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出埃及记生命读经 · 第177篇

神的同伴（二）

A companion of God (2)
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在前一篇信息里，我们看见摩西不仅是神的朋友，更是神的同伴、神的伙伴。摩西和神在一项事业上是伙伴。身为神的同伴，摩西懂得神的心意，并且能彀亲密地与神交谈。
2In the foregoing message we saw that Moses was not only a friend of God, but also a companion, an associate, of God. Moses and God were partners in a single enterprise. As God’s companion, Moses knew God’s heart and could converse with Him in an intimate way.
在拜偶像的人中间并由拜偶像的人显明出来
Made manifest by and among the idolatrous people
3摩西是神的同伴，这件事实是在拜偶像的人中间，并由拜偶像的人显明出来的。我们在教会中服事圣徒的，可以由此学习一个要紧的功课，就是绝不要归咎于环境。长老们不该说：“哦，这里的弟兄姊妹都会惹麻烦，使我们难以往前，我们辞职算了，让别人来当长老，他们就会尝到在这种地方当长老的苦头。”有时候长老们心里有这种想法。我在许多场合中听见长老们这么说过。
3The fact that Moses was a companion of God was made manifest by the idolatrous people and among them. From this we who serve the saints in the churches may learn an important lesson. This lesson is never to blame the situation. The elders should not say, “Oh, all the brothers and sisters here are troublemakers. This makes it hard for us to go on. Let us resign, and let others come in to be the elders. Then they will taste how bitter it is to be an elder in this locality.” Sometimes this thought is in the heart of the elders. On a number of occasions I have heard elders speak in this way.
4作长老的需要看见，我们被主对付了多少，我们从主学习了多少，总是由我们所面临圣徒的难处显明出来的。拜偶像的人显明了摩西作神同伴的资格。照样，惹麻烦的圣徒也会为主造出机会，来显明祂在我们里面所作的。倘若长老单单和积极的弟兄姊妹在一起，长老的所是就不会显明出来。
4The elders need to see that how much we have been dealt with by the Lord and how much we have learned of the Lord will always be made manifest by the difficulties we face with the saints. It was the idolatrous people who made manifest Moses’ qualifications as God’s companion. Likewise, it will be troublesome saints who will create an opportunity for the Lord to manifest what He has done in us. If the elders only have to be involved with positive brothers and sisters, what the elders are would not be manifest.
5造金牛犊对摩西来说是个严重的打击。对于这种光景，他该怎么办？这要由他是怎样的人来决定。以色列人中间邪恶的光景为摩西提供了一个机会，显明出他是神的同伴。
5The making of the golden calf was a severe blow to Moses. What should he do about the situation? This was determined by the kind of person he was. The evil situation among the children of Israel provided an opportunity for Moses to be manifested as a companion of God.
为硬着颈项拜偶像的百姓作成挽回祭
Propitiating for the stiff-necked and idolatrous people
6在三十二章三十节摩西对百姓说：“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挽回祭。”（另译。）这里我们看见，摩西愿意为硬着颈项、拜偶像的百姓作挽回祭。就人这一面来说，这需要极大的忍耐。如果你是摩西，你愿意为这班背叛的百姓使神平息下来么？如果我们在那里，我们也许会劝神把这样的百姓除灭。作和解或挽回的工作是需要忍耐的。
6In 32:30 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.” Here we see that Moses was willing to make propitiation in behalf of a people who were stiff-necked and idolatrous. In a human sense, this required a great deal of patience. If you had been Moses, would you have been willing to appease God for the sake of such a rebellious people? If we had been there, we might have urged God to wipe out such a people. It requires patience to do the work of appeasing or propitiating.
藉着与神亲密地谈话
By conversing with God intimately
7摩西想要与神亲密地谈话来劝解神。出埃及记三十二章三十一节说：“摩西回到耶和华那里说，唉，这百姓犯了大罪，为自己作了金神。”（另译）请注意，摩西在这里用的是中性名词：“这百姓”；他没有对主说是“你的百姓”，也没有说他们是“我的百姓”。神对摩西说，是摩西将百姓从埃及领出来；（三二7；）而摩西对神说，是神将他们领出来的。(三二11。）但在这里，摩西依循中间人、中保的方式，用了一个中性名词，不说神的百姓，也不说他自已的百姓，而说“这百姓”。
7Moses sought to propitiate God by conversing with Him intimately. Exodus 32:31 says, “And Moses returned to Jehovah and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and they have made for themselves a god of gold.” Notice that Moses here uses the neutral expression “this people.” He does not say to the Lord “Your people”; neither does he refer to them as “my people.” God had said to Moses that it was Moses who had brought the people out of Egypt (32:7). But Moses said to God that it was God who had brought them out (32:11). But here Moses, following the way of a middleman, a mediator, uses a neutral expression and speaks neither of God’s people nor of his own people, but of “this people.”
