创世记生命读经 · 第107篇

约瑟和便雅悯的属灵意义（三）

The Spiritual Significance of Joseph and Benjamin (3)

1我们已经多次指出，创世记四十九章中雅各祝福的记载，是开始于一个罪人，结束于宇宙的福和永远的居所。我们对圣经若有正确的认识，就会看见整本圣经的结果，乃是神宇宙的福和祂永远的居所。我们要在宇宙的福之下，成为神永远的居所，直到永远。这就是新天新地同新耶路撒冷。新天新地乃是宇宙之福的范围。我们要在这福之下，使我们能成为新耶路撒冷。按照启示录二十一、二十二章的图画，在新天新地的环境里，没有别的，只有祝福，而且是福上加福。在那个环境里，对于新耶路撒冷，神永远的居所，一切都是福。我们这些神的选民，将是那在宇宙之福下的居所。这是圣经启示的终极完成。非常有趣的是，我们看见雅各豫言的祝福这段简短的记载，牠的结语与整本圣经的结语一样。虽然在创世记头两章没有罪，但在第三章罪进来了。在创世记三章的罪人，是真流便。但在圣经末两章有真约瑟和真便雅悯。我们可以说，约瑟是宇宙之福的标记，所有的福都临到那与弟兄迥别之人的头上。便雅悯是神永远居所的表征。阿利路亚，今天主恢复中的召会是宇宙之福和永远居所的小影！在众召会中，我们福上加福。在这样的福下，我们是神的居所。

1As we have pointed out a number of times, the record of Jacob’s blessing found in Genesis 49 begins with a sinner and ends with the universal blessing and the eternal dwelling. If we have a proper knowledge of the Bible, we shall see that the entire Bible issues in the universal blessing of God and in His eternal dwelling. For eternity, we shall be under the universal blessing to be God’s eternal dwelling. This is the new heaven and the new earth with the New Jerusalem. The new heaven and new earth will be a realm of universal blessing. We shall be under this blessing in order that we may be the New Jerusalem. According to the picture in Revelation 21 and 22, in the environment of the new heaven and new earth there is nothing but blessing, blessing upon blessing. Everything in that environment will be a blessing to the New Jerusalem, God’s eternal dwelling. We, God’s chosen people, shall be that dwelling within and under the universal blessing. This is the ultimate consummation of the revelation of the Bible. It is very interesting to see that the short record of Jacob’s prophetic blessing issues in the same conclusion as does the entire Bible. Although there is no sin in the first two chapters of Genesis, sin enters the scene in chapter three. The sinner in Genesis chapter three was a real Reuben. However, in the last two chapters of the Bible, there will be the real Joseph and Benjamin. We may say that Joseph is the sign of the universal blessing. All the blessings are upon the head of the one who was separate from his brothers. Benjamin is the symbol of God’s eternal dwelling. Hallelujah, the church in the Lord’s recovery today is a miniature of the universal blessing and the eternal dwelling! In the churches we have blessing upon blessing. Under such a blessing, we are the dwelling of God

2福和居所这两件事，可在新约书信里看到。也许很少基督徒注意到书信里这两件事，但这二者乃是书信的大纲，因为所有的书信都是说到神的祝福。用以弗所书为范例，以弗所一章三节说，『我们主耶稣基督的神与父，是当受颂赞的，祂在基督里，曾用诸天界里各样属灵的福分，祝福了我们。』这里有祝福的事。以弗所一章二十三节说到身体，二章二十二节说到居所，这二者都是神居所的象征。在以弗所三章十六、十七节，使徒保罗祷告，求父藉著祂的灵，使我们得以加强到里面的人里，使基督安家在我们心里。因此在短短的以弗所书里，福和居所都包括在内了。神用诸天界里各样属灵的福分，祝福了我们，目的在使我们成为祂的居所。

2These two matters, blessing and dwelling, are found in the New Testament Epistles. Probably not many Christians have paid attention to these matters in the Epistles. But these two words provide the outline of the Epistles, for all the Epistles are on God’s blessing. Take Ephesians as a representative illustration. Ephesians 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ.” Here we have the matter of the blessings. Ephesians 1:23 speaks of the Body, and Ephesians 2:22 speaks of the habitation, both of which are symbols of God’s dwelling. In Ephesians 3:16 and 17 the Apostle Paul prayed that the Father would strengthen us through His Spirit into the inner man that Christ may make His home in our hearts. Hence, in the short book of Ephesians, both the blessings and the dwelling are covered. God has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings in the heavenlies for the purpose that we might become His dwelling.

