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出埃及记生命读经 · 第107篇

燔祭坛（四）

The Altar of Burnt Offering (4)
1读经： 出埃及记二十七章四至七节；三十八章五节；以赛亚书五十三章八节，十节上；彼得前书三章十八节；哥林多后书五章二十一节；罗马书三章二十三至二十六节；希伯来书九章十四节；加拉太书三章十三至十四节；使徒行传一章八节；二章三十八节；以弗所书一章十三至十四节；加拉太书三章三节。
1Scripture Reading: Exo. 27:4-7; 38:5; Isa. 53:8, 10a; 2 Pet. 3:18; 2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 3:23-26; Heb. 9:14; Gal. 3:13-14; Acts 1:8; 2:38; Eph. 1:13-14; Gal. 3:3
2在二十七章一至八节里面，一至三节是论到祭坛的外观，而四至八节是论到祭坛的内容。人很难领会祭坛的地方，不是外观，而是内容。祭坛的内容是网和四个环子， 两根杠穿在环子内，用以抬坛。
2In 27:1-8, verses 1 through 3 are on the outward appearance of the altar, but verses 4 through 8 are on the inward contents of the altar. What is difficult to understand concerning the altar is not the outward appearance; it is the inward contents. The contents of the altar are the grating and the four rings, through which were placed the poles used in carrying the altar.
3祭坛有一部分与内容有关，这部分是围腰板。我们已经指出这个希伯来字也可译为“边”、“端”、“缘”。没有人能彀明确地说出这个围腰板是甚么。我相信它是用来保护坛的四壁，隔开热气用的。圣经没有告诉我们围腰板有多宽。我相信它往下达到坛半腰的铜网上。网上有一肘半，网下也有一肘半。因此，网把坛分为两半。
3A part of the altar that is related to the inward contents is the ledge. We have pointed out that the Hebrew word may also be rendered border, margin, or rim. No one can say definitely what this ledge was. I believe that it was used to protect the four walls of the altar from heat. The Bible does not tell us how wide the ledge was. I believe that it went down to the grating, which was at half the height of the altar. There were one and one-half cubits above the grating and another one and one-half cubits below it. Thus, the grating divided the altar in half.
4我愈研读出埃及记二十七章论祭坛的这一段话，我就愈确信围腰板是保护坛的四壁，好隔开火在网上焚烧的热气。火终年不断地焚烧。如果坛壁没有防护的话，铜底下 的皂荚木就要燃焦了。因此，围腰板定规是保护用的。用来支持木柴和祭牲的网则在围腰板底下。
4The more I study the portion in Exodus 27 concerning the altar, the more assured I am that the ledge protected the walls from the scorching heat of the fire burning on the grating. The fire burned continually for years. If there had been no protection for the walls, the acacia wood underneath the bronze would have been charred. Therefore, the ledge must have served as a protection. The grating used for holding the wood and the sacrifices was underneath the ledge.
5前一篇信息我们指出四个环子豫表那灵。这些环有两方面。首先它们是连在网子上的。这意思是说，环子与网是一。因此，网和四个环不是分开的。反之，属于网的环子和网乃是一个。其次，照三十八章五节来看，这四个环子是为着穿杠，用以抬坛。坛的两边各有两个环子。
5In the foregoing message we pointed out that the four rings typify the Spirit. These rings have two aspects. The first is that they were connected to the grating. This means that the rings were one with the grating. Therefore, the grating was not separate from the four rings. Rather, the rings belonged to the grating and with it formed one piece of work. Second, according to 38:5, these four rings were for the poles used in carrying the ark. There were two rings on each side of the altar.
