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出埃及记生命读经 · 第124篇

祭司的衣服（九）

The priestly garments (9)
1读经： 出埃及记二十八章十五至二十一节；三十九章八至十四节。
1Scripture Reading: Exo. 28:15-21; 39:8-14
2我们已经看见，胸牌的作法与材料和以弗得一样，而且胸牌是四方的，叠为两层。胸牌表征教会的形成与构成要素和基督一样，而且教会是握在基督手里一个完全的见证。现在我们要继续来看胸牌上面的十二块宝石。
2We have seen that the breastplate was of the same workmanship and material as the ephod and that it was squared and doubled. The breastplate signifies that the church is of the same formation and constituent as Christ and that it is a perfect testimony held in Christ’s hand. Now we shall go on to consider the twelve stones on the breastplate.
十二块宝石组成一个实体
One entity composed of twelve stones
3二十一节说：“这些宝石，都要按着以色列十二个儿子的名字，仿佛刻图书，刻十二个支派的名字。”刻在十二块宝石上的以色列十二支派的名字，表征神的所有赎民。这十二块宝石不是分开或个别的来表征神的赎民，而是团体的来表征的。宝石是分开的，但不是分裂的。反之，它们是合并的，结合在一起的。用新约的措辞来说，这些宝石乃是建造在一起的。十二块宝石建造在一起成为一个实体，这个实体就叫作胸牌。
3Verse 21 says, “And the stones shall be according to the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, each according to his name they shall be, for the twelve tribes.” The names of the twelve tribes of Israel engraved on the twelve stones signify all the redeemed people of God. These twelve stones do not signify God’s redeemed people in a separate or individualistic way, but in a corporate way. The stones are separate pieces, but they are not divided. On the contrary, they are incorporated, put together. Using a New Testament term, the stones have been built together. The twelve stones have been built together to become one entity, and the name of that entity is the breastplate.
4主以团体的方式来担负我们，甚至是以结合的方式来担负我们。主耶稣把我们建造在一起，把我们结合成为一个实体。胸牌是由十二块分开的、个别的宝石组成的一个实体。这表明信徒是各自分开的，却不是分裂的。我们是分开的，却不是隔离的、单独的。然而，今天的基督徒既单独又分裂。根据他们的领会，主是个别地担负每一个人。如果情形是这样，那么主担负一位信徒就与担负另一位信徒是毫无关系了。然而主不是个别地担负我们；反之，祂乃是担负一个实体，就是教会─祂的身体。
4The Lord bears us in a corporate way, even in an incorporated way. The Lord Jesus has built us together; He has incorporated us into one entity. The breastplate was one entity composed of twelve separate, individual stones. This indicates that the believers are distinct individuals, but they are not divided. We are separate pieces, but we are not separated, individualistic pieces. However, today’s Christians have been separated and divided. According to their understanding, the Lord bears each one individualistically. If this is the situation, then the Lord’s bearing of one believer does not have anything to do with His bearing of another believer. But the Lord does not bear us individualistically. On the contrary, He bears one entity, the church, which is His Body.
5如果我们从主得着亮光，我们就会为着今天基督徒中间的光景而悲叹，为着神子民中间的分裂而忧伤。
5If we have received light from the Lord, we shall mourn over the situation among Christians today. We shall grieve over the divisions among God’s people.
6当然，有以色列的十二支派，每个支派由胸牌上面的一块宝石来代表。但这些宝石都一同建造成为一个实体。因此，胸牌实际上就是宝石镶在金子里的建造。金子乃是 使十二块宝石能彀成为一个建造的成分。
6To be sure, there were twelve tribes of the children of Israel. Each tribe was represented by a stone on the breastplate. But all these stones were built together into one entity. Therefore, the breastplate was actually a building of precious stones set in gold. The gold was the element which enabled the twelve stones to become one building.