3你若要我说书信启示些甚么，我要说书信启示了福和居所的事。但要看见这事，我们需要光和异象。没有光和异象，我们可能把书信读了一遍又一遍，仍然只看见一些嘱咐的话，就如妻子要服从丈夫，丈夫要爱妻子，要赎回光阴，要殷勤，要爱邻舍。我们若没有光和异象，而用天然的眼光看书信，我们主要的会看到这些次要的点，忽略了书信中的福和居所。新约就是论到福和居所的事。创世记四十九章包含这么多超越和奇妙的点！我何等感谢主，雅各的第一个儿子是流便，末两个儿子是约瑟和便雅悯！假如约瑟和便雅悯是头两个儿子，流便是末一个儿子，一切就要倒过来了。赞美主，从前我们是流便，但今天我们是约瑟和便雅悯！我能见证，我是今日的约瑟和便雅悯。日日夜夜，我在神的祝福之下，我也是神的居所。即使那些在国中和高中的少年人，也必是约瑟和便雅悯。在我们进入召会以前，我们从不知道约瑟和便雅悯的意义。但我们在主的恢复里，如果我们不是约瑟和便雅悯，那么谁是？你不是约瑟和便雅悯么？你不在神宇宙的福之下么？你不是神永远的居所么？我既是今日的便雅悯，神就住在我里面，不仅在我里面，还在我两肩之中。

3If you would ask me to say what the Epistles reveal, I would say that they reveal the matters of blessing and dwelling. To see this, however, we need light and vision. Without light and vision, we may read the Epistles again and again and see only things such as the charge for wives to submit to their husbands and for husbands to love their wives, to redeem the time, to be diligent, and to love our neighbors. If we view the Epistles with our natural sight, without the light and the vision, we shall mainly see these minor points and miss the blessing and the dwelling in the Epistles. The New Testament is concerned with the matters of blessing and dwelling. So many excellent and wonderful points are covered in Genesis 49. How I thank the Lord that Jacob’s first son was Reuben and that the last two were Joseph and Benjamin! If Joseph and Benjamin had been the first two and Reuben the last, everything would have been upside down. Praise the Lord that once we were Reubens, but today we are Josephs and Benjamins! I can testify that I am today’s Joseph and Benjamin. Day and night, I am under God’s blessing, and I am God’s dwelling place. Even the young people, those in junior high and high school, must be Josephs and Benjamins. Before we came into the church, we never realized the significance of Joseph and Benjamin. But if we in the Lord’s recovery are not Josephs and Benjamins, then who is? Are you not a Joseph and a Benjamin? Are you not under God’s universal blessing, and are you not God’s eternal dwelling? As today’s Benjamin, God dwells in me, and not only in me, but between my shoulders

ｉ得胸和腹的福

I. With the Blessings of the Breasts and the Womb

4在上篇信息里，我们说过宇宙之福的前八方面。在对约瑟的祝福里，雅各用了许多诗意的说法，就如上古之山，永世之岭，至极的边界。这些特别的说法指明时间和空间，就是从上古到永世所有的时间，以及从天上到地上所有的空间。因此这些诗意的说法是指宇宙的福，因为时间加上空间就等于宇宙。我们有充满整个宇宙的福。在任何时间，任何空间，我们都在这福之下。神的福充满了宇宙，从已过的永远到将来的永远，从诸天之上到地底下的深处。随处随时。没有别的，只有祝福。哦，我们都必须看见这异象，并有这认识！无须等候新天新地来临，因为在今天的召会生活中，我们就豫尝这宇宙的福。

4In the previous message we covered the first eight aspects of the universal blessing. In his blessing of Joseph, Jacob used many poetic expressions, such as ancient mountains, eternal hills, and the utmost bound of the eternal hills. These particular expressions indicate time and space, all time from the ancient times to eternity and all space from heaven to under the earth. Hence, these poetic expressions refer to the universal blessing, for time plus space equals the universe. We have a blessing that fills the entire universe. Throughout time and space, we are under this blessing. God’s blessing fills the universe, from eternity past to eternity future and from the heavens above to the depths underneath the earth. Everywhere and at every time there is nothing but blessing. Oh, we all must see this vision and have this realization! There is no need to wait for the coming of the new heaven and the new earth, for in the church life today we are in the foretaste of this universal blessing.

5虽然赐给约瑟的前八项福是宇宙性的，但这些福相当普通。你若观察这些福。会看见其中不包括生命，也没有居所。因此我们需要来看最后两项，一项与生命有关，另一项与居所有关。要记得，创世记四十九章的记载是诗意的，而诗中常用各种象征。一幅图画或一个象征能顶替千言万语。在神的默示下，雅各在四十九章二十五节说到『胸和腹的福。』（直译。）在这诗意的说法上，腹表征生命的生产，生命的生育，胸表征生命的乳养。在神的创造里，祂只赐福给活物和人。（创一22，28。）祂没有赐福给头四天所创造的。祂没有赐福给太阳、月亮、众星或地上的菜蔬。但神在第五天赐福给水中的活物，和空中的飞鸟，并在第六天赐福给人。因此神在祂一切创造的工作里，只赐福给活物和人。这给我们一个印象，神是为著生命。神的心意是要得著生产的生命。约瑟得了胸和腹的福，这事实指明他得了生育和乳养的福。这些图画不该应用在动物的生命，甚至也不该应用在人的生命，而该应用在永远的生命。永远的生命是最高的生命，最多产的生命。在新约中，我们看见生产的生命不是动物的生命，也不是人的生命，乃是永远的生命。今天我们在召会中，正在经历永远的生命作生产的生命。在召会许多项的祝福中，包括胸和腹的福，就是生产和乳养的生命。