十九 坛的内容
THE CONTENTS OF THE ALTAR
6我要强调一件事实：祭坛的内容是网和四个环子。有些出埃及记的注解说到皂荚木和铜。然而，这些事多少有点肤浅。解经者通常指出皂荚木是表征主耶稣的人性，铜是表征神公义的审判，坛的四角是表征基督救赎的能力和力量。救赎的血就是弹在四角上。不但如此，祭牲的血被带进圣所里，弹在香坛的四角上，同时也被带进至圣所里，弹在约柜的施恩座上。既然这些事不太深奥，解经者就相当容易了解它们的意义。但解经者对于网和四个环子却没有说多少。在本篇信息中，我有负担说到基督救赎的奥秘，就是网和环子所表征的，它们是这些奥秘的豫表、图画。
6I would emphasize the fact that the contents of the altar are the grating with the four rings. Some expositions of Exodus speak of the acacia wood and the bronze. These matters, however, are somewhat superficial. It is common for expositors to point out that the acacia wood signifies the humanity of the Lord Jesus, that the bronze signifies the righteous judgment of God, and that the four horns of the altar signify the power and strength of the redemption of Christ. The redeeming blood was sprinkled on these horns. Furthermore, the blood of the same sacrifice was brought into the Holy Place and sprinkled on the four horns on the incense altar, and also brought into the Holy of Holies to be sprinkled on the propitiatory cover of the ark. Since such matters are not so deep or mysterious, it is somewhat easy for expositors to understand their significance. But expositors may not have much to say concerning the grating and the four rings. In this message I am burdened to speak regarding the mysteries of the redemption of Christ as signified by the grating and the rings, which are types, or figures, of these mysteries.
7在人的身体上，皮肤、骨、肉没有像里面各部分这么奥秘，尤其像魂与灵这么奥秘 。我们精神的部分─魂─是由心思、情感、意志组成的。魂虽然没有灵这么高深，但魂也是奥秘的。魂里面有灵，灵被魂所包围。因此，我们精神上、属灵上的各部分都是全人最真实的奥秘。每一个人的内容乃是魂与灵。同样的原则，祭坛的内容就是网和四个环子。
7In the human body, the skin, the flesh, and the bones are not as mysterious as the inward parts, especially the soul and the spirit. Our psychological part, the soul, is made up of the mind, the emotion, and the will. The soul, although not as deep as the spirit, is mysterious. Inside the soul and surrounded by it, we have the spirit. Thus, our psychological and spiritual parts are the true mysteries of our being. The inner content of every person is the soul and the spirit. In the same principle, the inner content of the altar is the grating with the four rings.
8网说出基督救赎的奥秘。木柴和祭牲是摆在网上焚烧的。网是火焚烧的地方。没有网，就无法焚烧，因为焚烧是在网上进行的。此外，我们已经看见网在坛的半腰处，在顶端和底层之间由一边达到另一边。网下有一肘半，这件事实指明网和至圣所约柜上面的蔽罪盖是同样的水准。这表明网达到了蔽罪盖的标准。保罗在罗马三章二十四至二十五节说到基督的救赎时，的确说到神使救赎的基督作了我们的蔽罪盖。
8The grating depicts the mystery of Christ’s redemption. The wood and the sacrifices were placed on the grating to be burned. The grating was the place where the fire was burning. Without the grating, there could be no burning, for the burning was on the grating. Furthermore, we have seen that the grating was at half the height of the altar, reaching from side to side halfway between the top and the bottom. The fact that there were one and one-half cubits below the grating indicates that it was on the same level as the propitiation-cover on the ark in the Holy of Holies. This indicates that the grating comes up to the standard of the propitiation-cover. When Paul speaks of the redemption of Christ in Romans 3:24-25, he definitely says that God made the redeeming Christ our propitiation-cover.
9抬祭坛的时候，两根杠是在许多人的肩头上。这些杠穿在环子里面。铜网与木柴、祭牲的重量是落在这四个环子上。这指明基督完全的救赎是在于四个环子，而四个环子豫表永远的灵。这该帮助我们对那灵有清楚的领会。因着肤浅、不当的教导，很少基督徒晓得基督的救赎在于永远之灵的能力。木柴和祭牲是在网上。因此，网承担着重量，使祭牲能彀彻底焚烧。焚烧表征救赎的完成。完成救赎的重量是在网上。但承担铜网重量的是甚么呢？这个重量是由四个环子承担的，这四个环子豫表永远的灵。
9When the altar was carried, the poles were on the shoulders of a number of persons. These poles were placed in the rings. The weight of the grating with the wood and the sacrifices rested upon these four rings. This indicates that the entire redemption of Christ is upon the four rings, which are a type of the eternal Spirit. This should help us to have a clear understanding of the Spirit. Because of shallow, inadequate teaching, not many Christians realize that the redemption of Christ rests upon the power of the eternal Spirit. The wood and the sacrifices were on the grating. Thus, the grating bore the weight to accomplish the burning. This burning signifies the accomplishment of redemption. The weight of accomplishing redemption was on the grating. But what bore the weight of the grating? This weight was borne by the four rings, a type of the eternal Spirit.
