雅各生命的成熟
亚伯拉罕需要雅各生命的成熟。按照创世记，第一个给人祝福的，是麦基洗德（创十四18-19）。正如希伯来书所启示的，麦基洗德是基督的豫表。亚伯拉罕甚至到了很老，甚至比雅各老得多的时候，也从不祝福任何人。在麦基洗德之后，第二个给人祝福的是以撒。但以撒是盲目的祝福。他受欺骗，没有清清楚楚的祝福。并且他祝福错了人，把长子的名分给了雅各（创二七）。但在创世记末了的记载启示，雅各虽然看不清楚，却十分清楚的祝福。雅各在成熟以后，祝福凡他所遇见的人。他无论到那里，不作别的，只是祝福。雅各祝福他的众子，能够那样满了神圣的启示，因为他在神圣的生命里完全成熟了。他生为雅各，但他变化成以色列。他生为抓夺者，抓脚跟的人，但他变化成神的王子。他变得这样透亮且满了生命。
亚伯拉罕因为生命不成熟，他没有祝福人。以撒有一点成熟，但缺少生命成熟的丰富，所以盲目的祝福。雅各生命成熟，就完满且清楚的祝福。凡他所说的都是神的话，凡他所祝福的都是豫言，说到神对祂所有儿女的经纶。
以撒对产业的享受
为着亚伯拉罕的完整，他也需要以撒对产业的享受。从亚伯拉罕蒙神呼召那一天，神就开始剥夺他的一切。首先神取去他哥哥，然后取去他父亲，后来神弃绝以利以谢，吩咐他赶出以实玛利，并且要他把以撒献在祭坛上。得回以撒以后，撒拉死了。亚伯拉罕的一生不是享受的一生，乃是被剥夺的一生。相反的，以撒的一生却是满了享受的一生。以撒没有作甚么，他不过承受父亲一切所有的。
在我们基督徒的生活里，有亚伯拉罕和以撒两者的经历。一面我们总是被剥夺，神弃绝我们所有的。我们基督徒的生活也有另一面。我们遭受剥夺时，也享受我们的产业。这是亚伯拉罕和以撒的记载重叠的原因。亚伯拉罕受苦的时候，以撒却在享受。亚伯拉罕哀哭的时候，以撒却在欢乐。这指明我们基督徒的生活是晚上和早晨的生活。一面我是一切都被剥夺的亚伯拉罕，另一面我是享受产业的以撒。
我们和雅各一同蒙拣选，并且和亚伯拉罕一同蒙召，一同相信。我们和亚伯拉罕一同被剥夺，和以撒一同享受，有一天也都要和雅各一同成熟。我们在开头和结尾是雅各，中间是亚伯拉罕和以撒，这三人是一个完整的人。愿我们都看见，我们需要这三方面，亚伯拉罕的一生，加上以撒和雅各的一生。父、子、灵三一神在我们里面作工，使我们成为祂自己完全的彰显。我们必须有神圣生命三方面的属灵经历。
每日一问：在我们基督徒的生活里，有亚伯拉罕和以撒两者的经历，请简述。
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Abraham’s Life Was Not Mature (3) – Gen. 25:26
The Maturity of Jacob’s Life
Abraham needed the maturity of Jacob’s life. According to Genesis, the first person to bless others was Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18-19). As revealed in the book of Hebrews, Melchizedek is a type of Christ. Abraham, even when he was very old — much older than Jacob — never blessed anyone. After Melchizedek, the second person to bless others was Isaac. But Isaac’s blessing was a blind one. He was deceived and did not bless clearly. Furthermore, he blessed the wrong person, giving the birthright to Jacob (Gen. 27). But the record at the end of Genesis reveals that although Jacob could not see clearly, he gave a very clear blessing. After Jacob matured, he blessed everyone he met. Wherever he went, he did nothing but bless. Jacob blessed his sons with such fullness of divine revelation because he had fully matured in the divine life. He was born as Jacob, but he was transformed into Israel. He was born as a supplanter, one who takes by the heel, but he was transformed into a prince of God. He became so transparent and full of life.
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob form one complete person in the experience of life. Because Abraham’s life was not mature, he did not bless anyone. Isaac had some maturity, but he lacked the richness of a mature life, so he gave a blind blessing. Jacob, with a mature life, gave a full and clear blessing. All that he spoke was the word of God, and all that he blessed was prophecy, speaking of God’s economy concerning all His children.
Isaac’s Enjoyment of the Inheritance
For the sake of Abraham’s completeness, he also needed Isaac’s enjoyment of the inheritance. From the day Abraham was called by God, God began to strip him of everything. First, God took his brother, then his father; later, God rejected Eliezer, commanded him to cast out Ishmael, and required him to offer Isaac on the altar. After receiving Isaac back, Sarah died. Abraham’s life was not a life of enjoyment, but a life of being stripped. On the contrary, Isaac’s life was a life full of enjoyment. Isaac did nothing; he merely inherited all that his father had.
In our Christian life, we have the experiences of both Abraham and Isaac. On one hand, we are always being stripped; God rejects everything we have. Our Christian life also has another side. While we are being stripped, we also enjoy our inheritance. This is the reason why the records of Abraham and Isaac overlap. When Abraham was suffering, Isaac was enjoying. When Abraham was weeping, Isaac was rejoicing. This indicates that our Christian life is a life of evening and morning. On one hand, I am Abraham, who is stripped of everything; on the other hand, I am Isaac, who enjoys the inheritance.
We were chosen with Jacob, called with Abraham, and believe together. We are stripped with Abraham, enjoy with Isaac, and one day we will all mature with Jacob. We are Jacob at the beginning and the end, and Abraham and Isaac in the middle; these three are one complete person. May we all see that we need these three aspects: the life of Abraham, plus the lives of Isaac and Jacob. The Father, Son and Spirit, the Triune God, work within us to make us His own complete expression. We must have the spiritual experience of the divine life in these three aspects.
Daily Question: In our Christian life, we have the experiences of both Abraham and Isaac; please briefly describe them.