表征变化
Signifying transformation
7胸牌上面的十二块石头乃是宝石。这些宝石表征属人的性情藉着并同着神圣的性情而有的变化。我们怎么晓得它们是表征变化呢？因为它们是宝石。宝石不是神原初所造的东西，而是藉着一种变化的过程才成为宝石的。藉着这种过程，泥土或别样的材料就能变化成为宝石。 变化的过程可由木头变成化石木来说明。在一段时期之内，水浸润木头，带走了天然的素质，且以另外的素质来取代。最终，木头就变化成为石头了。
7The twelve stones on the breastplate were precious stones. These precious stones signify transformation of the human nature by and with the divine nature. How do we know that they signify transformation? We know it by the fact that they were precious stones. Precious stones are not something originally created by God. On the contrary, they are formed into precious stones by a process of transformation. Through this process clay or some other material is transformed into precious stones. An illustration of the process of transformation can be found in the way wood is changed into petrified wood. Over a period of time, water saturates the wood, carrying away its natural element and replacing it with another kind of element. Eventually, the wood is transformed into stone.
8基督徒的生活含有一种每天变化的过程。圣经说，人是由地上的尘土造的：“耶和 华神用地上的尘土造人，将生气吹在他鼻孔里，他就成了活的魂。”（创二7 ，另译。）有一天，属天的水流带着神圣的矿物进到我们里面来。这种神圣的矿物就是神圣的性情，（彼后一章4，）水就是神圣的生命─圣灵。一旦这活水流到我们里面，就开始洗净我们天然的生命，并把更多神圣的成分加到我们里面来，这就是变化。一天又一天，我们活出一种变化的生活，我们都在经历神变化的工作。
8Christian living involves a daily process of transformation. The Bible says that man was created from the dust of the ground: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7). One day the heavenly flow with the divine mineral entered into our being. This divine mineral is the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4), and the water is the divine life, the divine Spirit. Once this living water came into us, it began to wash away our natural life and to add more of the divine element into our being. This is transformation. Day by day we are living a life of transformation. We are all undergoing God’s transforming work.
9在主的恢复里，我们非常注意变化这件事。然而，别人的著作很少论到变化的重要性。虽然如此，每一位信徒最终都要被变化，这是一件事实。如果变化的过程在这个时代无法完成，神有办法在下个时代使其完成。在新耶路撒冷里，所有的信徒都是变化过的宝石。巴别是用砖块建造的，但在新耶路撒冷里面没有砖块。这城要用变化过 的材料来建造；那就是说，它是由神所救赎、变化过的人来组成的。那么，怎样的基督徒才有分于千年国度呢？就是那些在他们一生中变化完成的人。而在新耶路撒冷的永世里，神所有的子民在那里都是变化过的人。基督徒的生活乃是变化的生活，神天天都在设法变化我们。
9In the Lord’s recovery we have paid a great deal of attention to the matter of transformation. However, not much has been written by others on the importance of transformation. Nevertheless, it is a fact that all believers eventually will be transformed. If the process of transformation cannot be completed in this age, God will have a way to complete it in the next age. In the New Jerusalem all the believers will be transformed precious stones. Babel was built with bricks, but there will be no bricks in the New Jerusalem. This city will be built with transformed material; that is, it will be constituted of God’s redeemed, transformed people. What Christians, then, will share in the millennium? It will be those who have been transformed during their lifetime. But in eternity in the New Jerusalem all the people of God will be there as transformed ones. The Christian life is a life of transformation. Daily God is seeking to transform us.
10这种变化乃是属人的性情藉着并同着神圣的性情而有的变化。这意思是说，有一种更好的材料作到我们里面来。结果，虽然我们是用尘土造的，但我们却被变化成为宝贵而透亮的东西。这是被更好的材料、属天的材料浸润过所产生的。
10This transformation is a transformation of the human nature by and with the divine nature. This means that a better material is being wrought into us. As a result, although we were made of dust, we are being transformed into something precious and transparent. This comes from being saturated with better materials, with heavenly materials.