二十 藉着那灵完成了救赎
REDEMPTION ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE SPIRIT
10完成救赎的不是四个环子，这么说并没有错。为着完成救赎而有的焚烧乃是在网子上进行的。网表征基督，环子表征那灵。完成救赎的是基督，不是那灵。我们绝不怀疑这一点。但是网子固定在那里呢？网子是凭自己的力量得着支持的么？没有四个环子，网就没有支持。祭坛安放与扛抬的时候，网都是由环子来支持的。没有其它的扶持，没有其它支撑的力量。我再说，网是由四个环子来支持的。不错，焚烧是藉着网 完成的。但支持的能力却在于环子，不在网的本身。希伯来九章十四节说到这件事：“何况基督藉着永远的灵，将自己无瑕无疵献给神，祂的血岂不更能洗净你们的良心 ，除去你们的死行，使你们事奉那活神么？”（另译。）基督藉着永远的灵将自己献给神，作我们的赎罪祭。
10It is correct to say that it was not the four rings that accomplished redemption. The burning for the accomplishment of redemption took place on the grating. The grating signifies Christ, and the rings signify the Spirit. Christ, not the Spirit, was the One who accomplished redemption. We have absolutely no doubt concerning this. But where does the grating stand? Is it supported by its own strength? Apart from the four rings, the grating had no support. Both when the altar was at rest and when it was carried, the grating was upheld by the rings. There was no other support, no other upholding power. To repeat, the grating was upheld by the four rings. Yes, the burning was accomplished by the grating. But the upholding power is in the rings, not in the grating itself. Hebrews 9:14 speaks concerning this: “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” It was through the eternal Spirit Christ offered Himself to God as our sin offering.
11我和弟兄会在一起的那些年间，从来没有听说基督凭着灵、藉着灵将自己献上。你有没有听过一篇信息，论到基督凭着并藉着永远的灵将自己献给神呢？基督徒通常不会这么说，因为有这等知识的人不多。他们因着没有知识，就不用希伯来九章十四节的话语。然而，这句话却在希伯来九章十四节里面。
11During the years I was with the Brethren, I was never told that Christ offered Himself by the Spirit and through the Spirit. Have you ever heard a message on Christ offering Himself to God by and through the eternal Spirit? Christians do not ordinarily speak this way, for not many have this knowledge. Because they do not have the knowledge, they do not use the language of Hebrews 9:14. Nevertheless, such a word is found in Hebrews 9:14.
12包罗万有的基督藉着永远的灵死了，这个死是包罗万有的死。祂藉着那灵死了，那 灵是永远的，是无始无终的。这件奥秘的事的确在人类的历史中发生过，可是却被不信的历史家忽略了。没有一本历史书会告诉你，包罗万有的基督藉着永远的灵将自己 献上。
12The all-inclusive Christ died an all-inclusive death through the eternal Spirit. He died through the Spirit who is eternal, the Spirit who is without beginning or ending. Such a mysterious event actually took place in human history, but it is neglected by unbelieving historians. No history book will ever tell you that the all-inclusive Christ offered Himself through the eternal Spirit.
13许多年前我才晓得一点希伯来九章十四节，可是我不懂这一节的含意。说基督藉着永远的灵将自己当作赎罪祭献上是甚么意思？这不太容易了解。
13I first came to know Hebrews 9:14 many years ago. However, I did not understand the meaning of this verse. What does it mean to say that Christ offered Himself to God as a sin offering through the eternal Spirit? This is not easy to understand.
