到多少良善。他们的罪已先到审判台前，且已被写下了赦免。他们的罪已被带到遗忘之地，所以他们想不起来了。他们确实受着遭到毁灭的威胁，并象雅各一样不会让自己的信心因祈祷没有立刻蒙应允而变得软弱。他们虽然忍受着饥饿的痛苦，却不会停止求情。他们持住上帝的能力，就象雅各抓住天使一样，而他们的心声则是：“祢不给我祝福，我就不容祢去”（创32:26）。圣徒最后会象雅各一样得胜，因上帝的声音而光荣得救。{3SG 134.2}[13]
§28
Those who have delayed a preparation for?the day of God cannot obtain it in the time of trouble, or at any future period. The righteous will not cease their earnest agonizing cries for deliverance. They cannot bring to mind any particular sins, but in their whole life they can see but little good. Their sins had gone beforehand to judgment, and pardon had been written. Their sins had been borne away into the land of forgetfulness, and they could not bring them to remembrance. Certain destruction threatens them, and like Jacob they will not suffer their faith to grow weak, because their prayers are not immediately answered. Though suffering the pangs of hunger, they will not cease their intercessions. They lay hold of the strength of God as Jacob laid hold of the angel, and the language of their soul is, “I will not let thee go except thou bless me.” The saints at length prevail like Jacob, and are gloriously delivered by the voice of God.?{3SG 134.2}[13]
§29
那个急难痛苦的时节将需要努力运用恳切坚定的信心，这种信心能经得起迟延和饥饿，纵然在最惨重的试炼下，也不会软弱失败。恩典时期乃是赐予众人为上帝的大日作准备的时间。如果有人疏忽准备的工作，不听从所传的忠告，他们就必无可推诿了，雅各与天使所作热切而持久的较力，应作为基督徒的榜样：雅各获得胜利是因为他恒切而有决心。凡象雅各一样希望得蒙上帝赐福，并象他一样坚信应许，更象他一样恳切持恒，就必成功象他成功一样。许多自命为信徒的人，太少操练真实的信心，太不重视所交托的真理，乃是因为他们在属灵的事上怠惰冷漠。他们不愿尽力、克己、在上帝面前苦苦力争，并长久而恳切地求福，故此他们也就不能蒙福。那种经得起大艰难时期考验的信心，现今就必须作每日的操练运用。凡不肯现在努力运用持久信心的人，将来也决无法运用那足以使他们在大艰难日子站立得住的信心。{3SG 135.1}[14]
§30
That season of distress and anguish will require an effort of earnestness and determined faith that can endure delay and hunger, and will not fail under weakness, though severely tried. The period of probation is the time granted to all to prepare for the day of God. If any neglect the preparation, and heed not the faithful warnings given, they will be without excuse. Jacob’s earnest, persevering wrestling with the angel should be an example for Christians. Jacob prevailed, because he was persevering and determined. All who?desire the blessing of God, as did Jacob, and will lay hold of the promises, as he did, and be as earnest and persevering as he was, will succeed, as he succeeded. Why there is so little exercise of true faith, and so little of the weight of truth resting upon many professed believers is because they are indolent, in spiritual things. They are unwilling to make exertions, to deny self, to agonize before God, to pray long and earnestly for the blessing, and therefore they do not obtain it. That faith which will live through the time of trouble must be in daily exercise now. Those who do not make strong efforts now to exercise persevering faith will be wholly unprepared to exercise that faith which will enable them to stand in the day of trouble.?{3SG 135.1}[14]
§31
雅各的儿子们不都是义人。他们在某种程度上也受到了偶像崇拜的影响。上帝并不认可雅各的儿子们残杀报复示剑人的行为。雅各并不知道他们的企图，直到他们干完了残忍的事。他责备了他的儿子们，告诉他们说他们已经给他惹了麻烦，使他在那地的居民中间被藐视。因为他们的错行，周围的列邦就会表示愤慨，要消灭他和他的全家。雅各在急难中再次呼求上帝。“上帝对雅各说：‘起来！上伯特利去，住在那里；要在那里筑一座坛给上帝，就是你逃避你哥哥以扫的时候向你显现的那位。’雅各就对他家中的人并一切与他同在的人说：‘你们要除掉你们中间的外邦神，也要自洁，更换衣裳。我们要起来，上伯特利去，在那里我要筑一座坛给上帝，就是在我遭难的日子应允我的祷告、在我行的路上保佑我的那位。’他们就把外邦人的神像和他们耳朵上的环子交给雅各；雅各都藏在示剑那里的橡树底下。”雅各家就再也没有那些东西了。“他们便起行前往。上帝使那周围城邑的人都甚惊惧，就不追赶雅各的众子了”（创35:1-5）。{3SG 136.1}[15]
§32
The sons of Jacob were not all righteous. They were affected in some degree with idolatry. God did not sanction the cruel, revengeful conduct of Jacob’s sons to the Shechemites. Jacob was ignorant of their purpose, until their work of cruelty was accomplished. He reproved his sons, and told them that they had troubled him, to make him despised among the inhabitants of the land. And because of this their wrong, the surrounding nations would manifest their indignation by destroying him and his house. In his distress Jacob again calls upon God. “And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Beth-el, and dwell there, and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when?thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments, and let us arise, and go up to Beth-el, and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their ear-rings which were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.” And the family of Jacob never found them again. “And they journeyed, and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.”?{3SG 136.1}[15]
§33
雅各就自卑，并要求他家里的人也自卑，除掉一切拜偶像之物，因为他要献祭给上帝为他们赎罪，从便让上帝恩待他们，不让其他民族消灭他们。上帝悦纳雅各在家中除去恶事的努力，向他显现，赐福他，并重申给他的应许，因为他敬畏祂。“雅各便在那里立了一根石柱”（创35:14）。{3SG 137.1}[16]
§34
Jacob was humbled, and required his family to humble themselves, and to lay off all their ornaments, for he was to make an atonement for their sins, by offering a sacrifice unto God, that he might be entreated for them, and not leave them to be destroyed by other nations. God accepted the efforts of Jacob to remove the wrong from his family, and appeared unto him, and blessed him, and renewed the promise made to him, because his fear was before him. “And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone.”?{3SG 137.1}[16]