11我能彀作见证，我仍然需要更多的变化。我知道我确实还不完全，变化的过程还没有完成。然而，我能彀证实我和许多年前已大不相同了。当我还是一个青年的基督徒时，我是一个土人。但多年来我经历了那灵许多的变化。因此，我实在能彀作见证说，今天我比许多年前的变化更多。好多信徒都能作这样的见证，因为我们都活出一种变化的生活。
11I can testify that I still need more transformation. I know that I am certainly not perfect and that the process of transformation has not yet been completed. However, I can testify that I am very different from what I was many years ago. When I was a young Christian, I was a man of clay. But over the years I have experienced much of the Spirit’s transformation. Therefore, I can testify truly that I am more transformed today than I was years ago. Many believers can give such a testimony, for we all are living a life of transformation.
12十二块宝石镶在金槽里（17，20）这表征信徒们蒙保守在基督神圣的性情里面。
12The twelve stones were set in golden mountings (vv. 17, 20). This signifies that the believers are kept in Christ’s divine nature.
四行宝石
Four rows of stones
13十二块宝石排列成四行。四这个数字又一次用来表征受造之物。
13The twelve stones were arranged in four rows. Once again, the number four used here signifies the creatures.
14出埃及记二十八章十七至二十节说：“要在上面镶宝石四行；第一行是红宝石、红璧玺、红玉。第二行是绿宝石、蓝宝石、金钢石。第三行是紫玛瑙、白玛瑙、紫晶。第四行是水苍玉、红玛瑙、碧玉；这都要镶在金槽中。”由此我们看见，有四行宝石，每行三块。我们也许会问，既然这十二块宝石能彀排列成其它的样式、模型与形状，为甚么要这样来排列呢？然而，神的方式是最简单的、这种排列法似乎没有艺术上的美丽，却满了属灵的意义。
14Exodus 28:17-20 says, “And you shall mount it in mountings of stone, four rows of stone: a row of sardius, topaz, and emerald, the first row; and the second row, a carbuncle, sapphire, and diamond; and the third row, a jacinth, agate, and amethyst; and the fourth row, a chrysolite, and onyx, and jasper.” From this we see that there were three stones in each of the four rows. We may ask why the twelve stones were arranged in this way, since there were many other ways in which they could have been arranged, many other patterns and shapes. God’s way, however, is the most simple way, a way seemingly without artistic beauty, but a way full of spiritual significance.
15四行宝石，每行三块，乃是表征在复活里的三一神。四这个数字表征受造之物，三这个数字不但表征三一神，也表征在复活里的三一神。三一神要在复活里，必须经过 种种的过程。今天我们所享受的神，乃是在复活里经过了种种过程的三一神。如今这位三一神就是包罗万有的灵，住在我们的灵里，成为卓越的矿产，在我们里面作工，要浸透我们的全人，使我们被变化。这样，我们天然的人就因着神圣的矿物而有所变化。这就是十二块宝石排列成四组，每行有三块的意义。这不是我的解释，而是神计画的方式，符合圣经完全的启示。
15The four rows of stones with three stones in each row signify the Triune God in resurrection. The number four signifies creatures, and three signifies not only the Triune God, but the Triune God in resurrection. In order to be in resurrection, the Triune God had to be processed. Today the God we enjoy is the Triune God processed to be in resurrection. Now this Triune God is the all-inclusive Spirit dwelling in our spirit as the superior mineral, working in us to saturate our whole being so that we may be transformed. In this way our human, natural being is transformed with divine minerals. This is the significance of twelve precious stones arranged in four groups with three stones in each row. This is not my interpretation. This is the way God planned it, and it fits in with the full revelation of the Bible.