5Although the first eight items of the blessing bestowed upon Joseph are universal, they are rather common. If you examine them, you will see that nothing of life is involved; neither is there anything of dwelling. Hence, we need to consider the last two items, one of which involves life and the other, dwelling. Remember, the record in Genesis 49 is poetic and poetry often uses symbols. One picture or symbol can take the place of a thousand words. Under the inspiration of God, in 49:25 Jacob spoke of “blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.” In this poetic utterance, the womb signifies the producing of life, the begetting of life, and the breasts signify the nourishment of life. In His creation, God only blessed the living creatures and man (1:22, 28). He did not bless His work accomplished on the first four days. He did not bless the sun, the moon, the stars, or the vegetation on the earth. But on the fifth day God blessed the living creatures in the waters and the fowl in the air, and on the sixth day He blessed man. Thus, among all the works of His creation, God blessed only the living creatures and man. This impresses us with the fact that God is for life. God’sin tent i on is to have the producing life. The fact that Joseph was blessed with the blessings of the womb and of the breasts indicates that he was blessed with the begetting and nourishing life. These figures should not be applied to the animal life, nor even to the human life, but to the eternal life. The eternal life is the highest life, the most productive life. In the New Testament we see that the producing life is not the animal life nor the human life, but the eternal life. Today we in the church are experiencing the eternal life as the producing life. The many items of blessing in the church include the breasts and the womb, the producing and nourishing life

6请看启示录二十一、二十二章的图画。在这两章有新天新地和新耶路撒冷。在新耶路撒冷有生命水的河，在这生命水的河中长著生命树。在整个新天新地同新耶路撒冷，中心的项目乃是涌流的生命。毫无疑问，也有宇宙之福其他的各方面，就如诸天的福、甘露的福、地的福、地底下宝物22的福。但启示录二十一、二十二章并没有题其他的东西，只题生命的涌流和生命树，这些都是给人滋养的东西。如果你只照著白纸黑字读创世记四十九章，就不会看见生产和乳养生命的事。你必须进入这一章所用诗意表达的属灵意义。阿利路亚，在召会生活中我们有生命的福，有胸和腹的福，有涌流河水的福！

6Look at the picture given in Revelation 21 and 22. In these chapters we have the new heaven, the new earth, and the New Jerusalem. In the New Jerusalem there is the river of water of life. In this river of life grows the tree of life. In the entire new heaven and new earth with the New Jerusalem, the central item is the flowing life. No doubt, all the other aspects of the universal blessing are present, such as the blessing of the heavens, the blessing of the dew, the blessing of the earth, and the blessing of the things beneath the earth. But Revelation 21 and do not mention the other things. These chapters mention only the flowing of life with the tree of life, something that provides nourishment. If you simply read Genesis 49 according to the black and white, you will not see the matter of the producing and nourishing life. You must get into the spiritual significance of the poetic expressions used in this chapter. Hallelujah, in the church life we have the blessing of life, the blessing of the breasts and of the womb, the blessing of the flowing river!

7我们若有了一切的福，却没有胸和腹的福，就指明我们没有生产和乳养的生命。若是这样，我们就是一个可怜的召会。假如把地上生产的动物和人挪去，宇宙的整个意义就失去了。整个宇宙的意义就在于动物的生命，特别在于人的生命。假如在南加州有草、花、树木，没有动物或人，天使看见这样的光景，会说这里虽然满了祝福，但是缺少生命。天使欢喜看见地上这么多的活物。在召会生活中，我们享受胸和腹的福，生产和乳养的福。在今天的召会生活中，我们的确有涌流的生命。在新耶路撒冷，我们要有更多涌流的生命。

7If we have every blessing except the blessing of the breasts and of the womb, this signifies that we are without the producing and nourishing life. If that is the case, we are a poor church. If the producing animals and human beings were taken away from the earth, the whole meaning of the universe would be lost. The meaning of the entire universe depends upon the animal life and especially upon the human life. Suppose in Southern California there were grass, flowers, and trees, but no animals or human beings. When the angels saw such a situation, they would say that it was full of blessing, yet short of life. But the angels are happy to see so many living creatures on earth. In the church life we enjoy the womb and the breasts, the producing and the nourishing. In the church life today we certainly have a flowing life. In the New Jerusalem, we shall have it even more

