Books
出埃及记生命读经 · 第117篇

祭司的衣服（二）

The priestly garments (2)
1读经： 出埃及记二十八章一至四节；彼得前书二章五节，九节；启示录一章六节；五章九至十节。
1Scripture Reading: Exo. 28:1-4; 1 Pet. 2:5, 9; Rev. 1:6; 5:9-10
六 生命与建造
Life and building
2在“神建造的异象”这本书里我们指出，圣经的主题乃是神的建造。神给人造了一个灵，好接受祂作生命。根据创世记第二章，神圣的生命以生命树的形状呈现在人面前。九节说到“园子当中又有生命树。”十节继续说：“有河从伊甸流出来滋润那园子，从那里分为四道。”从生命树所在的地方，有河流出来，达到地的四极。十一节和十二节说到金子、珍珠和红玛瑙。正如“神建造的异象”所指明的，这些事和生命与建造的要点有关。创世记二章有生命树，也有神建造的材料。
2In the book The Vision of God’s Building we pointed out that the main subject of the Bible is God’s building. God created man with a spirit to receive Him as life. According to the second chapter of Genesis, the divine life is presented to man in the form of the tree of life. Verse 9 speaks of “the tree of life also in the midst of the garden.” Verse 10 goes on to say, “And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.” From the place where the tree of life was, a river flowed to reach the four ends of the earth. Verses 11 and 12 speak of gold, bdellium, and onyx stone. As The Vision of God’s Building makes clear, these matters are related to the crucial points of life and building. In Genesis 2 we have the tree of life and the materials for God’s building.
3把这段记载和启示录末两章相比是很有趣味的。启示录二十二章也有生命树和生命水的河，但到了圣经末了，建造的材料是在新耶路撒冷这个建造的里面。新耶路撒冷有创世记二章所题同样的三种材料：金子、珍珠和宝石。
3It is very interesting to compare this record with that of the last two chapters of Revelation. In Revelation 22 we also have the tree of life and the river of water of life. But by the time we come to the end of the Bible, the building materials are in the building, the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem will contain the same three materials mentioned in Genesis 2: gold, pearl (bdellium), and precious stones.
4如果主给我们时间来完成圣经头五卷书（摩西五经）的生命读经，我们就会看见，这些书乃是建造的书。不但如此，所有的历史书，从约书亚记到以斯拉记、尼希米记、 以斯帖记，都与建造有关。事实上，这些历史书的主题就是神的建造。当每件事都合乎神的建造时，以色列人的光景就非常美好。但建造被破坏的时候，以色列人的光景也就极其可怜了。
4If the Lord grants us the time to complete the life-study of the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch, we shall see that these books are books of building. Furthermore, the historical books, all the books from Joshua through Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, are concerned with the building. In fact, the main subject of these books of history is God’s building. When everything was right with God’s building, the situation of the children of Israel was very good. But when the building was damaged, the condition of the children of Israel was also very poor.
5在先知书里，主题还是建造。以西结书有许多章记载建造的异象。事实上，以西结书就是一卷论到神建造的书。在这一点上，我们在“以西结的异象”这本书里说了许多。因为建造是神所渴望的，整本旧约就是论到神的建造这个主题。
5In the books of the prophets the building is also a major subject. The book of Ezekiel contains many chapters that record a vision of the building. Actually, the book of Ezekiel is a book on God’s building. We have much to say regarding this in the book entitled The Visions of Ezekiel. Because the building is what God desires, the entire Old Testament is on the subject of God’s building.
6没有疑问，圣经说了许多关乎救恩的事。然而，救恩不是圣经终极的总结。圣经终极的总结乃是神的建造─新耶路撒冷。圣经从头到尾都有各式各样与建造有关的事。在创世记有建造的材料，而出埃及记有帐幕的建造。
6There is no doubt that the Bible has much to say concerning salvation. Salvation, however, is not the ultimate consummation of the Bible. The ultimate consummation of the Bible is God’s building, the New Jerusalem. Throughout the Bible we have various matters related to the building. In Genesis we have the materials for the building, and in Exodus we have the building of the tabernacle.
