神重题雅各的新名——接上篇
你不知道你曾与我摔跤，并且胜了我么？你必须向全宇宙表示你是一个得胜者。你不仅是神的王子，更是与神摔跤者。你必须这样生活。”这个题醒有一个背景：雅各的儿子们惹了麻烦，他惧怕并失去了胆量。他虽然有胆量与神摔跤，但他却惧怕面对城里的人。事实上，他被他们吓坏了。然而神重题他的新名以色列，似乎说，“你不用怕他们。你如果害怕，意思就是你忘了我给你起的名字。我已经把‘与神摔跤者’这名赐给你。如果你能与神摔跤，你必定也能与任何人摔跤。如果你能胜过我，还有甚么人你不能胜过？雅各，你不用惧怕甚么人，我已经把以色列这名赐给你。我没有怪你与我摔跤，我反而很欣赏你与我摔跤。所以我将‘与神摔跤者’这名赐给你。从今以后，你不该是一个抓夺者，而是一个与神摔跤者。你无论到那里，都必须宣称：‘我是与神摔跤者！与神摔跤者来了！’雅各，你的行动为人要像一个与神摔跤者。你为甚么这样胆怯？你听了我的话来到伯特利这里，所有城里的人都惧怕你，你不用惧怕他们。为甚么你要再作雅各？忘掉你是雅各，称你自己为以色列。”
在伯特利这里，雅各开始称自己为以色列。你愿说你是以色列么？你有胆量这样宣告，或者仍然说你是那么软弱？我们是在伯特利，并且我们是以色列。伯特利和以色列，原文有相同的字尾，指明神的名。所以不要看你自己，要听祂的题醒。这该鼓励我们，并且为着神的应许豫备我们。
信息重点：神再次称雅各为以色列，提醒他不要再凭抓夺、惧怕和天然的自己生活，而要照着神所赐的新名生活。 不要看自己的软弱，要相信神在我们身上变化的工作。
应用祷告：主耶稣，求你使我不再一直看自己的软弱和惧怕，也不再凭天然的自己生活。让我记得你在我身上的工作，凭信站住，活出你所要得着的新生命。
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God Reaffirms the New Name — No Longer Jacob — Gen. 35:10
God Reaffirms Jacob’s New Name (Continued)
“Do you not know that you once wrestled with Me, and prevailed? You must declare to the whole universe that you are an overcomer. You are not only a prince of God, but one who has wrestled with God. You must live this way”. This reminder has a background: Jacob’s sons had caused trouble, and he became fearful and lost his courage. Although he had the boldness to wrestle with God, he was afraid to face the people of the surrounding cities. In fact, he was terrified of them. Yet God reaffirmed his new name, Israel, seeming to say, “You need not fear them. If you are afraid, it means you have forgotten the name I gave you. I have already given you the name ‘one who wrestles with God’. If you can wrestle with God, you can surely wrestle with anyone. If you can prevail over Me, who is there that you cannot prevail over? Jacob, you need not fear anyone; I have already given you the name Israel. I do not blame you for wrestling with Me — rather, I greatly esteem the fact that you wrestled with Me. Therefore I have given you the name ‘one who wrestles with God’. From now on, you should no longer be a supplanter, but one who wrestles with God. Wherever you go, you must declare: ‘I am one who wrestles with God! One who wrestles with God has come!’ Jacob, your conduct and behavior must be like one who wrestles with God. Why are you so timid? You heeded My word and came here to Bethel; all the people of the cities fear you — you need not fear them. Why would you be Jacob again? Forget that you are Jacob; call yourself Israel”.
Here at Bethel, Jacob began to call himself Israel. Are you willing to say that you are Israel? Do you have the boldness to declare this, or do you still say that you are so weak? We are at Bethel, and we are Israel. Bethel and Israel share the same ending in the original language, indicating the name of God. So do not look at yourself; listen to His reminder. This should encourage us and prepare us for God’s promise.
Message Main Points: God again calls Jacob Israel, reminding him no longer to live by grasping, fear, and his natural self, but to live according to the new name God has given him. Do not look at your own weakness — believe in the work God is doing to transform us.
Daily Prayer: Lord Jesus, make me to no longer keep looking at my own weakness and fear, and no longer to live by my natural self. Let me remember Your work within me; may I stand firm by faith and live out the new life You desire to gain.