ｊ得住荆棘中者的喜悦

J. With the Good Pleasure of Him Who Dwelt in the Bush

8最后，约瑟得著『住荆棘中者的美意。』（申三三16，直译。）宇宙之福的最后一项是神的居所。那位住在荆棘中的，有一个美意，一个喜悦。任何住在荆棘中的人，都指望有一个较好的家。你若住在荆棘中，你的心意必然是要有一个较好的家。我不愿和你住在荆棘中，但我愿意和你住在较好的家里。假设一位住在荆棘中的青年人，想要和一位女子结婚，那青年人的美意，乃是要和他的妻子婚后住在美好的房子里。在帐幕造好以前，主是住在荆棘中。（出三4。）神把祂的子民以色列人从埃及拯救出来，用意是要他们首先为祂建造帐幕，然后建造圣殿。摩西看见了神在荆棘中的异象，神从荆棘中对摩西说话。但在利未记一章一节，神从帐幕中对摩西说话。神用这个美意祝福以色列人。这是神最高的心意，用以祝福祂的选民。神用上好的福，就是得著祂的居所，祝福以色列人。有甚么福比这福更大？至终，罪人亚伦竟能进入至圣所中神的面前。还有甚么福能比这福更大？最高的福乃是进入神的居所，留在祂的面前。甚至我们自己也成了这个居所。

8Finally, Joseph was blessed with “the good will of him that dwelt in the bush” (Deut. 33:16). The last item of the universal blessing is God’s dwelling. The One who dwelt in the bush has a good will, a good pleasure. Anyone who lived in a bush would expect to have a better home. If you were dwelling in a bush, your good will would be to have a better home. I would not like to live in the bush with you, but I would like to live with you in a better home. Suppose a young man who lives in a bush desires to marry a certain young lady. The good will of the one in the bush is to live with his wife in a nice house after they are married. Before the tabernacle was built, the Lord dwelt in the bush (Exo. 3:4). God delivered His people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt with the intention that they would build first the tabernacle and then a temple for Him. Moses saw a vision of God in the bush, and God spoke to Moses from the bush. But in Leviticus 1:1 God spoke to Moses out of the tabernacle. God blessed the children of Israel with this good will. This is God’s best will, with which He has blessed His chosen people. God has blessed the children of Israel with the best blessing— to have His dwelling. What blessing could be greater than this? Eventually, Aaron, a sinner, is able to enter into the presence of God in the Holy of Holies. What blessing could be greater? The highest blessing is to enter into God’s dwelling and stay in His presence. Even we ourselves become this dwelling.

9在这一点上我要指出，我们不能照著天然的观念明白圣经。虽然你可以读圣经，还能背诵很多经节，但除非你有异象，你就不能看见甚么。你若听到了关于神居所的话，出埃及记对你就成了一卷新书。出埃及记开始于神在荆棘中对摩西说话的异象，用意是要摩西有一天把以色列人从埃及领到旷野，为神建造一个帐幕。这是何等的福！在整本旧约里，没有福比神居所的福更高、更大、更甜美的了。作诗的人常表达他们渴望在神的殿中。诗篇八十四篇十节说，『在你的院宇住一日，胜似在别处住千日；宁可在我神殿中看门，不愿住在恶人的帐棚里。』没有一种福像神居所的福那样甜美、浩大。这是终极的福。新耶路撒冷称为神的帐幕。当主耶稣成为肉体时，祂是神的帐幕。（约一1，14。）祂也是神的殿。（约二19，21。）接著召会被建造成为神的殿。（林前三16。）至终整个新耶路撒冷要成为永远的帐幕，就是神所赐中心的福。新天新地是福，这福的中心却是新耶路撒冷，就是神的帐幕。在新耶路撒冷，神要与我们同在，我们要同祂居住。

9At this point I wish to point out that we cannot understand the Bible according to our natural concept. Although you may read the Bible and be able to recite many verses, you cannot see anything until the vision comes. If you hear this word about God’s dwelling, Exodus will be a new book to you. The book of Exodus begins with the vision of God in the bush speaking to Moses with the intention that one day Moses would lead the children of Israel out of Egypt into the wilderness to build a tabernacle for God. What a blessing! In the entire Old Testament, there is no blessing higher, greater, or sweeter than the blessing of God’s dwelling place. Often the psalmists expressed their desire to be in God’stem ple. Psalm 84:10 says, “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” No blessing is as sweet or great as the blessing of God’s dwelling. This is the ultimate blessing. The New Jerusalem is called the tabernacle of God. When the Lord Jesus became flesh, He was a tabernacle of God (John 1:1, 14). He was also God’stem ple (John 2:19, 21). Following Him, the church was built up to be God’stem ple (1 Cor. 3:16). Eventually, the entire New Jerusalem will be an eternal tabernacle, the central blessing among God’s blessings. The new heaven and new earth will be a blessing, but the center of that blessing will be the New Jerusalem, God’s tabernacle. In the New Jerusalem God will dwell with us, and we shall dwell by Him

