欺骗者

雅各是谁？在这段经文中，他假装成他的兄弟以扫，以得到父亲的祝福，这祝福包含了从神而来的特别应许。他两次公然对父亲谎报自己的身份。他还撒谎说神帮助他打到了野味，而实际上他根本没去打猎。我们可以想像，雅各在父亲吃东西时紧张地等待着，想着很快以扫就会回来，这些谎言就会被拆穿。

雅各显然是一个欺骗者，他撒了一个又一个的谎来欺骗他年迈的父亲。他甚至还伪造了自己身上的气味，那种“田地的香气”使以撒想起神的祝福。雅各想把自己扮演成一个值得父亲认可的人，但他还不值得被信任，以得到神所应许那丰盛的恩典和祝福。

但是，我们和他很不一样吗？我们难道不是经常对他人和自己谎报自己的身份吗？我们认为神对我们的成就印象深刻，我们总在表面上显出自己是个大好人。我们隐瞒自己的罪，和对他人的伤害。我们也还没有“闻起来”像得到神祝福的人（参林后 2:15）。

你究竟是谁？只有在基督里我们才能找到自己的真正身份：一个欺骗者，一个需要神恩典的罪人。今天，让我们诚实地面对神，来接受祂的恩典和赦免吧。

父啊，赦免我企图欺骗你，掩盖我们真实的罪人身份。你知道我们是谁。因着耶稣，求你赦免我们，好使我们得着你的祝福。阿们。

14他便去拿来交给他母亲，他母亲就照他父亲所爱的做成美味。
15利百加又把家里所存大儿子以扫上好的衣服给她小儿子雅各穿上，
16又用山羊羔皮包在雅各的手上和颈项的光滑处，
17就把所做的美味和饼交在他儿子雅各的手里。
18雅各到他父亲那里说：“我父亲！”他说：“我在这里，我儿，你是谁？”
19雅各对他父亲说：“我是你的长子以扫。我已照你所吩咐我的行了。请起来坐着，吃我的野味，好给我祝福。”
20以撒对他儿子说：“我儿，你如何找得这么快呢？”他说：“因为耶和华你的神使我遇见好机会得着的。”
21以撒对雅各说：“我儿，你近前来，我摸摸你，知道你真是我的儿子以扫不是。”
22雅各就挨近他父亲以撒，以撒摸着他，说：“声音是雅各的声音，手却是以扫的手。”
23以撒就辨不出他来，因为他手上有毛，像他哥哥以扫的手一样，就给他祝福。
24又说：“你真是我儿子以扫吗？”他说：“我是。”
25以撒说：“你递给我，我好吃我儿子的野味，给你祝福。”雅各就递给他，他便吃了，又拿酒给他，他也喝了。
26他父亲以撒对他说：“我儿，你上前来与我亲嘴。”
27他就上前与父亲亲嘴，他父亲一闻他衣服上的香气，就给他祝福，说：“我儿的香气如同耶和华赐福之田地的香气一样。
28愿神赐你天上的甘露、地上的肥土，并许多五谷、新酒。
29愿多民侍奉你，多国跪拜你；愿你做你弟兄的主，你母亲的儿子向你跪拜。凡咒诅你的，愿他受咒诅；为你祝福的，愿他蒙福。”

Deceiver

"Jacob said to his father, 'I am Esau your firstborn.'" - Genesis 27:19

英语音频 English Audio

Who is Jacob? In this passage, he pretends to be his brother, Esau, in order to receive his father's blessing, which includes special promises from God. Twice he blatantly lies to his father about his identity. He also lies about God helping him on a hunt that never happened. We can imagine Jacob nervously waiting while his father eats, knowing that in just a short time Esau will return and these lies will be revealed.

Jacob was clearly a deceiver, adding one lie to another to trick his aged father. Jacob even faked the way he smelled, and that "smell of a field" reminded Isaac of God's blessing. Jacob wanted to portray himself as someone worthy of his father's approval, but he was not yet someone who could be trusted with the gifts of abundance and blessing that God had promised.

But are we much different? Don't we often lie about our identity—to others and to ourselves? Thinking that God will be impressed with our achievements, we dress ourselves in the claim that we're pretty good people. We lie about our own sins and the harm we do to others. And we too do not (yet) "smell" like the One who has received God's blessing (see 2 Corinthians 2:15).

Who are you? Only in Christ can we admit our true identity: a deceiver, a sinner in need of grace. Be honest with God today, and receive his grace and forgiveness.

Prayer

Father, forgive us for trying to deceive you and to cover our true identity as sinners. You know who we are. Forgive us, for Jesus' sake, that we may receive your blessing. Amen.