No Need to Fear

Study Notes

What Is Your Name?  Being Reconciled

Genesis 33:1-15

     Reading the Book of Genesis feels, to me, like sitting in the waiting room of a Center for Marriage and Family Counseling.  One part of the extended family after another walks into the room, each dysfunctional and in need of help.  Remember that, in the Book of Genesis, there is no nation of Israel yet.  It’s all about individuals and families called by God. 

      So, the beginning of Genesis introduces the first couple, Adam and Eve.  Each has disobeyed God.  Each feels ashamed and, in that shame, blames the other – and then everything else for their own failure.  And, the end of Genesis takes us to Joseph and his brothers, a family that is filled with jealousy, distrust and failure – so much so, that they are willing to sell a brother into slavery.

     In between, we have the families we’ve looked at in this series on the life of Jacob: Abraham and Sarah trying to survive by lying; struggling with many years of childlessness.  We saw Isaac and Rebekah struggling with the same things – but added to the dysfunction the favoritism each shows toward a different son.  And, their boys fight with one another, beginning in the womb.  Their Mom was so concerned about them that she asked the Lord about their fighting.  This, as you may know, led to what must have been a frightening word from God, “Two nations are in your womb.  Two peoples will be divided… (25:23).”

     And, they were divided.  Jacob, the younger son, deceived his brother Esau and grabbed both his birthright and his blessing.  Esau was angry, so much so that Jacob fled north to his mother’s home in Haran, 3,350 miles away.  The last words Esau spoke before Jacob took off were, “I will kill my brother, Jacob (27:41).”

     That brings us to today’s passage, Gen 33.  Twenty years have passed.  Both brothers have succeeded, as the world view success.  They had married and had children.  Each had become extremely wealthy.  But, they were still divided.  Jacob and his clan had broken with the part of the family in Haran and were headed back home.  They had just learned that Esau and 400 soldiers were a day away.

     Last week, we thought about the day and night before the confrontation of the two brothers.  Jacob had sent waves of extravagant gifts to try to appease his brother.  Jacob then divided his family into two parts and sent them to the other side of the river.  On the night before the day of confrontation, Jacob was alone and met God.  Jacob wrestled with him all night.  He left that battle wounded but blessed by God.

     So, as we begin Gen 33, today is the day.  Do not miss v. 1: Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men…  Put yourselves into the shoes of Jacob and his family.  How would you feel at that moment?  Jacob didn’t have 400 soldiers. At peace? Anxious? Angry?  I’m sure most of us would be terrified.

     Today’s burning question: What do you do when you have a broken relationship? – with a spouse, a brother or sister, a work associate, a classmate a long-time friend…?  We have already read the passage earlier in the service.  You know that these two brothers take steps toward one another that day.  The way I read the passage, these two brothers did not make it all the way to a perfectly reconciled relationship.  At the same time, I see things in their lives that are almost always present when we, as God’s people, seek to restore a broken relationship.  Here’s what I see in the story:

1. The Meeting with God – that is foundational. Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared (Gen 32:30).”

     We witnessed Jacob’s nighttime meeting with God last week.  Without it, as I understand Jacob, he would have tried to have dealt with this only with his own wit and strength.  But, after meeting God, he knows that, although God could have destroyed him, God had chosen to bless him.  Jacob surely remembered the repeated promises he had received from God personally -- about God having a plan for his life and family, i.e., that God would use them to bring blessing to all peoples in the world. 

       And, Jacob had been humbled – as is always the case when people genuinely meet God.  He had a limp coming out of that meeting, a limp that surely had taken away a lot of his personal strength – and his pride.  There is no way that he alone could win this battle with Esau.  He would have to depend on God. 

     We don’t really know what happened to Esau in those 20 years since he had threatened his brother.  But, through observing his conduct, I believe we see strong evidence of God being at work in his life too.

     When you and I meet God, we too are always humbled.  Amen?  We see that we have no hope without his mercy.  And, I have found, we become confident too.  Genuine meetings with God begin to take us to a place in which we trust him to do what he says he will do.  He will be a refuge and strength.  He will be a present help in times of trouble.  He will be at work in all things to bring about the good future he has promised. 