七 宝贵的建造材料
Precious building materials
7在帐幕和祭司体系里见到创世记二章里三种宝贵的材料─金子、珍珠和红玛瑙。当然，帐幕里面有许许多多的金子。我们已经看见，大祭司所穿戴的胸牌和以弗得的肩 带上面有宝石。但帐幕有银子，而没有珍珠。银子是表征救赎的。创世记二章有珍珠，却没有银子，因为那时候罪还没有进来。此外，新耶路撒冷也照样有珍珠，而没有银子，因为那时候就不再需要救赎了。但在创世记二章和启示录二十一章之间，的确需要银子所表征的救赎。因这缘故，保罗在林前三章十二节题起金、银、宝石，而没有说到珍珠。保罗说到银子而没有说到珍珠，原因乃是我们在现今的时代需要救赎。再者，旧约里面圣殿的建造也用了同样宝贵的材料。
7The three precious materials in Genesis 2 — gold, pearl, and onyx stone — are found in the tabernacle and the priesthood. To be sure, there is an abundance of gold in the tabernacle. We have seen that on the breastplate and the shoulder plates of the ephod worn by the high priest there were precious stones. But instead of pearl, with the tabernacle there is silver. Silver signifies redemption. In Genesis 2 there is pearl, but there is no silver, because at that time sin had not come in. Furthermore, in the New Jerusalem there will likewise be pearl instead of silver, for by then there will be no further need of redemption. But in between Genesis 2 and Revelation 21, there definitely is the need of redemption signified by silver. For this reason, in 1 Corinthians 3:12 Paul mentions gold, silver, and precious stones; he does not speak of pearl. The reason Paul includes silver and not pearl is that in this present age we need redemption. Moreover, with the building of the temple in the Old Testament, the same precious materials were used.
8保罗从主那里接受了神建造的奇妙启示。他在林前三章题起金、银、宝石，恰好符合了创世记的思想，就是起初没有罪，因而不需要银子。但罪进来以后，就需要救赎。然而，在永世里，不再需要银子，因为再也没有罪了。但在堕落以后和永世里的新耶路撒冷之前，我们必须有银子。我们又一次看见圣经如何是前后一贯的。保罗论到建造所写的与圣经完整的启示是一致的。
8Paul received a marvelous revelation from the Lord concerning God’s building. His mentioning of gold, silver, and precious stone in 1 Corinthians 3 exactly fits in with the thought that in the beginning in Genesis there was no sin and thus no need of silver. But after sin came in, there was the need of redemption. In eternity, however, there will no longer be the need for silver, for there will no longer be any sin. But during the time after the fall and before the New Jerusalem in eternity, we must have silver. Once again we see how consistent the Bible is. What Paul wrote concerning the building is consistent with the full revelation of the Scriptures.
9真实的属灵乃是一件建造的事。没有建造、没有灵宫，就没有成圣、没有属灵，也没有属灵的能力。一位弟兄也许看起来很亲切、很圣洁、很属灵，但如果这位弟兄没有建造到神的建造里面，他外表上的属灵财富就会导致属灵的破产。这种光景的原因乃是：没有建造就没有保护或遮盖。
9True spirituality is a matter of the building. Without the building, the spiritual house, there is no sanctification, spirituality, or spiritual power. A certain brother may seem to be kind, holy, and spiritual. But if this brother is not built into God’s building, his apparent spiritual wealth will become spiritual bankruptcy. The reason for such a condition is that without the building there is no protection or covering.
八 我们独一的需要
Our unique need
10我们可以用安那翰的会所来说明神的建造如何是我们的保护。假设所有用来建造会所的材料仍然在地上，如果狂风暴雨来的话，这些材料就会损坏了，它们得不着保护。但如今这些材料既是建筑物的一部分，它们就得着了保护，不受天气的损坏。神属灵建造的原则也是这样。倘若我们要蒙保护，就必须建造到神的建造里面。属灵不是我们的保护，建造才是我们的保护。
10We can refer to the meeting hall in Anaheim to illustrate how God’s building is our protection. Suppose all the materials used in building the meeting hall were still lying on the ground. Then in case of a storm or heavy rain, the materials would be damaged. They would not have any protection. But since the materials are now part of the building, they are protected from the weather. The principle is the same with God’s spiritual building. If we want to be protected, we need to be built into God’s building. Our protection is not our spirituality; our protection is the building.
11在我早期作基督徒的那段时间里，我没有看见建造的重要。因着主的怜悯，从我一得救之后，我就很爱主。五十多年以来，我对祂的爱从来没有止息过。不但如此，我还花了许多时间来寻求祂。我也追求圣洁、追求属灵、追求能力。我读了许许多多论到这些主题的书籍。然而，我追求圣洁、追求属灵、追求能力的结果却失败了。最终 我才晓得，要成为圣洁、属灵、有能力，惟一的路就是建造到神的建造里面。
11In my early years as a Christian, I did not see the crucial importance of the building. By the Lord’s mercy, I have loved the Lord from the time I was saved. For more than fifty years, my love for Him has never ceased. Furthermore, I have spent much time to seek Him. I have also pursued holiness, spirituality, and power. I read a number of books on these subjects. However, my pursuit of holiness, spirituality, and power resulted in failure. Eventually I learned that the only way to be holy, spiritual, or powerful is to be built into God’s building.
