The Past and the Future || 过去和未来

Article #49 in the series: You Are God’s Masterpiece: The Genesis Notes.
你是神的工作: 《创世记手记》系列第四十九篇

What is your opinion? Does your past shape your future? Can your future be different than your past?

你是怎么想的呢？你的过去决定了你的未来吗？你的未来是否可以不同于你的过去呢？

Jacob Blesses His 12 Sons
雅各祝福他的 12个儿子

As Jacob is getting closer to his death, he gives a blessing and prophecy for his 12 sons. He predicts what will happen to them and we see some of the blessings have to do with their past, but not all of them.

雅各临终前，他给了十二个儿子每人一个祝福和预言。他预言会发生在他们身上的事情，以及有一部分祝福与他们过去的经历有关，但并非全部。

The Family’s Dark Past
家族的黑暗史

Remember Jacob has not had an easy life. He has had many trials and so have his sons. Before reading Genesis 49, let’s recall what we know about some of Jacob’s sons.

雅各的生活并不容易。他经历过许多考验，他的儿子们也是。在阅读创世记四十九章之前，让我们回顾一下雅各儿子们的基本情况吧。

Reuben
流便

Reuben is Jacob’s firstborn, the first son of Leah. But Reuben lost his position as firstborn when he slept with Bilhah, Jacob’s concubine, and the mother of his brothers Naphtali and Dan.

流便是雅各的长子，也是利亚的长子。但流便与辟拉同寝，辟拉就是亚伯拉罕的妾，并他弟兄拿弗他利和但的母亲，流便因而失去了长子的位份。

Simeon and Levi
西缅和利未

Simeon and Levi are the second born and thirdborn of Jacob, sons of Leah. They killed the men of Shechem because their sister, Dinah, was raped. They told the town’s men to become circumcised and while in their pain, Simeon and Levi killed them all. Later in life Simeon was the one who remained in jail in Egypt.

西缅和利未是雅各的第二和第三个儿子，由利亚所生。他们杀了示剑人，因为他们的妹子底拿被强暴。他们吩咐这城受割礼，然后在其养伤时，西缅和利未把一城的人都杀了。后来，西缅被关在埃及的监狱里度过余生。

Judah
犹大

Judah is Jacob’s fourth son, son of Leah. Judah’s first two sons, Er and Onan, were killed by God because they were so wicked and Judah mistreated his widowed daughter-in-law, Tamar. Judah repented when he declared Tamar was more righteous than he was and he took care of her for the rest of her life. Judah became the leader of the brothers. He convinced Jacob to let Benjamin go to Egypt and he made a passionate speech to Joseph asking for mercy. Jacob later put Judah in charge of finding the way to Goshen.

犹大是雅各的第四个儿子，利亚所生。犹大的前两个儿子珥和俄南因为太邪恶而被 神所杀，而且犹大还错待他守寡的儿媳，他玛。犹大悔改了，他宣称他玛比他更有义，并且负责照顾她的后半生。犹大成为了兄弟们的领袖，他说服雅各让便雅悯去埃及，并向约瑟表述了一番真诚的发言请求宽恕。后来，雅各让犹大负责找到通往歌珊的道路。

With these stories in mind, read Genesis 49 to see how Jacob is going to bless his sons before his death. Pay close attention to Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah.

带着这些故事，请读创世记四十九章，了解雅各在他去世前如何祝福他的儿子们。尤其关注流便，西缅，利未和犹大的故事。

Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come. “Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel. “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it. “Simeon and Levi are brothers— their swords are weapons of violence. Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased. Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel.”
Genesis 49:1-7 NIV

 

雅各叫了他的儿子们来、说、你们都来聚集、我好把你们日后必遇的事告诉你们。雅各的儿子们、你们要聚集而听、要听你们父亲以色列的话。流便哪、你是我的长子、是我力量强壮的时候生的、本当大有尊荣、权力超众．但你放纵情欲、滚沸如水、必不得居首位、因为你上了你父亲的床、污秽了我的榻。西缅和利未是弟兄、他们的刀剑是残忍的器具。我的灵阿、不要与他们同谋、我的心哪、不要与他们联络、因为他们趁怒杀害人命、任意砍断牛腿大筋．他们的怒气暴烈可咒．他们的忿恨残忍可诅．我要使他们分居在雅各家里、散住在以色列地中。
创世纪49:1-7 和合本

