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创世记生命读经 · 第11篇

神达成祂目的的手续（二）

God’s Procedures to Fulfill His Purpose (2)
1在前十篇信息里，我们从神的话语中已经清楚看见，神永远的目的是要藉著人彰显祂自己，并将祂的权柄托付人，使人在地上为祂管治。我们也看见，神达成祂目的的方法是藉著生命。神达成祂目的的第一步，是用非常特殊的方式创造人，把人作成器皿盛装祂，而不是作成工具为祂工作。罗马九章明确的说，神用泥土造人，作为蒙怜悯，得尊贵、荣耀的器皿，盛装神自己。因此，12:1神为人造了一个特别的器官－人的灵。我们绝不可忘记撒迦利亚十二章一节所说，神铺张诸天，建立地基，造人里面的灵。在这宇宙中，有三样东西是达成神目的所必需的，就是：天、地和人的灵。我们的灵是极其重要的，对于神目的的达成是和天地同等的重要。虽然人的灵不如诸天辽阔，大地宽广，却是我们人最重要的东西。
1In the past ten messages we have seen clearly from the holy Word that God’s eternal purpose is to express Himself through man and to commit His authority to man that man may exercise His dominion on the earth. We have also seen that God’sway to fulfill His purpose is by life. As the first step in the accomplishment of His purpose, God created mankind in a very specific way, forming them as vessels to contain Himself, not as instruments to work for Him. Romans 9 declares definitely that God made man out of clay as vessels of mercy unto honor and glory to contain God Himself. Thus, God created man with a special organ— the human spirit. We should never forget Zechariah which says that God stretched forth the heavens, laid the foundation of the earth, and formed the spirit of man within him. In this universe three things are necessary for the fulfillment of God’s purpose: the heavens, the earth, and the spirit of man. Our spirit is extremely important; it is just as vital for the accomplishment of God’s purpose as are the heavens and the earth. Although the spirit of man is not spacious as the heavens or large as the earth, it is nevertheless the most crucial aspect of our being.
2约伯记三十二章八节说，『在人里面有灵。』每个人都知道人有心、心思、意志和良心，却极少人知道人有灵。这灵不是指著神的圣灵，乃是指著人的灵。我们有这样一个由神所造的器官。
2Job 32:8 says, “There is a spirit in man.” Everyone knows that man has a heart, mind, will, and conscience, but few people realize that man has a spirit. By this we do not mean the Holy Spirit of God; we refer to the human spirit of man. We have such an organ created by God
3看看我们身体上的器官：我们有听觉、视觉、嗅觉、味觉和触觉等器官。我用眼睛能看见许多不同的颜色。如果我眼睛是瞎的，我就不能实化这些颜色的存在。虽然颜色一直存在，我却无法实化，因为某种对象只能被某种为那目的特别设计的器官所实化。当我在讲话的时候，你们的耳朵实化了我的声音。如果你们没有耳朵，我的声音对于你们就好像不存在了。我们的嗅觉也是这样，虽然这房间里可能有香气，我们却需要嗅觉来实化牠。
3Consider the organs of our physical body: we have hearing organs, seeing organs, smelling, tasting, and touching organs. With my eyes I can see many different colors. If I were blind, I would be unable to substantiate the existence of these colors. Although colors would continue to exist, I would have no way to substantiate them, for a certain object can only be substantiated by the organ specifically designed for that purpose. As I am speaking, your ears substantiate the sound of my voice. If you had no ears, it would seem as if my voice did not exist. The same is true for our sense of smell. Although there may be a fragrant aroma in this room, we need the sense of smell to substantiate it
4神不只创造了我们身体的器官，也创造了我们精神的器官。我们怎样能证明思想的存在？乃是藉著我们心思的作用来实化。照样，藉著魂中喜乐的情感器官，我们就能感觉到快乐。我们是藉著魂中各种相当的精神器官，实化思想和喜乐的存在。
4God has not only created our physical organs, but also our psychological organs. How can we verify the existence of thought? We substantiate thought by the function of our mind. Likewise, by the emotional organ of joy in our soul, we can sense happiness. We substantiate the existence of thought and joy by the appropriate psychological organs in our soul.
