Books
出埃及记生命读经 · 第148篇

金香坛（二）

The golden incense altar (2)
1读经： 出埃及记三十章一至五节；三十七章二十五至二十八节；罗马书八章三十四节；希伯来书七章二十五节。
1Scripture Reading: Exo. 30:1-5; 37:25-28; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25
2在前一篇信息中，我们曾指出约翰福音可以看作全本圣经的代表。这卷福音书里有创造、有帐幕，以及外院子和帐幕里的种种器具：燔祭坛、洗濯盆、桌子、灯台、约柜和香坛。我们已经看见，帐幕里最后启示出来的一项器具─香坛─乃是神在宇宙中运行的中心，是天上的白宫。
2In the foregoing message we pointed out that the Gospel of John may be regarded as representative of the entire Bible. In this Gospel we have creation, the tabernacle, and the various items found in the outer court and in the tabernacle: the altar of burnt offering, the laver, the table, the lampstand, the ark, and the incense altar. As we have seen, the last item to be revealed of the furniture within the tabernacle, the incense altar, is the center of God’s operation in the universe. It is the heavenly White House.
3我们也可以把罗马书看作是全本圣经的代表。罗马书前几章有燔祭坛，八章有约柜，因为这一章就是至圣所。不但如此，八章还有香坛，基督为代求者。三十四节说：“谁能定他们的罪呢？有基督耶稣已经死了，而且从死里复活，现今在神的右边，也替我们祈求。”照这一节来看，那为我们的罪死了，从死里复活，并且升到天上神右边的，就是替我们祈求的一位。惟有这一位才能定我们的罪，然而祂不定我们的罪，反倒替我们祈求。阿利路亚！这一位绝不会定我们的罪，祂经过了受死、复活、升天以后，现今正替我们祈求。
3It is also possible to regard the book of Romans as representing the Bible as a whole. In the first few chapters of Romans we have the burnt offering altar, and in chapter eight we have the ark, for this chapter is the Holy of Holies. Furthermore, in chapter eight, we have the incense altar, Christ as the Intercessor. Verse 34 says, “Who is he that condemns? It is Christ Jesus who died, but rather who was raised, who is even at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” According to this verse, the One who died for our sins, who has been raised from among the dead, and who has ascended to the right hand of God in the heavens is the One who is interceding for us. Only this One can condemn us, but instead of condemning us, He is interceding for us. Hallelujah, this One will never condemn us! Now, after His death, resurrection, and ascension, He is interceding for us.
代求的必须
The need for intercession
4如果不是因着基督的代求，没有人会接受祂的死，经历祂的复活，或是在升天里与祂合一。要推动人来经历基督的死、复活和升天，就需要祂的代求。没有基督和教会的代求，罪人就不会接受基督的死。不但如此，那些接受了基督之死的人也不会接着来经历祂的复活，更不懂得与基督一同在升天里，与祂一同坐在诸天上是甚么意思了。这些经历全在于代求的基督和代求的教会所有的推动。这就是香坛的意义。
4If it were not for Christ’s intercession, no one would accept His death, experience His resurrection, or be one with Him in His ascension. In order for people to be motivated to experience Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension, His intercession is necessary. Without the interceding of Christ and the church, sinners will not receive the death of Christ. Moreover, those who have received Christ’s death will not go on to experience His resurrection, much less know what it means to be with Christ in ascension, sitting with Him in the heavenlies. All these experiences are dependent on the motivation that comes from the interceding Christ and the interceding church. This is the significance of the incense altar.
5圣经首先给我们看见祭坛，就是基督的十字架，然后给我们看见洗濯盆，就是圣灵重生的工作。接著有基督作生命的供应、作光，并在至圣所里作约柜。最终，在启示录这卷神执行的书里，我们就看见神圣的行政、神圣的执行，总是由香坛来实现的。
5The Bible first shows us the altar, the cross of Christ, and then the laver, the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. Following this, we have Christ as the life supply, as the light, and in the Holy of Holies as the ark. Finally, in the book of Revelation, a book of God’s executing, we see that the divine administration, the divine executing, is always carried out by the incense altar.
