以扫迎接雅各（接上篇）
好心的以扫对雅各说，“我们可以起身前往，我在你前头走”（创三三12）。但雅各仍然有几分惧怕以扫，不愿长久留在他面前。他再次运用他的聪明说，“我主知道孩子们年幼娇嫩，牛羊也正在乳养的时候，若是催赶一天，群畜都必死了。求我主在仆人前头走；我要量着在我面前群畜和孩子的力量慢慢的前行，直走到西珥我主那里”（创三三13-14）。换句话说，雅各在说，“请离开我，我不愿和你在一起。只要你在这里，我就受到威胁。”当以扫说，“容我把跟随我的人留几个在你这里，”雅各说，“何必呢？只要在我主跟前蒙恩就是了”（创三三15）。雅各只要看到以扫的面或属以扫的人的面，他就无法有平安。很多时候，即使在我们经过了某件事之后，那问题的尾巴还留在我们里面，我们就不愿意人题起那件事。实际上，那不是麻烦的事，乃是可爱的事。以扫带着爱心而来，但雅各的恐惧还未完全消失。这是我们经历的一幅准确图画。在这两章里，没有暗示雅各有甚么享受。他一直很忙，思想着如何面对情况，如何对付以扫。即使以扫带着亲爱的态度来见他，他还不信任他。事实上，雅各是在说，“以扫，不要留在这里。带着你的四百人在前头走罢。我不要他们任何一个和我在一起。”
雅各回到迦南
神是信实的，雅各终于回到迦南（创三三17-20）。创世记三十三章十八节说，“雅各…平平安安的到了…示剑城。”钦定英文译本译为：“雅各到了示剑的一座城撒冷。”他经由“撒冷”回到迦南（创三三18）。撒冷是耶路撒冷这辞的后半，意思是平安、安全。因此，雅各经由“撒冷”回到迦南，意思就是他平平安安的回来。在以后的信息里我们会看见，雅各是跟随亚伯拉罕的踪迹。照创世记十二章看，亚伯拉罕进迦南时，所到的第一座城是示剑。雅各也平安的到了示剑城。这证明神遵守祂的话，成就祂的应许；因为祂曾应许雅各，要平平安安的把他带回他祖他父之地。这段旅程不是雅各凭自己定出的，乃是神为他定出的。在示剑这里，雅各作了两件和他祖父所作同样的事：他支搭帐棚，并且筑了一座坛（创三三18，20）。现在他开始有了见证。在前二十年中，他既没有坛，也没有帐棚，指明他没有正确的生活作神的见证。现在回到了正确的地方，正确的立场，他就有了一个带着神见证的生活。在这里我们看见，这个神所拣选的人，因着神的恩典，已被带回到正确的立场，来达成神永远的目的。
信息重点: 神信守祂的应许，最终平平安安地把雅各带回迦南。雅各在那里支搭帐棚、筑坛，重新开始过见证神的生活。神的目的从来不是让我们一直活在惧怕中，而是带我们进入祂所预备的安息。
应用祷告: 主啊，感谢你是一位守约施慈爱的神。求你使我在每天的生活中学习安息在你的应许里，不再被环境左右，而是凭信心与你同行。阿们！
请享受诗歌 (点击诗歌名）
Jacob’s Discipline — Fear of Esau (6) — Gen. 33:17-20
Esau Meets Jacob (continued)
Then Esau said to Jacob, “Let us take our journey and go, and I will go before you” (Gen. 33:12). But Jacob was still somewhat afraid of Esau and unwilling to remain long in his presence. Again he used his cleverness, saying, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and that the flocks and herds which are nursing are a care to me; And if they are driven too hard one day all the flocks will die. Please let my lord pass on before his servant, and I will proceed at my leisure, according to the pace of the cattle that is before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord at Seir” (Gen. 33:13-14). In other words, Jacob was saying, “Please leave me; I do not wish to be with you. As long as you are here, I feel threatened.” When Esau said, “Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me,” Jacob said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord” (Gen. 33:15). As long as Jacob saw Esau’s face, or the face of Esau’s men, he could not have peace. Many times, even after we have passed through a certain matter, its aftereffects remain within us, and we are unwilling to have anyone bring it up. In fact, it is not a troubling matter but a delightful one. Esau came with love, but Jacob’s fear had not yet fully disappeared. This is an accurate picture of our own experience. In these two chapters, there is no indication that Jacob had any enjoyment. He was constantly busy, thinking about how to face the situation and how to deal with Esau. Even though Esau came to him with an affectionate attitude, Jacob still did not trust him. In effect, Jacob was saying, “Esau, do not stay here. Take your four hundred men and go ahead. I do not want a single one of them with me”.
Jacob Returns to Canaan
God is faithful, and Jacob finally returned to Canaan (Gen. 33:17-20). Genesis 33:18 says, “Now Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem.” He returned to Canaan by way of “Salem” (Gen. 33:18). Salem is the latter half of the word Jerusalem, meaning peace and safety. Therefore, Jacob’s return to Canaan by way of “Salem” signifies that he returned in peace. In a later message we will see that Jacob was following in Abraham’s footsteps. According to Genesis chapter 12, when Abraham entered Canaan, the first city he came to was Shechem. Jacob likewise arrived safely at the city of Shechem. This proves that God kept His word and fulfilled His promise, for He had promised Jacob that He would bring him back safely to the land of his fathers. This journey was not one that Jacob mapped out for himself, but one that God determined for him. Here in Shechem, Jacob did two things just as his grandfather had done: he pitched his tent and built an altar (Gen. 33:18, 20). Now he began to have a testimony. During the previous twenty years, he had neither an altar nor a tent, indicating that he did not have a proper living as a testimony for God. Now, having returned to the proper place and the proper position, he had a life bearing God’s testimony. Here we see that this one whom God had chosen was, by God’s grace, brought back to the proper position to fulfill God’s eternal purpose.
Message’s Main Points: God kept His promise, finally bringing Jacob back to Canaan in peace. There Jacob pitched his tent and built an altar, beginning once again a life that testified of God. God’s purpose has never been for us to live continually in fear, but to bring us into the rest He has prepared.
Prayer: Lord, thank You that You are a God who keeps covenant and shows lovingkindness. Make me learn, in my daily life, to rest in Your promises, no longer swayed by circumstances, but walking with You by faith. Amen!