Birth of the Promised Son: Isaac || 应许之子以撒的降生

Article #21 the series: You Are God’s Masterpiece: The Genesis Notes. 

你是神的杰作:《创世记手记》系列第二十一

The long-awaited moment finally comes. Sarah and Abraham become parents. It must have been a joyful occasion for the entire household. Everyone must have rejoiced. Well, almost everyone.

等待已久的时刻终于到来了！撒拉和亚伯拉罕成为了父母，有了自己的孩子。对整个家族而言，这是多么令人喜悦的事情！大家一定都很高兴，嗯，几乎每一个人。

Sarah-Abraham-God
撒拉–亚伯拉罕– 神

Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
Genesis‬ 21:1-7‬ NIV

 

耶和华按着先前的话眷顾撒拉，便照他所说的给撒拉成就。当亚伯拉罕年老的时候，撒拉怀了孕，到神所说的日期，就给亚伯拉罕生了一个儿子。亚伯拉罕给撒拉所生的儿子起名叫以撒。以撒生下来第八日，亚伯拉罕照着神所吩咐的，给以撒行了割礼。他儿子以撒生的时候，亚伯拉罕年一百岁。撒拉说：“神使人喜笑，凡听见的必与我一同喜笑。”又说：“谁能预先对亚伯拉罕说‘撒拉要乳养婴孩’呢？因为在他年老的时候，我给他生了一个儿子。”
创世记 21:1-7 和合本

Sarah’s Important Position
撒拉的重要地位

It is interesting to note that in these verses the three principle characters are the Lord, Abraham and Sarah. Among the three of them, Sarah’s name is mentioned the most number of times. This is remarkable since the culture in which Sarah was living was a culture where women were mostly viewed as the person to birth babies and care for the husband. Women were often treated lower than men. Men at times had more than one wife. We see in the story of Abraham this was the case. He took another woman with the purpose of having children.

有趣的是，在这些经文中，三个主要人物是耶和华、亚伯拉罕和撒拉。而在这三人中，撒拉的名字被提及的次数最多。由于在撒拉所处的文化习俗中，妇女大多被视为是生儿育女和照顾丈夫的人。妇女的地位通常比男性低，男人可以娶多个妻子，亚伯拉罕的故事就是如此。他娶了另一个女人，就是为了生孩子的缘故。

Therefore, it is amazing that Sarah is mentioned so many times in these verses. She is an important part of this story. Not just a nameless woman bearing a child. She was a part of God’s plan. God values women, Jesus values women, and I am so grateful they do.

因此撒拉的名字在这几节经文中被提到这么多次是很奇妙的。她在这个故事中占据了重要的位置，并不是一个生孩子的无名小卒，而是 神计划中的一部分。神珍视女人，耶稣同样如此，我很感激他们这样做。

God Is The Doer
神是成就者

Between the three people, Abraham, Sarah and God, who has the most action words associated with their name? God does. God is the one who is most active in this passage. Abraham cannot take credit for the promise coming true. The child born to Abraham and Sarah came as a result of God’s work. Not Abraham and Sarah’s work.

在亚伯拉罕，撒拉和 神三人之中-谁的名字和他们关联最多呢？是 神！在这段经文中， 神是最活跃的。亚伯拉罕不会因为应许的实现而得到褒奖。亚伯拉罕和撒拉所生的孩子是神做工的结果，并不是亚伯拉罕和撒拉的作品。

As Christians sometimes we give ourselves too much credit. We say things like:

作为基督徒，有时我们将太多功劳归给自己。我们会这样说：

I did this to serve God … 我这么做是为了服侍 神…
I prayed for her … 我为她祷告了…
I shared the gospel with him … 我向他传了福音…
I gave my time, money, resources … 我献出了自己的时间、金钱和物品…
I went to church … 我去过教会…

Sometimes we believe a lot of our Christian service is from our own strength. We can think the good things happen to us are from ourselves. Let us always remember our life is in God’s hands. God acts and we receive from Him.