Reuben, Simeon, Levi
流便，西缅，利未

According to Jacob’s prophecy, Reuben will no longer excel because he slept with Jacob’s concubine, Bilhah. Reuben loses his position as the firstborn. Throughout the rest of the Bible we do not hear about any great people coming from Reuben’s line. He is not very famous in the Bible. Simeon and Levi are remembered for their murder. Jacob says he will not take council from them and does not ask their advice.

根据雅各的预言，流便将不再权力超众，因为他与亚伯拉罕的妾辟拉同寝了。流便失去了他长子的位份。在圣经的其他部分，我们没有听到任何来自流便这一脉的伟大人物。他在圣经中并不是很有名。大家还记得西缅和利未犯了谋杀罪。雅各不会听他们，更不会寻求他们的建议。

Levi’s Descendants
利未的后代

It is interesting that Levi’s descendants are Aaron and Moses and from them the priests. Moses was a great leader, but he had two very bad moments where he made two big mistakes with serious consequences. When he lived in Egypt, he murdered an Egyptian. As a result, he fled to the wilderness and lived there as a fugitive for 40 years. Moses was a murderer. Then much later on when he was the great leader of Israel, he became very angry and took his staff and hit a rock. God was going to do a miracle and have water come out of the rock. God had told him to just speak to the rock, but instead, in Moses’ anger he struck the rock. Because of this angry act Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. Both of these mistakes were due to anger and violence. Just like his grandfather, Levi. We can also look many years ahead to the priests in Jesus’ day. What did they do? They ordered Jesus be crucified – murdered. So we see the violence of Levi carried on through generations.

有趣的是，利未的后裔亚伦和摩西是祭司。摩西是一位伟大的领袖，但他也有两次犯错而导致了严重后果的时刻。当他住在埃及时，他杀了一名埃及人。结果他逃到荒野，在那里作为逃犯生活了四十年。摩西是杀人犯！不久后，他成为以色列的伟大领袖，有一次他非常生气，用杖击打一块石头。神计划行一个 神迹，让水从石头里出来， 神告诉他只要跟岩石说话即可，但是摩西在愤怒中，击打了石头。因为这个愤怒的举动，摩西不被允许进入应许之地。这两个错误都是由于愤怒和暴力造成的。就像他的祖父利未一样。在耶稣时代，祭司们做了什么呢？他们下令将耶稣钉在十字架上 – 又是谋杀。尤其可见，利未的暴力传承给了后代。

In these blessings Jacob remembers their sin. Reuben’s sexual sin and Simeon and Levi’s murders. They cannot escape the consequences of their sin. The Bible says we reap what we sow. If you plant a seed of corn, you will grow corn. If you plant a seed of wheat, you will grow wheat. If you plant sin, you will have a harvest of pain.

在这些祝福中，雅各还记得他们的罪。流便的性犯罪，西缅和利未的谋杀案。他们无法逃避罪恶的后果。圣经说我们会收获所播种的东西。如果你种下玉米种子，你会得到玉米。如果你种下小麦种子，就会得到小麦。如果你撒了罪的种子，你就会收获痛苦。

What About Judah?
犹大呢？

“Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his. He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.”
Genesis 49:8-12 NIV

 

犹大阿、你弟兄们必赞美你、你手必掐住仇敌的颈项、你父亲的儿子们必向你下拜。犹大是个小狮子．我儿阿、你抓了食便上去．你屈下身去、卧如公狮、蹲如母狮、谁敢惹你。圭必不离犹大、杖必不离他两脚之间、直等细罗〔就是赐平安者〕来到、万民都必归顺。犹大把小驴拴在葡萄树上、把驴驹拴在美好的葡萄树上、他在葡萄酒中洗了衣服、在葡萄汁中洗了袍褂。他的眼睛必因酒红润、他的牙齿必因奶白亮。
创世纪49:8-12 和合本

Now what about Judah? He also did a really shameful thing by not only neglecting his daughter-in-law, Tamar, but then sleeping with her and eventually condemning her to death. But everything changed when he confessed his sin and repented.