8圣经没有记载摩西向神报告他怎样对付了拜偶像的人。他没有告诉神说，他将牛犊磨得粉碎，撒在水面上，强迫百姓去喝。他也没有告诉主说，他呼召了一些人来击杀拜偶像的人。圣经所记载的只是摩西与主友善、亲密的谈话。摩西不过告诉神说，百姓作了金神，犯了大罪。
8There is no record that Moses gave God a report of how he dealt with the idolatrous people. He did not tell God that he ground the calf into powder, scattered the powder on the water, and forced the people to drink the water. Neither did he tell the Lord that he had called for some to slaughter the idolaters. What we have is a friendly, intimate conversation between Moses and the Lord. Moses simply told God that the people had sinned a great sin in making a god of gold.
冒着永远命定的危险来代求
Interceding at the risk of his eternal destiny
9摩西甚至冒着永远命定的危险，来设法为百姓作挽回祭。照三十二节来看，他对主说：“倘或你肯赦免他们的罪…不然，求你从你所写的册上涂抹我的名。”请注意，摩西上一句话没有讲完，他不过是说：“倘或你肯赦免他们的罪。”如果我们是摩西，我们也许会这么说：“倘或你肯赦免他们的罪，甚么就都好了。”然而，摩西却把话空了下来。有些译本用删节号来指明这一点，说：“倘或你肯赦免他们的罪…”。有时候我们需要这样来对亲近我们的人说话。我们对丈夫、妻子说话的时候，也许必须说：“如果你这么作…”，我们未必该完成我们的思想。摩西这样说话，因为他晓得他不是主。惟有主是主。因此，摩西不敢妄言如果主赦免他们的罪，结果会怎样。
9Moses sought to make propitiation for the people even at the risk of his eternal destiny. According to verse 32, he said to the Lord, “And now, if You will forgive their sin — and if not, wipe me out, I pray, from Your book which You have written.” Notice that Moses did not complete the first part of his statement. He simply said, “If You will forgive their sin.” If we had been Moses, we may have said something like this: “Now, if You will forgive their sin, everything will be all right.” Moses, however, left the matter open. To indicate this, some translations use an ellipsis and say, “If You will forgive their sin....” Sometimes it is necessary to speak in this way to those close to us. In speaking to our husband or wife we may need to say, “If you will do this....” We should not always complete our thought. Moses spoke in such a way because he realized that he was not the Lord. Only the Lord is the Lord. Therefore, Moses did not presume to say what would be the result or consequence if the Lord forgave their sin.
10摩西在三十二节的下一句话指明，他冒着属灵命定的危险来挽回百姓。他对主说：“不然，求你从你所写的册上涂抹我的名。”摩西的意思是说：“主，论到我自己的命定，如果你不肯赦免这百姓，就求你把我除灭，但我将百姓的命定这个问题留给你，惟有你能断言他们的命定该如何。”
10The latter part of Moses’ word in verse 32 makes it clear that he was propitiating for the people at the risk of his spiritual destiny. He said to the Lord, “If not, wipe me out, I pray, from Your book which You have written.” It seems that Moses was saying, “Concerning my own destiny, Lord, I would ask you to wipe me out if you would not forgive this people. But I leave with You the question concerning the destiny of the people. Only you can say what their destiny should be.”
11你以为摩西在三十一节、三十二节里的话是个普通的祷告么？他不是普普通通地为以色列人祷告；反之，他为着他们与神亲密地谈话。在这种光景中，摩西就是循着这条智慧的途径来劝解神。
11Do you think that Moses’ word in verses 31 and 32 is an ordinary prayer? He did not pray in an ordinary way for the children of Israel; instead, he conversed with God intimately in their behalf. That was the wise way followed by Moses to appease God in that situation.