5除了我们身体和精神的器官之外，神还造了一个属灵的器官－人的灵。虽然要了解我们的灵很不容易，但藉著良心的作用，我们多少能认识一点。虽然极少人懂得人的灵，但每个人都知道良心的意义。按照圣经，良心是我们人的灵主要的器官。我们良心的位置在那里？这很难确定。事实上，我们情感、心思和心的位置也都很难确定。我们实际上有两个心，一个是生理的，一个是心理的。生理的心的位置很容易找到，但心理的心就难找了。我们不能否认我们有这样一个心，但我们就是不能指出牠的位置。我们的良心也是一样，虽然找不出来，但我们知道牠是存在的，因为牠经常控告我们或为我们辩白。我们的良心一直与我们的理由和情感对抗。举例说，在学校里有些年轻人受试诱去偷窃，认为别人富有，样样都有，而自己却贫穷。因此他们决定偷别人的东西，制造一些薄弱的理由为自己的行为辩护。心思同意了，情感赞成了，意志也决定了。然而有个青年人正要去偷的时候，他的良心却抗议说，『不可以偷，这是不对的！』即使他不理良心的感觉，偷了东西，良心的声音还会定罪他许多天。这里面的声音不是出自心思、情感或心，乃是出自良心，而良心是我们灵的主要部分。
5In addition to our physical and psychological organs, God has created a spiritual organ—the human spirit. Although it is difficult to understand our spirit, we can know something about it through the function of our conscience. Although few people understand the human spirit, everybody knows the meaning of conscience. According to the Bible, the conscience is the main organ of our human spirit. Where is our conscience located? It is not easy to determine. In fact, it is also difficult to locate our emotion, mind, and heart. Actually, we have two hearts, a physical heart and a psychological heart. It is easy to locate our physical heart, but difficult to find our psychological heart. We cannot deny that we have such a heart, but we are unable to locate it. The same is true for our conscience. Although we are unable to locate it, we know it exists because it constantly accuses or excuses us. Our conscience continually protests against our reasoning and our emotions. For example, some young people in school are tempted to steal when they think of others as being rich and having everything and of themselves as poor. Thus, they decide to steal from others, making some flimsy excuse to justify their action. The mind agrees, the emotions approve, and the will decides. However, as the young person is about to steal something, his conscience protests, “Don’t do this; it is not right.” Even if he should ignore the feeling of his conscience and steal something, the voice of his conscience will condemn him for many days. This inner voice is not from the mind, emotion, or heart; it is from the conscience, and the conscience is the main part of our spirit
6现在我们必须把这个与关于神的一件非常重要的事联起来。神是甚么？神的本质是灵。在约翰四章二十四节，主耶稣说神是灵。我旁边的台子是木头作的；木是牠的本质。照样，神是灵，祂神圣所是的本质是灵，我们人的灵就是实化这神圣本质的器官。如果我们想要经历神而不运用灵，就好像要看颜色而不用视觉。如果我们用错了器官，就不可能实化神。赞美神，在祂的创造里，祂在我们里面造了一个灵。我们是被造作为盛装神的器皿，我们需要灵来作正确的接收器。
6Now we must relate this to a very important matter about God. What is God? God is a spiritual substance. In John 4:24 Jesus says that God is Spirit. This table next to me is made of wood; wood is its substance. Likewise, God is Spirit; the substance of the divine being of God is Spirit. The organ by which we can substantiate such a divine being is our human spirit. If we try to experience God without exercising our spirit, it will be like attempting to substantiate colors without exercising our sight. If we use the wrong organ, it is impossible to substantiate God. We praise God that in His creation He formed a spirit within us. Since we were made as vessels to contain God, we do need our spirit as the proper receiver
7我们物质身体的接收器是胃。如果我们有口而没有胃，就无法接受食物作全身的供应。胃不仅是接收器，也是消化器，能吸收食物，分送给血球。最后，经过了消化和吸收，食物的本质就变成了我们的生机组织。神的用意是要将祂自己分赐到我们里面。祂怎样作这事呢？乃是藉著作我们的食物。主耶稣自己告诉我们，祂来是作『生命的粮。』（约六35。）祂说，『那吃我的人，也要因我活著。』（约六57。）这意思是说，主耶稣不仅是我们的救主、救赎主和生命，也是我们生命的供应。祂是生命的粮。神渴望藉著作食物给我们接受，而将祂自己分赐到我们里面。我们用甚么器官接受神进来呢？乃是用我们人的灵。
7The receiver in our physical body is our stomach. If we had a mouth without a stomach, it would be impossible to receive food for the supply of the whole body. The stomach is not only a receiver but also a digestive organ which assimilates food and dispenses it into the blood cells. Eventually, the substance of the digested and assimilated food becomes our very organic tissues. God has the intention of dispensing Himself into us. How can He do this? He does it by being food to us. The Lord Jesus Himself told us that He came as the bread of life (John 6:35). He also said, “He who eats Me shall also live because of Me” (John 6:57). This means that Jesus is not only our Savior, Redeemer, and life, but also our life supply. He is the bread of life. God desires to dispense Himself into us by being food for us to receive. What organ do we use to take God into us? Our human spirit.