那犹大呢？他也做了一件非常可耻的事情，他不但没有照顾儿媳他玛，甚至和她同寝，最后还要处死她。但当他承认自己的罪并悔改时，一切都改变了。

So did Jacob remember this story about Judah? Did he also get a “bad” blessing? No. Judah received an amazing blessing. And we see this blessing stretches all the way to Jesus. In Revelation, Jesus is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

雅各也记得犹大的这个故事吗？他也得到了“坏”的祝福吗？没有。犹大得到了奇妙的祝福！我们看到这个祝福一直持续到耶稣！在启示录中，耶稣被称为犹大支派的狮子。

“Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.’”
Revelation 5:5 NIV

 

“长老中有一位对我说：‘不要哭！看哪，犹大支派中的狮子，大卫的根，他已得胜，能以展开那书卷，揭开那七印。’”
启示录5:5

This is all a part of the blessing from Judah.

这都是犹大的祝福的一部分。

Confession and Repentance Changes Everything
认罪和悔改可以改变一切

Confession and repentance changed Judah’s life and even affected future generations. The first four sons of Jacob were Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah. All four sons possessed a sinful past, but only one son confessed and repented.

认罪和悔改更新了犹大的生命和他的未来，甚至影响到了后代。雅各的前四个儿子是流便，西缅，利未和犹大。这四个人都有罪恶的过去，但只有一个人认罪和悔改了。

Reuben – sexual sin – disqualified for firstborn son blessing

Simeon – murderous sin – disqualified for firstborn son blessing

Levi – murderous sin – disqualified for firstborn son blessing

Judah – sexual sin and almost murder, but he confessed, repented and received the blessing to become leader for all generations

流便 -性犯罪– 被取消了长子的祝福资格

西缅 – 杀人的罪 – 被取消了长子的祝福资格

利未 – 杀人的罪 – 被取消了长子的祝福资格

犹大 – 性犯罪和几近谋杀罪，但他认罪并悔改 – 得到了成为所有世代领袖的祝福。

Have you been set free from a sinful past? How has Jesus changed your future as you have confessed, repented and received forgiveness?

你是否从罪恶的过去中得到了释放呢？当你认罪和悔改，得到饶恕之后，耶稣如何改变了你的未来？

The rest of the Brothers and the passing of Jacob
剩余的兄弟和雅各去世

“Zebulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border will extend toward Sidon. “Issachar is a rawboned donkey lying down among the sheep pens. When he sees how good is his resting place and how pleasant is his land, he will bend his shoulder to the burden and submit to forced labor. “Dan will provide justice for his people as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan will be a snake by the roadside, a viper along the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider tumbles backward. “I look for your deliverance, Lord. “Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels. “Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king. “Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns. “Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, because of your father’s God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the skies above, blessings of the deep springs below, blessings of the breast and womb. Your father’s blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers. “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.” All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him. Then he gave them these instructions: “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites. ” When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.”
Genesis 49: 13-33 NIV

 