５居住

V. DWELT

10ａ耶和华住在便雅悯两肩之中创世记四十九章二十七节说，便雅悯是撕掠的狼。但申命记三十三章十二节说，他是『耶和华所亲爱的，必同耶和华安然居住，耶和华终日遮蔽他，也住在他两肩之中。』对仇敌，便雅悯是撕掠的狼。但按照申命记，便雅悯是耶和华所亲爱的。撕掠的狼怎能成为耶和华所亲爱的？耶和华爱便雅悯这个撕掠的狼，因为神的居所在便雅悯境内。很多基督徒以为圣殿所在地的耶路撒冷是在犹大境内。但耶路撒冷是在便雅悯境内，非常靠近犹大。君王出自犹大，京城耶路撒冷却在便雅悯。这京城是神居所的所在地。按照地理，便雅悯的境界形同两肩，耶路撒冷位于两肩之中。所以耶和华住在便雅悯两肩之中。当然，位于我们身体上两肩之中的乃是头。这指明申命记三十三章十二节的居住者是头。居住在圣殿中的那位神是头。这意思就是在神的居所里，有作头的身分，有主权的地位。申命记三十三章十二节的话是诗。多年前，这一节对我完全是个谜。我不知道说神住在便雅悯两肩之中，是甚么意思。经过多年研读圣经以及对主的经历，我才开始明白。你若察看自己的经历，就会领悟神住在我们两肩之中作我们的头，是何等的真实。甚么时候我们有神的居所，我们就有了头。因此，在新耶路撒冷城内有宝座。

10A. By the Lord between Benjamin’s Shoulders Genesis 49:27 says that Benjamin is a tearing wolf Heb.). But Deuteronomy 33:12 says of him, “The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.” To the enemy, Benjamin is a tearing wolf. Nevertheless, according to Deuteronomy, Benjamin is the beloved of the Lord. How could a tearing wolf be the beloved of the Lord? The Lord loves Benjamin, the tearing wolf, because God’s dwelling place was in the territory of Benjamin. Many Christians think that Jerusalem, where the temple was located, is in the territory of Judah. However, it is in the territory of Benjamin, very close to Judah. The kings came out of Judah, but the capital, Jerusalem, was in Benjamin. The capital was the site of God’s dwelling place. According to geography, the territory of Benjamin is shaped like two shoulders, and Jerusalem is located between the two shoulders. Hence, the Lord dwelt between the shoulders of Benjamin. It is the head, of course, that dwells between the two shoulders of our body. This indicates that the dweller in Deuteronomy 33:12 is the Head. The very God who dwells in the temple is the Head. This means that in God’s dwelling there is the headship, the lordship. The language of Deuteronomy 33:12 is poetic. Years ago, this verse was altogether a puzzle to me. I did not know what it meant to say that God dwelt between the shoulders of Benjamin. But after years of studying the Bible and of experience with the Lord, I began to understand. If you consider your experience, you will realize how real it is that God dwells between our shoulders to be our Head. Whenever we have God’s dwelling, we have the headship. Thus, there is the throne within the city of New Jerusalem

11申命记三十三章十二节也说，耶和华要终日遮蔽便雅悯。耶和华如何遮蔽便雅悯？帐幕就是遮蔽，因为启示录七章十五节说，『坐宝座的要用帐幕覆庇他们。』神的建造是帐幕，而帐幕是遮蔽。这个帐幕是基督，也是召会。今天我们是在基督的遮蔽下，也是在召会的遮蔽下，因为基督和召会都是神遮蔽我们的居所，我们就住在其中。

11Deuteronomy 33:12 also says that the Lord will cover Benjamin all the day long. How did the Lord cover Benjamin? The tabernacle was a covering, for Revelation 7:15 says, “He who sits upon the throne shall spread His tabernacle over them.” God’s building is a tabernacle, and a tabernacle is an overshadowing. This tabernacle is both Christ and the church. Today we are under the overshadowing of Christ and the overshadowing of the church, for both Christ and the church are the overshadowing dwelling place of God under which we are dwelling

ｂ便雅悯同耶和华安然居住

B. Benjamin Dwelling in Safety by the Lord

12申命记三十三章十二节说，便雅悯同耶和华安然居住。便雅悯是耶和华的邻舍。因他住在耶和华隔壁，他就能安然居住。同样，只要我们住在主旁边，我们也是平安的。虽然我们还没有很多的经历，但无论如何我们可以见证，我们是今日的便雅悯，神的居所在我们两肩之中，我们全人在祂的遮蔽之下。祂是主，祂的王座与我们同在。我们有居所，祂在这里，我们住在祂旁边。神与我们是邻舍，这是何等的福！

12Deuteronomy 33:12 says that Benjamin will dwell in safety by the Lord. Benjamin will be a neighbor of the Lord. Because he lives next door to the Lord, he dwells in safety. Likewise, as long as we dwell by the Lord, we are safe. Although we may not have very much experience yet, we nonetheless can testify that we are today’s Benjamin, that God has His dwelling place between our shoulders, and that all our being is under His overshadowing. He is the Lord, and His kingly throne is with us. We have the dwelling, He is here, and we are dwelling by Him. God and we are neighbors. What a blessing!

