The Promise || 应许

Article #1 in the series: You Are God’s Masterpiece: The Genesis Notes.
你是神的工作: 《创世记手记》系列第一篇

Abram had followed his father Terah to Harran, but after Terah’s death, Abram is given the opportunity to follow God’s leading in his life. God spoke very clearly to Abram. He gave Abram two commands: 1. Leave and 2. Go. Then God gave him some fantastic promises if Abram was willing to obey.

亚伯兰一直跟着父亲他拉去到了哈兰，但他拉死后，亚伯兰有机会跟随 神来带领他的生命。神清楚地指示亚伯兰两件事：1、离开 2、前往，然后神给了亚伯兰一些非常奇妙的应许，只要他愿意顺服 神的指示。

Abram Is Called Away 亚伯兰被呼召离开

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Genesis‬ 12:1-3‬ NIV

 

耶和华对亚伯兰说：“你要离开本地、本族、本家，往我所要指示你的地去。我必叫你成为大国。我必赐福给你，叫你的名为大，你也要叫别人得福。为你祝福的，我必赐福予他，那咒诅你的，我必咒诅他。地上的万族都要因你得福。”

创世记12:1-3‬‬

These promises sound amazing. But let’s remember, in order to receive the blessings (and there were four major ones), Abram had to do something serious. He had to leave everything behind. All or nothing. Could he have received these tremendous blessings if he stayed in his hometown? With his people? With his family? No. Abram had to let go of everything and everyone to move forward.

这些应许听起来都非常棒！但我们要记住，为了领受这些祝福（其中有四个主要的祝福），亚伯兰需要非常严肃认真地去做件事-他必须放弃所有的一切。拥有一切或是一无所有。如果待在家乡，与本族父家人一起的话，他可以领受这巨大的祝福吗？不能，亚伯兰必须抛下所有的人和事前行。

Did Abram know where he was going exactly? No. Did he go without a map, address or GPS? Yes. He obeyed even though God did not give Abram detailed instructions. He possessed faith and went.

亚伯兰清楚地知道自己要去哪里吗?不知道。是不是连地图、地址或GPS都没有就出发了呢？确实如此。即便 神还未给亚伯兰任何详细的指示，他还是顺服而行。亚伯兰凭着信心出发了。

Stop #1: Great Tree of Moreh
第一站：摩利橡树

So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

Genesis‬ 12:4-7‬ NIV

 

亚伯兰就照着耶和华的吩咐去了。罗得也和他同去。亚伯兰出哈兰的时候年七十五岁。亚伯兰将他妻子撒莱和侄儿罗得，连他们在哈兰所积蓄的财物，所得的人口，都带往迦南地去。他们就到了迦南地。亚伯兰经过那地，到了示剑地方摩利橡树那里。那时，迦南人住在那地。耶和华向亚伯兰显现，说：“我要把这地赐给你的后裔。”亚伯兰就在那里为向他显现的耶和华筑了一座坛。

创世记 12:4-7‬‬

Abram left Harran and entered Canaan. If we remember from chapter 11, Abram’s father, Terah, had been heading towards Canaan, but he never arrived. He settled in Harran. Now his son, Abram, is taking up the journey and reaches this new land. Abram travels through Canaan and comes to his first stop, The Great Tree of Moreh at Shechem.

亚伯兰离开哈兰进入迦南。如果我们还记得在第十一章中，亚伯兰的父亲他拉曾要往迦南去，但他没有到达那里，而是安顿在哈兰。现在他的儿子亚伯兰启程到达了这个新地方。亚伯兰穿过迦南，来到的第一站就是示剑的摩利橡树。

At this stopping point God appears to Abram. It must have been an incredible encouragement to Abram. When God speaks to Abram, He gives him a specific promise: “To your offspring I will give this land.” As if God was saying, “Great job. You are on the right track. You have made it to the first step. Here is your new promise.”

就在这个时候， 神向亚伯兰显现，这对亚伯兰来说一定是极大的鼓舞。神开口对他说话，给了亚伯兰一个具体的应许：“我要把这地赐给你的后裔”。这句话就像是在说“做得很好！你没有偏行己路！你已经成功抵达了第一站，我给你新的应许！”

At this moment in Abram’s life, he has no children, he has no land. So this promise of his future children inheriting this land was like a two-for-one deal. In one promise, God says Abram will have children and land. This is great news. Abram responded to God in worship by building an altar.

