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出埃及记生命读经 · 第149篇

金香坛（三）

The golden incense altar (3)
1读经： 出埃及记三十章六至十节；四十章五节，二十六至二十七节；诗篇八十四篇三节；一百四十一篇二节；启示录八章三至六节；出埃及记三十章二十六至二十八节。
1Scripture Reading: Exo. 30:6-10; 40:5, 26-27; Psa. 84:3; 141:2; Rev. 8:3-6; Exo. 30:26-28
2我对香坛很有负担，因为有些点对我们来说是相当的新。因此，我们需要花时间来进入与香坛有关之真理的深处。
2I am quite burdened concerning the incense altar because some of the points related to it are rather new to us. Thus, it will take time for us to enter into the depths of the truth with respect to the incense altar.
3我们必须留意香坛是在帐幕的中心，不是在帐幕的外面，也不是在外院子里。倘若你去查考第一百四十七篇信息所附帐幕和外院子的图表，你就会看见香坛乃是在帐幕的中心。
3We need to pay attention to the fact that the incense altar was in the center of the tabernacle. It was not outside the tabernacle, and it was not in the outer court. If you consult the diagram of the tabernacle with the outer court printed in message one hundred forty-seven, you will see that the incense altar was in the center of the tabernacle.
道成肉身的神
The incarnated God
4论到帐幕，约翰一章十四节说：“话成了肉身，支搭帐幕在我们中间。”（另译。）照约翰一章一节来看，成了肉身的话，就是神自己。因此，我们有神，有话，有帐幕。这帐幕就是耶稣，而耶稣就是神。约翰一章一节说：“太初有话…话就是神。”（另译。）话成了肉身，这肉身就是帐幕。由此可见，帐幕的确是道成肉身的神。换句话说，耶稣就是道成肉身的神。
4Regarding the tabernacle, John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.” According to John 1:1, the Word that became flesh is God Himself. Hence, we have God, the Word, and the tabernacle. This tabernacle was Jesus, and Jesus is the very God. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word...and the Word was God.” The Word became flesh, and this flesh is the tabernacle. By this we see that the tabernacle is actually the incarnated God. In other words, Jesus is the incarnated God.
5道成肉身的神是便于让我们来接触的。我们不但能彀接触祂，也能彀进到祂里面。这意思是说，我们能彀游历帐幕，并享受它的内涵。
5The incarnated God is available to be contacted by us. Not only can we contact Him; we can also enter into Him. This means that we can have a tour of the tabernacle and enjoy its contents.
6我们查考出埃及记里的帐幕时，必须牢记帐幕是表征道成肉身的神。神是看不见的、抽象的、奥秘的。然而，道成肉身的神既成了帐幕，这位看不见、抽象且奥秘的一位，就成为真实、实际、具体的了。祂成为摸得着的，实在说来，就是成为看得见的。因这缘故，约翰一书一章一节说：“论到从起初原有的生命之话，就是我们所听见，所看见，亲眼看过，亲手摸过的。”（另译。）这里我们看见使徒约翰摸着了道成肉身的神。我们甚至还可以接着说，道成肉身的神乃是可以进入的。所以如今祂不但是看得见、摸得着的，祂还是可以进入的。
6As we consider the tabernacle in Exodus, we need to be impressed that it signifies the incarnated God. God is invisible, abstract, mysterious. However, as the tabernacle, the incarnated God, this invisible, abstract, and mysterious One, becomes real, practical, and concrete. He becomes touchable and, in a very real sense, visible. For this reason, 1 John 1:1 says, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we beheld, and our hands handled concerning the Word of life.” Here we see that the Apostle John touched the incarnated God. We may even go on to say that the incarnated God is enterable. Therefore, now He is not only visible and touchable — He is also enterable.
基督是祭物
Christ as the offerings
7当主来作帐幕的时候，祂也来作所有的祭物。约翰一章二十九节说：“看哪！神的羔羊，除去世人罪孽的。”神的羔羊在那里除去世人的罪孽呢？在燔祭坛所表征的十字架上。基督是神的羔羊，乃是献在祭坛上的祭物。因此，祂既是帐幕，又是祭物。
7When the Lord came as the tabernacle, He also came as all the offerings. John 1:29 says, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Where did the Lamb of God take away the sin of the world? He did this on the cross, which is signified by the altar of burnt offering. As the Lamb of God, Christ is the offerings offered on the altar. Therefore, He is both the tabernacle and the offerings.