8我们需要祷告。祷告不是单单求神为我们作事。对祷告这样领会是太肤浅了。祷告乃是呼吸。每当我们祷告说，『天上的父阿！』或是呼求：『哦，主耶稣！』这就是呼吸。我们呼吸的时候，是把气吸进来。照样，当我们运用灵向神祷告的时候，我们就将祂神圣的所是接受到我们的灵里。在我们的灵里，我们盛装神;并且，就某一面的意义说，我们吸收神，将祂神圣的成分分到我们全人的里面。神就是这样进到我们里面作我们的生命。我们是人，是神用非常特殊的方式造的；祂把我们造成器皿，内中有接收器，就是我们的灵。这就是神为达成祂目的所采取的第一步。
8We need to pray. Praying is not simply asking God to do things for us. This understanding of prayer is too shallow. Prayer is breathing. Whenever we pray, “O Father in heaven,” or call, “O Lord Jesus,” that is breathing. As we breathe, we take breath into us. Likewise, whenever we pray to God by exercising our spirit, we receive His divine being into our spirit. Within our spirit we contain Him and, in a sense, we assimilate Him and dispense His divine elements into our whole being. In this way God comes into us as life. As human beings, we were made by God in a very specific manner: we were made as vessels with a receiver, our human spirit. This was the first step God took to accomplish His purpose
第二步－要人接受神作生命－二8～17
3. The Second Step— 3. to Have Man to Receive God as Life—2:8-17
9现在我们来看第二步。大多数的人都不能一步就把事情作成。因此。当神把人造成了器皿，有人的灵来接受并盛装祂之后，祂就采取另外一步，把人放在生命树跟前。
9Now we come to the second step. Most people cannot accomplish anything in a single step. Thus, after God created man as vessels with a human spirit to receive Him and to contain Him, He took another step by placing man in front of the tree of life
将人放在生命树跟前
a. Placing Man in Front of the Tree of Life A
10我在前篇信息说过，当我年轻的时候，我对创世记二章很感困惑，因为牠似乎没有我认为圣经所该有的经典风格。这使我想起小孩子们的游戏，他们用泥作了几个像，放在某些东西跟前。无论如何，照著创世记二章所说的，神是把人放在生命树跟前。生命是甚么？生命是奥秘的。就是医生和生物学家都无法解释生命。虽然生命是奥秘的，在创世记二章中的生命树却将生命具体实在的呈现出来。我们也许很想知道生命树的意义，但我们不可以草率。谈到像生命这样奥秘的东西，我们不应该仓促草率。要谈黑板很容易，但是说到生命就难了。目前我们只需要来看，神把人放在生命树跟前。
10As I mentioned in the last message, when I was a young Christian I was troubled by Genesis 2 because it did not seem to be a classical piece of writing as I felt the Bible ought to be. It reminded me of the play of some little boys who made images out of clay and put them before certain objects. Nevertheless, according to Genesis 2, God placed man in front of the tree of life. What is life? Life is mysterious. Not even medical doctors orb i o log i sts are able to define life. Although life is mysterious, it is presented in Genesis 2 in a solid and substantial way as the tree of life. We may be eager to know the meaning of the tree of life, but we cannot afford to be hasty. We should not approach something as mysterious as life in a quick and superficial way. It is easy to talk about this blackboard, but very difficult to speak about life. For the time being we simply need to see that God put man in front of this tree of life.
11我年轻的时候读到创世记头二章，不了解神为甚么不命令亚当拜祂这位创造主。我想神应该告诉亚当：『我是造你的主，你每天早晨、中午、晚上，都要拜我。你一天至少必须拜我七次。你要鞠躬，跪下，俯伏拜我。我要写些颂辞给你，叫你可以练习如何拜我。』这是我的观念。对我来说，神把人放在生命树跟前，甚么也不作，这很笨。还有，我觉得神造了夏娃之后，应该给亚当和夏娃一篇结婚证道，说，『亚当，你要感谢我，给你这样一位可爱的妻子。你要答应我，你会永远的爱她。夏娃，你是作妻子的，我命令你要服从你的丈夫。』神这样要求，照我看是完全合逻辑的。我受了基督教的影响，特别是婚礼仪式的影响，以为神会向这第一对新人讲一篇道。然而，神没有给他们讲这样的道。祂似乎只是告诉他们：『要留意你的吃，你一定要吃得正确。我不在意你爱不爱妻子，或者服从不服从丈夫。我也不太在意敬拜。我只关心你的吃。如果你吃错了，你就错了。如果你吃了错的树，你必定死。亚当，你必须知道不是你作甚么的问题，乃是你是甚么的问题。你吃甚么就是甚么。如果你吃死亡，你就变成死亡。如果你吃生命，你就变成生命。问题不在所作，乃在所是。要留意你的吃。』我早年当基督徒的时候，对这感到困惑。实在说，在那段期间我不喜欢创世记二章。我喜欢描写神创造工作的第一章，我觉得第二章不过是像小孩子看的卡通。
11When I was young and read the first two chapters of Genesis, I wondered why God did not command Adam to worship Him as the Creator. I thought God should have told Adam, “I am your Creator. You must worship Me every morning, noon, and evening. You must worship Me at least seven times a day. You must bow down, kneel down, and prostrate yourself before Me. I will write some praises for you so you may practice how to worship Me.” That was my concept. As far as I was concerned, it was foolish of God to place man in front of the tree of life with nothing to do. Furthermore, I felt that after God had created Eve, He should have given both Adam and Evea wedding sermon, saying, “Adam, you must thank Me for giving you such a dear wife. You must promise Me that you will love her forever. Eve, I command you, as his wife, to submit to him.” It seemed to me entirely logical for God to make such demands. Under the influence of Christianity, especially the conduct of wedding ceremonies, I assumed that God would have delivered a wedding sermon to the first couple. However, God gave them no such word. He only seemed to tell them, “Be careful about your eating. You must eat correctly. I do not care whether or not you love your wife or submit yourself to your husband. I don’t care very much about worship. I care about your eating. If you eat wrongly, you will be wrong. If you eat the wrong tree, you will die. Adam, you must realize that it is not a matter of what you do; it is a matter of what you are. You will be what you eat. If you eat death, you will become death. If you eat life, you will become life. It is not a question of doing, but of being. Take care of your eating.” In my early days as a Christian, I was bothered by this. To tell you the truth, during that period I did not like Genesis 2. I liked chapter one which described God’s work of creation, but I felt that chapter two resembled a children’scar to on
12神造人以后，把人放在一棵树前。神没有吩咐他遵守十诫，和各样的要求。没有诫命，只有安置。神把人安置在生命树跟前，祂要人吃这树。在本篇信息后面，我们会来看生命树的意义。
12After God created man, He put him in front of a tree. God did not charge him to obey ten laws and requirements. There were no commandments, but there was a placement. God placed man in front of the tree of life; He wanted man to eat this tree. Later in this message we will see the meaning of the tree of life.
