第五週■週三

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晨興餧養

創四十8『…我們各人作了一個夢，沒有人能解。約瑟說，解夢不是神的事麼？請你們將夢告訴我。』

四一16『約瑟回答法老說，這不在於我，神必將平安的話回答法老。』

約瑟與司酒長和司膳長一同被監禁。…〔司酒長和司膳長〕無法領會他們的夢，但約瑟能解夢。雖然約瑟的夢還沒有應驗，但他有信心和膽量爲他的同伴解夢。〔創四十8 ～ 9。〕倘若我是約瑟，我會說，『我曾爲自己解夢，但這些解釋還沒有應驗。…卽使我確知夢的意義，我也沒有把握告訴他們，因爲我不知道我的解釋會不會應驗。』然而，約瑟對自己夢的解釋雖然還沒有應驗，但仍有膽量對他的同伴說，『解夢不是神的事麼？請你們將夢告訴我。』（8。）約瑟似乎說，『我有兩個夢，神也將夢的解釋告訴了我。雖然這些解釋還沒有應驗，但我仍然相信。我有信心爲你們解夢。』（創世記生命讀經，一七一七至一七一八頁。）

信息選讀

我們該照着異象說話，過於照着異象的應驗說話。卽使我們的異象還沒有應驗，我們仍該向別人述說。時候將到，那時我們的異象必要應驗。最終約瑟的夢藉着他給司酒長解夢得了應驗。…司酒長和司膳長的夢不過幾天之後就得了應驗。當約瑟同伴的夢應驗時，約瑟得着了堅固並加強。倘若我是約瑟，我定然會得着鼓勵。

約瑟的說話不僅使他從監獄中得釋放，並且把他引到寶座。約瑟把自己說到寶座上去。他是直接藉着爲法老解夢，得着了權柄。（創四一25 ～ 44。）倘若我是爲法老解夢的人，我會非常小心，惟恐法老問起我自己的夢。…然而，約瑟放膽說話，爲法老解夢，就藉着說話得着了權柄。…你越說沒有資格，越說你在監牢中，就越留在監牢中。但你越說話，就越得釋放。

給約瑟權柄的，就是說話。他的說話不僅使他登寶座，也使他得着權柄治理全地。你越說話，就越有權柄。釋放和權柄都是藉着說話而來。

無論你在那裏，你不是帶來生命，就是帶來死亡。對司酒長而言，約瑟帶來生命。在司酒長的夢裏，我們看見滿了生命的葡萄樹。但對司膳長而言，約瑟帶來死亡，因爲司膳長被飛鳥吞喫了。作約瑟不是微不足道的事，因爲無論你到那裏，人不是領受生命，就是遭受死亡。他們不是到滿了生命的葡萄樹所豫表的基督那裏，就是被空中飛鳥所代表的撒但吞喫了。

有些人讀到創世記四十章，也許想要…問主爲甚麼把約瑟留在監牢裏這麼久。…你若尋求主，主要把你下在監裏。也許在你周圍所有的人—你的妻子、兒女、長老和弟兄姊妹—都想要尊重你；然而，他們所作的，不過把你下在監裏。我們對此無話可說。沒有監牢，我們無法登寶座。不要作『逃獄的人』；要留在獄中，直到你畢業得着冠冕。（創世記生命讀經，一七一九、一七四三至一七四四、一七二二至一七二三、一七三八至一七三九頁。）

參讀：創世記生命讀經，第一百十二、一百十四篇；倪柝聲文集第三輯第十一册，第十二篇。

WEEK 5 — DAY 3

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Morning Nourishment

Gen. 40:8…We have had a dream, and there is no one to interpret it. And Joseph said to them, Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell it to me.

      41:16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not of me; God will
give Pharaoh a favorable answer.

During his imprisonment…Joseph was joined in his confinement by the chief cupbearer and the baker…They could not understand their dreams, but Joseph was able to interpret them. Although Joseph’s dreams had not yet been fulfilled, he had the faith and the boldness to interpret the dreams of his companions [Gen. 40:8-19]. If I had been Joseph, I would have said, “I interpreted my own dreams, but these interpretations have not been fulfilled…Even if I did know the meaning of their dreams, I would not have the assurance to tell them, because I don’t know that my interpretations will be fulfilled.” However, although Joseph’s interpretation of his own dreams had not been fulfilled, he still had the boldness to say to his companions, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell it to me” (40:8). Joseph seemed to be saying, “I had two dreams, and God gave me the interpretation of them. I still believe in these interpretations, although they have not yet been fulfilled. I have the faith to interpret your dreams for you.” (Life-study of Genesis, pp. 1437-1438)

Today’s Reading

We should speak more according to the vision than according to the fulfillment of the vision. Even if our vision has not been fulfilled, we should still speak of it to others. The time will come when our vision will be fulfilled. Joseph’s dreams were eventually fulfilled through his interpretation of the dream of the cupbearer. It was just a matter of days before the dreams of the cupbearer and the baker were fulfilled. When the dreams of Joseph’s companions were fulfilled, Joseph was confirmed and strengthened.

Joseph’s speaking not only released him from prison, but also ushered him to the throne. Joseph spoke himself to the throne. He was given authority directly through his interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams (Gen. 41:25-44). If I had been the one interpreting dreams for Pharaoh, I would have been very cautious, fearing that Pharaoh would ask me about my own dreams…Joseph, however, was bold to speak, to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams, and through his speaking he was given authority…The more you say that you are not qualified and that you are in the dungeon, the longer you will remain in the dungeon. But the more you speak, the more released you will be.

Speaking is what gave Joseph his authority. His speaking not only put him on the throne, but it secured for him authority over all the land. The more you speak, the more authority you will have. Release and authority both come through speaking.

Wherever you are, you will bring either life or death. To the cupbearer, Joseph brought life. In the cupbearer’s dream we see a vine full of life. But to the baker, Joseph brought death, because the baker was devoured by birds. It is not an insignificant matter to be a Joseph, for wherever you go, people will either receive life or suffer death. Either they will go to Christ, typified by the vine full of life, or they will be devoured by Satan, represented by the birds of the air. When some read Genesis 40, they may…ask the Lord why He kept Joseph in prison for such a long time.

If you seek the Lord, the Lord will put you into a dungeon. Perhaps all who are around you—your wife, your children, the elders, and the brothers and  sisters—intend to respect you; however, whatever they do only serves to put you into a dungeon. We have nothing to say about this. Without the dungeon, we cannot ascend to the throne. Do not be a dungeon dropout; stay in the dungeon until you graduate and receive the crown. (Life-study of Genesis, pp. 1439, 1461-1462, 1442, 1457-1458)

Further Reading: Life-study of Genesis, msgs. 112, 114; CWWN, vol. 57, ch. 12