这段记载满了属灵的意义。神已经命定我们要得着天然所拣选的。但在神的主宰下，我们却有一段时间得不着。一面雅各受到拦阻，得不着天然所拣选的；另一面他获得许可，得着他所拣选的。这意思是神虽然命定给我们一些东西，但祂不允许我们照着自己的作法和时间来得着。毫无疑问，拉结是神命定给雅各的，但神不许可雅各照着他的作法和时间得着拉结。雅各想要立刻得着拉结。等到雅各至终得着拉结以后，当然渴望在余生中保有她。然而到了一个时候，神似乎说，『雅各，我要从你取去拉结。』
神已经命定我们要得着天然所拣选的，但不是照着我们的作法和时间。也许你不解神为甚么这样找我们的麻烦。祂这样作，惟一的目的就是要生出基督。神已经命定你要得着一个妻子，但祂不会允许你照着自己的作法和时间得着她。祂的目的不是要使你受苦。祂的目的乃是要生出基督。
我们都必须晓得，我们不在自己手中，我们乃在主手中。只要我们是祂所拣选的人，并且爱祂，我们就在祂手中。祂要把我们带到伯特利，我们要在祂的手下留在伯特利。但是迟早我们还要起行，并且到了祂的时候，祂的手要取去我们的喜好，我们的拣选，使便雅悯能生出来。
创世记结束于约瑟，他在宝座上有能力和权柄，将生命的供应给所有的人。这结果直接出于雅各对拉结的经历。没有雅各对拉结的经历，便雅悯或约瑟都无法产生。全本创世记的完成出自雅各与拉结的关系。雅各对拉结的正确经历，乃是神所命定给我们的天然拣选，但不是照着我们的作法和时间，乃是照着神的作法和神的时间。我们所拣选的－无论是关于婚姻、饮食或衣着样式－都是按主的作法和时间给我们的。
圣经没有说雅各在拉结死后怎样哀恸。雅各很清楚，他失去妻子是出于神的主宰。他不失望，反而得着鼓励，将他儿子的名字从『忧患之子』改为『右手之子。』在这件事上雅各不软弱；他非常刚强，知道拉结的死是出于神。这由创世记三十五章二十一节称他为以色列得着证实。这证明他完全变化了。
在三十五章以前，尤其在他与拉班相处的二十年间，雅各经过了许多对付，但那些对付都不像失去他亲爱的妻子那样深刻，那样切身。这次对付深刻且切身，摸着他全人的深处。你认识教会生活到一个程度以后，也会有这样的经历。你心里的拣选要被取去，使你能生出基督，像雅各生出便雅悯一样。
信息重点：我们是在神主宰的手中。神可能给我们所需要的，却不一定照着我们的作法和时间；甚至到了一个时候，祂会摸着我们最深处的喜好和拣选。祂这样作的目的，乃是要在我们里面更多生出并彰显基督。
应用祷告：主耶稣，求你使我不坚持自己的作法和时间，学习接受你的安排。即使你摸着我最深的喜好和拣选，也求你保守我信靠你，使基督更多从我里面产生并彰显出来。阿们。
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Jacob’s Deeper Dealing – The Death of Rachel (4) — Gen. 35:19
This passage is full of spiritual significance. God has ordained that we obtain what we have naturally chosen. But under God’s sovereignty, there is a period of time in which we cannot obtain it. On the one hand, Jacob was hindered from obtaining what he had naturally chosen; on the other hand, he was permitted to obtain what he had chosen. This means that although God has ordained certain things for us, He does not allow us to obtain them according to our own way and timing. Without doubt, Rachel was ordained by God for Jacob, but God did not allow Jacob to obtain Rachel according to his own way and timing. Jacob wanted to obtain Rachel immediately. Once Jacob finally obtained Rachel, he naturally desired to keep her for the rest of his life. Yet a time came when God seemed to say, “Jacob, I am going to take Rachel from you”.
God has ordained that we obtain what we have naturally chosen, but not according to our own way and timing. Perhaps you do not understand why God troubles us in this way. His only purpose in doing so is to bring forth Christ. God has ordained that you obtain a wife, but He will not allow you to obtain her according to your own way and timing. His purpose is not to make you suffer. His purpose is to bring forth Christ.
We must all realize that we are not in our own hands; we are in the Lord’s hand. As long as we are the ones He has chosen, and we love Him, we are in His hand. He wants to bring us to Bethel, and we need to remain at Bethel under His hand. But sooner or later we must set out again, and at His time, His hand will take away our preferences, our choices, so that Benjamin may be brought forth.
Genesis ends with Joseph, who, on the throne, had power and authority to supply life to everyone. This result came directly out of Jacob’s experience with Rachel. Without Jacob’s experience with Rachel, neither Benjamin nor Joseph could have been produced. The completion of the whole book of Genesis comes out of the relationship between Jacob and Rachel. Jacob’s proper experience with Rachel is our natural choice as ordained by God, but not according to our way and timing — rather, according to God’s way and God’s timing. Whatever we choose — whether concerning marriage, food, or clothing style — is given to us according to the Lord’s way and timing.
The Bible does not tell us how Jacob mourned after Rachel’s death. Jacob clearly understood that the loss of his wife was under God’s sovereignty. He was not disappointed; rather, he was encouraged, changing his son’s name from “the son of sorrow” to “the son of the right hand”. In this matter Jacob was not weak; he was very strong, knowing that Rachel’s death came from God. This is confirmed by Genesis 35:21, which calls him Israel. This proves that he had been completely transformed.
Before chapter 35, especially during the twenty years he spent with Laban, Jacob went through many dealings, but none of those dealings were as deep or as intimate as the loss of his beloved wife. This dealing was deep and intimate, touching the depths of his whole being. Once you know the church life to a certain extent, you too will have this kind of experience. The choice in your heart must be taken away, so that you may bring forth Christ, just as Jacob brought forth Benjamin.
Message Main Points: We are in the hand of God’s sovereignty. God may give us what we need, yet not necessarily according to our own way and timing; there may even come a time when He touches our deepest preferences and choices. His purpose in doing so is that Christ may be brought forth and expressed more in us.
Daily Prayer: Lord Jesus, make me not to insist on my own way and timing, but to learn to accept Your arrangement. Even if You touch my deepest preferences and choices, keep me trusting in You, that Christ may be produced and expressed more from within me. Amen.