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出埃及记生命读经 · 第176篇

神的同伴（一）

A companion of God (1)
1读经： 出埃及记三十二章三十节至三十三章二十三节。
1Scripture Reading: Exo. 32:30—33:23
2在本篇信息中，我们来到一段非常特别的记载，这段记载启示出摩西是神的同伴。（三二30～三三23。）
2In this message we come to the record of a very particular matter, a record that reveals that Moses was a companion of God (32:30—33:23).
需要一位中保
The need of a mediator
3造金牛犊对于神和摩西来说都是一个严重的打击。制造牛犊以前，凡事进行得很顺利，摩西在山顶上与主同在，主将帐幕及其物件、器皿的图样启示给他；没有疑问，神和摩西都非常喜乐。但到了摩西与神同在山上的四十天末了，以色列人却造了金牛犊、敬拜金牛犊，行了恶事。他们这么作，就干犯了十诫中的头四条。
3The making of the golden calf was a severe blow to both God and Moses. Before the calf was made, everything was going smoothly. Moses was on the mountaintop with the Lord, and the Lord was revealing to him the design of the tabernacle and its furniture and utensils. No doubt, God and Moses were very happy. But at the end of the forty days Moses spent on the mountain with God, the children of Israel did evil in making a golden calf and worshipping it. By doing that, they broke the first four of the Ten Commandments.
4拜金牛犊造成了严重的难处，神该怎么办？祂该弃绝以色列人么？祂该放弃领他们出埃及的目的么？当然神不能这么作。如果你不是照着情绪，而是照着将两百多万人从埃及领出来的应许，你能彀丢弃他们么？当然不能。神拯救以色列人，是要实现祂给亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的应许。神带领百姓出埃及，引导他们经过旷野，把他们带到西乃山，在那里训练他们。忽然间，令人大吃一惊；以色列人因着拜金牛犊，行了恶事。以色列人所行的，给神造成大难处，祂该怎么办？原则上，我们确信神不会丢弃祂的百姓，不会放弃祂对他们的计画。反之，祂会继续和他们一同往前，但在这种光景中，祂怎样才能和以色列人一同往前？
4The worship of the golden calf caused a serious problem. What should God do? Should He give up the children of Israel? Should He forsake His purpose in bringing them out of Egypt? Surely God could not do this. If you had brought more than two million people out of Egypt, not according to your mood, but according to your promise, would you have been able to give them up? Certainly not. God delivered the children of Israel in order to fulfill His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God brought the people out of Egypt, led them through the wilderness, and brought them to Mount Sinai, where He gave them training. Suddenly, as a great surprise, the children of Israel did evil by worshipping the golden calf What the children of Israel did caused God a big problem. What should He do? In principle, we may have the assurance that God would not give up His people or abandon His project with them. On the contrary, He would still go on with them. But how could He go on with the children of Israel in such a situation?
5神面临祂百姓的难处，就好比丈夫和妻子、父母和儿女的一些难处。虽然妻子可能给丈夫造成严重的难处，儿女也可能给父母造成严重的难处，但丈夫不会丢弃妻子，父母也不会丢弃儿女。定规有一条路，让丈夫和妻子、父母和儿女一同往前。照样，神也需要找出一条路来，与祂的百姓一同往前。祂需要从已经发生的难处中找出一条路来。 神的出路就是用摩西作中间人，作中保。摩西要在神和以色列人之间作中间人，作中保，就必须与双方都有亲密的关系。摩西是惟一有资格作中保的。他与拜金牛犊的事无分无关，他蒙保守脱离这件恶事，并且活在神的面光中。因此，他是神百姓中间惟一清洁的人。不但如此，摩西也与神非常亲近。我们会看见，摩西恳求神的方式，表明他与神的关系相当亲密。
5The problem God faced with His people can be compared to certain problems between husband and wife or between parents and children. Although a wife may cause her husband a serious problem, and although the children may cause their parents serious problems, the husband cannot give up the wife, and the parents cannot give up their children. There must be a way for the husband and wife and the parents and children to go on together. Likewise, it was necessary for God to find a way to go on with His people. He needed a way out of the problem that had arisen regarding them. God’s way out was through Moses as the middleman, the mediator. In order to be a middleman, a mediator, between God and the children of Israel, it was necessary for Moses to be intimately involved with both parties. Moses was uniquely qualified to be the mediator. He had had nothing to do with the worship of the golden calf. He had been kept from that evil thing and was preserved in the presence of God. Therefore, he was the only one among God’s people who was clean. Furthermore, Moses was very close to God. As we shall see, the way Moses expressed his petition to God indicates that his relationship with God was an intimate one.
