雅各的三根石柱
林志华 牧师
经文：创31:23、40-46，35:13-15、19-20
古犹太人有个习惯，遇到重大的事情，就要在地上立起一根石柱，作为记念，有时还刻下图案和文字。现代的考古学家可以根据遗留下的石柱，来考证古代发生的一些事情。圣经记载，雅各一生曾在三个地方立下四根石柱，一根在基列山，两根在伯特利，还有一根在伯利恒。后面立的三根石柱是他一生经历的三个里程碑。
一、基列山的石柱
雅各从出生的那天起，就在上帝的看顾之中。雅各的意思就是“抓住”，他是一个“抓住”的能手。一出生就抓住了哥哥的脚后跟，长大后抓住了长子的名分、长子的祝福，后来到了舅舅拉班家，，他又抓住了许多的牛羊财产。但上帝要他看到靠他自己能抓没有用，如果没有上帝的看顾，他就无法应付狡猾的拉班，无法对付强壮的以扫。创31：21-24记载：雅各带着妻儿、财物偷偷离开舅父家，雅各还以为靠自己能逃出来，殊不知，虽然拉班三天后才知道这事，却只用了七天就追上他们了。这说明拉班的速度比他快，能力比他强，所以拉班对雅各这样说：“我手中原有能力害你”。但是就在拉班要赶上雅各的前一天，上帝在拉班梦中对他说：“你要小心！不可与雅各说好说歹。”（参创31:29）。拉班将上帝的话告诉了雅各，这时雅各心中非常感谢上帝对他的眷顾，他在基列山上与拉班立约。雅各拿一块石头立作柱子，这根石柱就做为上帝对他看顾的记念。
我们都是上帝拣选的子民，不是我们哪方面比人强，比人好，乃是上帝的爱临到我们。我们一生都经历了上帝对我们的看顾，所以我们也应当立这么一根柱子，记念上帝的恩典。在人生的道路上哪里有纷争、陷阱、危险，我们都不知道，但上帝知道，他会引导我们的脚走在平安的路上。我们要以感谢为祭献给耶和华神（参诗116:17）。
二、伯特利的石柱
雅各在基列立石柱的前20年，他已经在伯特利立过一根石柱。创世纪28章10-22节记载：雅各为了躲避以扫而往哈兰去，路上他枕着一块石头睡着了，神恩待他，让他看到异象。醒来后，他就立柱，对上帝许愿：“如果我平安回到父亲家，我就必以耶和华为我的神，我所立为柱子的石头也必作神的殿，凡你所赐给我的，我必将十分之一献给你”。这时的雅各对上帝的认识是模模糊糊的，他与上帝是买卖式的关系，但是上帝仍然看顾他。过了20年，雅各离开巴旦亚兰，平安回到迦南地的示剑城，并在那里购地生活，但第一次在伯特利立约的事情他已经忘了。后来，他的女儿被示剑侮辱，他的两个儿子西缅和利未用计杀了许多示剑人，闯下大祸。雅各遇到了难处，再一次得到上帝的启示，这才回到上帝的面前，想起当初所许的愿。上帝启示他上伯特利去，雅各第二次再到伯特利是十分清楚地去寻求上帝，去还他当初所许的愿。他在伯特利又立了一根石柱，这是他人生的第二块里程碑。
我们许多人像雅各一样，心中有第一根柱子，也就是感恩、许愿的柱子，却没有伯特利的第二根柱子，那就是还愿的柱子。我们没有将自己完全奉献给上帝，没有还当初所许的愿。
三、伯利恒的石柱
在婚配的事情上，上帝为雅各预备了利亚，但雅各不喜欢利亚只喜欢拉结。拉结是雅各私意的选择，为此，他服侍拉班14年。拉结在为雅各生第二个儿子便雅悯时难产而死。这是上帝的安排。创世纪35:20记载：拉结死后，雅各在她的坟上立了一统碑，就是拉结的墓碑，至今日还在。
雅各娶拉结为妻这件事，不得上帝的祝福，所以，在经历了上帝的看顾，还了伯特利所许的愿之后，上帝让拉结难产死去。雅各在她的墓上立碑，作为自己“私意”死去的记念。
我们每一位基督徒都要尊主为大，都要完全顺服上帝的旨意。上帝喜欢的，就是我们喜欢的；上帝不喜欢的，就是我们不喜欢的。可是我们许多人都有自己的私意，就象参孙的“拉结”是美色，巴兰的“拉结”是钱财那样，我们也有自己的“拉结”。我们应当让这些“拉结”都死去，并要立上柱子，不让它们再活过来。
拉结死的地方离伯利恒只有200米，伯利恒是主耶稣降生的地方。“便雅悯”要出生，“拉结”就必须死去。便雅悯在旧约中预表耶稣基督，耶稣基督要活在我们里面，我们的旧我就必须死去，我们的“拉结”就必须死去。拉结墓上的石柱立在通向基督降生地的路上，这根柱子提醒我们，我们要真的得到基督，就应当让“老我”死去。
今天我们分享了“雅各的三根石柱”，基列的石柱代表在上帝面前的感恩，伯特利的石柱是我们还愿的石柱，伯利恒的石柱代表我们旧生命的死去，新生命的建立。愿弟兄姐妹以这“三根石柱”互相勉励。
Three Stone Pillars of Jacob
By Pastor Lin Zhihua
Bible Verse Reading: Genesis 31:23, 40-46, 35: 13-15, 19-20
Ancient Jews set up a stone pillar as a memento when anything important happened. Sometimes some designs and words were carved on the pillar. Archaeologists could confirm what happened in the ancient times according to what have remained. According to the Bible, Jacob set up four stone pillars in three places in his life: one on the hill country of Gilead, two in Bethel and the fourth in Bethlehem. The last three pillars were the three milestones in his life.