16胸牌上共有十二块宝石，十二这个数字是由三乘四组成的。十二块宝石表征神与人 的调和，为着完成神永远的旨意和神行政的经营。在启示录这卷书里常常用到七这个数字，尤其是在前面几章里，我们读到七个灯台、七星、七个教会、七灵、七印、七号、七碗。但到了启示录末了描述新耶路撒冷的时候，就用到十二这个数字：十二个门、十二位天使、十二根基、羔羊的十二使徒、十二颗珍珠、十二样果子。七这个数字表征三一神（三）加给祂的受造之物─人（四）。这仅仅是联合、增加的问题，而不是调和、繁增的问题。然而，十二是由三乘四所组成的，表征调和、繁增。
16On the breastplate there were a total of twelve stones. Here the number twelve is composed of three times four. The twelve stones signify the mingling of God with man for the completion of God’s eternal purpose and the administration of God’s government. In the book of Revelation the number seven is often used, especially in the early chapters. We read of seven lampstands, seven stars, seven churches, seven Spirits, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls. But at the end of Revelation, in the description of the New Jerusalem, the number twelve is used: twelve gates, twelve angels, twelve foundations, twelve Apostles of the Lamb, twelve pearls, twelve fruits. The number seven signifies the Triune God (three) added to His creature, man (four). This is merely a matter of joining, of addition; it is not a matter of mingling, of multiplication. Twelve, however, composed of three times four, signifies mingling, multiplication.
17我因着教导神人调和的事，就被人定罪为异端。基督教的教师多半只说到神与人的 联合或神与人的联结。但圣经不但启示出联合、联结，更启示出调和。神的话里所有的是增加与繁增。三加四是增加，但三乘四就是繁增。最终在永世里，我们就不是七这个数字了。最终我们都要成为十二这个数字。
17I have been condemned as heretical for teaching the mingling of God with man. Most Christian teachers speak only of the union of God and man or the joining of God to man. But the Bible reveals not only the union, the joining, but also the mingling. What we have in the Word is multiplication as well as addition. Three added to four is addition, but three times four is multiplication. Eventually, in eternity, we shall not be the number seven. Ultimately, we shall be the number twelve.
18胸牌和新耶路撒冷都有十二这个数字，这的确不是偶然的。这定规是照着神在永世里所计画的。神的计画乃是要得着十二这个数字所表征的东西，就是三一神与受造之物的调和。在人看来，今天教会是七这个数字。但神照着祂永远的眼光看来，教会乃是十二这个数字。
18It certainly is not accidental that the number twelve is found both with the breastplate and the New Jerusalem. This surely is according to what God planned in eternity. God’s plan is to have something signified by the number twelve, that is, the mingling of the Triune God with His creatures. In the sight of man, the churches today are the number seven. But in the sight of God and according to His eternal view, the churches are the number twelve.
19在神是没有时间的，因为祂看事情是从永远看到永远的。神在天上没有钟表，只有永远。因此，依神看来，教会是十二这个数字。不但如此，照胸牌的意义来看，基督担负在祂心头上的乃是一个永远的教会，不是一个暂时的教会。基督所担负的乃是神性与人性的调和。
19With God there is no time, for He sees matters from eternity to eternity. In the heavens with God there is no clock. There is only eternity. Hence, according to God’s sight, the church is the number twelve. Furthermore, according to the significance of the breastplate, what Christ bears on His heart is an eternal church, not a temporal church. The church Christ bears is a mingling of divinity with humanity.
20今天有些人反对神人调和的启示。那些反对者是在主里的真弟兄，他们迟早会接受并享受这件事。我相信时候将到，他们会承认：永远的教会，就是基督担负在祂心头上的教会，乃是三一神与蒙救赎之人的调和；根据圣经来看，这种说法是绝对正确的 。然后这些亲爱的弟兄会享受他们从前所反对的事。
20Today some oppose the revelation of the mingling of God with man. Sooner or later, those opposers who are genuine brothers in the Lord will accept this and enjoy it themselves. I believe the time is coming when they will admit that it is absolutely correct according to the Bible to say that the eternal church, the church Christ bears on His heart, is a mingling of the Triune God with redeemed humanity. Then these dear ones will enjoy the very thing they once opposed.