8基督是道成肉身的神，我们可以进到祂里面；祂也是祭物，适合给我们来吃。吃祭物是相当不寻常的，因为吃的目标乃是使我们进到帐幕里。如果我们只有帐幕，而没有祭物，尤其是没有赎罪祭和赎愆祭的话，我们就无法进到神里面。我们有资格进入帐幕，进入道成肉身的神里面，乃是藉着基督作祭物。因这缘故，祂说：“我就是道路、实际、生命；若不藉着我，没有人能到父那里去。”（约十四6，另译。）离了基督，我们就无法到父那里去。如果我们没有基督作祭物，帐幕也许还在，但我们没有路可以进入。
8Christ is both the incarnated God into whom we may enter, and He is also the offerings that are good for us to eat. The eating of the offerings is quite unusual because the goal of this eating is that we enter the tabernacle. If we had only the tabernacle without the offerings, in particular without the sin offering and the trespass offering, we would not have the means by which to come into God. The means by which we are qualified to enter into the tabernacle, into the incarnated God, is Christ as the offerings. This is the reason He says, “I am the way, and the reality, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Apart from Christ, we have no way to the Father. If we did not have Christ as the offerings, the tabernacle might still be present, but we would not have a way to enter into it.
9你以为你有资格进入帐幕，进入道成肉身的神里面么？我们都是罪恶的、不洁的，并且满了罪愆。因着我们的光景是这样，我们就在神的定罪之下。倘若我们想进入帐幕，就必死无疑。那么，帐幕的入口是甚么？我们由那一条路才能进入呢？这个入口、这条道路，就是基督作祭物。
9Do you think you are qualified to enter into the tabernacle, to come into the incarnated God? We all are sinful, unclean, and full of trespasses. Because this is our condition, we are under God’s condemnation. If we tried to come into the tabernacle, we would die. What, then, is the entrance to the tabernacle? What is the way by which we may enter? The entrance, the way, is Christ as the offerings.
10没有燔祭坛和祭物，我们就没有一条路可进到帐幕里。因这缘故，希伯来书便说到为我们开了一条新路：“弟兄们，我们既因耶稣的血，得以坦然进入至圣所，是藉着祂给我们开了一条又新又活的路从幔子经过，这幔子就是祂的身体。”（十19～20。）在祭坛上所流祭物的血，为我们开启了进入帐幕的路。这就是基督作我们的赎罪祭和赎愆祭被钉在十字架上时所流的血。因着祂的血开了这条路，这血就成为我们有资格进到神里面的凭借。
10Without the burnt offering altar and the offerings, we would not have a way to enter into the tabernacle. This is the reason the book of Hebrews speaks of a new way consecrated for us: “Having therefore, brothers, boldness for entering the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He dedicated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh” (10:19-20). The blood of the offerings shed on the altar opens the way for us to enter into the tabernacle. This was the blood shed by Christ on the cross when He was crucified as our sin offering and trespass offering. Because His blood opens the way, it becomes the means by which we are qualified to enter into God.
11此外，我们进入帐幕的时候，我们里面不该是虚空的。反之，有些东西来把我们里面充满。我们不但把祭物献给神，献上以后，还有一分祭物可以吃。因此，我们外面有血，里面有食物，有祭物的肉。外面祭物的血为我们开了进入神里面的路，而祭物的肉把我们里面充满了。我们进入帐幕的时候不是饥饿的，不，我们乃是完全得着饱足的人。
11Furthermore, when we enter into the tabernacle, we should not be empty within. Rather, we have something to fill us inwardly. We not only offer the sacrifices to God, but after offering them, we may have a portion of them to eat. Thus, we have the blood outwardly and the food, the meat of the offerings, inwardly. The blood of the sacrifice without opens the way for us to enter into God, and the meat fills us inwardly. We are not hungry when we come into the tabernacle. No, we are those who have been fully satisfied.