12在成全训练的信息中，我们谈到意见和乖僻的难处。但无论你怎样操练自己来解决意见和乖僻的难处，如果你没有被建造起来，那些信息没有一篇会对你有帮助。我们惟有建造在一起，才能彀对付意见和乖僻的问题。只要你愿意建造到神的建造里面，并且实际地建造进去，意见和乖僻的难处就消失了。不要想凭自己的努力去胜过这些事，我们独一的需要就是被建造进去。
12In the perfecting training messages we dealt with the problems of opinion and peculiarity. But no matter how much you may exercise yourself to solve the problems of opinion and peculiarity, if you are not built up, none of those messages will be of any help to you. Only as we are built up together can the matters of opinion and peculiarity be dealt with. As long as you are willing to be built into God’s building and actually are built in, the problems of opinion and peculiarity will disappear. Do not try to overcome these things by your own effort. Our unique need is to be built in.
九 为着建造得滋养
Nourished for the building
13彼得是一位领头的使徒，在他与主同在的生活中，他的确学了不少。他的头一封书信只有短短的五章，却清楚地说到建造的事。他告诉我们说，我们必须得着滋养，好被建造成为灵宫。彼得前书二章二节说：“就要爱慕那纯净的话奶，像才生的婴孩爱慕奶一样，叫你们因此渐长。”（另译。）五节继续说：“你们来到主面前，也就像活石，被建造成为灵宫，作圣洁的祭司体系，藉着耶稣基督奉献神所悦纳的灵祭。”（另译。）照这些经节来看；滋养乃是为着建造、为着灵宫，而灵宫乃是为着圣洁的祭司体系。九节彼得说到君尊的祭司：“惟有你们是被拣选的族类，是有君尊的祭司体系，是圣洁的国度，是属神的子民；要叫你们宣扬那召你们出黑暗，入奇妙光明者的美德。”（另译。）我们得着滋养，并且被建造成为灵宫，成为圣洁而君尊的祭司体系，我们就会宣扬那位召我们者的卓越、美德。
13As one of the leading apostles, Peter certainly learned a great deal in his life with the Lord. In his first Epistle, a short book of only five chapters, he speaks clearly of the building. He tells us that we need to be nourished in order to be built up into a spiritual house. In 1 Peter 2:2 he says, “As newborn babes, long for the guileless milk of the word, that by it you may grow.” Then in verse 5 he goes on to say, “You yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, into a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” According to these verses, the nourishment is for the building, the spiritual house, and the spiritual house is for the holy priesthood. In verse 9 Peter speaks of a royal priesthood: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a possession, so that you may tell out the virtues of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” When we are nourished and are built up as a spiritual house, a holy and royal priesthood, we shall show forth the excellencies, the virtues, of the One who has called us.
十 缺少建造
The shortage of the building
14今天基督徒努力要圣洁、要属灵、要有能力，这样作大都是徒劳无益。许多人写了“如何”的书来帮助信徒圣洁、得胜，这些书实际上给人多少帮助呢？我要说，就算有帮助的话，也是微乎其微。我能彀作见证，我读过各种属灵而合乎圣经教训的书籍。不但如此，我也试着实行这些书里所推介的方法。我已经指出，结果乃是失败。
14To a very great extent, the efforts of today’s Christians to be holy, spiritual, and powerful are in vain. Many “how-to” books have been written to help believers to be holy and victorious. How much help is actually offered by these books? I would say that the help rendered is very little, if any. I can testify that I have read books in different categories of spiritual and biblical teachings. Furthermore, I tried to practice the methods recommended in these books. As I have already indicated, the result was failure.
15历代以来，有许许多多真正属灵的信徒。然而，许多属灵伟人的传记不完全是准确的，传记常常不能把人一生完整而清楚的图画呈现出来。一位属灵伟人死了，也许就有人来写他的传记，这本传记可能会过于高举属灵伟人。这样的传记与圣经里所看见的不同。例如，圣经说到亚伯拉罕的短处，甚至把大卫的罪也暴露出来。如果你来写大卫的传记，你会题他的罪么？你岂不把罪恶隐藏起来，为大卫的缘故略作夸张么？有时候信徒的自传比传记还要诚实而准确。
15Throughout the centuries there have been a number of believers who were truly spiritual. However, many of the biographies of certain spiritual giants are not altogether accurate. A biography does not always present a full and clear picture of a person’s life. After a particular spiritual giant dies, someone may write his biography. That biography may exalt that spiritual person too much. This kind of biography is different from that found in the Bible. For example, the Bible speaks of Abraham’s shortcomings and even exposes David’s sins. If you were to write a biography of David, would you mention his sins? Would you not rather hide them and perhaps exaggerate a little on David’s behalf? Sometimes a believer’s autobiography is more honest and accurate than the biographies.