13你若接受圣经第一卷书中神居所的观念，并在这个光中读诗篇，诗篇对你就是新的。全部诗篇都是关于神的居所这件事。有许多经节说到城、殿、家、居所或帐幕。我们若把这些经节都放在一起，就看见诗篇完全是关于神的居所。在一篇诗中摩西说，『主阿，你世世代代作我们的居所。』（诗九十1。）我们若要以主作我们的住处，我们首先必须作祂的住处。神若还没有在地上建造居所，我们绝不能以祂作我们的住处。但祂在地上有了居所时，祂就成了我们的住处，我们也成了祂的住处。这就是所谓相互的住处，启示于约翰十四、十五章，特别是在『你们要住在我里面，我也住在你们里面』（约十五4）这句话里。『你们要住在我里面，』这是我们的住处；『我也住在你们里面，』这是祂的住处。在约翰十四章二十三节，主耶稣清楚的说，『人若爱我，就必遵守我的话，我父也必爱他，并且我们要到他那里去，同他安排住处。』我们要成为神的居所，神也要成为我们的居所。我们若都为这事赞美主，我们就要在祂的居所中与祂同住。在宇宙之福的十方面，最后一方面乃是居所。因此，至终一切的福都完成于居所。神给我们这么多项的福，原因是要我们成为祂的居所。神为甚么救你？乃是为著祂的居所。神为甚么给你恩上加恩？乃是为著祂的居所，神今天为甚么为你作一切的事？全是为著祂的居所。一切的福都是完成于神的居所。这是神的美意，神的心愿。神所要的就是居所。这启示在以赛亚六十六章一、二节。在以赛亚六十六章一节，我们看到天是神的座位，地是神的脚凳，但神却没有安息的地方。许多基督徒想到天上去，对他们来说，天是可爱的地方。但神不像这些基督徒那样爱天。祂要一个安息的地方。以赛亚六十六章二节启示，神安息的地方既不是天，也不是地，乃是人。神在寻找人。这一节说，『我所看顾的就是灵里贫穷痛悔，因我话而战兢的人。』（直译。）这一节和马太五章三节相符：『灵里贫穷的人有福了，因为诸天的国是他们的。』那是神安息的人，乃是灵里贫穷痛悔的人。神的美意是要得著这样的人。神的旨意是要我们灵里贫穷痛悔，为祂倒空。但我们的灵若充满了神以外的事物，我们就不是灵里贫穷的。在这种情形下，神就无法与我们同住。今天许多基督徒灵里是满的。他们装满了许多东西，甚至是基要的道理，以致灵里没有空位给主。神需要一个倒空的灵。祂的愿望是要你的灵为祂倒空。灵里贫穷的人，他们的灵是空的，没有被霸占，豫备好让主进来。按照以赛亚六十六章一、二节，那些在灵里贫穷痛悔的人，乃是神安息的地方。在整个宇宙中，无论在天上或地上，没有别的地方是神的安息。我们既是灵里贫穷痛悔的人，就应当能说，『主阿，请进来。主阿，我是空的，没有被霸占，我为著你已经豫备好了。请进来，居住在我里面，安家在我里面。』无论你在召会生活中多久，你需要有这样的祷告，求主住在你里面。在以弗所三章十六、十七节，使徒保罗祷告，求父藉著祂的灵，用大能使我们得以加强到里面的人里，使基督安家在我们心里。保罗祷告，求基督能住在我们里面。这不仅是爱主或事奉主的问题；这是祂安家在我们里面的问题。我们事奉祂还不如我们成为祂的居所那样使祂满足。我们都必须是主的居所。这是祂所愿望的，这是祂所寻求的，这也是祂的美意。至极的福乃是成为神的居所。祂的居所也是我们的居所。当我们的神得著安息，我们也在祂的居所中寻得安息。神的居所并我们与神同住的观念，在新旧约里随处都能找到。历世历代，神一直渴望有一个居所。很遗憾，大多数神的子民没有看见这点。但今天在祂恢复里，神一再为著祂居所的事临到我们。我不是在说我没有经历过的事。在已过二十五或三十年中，每当我打开圣经，我主要看到的就是一件事－神的居所。在圣经中许多章节都说到神渴望有一个居所。这是神的心愿，神的美意。你若得了那住荆棘中者的美意为祝福，你就是最蒙福的人。