21新约里有十四封书信是保罗写的，这些书信多半是论到教会的。但甚至在这十四封书信里面，我们也看不见出埃及记二十八章里胸牌的豫表所启示教会的细节。因这缘故，我鼓励你们祷读二十八章十五至二十一节，伴随着祷读来使用本篇信息，定规很有益处。倘若你花彀多的时间来祷告这些经文，我信你会敬拜主，并对祂说：“主， 我赞美你！这些经文给我看见教会一些宝贵的细节。”
21In the New Testament there are fourteen Epistles written by Paul. To a large degree, these Epistles are concerned with the church. But not even in these fourteen Epistles can we find the details regarding the church that are shown in the type of the breastplate in Exodus 28. For this reason, I encourage you to pray-read 28:15-21. It would be helpful to use this message along with your pray-reading. If you spend adequate time praying over these verses, I believe you will worship the Lord and say to Him, “Lord, I praise You. These verses show me some precious details of the church.”
22胸牌怎样是担负在大祭司的心头上，胸牌所豫表的教会也照样是在基督的心头上。这些经文里胸牌这个词的确是表征心，就是基督慈爱、关怀的心。教会是在基督的心上，也是在祂慈爱的关怀之内。阿利路亚，我们与神圣的生命、神圣的性情调和，我们正在经历变化的过程！我们被变化并与祂调和的时候，自然而然就成了属天字母的一部分，就是胸牌上的宝石所表征的。然后我们都要担负构成神圣语言的字母，把神的旨意启示出来。
22Just as the breastplate was borne on the heart of the high priest, so the church typified by the breastplate is on Christ’s heart. The word breast in these verses actually signifies the heart, the loving and caring heart of Christ. The church is on Christ’s heart and is within the span of His loving care. Hallelujah, we are being mingled with the divine life and the divine nature, and we are undergoing the process of transformation! As we are transformed and mingled with Him, we spontaneously become parts of the heavenly alphabet signified by the stones on the breastplate. Then we shall all bear the letters that constitute the divine language that reveals God’s will.
23我们读到论胸牌的这些经文时容易读得很天然，而且对它们没有甚么兴趣。如果我 们的情形是这样，我们就不愿花多少时间在这段话上。但如果我们照着主的启示和神圣的眼光来读这些经文，我们就会宝爱它们，并且百读不厌，因为我们在这些经文里看见了一个异象，就是教会一些最细致的细节。
23It is easy to read these verses concerning the breastplate in a natural way and not be very interested in them. If this is our situation, then we shall not care to spend much time on this portion of the Word. But if we read these verses according to the Lord’s revelation and according to the divine view, we shall love them and desire to read them again and again, for in these verses we shall see a vision of some of the finest details of the church.
24我们在本篇和上篇信息里所论到教会的要点是深刻的。教会由胸牌和十二块宝石来描绘。我们已经看见，这些宝石是由变化的过程所产生的。这表征教会是由变化所产生的，由天然的东西变化成为神圣的东西。宝石不是神直接创造的，而是由神所创造的材料经过变化而产生的。今天主的心意乃是要得着一班变化过的人，就是胸牌上的十二块宝石所表征的信徒。
24The points we have covered in this message and in the foregoing message concerning the church are deep. The church is portrayed by the breastplate with twelve precious stones. We have seen that these stones are produced by a process of transformation. This signifies that the church is something produced by transformation; it is transformed from something natural into something divine. The precious stones are not created by God directly. Instead, they are produced through the transformation of other materials created by Him. Today the Lord’s desire is to have a group of transformed people, a group of believers signified by the twelve precious stones on the breastplate.