（一） 『东方』－光明荣耀之地
1) “Eastward”—a Place of the Shining Glory
13创世记二章八节说，神把人安置在『东方。』当我们读创世记二章的时候，必须懂得这里的记载是用譬喻的写法，这些譬喻都有其寓意。在第十篇信息里我说过，从寓意一面解说圣经并没有错，因为连使徒保罗都从寓意一面解说撒拉和夏甲。（加四22～26。）因此我们也需要从寓意一面来看创世记二章。在圣经里，东方表征光明荣耀的方向，因为荣耀的日光是从东方升起的。（结亚四三2。）这是非常有意义的。每逢我们聚集有主同在的时候，深处马上觉得这个聚会满有荣耀。这样的聚会结束后，你会回家告诉妻子你所经历的荣耀。
13According to Genesis 2:8, this placement was “eastward.” As we read Genesis 2, we must realize that this record is written in figurative language and that these figures need to be allegorized. In message ten I said that it is not wrong to allegorize the Bible, for even the apostle Paul allegorized Sarah and Hagar (Gal. 4:22-26). Thus, we need to allegorize Genesis 2. In the Bible “eastward” signifies the direction of shining glory because the rising of the glorious sunshine occurs in the east (Ezek. 4 3:2). This is very meaningful. Whenever we come together and have the presence of the Lord, we immediately sense deep within that this meeting is glorious. After such a meeting, you will go home and tell your wife about the glory you experienced.
（二） 『伊甸』－快乐之地
2) “In Eden”—a Place of Pleasure
14神把人放在伊甸。『伊甸』在希伯来文的意思是快乐。因此，伊甸是个快乐、享受、娱乐的地方。不要以为娱乐是不对的。今天那些罪恶、世俗的娱乐当然是错了，但在神里面的娱乐却是对的。
14God put man in Eden. The word Eden in Hebrew means pleasure. Thus, Eden is a place of pleasure, enjoyment, and amusement. Do not think that having amusements is wrong. Today’ss in ful, worldly entertainments are certainly wrong, but amusement in God is undoubtedly right
（三） 『园子』－可爱称心之地
3) In “a Garden”—a Lovely and Pleasant Place
15神是把人安置在园子里，不是安置在工厂、学校或教堂里。祂把人安置在园子里，这园子不仅可爱称心，还是生长东西的地方。园子不是人们游戏的场地，作工的工厂，求学的学校，治病的医院，或是敬拜的教堂；园子是生长东西、产生生命的地方。生命是1创世记一、二章的中心思想。神不太在意学习，甚至不太在意敬拜，祂只在意生长。因此祂把人安置在园子里。召会生活不该像学校或教堂，召会生1活必须是园子。林前三章九节保罗说，『你们是神的耕地。』保罗在林前三章的思想与神在创世记二章的思想相同，因为耕地就是生长的地方。由于产生生命，所以园子里展现许多美丽的东西。相反的，你很难在工厂里找到美丽的东西。最可爱、称心、美丽的地方，就是生长著各种颜色植物的园子。赞美主！祂把人安置在园子里。
15God set man in a garden, not in a factory, school, or cathedral. He put him in a garden, a place that is not only lovely and pleasant, but also a place for growing things. A garden is not a playground where people play, a factory where they work, a school where they study, a hospital where they are cured, or a cathedral where they worship: a garden is a place for growing things, a place to produce life. Life is the central thought of Genesis and 2. God does not care very much for learning or even for worship. He cares for growth. Therefore, He put man in a garden. The church life should not be like a school or a cathedral; the church life must be a garden. In Corinthians 3:9 Paul says, “You are God’s farm.” Paul’s thought in 1 Corinthians 3 is the same as God’s thought in Genesis 2, for a farm is a place for growth. Because it produces life, a garden displays many beautiful things. On the contrary, it is difficult to find beauty in a factory. The most lovely, pleasant, and beautiful place is a garden with colorful plants growing there. Praise the Lord that man was put into a garden!
（四） 有各样的『树』
4) With Every “Tree”
16在园子里，最重要的东西就是树。圣经中对于树的观念是很重要的。圣经无论在开头或结尾，当牠题到人的时候，也题到树。人究竟要得生命或死亡，要永远活著或灭亡，全看人如何对待树。（参创二16～，三1～3，22，24，结四七12，启二二2，14，19。）所以树的观念对人的定命是绝对重要的。
16The most important item in the garden is the trees. In the Scriptures the concept concerning the tree is crucial. When the Scripture mentions man, both in the beginning and at the end, it also mentions the tree. Whether man shall have life or shall die, shall live everlastingly or shall perish, all depends on how man deals with the tree (cf. Gen. 2:16-17; 3:1-3, 22, 17 24; Ezek. 47:12; Rev. 22:2, 14, 19). The concept of the tree is absolutely vital to man’s destiny.