此时的亚伯兰，既无儿女也无土地。因此神应许将来他的后裔会继承这片土地，像是个双重应许！在一个应许之中，神说亚伯兰会有儿女也会有土地。这是一个大好的消息！亚伯兰因此筑了一座坛来敬拜神。

Have you ever taken a step of faith like Abram? You felt like God was calling you to do something and you obeyed even though you weren’t totally sure where you were going, what you were supposed to do or what the outcome might be? Did God give you encouragement along the way?

你是否曾像亚伯兰一样迈出信心的一步呢？你觉得 神好象呼召你去做某事，即便还不完全确信要去往哪里，要做些什么，或结局如何，你仍旧会顺服吗？神是否一路都在鼓励着你呢？

Stop #2: Between Ai And Bethel
第二站 艾和伯特利之间的地方

From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.

Genesis‬ 12:8-9‬ NIV

 

从那里他又迁到伯特利东边的山，支搭帐棚。西边是伯特利，东边是艾。他在那里又为耶和华筑了一座坛，求告耶和华的名。后来亚伯兰又渐渐迁往南地去。

创世记 12:8-9‬‬

After leaving the Tree of Moreh Abram must have been having a good journey because he stopped once again and built yet another altar. He was heading towards the Negev and it seems he had to stop once again and check in with God to make sure he was walking in the right direction.

离开摩利橡树后，亚伯兰的旅程一定非常顺利，因为他再次停下来并且又筑了一座坛。他正迁往南地去，好像他必须要再次停下来跟 神确认，以确保他走的方向是对的。

Periodically checking in with the Lord to make sure we are following His path for our lives is always wise. What are some ways you touch base with God to see if you are going the right way? When was the last time you checked in with God?

定期与主确认，确保自己走在主的道上，对我们的生命而言是很明智的做法。你在采取哪些方式与神保持联结，以确保自己走在正路呢？最后一次与神确认是什么时候？

Disaster On The Way: Famine
途中经历的灾难：饥荒

Just when life seemed to be going so well for Abram disaster strikes. There is a famine in the land. No food. Abram had to think fast to keep his wife, nephew, servants and animals alive. He had to do something, or they would all face death.

就在亚伯兰的生活看起来一帆风顺时，灾难临到了，那地出现饥荒。没有了食物，亚伯兰必须尽快想办法好让他的妻子、侄子、仆人和牲畜得以存活。他必须采取行动，否则大家都会死。

Is this true? Were they all going to die? What about God’s promises? Never mind. Quick. Everyone. Run to safety. Let’s all leave Canaan and go to Egypt.

这是真的吗？他们都会死吗？那神的应许呢？不管了！快，所有人都跑去安全的地方！我们都离开迦南逃往埃及去吧！

Abram’s Mistake #1: Egypt
亚伯兰的错误 #1 埃及

Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”

Genesis‬ 12:10-13‬ NIV

 

那地遭遇饥荒。因饥荒甚大，亚伯兰就下埃及去，要在那里暂居。将近埃及，就对他妻子撒莱说：“我知道你是容貌俊美的妇人。埃及人看见你必说：‘这是他的妻子’，他们就要杀我，却叫你存活。求你说，你是我的妹子，使我因你得平安，我的命也因你存活。“

创世记12:10-13

Abram made an executive decision and took everyone with him to Egypt. He depended on his own wisdom, ideas, planning and he headed south to Egypt. He moved away from the land where God was sending Abram.

亚伯兰做了一个重大的决定，带上所有人下埃及去。他依靠自己的智慧、想法和计划，往南去到埃及，离开神差他要去的地方。

Abram steps out of God’s plan, out of God’s will and makes a decision which seems like the right decision. But in the end was a very bad move. Abram heads to Egypt and now he is not only thinking about not starving to death, he is having to make a plan to save his life. He thinks the Egyptians will kill him and take his beautiful wife. So he tells Sarai to tell everyone she is his sister. Which is partially true; she is his half-sister. Now Abram is really taking his life into his own hands. And the life of his wife.

亚伯兰偏离了神的计划和旨意，做了一个看似正确的决定。到头来却发现这么做很糟糕。亚伯兰往埃及出发，现在他要思考的不仅仅是怎样不至饿死，还要计划着如何救自己的命。他认为埃及人会杀了他，夺走美丽的妻子。因此告诉撒莱，让她跟埃及人说她是他的妹子，当然这个说法有一部分是事实；撒莱是亚伯兰同父异母的妹妹。现在亚伯兰真的把自己和妻子的生命拽在自己手里了。

When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels. But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.