二十一 为甚么基督藉着永远的灵将自已献上
WHY CHRIST OFFERED HIMSELF THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
14“藉着永远的灵”这个片语是甚么意思？为甚么基督必须藉着永远的灵死在十字架上呢？基督岂不是全能的么？祂岂不能作成一切来完成救赎么？为甚么祂需要永远的灵好死在十字架上呢？我在本篇信息中的负担就是要把这件事的图画陈列出来。这幅图画会导致一个结论，这个结论要成为基督为甚么藉着永远的灵将自己献上这个问题的答案。
14What is the significance of the phrase “through the eternal Spirit”? Why was it necessary for Christ to die on the cross through the Spirit? Was Christ not almighty, and was He not able to do everything necessary to accomplish redemption? Why then did He need the eternal Spirit in order to die on the cross? My burden in this message is to present a picture concerning this matter. This picture will lead to a conclusion, and the conclusion will then become the answer to the question of why Christ offered Himself through the eternal Spirit.
15基督是神，也是人。基督不是忽然之间成为一个人。反之，祂成为一个人乃是照着正常怀胎和出生的过程。祂在马利亚的腹中成孕，九个月以后出生。然后主耶稣成为一个人，在地上生活了三十三年半之久。最终祂上了十字架，在那里死了。祂活着、死了都是一个人，然而祂也是神；因此，祂是一位神人。根据以赛亚九章六节，主就是在马槽里为我们而生的婴孩，祂称为全能的神。虽然祂是神，但祂生活在地上却不是神，而是人。此外，祂是藉着圣灵成孕的。根据马太一章和路加二章，那人耶稣是藉着圣灵成孕的。祂是一位拿撒勒人，出来尽职事的时候，被那灵所膏。祂受浸的时候，圣灵降临在祂身上。（太三16。）祂的一生都充满了灵，一直受那灵的引导；（路四1；）祂的生活、行动、举止、工作、尽职事，完全是在那灵的引导之下。在这引导的灵之外，祂甚么也不作。
15Christ is both God and man. Christ did not become a man suddenly. Rather, He became a man according to the normal process of conception and delivery. He was conceived in the womb of Mary, and nine months later He was born. Then for thirty-three and a half years the Lord Jesus lived on earth as a man. Eventually He went to the cross and died there as a man. But although He lived and died as a man, He was also God; hence, He was a God-man. According to Isaiah 9:6, the Lord as the child born to us in a manger was called the mighty God. But although He was God, He lived on earth not as God, but as a man. Furthermore, He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. According to Matthew 1 and Luke 2, the man Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. When He came forth to minister as a man from Nazareth, He was anointed by the Spirit. At the time of His baptism, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him (Matt. 3:16). In all His life He was full of the Spirit and continually under the leading of the Spirit (Luke 4:1). He lived, moved, acted, worked, and ministered altogether under the leading of the Spirit. He did not do anything apart from this leading Spirit.
16我在别处曾经指出，主耶稣活出钉十字架的生活。现在我们必须看见，祂是照着圣灵的引导，活出这一种钉十字架的生活。不但如此，在马太十二章我们看见，祂凭着那灵的能力赶鬼。因此，主乃是在那灵的引导之下，并凭着那灵的能力来作每一件事。祂不是照着自已的意志、愿望或喜好行动。祂乃是照着那灵来生活、举止并行动。
16Elsewhere I have pointed out that the Lord Jesus lived a crucified life. Now we must see that He lived such a crucified life according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Moreover, in Matthew 12 we see that He cast out demons by the power of the Spirit. Therefore, the Lord was a man who did everything under the leading of the Spirit and by the power of the Spirit. He did not act according to His own will, wishes, or desires. He lived, moved, and acted according to the Spirit.
17主耶稣死在十字架上的时候，祂不是照着自己的意愿或喜好上了十字架。反之，祂是照着圣灵的引导上了十字架，祂的一生完全是照着那灵生活。因此，祂上十字架也是照着那灵的引导。主耶稣在十字架的死是包罗万有的死，祂除去了世人的罪，毁坏了撒但，审判了世界，了结了旧造，并废去了在律法上所写的字据。这个包罗万有的死乃是藉着那灵完成的。
17When the time came for the Lord Jesus to die on the cross, He did not go to the cross according to His own wishes or desire. Rather, His going to the cross was according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. His entire life had been lived according to the Spirit. Thus, His going to the cross was also according to the Spirit’s leading. On the cross the Lord Jesus died an all-inclusive death, a death that took away the sin of the world, destroyed Satan, judged the world, terminated the old creation, and abolished the handwriting of the law. Such an all-inclusive death was accomplished through the eternal Spirit.