（1） 『悦人的眼目』－使人喜悦
a) “Pleasant to the Sight”—to Please Man
17耶和华使各样的树从地里长出来，可以悦人的眼目。（创二9。）这就是说，神要人喜悦，使人快乐。神的心意不是要人作工，乃是要人完全喜悦、满足。这与我们敬拜神的宗教观念相反。当我是个青年基督徒的时候，看见许多拉长著脸敬拜神的人。然而神不在意那样的敬拜，祂只在意我们的快乐。所以诗篇中有好几处告诉我们：『当（要）向耶和华欢呼。』（诗九五1，一○○1。）神享受我们的笑脸。祂喜欢看见我们因祂喜悦，因祂满足。不要想你为神作了甚么，或者你该为祂作甚么。你要想到你是否在主里面喜乐。罗马十四章十七节说，神的国乃在于公义、和平、并圣灵中的喜乐。你应当在神面前喜乐。如果你在祂面前不喜乐，也不快乐，那就是说你和神出了事情。如果你没有喜乐，你为神作的每一件事对你就都成了重担。你不需要这样的重担，你需要喜乐。你需要靠神并与神喜乐、欢悦、完全满足。
17The fact that the Lord God made every tree which is pleasant to the sight (Gen. 2:9) means that God wanted to please man and to make him happy. God’sin tent i on was not that man should work, but that man should be completely pleased and satisfied. This is contrary to our religious concept, which is to worship God. When I was a young Christian, I saw many long-faced worshipers of God. However, God does not care for that kind of worship. He cares about our happiness. This is why the Psalms tell us in several places, “Make a joyful noise to the Lord” (Psa. 95:1; 100:1). God enjoys our smiling faces. He likes to see that we are pleased with Him and satisfied with Him. Do not think about what you have done for God or about what you should do for Him. You need to consider whether or not you are joyful in the Lord. Romans 14:17 says that the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. You should be joyful in the presence of God. If you are not joyful in His presence and if you are not happy, it means that you are wrong with God. Everything you do for God will become a heavy burden to you if you have no joy. You do not need such a burden; you need joy. You need to be joyful, pleasant, and fully satisfied by God and with God
（2） 『好作食物』－使人满足
b) “Good for Food”—to Satisfy Man
18创世记二章九节说，各样的树好作食物。请注意，圣经不是说各样的树好出产材料，因为创世记的观念不是人的劳苦和成就，因此没有题到制造的原料。创世记二章的观念完全集中于生命。因此这章说，各样的树好作食物；因为食物与生命有关。没有食物，我们就不能活。食物维持我们的生命，并使我们饱足。
18Genesis 2:9 says that the trees were good for food. Notice that the Bible does not say that the trees were good for producing materials, for the concept of Genesis is not that of human labor or achievement. Thus, no manufacturing materials are mentioned. The concept of Genesis 2 is fully focused on life. Thus, it says that the trees were good for food because food is related to life. Without food, we cannot live. Food maintains our life and satisfies us
（3） 以『生命树』为中心
c) With the “Tree of Life” as the Center
19生命树是在园子当中。我们研读创世记二章的记载，可以看到，除了善恶知识树以外，就只题生命树，别的树都没题。我们不知道别树的名字，但我们确实知道有一棵树叫作生命树。这显示生命树是中心。
19The tree of life was in the midst of the garden. If we study the record of Genesis 2, we will realize that, apart from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, no tree is mentioned by name except the tree of life. We do not know the names of the other trees, but we do know that there was a tree called the tree of life. This shows that the tree of life was the center.
（a）宇宙的中心
1) The Center of the Universe
20生命树是宇宙的中心。按照神的定旨，地是宇宙的中心，伊甸园是地的中心，而生命树又是伊甸园的中心。我们必须认识，整个宇宙是以生命树为中心：无论对神或对人，没有别的比这树更中心，更重要。你看见人在园子当中，站在生命树跟前，这是非常有意义的。
20The tree of life is the center of the universe. According to the purpose of God, the earth is the center of the universe, the garden of Eden is the center of the earth, and the tree of life is the center of the garden of Eden. We must realize that the whole universe is centered on this tree of life: nothing is more central and crucial to both God and man than this tree. It is very meaningful to see man in the garden standing before the tree of life
（b）使人能接受神作生命
2) Enabling Man to Receive God as Life
21这树使人能接受神作生命。我们怎样证明这事？圣经接下去的各卷书都启示神是生命。因此，园子当中的生命树，指明神要以食物的方式作我们的生命。根据约翰福音，有一天，神在肉体里而来。（约一１，14。）生命在祂里面。（约一4。）创世记二章中由生命树所显示的生命，就是在耶稣里成为肉体的生命。耶稣就是在肉体里的神。主耶稣告诉我们，祂自己就是生命。（约十四6。）再者，约翰十五章告诉我们，基督是树，是葡萄树。一面祂是树，一面祂是生命。当我们把约翰福音这几部分放在一起，我们看见基督就是生命树。主耶稣说，祂是生命的粮，意思就是说，祂来到我们这里是以食物的形态作生命树。
21This tree enables man to receive God as life. How can we prove this? The following books of the Bible reveal that God is life. Therefore, the tree of life in the garden was the indicator that God intends to be our life in the form of food. One day, according to the Gospel of John, God came in the flesh (John 1:1, 14). In Him was life (John 1:4). The life displayed by the tree of life in Genesis 2 was the life incarnated in Jesus, God in the flesh. Jesus told us that He Himself is life (John 14:6). Furthermore, John 15 tells us that Christ is a tree, the vine tree. On the one hand, He is a tree; on the other hand, He is life. When we put together all these portions from John, we see that Jesus is the tree of life. Jesus said that He is the bread of life, meaning that He has come to us as the tree of life in the form of food
22要明白圣经不容易。让我题个问题：生命树有多高？如果你这样问我，我要答说，牠不比我高。我这样回答是因为亚当曾被放在生命树跟前，而亚当或许比我高不了多少。如果生命树长得很高，牠的果子就采不到了。亚当和夏娃没有梯子或别的工具采摘树上的果子。因此我相信，生命树不会太高。
