第五週■週一

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晨興餧養

創三七7 ～ 8『我們在田裏捆禾稼，忽然間我的禾捆起來站着，你們的禾捆來圍着我的禾捆下拜。他的哥哥們對他說，難道你真要作我們的王，真要管轄我們麼？…』

當雅各成熟時，他的名字就改了。不僅他的性情變化了，他的名字也從雅各（抓奪者）改爲以色列（神成熟的王子，能爲神掌權的人）。…成熟的以色列掌權的一面…完全描繪在約瑟的傳記裏。…因爲約瑟代表雅各的一面，我們就不該認爲約瑟是與雅各分開的人。創世記末後十四章，將約瑟生平的記載與雅各生平的記載結合一起，原因就在這裏。

約瑟作基督的豫表，表徵成熟的聖徒，成熟的以色列掌權的一面。這樣的人掌權的一面必然是完美的。當然，我們沒有一個人是完美的。然而，在我們掌權的一面，我們是完美的。每當我們在靈裏掌權的時候，我們就是完美的。（創世記生命讀經，一六七八至一六八○頁。）

信息選讀

成熟的聖徒…經過了亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的生平所代表的經歷，…就有單單由基督構成的一面。因爲他這一面是基督的構成，所以是完美的。約瑟代表成熟聖徒這構成的一面。在我們每個人裏面，都有由基督構成的一面。卽使你剛重生，你也有一部分，就是你重生的靈，已經由基督所構成。這是基督在你裏面構成的開始。由基督構成的過程要一直持續到頂點，那時掌權的一面就要在你身上出來。當你完全成熟時，你就有這拔尖的一分，拔尖的一面。…約瑟代表基督在雅各成熟生命裏的構成。基督在成熟聖徒裏面構成的這一面是完美的。因此，這一面完美的豫表基督。

雖然神的子民是位於天上的太陽、月亮與眾星，卻是活在地上的禾捆，（腓三20，二15，）因爲禾捆生長在田裏。今天我們乃是活在地上的屬天子民。…我們是神的子民。…你若說弟兄姊妹不行，這意思就是你非常短視。你若用神聖的望遠鏡，透過時間來看，你會看見新耶路撒冷，在那裏沒有別的，只有禾捆和眾星。在新耶路撒冷，沒有『地鼠』或『蠍子』。在那裏，每樣東西都滿了生命和光。…惟有神能使約瑟有這些夢。

成熟的生命有掌權的一面。你越在生命裏成熟，越不會消極的說到聖徒或召會。…在神眼中，信徒都是禾捆。他們也是太陽、月亮與眾星。…我看見這樣的異象之後，有時候還會說，『不錯，我已經看見召會是美妙的，但事實上召會並非如此。』我這樣說，就把『尾巴』露出來了。甚至這『尾巴』也使我發死。最終，我完全被征服且被折服，我說，『主，我忘掉我的短視，我要使用神聖的望遠鏡。召會是超特、奇妙、美好的。召會一點也沒有問題，她旣完美又完全。』我這樣說，就滿有生命，並且享受生命。對我而言，每位弟兄姊妹都是美妙的，我愛他們所有的人，包括退後的在內。我越這樣說到弟兄姊妹，就越滿有生命。我相信我們許多人都經歷過這事。我們不是審判人的，神纔是審判者。而祂不是審判聖徒，乃是在他們身上作工，將『蠍子』變化爲禾捆，將『地鼠』變化爲眾星。最終，我們都要成爲禾捆和眾星。願我們都有這永遠的眼光。（創世記生命讀經，一六八二、一六九二、一六九四至一六九五頁。）

參讀：創世記生命讀經，第一百一十篇。

WEEK 5 — DAY 1

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Morning Nourishment

Gen. 37:7-8 There we were, binding sheaves in the field, when suddenly my sheaf rose up and remained standing; and then your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf. And his brothers said to him, Will you indeed reign over us and actually be a ruler among us?…

When Jacob was matured, his name was changed. Not only was his disposition transformed, but his name was changed from Jacob, a supplanter, to Israel, a matured prince of God, one who could reign for God. The reigning aspect of…the matured Israel [is] portrayed in the biography of Joseph. Because Joseph represents an aspect of Jacob, we should not consider Joseph a person separate from Jacob. This is the reason the last fourteen chapters of Genesis combine the record of Joseph’s life with the record of Jacob’s.

As a type of Christ, Joseph signifies the reigning aspect of a matured saint, the mature Israel. Certainly the reigning aspect of such a person must be perfect. None of us, of course, is perfect. However, in our reigning aspect we are perfect. Whenever we are reigning in the spirit, we are perfect. (Life-study of Genesis, pp. 1406-1408)

Today’s Reading

A matured saint who has passed through the experiences represented by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…has an aspect that is constituted solely of Christ. Because this aspect of him is the constitution of Christ, it is perfect. Joseph represents this constituted aspect of a matured saint. In each of us there is a part that is constituted of Christ. Even if you have just been regenerated, a part of you, your regenerated spirit, has been constituted of Christ. This is the beginning of Christ’s constitution in you. The process of being constituted of Christ will continue until it reaches its climax when the reigning aspect comes forth in you. When you are fully matured, you will have this top portion, this top aspect. Joseph represents the constitution of Christ in Jacob’s mature life. This aspect, Christ constituted in the matured saints, is perfect. Hence, it perfectly typifies Christ.

Although God’s people are positioned in heaven as the sun, the moon, and the stars, they are living on earth as sheaves (Phil. 3:20; 2:15), for sheaves grow in the field. Today we are the heavenly people living on earth. We are God’s people…If you say that the brothers and sisters are so bad, it means that you are extremely shortsighted. But if you use the divine telescope to see through time, you will behold the New Jerusalem where there is nothing but sheaves and stars. In the New Jerusalem there are no “gophers” or “scorpions.” There, everything is full of life and light…Only God could have caused Joseph to have these dreams.

The mature life has a reigning aspect. The more mature in life you become, the less you will speak negatively concerning the saints or the church…In God’s eyes the believers are all sheaves. They are also the sun, the moon, and the stars. After seeing such a vision, I have nevertheless said at times, “Yes, I have seen that the church is wonderful. But actually it is not so.” In saying this, the “tail” was exposed. Even this “tail” caused me to suffer death. Eventually, I was completely subdued and convinced, and I said, “Lord, I forget my short sight and use the divine telescope. The church is excellent, marvelous, and wonderful. There is nothing wrong with the church. It is perfect and complete.” When I speak like this, I am full of life and I enjoy life. To me, every brother and sister is wonderful, and I love them all, including the backsliders. The more I speak this way about the brothers and sisters, the more I am full of life. I believe many of us have experienced this. We are not the ones to judge. God is the Judge. And He is not judging the saints; He is working on them to transform the “scorpions” into sheaves and the “gophers” into stars. Eventually, we all shall be sheaves and stars. May we all have this eternal view. (Life-study of Genesis, pp. 1409-1410, 1418-1420)

Further Reading: Life-study of Genesis, msg. 110