6我们都是寻求主的人，在主的恢复里，无论是个人或是团体，都必须学习一件事，就是祷告。我们需要祷告的生活。真实的祷告生活总是代求的生活，真正的祷告主要不是为自己祷告，而是不断地为别人祷告。为自己祷告不是代求，然而为别人祷告就是为他们祈求，所以为别人祷告就是代求。
6As those who are seeking the Lord, we in the recovery both individually and corporately must learn one thing — to pray. We need a praying life. The real praying life is always a life of interceding. Genuine prayer is not mainly to pray for ourselves; it is continually to pray for others. Praying for ourselves is not intercession. But to pray for others is to intercede for them. Thus, prayer for others is intercession.
7正当的祷告生活乃是为别人祷告、为别人代求的生活。我们需要为全地的众教会和众圣徒祷告，我们需要为年长的、年轻的和反对者祷告。一天过一天，我们主要的不是需要为自己祷告，而是为别人祷告。我们需要这一种代求的生活，在香坛上所献的代求该是天天加多的。
7The proper prayer life is a life of praying for others, of interceding for them. We need to pray for the churches throughout the earth and for all the saints. We need to pray for the older ones, the younger ones, and the opposers. Day by day we need to pray not mainly for ourselves, but for others. We need such an interceding life. The intercession offered at the incense altar should daily be increasing.
8如果我们查考帐幕和外院子的图表，我们就会看见香坛乃是中心。如果帐幕里面没有香坛，帐幕就没有中心了。神行政的执行中心不是约柜，而是香坛。看见这一点对我们来说是极其要紧的。
8If we consider the diagram of the tabernacle and the outer court, we shall see that the incense altar is the center. If there were no incense altar in the tabernacle, the tabernacle would not have a center. The executing center of God’s administration is not the ark; the executing center is the incense altar. It is very important that we all see this.
9帐幕和外院子的图表也说明了我们人的三部分。外院子表征身体，圣所表征魂，而至圣所表征灵。今天你在那里？在外院子、圣所，还是在至圣所里？有些圣徒也许是在外院子里。当我们发脾气、发怨言、发牢骚、讲闲话的时候，我们便在外院子里，就是在肉体里。怒气和抱怨乃是在外院子里、在肉体里的表记。
9The diagram of the tabernacle and the outer court is also a diagram of our tripartite being. The outer court signifies the body; the Holy Place, the soul; and the Holy of Holies, the spirit. Where have you been today — in the outer court, in the Holy Place, or in the Holy of Holies? Some saints may have been in the outer court. When we lose our temper or when we murmur, complain, and gossip, we are in the outer court, that is, in the flesh. Anger and complaining are signs of being in the outer court, in the body.
10我们读生命读经信息，也许会在帐幕以及帐幕的器具上蒙了光照。然而，我们在这些事上所得着的光在经历中可能没有功效，好像都不管用似的。原因就是缺少祷告的生活。如果我们没有中心、没有香坛，帐幕和外院子的任何一面就无法在我们的经历中是有功效的。哦，我们必须有祷告的生活！我们必须有香坛。祷告的生活推动我们来经历祭坛、洗濯盆、桌子、灯台和约柜。甚至你稍微祷告一下，在你的经历中就会发觉陈设饼桌子是宝贵的，灯台是得胜的，约柜也是吸引人的。
10From reading the Life-study Messages we may be enlightened concerning the tabernacle and its furniture. However, none of the matters concerning which we have received light may be effective in our experience; it may seem that nothing works. The reason is the lack of a prayer life. If we do not have the center, the incense altar, none of the aspects of the tabernacle and the outer court will be effective in our experience. Oh, we must have a prayer life! We must have the incense altar. The prayer life motivates us to experience the altar, the laver, the table, the lampstand, and the ark. If you will pray even a little, you will find in your experience that the showbread table is precious, that the lampstand is prevailing, and that the ark is attractive.