18主在地上的一生都没有离开那灵，甚至作一件小事情时，也没有离开那灵。连祂到旷野去也是在那灵的引导之下。祂在加略以包罗万有的死死了的时候，的确没有离开圣灵的引导。因此，基督在十字架上的受死，乃是藉着那灵而死的。
18During His life on earth, the Lord would not do even a small thing apart from the Spirit. Even His going to the wilderness was under the leading of the Spirit. Certainly when He died an all-inclusive death on Calvary, He would not do this apart from the leading of the Holy Spirit. Thus, when Christ died on the cross, He died through the Spirit.
19希伯来九章有旧约祭司所献动物的祭，以及基督藉着永远的灵所献给神的独一祭物之间的对比。祭司献祭的时候，不是藉着永远的灵，而是凭着自己献上的。因此，他们所作的没有多少功效，也没有甚么能力。这就是每年赎罪日必须一再献上祭物的原因。但基督这位大祭司藉着永远的灵，藉着无始无终的那位，将自己当作赎罪祭献给 神，是一次到永远的。因此，基督所献上的是有能力的，也是有功效的。
19In Hebrews 9 there is a comparison between the animal sacrifices offered by the priests in the Old Testament and the unique sacrifice of Christ offered to God through the eternal Spirit. When the priests offered the sacrifices, they did not offer them through the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, they did it by themselves. Therefore, what they did was of little effect; it could not be powerful. This was the reason the sacrifices needed to be offered again and again each year on the day of atonement. But Christ as the High Priest offered Himself to God as the sin offering through the eternal Spirit once for all, through One who is without beginning or ending. Therefore, what Christ offered is powerful and efficacious.
20现在我们对于“基督为甚么必须藉着永远的灵将自己献上”这个问题就有了答案。我们已经看见，祂成为一个人，没有凭着自己作甚么。祂所作的一切事都是在那灵的引 导之下，并凭着永远之灵的能力。这是网子上四个环子所表征的。网的全部重量是由环子来承担的，因此，网所完成的是有能力的，也是有功效的。这意思是说，网所完成的救赎，其能力、力量、功效全在于四个环子。基督救赎的能力乃在于永远的灵。
20Now we have an answer to the question of why Christ needed to offer Himself through the eternal Spirit. We have seen that as a man He did not do anything on His own. Everything He did was under the leading of the Spirit and by the power of the eternal Spirit. This is signified by the four rings on the grating. The full weight of the grating was borne by the rings. Therefore, what is accomplished by the grating is powerful and efficacious. This means that the power, the strength, and the efficacy of the redemption accomplished by the grating depends on the four rings. The power of Christ’s redemption depends on the eternal Spirit.
二十二 基督救赎的结果
THE ISSUE OF CHRIST’S REDEMPTION
21在新约里，每逢传讲基督的救赎时，总是带着圣灵的能力，从来没有离了那灵来传讲的。如果我们有网而没有四个环子，网就会失去它的力量和能力。我再说，网的能力在于四个环子。这表征基督救赎的能力、力量和功效乃在于圣灵。
21In the New Testament whenever the redemption of Christ is preached, it is preached with the power of the Holy Spirit. It is never proclaimed apart from the Spirit. If we had the grating without the four rings, the grating would lose its strength and power. I repeat, the power of the grating relies on the four rings. This signifies that the power, strength, and effectiveness of Christ’s redemption relies on the Holy Spirit.