在神里面祷告，并与在我们里面的神一同祷告
Praying in God and with God in us
12帐幕的图画描绘出基督是道成肉身的神，是便于让我们来进入的。这位基督也是所有的祭物，因着开了进入神里面的路，并且把我们里面充满，就使我们合格了。结果，我们就在神里面，神也在我们里面。所以我们来到香坛面前的时候，已经是在神里面，神也已经在我们里面了。因为香坛是在帐幕的中心，而帐幕是表征道成肉身的神，所以在香坛这里就是在道成肉身的神里面。不但如此，我们在神里面的时候，神也在我们里面。我们在外院子的祭坛那里经历了祭物，我们有血来洁净我们，有肉来把我们里面充满。这使我们有资格进入道成肉身的神里面，这位神内住在我们里面作我们的食物，作我们生命的供应。凡是来到香坛那里的人，就是在神里面，神也在他里面。他与神合一，与神调和，这是何等大的事！
12The picture of the tabernacle portrays Christ as the incarnated God who is available for us to enter. This very Christ is also all the offerings to qualify us by opening the way into God and by filling us inwardly. As a result, we are in God, and God is in us. Therefore, by the time we come to the altar of incense, we are already in God, and God is in us. Because the incense altar is in the center of the tabernacle, which signifies the incarnated God, to be at this altar is to be in the incarnated God. Moreover, when we are in God, He is also in us. At the altar in the outer court we experience the offerings, and we have the blood to cleanse us and the meat to fill us inwardly. This qualifies us to enter into the incarnated God, the One who indwells us as our food, as our life supply. Whoever comes to the incense altar is a person who is in God and who has God in him. He is one with God and mingled with Him. What a great matter this is!
13也许你作基督徒已经作了多年，却不晓得在香坛那里祷告就是在神里面祷告，并与在我们里面的神一同祷告。然而，仅仅以天然方式来祷告的人也许离神相当远，并且他们的祷告里面没有神的素质。虽然他们向神祷告，却远离神。犹太人祷告的时候，比起外邦人来，要和神近了许多，但他们还是在神以外。不但如此，缺少光照和经历以及随随便便的基督徒，也许在外院子的祭坛那里有一些祷告，然而他们没有进到帐幕里的香坛那里来祷告。你是在那里祷告？在外院子的祭坛那里，还是在帐幕里，在道成肉身的神里面？每当我们祷告的时候，在经历上该是在神里面，同时神也在我们里面。我们向祂祷告的时候，应当在祂里面，祂也该在我们里面祷告。
13Perhaps you have been a Christian for years without realizing that to pray at the incense altar is to pray in God and with God in us. However, those who pray merely in a natural way may be quite far from God, and their prayer may not have the element of God in it. Although they pray to God, they are far away from Him. When the Jews pray, they may be much closer to God than Gentiles, but they are still outside of Him. Moreover, Christians who lack enlightenment and experience or who are indifferent may have some prayer at the altar in the outer court, but they may fail to come to pray at the altar of incense in the tabernacle. Where are you when you pray? Are you at the altar in the outer court, or are you in the tabernacle, in the incarnated God? Whenever we pray we should experientially be in God, and simultaneously, He should be in us. While we are praying to Him, we should be in Him, and He should be praying in us.
14吃有益健康的食物而得着能力，可用来说明我们在神里面祷告并向神祷告的时候，神也在我们里面祷告的经历。假设晚上有职事性的聚会，在聚会前我吃了晚餐，并且因我所吃的食物得着加力。当我来到聚会中说话的时候，我满了能力。我一面说话，晚餐所吃的食物一面加给我力量。同样的原则，我们在神里面祷告，并与在我们里面的神一同祷告，就是神在我们里面祷告。
14Being energized through eating a healthy meal can be used to illustrate the experience of having God pray in us while we are praying in Him and to Him. Suppose there is a ministry meeting in the evening. Before the meeting I eat dinner and am energized by the food I have eaten. When I come to the meeting to speak, I am full of energy. As I am speaking, the food I have eaten for dinner is energizing me. In the same principle, when we pray in God and with God in us, He prays in us.