22It is not easy to understand the Bible. Let me ask you a question: how tall was the tree of life? If you turn the question to me, I will answer that it was not taller than I. I answer this way because Adam, who had been placed before the tree of life, probably was not much taller than I. If the tree of life had been of a great height, its fruit would have been out of reach. Adam and Eve had no ladder or other instrument to use in plucking the fruit of this tree. Therefore, I believe the tree of life was not very tall
23耶稣是全能的神，乃是至高的，但当祂来作我们的食物，祂是低微的。祂是一块饼，甚至是桌子下的碎渣。（太十五21～27。）耶稣以食物的形态来作我们的生命，祂不高，也不大。祂是小的，低的。我们所吃的任何东西，都必须比我们小，否则我们就吃不下去。即使食物比我们大，还得切成小片，才吃得下。因此，主耶稣以食物的形态来作我们的生命。祂说，『我是生命的粮，』又说，『那吃我的人，也要因我活著。』神在子里是生命树，好作食物。我们天天可以吃祂，从祂得𫗪养。
23As the Almighty God, Jesus is high, but when He came to us as food He was lowly. He was a loaf of bread. He was even the crumbs under the table (Matt. 15:21-27). The very Jesus who came to us as life in the form of food was not tall and great; He was small and lowly. Anything we eat must be smaller than we are; if it is not, we cannot take it into us. Even if our food is larger than we are, it must be cut into pieces small enough to eat. Thus, Jesus came to us as life in the form of food. He said, “I am the bread of life,” and, “He who eats Me shall also live because of Me.” God in the Son is the tree of life that is good for food. Day after day we can feed on Him. We can eat Him.
（c）豫表基督
3) Typifying Christ
24生命树豫表将生命分赐给人，叫人喜悦满足的基督。（参约十五1，出十五25。）基督分赐神圣的生命到我们里面，叫我们喜悦满足。我们许多人都能见证这个。我们能说，『阿利路亚！』耶稣已将生命分赐给我。祂每时每刻都使我满足。』这就是生命树。
24The tree of life typifies Christ who imparts life to man and who pleases and satisfies man (cf. John 15:1; Exo. 15:25). Christ imparts divine life into us, pleases us, and satisfies us. Many of us can testify of this. We can say, “Hallelujah! Jesus has imparted life to me. He satisfies me all the time.” This is the tree of life
（五） 有一道『河』
5) With a “River”
25随著这树有一道河。（创二10。）树既是生命的树，河也必定与生命有关。在圣经的结尾，我们也看见一道生命河在涌流，一棵生命树在生长。在圣经的开头和结尾，我们都看见生命树和涌流著活水的河。在圣经中，河的观念也很重要。圣经在开头和结尾题到人的时候，也题到河。人接受神作生命，享受神的肥甘，得著解渴、滋润、生长、喜乐，都在于河。（参诗三六8～9，四六4，六五9，出十七1～7，珥三18，亚十四8，约四14，七37～38，启二二1～2。）
25Along with the tree there is a river (Gen. 2:10). Since the tree is a tree of life, the river must also be related to life. At the end of the Bible we also see a river of life flowing and a tree of life growing (Rev. 22:1-2). At the beginning and the end of the Bible we find the tree of life and a river flowing with living water. In the Scriptures the concept of the river is also crucial. When the Scripture mentions man, both in the beginning and at the end, it also mentions the river. For man to receive God as life, to enjoy the fatness of God, to quench thirst, to be watered, to grow, and to rejoice, all depends on the river (cf. Psa. 36:8-9; 46:4; 65:9; Exo. 17:1-7; Joel 3:18; Zech. 14:8; John 4:14; 7:37-38; Rev. 22:1-2). If you take in the Lord Jesus, you immediately have
26你若将主耶稣接受进来，就立刻深觉有东西从里面滋润你。有样东西在你里面涌流。你不曾有过这样的经历么？每当你说，『主耶稣，我爱你，』或是每当你向主祷告，再一次把主接受进来，你就觉得有东西在你里面涌流。每早晨你应当接受主作早餐，中午你应该接受主作午餐，晚上你应当吃祂作晚餐。你一天至少需要三次吃基督。如果你这样作，生命的水就会在里面滋润你，你就再也不会干渴。也许你在办公室工作了一天，回到家中精疲力竭，感到十分干渴。这时如果你将耶稣当晚餐吃了，活水就要在你里面涌流。『有河从伊甸流出来滋润那园子。』这水流要从你身上排出许多老旧的东西。我们的经历和圣经中神圣的记载都告诉我们，这道河是必需的。
26the deep sensation of something watering you from within. Something is flowing within you. Have you not had such an experience? Whenever you say, “Lord Jesus, I love You,” or whenever you pray to the Lord— this means that you receive Him into you once again— you sense something flowing within you. Every morning you should take Christ as your breakfast, every no on you should take Him as your lunch, and every evening you should eat Him as your dinner. You need to feed on Christ at least three times a day. If you do this, the water of life will water you inwardly. You will never be dry. Perhaps you work at an office all day and arrive home from work tired and worn, feeling quite dry. If you take Jesus as your dinner, living water will flow within you. “A river went out of Eden to water the garden.” This flow will discharge many old things out of your being. Both our experience and the divine record in the Bible tell us that this river is necessary. Although Genesis 2 appears to be a record of creation,
27虽然创世记二章表面上是创造的记载，实际上却是按照生命的经历写的。生命树和涌流的河指明：每当我们将基督当作食物接受进来，这食物就要分赐神圣的生命，也就是滋润涌流的生命。在启示录二十二章一至二节，我们看见这道生命河，两旁长著生命树，是从神的宝座流出来的。这幅图画进一步证明，生命树和生命河代表生命真实的经历。每当我们接受在基督里的神作我们的生命，就有这道河在我们里面涌流，滋润
27it was actually written according to the experience of life. The tree of life and the flowing river indicate this: whenever we take Jesus into us as food, that food will impart divine life, a life that is a watering and flowing life. In Revelation 22:1-2 we see that the river of life with the tree of life growing in it proceeds out of the throne of God. This picture is a further proof that the tree of life and the river of life represent the genuine experience of life. Whenever we take God in Christ as our life, we will have this river flowing within us to water us and work many things within us.
