拉结生了约瑟，一个拿细耳人，基督的预表
雅各有十二个儿子：六个（包括有祭司职任的利未，以及有君王职任的犹大）是利亚生的；两个（约瑟和便雅悯）是拉结生的；两个（最坏的但，和最好之一的拿弗他利）是辟拉生的；其他两个（迦得和亚设）是悉帕生的（创三五22-26）。拉结的两个儿子，便雅悯和约瑟，都是基督的预表。虽然约瑟生在先，但在预表上是接着便雅悯。约瑟出生的记载，没有指明他是基督的预表。但我们已经看见，便雅悯的出生，清楚启示他是基督的预表。便雅悯，忧患之子和右手之子，乃是由约瑟接续的。从三十七章至创世记末了，是约瑟生平的记载。约瑟是拿细耳人，是分别归神的人，的确是基督的预表。
约瑟预表基督是忧患之子，也是右手之子。约瑟受苦而被高举之后，在宝座上坐在法老旁边。我们在约瑟的记载里，看见他在每一面都是基督的预表。约瑟坐监的时候有两个同伴（创四十1-4）。后来，其中一个得救，另一个灭亡（创四十20-22）。主耶稣在十字架上的时候，也有两个强盗与祂同钉，其中一个得救，另一个灭亡（路二三32-33，39-43）。这预表是何等奇妙！约瑟在前半生受苦，是忧患之子，在后半生被高举，作了右手之子。他被高举到法老右边的宝座上，并且被授权将生命的供应给所有的人。不过，我们已经指出，在预表上约瑟是接着便雅悯的；便雅悯是忧患之子成了右手之子。
便雅悯和约瑟是拉结生的，拉结是雅各天然的拣选。照着神的命定，天然的事没有甚么错。神命定我们要结婚。婚姻生活虽然是天然的，却是神所命定的。雅各和所有的人一样，需要妻子。当他到了巴旦亚兰，他舅父拉班的家里，头一个遇见的人就是拉结（创二九9-11），而她立刻成了他所选上的人。当然这是神主宰的安排。雅各看着拉结的时候，也许说，『这是我所选的。』雅各爱拉结，同意为她服事拉班七年（创二九18-20）。拉班应许把拉结许配给雅各，但在结婚的时侯，却把利亚给了他（创二九21-25）。拉班的欺骗使雅各受了阻拦，得不着他所拣选的。然后雅各与拉班交涉，愿意为着拉结再服事他七年。为了得着所拣选的，他甘愿这样受苦。雅各在为拉结作工的那些年间，每次看见拉结，必定渴想拉结，但他无法得着她。雅各忍耐着度过那段时间，至终得着了拉结。
信息重点：拉结所生的约瑟和便雅悯都是基督的预表。约瑟经历苦难，最终被高举并供应生命，显出基督从忧患进入荣耀的一面。天然的需要本身并不一定是错的，问题在于我们是否让神主宰我们得着这些事物的道路和时间。
应用祷告：主耶稣，感谢你是经过苦难而被高举、又供应生命的基督。求你使我把天然的需要和愿望交给你，不坚持自己的选择和时间，学习接受你的安排，让基督更多从我的经历中显出来。阿们。
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Jacob’s Deeper Dealing — The Death of Rachel (3) — Gen. 35:18
Rachel Gave Birth to Joseph, a Nazarite, a Type of Christ
Jacob had twelve sons: six (including Levi, who held the priesthood, and Judah, who held the kingship) were born of Leah; two (Joseph and Benjamin) were born of Rachel; two (Dan, the worst, and Naphtali, one of the best) were born of Bilhah; and the other two (Gad and Asher) were born of Zilpah (Gen. 35:22-26). Rachel’s two sons, Benjamin and Joseph, are both types of Christ. Although Joseph was born first, in typology he comes after Benjamin. The record of Joseph’s birth does not indicate that he is a type of Christ. But we have already seen that Benjamin’s birth clearly reveals him as a type of Christ. Benjamin, the son of sorrow and the son of the right hand, is continued in Joseph. From chapter 37 to the end of Genesis is the record of Joseph’s life. Joseph was a Nazarite, one separated unto God, and he is indeed a type of Christ.
Joseph typifies Christ as the son of sorrow and also as the son of the right hand. After Joseph suffered and was exalted, he sat beside Pharaoh on the throne. In the record of Joseph, we see that he is a type of Christ in every aspect. While Joseph was in prison, he had two companions (Gen. 40:1-4). Later, one of them was saved and the other perished (Gen. 40:20-22). When the Lord Jesus was on the cross, two robbers were crucified with Him, and one was saved while the other perished (Luke 23:32-33, 39-43). What a wonderful type this is! In the first half of his life Joseph suffered, being the son of sorrow; in the second half of his life he was exalted, becoming the son of the right hand. He was raised up to the throne at Pharaoh’s right hand and was authorized to supply life to everyone. However, we have already pointed out that in typology, Joseph follows Benjamin; Benjamin, the son of sorrow, became the son of the right hand.
Benjamin and Joseph were born of Rachel, who was Jacob’s natural choice. According to God’s ordination, there is nothing wrong with natural things. God has ordained that we have marriage. Married life, though natural, is ordained by God. Jacob, like everyone else, needed a wife. When he arrived at Paddan-aram, at the home of his uncle Laban, the first person he met was Rachel (Gen. 29:9-11), and she immediately became the one he chose. Of course, this was God’s sovereign arrangement. When Jacob looked at Rachel, he may have said, “This is the one I have chosen”. Jacob loved Rachel and agreed to serve Laban seven years for her (Gen. 29:18-20). Laban promised to give Rachel to Jacob, but on the wedding day he gave him Leah instead (Gen. 29:21-25). Laban’s deception hindered Jacob from obtaining the one he had chosen. Jacob then negotiated with Laban and was willing to serve him another seven years for Rachel. In order to gain the one he had chosen, he was willing to suffer in this way. During the years Jacob worked for Rachel, every time he saw her, he must have longed for her, yet he could not have her. Jacob patiently endured that period of time, and in the end he obtained Rachel.
Message Main Points: Both Joseph and Benjamin, born of Rachel, are types of Christ. Joseph passed through suffering and was finally exalted and made the supplier of life, displaying the aspect of Christ moving from sorrow into glory. Natural needs in themselves are not necessarily wrong; the issue is whether we allow God to sovereignly determine the way and the time in which we obtain these things.
Daily Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You that You are the Christ who was exalted through suffering and who supplies life. I ask You to make me to hand over my natural needs and desires to You, not insisting on my own choice or timing, and to learn to accept Your arrangement, that Christ may be manifested more from my experience. Amen.