11我们对于帐幕里的器具也许有不少的认识，我们晓得圣所和至圣所里有那些东西。然而帐幕的这些方面，我们在经历中也许一无所有。反之，我们好像一部没有马达的机器。你晓得在我们的全人─灵、魂、体─里面，“马达”是甚么？就是祷告的生活。基督不但是饼、是光、是约柜，祂也是香坛。这意思是说，祂是发动机，甚至是马达。所以我们必须享受祂作我们的祷告，我们需要让祂在我们里面祷告，让祂引导我们进入祷告里，进入享受祂作我们的祷告。我盼望我们都看见这一点。
11We may have much knowledge about the furniture in the tabernacle. We may know what is in the Holy Place and in the Holy of Holies. Nevertheless, we may not have any of these aspects of the tabernacle in our experience. Rather, we may be like a machine without a motor. Do you know what is the “motor” in our being, the motor in our body, soul, and spirit? The motor is the prayer life. Christ is not only the bread, the light, and the ark — He is also the incense altar. This means that He is the motivator and even the motor. Therefore, we need to enjoy Him as our prayer. We need to let Him pray in us, let Him guide us into prayer and into the enjoyment of Him as our prayer. I hope that we all shall see this.
12我们在经历中必须来到祭坛、洗濯盆、桌子、灯台和约柜面前。根据我对圣经的研究，我们到了至圣所里的约柜以后，就必须回到香坛。香坛不是在帐幕通道上的一项器具，反之，香坛好比是使一切东西运转的马达。因此，香坛独自站立，好像一个转捩点。我们必须一再地回到这个转捩点上。这意思是说，我们要经历外院子或帐幕的任何一方面，都必须祷告。我们一祷告，所有的东西都运转了。我们一祷告，在我们的经历中，祭坛、洗濯盆、桌子、灯台和约柜都有功效了。然而，马达一停止，其它的东西也都停止了。马达运转的时候，其它的东西都运转了。我们需要有一个马达─代求的基督─在我们里面运行，原因就在这里。我们需要有祷告的生活。
12In our experience we need to come to the altar, the laver, the table, the lampstand, and the ark. According to my study of the Bible, after we come to the ark in the Holy of Holies, we need to come back to the incense altar. The incense altar is not one item on the passageway through the tabernacle. On the contrary, it can be compared to a motor which causes everything to operate. Hence, the incense altar stands by itself as a turning point. Again and again we must come back to this turning point. This means that in order to experience any aspect of the outer court or the tabernacle, we need to pray. When we pray, everything works. When we pray, in our experience the altar, the laver, the table, the lampstand, and the ark are all effective. However, when the motor stops, everything else stops also. When the motor operates, everything else operates. This is the reason that we need to have a motor — the interceding Christ — operating within us. We need to have a prayer life, a life of prayer.
基督是代求者
Christ as the Intercessor
13香坛表征基督是代求者，为要维持神与祂百姓之间的关系。（罗八34，来七25。）没有这样一位代求的基督，神与我们之间正当的关系就无法存在，也无法维持。因此，为着维持我们与神的关系，我们不但需要基督个别的祷告，也需要基督的身体团体的祷告。
13The incense altar signifies Christ as the Intercessor to maintain the relationship between God and His people (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25). Without such an interceding Christ, the proper relationship between God and us could not exist. This relationship could not be maintained. Therefore, for the maintaining of our relationship with God, we need prayer not only from Christ individually, but also from His Body corporately.