他的眼睛必因酒红润、他的牙齿必因奶白亮。西布伦必住在海口、必成为停船的海口．他的境界必延到西顿。以萨迦是个强壮的驴、卧在羊圈之中．他以安静为佳、以肥地为美、便低肩背重、成为服苦的仆人。但必判断他的民、作以色列支派之一。但必作道上的蛇、路中的虺、咬伤马蹄、使骑马的坠落于后。耶和华阿、我向来等候你的救恩。迦得必被敌军追逼、他却要追逼他们的脚跟。亚设之地必出肥美的粮食、且出君王的美味。拿弗他利是被释放的母鹿、他出嘉美的言语。约瑟是多结果子的树枝、是泉旁多结果的枝子、他的枝条探出墙外。弓箭手将他苦害、向他射箭、逼迫他。但他的弓仍旧坚硬、他的手健壮敏捷．这是因以色列的牧者、以色列的磐石、就是雅各的大能者．你父亲的　神、必帮助你、那全能者、必将天上所有的福、地里所藏的福、以及生产乳养的福、都赐给你。你父亲所祝的福、胜过我祖先所祝的福、如永世的山岭、至极的边界、这些福必降在约瑟的头上、临列那与弟兄迥别之人的顶上。便雅悯是个撕掠的狼、早晨要吃他所抓的、晚上要分他所夺的。这一切是以色列的十二支派．这也是他们的父亲对他们所说的话、为他们所祝的福、都是按着各人的福分、为他们祝福。他又嘱咐他们说、我将要归到我列祖〔原文作本民〕那里、你们要将我葬在赫人以弗仑田间的洞里、与我祖我父在一处、就是在迦南地幔利前、麦比拉田间的洞．那洞和田、是亚伯拉罕向赫人以弗仑买来为业、作坟地的。他们在那里葬了亚伯拉罕和他妻子撒拉．又在那里葬了以撒、和他妻子利百加．我也在那里葬了利亚。那块田和田间的洞、原是向赫人买的。雅各嘱咐众子已毕、就把脚收在床上、气绝而死、归到列祖〔原文作本民〕那里去了。
创世纪49:13-33 和合本

Past – Future
过去-未来

Going back to the original question: Does your past affect your future? Yes. We see in the lives of Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah, their past affected their future. Their decisions planted seeds which were going to grow even into the future generations. For Reuben, Simeon and Levi, they did not repent of their sin and because of their decisions the power of sin affected them and their children. Judah also sinned. But he responded to his sin with a humble heart. He acknowledged his sin and repented. He did what was right and his life was incredibly victorious. He was not only a leader, but his descendant, Jesus Christ, was the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

回到最初的问题：你的过去是否会影响你的未来？会。我们看到在流便，西缅，利未和犹大的生命中，他们的过去影响了他们的未来。他们作出的决定撒下了将要增长的种子 – 甚至撒到了后代的生命中。对于流便，西缅和利未来说，他们并没有悔改自己的罪，因此，罪的力量也影响了他们和他们的孩子。犹大也犯了罪。但他以谦卑的心回应了他的罪。他承认自己的罪并且悔改了。他做了正确的事，因此他的一生是得胜的。他不仅是领袖，而且他的后裔耶稣基督是万王之王和万主之主！

The Bible says all of us have sinned. Simeon and Levi are not the only ones who are violent, hateful and murderers. Reuben and Judah are not the only ones who have sexual sin in their lives. There are many other sins we wrestle with – pride, jealousy, envy, stealing, lying, cheating, worshipping other gods like money, fame or power. We are all sinners.

圣经说我们所有人都犯了罪。西缅和利未并不是唯一一个暴力者、仇恨者和凶手。流便和犹大并不是唯一一个在生活中有性犯罪的人。我们还有许多其他的罪 – 比如骄傲，妒羡，嫉妒，偷窃，撒谎，欺骗，拜金、沉迷名誉或权力等其他事物。我们都是罪人。

Two Paths
两条路

There are two paths we can take. We can take the path of Reuben, Simeon and Levi – ignore our sin. Justify it. Cover it up. Pretend like it never happened. Or we can be like Judah, acknowledge our sin, confess it and turn away from the sin.

我们有两条道路选择。我们可以走流便，西缅和利未的路 -忽视我们的罪，为它辩解，掩盖它，假装它从未发生过。或者我们可以像犹大一样，认罪，承认并远离罪恶。

What Will You Choose?
你会选择什么？

The past will affect your future, but God has given you a choice. How will your past affect your future? The sin of your past does not have to have power over you today. You can come to Jesus and He can set you free. With the forgiveness and love of Jesus you can be like Judah. You can have a brighter future.

过去会影响到你的未来，但 神已经给了你一个选择。你的过去将如何影响你的未来？你过去的罪可以不再辖制和影响你的今天。你可以来到耶稣面前，他可以给你自由。因着耶稣的饶恕和爱，你也可以像犹大一样 – 拥有更光明的未来！