照着神的心意
According to God’s heart
12摩西照着神的心意为百姓作挽回祭。（三二33～三三3。）表面看来，主 在三十三节所说的，是不理摩西的话。神外面似乎不听摩西的话，里面却已经尊重了他的话。神很欢喜有这么一位同伴。神也许对自己说：“我很高兴有摩西作同伴，他与我亲密，并且晓得我的心意，晓得我要作甚么。摩西晓得我要赦免这百姓，并且继续使用他们。然而，我不会为他们发起这次谈话，但我的同伴摩西是个懂得我心意的人，他已经发起了这次谈话。”
12Moses made propitiation for the people according to God’s heart (32:33—33:3). From what the Lord says in verse 33, apparently He did not heed Moses’ word. Outwardly it may seem that God resisted Moses’ word, but inwardly He had already honored it. God was happy to have such a companion. God may have said to Himself, “I am glad to have Moses for a companion. He is intimate with Me, and He knows My heart and what I want to do. Moses knows that I want to forgive this people and continue to use them. However, I would not initiate this conversation in their behalf. But Moses, My companion, one who knows My heart, has initiated this talk.”
13在三十三节神对摩西说：“谁得罪我，我就从我的册上涂抹谁的名。”这话是一种外面的表示，为要维持神的尊荣。但主继续在三十四节所说的，表明祂已经赦免了百姓：“现在你去领这百姓，往我所告诉你的地方去，我的使者必在你前面引路；只是到我追讨的日子，我必追讨他们的罪。”作中保的摩西晓得，神在这里的话是表明祂已经赦免了百姓。摩西曾说：“倘或你肯赦免他们的罪…”他的意思是对主说：“主，我不再说甚么了，你说话罢，现在你吩咐我去领这百姓，往你所告诉我的地方去，这一点我毫无问题。”
13In verse 33 God said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will wipe him out from My book.” This word was an outward expression to uphold God’s honor. But what the Lord goes on to say in verse 34 indicates that He had forgiven the people: “And now, go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, My angel shall go before you, and in the day of My visitation I will visit their sin upon them.” Moses, the mediator, realized that God’s word here was an indication that He had forgiven the people. Moses had said, “If You will forgive their sin....” It seems that he was saying to the Lord, “Lord, I won’t say anything further. You speak a word. Now You tell me to go lead the people to the place of which You have spoken to me. I have no problem with this.”
14英文钦定本和达秘译本以大写字母来书写三十四节里的“使者”这个词。我同意这一点，因为它指明这里的使者就是基督。主应许摩西说，祂的使者必在他前面引路，只是到祂追讨的日子，祂必追讨百姓的罪。一方面，百姓得了赦免；另一方面，还有一个问题，神说祂还要对付。有时候父亲与儿女的关系就是这样。儿女也许作错了事，父亲会赦免他们，饶恕他们，然而，他以后也许要以另一种方式来对待他们。
14The King James Version and Darby’s translation capitalize the word angel in verse 34. I agree with this, for it is an indication that the angel here is Christ. The Lord promised Moses that His angel would go before him, and in the day of His visitation He would visit the people’s sin upon them. On the one hand, the people were forgiven. But on the other hand, there was still a problem, and God said that He would deal with it. Sometimes the relationship between a father and his children is like this. The children may do something wrong, and the father will forgive them and release them. However, he may intend to deal with them in some way at a later time.
使百姓悲哀、自洁
Causing the people to mourn and to cleanse themselves
15出埃及记三十三章一至三节说：“耶和华吩咐摩西说，我曾起誓应许亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各说，要将迦南地赐给你的后裔；现在你和你从埃及地所领出来的百姓，要从这里往那地去。我要差遣使者在你前面，撵出迦南人、亚摩利人、赫人、比利洗人、希未人、耶布斯人，领你到那流奶与蜜之地；我自己不同你们上去，因为你们是硬着颈项的百姓，恐怕我在路上把你们灭绝。”这指明主和摩西这两个伙伴之间的谈话，已经达成了协议。神这一方同意让犯罪的人过去，但祂仍坚持以后要对付百姓。摩西和以色列人听见了，知道这段话不使人愉快。第四节说：“百姓听见这凶信就悲哀，也没有人佩戴妆饰。”
15Exodus 33:1-3 say, “And Jehovah spoke to Moses, Depart, go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, To your seed I will give it (and I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite), unto a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in the midst of you, because you are a stiff-necked people, lest I consume you in the way.” This indicates that the conversation between the two partners, the Lord and Moses, had arrived at an agreement. God, the first party, agreed to let the offenders go, but He still insisted that He would deal with the people at a later time. When Moses and the children of Israel heard this, they knew that it was not a pleasant word. Verse 4 says, “And when the people heard this evil word, they mourned, and no man put on his ornaments.”