6我相信神由衷盼望摩西进来作祂和百姓的中间人，神渴望摩西从难处中给他一条出路。没有一个能对神亲密说话的中间人，神解决不了祂的难处。没有疑问，神要平息下来。摩西在三十二章三十节指明需要挽回祭：“到了第二天，摩西对百姓说，你们犯了大罪，我如今要上耶和华那里去，或者可以为你们的罪作成挽回祭。”（另译。）
6I believe that, deep in His heart, God expected Moses to come in as the mediator between Him and the people. It was God’s desire that Moses would give Him a way out of the problem. Without a middleman who could speak to God intimately, God would not have had a solution to His problem. No doubt, God wanted to be appeased. In 32:30 Moses indicated that propitiation was necessary: “And it came about on the next day that Moses said to the people, You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to Jehovah; perhaps I can make propitiation for your sin.”
7以色列人所犯的罪极其严重，他们所行的无可宽赦。他们不是仅仅犯错，而是造了偶像，把偶像当作神来敬拜。他们滥用神的名，这么作，就得罪神到了极点，仿佛没有给神留下赦免他们的余地。神似乎不可能来赦免这一个过犯，不可能对百姓说甚么了。表面看来，祂惟一能作的，就是在旷野将以色列人除灭。因此，需要一个中间人，一个中保。何等的好，摩西在那里作神和以色列人的中保！
7The offense caused by the children of Israel was extremely serious. What they did was inexcusable. They did not merely do something wrong; they made an idol and worshipped it as if it were God. They used the name of the Lord in vain. In so doing, they offended God to the uttermost, and it was as if they left no ground for Him to forgive them. It seemed that there was no possibility for God to come in to forgive this offense or to say anything to the people. Apparently, the only thing He could do was destroy the children of Israel there in the wilderness. Therefore, there was the need of a middleman, a mediator. How good that Moses was there to be the mediator between God and the children of Israel!
与神亲密
Intimate with God
8在这一点上，我要对众圣徒，尤其要对青年人说，事奉主不仅仅是一个办法或一个方法。事奉主是非常个人的事，如果我们要事奉主，我们就必须是一个与祂有亲密关系的人。不然的话，我们也许是基督教的好工人，但不会是能摸着神心意的人。
8At this point I would like to say to all the saints, especially the young people, that to serve the Lord is not simply a matter of a way or a method. Serving the Lord is something very personal. If we would serve the Lord, we must be a person who has an intimate relationship with Him. Otherwise, we may be good Christian workers, but we cannot be those who are able to touch God’s heart.
9摩西是一个被神大用的人。在前面的信息里，我们看见摩西怎样被神兴起，怎样受神训练。摩西在一生中的第一个四十年被神兴起，第二个四十年受神训练。到了摩西八十岁的时候，神来呼召他，并使用他。神给他看见荆棘焚烧的异象，（三2，）荆棘被火烧着，却没有烧毁。藉着这个异象，神似乎在说：“摩西，你就好像这一丛荆棘，我要使用你，但我不是要烧你，也不会将你烧毁，我要照着我的所是在你里面焚烧。”
9Moses was a man greatly used by God. In previous messages we have seen how Moses was raised up by God and trained by Him. Moses was raised up by God during the first forty years of his life, and he was trained by Him during the next forty years. When Moses was eighty years old, God came in to call him and use him. God gave him a vision of a burning bush (3:2). Although the fire was burning in the bush, the bush was not consumed. Through this vision God seemed to be saying, “Moses, you are like this bush. I intend to use you, but I shall not burn you. I shall not consume you. I shall burn in you according to what I am.”