Genesis‬ 12:14-20‬ NIV

 

及至亚伯兰到了埃及，埃及人看见那妇人极其美貌。法老的臣宰看见了她，就在法老面前夸奖她。那妇人就被带进法老的宫去。法老因这妇人就厚待亚伯兰，亚伯兰得了许多牛羊、骆驼、公驴、母驴、仆婢。耶和华因亚伯兰妻子撒莱的缘故，降大灾与法老和他的全家。法老就召了亚伯兰来，说：”你这向我作的是什么事呢？为什么没有告诉我她是你的妻子？为什么说她是你的妹子，以致我把她取来要作我的妻子？现在你的妻子在这里，可以带她走吧！“于是法老吩咐人将亚伯兰和他妻子，并他所有的都送走了。

创世记12:14-20

What happens next? Sarai becomes the wife of Pharaoh. Abram received lots of animals and servants out of the deal so he might have been feeling pretty good like he made the right decision. Everything is looking good. They have food in Egypt, he is not getting killed, he was given animals and servants from Pharaoh. But then there is one problem. His wife is gone now. She became the wife of Pharaoh.

接下来发生了什么呢？撒莱成了法老的妻子！亚伯兰还从这桩交易中获得了许多牲畜和仆人，他甚至可能还感觉非常好，就好像自己做了一个非常正确的决定似的。一切看上去很圆满：他们在埃及有食物，他没有被杀掉，法老还给了他牲畜和仆人。惟有一个问题，就是他失去了妻子，撒莱成为了法老的妻子！

This was NOT God’s way for Abram. NOT God’s way for Sarai and NOT God’s way for Pharaoh. The first one to really start to suffer was Pharaoh. Disease came to Pharaoh and his household. Pharaoh figured out the problem. Sarai was Abram’s wife. Pharaoh quickly returned her, questioned Abram and asked him to LEAVE. Egypt and Pharaoh were not blessed by Abram. They were cursed. And now Abram was getting kicked out.

这并不是神为亚伯兰预备的路，也不是神为撒莱甚至法老所预备的路。首当其冲真正为此事受苦的是法老。灾害临到法老和他的家眷，法老找出了问题所在，原来撒莱竟是亚伯兰的妻子！法老迅速将她送回给亚伯兰，并质问他，且请他离开。亚伯兰没有为埃及和法老带来祝福，而是带来了咒诅！现在亚伯兰被赶出来了！

When Abram faced a life-threatening famine, he made a decision to trust in his own plan rather than trust in God’s plan and stand on God’s promise. When Abram did this, he left the protection of God’s perfect plan and resulting promises. When Abram entered Egypt, he felt his life was further threatened by the Egyptians. He must have sensed he was outside of God’s will; no longer depending on God’s protection so he had to create his own protection. And he had to do it through a lie or at least concealing the truth. And the result was a disaster. The woman who was to bear Abram’s promised offspring is now the wife of another man. God immediately intervened and brought disease to Pharaoh and his family, so Sarai was returned to Abram.

当亚伯兰遭遇威胁生命的饥荒时，他决定依靠自己的计划，而不是信靠 神的计划、确信 神的应许。当亚伯兰开始随己意而行时，他就离开了 神完美计划的保护以及随之而来的应许。当亚伯兰踏入埃及的时候，他感觉生命遭到埃及人进一步的威胁。或许他已意识到自己偏离了 神的意志，不再依靠 神的保护了，因此他决定建立自己的防护。他只能藉着谎言或者至少是隐瞒真相来保护自己。其结果就是带来一场灾难！那个即将孕育应许给亚伯兰后代的女人如今成了别人的妻子！神立刻介入其中，降灾给法老和他全家，这才使得撒莱被归还给亚伯兰。

Let’s look at the steps Abram went through which led him to Egypt. Have you ever faced something similar?