     So, when these brothers met, they still met as imperfect people.  But, they don’t launch into the blame game of saying, “You rotten brother!  This is all your fault.  Unless you bow down before me, I’ll kill you!”  No, we see something much different – and I think that what makes it different is that they had met God.  I believe that the first step in restoring relationships in a God-honoring way is a fresh encounter with God.  It is from honest times of wrestling with God – surrendering to God -- that we emerge seeing ourselves more clearly and longing to take steps to restore a relationship in ways that honor Him as the Lord of our lives.

     We must be humble enough to admit that we have a broken relationship and need God.  Even in God’s chosen family, there was brokenness.  To hide our need usually leads to us not dealing with it directly.  A meeting with God is encouraging, life-giving and renewing.  But, it is also always humbling – always!

     I remembered some notes I took in a freshman counseling class years ago when I was in Bible School.  I don’t know who first said this – but here are the notes I took down.

A genuine Christian home in which all family members are Christians is still a place where sinners live. But, it is also a place where each member of that home has humbly admitted that they are among the sinners.  We seek therefore to acknowledge our imperfect situation, to understand the underlying problems, to learn what to do about them in keeping with God’s Word and then to grow together with God’s help.   The Christian home, then, is a place where sinful persons face the problems that all people in a sinful world face. Yet, they face them together with Jesus and all the resources God provides. We are still sinners who live in Christian homes. But, we know the sinless Savior lives there too. That is what gives us hope.  That is what makes the difference.

     And, I might add: A genuine Christian church is still a church with sinners.  But, we know the sinless Savior lives here too.  That is what gives us hope.  That is what makes the difference. 

     So, I believe that the first step in any call to restore a relationship is to take time to have a fresh encounter with God.  Out of that encounter, you will find the humility, motivation and confidence to begin.

2. The Fear – that both protects and hinders. Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with four hundred men; so, he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two female servants... He himself went on ahead (33:1-3a).

     It’s clear to me that, when Jacob saw Esau and his soldiers, he had some fear.  So, let me tell you that fear is not always a bad thing.  Fear can, of course, absolutely debilitate us and take away our joy and our strength.  But, there are things that we should fear and all Southern Californians know it: like ignoring the fact that a major fire is roaring toward your home or swimming out into a riptide in the ocean – or being nonchalant when 400 soldiers are coming toward you led by a man who had threatened to kill you.

     So, Jacob takes steps to protect his family in vv.1-2.  Then, I appreciate the fact that the Jacob goes out personally to meet Esau and the soldiers.  This is a very different Jacob from the one who was willing to sacrifice half of his entourage to save his own neck in 32:6-8.

     All this is to say to you as clearly as I can that, when you know you have a broken relationship with someone, you should not simply throw caution to the wind in order to restore it.  When there has been violence and abuse in the relationship, then I would never counsel you to run into harm’s way simply because you think you have to.  No, if you sense there that kind of broken relationship that, because of God’s prompting, you need to seek to reconcile, take the kinds of precautions that provide as much safety as possible.  I never counsel people to step right back into a place in which there was violence.   

     I don’t know what I would have counseled Jacob if I had been his pastor.  It wouldn’t have mattered because God had appointed this particular meeting.  And, sometimes, there are encounters that are unavoidable – like this one was.  So, notice that the Bible doesn’t mock Jacob’s precautions.  There is a positive side to fear.

     But, as I read the account, the reconciliation does not seem to be complete at the end.  Esau wants Jacob to travel with him – but Jacob declines saying the children are too young and the animals too fragile to travel with 400 soldiers.  So, Esau offers to leave some of the soldiers with him.  But Jacob declines that too.

     Why?  In this situation, I think the hindrance may have been lingering distrust and fear.  These brothers knew one another well – as we always do in our families.  Jacob knew that Esau could be very quick and overly-enthusiastic in his responses – and Jacob may not have really believed that Esau’s warmth would last.  This kind of apprehension may have kept this first encounter from going deeper than it did.

     And, in our family relationships today, I find the same kinds of things happen so often when we take those first steps toward one another.  We anticipate the same old family traits recurring.  We remember the anger and pain of the past – and we often have angst that the “same old things” will happen again.  These kinds of things fear and distrust so often keep us from entering fully into a process reconciliation.  They will have to be dealt with if the relationship will grow.