25圣经译者很难准确地说出，胸牌上的各种宝石在希伯来文里面所指的是怎样的宝石。在摩西时代没有疑问，每一个字和每一块宝石都有确定的意义。但现在经过了数千年，我们很难明确地说出每一个希伯来字的意义。然而，这十二块宝石是变化过的宝石，乃是确定的。我们也晓得，这些宝石是表征信徒─神的赎民。这些宝石不是表征 不同国籍或不同文化的信徒。不，它们乃是表明一班被变化的人，从天然的东西变化成为神圣的东西。此外，十二块宝石排列成四行，每行三块，这件事实指明信徒不但是变化过的，更是与三一神调和的。这些变化过、调和过的信徒也是镶在金子─基督神圣的性情里面，因而建造成为一个实体。这些人既是十二这个数字，就完成了神永 远的旨意，并成为宇宙中神圣行政的经营。神行政的经营也是十二这个数字所指明的。这样的教会是在基督的心上，也是在祂的手中。
25It is difficult for any translator of the Bible to say exactly what precious materials are indicated by the Hebrew words used for the various stones on the breastplate. No doubt, at the time of Moses each word and each stone had a certain significance. But now, thousands of years later, it is difficult for us to explain definitely the meaning of each of these Hebrew words. However, it is certain that these twelve stones are transformed precious stones. We also know that these precious stones signify the believers, God’s redeemed people. The precious stones do not signify believers from different nationalities or cultures. No, they denote a group of transformed people, those who have been transformed from something natural into something divine. Furthermore, the fact that the twelve stones were arranged in four rows with three stones in each row indicates that the believers are not only transformed, but also mingled with the Triune God. These transformed, mingled believers are also set in gold, the divine nature of Christ, and thereby built into one entity. These people, being of the number twelve, complete the eternal purpose of God and become the administration of the divine government in the universe. The matter of the administration of God’s government is also indicated by the number twelve. Such a church is on Christ’s heart and is in the span of His hand.
26因着胸牌的豫表所描绘出教会的各方面，在新约里面没有清楚说明，我就鼓励你们要密切注意这件事。我们需要看见胸牌所表明教会的异象，我们看见了这个异象以后，就必须忠于这个异象。
26Because the type of the breastplate portrays aspects of the church not covered clearly in the New Testament, I encourage you to pay close attention to this matter. We need to see the vision of the church conveyed by the breastplate, and, having seen this vision, we must be faithful to it.
生命里的繁衍
Reproduction in life
27我们在主的恢复里所关切的不该是人数，或外面工作的开展，这不是主的路。主的路乃是造出亚当，然后藉着生命里的复制与繁衍来遍满全地。由于亚当这一个人的生命，亿万的人类就产生出来了，这就是神来遍满全地的路。亚当没有形成一个工作区，他也没有执行工作的策略、计画和时间表。亚当只是活着，并且生儿养女。结果，地上就遍满了人。
27Our concern in the Lord’s recovery should not be with numbers or with the outward spreading of the work. That is not the Lord’s way. His way is to create Adam and then fill the earth by reproduction and multiplication in life. Out of the life of one man, Adam, billions of human beings have come into existence. This is God’s way to replenish the earth. Adam did not form a mission board, and he did not have plans, programs, and schedules for the carrying out of a work. Adam simply lived and produced children. As a result, the earth is filled with people.
28我们也许会以为在生命里繁衍的方式很缓慢。今天许多基督徒采取工作、计画、组织、安排的方式，但这不是生命的路。我劝你们要忠于主所给我们看见的，并且照着我们所看见的来生活。如果我们看见了异象，并且照着这个异象来生活，主的恢复就会扩展，且要遍满全地。
28We may think that the way of reproduction in life is slow. Today many Christians take the way of work, programs, organizations, and schedules. But that is not the way of life. I urge you to be faithful to what the Lord has shown us and live according to it. If we see the vision and live according to it, the recovery will spread and will replenish the earth.
29感谢主，我们都是真基督徒。愿主怜悯我们，使我们不但是真实的，也是有价值的宝石，经过变化，与神调和，并且一同建造成为神的见证，这就是主今天所要的。
29Thank the Lord that we are genuine Christians. May the Lord have mercy on us so that we may be not only genuine but also valuable — precious stones, transformed, mingled with God, and built together to be God’s testimony. This is what the Lord wants today.