16甚至那些虔诚而属灵的人也有许多短处。当然，失败和短处不同，一个人也许没有多少失败，但他仍有许多的短处。甚至那些最属灵的基督徒，他们生活中的短处也是由于缺少建造。
16Even with those who are pious and spiritual, there have been a number of shortcomings. Failures, of course, are different from shortcomings. A person may not have many failures, but he still may have a number of shortcomings. The shortcomings in the lives of even the most spiritual Christians are due to the lack of building up.
17许多年前，我在英国一个以属灵闻名的地方住了一个月。不错，当地的信徒相当属 灵，可是没有建造；谈属灵谈得不少，然而一点建造也没有。当地亲爱的弟兄姊妹在主的手中学了各种属灵的功课，也有一些属灵的经历。他们学会了如何信靠主，如何让主来对付，以及如何来经历十字架。他们也晓得复活生命的原则。但即使这些他们都学会了，因着没有建造，最终的结果还是可悲的。
17Years ago I stayed for a month at a place in England that was famous for spirituality. Yes, there was a certain amount of spirituality among the believers there. However, there was no building. There was much talk about spirituality, but there was no building at all. The dear ones in that place under the Lord’s hand had learned different spiritual lessons and had some spiritual experience. They learned how to trust in the Lord, how to be dealt with by the Lord, and how to experience the cross. They also learned about the life principles of resurrection. But even though they learned all these things, the result eventually was tragedy because there was no building.
十一 神的目标
God’s goal
18在圣经和基督徒的生活里，生命和建造是最基本的事。倘若我们不让主在我们中间得着建造，就神的旨意而论，我们便是失败的。建造是神独一的目标，在永世里祂所要的乃是新耶路撒冷，今天祂所要的乃是教会。
18In the Bible and in the Christian life, life and building are the most basic matters. If we do not allow the Lord to have the building among us, we shall be a failure as far as God’s purpose is concerned. The building is God’s unique goal. For eternity, He wants the New Jerusalem. Today He wants the church.
19甚至在旧约里我们也能看见，神的目标始终是建造。在旷野里，祂需要一个立起来的帐幕。到了迦南圣地，祂要一个建造起来的圣殿。诗篇中有许多经节论到圣殿，这表明按著作诗之人的经历来看，属灵、得胜和能力都与圣殿有关。今天我们的原则也是一样。对我们来说，圣殿就是教会。我们的属灵、得胜和能力都必须与教会有关。然而，可悲可叹的是，许多基督徒不关心教会，有些人甚至反对教会。
19Even in the Old Testament we can see that God’s goal has always been the building. In the wilderness He required that a tabernacle be set up. Then in the holy land, the land of Canaan, He wanted a temple to be built. Many verses in the Psalms refer to the temple. This indicates that, according to the experience of the psalmists, spirituality, victory, and power were all related to the temple. The principle is the same with us today. For us, the temple is the church. Our spirituality, victory, and power must be related to the church. However, it is very sad, even tragic, that many Christians do not care for the church and some even oppose it.
20主子民中间的光景并不太乐观，连那些属灵的信徒也是这样。这种令人失望灰心之光景的原因乃是缺少建造。
20The situation among the Lord’s people is not very encouraging. This is true even of those groups of believers that are spiritual. The reason the situation is disappointing and discouraging is the lack of the building.
21主还无法达到祂对建造的目标。没有建造，我们怎么能有祭司的体系？没有建造就不可能有祭司的体系。祭司不是单个的信徒，而是团体的身体；祭司体系是由建造在一起的祭司所组成的。再者，祭司体系的事奉乃是在配搭里身体的事奉。这种团体的祭司体系就是主今天所寻求的。
21The Lord has not yet been able to gain His goal of the building. Without the building, how can we have the priesthood? It is impossible to have the priesthood without the building. The priests are not individualistic believers. On the contrary, the priests are a corporate body; the priesthood is composed of priests who have been built together. Furthermore, the service of the priesthood is a body service in coordination. This corporate priesthood is what the Lord is seeking today.
22倘若我们离开了神的目标，我们能彀完成甚么呢？我们就不能作甚么，来完成神的旨意了。
22If we are off from God’s goal, what shall we be able to accomplish? We shall not be able to do anything for the fulfillment of God’s purpose.