16五至六节说：“耶和华对摩西说，你告诉以色列人说，耶和华说，你们是硬着颈项的百姓，我若一霎时临到你们中间，必灭绝你们；现在你们要把身上的妆饰摘下来，使我可以知道怎样待你们。以色列人从住何烈山以后，就把身上的妆饰摘得干净。”这里我们看见，摩西使百姓悲哀、自洁。
16Verses 5 and 6 say, “Now Jehovah had said to Moses, Say to the sons of Israel, You stiff-necked people! If I should go up in the midst of you for one moment, I would consume you! And now, put off your ornaments from you, that I may know what I shall do to you. And the sons of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments from Mount Horeb onward.” Here we see that Moses caused the people to mourn and to cleanse themselves.
17这就好比创世记三十五章一至四节里所发生的事。主吩咐雅各上伯特利去，在那里筑一座坛给神。雅各就对他家中的人，并一切与他同在的人说：“你们要除掉你们中间的外邦神，也要自洁，更换衣裳。”（创三五2。）然后圣经告诉我们说：“他们就把外邦人的神像，和他们耳朵上的环子，交给雅各。”（4。）他们要得洁净，就必须把所有的妆饰摘除。
17This can be compared to what happened in Genesis 35:1-4. The Lord told Jacob to go up to Bethel and make an altar there unto God. Then Jacob said to his household and everyone with him, “Put away the strange gods which are among you, and be clean, and change your garments” (Gen. 35:2). Then we are told that “they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods that were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears” (v. 4). In order to be cleansed, it was necessary for them to put off all their ornaments.
18我们在前面的信息里题过，以色列人佩戴的饰物是为着自我妆饰。自我妆饰乃是金牛犊偶像的豫备阶段。偶像是来自自我妆饰，因为饰物的金子用来铸造了金牛犊。甚至金牛犊被毁坏、三千名以色列人被杀死以后，百姓还有饰物。但他们一听见主不同他们上去的“凶信”，就“没有人佩戴妆饰”了。事实上，百姓应当披麻蒙灰，作为真正悔改的表记，这种悔改乃是出自破碎的心。然而，百姓还有饰物。到他们听见这凶信的时候，才开始察觉不能再佩戴这些妆饰了。所以圣经告诉我们：“以色列人从住何烈山以后，就把身上的妆饰摘得干净。”（6。）
18As we mentioned in a previous message, the ornaments worn by the children of Israel were for their self-beautification. This self-beautification was the preliminary stage of the golden-calf idol. The idol came out of self-beautification, for the gold of the ornaments was used to make the golden calf. Even after the golden calf had been destroyed and three thousand of the children of Israel had been slain, the people still had their ornaments. But when they heard the “evil word” about the Lord’s not going up in their midst, “no man put on his ornaments.” Actually, the people should have put on sackcloth and ashes as a sign of true repentance, repentance from a broken heart. The people, however, still had their ornaments. When they heard this evil word, they began to realize that they could no longer wear these ornaments. Therefore, we are told that “the sons of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments from Mount Horeb onward” (v. 6).
19在三十二章、三十三章，我们看见摩西在神和以色列人之间作中保的结果。首先，他为着百姓的缘故平息了神的怒气。然后他使百姓悔改，并且把身上的妆饰摘下来，作为悔改的表记。百姓放弃了自我妆饰，这就是摩西为硬着颈项和拜偶像的百姓作挽回祭的结果。
19In chapters thirty-two and thirty-three we see the result of Moses’ work as a mediator between God and the children of Israel. First, he appeased God’s anger for the sake of the people. Then he caused the people to repent and to put off their ornaments as the sign of repentance. The people gave up their self-beautification. This was the outcome of Moses’ making propitiation for the stiff-necked and idolatrous people.