22虽然我生在基督教里，也长在基督教里，但我从来没有听过一篇信息告诉我说，基督的救赎乃是联于圣灵的。我听过许多篇信息，论到基督救赎的完成，但没有一句话讲到救赎与圣灵之间的关系。这样的传福音与彼得、约翰、保罗所传讲的大不相同。彼得在五旬节那天传福音的时候，没有说到受浸的人会得着救赎。他说，受浸的人要得着那灵的应许。神在古时应许要将大福赐给我们的祖宗亚伯拉罕，这个大福就是圣灵。（加三14。）我们必须受浸，因为我们需要得着这个福分。彼得吩咐人要悔改，奉耶稣基督的名受浸，好领受所应许的那灵，（行传二38～39，）原因就在这里。保罗也是传这样的福音。加拉太三章他说，基督在十字架上担当我们的咒诅，使我们因信得着所应许的那灵。
22Although I was born into Christianity and raised in Christianity, I never heard a message telling me that Christ’s redemption is linked to the Holy Spirit. I heard many messages on Christ’s accomplishment of redemption, but not a word on the connection between redemption and the Holy Spirit. This preaching of the gospel is very different from that of Peter, John, and Paul. When Peter preached the gospel on the day of Pentecost, he did not say that those who were baptized would receive redemption. He said that the ones baptized would receive the promise of the Spirit. God in ancient times promised a great blessing to our forefather, Abraham. That great blessing is the Holy Spirit (Gal. 3:14). We need to be baptized because we need to receive this blessing. This was the reason Peter told the people to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ in order to receive the promised Spirit (Acts 2:38-39). Paul preached the gospel in the same way. In Galatians 3 he says that Christ bore our curse on the cross so that through Him we may receive the promise of the Spirit.
23我年轻的时候，从来没有听过一篇信息说，基督为我们的罪死了，好使我们得着那灵。我从来没有听过这样的福音。我只听过基督为我们的罪死了，使我们得着赦免，有一天我们可以上天堂。传这种福音的人晓得基督为我们的罪死了，也晓得天堂，但他们不认识那灵。
23When I was young, I never heard a message saying that Christ died for our sins so that we might receive the Spirit. I never heard such a gospel. I only heard that Christ died for our sins so that we might be forgiven and one day go to heaven. Those who preached this gospel knew about Christ dying for our sins and they knew about heaven, but they did not know the Spirit.
24要紧的是要晓得，离了那灵，基督的救赎就是没有生命的救赎，而是死的救赎。甚 至人离了灵也是死的。我们是活的，原因在于我们有灵。灵一离开人的身体，身体就成了尸体。圣经认为罪人是死的，因为他们的灵是死的。但我们的灵被点活、被恢复的时候，我们就活了。人离了灵怎样是死的，基督的救赎离了圣灵也照样是死的。今天许多基督徒所传扬的是死的救赎。他们有网而没有四个环子。然而，圣经宣扬活的救赎，就是网与四个环子所豫表的。
24It is crucial for us to realize that apart from the Spirit the redemption of Christ is a lifeless redemption, a dead redemption. Even a human being is dead apart from the spirit. The reason we are alive is that we have the spirit. As soon as the spirit leaves a person’s body, the body becomes a corpse. The Bible regards sinners as dead ones because their spirit is dead. But we become alive when our spirit is enlivened and recovered. Just as a person is dead apart from the spirit, so the redemption of Christ is dead apart from the Holy Spirit. Many Christians today are preaching a dead redemption. They have a grating without the four rings. The Bible, however, declares a living redemption, a redemption typified by the grating with the four rings.
25基督在神公义的审判之下所完成的救赎，是由铜网及其四边支持网的四个环子来表征。基督的救赎不但是藉着那灵来完成，也是为着那灵来完成的。这意思是说，基督 的救赎有一个成果，有一个结局。基督救赎的结果不仅仅是罪得赦免，也不仅仅是救赎本身，或是藉着救赎而得救。基督救赎的独一结果乃是那灵。
25The redemption of Christ accomplished under the righteous judgment of God was signified by the bronze grating upheld by the four rings at its four ends. Christ’s redemption was accomplished not only through the Spirit but also unto the Spirit. This means that Christ’s redemption has an issue, a result. The result of the redemption of Christ is not merely the forgiveness of sins; it is not simply redemption itself, or salvation through redemption. The unique issue of the redemption of Christ is the Spirit.
26在福音书里，基督说到那灵的来到。福音书开头的话甚至说到基督是用圣灵施浸的那位。约翰福音里基督说到那灵是要来的另一位保惠师。（十四16。）基督是开路先锋，使另一位保惠师─那灵─能彀来到。祂将要死的时候，告诉门徒说，祂要为着实际的灵来到而祷告，原因就在这里。
26In the Gospels Christ spoke of the coming of the Spirit. The Gospels even open with a word about Christ being the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. In the Gospel of John Christ spoke of the Spirit as another Comforter who was to come (14:16). Christ was the Forerunner who cut the way so that the Spirit, the other Comforter, could come. This was the reason that when He was about to die, He told the disciples that He would pray for the coming of the Spirit of reality.