13If you take this concept of God’s dwelling found in the first book of the Bible and read the book of Psalms in the light of it, the Psalms will be new to you. The entire book of Psalms is concerned with this matter of God’s dwelling. Many verses concern the city, the temple, the house, the dwelling place, or the tabernacle. If we put all these verses together, we see that the Psalms are absolutely concerned with God’s dwelling. It was in one of the Psalms that Moses said, “Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations” (Psa. 90:1). If we would take the Lord as our habitation, we must firstly be His habitation. If God has no dwelling built up on earth, we could never have Him as our habitation. But when He has a dwelling on earth, He becomes our habitation and we become His habitation. This is what is called the mutual habitation, which is revealed in John 14 and 15, particularly in the words, “Abide in Me and I in you” (John 15:4). “Abide in Me”—this is our habitation; “and I in you”—this is His habitation. In John 14:23 the Lord Jesus said clearly, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make an abode with him.” We shall be God’s dwelling, and He will be our habitation. If we all praise the Lord for this, we shall be with Him in His dwelling place. The last of the ten aspects of the universal blessing is the matter of dwelling. Thus, eventually all the blessings consummate in the dwelling. The reason God gives us so many items of blessing is that we may be His dwelling. Why did God save you? It was for His dwelling. Why does He give you grace upon grace? For His dwelling. Why is God doing everything for you today? It is all for His dwelling. All the blessings issue in God’s dwelling. This is God’s good will, the desire of God’she art. What God wants is a dwelling place. This is revealed in Isaiah 66:1 and 2. In Isaiah 66:1 we see that heaven is God’s throne and the earth is His footstool, but God does not yet have a place of rest. Many Christians think of going to heaven. To them, heaven is a lovely place. But God does not love heaven as much as these Christians do. He wants a place of rest. Isaiah 66:2 reveals that God’s resting place is neither heaven nor earth, but man. God is looking to a man. This verse says, “To this man will I look, to the poor and contrite in spirit, who trembleth at my word” (Heb.). This verse corresponds to Matthew 5:3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens.” The kind of man who is God’s rest is a man who is poor and contrite in spirit. God’s good will is to have this kind of man. God’s will is that we would be poor and contrite in our spirit, empty for Him. However, if our spirits are filled with things other than God, we are not poor in our spirit. If such is the case, God cannot have His dwelling with us. Many Christians today are full in their spirit. They are filled with so many things, even fundamental things, that there is no room in their spirit for the Lord. God needs a vacant spirit. His desire is that your spirit would be made vacant for Him. One who is poor in spirit is one whose spirit is vacant, unoccupied, ready for the Lord to come in. According to Isaiah 66:1 and 2 those who are poor and contrite in spirit are the place of God’s rest. No other place in the entire universe, in the heavens or on the earth, is God’s rest. As those poor and contrite in spirit, we should be able to say, “Lord, come in. Lord, I’m vacant, unoccupied, ready for You. Come in, make Your dwelling in me, and settle Yourself in me.” No matter how long you have been in the church life, you need to pray such a prayer, to ask the Lord to have His dwelling in you. In Ephesians 3:16 and 17 the Apostle Paul prayed that the Father would strengthen us with power through His Spirit into our inner man so that Christ may make His home in our hearts. Paul prayed that Christ would be able to dwell in us. It is not simply a matter of loving the Lord or of serving Him; it is a matter of His making His home in us. The service we render the Lord will not satisfy Him as much as our becoming His dwelling place. We all must be the Lord’s dwelling. This is what He desires, and this is what He is seeking. This is God’s good will. The uttermost blessing is to become God’s dwelling place. His dwelling is also our dwelling. When our God is at rest, we also find rest in His dwelling. This concept of God’s dwelling and of our dwelling with Him is found throughout the Old Testament and the New. Throughout the centuries and the generations, God has been desiring a dwelling place. Sorry to say, most of God’sp eople have not seen this. But today in His recovery He comes to us again and again regarding His dwelling. I am not speaking something that I have not experienced myself. Whenever I have opened up the Bible during the past twenty-five or thirty years, I have mainly seen one matter—God’s dwelling. In many chapters of the Bible, God’s desire for a dwelling place is covered. This is the desire of God’she art, His good will. If you are blessed with the good will of Him who dwelt in the bush, you are the most blessed person.

14从一面说，甚至今天主仍住在荆棘中。看看全地的光景，除了荆棘还有甚么？帐幕在那里？很多人甚至影儿都没有看到，更不必说实际了。但我们要何等敬拜主，在祂的恢复里我们不仅看到影儿，我们就在祂的居所里。我们能说，『主，赞美你！你不是和我同在荆棘中。你是在你的居所里。』我们看过主用住荆棘中者的美意祝福约瑟。那住荆棘中者是谁？祂的美意是甚么？我们若不照著我们的方法解释，那该如何解释？我们把整本圣经读过，就能发现那住荆棘中者是谁，祂的美意是甚么。那住荆棘中者，无疑就是呼召摩西为祂造帐幕的那一位。祂住在荆棘中，但祂指望有一个用宝贵材料造成的帐幕。那是祂的美意。以色列人得了这个美意为福。你相信主把以色列人从埃及救出来，仅仅是叫他们得救么？他们被拯救不仅是为著他们得救，更是为著神的居所。神向他们、为他们所作的一切，目的乃是要在他们中间建立帐幕。帐幕建立以后，神的荣耀就降下，充满了帐幕。（出四十34。）在那时，以色列人是地上最蒙福的人，得了那位从前住在荆棘中，现在住在帐幕中者的美意为祝福。因此，帐幕成了以色列人最大的福。今天也是这样，主的美意是要得著召会。因著我们是在召会中，我们就是最蒙福的人。在召会产生以前，主的确是在荆棘中。从实行上说，在召会来到这地方之前，主是在荆棘中。那时祂的确不在帐幕中。但今天召会在这里，我们能说，『赞美主！祂不再在荆棘中。现今祂在帐幕里，我们与祂同在这里。我们和神是邻舍。我们是今日的便雅悯，同耶和华安然居住。阿利路亚！』还有甚么能比这更好？只要我有主的居所，并且我住在其中，这就彀了。这是约瑟之弟便雅悯的经历。

