雅各在基列立柱子以前多年，已经在伯特利立过柱子（创二八18，22）。然而，雅各立那根柱子，是紧接在作梦之后。在创世记二十八章，雅各作了一个梦。在那个梦之后，他有了实际的经历，但不是神家的经历，乃是神看顾的经历。在他这阶段经历的末了，他在基列立起一根柱子作里程碑，见证神的看顾。
雅各离开巴旦亚兰，回到美地以后，没有直接往伯特利去。神只好干预，呼召他往伯特利去，说，『起来，上伯特利去住在那里，要在那里筑一座坛给神，就是你逃避你哥哥以扫的时候向你显现的那位。』（创三五1）。这指明雅各无意履行早在二十年前向神所许的愿。雅各没有直接去伯特利还愿，却去疏割，在那里为自己盖造房屋，又为牲畜搭棚（创三三17）。后来他到示剑，在那里买了一块地，并且支搭帐棚（创三三18-19）。在雅各的女儿底拿发生被玷污的严重难处以后，神进来吩咐雅各起来，上伯特利去。雅各第二次到伯特利时，没有作梦。神命令他到那里去，住在那里，并在那里筑一座坛给神，就是他逃避以扫的时候向他显现的那位。雅各在伯特利将自已献给神，使神能完成祂的定旨，就是得着伯特利，神的家。在伯特利那里，雅各立起第二根柱子，就是他一生中的第二个里程碑（创三五14）。二十八章二十二节指明，在伯特利的柱子称为神的家。所以，第一根柱子是神看顾的见证，第二根柱子是神家的见证。
我们许多人在基列和伯特利都立过柱子。我们不但能见证神的看顾，也能见证神的家。雅各的第一根柱子是见证神照顾他的生存。我们许多人能作见证，多年前我们在基列立了一根柱子。当时我们的见证是神怎样看顾我们。我们见证我们的神是信实的、仁慈的、有恩惠的、并且是丰富的。但今天我们的见证不是第一根柱子，神看顾的见证；乃是第二根柱子，神家的见证。今天很少人顾到神的家，多数人主要的是关切自已的需要，他们所立的柱子不过是神看顾的见证。很少人在经历中立起一根柱子，见证神的家。有神看顾的柱子，而没有神家的柱子，这不是正常的。我们是今日的雅各，必须为着神的建造立起第二根柱子。在我们的基督徒生活中，不但有第一段，就是神的看顾，也有第二段，就是神的家。
信息重点：第二根柱子见证神的家。神的目的不只是看顾雅各个人的生存和需要，更要把他带到伯特利，使他将自己献给神，为着神的家。我们的经历也需要从“神怎样看顾我”，往前到“神要得着什么”。
应用祷告：主耶稣，感谢你看顾我的需要，但求你带我不只关心自己的蒙福和供应。使我更多认识你心头所要的乃是神的家，愿意把自己献给你，为着你的家和建造而活。阿们。
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The Three Pillars — The Pillar at Bethel — Gen. 35:17
Many years before Jacob set up the pillar at Gilead, he had already set up a pillar at Bethel (Gen. 28:18, 22). However, Jacob set up that pillar right after he had a dream. In Genesis chapter 28, Jacob had a dream. After that dream, he had actual experiences, not experiences of God’s house, but experiences of God’s care. At the end of this stage of his experience, he set up a pillar at Gilead as a milestone, testifying to God’s care.
After Jacob left Paddan-aram and returned to the good land, he did not go directly to Bethel. God had to intervene, calling him to go to Bethel, saying, “Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau”(Gen. 35:1). This shows that Jacob had no intention of fulfilling the vow he had made to God twenty years earlier. Instead of going directly to Bethel to fulfill his vow, Jacob went to Succoth, where he built a house for himself and made shelters for his livestock (Gen. 33:17). Later he went to Shechem, where he bought a piece of land and pitched his tent (Gen. 33:18-19). After the serious trouble of his daughter Dinah’s defilement, God came in and commanded Jacob to arise and go up to Bethel. This second time Jacob went to Bethel, he did not have a dream. God commanded him to go, stay and build an altar for God, the One who had appeared to him when he fled from Esau. At Bethel, Jacob offered himself to God, so that God could accomplish His purpose — gaining Bethel, the house of God. There at Bethel, Jacob set up the second pillar, the second milestone of his life (Gen. 35:14). Genesis 28:22 indicates that the pillar at Bethel is called the house of God. Thus, the first pillar is the testimony of God’s care, and the second pillar is the testimony of God’s house.
Many of us have set up pillars at both Gilead and Bethel. We can testify not only to God’s care but also to God’s house. Jacob’s first pillar testified that God took care of his survival. Many of us can testify that years ago we set up a pillar at Gilead — our testimony at the time was of how God cared for us. We testified that our God is faithful, kind, gracious and rich. But today our testimony should not be the first pillar, the testimony of God’s care, but the second pillar, the testimony of God’s house. Today few people are concerned about God’s house; most people are mainly concerned about their own needs, and the pillars they set up are only testimonies of God’s care. Very few, in their experience, set up a pillar testifying to God’s house. To have the pillar of God’s care but not the pillar of God’s house is not normal. We are the Jacobs of today, and we must set up the second pillar for God’s building. In our Christian life, there must not only be the first stage, God’s care, but also the second stage, God’s house.
Message Major Points: The second pillar testifies to God’s house. God’s goal is not merely to care for Jacob’s personal survival and needs, but to bring him to Bethel, so that he would offer himself to God for the sake of God’s house. Our experience also needs to advance from “how God cares for me” to “what God wants to gain”.
Daily Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for caring for my needs, but I ask that You would bring me beyond concern for my own blessing and supply. Let me know more of what is on Your heart – God’s house — and be willing to offer myself to You, living for Your house and building. Amen.