10摩西在出埃及记第三章蒙神呼召的时候，他与神之间还没有甚么亲密可言。摩西对神来说是新鲜的，他们的关系就像雇主和新雇员的关系一样。神─雇主─对摩西─新雇员─说话，问他要不要接受工作。我们晓得，最终摩西被折服，接受了主所给他的“工作”。
10When Moses was called by God in Exodus 3, there was not yet any intimacy between him and God. Moses was new to God. Their relationship can be compared to that between an employer and a new employee. God, the employer, spoke to Moses, the new employee, and asked him if he would accept the job. We know that eventually Moses was convinced to take the “job” the Lord offered him.
11从出埃及记第三章摩西蒙召那一天起，到出埃及记三十二章、三十三章他与神谈话，这段期间也许不超过两年。但在这段期间里，摩西成为与神亲密的人。
11The period of time from the day Moses was called in Exodus 3 to the conversation between him and God in Exodus 32 and 33 was probably not more than two years. During the course of this period of time, Moses became intimate with God.
12照出埃及记的记载来看，摩西有两次花了四十天的时间单独与神同在山顶上。在头一个四十天里，神将帐幕和器具的图样赐给摩西，这描述在出埃及记二十五至三十章这六章圣经里面。你以为这六章圣经的内容占去了神整整四十天么？看来情形的确不是这样。神和摩西在这段时间里作些甚么呢？他们也许是在享受亲密的交通。
12According to the record in Exodus, Moses twice spent a period of forty days alone with God on the mountaintop. During the first forty days, God gave Moses the design of the tabernacle and the furniture. This is described in six chapters, Exodus 25 through 30. Do you think that the content of these six chapters occupied God for those entire forty days? This certainly would not seem to be the case. What were God and Moses doing all that time? They may have been enjoying intimate fellowship.
13摩西去了这么久，以色列人想要以这件事实作他们造金牛犊的借口。有些人也许说：“我们好久没有主和摩西的消息了。他们把我们留在山下，我们在这里将近四十天了。主和摩西领我们出埃及，把我们带到这里。但我们不晓得他们发生了甚么事。我们看不见神，也看不见摩西，因此，我们必须为自己作点甚么。”当然，神没有给百姓申辩的机会。照样，摩西也不容以色列人申辩，尤其是亚伦。倘若亚伦和以色列人能为自己辩护，他们也许会责怪摩西去得太久了。他们会说：“摩西，你到底在那里？你去得太久了，主是要我们作祂的百姓，还是计画单单得着你？你和神好像已经把我们忘记了。”
13The children of Israel may have tried to excuse themselves for making the golden calf by the fact that Moses was gone so long. Some of them may have said, “We have not heard from the Lord or from Moses for a long time. They have left us here at the foot of the mountain, and we have been here for nearly forty days. The Lord and Moses brought us out of Egypt and led us to this place. But we don’t know what has happened to them. We can’t see God, and we can’t see Moses either. Therefore, we must do something for ourselves.” God, of course, did not give the people a chance to excuse themselves. Likewise, Moses did not allow the children of Israel, especially Aaron, to make an excuse. If Aaron and the children of Israel had been allowed to excuse themselves, they probably would have blamed Moses for being gone too long. They may have said, “Moses, where have you been? You have been gone too long. Does the Lord intend to have us for His people, or does He plan to have only you? It seems to us that you and God have forgotten about us.”
14我们可以说，主和摩西在一起这么长久，因为他们彼此非常亲密。他们一同在山顶上有一段欢乐时光，但这段美好的时光对以色列人来说却是试验的时间。以后神要摩西再到山上去，他们又在一起四十天。神和摩西就是喜欢在一起，他们彼此相爱，他们愿意在一起。
14We may say that the Lord and Moses stayed together so long because they were intimate with each other. They had a happy time together on the mountaintop. But that pleasant time was a time of testing to the children of Israel. Later God asked Moses to go up to the mountain again, and they were together for another forty days. Moses and God simply liked to stay together. They loved each other, and they wanted to be together.