有时候我们相信我们在主里的事工是凭着自己的力量。我们认为那些发生在我们身上的好事都归功于自己。但我们永远要牢记，我们的生命在 神的手里。神做工，我们从衪那里领受。

The Son Is Sent Away
儿子被赶走

The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.” The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.” Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba.
Genesis‬ 21:8-14‬ NIV

 

孩子渐长，就断了奶。以撒断奶的日子，亚伯拉罕设摆丰盛的筵席。当时，撒拉看见埃及人夏甲给亚伯拉罕所生的儿子戏笑，就对亚伯拉罕说：“你把这使女和她儿子赶出去！因为这使女的儿子不可与我的儿子以撒一同承受产业。”亚伯拉罕因他儿子的缘故很忧愁。神对亚伯拉罕说：“你必不为这童子和你的使女忧愁，凡撒拉对你说的话，你都该听从，因为从以撒生的，才要称为你的后裔。至于使女的儿子，我也必使他的后裔成立一国，因为他是你所生的。”亚伯拉罕清早起来，拿饼和一皮袋水，给了夏甲，搭在她的肩上，又把孩子交给她，打发她走。夏甲就走了，在别是巴的旷野走迷了路。
创世记 21:8-14‬‬ 和合本

When baby Isaac is born not everyone is excited. Ishmael does not like the baby and mocks him. Sarah will not tolerate having Hagar and Ishmael in the household, so Sarah tells Abraham to send them away. This is the second time Hagar is sent away by Sarah. Teenaged Ishmael is probably jealous of Isaac. Sarah is most likely jealous of Hagar. This jealousy turns into mocking from Ishmael and hate from Sarah. The result is someone has to go. And it is Ishmael and Hagar.

以撒出生时，并不是所有人都为此高兴。以实玛利不喜欢这个婴儿，而且还戏笑他。撒拉再也无法忍受夏甲和以实玛利继续留在这个家里了，因此她告诉亚伯拉罕把他们赶走。这是夏甲第二次被撒拉驱逐！少年以实玛利可能是嫉妒以撒，撒拉更像在嫉妒夏甲。这种嫉妒演变成以实玛利的戏笑和撒拉的憎恨。最后的结果是必须有人要离开！就是以实玛利和夏甲。

Abraham is in a difficult situation. Ishmael is his teenaged son whom he loves. Abraham turned to God in prayer. God answers Abraham asking him to do something very difficult. God asked Abraham to give up his son. He is told he must follow Sarah’s request. But the good news is God gives Abraham a promise: Ishmael will become a great nation.

亚伯拉罕此刻陷入两难境地！以实玛利是他所爱的年少儿子！亚伯拉罕转向神作祷告。神回应他的祷告，要他去做很困难的事。神让他放弃那个儿子，并且要听从撒拉说的话。但好消息是 神应许亚伯拉罕，以实玛利会成为一个大国。

Amazingly Abraham believes God and gives up his own son. Sometimes following and obeying God means making a hard decision such as giving up something you have and trusting God. In Abraham’s situation God knew Ishmael had to move on – it was actually better for Ishmael. Sometimes we have to let one situation go so the better situation can come.

奇妙的是，亚伯拉罕相信 神的话，放弃了自己的亲生儿子。有时跟随和顺服 神意味着要做出艰难的抉择，例如放弃已有的来信靠 神。在亚伯拉罕的处境中， 神知道以实玛利必须得走-实际上，对以实玛利来说会更好，有时候我们不得不放弃一件事，才能让更好的事情到来。

Is there anything in your life right now you know God is asking you to give up? Are you ready? What are the next steps you should take?

目前你的生命中有没有什么是你明知 神要你放弃的？你准备这么做了吗？接下来你该怎么做？

If God is calling us to let go of something, but we hold on then the new blessing from God cannot come. Be like Abraham. Though it was difficult, he obeyed immediately. The next day, early in the morning, he sent Hagar and Ishmael away with some water for the journey through the desert.