在营外的帐棚里与神同在
To be with God in the tent outside the camp
20出埃及记三十三章七节说：“摩西素常将帐棚支搭在营外，离营却远，他称这帐棚为会幕。凡求问耶和华的，就到营外的会幕那里去。”照九节和十节来看，主的荣耀就在会幕的门前。十一节告诉我们：“耶和华与摩西面对面说话，好像人与同伴说话一般。”（另译。）凡要求问主的以色列人，就到营外的会幕那里去。
20Exodus 33:7 says, “Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And it came about that everyone who sought Jehovah would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp.” According to verses 9 and 10, the glory of the Lord was at the door of the tent. In verse 11 we are told that “Jehovah would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his companion.” All the children of Israel who wanted to seek the Lord went out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp.
21摩西非常老练，懂得神照着祂圣别的性情，不会再留在百姓中间，因为营已经成为拜偶像的了。因此，摩西将先前在营里的帐棚支搭在营外，这一个行动乃是照着神的心意。
21Moses, an experienced person, knew that God according to His holiness would no longer stay among the people, for the camp had become idolatrous. Therefore, Moses took his tent, which formerly had been in the camp, and pitched it outside the camp. This action was according to God’s heart.
22摩西懂得神的心意，晓得他不能留在拜偶像的环境里，这就是他将帐棚迁到营外的原因。然后这个帐棚就成了神的帐棚。帐幕还没有建造起来，所以，摩西的帐棚就成了神与百姓相会的会幕。“摩西进会幕的时候，云柱降下来，立在会幕的门前，耶和华便与摩西说话。”（9。）百姓若要求问神，就必须到摩西的帐棚那里去。
22Knowing the heart of God, Moses realized that he could not stay in an idolatrous situation. This was the reason he moved his tent outside the camp. This tent then became the tent of God. The tabernacle had not yet been constructed. Hence, Moses’ tent became the tent of meeting for the meeting between God and His people. “And it came about, when Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the door of the tent, and He would speak with Moses” (v. 9). If the people wanted to seek God, they had to go to the tent of Moses.
23摩西在营外的帐棚是一个豫表。希伯来十三章十二至十三节有这个豫表的应验：“所以耶稣，要用自己的血叫百姓成圣，也就在城门外受苦。这样，我们也当出到营外就了祂去，忍受祂所受的凌辱。”主耶稣是在耶路撒冷城外被钉在十字架上。神的百姓弃绝了这位神所差遣者。即使祂是神的儿子，以色列人却在城外将祂钉在十字架上。希伯来十三章十三节劝我们，要出到营外去就基督；营是表征人的组织。 上一个世纪，有些教师的著作很强地论到这件事。他们指出今天的基督教就是一个“营”，这个营已经成为拜偶像的。主不愿留在这样一个拜偶像的营里。因为祂已经从营里出来，凡寻求主的，就必须出到营外就了祂去。我们需要去就这位被拜偶像的宗教所弃绝的主。我们需要离开拜偶像的营，去就那位被弃绝者，这是我们必须跟随的窄路。
23Moses’ tent outside the camp is a type. In Hebrews 13:12 and 13 we have the fulfillment of this type: “Wherefore also Jesus, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Let us therefore go forth unto Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.” The Lord Jesus was crucified outside the city of Jerusalem. The people of God rejected Him, the sent One of God. Even though He is the Son of God, the children of Israel had Him crucified outside the city. In Hebrews 13:13 we are urged to go forth unto Christ outside the camp, which signifies human organization. In the last century certain teachers wrote strongly on this matter. They pointed out that today’s Christianity is a “camp,” and this camp has become idolatrous. The Lord would not remain in such an idolatrous camp. Because He has come out of that camp, whoever seeks the Lord must go forth unto Him outside the camp. We need to go unto this rejected One, the One rejected by idolatrous religion. We need to leave the idolatrous camp and go to the rejected One. This is the narrow way we must follow.
24我们必须问问自己，我们仍旧在“营”里呢，还是已经出到营外去就主。我们也许能 彀作见证说，我们是在营外。然而，我们必须谨慎，免得又成了一个营。神的百姓中间一有了拜偶像的事，就成为一个营。
24We need to ask ourselves if we are still in the “camp,” or if we have gone forth unto the Lord outside the camp. We may be able to testify that we are outside the camp. Nevertheless, we need to be careful lest we again become a camp. As soon as there is idolatry among God’s people, they become a camp.