晓得神的心意
Knowing what is on God’s heart
15出埃及记记载了摩西这个人的许多细节。照这段记载来看，摩西头一次与神同在山上四十天以前，他与神的关系还不怎么亲密。但在造金牛犊的事上，我们看见摩西与神亲密地谈话，这是摩西与神亲密的开始，摩西晓得神的心意。他从山上下来，把石版扔掉，将金牛犊磨得粉碎，撒在水面上，强迫百姓去喝。他也呼召一班得胜者来杀死拜偶像的人。这些摩西都照着神的心意作了。
15The record in the book of Exodus gives many details concerning the person of Moses. According to this record, before the first forty days Moses spent on the mountain with God, his relationship with God was not yet one of intimacy. But in the incident of the making of the golden calf, we see that Moses and God had an intimate talk. This indicates the beginning of Moses’ intimacy with God. Moses knew what was on God’s heart. He came down from the mountain, cast away the tablets, ground the golden calf into powder, and forced the people to drink water on which this powder had been sprinkled. He also called for a group of overcomers to slay the idolaters. Moses did all this according to God’s heart.
16摩西晓得神不愿丢弃以色列人，但他也晓得，在神和百姓之间的难处中，神需要一条出路。如果我们仔细读出埃及记三十二章、三十三章，我们就会看见，百姓犯了无可宽赦的罪，而摩西确信他能彀解决神的难处。摩西晓得他能彀在这个光景中使神平息下来。在三十二章三十节，摩西似乎对以色列人说：“你们犯了滔天大罪，看来你们无法得着赦免，你们所行的实在不可宽赦，但我要去为你们作成挽回祭。”摩西确信能彀作成挽回祭，因为与神同在山顶上四十天的结果，叫他懂得神的心意。
16Moses knew that God did not want to give up the children of Israel. But he also knew that God needed a way out of the problem between Him and His people. If we read Exodus 32 and 33 carefully, we shall see that Moses had the assurance that he could work out the problem with God concerning the inexcusable offense committed by the people. Moses knew that he could appease God in this situation. In 32:30 Moses seemed to be saying to the children of Israel, “You have committed such a great sin that it seems you cannot be forgiven. What you have done is altogether inexcusable. But I shall go to make propitiation for you.” Moses had the assurance that propitiation could be made, for, as a result of staying with God on the mountaintop for forty days, he knew what was on God’s heart.
17摩西与神同在的四十天里，他完全懂得神对以色列人的心意。摩西晓得神要百姓成为祂自己的百姓，要以他们作祂的新妇。摩西晓得连百姓拜金牛犊的罪，也不能改变神心头的愿望。虽然这个过犯造成了极大的难处，但摩西确信能彀抚慰神。他懂得神的心意，也晓得为着神的百姓来向神交涉的路。
17During the forty days he was with God, Moses gained a thorough knowledge of God’s heart concerning the children of Israel. Moses knew that God wanted this people to be His own, that He wanted to take them for His bride. Moses knew that not even the people’s sin of worshipping the golden calf could change the desire of God’s heart. Although this offense created an extremely difficult problem, Moses had the assurance that God could be propitiated. He knew God’s heart, and he knew the way to approach Him concerning His people.
18我们既愿意事奉神，也就必须懂得神的心意。今天许多基督徒强调，我们需要接受神的话。当然，我们必须晓得神的话，接受神的话。然而，如果摩西只接受神的话，甚么也不作，他就无法使神与百姓和好。主对摩西说：“谁得罪我，我就从我的册上涂抹谁的名。”（三二33。）这是神的话，但这是神的心意么？不，这不是神的心意。神的话是一回事，但神的心意也许是另一回事。摩西晓得神说，祂要将百姓除灭。但摩西懂得神的心意，他晓得神不会丢弃祂的百姓。摩西是神和以色列人的中间人，他懂得神的心意。
18As those who would serve God, we also need to know what is on God’s heart. Many Christians today emphasize the fact that we need to take the Word of God. Of course, we must know God’s Word and take it. However, if Moses had done nothing more than take the word of God, there would have been no way for him to work out a reconciliation between God and the people. The Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will wipe him out from My book” (32:33). That was God’s word, but was it the intent of God’s heart? No, it was not. God’s word was one thing, but the desire of His heart may have been something else. Moses realized that God said that He was about to wipe out the people. But, knowing God’s heart, Moses also realized that He would not give up His people. As the middleman between God and the children of Israel, Moses knew what was on God’s heart.