28我们，并在我们里面作许多的工作。
28a) To Water, Quench Thirst, and Flow Life
（1） 滋润、解渴、涌流生命
This river was made to water the garden that the
29这道河是用来滋润园子的，好使园子长出生命的东西。牠必定也解人的干渴，使人存活。这些都说出，这道河能使生命涌流。为著人的肉身生命，我们必须喝足彀的水，以维持血液的循环。我们肉身生命的流是靠水。照样，一天过一天，我们必须喝生命的水，以维持在我们里面神圣生命的流，这使我们有神
29garden might grow things of life. Surely it also quenched man’s thirst that he might survive. All this means that this river caused life to flow. In our physical life we must drink enough water to maintain the circulation of our blood. The flow of our physical life depends on water. Likewise, day by day we must take the water of life to maintain the flow of the divine life within us. This gives us the spiritual circulation of the divine life
30圣生命之属灵的循环。
30b) Flowing out of Eden
（2） 从伊甸流出来
The river flows out of Eden, meaning that it flows out
31这道河从伊甸流出来，意思就是说，从神流出来。在启示录二十二章，生命水的河从神的宝座流出来。这河也是流自神自己的流。神这生命乃是活
31of God. In Revelation 22, the river of the water of life proceeds out of the throne of God. It is also a flow out of God Himself. God as the very life is the source of the living water, flowing into us for our enjoyment
32水的源头，流到我们里面供我们享受。
32c) One River Becoming Four Heads
33（3） 河分四道
33This river is one river. Do you have two rivers
34这河只有一道。你有两道河么？虽然一地的信徒数目或许有一千，但仍然只有一道河，因为大家都来自相同的源头－创造者神。因为源头是一，河道也必须是一。
34Although the believers here may number a thousand, we still have one river because we all are of the same source—God the Creator. Since the source is one, the course also must be one. This one river was parted and became four heads (Gen
35这道河分开变为四道。（创二10～。）这是甚么意思？这是说,这道河从神这源头与中心流出来，普及到四方的人。在圣经中，一是创造者神的数字，因为祂是独一的。四这数字表征受造的人。因为人居住在四方的每一方，所以这道河从神
352:10-14). What does this mean? This means that the river flows out of God as the source and the center to 14 reach men in every direction. In the Bible the number one is the number of God, the Creator, for He is unique. The number four signifies man, the creature. Because men live in each of the four directions, the one river flows out of God in every direction to reach them.
36向每一方流出，流到他们那里。
36
（a）第一道
(1) The First Head
37第一道名为比逊，意思是『白白的涌流。』（参赛五五1，启二二17。）这道河的涌流不需代价，是白白的。牠流到哈腓拉，意思是『使之生长。』这道河的支流白白的流出，使一切有生命之物得以生长。（参结四七9，12。）
37The name of the first head is Pison, which means “flowi ng free” (cf. Isa. 55:1; Rev. 22:17). This river flows without price; it is free. It flows to the land of Havilah which means “to cause to grow.” This branch of the river flows freely to cause everything of life to grow (cf. Ezek. 47:9, 12).