如果 神呼召你放弃什么东西，而我们却紧抓不放，那么 神给你的新祝福就无法来到！要像亚伯拉罕，虽然很困难，他立即就顺服了。第二天清晨，他给夏甲和以实玛利装上水，送他们去旷野。

Crying Out
哭喊

When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob. God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.
Genesis‬ 21:15-21‬ NIV

 

皮袋的水用尽了，夏甲就把孩子撇在小树底下，自己走开约有一箭之远，相对而坐，说：“我不忍见孩子死！”就相对而坐，放声大哭。神听见童子的声音。神的使者从天上呼叫夏甲说：“夏甲！你为何这样呢？不要害怕，神已经听见童子的声音了。起来！把童子抱在怀中（注：“怀”原文作“手”），我必使他的后裔成为大国。“神使夏甲的眼睛明亮，她就看见一口水井，便 去将皮袋盛满了水，给童子喝。神保佑童子，他就渐长，住在旷野，成了弓箭手。他住在巴兰的旷野，他母亲从埃及地给他娶了一个妻子。
创世记21:15-21‬‬ 和合本

Now we read about a heartbreaking moment. Their water for the journey runs out. They are in the desert and Ishmael is thirsty. He is so thirsty he is dying. The human body can only go 3-5 days without water. If you are in the desert and there is no water, you are in danger.

现在我们读到令人心碎的时刻。他们行路的水用尽了，身处旷野，以实玛利很口渴，他就快渴死了。人的身体没水时只能撑三到五天。如果你在旷野里没有了水，就陷在危险之中。

Ishmael starts to cry. Hagar cannot take his crying so she leaves him under a tree. He must be very weak. Hagar goes somewhere away from him and she also begins to cry.

以实玛利开始哭。夏甲受不了他哭，把他撇在一棵小树底下。他的身体一定很虚弱，夏甲离开他很远，也开始放声大哭起来。

God hears the cry of Ishmael and He speaks to Hagar. He says, “Do not be afraid.” So often this is God’s response to people. Fear really can paralyze us. The first thing the Lord speaks to her about is fear, the fear must be gone. Once the fear is gone then He can give her a promise: Ishmael will become a great nation. Then He can tell her the next steps and show her the provision. He opens her eyes and she is able to take the boy to water.

神听到以实玛利的哭声，就开始对夏甲说话。他说：不要害怕。神常常这样回应人的呼求。恐惧真的会麻痹我们。神跟她说的第一句话就是关于惧怕，惧怕必须消失才行。一旦没有了惧怕， 神才能给她应许：以实玛利的后裔会成为一个大国。然后 神才会告诉她接下来该怎么做，让她看到神的供应。神开了她的眼睛，就盛水给童子喝了。

Sometimes our fear can stop us and we need to hear God’s promises for our lives. And then He can give us the next step and even open our eyes.

有时我们的恐惧会阻拦我们，我们需要听到 神对我们生命的应许，那么 神就会指示我们下一步怎么走，甚至开我们的眼睛。

Consider the steps of Hagar’s experience with God:
思考一下夏甲经历 神的步骤

1
Hagar faced a desperate situation, she had given up.
夏甲面临绝境，已经放弃。

2
Hagar and Ishmael cried out and God heard their cries.
夏甲和以实玛利大哭， 神听了他们的哭声。

3
God came to Hagar and said, “Do not fear.”
神找到夏甲对她说：“不要害怕”。

4
God gave Hagar a promise.
神给夏甲一个应许。

5
God gave Hagar provision.
神供应夏甲。

6
God opened Hagar’s eyes to see what He was doing for her.
神开夏甲的眼睛，看到 神为她所做的事情。

Consider the steps of Hagar’s experience with God. Are you facing a desperate situation? Take time now to pray, cry out to God, ask Him to remove your fear and to give you His promises for your life. Ask Him for His provision for your situation and ask Him to open your eyes to see what He is doing in your life.

