A Day of Disappointment 失望的一天 (1–9).
Jacob was a lonely fugitive, forced to flee from home. Even though he left with his father’s blessing (and Isaac knew what he was doing), Jacob faced an unknown future, and his brother still wanted to kill him. Not an encouraging beginning for a new chapter in his life! But God was still in control (Rom. 8:28).
雅各被迫离家，成为了一个孤独的逃犯。即使他带着父亲的祝福离开，他仍然要面对一个未知的将来，且仍有个想要杀他的兄弟。雅各就是在这种灰暗的境遇开始了新生活！但是，神依然掌权（罗8:28）。
A Night of Discovery 觉醒的一夜 (10–15).
Jacob was literally between a rock and a hard place. But that night, Jacob made several discoveries that helped to change his life. He discovered that God was with him and working for him and had a perfect plan for his life. Jacob may have been separated from home, but he was not separated from heaven. (See John 1:51.) The very angels of God were caring for him (Heb. 1:13–14). “When the night is the darkest, you see the stars the brightest.”
雅各的确处在两难之间。但这一夜，雅各有了一些新发现，从此改变了自己生命。他发现神与他同在，保佑他，并对他的生命有完美的计划。雅各虽然已离家，但他并没离开天家（见约1:51）。神的使者正在细心照料着他（来1:13-14）。“夜间最黑暗的时刻，即是星星最明亮的时刻。”
A Morning of Dedication 委身的一早 (16–22).
Jacob began his day worshiping God and turning his hard pillow into a holy altar. He gave the place a new name: “house of God.” Wherever God meets us, that place becomes a holy sanctuary. Jacob’s faith as yet was weak, but he did lay hold of God’s promises, even if there is a bit of “the bargainer” in his vow to give God the tithe. Jacob was making a new beginning, and twenty years later he would return to Bethel a more mature believer.
雅各把他的石枕变为一个神圣的祭坛，以敬拜神迎接新的一天。他为这地起了新名，即“神的殿”。神与我们同在之地，便能成为神圣的殿。雅各的信心虽然还软弱，在奉献上仍与神“讨价还价”，但他持守神的应许。这就是雅各新的开始，而二十年后，他将以成熟信徒的面貌返回伯特利。
Praying the Scripture 用经文祷告
- Jacob the “home boy” is now without a home and is starting on a five hundred mile trek to Haran. He was fleeing from an angry brother and facing an unknown future, and all he had to depend on was his father’s blessing. From now on, the home boy would have to become a pilgrim and walk by faith. Jacob put his head on stone and slept (vv. 11, 18), a common practice in the Near East. As he slept, he had a dream in which he saw a ladder or stairway with angels going up and down between heaven and earth. Jacob discovered that he wasn’t alone but that God was with him! The God of Abraham and Isaac was watching over him and His angels were there to guard him and serve him. Yes we are also pilgrims on earth and we are also not alone. The Lord is with us. Let’s pray that we are constantly aware of the omnipresent Lord who is with us always.
雅各这“宅男”至今没有了家，并开始500里的行程到哈兰。他正在逃离愤怒的哥哥，面对未知的将来，所以只能依赖父亲的祝福。从此以后，“宅男”将成为一个客旅，需要凭信心走前面的道路。把头放在石头上睡觉（第11、18节）是东方人普遍的做法。在他睡觉的时候，他做了一个梦，看到神的使者从一个梯子在天地之间上去下来。这时，雅各发现他并不孤单，因为神与他同在！亚伯拉罕和以撒的神正在看守着他，众天使也在保护、服侍他。是的，我们也是世上的客旅，而我们也不孤独，因为主与我们同在。让我们祷告，叫我们能够持续晓得那一直与我们同在，那无所不在的主。
- On awakening, Jacob’s first response was one of fear and surprise. God was in there and he didn’t know it! But “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Prov. 1:7) His next act was to worship God who had appeared to him. He turned the headpiece into a pillar to memorialize the great experience. By pouring oil on the stone, he consecrated it to the Lord. In later Hebrew liturgy, the pouring out of liquid was symbolic of pouring one’s life out in devotion to the Lord (Ex. 29:38–41; see also Phil. 2:17; 2 Cor. 12:15). Pray that we will also devote our entire lives to the Lord who is always with us as Jacob did.
雅各醒来时的第一反应是恐惧和惊讶。神就在这里，他竟然不知道！但是“敬畏耶和华就是知识的开端”（箴1:7），所以雅各马上敬拜神。他把所枕的石头立作柱子来纪念这次震撼的经历。通过浇油在石头上，他把此物奉给主。后来，在希伯来人的礼仪上，浇油等于把一生奉献给主（出29:38-41；腓2:17，林后12:15）。请祷告，叫我们也像雅各一样把自己的一生献给永远与我们同在的主。