15一方面，基督就是帐幕；另一方面，基督也是食物。我们进到祂这帐幕里面，祂也作为食物进到我们里面。就食物而言，基督不是普通的；反之，祂是圣别的食物，献给神的食物。我们作祭司的进到帐幕里在香坛那里祷告的时候，不是吃凡俗的食物，而是吃圣别的食物，吃已经献给神的食物。不先成为祭物的食物，我们一概不吃。换句话说，不是基督的东西，我们就不吃。作我们食物的基督已经先献给神了。阿利路亚！我们能彀在道成肉身的神里面，而这位神乃是食物，在我们里面加给我们力量。
15On the one hand, Christ is the tabernacle; on the other hand, He is the food. We enter into Him as the tabernacle and He comes into us as the food. As food, Christ is not ordinary; rather, He is holy food, food offered to God. As priests who come into the tabernacle to pray at the incense altar, we do not eat common food. We eat holy food, food that has been offered to God. We do not eat any food that has not first become an offering. In other words, we do not eat anything that is not Christ. Christ as food to us has first been offered to God. Hallelujah, we can be in the incarnated God, and this very God is the food in us energizing us!
焚烧作香的基督
Burning Christ as incense
16根据豫表来看，并没有指明香坛是一个祷告的地方，这是我们的解释。香坛乃是一个烧香的地方，而烧香就是豫表祷告。我们为甚么该在香坛那里祷告呢？既然我们是在神里面，神也在我们里面，而且我们还在香坛那里，我们就必须烧香。然而香是甚么？香就是基督。基督是帐幕，基督是祭物，基督也是香。所以烧香的意思就是祷告基督。
16According to typology, there is no indication that the incense altar is a place to pray. This is our interpretation. The incense altar is a place to burn incense, and burning the incense typifies praying. How should we pray at the incense altar? Now that we are in God and He is in us, and now that we are at the incense altar, we must burn the incense. But what is this incense? The incense is Christ. Christ is the tabernacle, Christ is the offerings, and Christ is also the incense. Thus, to burn the incense means to pray Christ.
17启示录八章三节、四节说：“另有一位天使拿着金香炉，来站在祭坛旁边；有许多香赐给祂，要和众圣徒的祈祷一同献在宝座前的金坛上。那香的烟，和众圣徒的祈祷，从天使的手中一同升到神面前。”这位天使就是基督，祂把香加在众圣徒的祈祷里；使烟往上升的就是这香，不是众圣徒的祈祷。我们的祷告必须有作香的基督和往上升的烟。这里的点乃是说，烧香实际的意义就是祷告基督。
17Revelation 8:3 and 4 say, “And another Angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and much incense was given to Him that He should add it to the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense went up with the prayers of the saints out of the hand of the Angel before God.” This Angel is Christ, the One who adds His incense to the prayers of the saints. It is this incense, not the saints’ prayers, that causes the smoke to rise. In our prayers we need to have Christ as the incense with the smoke that rises. The point here is that to burn the incense actually means to pray Christ.
18如果我们看见烧香就是祷告基督，我们就会因着以往祷告的老套感到羞愧。我们祷告了许多事情，都不是基督。我们没有焚烧基督这香，反而焚烧异样的香。我们献上异样的香，就是基督自己以外的东西。然而，我们不该把基督以外的东西当作香来献上。以往在我们的祷告里有许多异样的香，有许多不是基督的东西。
18If we see that to burn the incense is to pray Christ, we shall feel ashamed of the way we have often prayed in the past. We have prayed many things which are not Christ. Instead of burning Christ as the incense, we have burned strange incense. We have offered strange incense, something other than Christ Himself. However, we should not offer as incense anything except Christ. In the past there was much strange incense in our prayers; there were many things that were not Christ.
19在香坛那里，我们不该献上燔祭或素祭，也不该浇上奠祭。这些祭物都该献在第一座坛上，就是在外院子的祭坛上。在香坛上惟一该献上的就是香。
19At the incense altar we should not offer the burnt offering or the meal offering; neither should we pour out a drink offering. All these offerings should be offered at the first altar, the offering altar in the outer court. On the incense altar the only thing that should be offered is incense.