19摩西为着这种光景到神面前来的时候，他的祷告并不宗教。他不像我们可能会说：“主，感谢你，你满了怜悯。”照三十二章三十一节、三十二节来看，摩西非常亲密地和主说话，就像人和亲密的朋友谈话一样。
19When Moses came to God about this situation, he did not pray in a religious way. He did not say, as we probably would do, “Lord, thank You that You are full of mercy.” According to 32:31 and 32, Moses spoke to the Lord in an intimate way, like a man talking to a close friend.
20我们仅仅晓得神的经营和教会立场还不彀。倘若你只晓得神的经营和教会，你不过是个认识话的人，却不一定是照着神心意的人。除了晓得神的话以外，我们还必须晓得神的心意；长老们更是如此，所有的长老都当是照着神心意的人。由出埃及记三十二章、三十三章里的摩西，我们看见一个人，不仅所行的样样正确；他还是一个晓得 神心意、照着神心意的人。
20It is not sufficient merely for us to know the Word concerning the economy of God and the ground of the church. If you know the Word concerning God’s economy and the church, you may be only a man of the Word, but not a man according to God’s heart. In addition to knowing the Word, we all must come to know God’s heart. This is especially needed among the elders. All the elders should be those who are according to God’s heart. With Moses in Exodus 32 and 33, we see a man who is not only right in all he does; we see a man who knows what is on God’s heart and who is according to God’s heart.
21以色列人拜金牛犊所犯的罪，不仅造成神的难处，也造成摩西的难处。摩西也许自言自语，说：“我该怎么办？这整个光景会使法老和埃及人讥诮我们，也讥诮神。”然而，圣经没有告诉我们，摩西为这种光景考虑很久，或是禁食祷告、寻求主的引导。圣经没有说，摩西考虑他该不该为这件事到主那里去。反之，摩西对付了拜偶像的人以后，就立刻告诉以色列人说，他们犯了大罪，但他要设法为他们作成挽回祭。摩西能彀这么作，因为他清楚以色列人的光景，他尤其清楚神的心意。在山顶上的四十天里，主定规没有长时间留下摩西一人，然后偶尔来说到帐幕及其器具的事。摩西和主也许有相当长的谈话。与神亲密交通的结果，叫摩西晓得百姓中间真实的光景，也确信他能彀使主平息下来。
21The sin committed by the children of Israel in worshipping the golden calf caused a problem not only to God, but also to Moses. Moses may have said to himself, “What should I do about this? This whole situation may cause Pharaoh and the Egyptians to mock us and to mock God.” We are not told, however, that Moses considered the situation for a long period of time, or that he fasted and prayed to seek the Lord’s leading. There is no indication that Moses questioned whether he should go back to the Lord concerning the matter. Rather, immediately after he dealt with the idolaters, he told the children of Israel that they had sinned a great sin, but that he would seek to make propitiation for them. Moses could do this because he was clear concerning the situation of the children of Israel and especially concerning the desire of God’s heart. During those forty days on the mountaintop, the Lord surely did not leave Moses alone for long periods of time and then occasionally speak something about the tabernacle and its furniture. Moses and the Lord may have had some lengthy conversations. As a result of his intimate fellowship with God, Moses knew the real situation among the people, and he also had the assurance that he could appease the Lord.