27约翰福音也告诉我们，在基督得着荣耀以前，那灵还没有。（七39，另译。）基督复活以后，就是得荣以后，祂来到门徒那里，向他们吹气，并吩咐他们受圣灵。（约翰二十22。）祂吩咐他们领受第二位保惠师，就是圣纽玛（pneuma）。事实上 ，第二位就是头一位。基督亲自成了赐生命的灵。因此，第二位就是头一位的实际。如今这一位已经进入所有蒙救赎的人里面，并与他们同在，正如行传和书信里面所启 示的。
27The Gospel of John also tells us that the Spirit was not yet until Christ was glorified (7:39). After Christ’s resurrection, that is, after His glorification, He came to the disciples, breathed on them, and told them to receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:22). He told them to receive the second Comforter, the holy pneuma. Actually, this second One was the first. Christ Himself became the life-giving Spirit. Thus, the second is the reality of the first. Now this One has come into all the redeemed ones and is present with them, as revealed in Acts and the Epistles.
28书信说到那灵在我们的灵里，圣灵在人的灵里。这是书信的主题。然而，基督徒多半忽略了这个主题，让它埋藏在新约里面。当我们拿出这一颗“钻石”，并且供应出去的时候，许多人就反对我们，甚至称我们为异端，他们坚持说基督是赐生命的灵乃是违反信经和大会的。我们挖去了许多东西，使这颗“钻石”露出来。然而，别人却宝贵所挖去的东西─“泥土”，而轻看钻石。由此我们可以看见主的恢复和今天基督教之间的不同：他们宝贵遮盖钻石的东西─“泥土”，而我们却扫除泥土，好恢复钻石。阿利路亚，我的口袋里满了钻石！
28The Epistles speak of the Spirit in our spirit, the Holy Spirit in the human spirit. This is the main subject of the Epistles. Nevertheless, it has been neglected by most Christians and allowed to lie buried in the pages of the New Testament. When we bring forth such a “diamond” and minister concerning it, many oppose us and even call us heretical, insisting that it is contrary to the creeds and the councils to say that Christ is the life-giving Spirit. We have dug away many things to uncover this diamond. However, others value the very things dug away, the “dirt,” and depreciate the diamond. By this we can see the difference between the Lord’s recovery and today’s Christianity: they treasure the things that cover the diamonds, the “dirt,” but we sweep the dirt away in order to recover the diamonds. Hallelujah, my pockets are full of diamonds!
29启示录不但说到那灵，也说到七灵，就是七倍的灵。这七倍的灵好比有七倍亮度的灯泡，就是一个灯泡有七倍的亮度。主的恢复是在七倍的亮光之下。众教会就是灯台，其中有七倍的灵。真奇妙！有些基督徒避开启示录，以为这卷书太奥秘、太麻烦了。但这卷书没有难倒我们，我们因着这卷书而得了祝福、蒙了光照。阿利路亚，我们有那灵，就是赐生命的灵，甚至是七倍的灵！
29The book of Revelation speaks not only of the Spirit, but also of the seven Spirits, the sevenfold Spirit. This sevenfold Spirit can be compared to a seven-way light bulb, a bulb with a sevenfold brightness. The Lord’s recovery is under a sevenfold light. The churches as the lampstands are under the sevenfold Spirit. How wonderful! Some Christians avoid the book of Revelation, thinking that this book is too mysterious and bothersome. But we are not bothered by this book—we are blessed and enlightened by it. Hallelujah, we have the Spirit, the life-giving Spirit, even the sevenfold Spirit!
30根据启示录二十二章十七节，那灵和新妇说话的时候是一。如果我是启示录的作者，这一节会说：“耶稣基督和祂的教会都说来。”但这一节清楚地说：“那灵和新妇说来。”（另译。）
30According to Revelation 22:17, the Spirit and the bride speak as one. If I had been the writer of Revelation, this verse would have said, “Jesus Christ and His church say, Come.” But this verse clearly says, “The Spirit and the bride say, Come.”