25摩西在这几章里所行的，都是照着神的心意。他照着神的心意为以色列人作了挽回祭，并且照着神的心意将他的帐棚迁到营外。因此，摩西有立场为神的同在和荣耀来与神讨价还价。（三三12～23。）
25Whatever Moses did in these chapters was according to God’s heart. He made propitiation in behalf of the children of Israel according to God’s heart, and he moved his tent outside the camp also according to God’s heart. Moses, therefore, had the ground to bargain with God for His presence and glory (33:12-23).
为着神的同在和荣耀与神讨价还价
Bargaining with God for His presence and glory
为着神的同在与百姓同去
For God’s presence to go with His people
26在三十三章十二至十七节，我们看见摩西与神讨价还价，为着祂的同在（祂的面）与祂所分别出来的百姓同去，作为他们当行的路。在十二至十三节摩西对主说：“你吩咐我说，将这百姓领上去，却没有叫我知道你要打发谁与我同去，只说，我按你的名认识你，你在我眼前也蒙了恩。我如今若在你眼前蒙恩，求你将你的道指示我，使我可以认识你，好在你眼前蒙恩；求你想到这民是你的民。”虽然摩西没有用言词将他的恳求完全清楚地表明出来，神却懂得。在十四节祂回答说：“我的同在必和你同去，使你得安息。”（另译。）然后摩西进一步对主说：“你的同在若不和我们同去，就不要把我们从这里领上去。人在何事上得知我和你的百姓，在你眼前蒙恩呢？岂不是因你与我们同去，使我和你的百姓，与地上的万民有分别么？”（15～16，另译。）主又一次同意摩西的恳求：“你这所求的我也要行，因为你在我眼前蒙了恩，并且我按你的名认识你。”（17。）
26In 33:12-17 we see that Moses bargained with God for His presence (His face) to go with the people He had set apart as the way for them to take. In verses 12 and 13 Moses said to the Lord, “See, You are saying to me, Bring up this people, but You have not let me know whom You will send with me; and yet You have said, I know you by name, and you have also found favor in My eyes. And now, I pray, if I have found favor in Your eyes, let me know, I pray, Your way, that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your eyes; and consider that this nation is Your people.” Although Moses did not make known his request altogether clearly in words, God understood him. In verse 14 He replied, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then Moses further said to the Lord, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. And by what shall it be known then that I have found favor in Your eyes, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, that we might be distinguished, I and Your people, from all the people which are on the face of the earth?” (vv. 15-16). Once again the Lord agreed to Moses’ request: “Even this thing which you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in My eyes, and I know you by name” (v. 17).
27如果我们仔细来读三十三章的这段话，我们就会看见，神的荣耀就是祂的同在，而祂的同在就是祂的道路。倘若我们有了神的同在，我们就有了祂的道路。神的同在就是“地图”，将我们当行的路指示我们。例如，神呼召亚伯拉罕的时候，没有确切地告诉他要往那里去，因为神的同在就是祂对亚伯拉罕的引导。在三十三章十二至十七节我们看见，摩西要神的同在和荣耀。摩西已经将神平息下来，但神表明祂不愿与他们同去。然而，摩西对于协议的条款，并不完全满意，所以他得寸进尺，问主谁要与百姓同去。摩西对祂说：“你没有叫我知道你要打发谁与我同去。”最终主同意摩西的要求，主的意思是说：“摩西，我会把你所要的赐给你，我晓得你要我与你同去，好罢，我会去的。”
27If we read this portion of chapter thirty-three carefully, we shall see that God’s glory is His presence, and His presence is His way. If we have God’s presence, we have His way. God’s presence is the “map” that shows us the way we should take. For example, when God called Abraham, He did not tell him exactly where to go, because God’s presence was itself His guidance of Abraham. In 33:12-17 we see that Moses wanted God’s presence and glory. God had already been appeased by Moses, but He had made it known that He would not go with them. However, Moses was not entirely satisfied with the terms of the agreement. Hence, after he had gained a certain amount of ground with the Lord, he sought to gain more ground. He did this by asking the Lord who it was that would go with the people. Moses said to Him, “You have not let me know whom You will send with me.” Eventually the Lord agreed to Moses’ request and seemed to say, “Moses, I will give you what you want. I know that you want Me to go with you. All right, I will go.”