十二 建造和祭司体系
The building and the priesthood
23在要来的信息中，我们会详细地来看祭司的衣服。然后我们就会看见，衣服所表征基督的彰显实际上乃是一个建造。大祭司穿上以弗得不是为着御寒保暖；反之，以弗得完全是为着建造，为着把胸牌和两条肩带连接在一起。没有疑问，这些肩带是一个强有力的表记，是指建造说的。大祭司所戴上的胸牌表征建造。胸牌上的宝石镶在金子里，胸牌本身和以弗得相连。两条肩带上刻着以色列支派的名字，也和以弗得相连。这表明以弗得与建造有关。
23In messages to come we shall consider in detail the priestly garments. Then we shall see that the expression of Christ signified by the garments is actually a building. The ephod was not worn by the high priest to protect him from cold and to keep him warm. Instead, the ephod was altogether for building; it was for the linking together of the breastplate and the two shoulder plates. These plates, no doubt, are a sign strongly pointing to the building. The breastplate worn by the high priest signifies the building. The precious stones on the breastplate were set in gold. Then the breastplate itself was linked to the ephod. The two shoulder plates on which were engraved the names of the tribes of Israel were also connected to the ephod. This shows that the ephod is related to the building.
24大祭司站在主面前寻求引导的时候，必须戴上有乌陵和土明的胸牌。这意思是说，他必须穿上建造。如果大祭司没有胸牌，虽然他仍然能彀敬拜神、烧香、点灯，但他无法得着主的启示。要得着从神来的启示，需要有乌陵和土明的胸牌。
24When the high priest stood before the Lord to seek His leading, he had to wear the breastplate with the Urim and the Thummim. This means that he had to wear the building. If the high priest did not have the breastplate, he could still worship God, burn the incense, and light the lamps. However, he would not have the way to receive the Lord’s revelation. Receiving revelation from God required the breastplate with the Urim and the Thummim.
25没有建造，祭司体系就会崩溃。我们没有建造，就无法有祭司体系。今天基督徒因着缺少建造，其中的光景非常令人沮丧。
25Without the building the priesthood will collapse. We cannot have the priesthood without the building. Because of the lack of the building, the situation among Christians today is very discouraging.
十三 蒙保守的遗民
A preserved remnant
26我的心因着主百姓的光景而忧伤。我感到失望，主要还不是因着人反对主的恢复，而是因着缺少建造。虽然情况不太乐观，我们仍须相信，主怎样在以利亚的时代留下七千人，今天主也照样保守了一班遗民。以利亚感到失望的时候，以为只剩下他一个人对主忠心，主告诉他不要失望，因祂留下七千人，是未曾向巴力屈膝的。今天主也保守了许许多多的百姓。祂是主宰一切的，我们该为着祂主宰的权柄来敬拜祂。
26My heart is saddened by the condition of the Lord’s people. I am disappointed not mainly by the opposition to the Lord’s recovery, but by the shortage of the building. But although the situation is not encouraging, we need to believe that just as the Lord preserved seven thousand at the time of Elijah, so He has preserved a remnant today. When Elijah was disappointed, thinking that he alone had remained faithful to the Lord, the Lord told him not to be disappointed, for He had preserved seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal. Today the Lord has also preserved a number of His people. He is sovereign, and we should worship Him for His sovereignty.
27因着人的软弱，我们也许盼望主的恢复会快速地繁增。然而，人数上庞大的增加会 把主的恢复破坏了。因此，在主的主宰权柄之下，主不会让这件事发生，反而许可祂的恢复遭受反对，并且被炼净。结果那些不是真有心为着主的人，就不会走这条恢复的路。以往我们看见主如何进来炼净祂的恢复。那样的炼净乃是一个试验，证明那些 人真有心为着主的权益。
27Because of our human frailty, our expectation may be that the Lord’s recovery would increase and multiply rapidly. However, a large increase in numbers could corrupt and ruin the recovery. Therefore, in His sovereignty, instead of allowing this to happen, the Lord would permit the recovery to be opposed and also to be purified. The result is that those who do not have a genuine heart for the Lord do not take the way of the recovery. In the past we saw how the Lord came in to purify His recovery. That purification was a test to prove which ones truly have a heart for the Lord’s interests.
28我们都必须看见，主恢复的目标乃是要恢复基督作我们的生命和一切，好叫我们被变化，并且被建造起来。我们同被建造的时候，神就得着了一个建造，这个建造就是祭司体系。
28We all need to see that the goal of the Lord’s recovery is to recover Christ as life and everything to us so that we may be transformed and built up. When we are built up together, God will have a building. This building is the priesthood.