不仅是朋友
More than a friend
22就在这个时候，圣经承认摩西是神的同伴。出埃及记三十三章十一节说：“耶和华与摩西面对面说话，好像人与同伴说话一般。”（另译。）这里繙作“同伴”的希伯来字与“朋友”不同，“朋友”这个词在历代志下二十章七节、以赛亚书四十一章八节用来说到亚伯拉罕。亚伯拉罕是神的朋友，从拜偶像的人中分别出来，（书二四2～3，）并且为罗得代求。（创十八16～33。）使徒雅各也告诉我们说，亚伯拉罕是神的朋友。（雅三23。）亚伯拉罕不仅被神称义，也成为神的朋友。神认为亚伯拉罕是个可爱的人，是祂所爱的。然而，摩西不仅和亚伯拉罕一样是神的朋友， 他更是神的同伴。
22At this juncture the Bible recognizes that Moses was a companion of God. Exodus 33:11 says, “And Jehovah would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his companion.” The Hebrew word rendered “companion” here is different from the word for “friend” used with respect to Abraham in 2 Chronicles 20:7 and Isaiah 41:8. As a friend of God, Abraham had been separated from idolatrous people (Josh. 24:2-3), and he interceded for Lot (Gen. 18:16-33). The apostle James also tells us that Abraham was God’s friend (James 2:23). Not only was Abraham justified by God, but he also became a friend of God. God regarded Abraham as a beloved one, a person held in affection. However, Moses was not only a friend of God like Abraham; he was also a companion of God.
23两个人之间是先有友谊，后作同伴。例如，一对夫妇婚前也许是朋友，然后友谊继续发展，最后结为伴侣。婚后，他们就不再认为对方是朋友，但他们却继续作同伴下去。
23Between two people there is first friendship and then companionship. For example, before a couple get married, the two may be friends. Then their friendship develops into companionship. After they are married, they no longer regard each other as friends, but they continue to be companions.
24“同伴”这个词包含了友谊的成分，但它更进一步包含了亲密联合的思想。希伯来字的同伴有一个意思就是伙伴。同伴就是伙伴。如果你和某人是伙伴，你们就有共同的兴趣、共同的企业、共同的事业。我不是要暗示神与亚伯拉罕之间没有共同的兴趣；他们的确有共同的兴趣，但在程度上还不如摩西与神。神与摩西在一项伟大的事业上是绝对的伙伴，他们都从事于一样的“事业”。摩西与主不仅是亲密的朋友；他们也是伙伴，是同伙人，是同伴。
24The word “companion” includes the elements of friendship, but it goes much further to include the thought of intimate association. One meaning of the Hebrew word for companion is associate. A companion is an associate. If you and someone else are associates, you have a common interest, a common enterprise, in a common career. I do not wish to imply that there was no common interest between Abraham and God. They did share a common interest, but it was not of the same degree as that between Moses and God. To the uttermost, God and Moses were partners in a great enterprise. They were both involved in the same “career.” Moses and the Lord were not only intimate friends; they were associates, partners, companions.
25在创世记十八章，亚伯拉罕所行的就像神的朋友一样。神来拜访亚伯拉罕，亚伯拉罕也欢迎祂，并以盛筵款待祂。神不愿马上离开，就在亚伯拉罕那里逗留了一些时候。因着神将亚伯拉罕当作朋友，祂晓得他所要作的事，不能向亚伯拉罕隐瞒。反之，祂要向祂亲爱的朋友启示出祂的心意。所以祂告诉亚伯拉罕，所多玛即将被毁灭。主揭示这件事，用意是要亚伯拉罕记念罗得，并且为他代求。这意思是说，照着神的心意，这里的目的是要叫亚伯拉罕有负担为罗得代祷。神的心意是要拯救罗得，然而神晓得，按着祂的原则，若没有人为罗得代求，祂就不能为罗得作甚么。在这个场合中，神也需要一个中间人。
25In Genesis 18 Abraham behaved himself as a friend of God. God came to visit Abraham, and Abraham welcomed Him and served Him a feast. Not wanting to leave immediately, God lingered with Abraham for a while. Because God regarded Abraham as His friend, He knew that He could not conceal from him what He was about to do. Instead, He wanted to reveal to His dear friend what was on His heart. Therefore, He told Abraham that Sodom was soon to be destroyed. The Lord’s intention in making that disclosure was that Abraham would remember Lot and intercede for him. This means that God’s purpose here according to what was on His heart was to burden Abraham to pray for Lot. God’s intention was to save Lot. However, in keeping with His principle, God knew that He could not do anything for Lot without someone to intercede for him. In that occasion also God needed a middleman.