14In a sense, even today the Lord is still in the bush. Look at the situation throughout the earth. What is there except bush? Where is the tabernacle? Many cannot even see the shadow, much less the reality. But how we must worship the Lord that in His recovery we not only see the shadow, but we are in the dwelling. We can say, “Lord, praise You! With us You are not in the bush. You are in Your dwelling.” We have seen that the Lord blessed Joseph with the good will of Him who dwelt in the bush. Who is this One who dwelt in the bush, and what is His good will? If we do not interpret this verse in the way we have, then how should we interpret it? By reading the entire Bible, we can discover who it is who dwelt in the bush and what His good will is. The One who dwelt in the bush is no doubt the One who called Moses to build the tabernacle for Him. He lived in a bush, but He expected to have a tabernacle built of precious materials. That was His good will. The children of Israel were blessed with this good will. Do you believe the Lord delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt simply that they might be saved? Their deliverance was not merely for their salvation, but for God’s dwelling place. Everything God did to them and for them was for the purpose that the tabernacle might be erected among them. After the tabernacle was set up, the glory of God came down and filled it (Exo. 40:34). At that time, the children of Israel were the most blessed people on earth, blessed with the good will of the One who dwelt in the bush, the One who now dwelt in the tabernacle. Thus, the tabernacle became the greatest blessing to the children of Israel. It is the same today. The Lord’s good will is to have the church. Because we are in the church, we are the most blessed people. Before the church came into existence, the Lord certainly was in the bush. Practically speaking, before the church came to this locality, the Lord was in the bush. He surely was not in a tabernacle. But today the church is here, and we can say, “Praise the Lord! He is no longer in the bush. Now He is in the tabernacle, and we are here with Him. We and God are neighbors. We are today’s Benjamin dwelling in safety by the Lord. Hallelujah!” What could be better than this? As long as I have the dwelling of the Lord and I am in it, that is sufficient. This is the experience of Benjamin, Joseph’s younger brother.

15便雅悯是约瑟的好搭配。同样，召会是神祝福的好搭配。历年来，神祝福了你。你不能否认你在祂的祝福之下。但祂祝福的目的乃是为著那住荆棘中者的美意，这美意是要得著召会生活作祂的居所。今天神能向仇敌撒但夸口说，『撒但，你看，今天我有了安息的地方。我安息的地方就是召会。从前我会说天是我的座位，地是我的脚凳，但我必须问我的安息在那里。撒但，我告诉你，今天的召会是我安息的地方。我满足了，我的选民也满足了。』我们很多人能见证，从我们得救那日起，从没有像今天在召会生活中这样满足。这不是说召会生活是完全的。不，召会生活不完全。但在召会生活这里，我们满足了。我们经过许多地方，并没有满足；直到我们进入召会，我们才寻得满足。在那一天我们说，『这是家，我满足了。』我们觉得我们回家了，并且觉得满足，原因乃是召会是神的帐幕，神的居所。主不再在荆棘中，乃在帐幕里。我何等快乐，我们在宇宙的福之下，并且我们是神的居所！这福是宇宙的，这居所是永远的。召会生活要存到永远。旧天旧地，包括旧环境，都要废去，但我们今天所在的召会生活要存到永远。这是永远的居所。我担保当你进入永世，你要回忆在召会生活中的经历。你会说，『哦，我永不能忘记在召会生活中所经历的。』等一等，你就会发现这是真的。在我们里面深处，我们有充分的把握召会生活是永远的。

15Benjamin is a good match to Joseph. Likewise, the church is a good match to God’s blessing. Throughout the years, God has blessed you. You simply cannot deny that you have been under His blessing. But the purpose of His blessing is for the good will of the One who dwelt in the bush, and this good will is to have the church life as His dwelling. Today, God can boast to the enemy, Satan, “Satan, look, today I have a place of rest. My resting place is the church. Once I said that heaven was My throne and the earth was My footstool, but I had to ask where My rest was. Satan, I tell you, the church today is My resting place. I am satisfied, and My chosen people are satisfied also.” Many of us can testify that since the day we were saved, we have never been as satisfied in our spirit as we are in the church life today. This is not to say that the church life is perfect. No, it is not perfect. But here in the church life we are satisfied. We passed through many places without being satisfied. We did not find satisfaction until we came into the church. On that day we said, “This is home. I am satisfied.” The reason we sense that we are home and are satisfied is that the church is God’s tabernacle, God’s dwelling. The Lord is no longer in the bush, but in the tabernacle. How happy I am that we are under the universal blessing and that we are God’s dwelling! This blessing is universal, and this dwelling is eternal. The church life will last forever. The old heaven and the old earth, including the old environment, will be terminated, but the church life we are in today will last forever. This is the eternal dwelling. I assure you that when you enter into eternity, you will recall your experience in the church life. You may say, “Oh, I can never forget what I experienced in the church life.” Wait, and you will discover that this is true. Deep within, we have the full assurance that the church life is eternal