     All this shows me why the meeting Jacob had with God was so foundational.  Jacob knew that God had a long future for him and his family.  God had told him over and over.  Then, Jacob had met God personally and had not been destroyed.  What could 400 men do to him?  So, at the very least, Jacob took those first steps toward his brother.  The only thing he really had to fear was the Lord. And, he had learned the night before that God did not want to harm him – but to bless him.   So, that fact took Jacob to what we read in v. 3.

3. The Entering In – that is necessary. Jacob bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother (33:3-4).

     What I want to emphasize here is that a broken relationship cannot even begin to be restored unless we are ready to enter in to the life of the other person.  Actually, both parties need to do so.  Right?

     The way the Bible describes their interaction is deeply moving to me:

• Jacob bowed seven times, the thing you would only do to a king (33:3). Remember that God had given a prophecy that Esau would have to bow down to Jacob – but, even though Jacob knew that, he also knew he had wronged his brother.  So, Jacob humbly bows.  But, almost shockingly, Esau runs to him, embraces him, kisses him and asks about his life and family!”
• Jacob nonetheless calls Esau, “My Lord” in v.8. But, Esau will have none of that and calls Jacob, “My brother” in v.9.
• Jacob speaks of doing anything – giving any gift -- to find favor from Esau. But, Esau speaks only of God’s grace to him and that no gifts are needed.  Only at Jacob’s repeated insistence does Esau accept Jacob’s gifts.  In their culture, with that, their broken relationship is re-initiated. 

     This could not have even begun except that these two brothers actually met – and then entered meaningfully into one another’s lives.  Jacob, the one about whom the Bible records most of the blame, enters in humbly, acknowledging what he had done.  But, Esau has no desire to make Jacob pay for what he had done.  He runs to this scoundrel of a brother – but still a brother – so that they might begin again.  We see so much in all this: humility, confession, perhaps even restitution.  But, the main thing I want you to see at this moment is that it all started with meeting God -- followed by actually meeting one another.  Without the meeting with God, we will not have the humility and motivation to restore what is broken.  Without meeting the person, we will not have opportunity to see how God can work to renew and heal what is broken.

     I find v.10 to be among the most poignant in the entire Bible.  Jacob said to the same brother who had threatened to kill him, “To see your face is like seeing the face of God.”  Remember that the night before, Jacob had seen the face of God and seen that God is not here to harm but to bless.  When he sees Esau, he sees the same thing.  Esau through his words and actions in receiving and welcoming Jacob is reflecting the ways of God.  This is what it means to glorify God:  Too speak and live in such ways that people see what God is like through us.

     Here’s my call to you today: If you have a broken relationship that you know needs to be restored, take time to meet with God.  Out of that meeting, find a time and safe place to enter into the life of the one from whom you are broken.  Pray that when that person sees you, they will see in you’re the face of God.

4. The Ongoing Work – that must continue. That day, Esau started on his way back to Seir. Jacob, however, went to Sukkoth (33:16-17).

     The two brothers go separate ways that day.  As I said earlier, Jacob seems a bit unsure – perhaps due to ongoing fear and distrust – to do live deeply and fully with his brother.  The only time we hear of them coming together is in Gen 35 when they came together to bury their father.  All to say – that whether they met and interacted after this meeting at Peniel, they surely had a lot of work to do.  It’s always that way for us.  We don’t fix fast, do we? 

     But God is a reconciling God.  Now that Jesus has come, we know that reconciliation with God is possible.  It is available to all – and sufficient for all.  We who have received it should offer it to others.  When people see us, they should increasingly see something of the face of God.

     So today, don’t despair if you have broken relationships.  Own up to them.  There is no worse problem in relational problems than to pretend you have no problems.  There is not more intractable sin than to pretend you have no sins.   But you must first come to the One who can forgive you, enter into your life, and provide the power to change things.  With him, whatever your relationship-situation is, it is not hopeless! It’s rarely easy – but it’s not hopeless. Not with God by your side.

     Jacob learned that truth that day at Peniel.  Later, as he finally got to Canaan, he set up an altar of remembrance.  He called it “El Elohe Israel” meaning, Mighty is the God of Israel (33:20).  He’s the God who is here today.  He is the God who will go with you from this place.  Even in those times in which you feel like the battle you face is like facing 400 soldiers alone, El Elohe Israel, the Mighty God, will never leave you and will do more that you could ask or imagine – to his glory.