20我们来到出埃及记三十章的后半，就会看见香是豫表复活并升天的基督。然而，所有的祭物，除了摇祭和举祭以外，都是豫表基督是受神审判并且为我们而死的一位。复活并升天的基督是惟一蒙神悦纳的。祂为神所接受，为神所悦纳，所以祂成了给神的馨香之气。这个成为香的香气，应当在我们的祷告里。我们已经指出，这意思就是说，我们祷告的时候，该是祷告基督。
20When we come to the last part of Exodus 30, we shall see that the incense typifies the resurrected and ascended Christ. However, all the offerings, with the exception of the wave offering and the heave offering, are types of Christ as the One who was judged by God and who died for us. The resurrected and ascended Christ is the unique One who is acceptable to God. He is received by God, accepted by Him. Thus, He becomes a sweet savor to God. This savor, as the incense, should be in our prayer. As we have pointed out, this means that when we pray, we should pray Christ.
21有些人听见要焚烧作香的基督，要祷告基督，也许会问：“明天我要去长途旅行，难道不需要为旅途平安祷告么？”这个问题表明这人的祷告里面有许多异样的香。我认为这样的人不是在帐幕里的香坛上祷告。
21When some hear this word concerning burning Christ as the incense, concerning praying Christ, they may ask, “Tomorrow I shall go on a long journey. Don’t I need to pray for a safe trip?” This question indicates that in the prayer of this one there is a great deal of strange incense. I do not think that such a one prays at the incense altar in the tabernacle.
22在至圣所里见证的柜上面有一个盖，叫作蔽罪盖；这盖是用金子作的，是神与他的百姓相会的地方钦定本把这盖描述为怜悯座。最终，出埃及记里帐幕中的怜悯座成了希伯来书四章所说施恩的宝座。这意思是说，施恩的宝座就是蔽罪盖，是遮掩见证之柜的盖。一方面，就蔽罪而论，这盖是蔽罪盖；另一方面，就神的分赐而论，它乃是施恩的宝座，就是神将祂的恩典分赐给人的地方。此外，照启示录来看，它也是权柄的宝座、神圣行政的宝座。所以，这项器具是怜悯座，是施恩的宝座，还是行政的宝座。
22On the ark of testimony in the Holy of Holies there was a lid, a cover, called the propitiatory cover. That cover, made of gold, was the place where God met with His people. The King James Version describes this lid, this cover, as the mercy seat. Eventually, the mercy seat in the tabernacle in Exodus becomes the throne of grace spoken of in Hebrews 4. This means that the throne of grace is the propitiatory cover, the lid covering the ark of the testimony. On the one hand, with respect to propitiation, this lid is the propitiatory cover. On the other hand, with respect to God’s dispensation, it is the throne of grace, the place where God dispenses His grace to people. Furthermore, according to the book of Revelation, it is also the throne of authority, the throne of divine administration. Therefore, one item is the mercy seat, the throne of grace, and the throne of administration.
23启示录二章、三章里有教会，而四章、五章是描述神的宝座。启示录四章、五章里的宝座乃是权柄的宝座，就是全宇宙中神圣行政的宝座。所以对整个宇宙来说，这是神权柄的宝座；但对我们来说，这乃是施恩的宝座，就是蔽罪盖，是我们接触神并得着恩典的地方。
23In chapters two and three of Revelation we have the church, and chapters four and five portray the throne of God. The throne in Revelation 4 and 5 is the throne of authority, the throne of the divine administration over the entire universe. Therefore, to the universe as a whole, this is the throne of God’s authority, but to us, it is the throne of grace. It is the place, the propitiatory cover, where we may contact God and receive grace.
24在启示录里，香坛是刚刚好在神权柄的宝座之前。根据启示录八章，基督是另一位天使，来把香加在众圣徒的祈祷里，然后这香升到行政宝座上的神那里去，神就应允众圣徒的祈祷。结果，火便降到地上来执行神圣的审判，这些审判记载在启示录其余的部分。这是描绘香坛成了神行政的宝座，让神在祂的行政里施行审判。要紧的是我们都要看见，神行政的执行是由香坛那里所献给神的祷告来推动的。
24In the book of Revelation the incense altar is directly in front of the throne of God’s authority. According to Revelation 8, Christ as another Angel comes and adds His incense to the prayers of the saints. This incense then ascends to God at the throne of administration, and God answers the saints’ prayers. As a result, fire comes down to earth to execute the divine judgments recorded in the remainder of the book of Revelation. This is a picture of the incense altar being the administrating throne of God for God to execute His judgments in His administration. It is important for us to see that the execution of God’s administration is motivated by the prayers offered to Him from the incense altar.
