彻底的清理之五：使仇敌惊惧
创世记三十五章五节说，“他们便起行前往；神使那周围城邑的人都甚惊惧，就不追赶雅各的众子了。”看到他们的仇敌都甚惊惧，是非常激励人的。雅各因他儿子们惹了麻烦，恐怕那些城邑的人会与他争战，击杀他；但雅各并一切与他同在的人除掉偶像，洁净自己，更换衣裳以后，神使那些城邑的人都甚惊惧。他们的清理和洁净使仇敌惊惧。这指明我们若为着教会生活的缘故，除掉一切外邦神和美化自己的可憎饰物，洁净自己，并且更换衣裳，鬼魔和缠累我们的罪就要惊惧。我们无须争战来得胜；仇敌要惊惧，胜利就是我们的。
你曾否使罪惊惧？曾否使赌博、喝酒或吸烟惊惧？也许你发觉这些事很难胜过。若是这样，那是因为你没有除掉外邦神，洁净自己并更换衣裳。你若作了这一切，所有的“臭虫、”“蝎子”和“地鼠”都要惊惧，都要逃遁。藉着除掉外来的倚靠，洁净自己，更换衣裳而在教会里，就使罪和世俗惊惧，并使我们得着胜利。创世记三十五章五节说，那些城邑的人不敢追赶雅各。甚么时候我们在教会中，所有的“地鼠”就都惊惧。
彻底的清理之后，上伯特利去
雅各和他所有的人作了一次彻底的清理以后，就起来上伯特利去。（创三五3，6。）在伯特利，他筑了一座坛给神，“给那地方起名叫伊勒伯特利，”（创三五7，）他领悟神在伯特利是他的神。我们必须回应神的呼召或题醒，上教会去，在那里我们可以筑坛真正献上自己，并且实际经历神。在我们进入教会以后，我们都领悟真正奉献的需要；藉着这样的奉献，我们就经历神在祂的家，就是在教会中，是我们的神。
信息重点：经过彻底的清理，雅各就起来上伯特利去；神使仇敌惊惧，他也在那里筑坛献上自己，经历神是伯特利的神。
应用祷告：主耶稣，愿我回应你的呼召，除去一切拦阻，起来上伯特利去。求你使我在你的家中奉献自己，实际经历你是我的神。阿们。
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Jacob’s Response to God (4) — Gen. 35:5-6
The Fifth Aspect of the Thorough Clearance: Terrifying the Enemy
Genesis 35:5 says, “As they journeyed, there was a great terror upon the cities which were around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.” Seeing their enemies terrified is greatly encouraging. Because of the trouble his sons had caused, Jacob feared that the people of those cities would fight against him and kill him; but after Jacob and all who were with him put away their idols, cleansed themselves, and changed their garments, God caused the people of those cities to be greatly terrified. Their clearance and cleansing terrified the enemy. This shows that if, for the sake of the church life, we put away all foreign gods and detestable self-beautifying ornaments, cleanse ourselves, and change our garments, the demons and the sins that entangle us will be terrified. We do not need to fight in order to win; the enemy will be terrified, and the victory will be ours.
Have you ever made sin afraid? Have you ever made gambling, drinking or smoking afraid? Perhaps you find these things very hard to overcome. If so, it is because you have not put away your foreign gods, cleansed yourself, and changed your garments. If you do all this, all the “bedbugs”, “scorpions” and “moles” will be terrified and will flee. By putting away outward reliance, cleansing ourselves and changing our garments within the church, we make sin and worldliness afraid, and we gain the victory. Genesis 35:5 says that the people of those cities did not dare pursue Jacob. Whenever we are in the church, all the “moles” will be terrified.
After the Thorough Clearance, Going Up to Bethel
After Jacob and all his people had made a thorough clearance, they arose and went up to Bethel (Gen. 35:3, 6). At Bethel, he built an altar to God and “called the place El-bethel” (Gen. 35:7), realizing that God at Bethel was his God. We must respond to God’s calling or reminder, going to the church, where we can build an altar and truly offer ourselves, actually experiencing God. After we enter the church, we all realize the need for genuine consecration; through such consecration, we experience God in His house — the church — as our God.
Message Main Points: After a thorough clearance, Jacob arose and went up to Bethel; God terrified the enemy, and there Jacob built an altar and offered himself, experiencing God as the God of Bethel.
Today’s Prayer: Lord Jesus, may I respond to Your calling, remove every obstacle, and arise to go up to Bethel. Cause me to offer myself in Your house, actually experiencing You as my God. Amen.