为着神的荣耀显给他看
For God’s glory to be shown to Him
28摩西还没有完全满意，就继续对主说：“求你显出你的荣耀给我看。”（18。）摩西的确很老练，晓得怎样与主办交涉。我们应当跟摩西学习。正确的祷告不是献上宗教的祷告：反之，正确的祷告乃是与神亲密的交谈。
28Still not completely satisfied, Moses went on to say to the Lord, “Show me, I pray, Your glory” (v. 18). Moses surely was experienced and knew how to negotiate with the Lord. We should learn from Moses that the proper way to pray is not to offer religious prayers. On the contrary, it is to have prayers that are an intimate conversation with God.
29主回答摩西的要求说：“我要显我一切的恩慈，在你面前经过，宣告我的名；我要恩待谁，就恩待谁；要怜悯谁，就怜悯谁。又说，你不能看见我的面，因为人见我的面不能存活。”（19～20。）这里我们看见主的恩慈、尊名、恩惠、怜悯要直接向摩西显明并宣告出来。然而，主的面、主的荣耀不能给人看见。这里主的意思是说：“摩西，我能彀向你显明我的恩慈、恩惠、怜悯，我也能彀向你宣告我的名。但有一件事我不能作─我不能给你看见我的面。摩西，你若看见我的面，就必定死。故此，我不会让你看见我的面。”
29The Lord replied to Moses’ request by saying, “I will make all My goodness to pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of Jehovah before you; and I will show favor to whom I will show favor, and have compassion on whom I will have compassion. And He said, You cannot see My face, for no man shall see Me and live” (vv. 19-20). Here we see that the Lord’s goodness, name, favor, and compassion would be shown and proclaimed directly to Moses. However, the Lord’s face, His glory, could not be seen. Here the Lord seemed to be saying, “Moses, I can show you My goodness, My favor, and My compassion. I can also declare to you My name. But one thing I cannot do — I cannot show you My face. If you were to see My face, Moses, you would die. Therefore, for your sake, I will not let you see My face.”
30照三十三章二十一至二十三节来看，主对摩西说：“看哪，在我这里有地方，你要站在磐石上；我的荣耀经过的时候，我必将你放在磐石穴中，用我的手遮掩你，等我过去；然后我要将我的手收回，你就得见我的背，却不得见我的面。”基督就是裂开的磐石，是永久的磐石，为我们而裂开。惟有在钉十字架的基督里面，我们才能看见神。我无法将这个意义解释得透彻。我只能概略地说，在裂开的基督里面，我们多少能彀看见神。照三十三章二十三节来看，我们能彀看见祂的背，却不能看见祂的面。
30According to 33:21-23 the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, there is a place with Me, and you shall stand upon the rock. And it will come about, while My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with My hand until I have passed by. And I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.” Christ is the cleft rock, the everlasting rock cleft for us. Only in the crucified Christ can we see God. I am not able to explain in full what this means. I can only speak in a general way that in the cleft Christ we can see God to some extent. According to 33:23, we can see His back, but not His face.
31在这些经文里面，摩西跟神讨价还价已经达到了“底线”。摩西不能再与主交涉了， 他所能得着的他都得着了。他从主直接的话语晓得，他不能看见祂的面，只能看见祂的背。
31In these verses Moses’ bargaining with God has reached the “bottom line.” Moses could not proceed further in his negotiations with the Lord. He had received everything that he could receive. He realized from the Lord’s direct word that he could not see His face, only His back.
几个难解的问题
Some difficult questions
32在这一段话里，有几个神学上的问题还没有获得解答。首先，在三十三章二节主说，祂要差遣使者在百姓前面。没有疑问，这里的使者是指基督，而基督就是神自己。只要基督与百姓同去，意思就是神与他们同去。那么，为甚么神说祂的使者要去，而祂自己不去呢？不但如此，摩西再讨价还价以后，为甚么神说祂的同在要与他们同去。神说，祂的使者和祂的同在要与百姓同去。使者是指基督，而同在实际上就是神的面。因此，我们有一个问题：神的使者和神的同在要与百姓同去，然而神仍说，他自己不与他们同去。
32In this portion of the Word there are some theological problems for which there is no solution. First, in 33:2 the Lord said that He would send His angel before the people. No doubt, the angel here refers to Christ, and Christ is God Himself. As long as Christ goes with the people, this means that God goes with them. Why, then, did God say that His angel would go, but that He Himself would not go? Furthermore, why, after further bargaining by Moses, did God say that His presence would go with them? God said that both His angel and His presence would go with the people. The angel refers to Christ, and the presence actually denotes God’s face. Therefore, we have the problem of God’s angel and His presence going with the people, yet God still said that He Himself would not go with them.