Chinese Study Notes

你叫什麼名字？和好

       創33：1-15

             對我而言，讀創世紀的感覺就像在婚姻家庭輔導中心外坐等的心情。大家庭中的成員一個接一個地走進房間，都是一些不健全需要接受説明的人。要知道在寫創世紀的年代，以色列還不是一個民族，還只有被上帝呼召的個人和家庭。

            創世紀所介紹的第一對夫妻是亞當夏娃。二人因自己的羞恥而抱怨對方，也抱怨因自己的失敗造成的一切。接著我們看到約瑟和他兄弟們的故事，這是一個充滿嫉妒，彼此不信任和失敗的大家庭—以致最後兄弟們一心要把弟弟賣去做奴隸。

           我們這個系列所讀到的是與雅各生平相關的大家庭：亞伯拉罕和撒拉試圖通過說謊保命；他們也多年因無子嗣受困擾。我們又讀到以撒和利百加為同樣的事掙扎—加上二人分別偏袒一個兒子造成的家庭功能失衡的問題。他們的雙胞胎兒子在母腹中就開始打架。他們的母親為此非常擔憂，以致來詢問上帝。於是上帝說出了你也許覺得很可怕的那句話：“兩國在你腹內、這族必強於那族”（25：23）。

           之後，二人關係破裂。次子雅各通過欺騙的手段奪取了哥哥以掃的長子名分和祝福。以掃的憤怒嚇壞了雅各，使他逃到媽媽在3350英里外的老家哈蘭。以掃在雅各逃跑前講的最後一句話是“我要殺我的兄弟雅各”（27：41）。

           在此之後, 我們來到了今天的經文, 創世紀33章。二十年過去了, 從世界的眼光看，兩兄弟都非常成功，並都娶妻生子。二人也極其富有，只是仍不相往來。雅各帶著全家老小與哈蘭的親戚分道揚鑣，如今踏上返鄉之路。他們剛得到消息說以掃正帶著400勇士, 在相距一天的路程之外迎候。

           上周我們讀到兩兄弟相遇之前的一晝夜所發生的事。雅各首先打點重禮準備送給他哥哥做為安撫之用。接著他又將家人分為兩隊送到河對岸。在與哥哥遭遇之前的這個夜晚，雅各獨自遇見了神。他整夜與神摔跤，並以雅各受傷並蒙神祝福收場。

           現在請看今天的經文創世紀33章。請不要錯過第一節：雅各舉目觀看、見以掃來了、後頭跟著四百人。。請替雅各設身處地想一下，你會有何感受？雅各這邊沒有400勇士，那麼講和嗎？焦慮嗎？憤怒嗎？我相信我們大多數人會被嚇死。

           必須要問的問題是：你會如何處理那些破裂的關係？--比如與配偶，兄弟姐妹，同事，同學或老友的關係？禮拜開始時我們已經讀了這段經文。你也看到兩兄弟那天就這麼相互對峙著。在我看來，兄弟倆一直都未曾真正和好，正如許多屬神的人在處理破碎關係前的情形。我從這個故事所讀到的是：

1. 與神相遇 –這是最基本的：雅各便給那地方起名叫毗努伊勒。意思說、我面對面見了神、我的性命仍得保全。（創32：30）

           我們上周見證了雅各夜間遇見神的經歷。若非如此，我覺得雅各還是只會用自己的聰明和能力來處理問題。但當他與神相遇之後，他知道了上帝雖然完全有能力殺他，但卻選擇祝福他。雅各也記起了上帝曾多次向他應許—上帝對他的生命和家庭有計劃，即上帝要使用他們把祝福帶給世上的萬民。 

           於是，雅各謙卑下來—正如每次當人真遇見神的情形那樣。這次會面之後，他的一條腿瘸了，瘸腿在很大程度上削弱了他的個人能力，也削弱了他的驕傲。他已不可能靠自己贏得與以掃的較量了。他只有依靠上帝。 

           我們其實不太瞭解自以掃恐嚇他弟弟之後的20年來，以掃那邊發生了什麼；然而，我們觀察他的表現，我相信有力的證據表明，上帝在他的生命中也曾大大工作。

           當你我與神相遇，我們也會謙卑下來，不是嗎？我們發現沒有神的憐憫就沒有盼望。我們現在有確信是因為真實地與主相遇，讓我們得以相信他必成就他所說的。他是避難所和我們的力量，是我們患難時隨時的幫助，他讓萬事互相效力，帶給我們光明的未來。