1. The stone pillar in Gilead.
The moment Jacob was born, he was well cared by God. The name Jacob means "gripping". He was good at "gripping". He took his brother by the heel when he was born. As he grew up, he took over his brother's birthright and blessings. Later, when he went to his uncle Laban's home, he gripped many things like flocks of sheep and oxen. But God wanted him to know that it was useless depending on his ability to grip. If it were not God, he could not have dealt with sly Laban, nor could he confront with strong Esau. Genesis 31: 21-24 recorded that Jacob took his wife and property when he left his uncle's home and he thought that he could manage to escape depending on his own ability. He didn't know that though Laban found it out three days later, he managed to catch up with him in only three days, which means Laban's speed was faster than his, and ability better than his. Hence Laban said to Jacob, "It is in my power to do you harm." But just the day before Laban caught up with Jacob, God spoke to Laban in his dream, "Take heed that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad."(Ref. Genesis 31: 29) Laban told Jacob what God spoke to him. Jacob was very grateful for God's care for him. He made a covenant with Laban on the hill country of Gilead. Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar, which was a memento of God's care for him.
We are all God' chosen people and it is not that we are more capable or better than non-Christians, but that God's grace falls on us. We experience God's care all through our life, so we should also set up a pillar to commemorate the grace of God. God knows what we don't know when there is dispute, trap or danger in our life and He guides us to the road of peace and safety. We should offer to Him a thanksgiving sacrifice. (Ref. Psalms 116: 17)
2. The stone pillar in Bethel.
Twenty years before Jacob set up a pillar in Gilead, he had set up one in Bethel. Genesis 28: 10-12 records that Jacob went toward Haran to hide himself from Esau. One the way, he took a stone and put it under his head and slept. God showed him His grace and made him see the vision. Having woken up, he set the stone up for a pillar and made a vow, saying, "…so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house; and of all that you give me I will surely give one tenth to you." Jacob at that time did not really know God and thought that his relationship with God was like that between buyers and sellers. God, however, still cared for him. Twenty years later, when Jacob safely returned the city of Shechem in Canaan from Paddan-aram, he purchased the land and settled down. But he forgot his first covenant in Bethel. Afterwards, his daughter was defiled by Shechem. With tricks, his two sons killed many people in the city of Shechem. They got in big trouble. Jacob was facing a difficult situation. And again, God revealed to him. Only then did he come before God and remember the vow he had made. God showed him that he should go to Bethel. Obviously, on this second visit to Bethel, Jacob was to seek the LORD, to fulfil what he had promised before. He set up another pillar in Bethel, which was the second milestone in his life.
Many of us are like Jacob who has the first pillar of thanksgiving and making a vow, but without the second pillar of fulfilling the vow. We do not dedicate ourselves to God if we do not fulfil the vow we have made.
3. The stone pillar in Bethlehem.
God prepared Leah as Jacob's wife, but Jacob did not like her. He liked Rachel. Rachel was Jacob's personal choice, which led him to serving Laban for fourteen years. Rachel died when she gave birth to Jacob's second son, Benjamin. This was God's arrangement. According to Genesis 35: 20, after Rachel died, Jacob set up a pillar at her grave; it is the pillar of Rachel's tomb, which is there to this day.
Jacob's marrying Rachel was not blessed by God. Therefore, after having been well cared by God and having fulfilled his vow in Bethel, Jacob lost his wife Rachel, who died of hard labor. Jacob set up a pillar at her grave, a memento for the death of his "personal will".
Every Christian should respect God as the great and obey his will completely. What God likes is our likes; what God dislikes is our dislikes. But many of us have our personal will. For example, Samson's "Rachel" was his covetousness of pretty women, Balaam's "Rachel" was his greed for money and we also have our own "Rachel". We ought to make all these "Rachels" die and make a pillar, not to let them come to life again.
The place where Rachel died is only 200 meters from Bethlehem, in which our LORD Jesus was born. "Rachel" must die when "Benjamin" is to be born. Benjamin in the Old Testament is a sign of Jesus Christ. Our old self and our "Rachel" must die before Jesus Christ live in us. The pillar at Rachel's grave was set up on the way to the place where Jesus was born. The pillar reminds us that we should make our "old self" die in order to have Christ.
Today we share "Jacob's three pillars": the one in Gilead represents our thanksgiving before God, the one in Bethel is for our fulfilling our vows and the one in Bethlehem symbolizes the death of our old self and the establishment of new life. May that we encourage each other with "the three pillars".
（根据录音整理）