33另一个问题与神在二十节论到看见祂的面有关。主说：“你不能看见我的面，因为人见我的面不能存活。”然而十一节说：“耶和华与摩西面对面说话，好像人与同伴说话一般。”（另译。）我们怎样才能解释这一点呢？
33Another problem is related to God’s word to Moses in verse 20 concerning seeing His face. The Lord said, “You cannot see My face, for no man shall see Me and live.” However, verse 11 says, “Jehovah would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his companion.” How can we explain this?
34此外，在这些经文里面，我们看见神的面就是神的荣耀，神的荣耀就是神的同在，而神的同在就是祂的面，这些我们怎样来领会？
34Furthermore, in these verses we see that God’s face is His glory, that His glory is His presence, and that His presence is His face. How are we to understand all this?
35我已经指明，这些问题我还没有解答。我只能照着我们对神之所是有限的领会来说。就一面说，我们能彀与神面对面说话。但就另一面说，我们不能看见神的面。这不是矛盾，而是程度的问题。
35As I have indicated, I do not have the solution to these problems. I can only speak according to our limited understanding of what God is. In a sense, we can talk to God face to face. But in another sense, we cannot see God’s face. This is not a contradiction. Rather, it is a matter of degree or extent.
36神的使者与百姓同去，原则也是一样。神的使者与以色列人同去，意思是说，神多少也与他们同去。神的荣耀与他们同去，意思是说，神进一步与他们同去。在出埃及记十四章我们看见，神的使者是一回事，而云柱是另一回事。（19。）神的使者和云柱都在那里引路。然而以色列人可能有一样，而没有另一样。当然，两者兼有更好。
36The principle is the same with God’s angel going with the people. For the angel of God to go with the children of Israel meant that to a certain extent God went with them. For God’s glory to go with them meant that God went with them to a further extent. In Exodus 14 we see that the angel of God is one thing and the pillar of cloud is another (v. 19). Both the angel of God and the pillar of cloud were there leading the way. It was possible, however, for the children of Israel to have one without the other. It is better, of course, to have both.
37摩西将他的帐棚支搭在营外以后，神的荣耀就在会幕的门前，而不在营里。这指明神的同在是在摩西的帐棚门口，而不在营里。然而，我们不该说，神完全不在营里与以色列人同在。这个原则今天可以应用在我们身上。我们可以说，基督徒中间有拜偶像的事，神的荣耀就不在这样的环境里。然而，我们不能绝对地说，神一点不在这些基督徒中间。我们已经指出，这是程度的问题。
37After Moses pitched his tent outside the camp, God’s glory was at the door of the tent, but it was not within the camp. This indicates that God’s presence was at the door of Moses’ tent, not in the camp. However, we should not say that God was not at all in the camp with the children of Israel. This principle applies to us today. We may say that God’s glory is not present in a situation where there is idolatry among Christians. However, we cannot say absolutely that God is not among these Christians. As we have pointed out, this is a matter of degree.
38由三十二章三十节至三十三章二十三节，我们学到一个严肃的功课，就是我们必须懂得神的心意，也必须是一个照着神心意的人。然后我们就会和摩西一样有神的同在。摩西完全有神的同在，但对以色列人来说，神的同在却非常有限，因为他们远离了神的心意。然而，摩西是非常接近神的心意，他是一个照着神心意的人。这就是他完全有神同在的原因。我们都必须晓得，惟有像摩西这样的人，才能作神的同伴。惟有这样的人，才能与神有共同的兴趣，并且被神用来执行祂在地上的事业。
38From 32:30—33:23 we learn the serious lesson that we need to know God’s heart and also be a person according to God’s heart. Then we shall have God’s presence as Moses did. Moses had God’s presence to the full extent. But the children of Israel had God’s presence in a very limited way, for they were far from God’s heart. Moses, however, was a person very near to God’s heart, a person according to His heart. This was the reason he could have God’s presence to the full extent. We all need to learn that only a person like Moses can be a companion of God. Only this kind of person can share a common interest with God and be used by God to carry out His enterprise on earth.