二十三 基督救赎的能力
THE POWER OF CHRIST’S REDEMPTION
31我在本篇信息中的负担是论到基督的救赎与那灵之间的关系。如果我们没有那灵而传讲基督的救赎，我们就是可怜的传道人，我们所传讲的是死的救赎。基督救赎的能力在那里？基督救赎的能力乃是在那灵的里面。
31My burden in this message concerns the relationship between the redemption of Christ and the Spirit. If we preach the redemption of Christ without the Spirit, we are pitiful preachers, and we are preaching a dead redemption. Where is the power of Christ’s redemption? The power of the redemption of Christ is in the Spirit.
32我们已经一再地指出，网和四个环子相连在一起。这些环子也是为着祭坛的行动。祭坛相当重，如果没有环内的杠，祭坛就很难移动。这指明主的行动在于那灵。为这缘故，主耶稣告诉门徒要在耶路撒冷等候，直等到圣灵降临在他们身上而得着了能力。（徒一8。）然后他们就要在耶路撒冷、犹太全地、撒玛利亚，直到地极作主的见证人。这就是基督的救赎、基督的十字架，在人的肩头上藉着那灵的能力而行动。
32We have pointed out again and again that the grating was connected to the four rings. These rings were also for the move of the altar. The altar was very heavy. If it were not for the poles in the rings, it would have been difficult to move it. This indicates that the Lord’s move depends on the Spirit. For this reason, the Lord Jesus told the disciples to wait at Jerusalem until they received power by the coming of the Holy Spirit upon them (Acts 1:8). Then they would be witnesses of Him in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and in the uttermost part of the world. This is the redemption of Christ, the cross of Christ, moving by the power of the Spirit upon the shoulders of human beings.
二十四 网、环子、杠
THE GRATING, THE RINGS, AND THE POLES
33如果我们分析一下今天基督徒中间的光景，我们就会看见有基要派和灵恩派的信徒。基要派的信徒有基督客观的救赎。这意思是说，他们只有网而没有四个环子。反之，灵恩派的信徒有一些环子，但这些环子没有连在网上。他们的环子也许断了，也许不是真的。因此，一面基要派的信徒有网而没有环子，另一面灵恩派的信徒有环子而没有网。但在主的恢复里，有网，有四个环子，同时也有两根杠。因为我们有网，有环子，有杠，我们就能彀壮胆，并满了喜乐。
33If we analyze the situation among Christians today, we shall see that there are the fundamentalists and the Pentecostalists. The fundamentalists have the objective redemption of Christ. This means that they only have the grating; they lack the four rings. The Pentecostalists, on the contrary, have some kind of rings, but the rings are not connected to the grating. The rings they have may be broken or may not be genuine. Thus, on the one side we have fundamentalists with the grating and no rings; on the other side, we have Pentecostalists with rings but no grating. But in the Lord’s recovery we have the grating, the four rings, and the two poles. Because we have the grating, the rings, and the poles, we can be bold and full of joy.
34我愿鼓励你们在祭坛以及网、环子和杠这幅图画的光中，再去读新约。在福音书里，我们看见基督是网和环子在形成的过程中。在使徒行传里，四个环子出现了。然后所有的书信，从罗马书到启示录更多启示出环子，结束于七倍的灵。这就是新约里的启示。由此我们看见，祭坛的内容需要全本新约来加以阐释。四福音描绘出网，各卷书信呈现出四个环子以及两根杠的完整图画。赞美主，这幅清楚的图画显明了基督的救赎，在神和人的面前如何是活的、有能力的，并满了力量和功效！
34I would encourage you to read the New Testament again in the light of this picture of the altar with the grating, the rings, and the poles. In the Gospels we see Christ as the grating and the rings in the process of being formed. In the book of Acts the four rings appear. Then all the Epistles from Romans through Revelation reveal more concerning the rings, concluding with the sevenfold Spirit. This is the revelation in the New Testament. By this we see that the contents of the altar require the entire New Testament to be defined. The four Gospels portray the grating, and all the Epistles present a full picture of the four rings with the two poles. Praise the Lord for this clear picture showing how the redemption of Christ is living, powerful, and full of strength and efficacy before God and man!