香坛的材料与尺寸
Its materials and dimensions
14照出埃及记三十章一节和三节来看，香坛是用皂莱木包上金子作成的。皂莱木是表征基督的人性，而金子是表征基督的神性。因此，用皂莱木包上金子作成的香坛，乃是表征基督的人性品质坚刚、标准崇高，为要彰显祂的神性。没有甚么东西能像代求的生活那样彰显神。这种代求的生活乃是基于基督更新而拔高的人性，为要彰显神的自己。
14According to Exodus 30:1 and 3, the incense altar was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold. The acacia wood signifies Christ’s humanity, and the gold signifies His divinity. Thus, the incense altar made with acacia wood overlaid with gold signifies that Christ’s humanity is strong in character and high in standard to express His divinity. Nothing can express God as much as an interceding life. This interceding life is based on the renewed and uplifted humanity of Christ to express God Himself.
15出埃及记三十章二节告诉我们香坛的尺寸：“这坛要四方的，长一肘，宽一肘，高二肘。”香坛是四方的，长和宽都是一肘，高二肘。这意思是说，香坛是两个一立方肘的立方体。四方是表征完全，而立方体是表征完全中的完全。进一步说，两个立方体是指两倍的东西，是给予证实或作见证的。这暗指代求的基督或代求的生活，乃是一个证实、完全和见证。此外，香坛比陈设饼桌子和约柜都要高，这指明基督是在至高之处代求。
15Exodus 30:2 gives us the size of the incense altar: “A cubit its length, and a cubit its width — it shall be squared, and two cubits its height.” The incense altar was one cubit in both length and width. It was a square. The height of it was two cubits. This means that the incense altar was two cubes of one cubit each. A square signifies perfection, and a cube signifies perfection in perfection. Moreover, the two cubes indicate something that is twofold, something that gives confirmation and bears a testimony. This implies that the interceding Christ, or the interceding life, is a confirmation, perfection, and testimony. Moreover, the height of the incense altar was greater than that of the showbread table and the ark. This indicates that Christ is interceding in the highest.
有四角
Having four horns
16香坛有四角，分别在坛的四个角落上。在圣经的豫表里，角是表征力量。因此，香坛上的四角是表征基督代求的力量。这些角指明基督的代求向着地的四角是有能力的。
16The incense altar has four horns, one on each of its four corners. In biblical typology, a horn signifies strength. Therefore, the four horns on the incense altar signify the strength of Christ’s intercession. These horns indicate that Christ’s intercession is powerful toward the four corners of the earth.
17在这一点上，我要加上一段话。在赎罪日，赎罪祭的血要被带入幔内，就是至圣所里面，并要洒在约柜的蔽罪盖之上，然后赎罪祭的血要洒在香坛上。这进一步指明，香坛不是在通道上，而是一个中心和转捩点。洒在香坛上的赎罪之血，使香坛成为有能力、有功效的转捩点。
17At this point I would say parenthetically that on the day of Atonement the blood of the sin offering was brought within the veil, into the Holy of Holies, and sprinkled on the propitiation-cover of the ark. Then the blood of the sin offering was sprinkled on the incense altar. This is a further indication that the incense altar was not on the passageway, but rather was a center and a turning point. The blood of atonement sprinkled on the incense altar made that altar an efficacious, effective, turning point.
有金牙边
Having a crown of gold
18三十章三节下半说：“又要在坛的四围镶上金牙边。”金牙边是坛四围突出的部分。香坛四围的金牙边，表征基督神性的荣耀乃是祂的代求保守的能力。我们的祷告生活的确有能力来保守神的子民和神的权益。凡是需要保守的，它都有能力来保守。
18The latter part of 30:3 says, “And you shall make for it a crown of gold round about.” This crown was a kind of ledge around the altar. The crown of gold around the incense altar signifies the glory of Christ’s divinity being the preserving power of His intercession. Our praying life does have the power to preserve God’s people and His interests. It has the power to preserve whatever needs to be preserved.