           當這兩兄弟相遇時，他們仍是不完美的人，但他們不再互相指責：“你這個壞蛋，都是你的錯，你若不在我面前跪下，我就殺了你！” 事實上，截然不同---而這不同是因為他們遇見了神。我相信，討神喜悅的和好第一步就是真實地與神相遇：多次與神摔跤--降伏於神—我們更清楚地認識自己—接下來渴望去恢復破裂的關係，過討神喜悅的生活。

            我們一定要有足夠的謙卑來承認我們有破碎的關係並且需要神，就算在神所揀選的家庭，依然有破碎。隱藏我們的需要，常常導致我們無法直接面對它。與神相遇是一種生命的激勵、生命的奉獻與更新，但需要我們常存謙卑。

            我記得我剛上聖經學校時的一些筆記, 雖然我忘記是誰說的：

            即使所有家庭成員都是基督徒的家，也仍然是有著罪人的地方；但也是所有成員都願意承認自己是罪人的地方。因此，我們要認識自己的不完全，明白問題所在，學習以神的話來面對問題，並在神的幫助下一起成長。基督徒的家讓罪人得以面對世人都犯了罪這一事實，我們在神的家也還是罪人，但我們知道無罪的救主在此，這給了我們盼望，讓我們不一樣。

            我也許要加上：一個真基督教會也是一個有罪人的地方，但我們知道無罪的救主在此，這給我們盼望，使我們不一樣。

           所以我相信恢復任何關係的第一步都是花時間與神相遇；然後你會謙卑下來，有動力和信心來開始。

2. 懼怕 –既是保護又是障礙: 雅 各 舉 目 觀 看 , 見 以 掃 來 了 , 跟 著 四 百 人 ， 他 就 把 孩 子 們 分 開 交 給 利 亞 、 拉 結 ， 和 兩 個 使 女 。。。他 自 己 在 他 們 前 頭 過 去  (33:1-3a).

           很清楚，當雅各看見以掃和他帶來的勇士，心中懼怕。我要說，懼怕並不總是壞事，雖然懼怕絕對會削耗我們，奪去我們的喜樂和力量；但有時我們應該懼怕，比如南加州的山火逼近你的家，或在太平洋游泳---當一個曾威脅你的人帶著400勇士朝你而來，你不可能視若無睹。

           雅各在1-2節採取步驟保護家人。我很欣賞他可以單獨面對以掃和他的勇士。這和32：6-8準備犧牲一半人馬來保命簡直判若兩人。

           所有這些都在說，當你知道與別人有一個破裂關係時，你不能為了恢復而簡單大意，特別是在那關係中有暴力和虐待傾向，我不建議你想當然地進入一個受傷害的境地。如果你在那樣一種破裂關係中，你要尋找幫助，小心行事，務要穩妥。我不建議人輕率回到一個有暴力傾向的處境中。

            我不知道我若是雅各的牧師要給他什麼忠告；其實神已經命定了這個特別的相遇。有時，這類的相遇是不可避免的。注意的是，聖經並沒有嘲笑雅各的謹小慎微，懼怕有積極的一面。

            但我讀的時候發現，這次會面的結果並沒有帶來完全的和好。以掃要雅各與他同行，雅各以孩子小，牲口幼弱為藉口拒絕與400勇士一起走；後來以掃有要留給他一些人馬，也被雅各拒絕了。

           為什麼？我想那時，雅各對哥哥一直的不信任和懼怕起了反作用。兩兄弟太瞭解彼此，如同我們瞭解自己的家人。雅各知道以掃常常有過快、過激的反應，他不覺得以掃的熱情能持續，這種理解使得初次相遇沒有進深。

           在我們今天的家庭關係中，我發現當我們邁出第一步後，同樣的問題不斷出現，與古人無異。我們仍然記得過去的憤怒和傷痛，也常常擔心舊事重來。這樣的懼怕和不信任阻止我們得以完全進入恢復的進程。在關係發展過程中，我們必須對付它們。

           這些都告訴我，雅各與神相遇是如此至關重要，雅各知道了神對他和他的家庭有長遠的計畫，這是神一再告訴他的。如果雅各親自與神相遇都沒有死，那400人能拿他怎麼樣呢？最少，雅各對他哥哥邁出了第一步。他唯一需要懼怕的是神，這一點他在前夜已經學習了，神並非要傷害他，而是要祝福他。這促使雅各做了第3節的事。