思想一下夏甲经历 神的每一步。你是否也正面临绝境？现在花点时间来祷告，向 神呼求，请祂挪去你的恐惧，指示祂对你生命的应许。祈求祂供应你的需求，开你的眼睛看清祂在你生命中的作为。

God’s Provision is More Than Enough
神的供应超乎人的所需所求

When Hagar left Abraham he gave her some water. But it certainly was not enough. It was just one water skin. When God gave water to Hagar it was abundantly more than enough, an entire well. When we depend on other people to provide for us we will often run out of what we need. But when we depend on God to provide for us there will always be more than enough.

亚伯拉罕在送夏甲离开时给她预备了一些水。但显然这些水是不够的，只有一皮袋水。而 神给夏甲的水是源源不绝的，是一口井。当我们依靠他人来供应时，总会用尽，但依靠 神来供应我们的话，总会超乎我们的所求所需。

God Was With Ishmael
神与以实玛利同在

God was true to His promise for Ishmael. God was with Ishmael. And God will continue to be with the descendants of Ishmael. They are also sons of Abraham and receive an inheritance from the Lord. What a hopeful reality. What a merciful God. Even an outcast, Ishmael, will have an inheritance.

神对以实玛利的应许是真实的，祂与以实玛利同在，也会继续与以实玛利的后裔们同在。他们也是亚伯拉罕的子孙，承受从 神而来的产业！这是多么充满盼望的事实！神是何等恩慈，即使是被赶走的以实玛利也同样会承受 神的产业。

New Home, New Tree, New Name, New Life
新家，新树，新名字和新生命

At that time Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do. Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. Show to me and the country where you now reside as a foreigner the same kindness I have shown to you.” Abraham said, “I swear it.” Then Abraham complained to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimelek’s servants had seized. But Abimelek said, “I don’t know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I heard about it only today.” So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek, and the two men made a treaty. Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock, and Abimelek asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves?” He replied, “Accept these seven lambs from my hand as a witness that I dug this well.” So that place was called Beersheba, because the two men swore an oath there. After the treaty had been made at Beersheba, Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces returned to the land of the Philistines. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Eternal God. And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time.
Genesis‬ 21:22-34‬ NIV‬‬

 

当那时候，亚比米勒同他军长非各对亚伯拉罕说：“凡你所行的事都有神的保佑。我愿你如今在这里指着神对我起誓，不要欺负我与我的儿子，并我的子孙。我怎样厚待了你，你也要照样厚待我与你所寄居这地的民。”亚伯拉罕说：“我情愿起誓。”从前亚比米勒的仆人霸占了一口水井，亚伯拉罕为这事指责亚比米勒。亚比米勒说：“谁做这事我不知道，你也没有告诉我，今日我才听见了。”亚伯拉罕把羊和牛给了亚比米勒，二人就彼此立约。亚伯拉罕把七只母羊羔另放在一处。亚比米勒问亚伯拉罕说：“你把这七只母羊羔另放一处，是什么意思呢？”他说：“你要从我手里受这七只母羊羔，作我挖这口井的证据。”所以他给那地方起名叫别是巴，因为他们二人在那里起了誓（注：“别是巴”就是“盟誓的井”）。他们在别是巴立了约，亚比米勒就同他军长非各起身回非利士地去了。亚伯拉罕在别是巴栽上一棵垂丝柳树，又在那里求告耶和华永生神的名。亚伯拉罕在非利士人的地寄居了多日。
创世记 21:22-34 和合本

To end the chapter we see Abraham gets into a dispute with Abimelek over water. Abraham is a peace maker and looks for a way to resolve the differences. He makes an agreement with Abimelek. Once this agreement has been made Abraham establishes a new home. He plants a new tree and uses a new name for God: El Olam “the Eternal One.” The promise has come. Isaac is born. God who was always here and will always be here has been faithful to Abraham and a new day has come.

在本章的结尾，我们看到亚伯拉罕与亚比米勒因为水的问题产生争端。亚伯拉罕是爱好和睦的人，他会寻求方法来化解矛盾，他和亚比米勒达成一个协议，协议签定好之后，亚伯拉罕在那地安置新家，栽了一棵新树，为神起了一个新名字：El Olam-永生 神。应许已成就，以撒降生了。那个昔在今在永在的 神以信实对待亚伯拉罕，新的日子终于来到。