环与杠
The rings and the poles
19出埃及记三十章四节说：“要作两个金环，安在牙子边以下，在坛的两旁，两根横撑上，作为穿杠的用处，以便抬坛。”两个金环作为穿杠的用处，以便抬坛，表征基督代求的运行。
19Exodus 30:4 says, “And you shall make two rings of gold for it under its crown; upon its two ribs you shall make them, upon its two sides; and they shall be receptacles for poles to carry it by them.” The two rings of gold as receptacles for the carrying poles signify the moving of Christ’s intercession.
20五节论到杠，说：“要用皂莱木作杠，用金包裹。”这表征基督属人的性情和神圣的性情，乃是祂的代求运行的力量。
20Concerning the poles, verse 5 says, “And you shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.” This signifies that Christ’s human nature with His divine nature is the strength for the moving of His intercession.
21环与杠都是指基督的灵，就是赐生命的灵。一方面，这赐生命的灵就是环；另一方面，这灵就是杠。赐生命的灵把基督的代求带到全地上，这就好比传送到各地的无线电波一样。
21The rings and the poles both refer to the Spirit of Christ, that is, to the life-giving Spirit. On the one hand, this life-giving Spirit is the rings; on the other hand, this Spirit is the poles. The life-giving Spirit brings the intercession of Christ everywhere on earth. This can be compared to radio waves that are sent out everywhere.
22今天赐生命的灵包含了基督为人生活的素质，这是由皂莱木的杠包上金子所表征的。今天那灵是包罗万有的。在基督受死以前，那灵“还没有”，（约七39，）因为基督还没有在复活里得着荣耀。祂藉着复活成了赐生命的灵。一方面，祂是救赎主；另一方面，祂是赐生命的灵。祂也是天上的主。
22Today the life-giving Spirit includes the element of Christ’s human life. This is signified by the poles of acacia wood overlaid with gold. The Spirit today is all-inclusive. Before Christ’s death, the Spirit was “not yet” (John 7:39) because Christ had not yet been glorified in resurrection. Through His resurrection He became the life-giving Spirit. On the one hand, He is the Redeemer; on the other hand, He is the life-giving Spirit. He is also the Lord in the heavens.
23赐生命的灵包含了基督的人性和神性。如今这灵在地上运行，把祷告之基督的功效带给各地的人。神的权益在那里，赐生命的灵就要随着这个祷告到那里。这意思是说，众教会和众圣徒与基督一同祷告的时候，赐生命的灵就要把基督的代求带到与神权益有关的每一个地方，把我们所祷告的实现出来。
23The life-giving Spirit includes Christ’s humanity and His divinity. Now this Spirit is moving on earth to bring the effectiveness of the praying Christ to people everywhere. Wherever God’s interests are, this prayer will be followed by the life-giving Spirit. This means that when the churches and the saints pray with Christ, the life-giving Spirit will carry out whatever we pray, bringing Christ’s intercession to every place on earth related to God’s interests.
24愿我们都被激动起来，寻求这一种祷告的生活，使我们不但享受基督作桌子、灯台和约柜，也享受祂作香坛。这香坛乃是我们基督徒生活的转捩点，把基督徒生活的每一方面都推往积极的行动。代求的祷告也推动别人到燔祭坛、洗濯盆、桌子、灯台和至圣所里的约柜面前来就近基督，并要推动许许多多的圣徒来寻求基督的丰富，直到达到成熟。因此，我们在香坛那里与基督一同代求，乃是极其重要的事。
24May we all be stirred up to seek such an interceding life so that we may enjoy Christ not only as the table, the lampstand, and the ark, but also as the incense altar. This incense altar is the turning point of our Christian life. It motivates every aspect of the Christian life to positive action. The prayer of intercession also motivates others to come to Christ at the altar of burnt offering, at the laver, at the table, at the lampstand, and at the ark in the Holy of Holies. It will motivate a great many saints to seek the riches of Christ until they come to maturity. Therefore, it is extremely important that we intercede with Christ at the incense altar.