3. 進入 – 必須滴：他自 己在 他 們 前 頭 過 去 一 連 七 次 俯 伏 在 地 才 就 近 他 哥 哥 (33:3-4)。

           我要強調的是若想恢復破裂的關係，必須要準備進入對方的生命，事實上，雙方都需要，對麼？

           聖經的這段描述感人至深：雅各像是對王一樣，七次俯伏（33：3）。記得嗎？神曾預言說，以掃要向雅各下拜；雅各雖然知道這點，卻因為虧欠哥哥而向他謙卑下拜。但很吃驚的場面是以掃跑向他，摟住他、親吻他並問候他和他的家人！雅各稱呼以掃“我主”； 以掃卻不介意，叫雅各“我的弟弟”。雅各所說的是盡一切努力、送一切禮物去討以掃歡心；但以掃卻說出了神的恩典，不要任何的禮物，一直到雅各再三堅持才收下。在他們的文化中，這就是破裂關係恢復的開始。

           若不是兩個兄弟親自相遇，有意義地進入到彼此生命中，這一切不可能開始。聖經中對雅各多有針砭，但雅各此時能意識到自己的所為，謙卑地進入到以掃那裡；而以掃想也沒有想讓雅各為所做的付上代價，卻跑向曾欺騙自己的弟弟，他們依然是兄弟，這樣才能進入到彼此當中。我們看到謙卑、認罪、和好，但我想讓你們看到，這個感人的時刻是從與神相遇開始的—然後真實地彼此相遇。不與神相遇，我們沒有謙卑和動力去恢復破裂的關係；沒有人與人的相遇，也沒有機會看見神如何恢復和醫治破裂的關係。

            我認為第10節是聖經中最震撼的一處之一。雅各對曾威脅殺他的哥哥說：“看見你的面如同看見神的面。” 我們還記得前一夜，雅各看到了神的面，知道神在那裡不是要傷害他而是祝福他；他看以掃時看到的正是這樣。以掃用他接納和回應的言行反映了神的意思。這就是榮耀神：以同樣的身體力行讓人透過我們看見神。

           我今天呼籲你們：如果你們知道有要恢復的破裂關係，先花時間與神相遇；然後，找一個合適的時間地點進入到與你破裂之人的生命中。好好禱告，讓這個人看見你，並透過你看見神的面。

4. 進行中的工作 – 一定繼續下去：於是, 以 掃 當 日 起 行 回 往 西 珥 去 了 ，雅 各 就 往 疏 割 去

(33:16-17).

           那一天，兩兄弟分道揚鑣。如我剛才所說，雅各顯得沒把握---對深入、全面地與哥哥在一起有擔心和不信任。創世紀35章是我們知道的後來他們唯一一次在一起的記載，那次是為了埋葬父親。這就是說，不管他們在那次相遇後是否又相遇或互動過，在二人關係中，他們還有許多事要做。我們也常常這樣，不可能一蹴而就，是麼？   

            但神是恢復和好的神，耶穌的到來讓我們看見了與神和好的可能，這對每一個人都一樣---也足夠使每一個人與神和好。我們所得到的要分享給其他人，這樣，別人看我們時，更能看見神的面。

            所以，今天你若有破裂的關係，不要絕望，要坦白敞開。在人際關係的問題上最糟糕的問題就是裝著沒有問題；最難對付的罪就是裝著沒有罪。你要首先來到赦免你的那一位面前，讓他進入你的生命，給你力量去改變；藉著他，不管你的關係狀況如何，都有希望！雖然不容易，但絕不是沒希望的, 只要神在你旁邊。

            雅各那天學到了真正的東西，後來他終於到了迦南，立了祭壇作為紀念。他起 名 叫 伊 利 伊 羅 伊 以 色 列 ，就 是 以 色 列 大能的神 的 意 思（33：20） 。那位神也是今天在這裡的神；是從這裡與你同去的神。就算在那些看似你獨自對付400個勇士的時候，伊 利 伊 羅 伊 以 色 列 ，以 色 列 大能的神也絕沒有離開你，並要為他的榮耀做超過你所求所想的事。

榮耀歸給神

Greg Waybright 博士

主任牧師