创世记三十章二十五至四十三节，三十一章一至十六节、三十八至四十二节中所有的主要项目，可以分类在三个标题之下：拉班的压榨、雅各的诡计、和神的祝福。这段记载中主要的三方是拉班、雅各和神。两方是看得见的，一方是看不见的。第一方，拉班，压榨雅各；第二方，雅各，诈骗拉班。但这两方都不能作最后的裁决。最后的裁决是由看不见的第三方－神自己－来作的。无论拉班怎样压榨雅各，拉班注定要输；无论雅各怎样诈骗，使他致富的并不是他的诡计。最后的断案不是拉班或雅各说的，乃是神这位万有的主说的。
我们曾经指出，亚伯拉罕代表被神称义，并活在与神交通中的生命；以撒代表享受神恩典的生命。在雅各身上我们看到属灵生命的第三方面－变化。雅各这个在神变化手下的人，代表变化的生命。拉班压榨雅各，乃是神的主宰。雅各需要拉班压榨的手，神用这手来变化雅各。
当你读雅各一生的记载时，不要为别人读，要为自己读，因为你就是那独一的雅各。连姊妹们也是雅各。很多姊妹有拉班丈夫，但她们这些会耍花样的妻子却是雅各。因为她们是这么会耍花样，神就给她们像拉班一样的丈夫来压榨她们。不过，我们也可以说，许多雅各丈夫娶了拉班妻子。几乎每个丈夫都是会耍花样的。虽然某位结了婚的弟兄看起来是个绅士，实际上却是个耍花样的雅各。每个丈夫都诈骗他的妻子。但无论我们怎样耍花样，神是主宰的。雅各的记载是我们的传记和自传。圣经中的记载是我们的传记，我们日常生活的记载是我们的自传。一天又一天，我们在写自传。在对待别人上，我们是耍花样的；在受别人的对付上，我们是受压榨的。
雅各已蒙拣选作神的彰显。这样一个抓夺的人怎能成为神的彰显？不是凭着外面的改正，只有藉着变化的过程。变化如何才能完成？只有藉着神主宰的安排，将我们摆在某种环境中，在某些人手下。在我们环境的安排上，祂是主宰的。虽然神已经拣选了我们，但我们是抓夺的人，是抓脚跟的人；不管我们喜欢不喜欢，我们都必须被变化。
信息重点：这段记载中有三方：拉班的压榨、雅各的诡计、以及神的祝福。真正作最后裁决的不是拉班或雅各，乃是神自己。
应用祷告：主啊，使我在一切环境中看见你的主宰，不只看见人的作为，认识你正在变化我。
请享受诗歌 (点击诗歌名）
Jacob’s Transformation — Being Dealt With — Gen. 29:18-20
All the main items in Genesis 30:25-43, 31:1-16, and 31:38-42 can be classified under three headings: Laban’s exploitation, Jacob’s schemes and God’s blessing. In this record there are three main parties: Laban, Jacob and God. Two are visible; one is invisible. The first party, Laban, exploited Jacob; the second party, Jacob, deceived Laban. But neither of these two parties could make the final decision. The final decision was made by the invisible third party — God Himself. No matter how much Laban exploited Jacob, Laban was destined to lose; no matter how Jacob deceived, it was not his scheming that made him rich. The final verdict was not spoken by Laban or Jacob, but by God, the Master of all things.
We have pointed out before that Abraham represents the life that is justified by God and lives in fellowship with God; Isaac represents the life that enjoys God’s grace. In Jacob we see a third aspect of the spiritual life — transformation. Jacob, this person under God’s transforming hand, represents the transformed life. Laban’s exploiting of Jacob was actually God’s sovereignty. Jacob needed the exploiting hand of Laban; God used this hand to transform Jacob.
When you read the record of Jacob’s life, do not read it for someone else — read it for yourself, because you are that unique Jacob. Even the sisters are Jacob. Many sisters have husbands like Laban, but these wives who are so good at scheming are actually Jacob. Because they are so good at scheming, God gives them husbands like Laban to exploit them. However, we could also say that many husbands who are like Jacob have married wives like Laban. Almost every husband knows how to scheme. Although a certain married brother may appear to be a gentleman, in reality he is a scheming Jacob. Every husband deceives his wife. But no matter how we scheme, God is sovereign. The record of Jacob is both our biography and our autobiography. The record in the Bible is our biography; the record of our daily life is our autobiography. Day after day, we are writing our autobiography. In how we treat others, we are scheming; in how others deal with us, we are exploited.
Jacob has been chosen to be God’s expression. How could such a grasping person become God’s expression? Not through outward correction, but only through the process of transformation. How can transformation be accomplished? Only through God’s sovereign arrangement, which places us in certain environments, under certain people. In the arrangement of our environment, He is sovereign. Although God has already chosen us, we are grasping people, people who grasp the heel; whether we like it or not, we must be transformed.
Message Focus: In this record there are three parties: Laban’s exploitation, Jacob’s schemes and God’s blessing. It is not Laban or Jacob, but God Himself, who truly makes the final decision.
Prayer: Lord, make me see Your sovereignty in every environment, not merely the actions of people, and to know that You are transforming me.