让我们一起来看看亚伯兰被带去埃及所经历的几个步骤。你有没有类似的经历呢？

1. Face a threat, fear, insecurity (Abram faced a famine)
   面临威胁、惧怕、不安全感（亚伯兰面对的是饥荒）
2. Forget to stand on God’s promise (Abram didn’t meditate on God’s promise whereby He would bless Abram)
   忘记坚守 神的应许（亚伯兰没有思想 神会祝福自己的那个应许）
3. Find your own way to protect yourself (Abram determined to save his life by going to Egypt)
   寻找自己的方法进行自我保护（亚伯兰决定去埃及以拯救自己）
4. Leave God’s plan (Abram left the land God sent him to and he went to Egypt)
   离弃 神的计划 （亚伯兰离开 神要他去的地方却前往埃及）
5. Have to further protect yourself (Abram lied about Sarai)
   进一步自我保护（亚伯兰在撒莱的事上撒谎）
6. Face resulting problems (Abram and Sarai’s relationship is broken; disease came to Egypt)
   面临所带来的麻烦 （亚伯兰和撒莱的关系破裂，灾害临到埃及）

It seems Abram took a really big wrong turn on his journey with God and this affected many people. Most of all his own wife. But in God’s kindness, He brought Abram back on course.

亚伯兰在与 神同行的旅途中似乎走了很大一个弯路，而且影响了很多人，影响最大的是自己的妻子。但 神是良善的，他仍将亚伯兰带回了正路。

Have you ever made a wrong turn and gotten off course like Abram did? What happened? Did it affect others? How did God bring you back on track? Or maybe you have been in Sarai’s place where the decision of someone else negatively affected you. How did God help you in that situation?

你曾经有没有走偏，像亚伯兰一样误入歧途呢？发生了什么事情？有影响到其他人吗？神是如何把你带回正路的？或者你曾经像撒莱一样，因着别人的决定，给自己带来负面的影响。在那种情况下神是如何帮助你的？

Back On Course 回归正途

So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him.

Genesis‬ 13:1‬ NIV

 

亚伯兰带着他的妻子与罗得，并一切所有的，都从埃及上南地去。‬‬

创世纪13:1

Abram, Sarai and all of their servants and animals are now back on course. Abram is back where he should be. We do not know if the famine was over or not. That was no longer important. What was important was Abram is now walking with God following God’s plan.

亚伯兰、撒莱以及他所有的仆人和牲畜都回归正途。亚伯兰回到了他本应去的地方。我们不知道那时饥荒是否已经结束，那已不重要了，重要的是亚伯兰此时在与 神同行，遵行 神的旨意。

Abram made a big mistake when he faced famine, his fear and then started to make his own plans. The good news is God didn’t reject Abram because of this mistake. Notice when Abram was off course doing his own thing he was no longer living in the promises of God. And when he went to Egypt, he felt he had to defend himself. He was NOT a blessing to Egypt. He was a curse. And his actions adversely affected many people. Most importantly they affected Sarai. But we have hope. We learn from Abram when we stray from God’s plan, it is possible to come back to God. In fact, God is calling us back to Him.

亚伯兰遭遇饥荒时犯了重大的错误，他的恐惧促使他开始依靠自己。好在神没有因为他的错误而拒绝他。请注意，当亚伯兰偏离神 随己意而行时，他就不再活在神的应许当中了。当他去到埃及时，就觉得需要自我防卫。他并没有给埃及带来祝福，反而带来咒诅。他所行的也影响了许多人，最重要的是影响到撒莱。但是我们是有盼望的，从亚伯兰身上学到一个功课，当我们偏离神的计划时，我们还是有可能回到神那里！实际上，神正在呼召我们向衪回转。

Abram’s Start
亚伯兰的起点

This is only the start of Abram’s long journey with God. From the beginning we are learning some important journey principles which can be applied to our lives as we travel with God.

这只是亚伯兰与神同行漫长旅程中的起点。从一开始我们就能学到一些重要的行路原则，可以应用到我们与神同行的生命中。

1. We must leave the old situations behind in order to go to the new circumstances.
2. 为了去到新环境，我们必须脱离原来的旧环境。
3. We can obey God by taking the first step even if we don’t have full understanding of God’s entire plan.
4. 即使我们还未完全知晓神完整的计划，我们也可以顺服神迈出第一步。
5. When facing a trial depend on God’s plan and promises, don’t find your own solution.
6. 面临试探时，要倚靠神的计划和应许，不要寻求自己的办法。
7. If you find yourself outside of God’s plan, it is possible to get back on track.
8. 如果发现自己偏离了神的旨意，仍有可能回归正途。