26我们已经看见，神和亚伯拉罕是亲密的朋友。有时候我们要一个亲密的朋友替我们作一件事，但我们没有明说。反之，我们会给他一些暗示，让对方推测我们想要甚么，缺少甚么。在创世记十八章，神和亚伯拉罕说话的时候，没有明明讲论罗得的事。然而，亚伯拉罕晓得他这位神圣朋友的心意。因此，亚伯拉罕为罗得祷告。但在他的代求里面，他没有题起罗得的名字。反之，他为罗得的祷告相当间接。最终，神答应亚伯拉罕的祷告，拯救了罗得。
26We have seen that God and Abraham were intimate friends. Sometimes when we want an intimate friend to do something for us, we do not tell him about it clearly. Instead, we may give hints and let the other party infer what we want or need. When God spoke to Abraham in Genesis 18, He did not say anything explicit concerning Lot. Nevertheless, Abraham came to realize what was on the heart of his divine Friend. Therefore, Abraham prayed for Lot. But in his intercession, he did not mention Lot by name. Instead, he prayed for him in a rather indirect way. Eventually, God saved Lot in answer to Abraham’s prayer.
27在创世记十八章，主和亚伯拉罕彼此都是朋友，他们都渴望为罗得作点事。神说亚伯拉罕是祂的朋友，我信创世记十八章里是有根据的。如果你再去读这一章，你会看见这是记载朋友之间的谈话。
27In Genesis 18, both parties, the Lord and Abraham, were friends. They both had the desire to do something for Lot. I believe that in Genesis 18 we have the basis for God to say that Abraham was His friend. If you read this chapter again, you will see that it is the record of a conversation between friends.
28我们在这里指出，主和摩西之间的不仅仅是友谊，他们之间的谈话不仅是朋友之间的谈话，更是同伴之间、伙伴之间的谈话。神和摩西都关心他们的“公司”，关心他们的“企业”与“事业”。双方都有智慧，不完全直接、详细地论到这种光景。首先主对摩西说到百姓和金牛犊，然后祂将这种情况留给摩西去处理。主似乎对他说：“摩西，我把这件事交给你了，下山去看看能作些甚么。”出乎我们意料之外的是，主没有详细要求摩西将牛犊磨得粉碎，撒在水面上，强迫拜偶像的人去喝。主也没有吩咐摩西呼召得胜者来杀死拜偶像的人，事后为着主对百姓说话，然后再上山回到主那里去。 主不过对摩西指出百姓所行的事。但因着摩西懂得神的心意，他处理拜金牛犊的事，件件都讨神喜悦。例如，将神用手刻上十诫的石版扔掉，是一件非常严重的事，但连这个举动也没有得罪神，因为这是照着神的心意作的。摩西晓得将那两块石版摔碎，乃是照着神的心意。摩西是神的同伴，与神有亲密的关系，并懂得神的心意。因此，凡摩西所行的，都是照着神的心意。
28The point we are making here is that with the Lord and Moses there was something more than friendship. The conversation between them was not only that between friends but that between companions, partners. God and Moses were both concerned with their “corporation,” with their “enterprise” and “career.” Both parties had the wisdom not to speak about the situation in an altogether direct and detailed way. First the Lord spoke to Moses concerning the people and the golden calf. Then He left it up to Moses to deal with the situation. The Lord seemed to be saying to him, “Moses, I give this matter to you. Go down to the foot of the mountain and see what can be worked out.” Contrary to what we would expect, the Lord did not give Moses detailed requirements about grinding the calf to powder, scattering the powder on water, and forcing the idolaters to drink this water. Neither did the Lord tell Moses to call for the overcomers to slay the idolaters and, after that, to speak to the people in behalf of the Lord and then to return to the Lord again on the mountaintop. The Lord simply pointed out to Moses what the people were doing. But because Moses knew what was on God’s heart, everything he did concerning the worship of the golden calf was pleasing to God. For example, it was a very serious matter to cast away the tablets on which were engraved the commandments carved by God’s hand. But not even that act offended God, for it was done according to God’s heart. Moses realized that it was according to God’s heart to break those tablets. As a companion of God, Moses had an intimate relationship with Him and knew what was on His heart. Therefore, everything Moses did was according to the heart of God.