祷告基督
Praying Christ
25假设你到香坛这里来祷告，你要怎样祷告？你会为即将来到的旅行祷告么？你会为你的工作祷告么？真可怜，今天许多基督徒只为着这些事情祷告。如果他们不为着物质的事物祷告，其它就没有甚么可祷告的了。他们好像不晓得怎样为着神的经营来祷告。他们听见祷告基督很觉希奇，这些对他们来说是外国话。事实上，祷告基督并不希奇；为许多其它的事物祷告而不祷告基督才希奇。信徒祷告基督是极其正常的。倘若我们一直为着交通工具、住屋、工作来祷告，神会说：“为甚么你为着这么多希奇的事情祷告呢？为甚么你为着更好的房子或更好的工作来祷告呢？我的心意乃是每当你祷告的时候，就是祷告基督。”
25Suppose you come to the incense altar to pray. How will you pray at this altar? Will you pray about a trip you are about to take? Will you pray about your job? It is pitiful that so many of today’s Christians pray only about such matters. If they did not pray concerning material things, they would have little else to pray for. It seems that they do not know how to pray for God’s economy. To them, it sounds strange to hear about praying Christ. These words are a foreign language to them. Actually, it is not strange to pray Christ; rather, it is strange to pray for many other things instead of Christ. It is very normal for believers to pray Christ. Should we continue to pray about transportation, housing, and jobs, God may say, “Why do you pray about so many strange things? Why do you pray for a better house or for a better job? My desire is that when you pray, you pray Christ.”
26基督徒献给神千千万万的祷告，但神的目的却很少得以执行；基督徒一再地祷告，而神供应的恩典却很少分赐出去。今天谁晓得要如何祷告来推动施恩的宝座，将神生命的供应当作恩典分赐给所有需要的人呢？信徒几乎没有人晓得如何这样来祷告。再说，谁晓得如何祷告来推动权柄的宝座，好执行神圣的行政呢？还是很少人晓得如何这样来祷告。就实际的意义来说，许多祷告的人甚至没有在外院子里，更不用说在帐幕里了。他们向神祷告的时候，实际上是远离神的。
26Thousands and thousands of prayers are offered to God by Christians, but there is very little execution of God’s purpose. Christians pray again and again, yet there is very little dispensation of the supplying grace of God. Who today knows how to pray in such a way as to motivate the throne of grace to dispense God’s life supply as grace to all the needy ones? Hardly any believers know how to pray like this. Also, who knows how to pray to motivate the throne of authority to execute the divine administration? Once again, very few know how to pray in this way. In a practical sense, many of those who pray are not even in the outer court, much less in the tabernacle. When they pray to God, they are actually far away from Him.
27在本篇信息所说到的光中，我们都必须看见三件事。首先，我们祷告的时候，应当在帐幕里。其次，我们要祷告的时候，应当先吃圣别的食物而得着饱足。第三，我们祷告的时候，应当把香献给神。这意思是说，我们祷告的时候，应当在神里面祷告，应当与在我们里面作能力供应的神一同祷告，并且与作香的基督一同祷告。然后我们就要向神烧香。我信如果我们对祷告有这样的看见，我们的祷告生活就会有革命性的改变。愿我们都看见这个异象，并经历这种革命性的改变。
27In light of what we have covered in this message, we all need to see three matters. First, when we pray, we should be in the tabernacle. Second, when we are about to pray, we should first be satisfied by eating holy food. Third, when we pray, we should offer incense to God. This means that when we pray, we should pray in God, we should pray with God within us as our energizing supply, and we should pray with Christ as the incense. Then we shall burn incense to God. I believe that if we have this view concerning prayer, our prayer life will be revolutionized. May we all see this view and experience such a revolution.