38这涌流也带进金子，金子豫表神的性情。（参彼后一4。）你若没有经历，就不会明白这个意义；你若有点经历，就会说，『阿们。』无论何时神的生命在我们里面涌流，这涌流就带进生命，也就是神的性情。在前篇信息中我说，我不喜欢作金人，喜欢作土人，因为金子不能长出生命。就长出生命来说，作土人非常好。然而，我们需要金的成分加在我们里面。最终，我们要成为金人。保罗在林前三章警告我们，要谨慎我们建造的工作。他告诉我们要用正确的材料，其中第一项就是金子。此外，启示录一章说，召会是金灯台。灯台不是用泥土造的，乃是用金子造的。在罗马九章我们是9尘土；在启示录一章我们是金子。麈土怎能被金子顶替？神的生命必须在我们里面涌流，好把金子带到我们里面来。天然的金子也是这样，常常在河边或河中发现。在我们经历基督作涌流的生命以前，我们没有神的性情，没有金子。现在藉著神圣生命的涌流，我们里面就有了金子。一些既宝贵又有分量的东西，就是神的性情，被带进我们里面了。
38This flowing also brings in gold, which typifies the divine nature (cf. 2 Pet. 1:4). If you have had no experience, you will not understand what this means; if you have had some experience you will say, “Amen.” Whenever the life of God flows within us, it brings in gold, the divine nature. In the previous message I said that I do not like to be a man of gold but a man of dust because gold does not grow life. In the sense of growing life, it is very good to be a man of dust. However, we need the element of gold to be added to us. Eventually, we will be men of gold. In 1 Corinthians 3 Paul warns us to be careful about our building work, telling us to use the proper materials, the first of which is gold. Furthermore, in Revelation 1 we are told that the churches are golden lampstands. The lampstands are not built with clay, but with gold. In Romans we are dust; in Revelation 1 we are gold. How can dust be replaced by gold? The divine life must flow within us to bring gold into us. This i seven true of physical gold which frequently is found at or in a river. Before we experienced Christ as the flowing life, we had no divine nature, no gold. Now through the flowing of the divine life we have some gold within us. Something precious and weighty, the very divine nature, has been brought into us.
39这河的涌流也产生珍珠。目前我们没有时间谈论珍珠的定义，只能说牠是经过变化的物质。牠豫表重生的新人，（参太十三45，）因为珍珠不是受造的元素，乃是变化过的物质。
39The flowing of the river also produces pearl. At present, we do not have time to cover the definition of pearl except to say that it is a transformed substance. It typifies the regenerated new man (cf. Matt . 13:45) because pearl is not a created element but a transformed substance
40还有，这河的涌流带来红玛瑙，红玛瑙豫表彰显神荣耀形像之变化过的人。（参启四3，林后三18。）关于这点，我们会在下一篇信息中讲得更详细。
40Furthermore, the flowing of the river brings forth onyx stone, which typifies the transformed man expressing God’s glorious image (cf. Rev. 4:3; 2 Cor. 3:18). We will see more of this in the following message
41第一道河比逊，意思是生命河白白的流出，使万物生长，并带进三样宝贵的材料－金子、珍珠、宝石。如果我们读完整本圣经，会发现这些都在新耶路撒冷的建造中看到。藉著生命河的涌流所带进的材料，乃是为著神居所的建造。这些材料只有藉著神圣生命的涌流才能带进。换句话说，神圣生命在我们里面的涌流，使我们成为为著神建造的材料。这就是第一道河的意义。
41The first head, Pison, means that the river of life flows freely, making everything grow and bringing in three kinds of precious material — gold, pearl, and precious stone. If we read through the entire Bible, we will see that these materials are all found in the building of the New Jerusalem. The materials brought in through the flow of the river of life are for the building of God’s habitation. They can only be brought in by the flow of the divine life. In other words, the divine life flowing within us makes us the materials for God’s building. This is the meaning and significance of the first head of the river.
（b）第二道
2) The Second Head
42第二道河名为基训，意思是众水的澎湃。澎湃含示丰满。（参约四14，七38。）这道河奔流像大潮一样。假如我们只有几滴水，这点水量是澎湃不起来的。若要有尼加拉瀑布那样的澎湃，就需要大量的水。因此，河流的澎湃指明牠的丰满。
42The name of the second head is Gihon, which means turbulence of waters. Turbulence implies fullness (cf. John 4:14; 7:38). This river rushes like a mighty tide. Suppose we have a few drops of water. That amount of water cannot generate turbulence. In order to have a turbulence like Niagara Falls we need a great quantity of water. The turbulence of the river indicates its fullness
43这道河流到古实。古实是埃提阿伯的古希伯来名，意思是黑的面孔，豫表罪人不能改变的邪恶性情。（参耶十三，罗七18。）我在得救之前是个古实人:我是黑的、罪恶的、邪恶的。事实上，我们都是古实人;我们比黑更甚，我们的天性是邪恶的。从人来说，这种性情是永远不会改变的。赞美主！神圣众水的澎湃要重生我们，将我们变化成另一个人。这神圣河流的涌流如此丰富壮大，能改变我们邪恶的性情，甚至使我们得荣耀。虽然古实人不能改变他的皮肤，但我们藉著神生命的澎湃奔流，却有办法将我们的黑皮肤，就是我们的邪恶性情，完全变化。
43This river flows to Cush. Cush, the ancient Hebrew name for Ethiopia, means black face, typifying the unchangeable evil nature of sinners (cf. Jer. 13:23; Rom. 7:18). I was a Cushite before I was saved: I was black, 23 sinful, and evil. In fact, we were all Cushites; we were more than black, and our nature was evil. Humanly speaking, such a nature can never change. Praise the Lord that the turbulence of the divine waters will regenerate us and transform us into another person. The flowing of the divine river is so rich and strong that it can change our evil nature and even glorify us. Although the Cushite cannot change his skin, we have the way by which our black skin, our evil nature, can be fully transformed: it is by the rushing turbulence of the flow of the divine life.
（c）第三道
3) The Third Head
44第三道河是希底结（底格里斯的希伯来名），意思是猛快，含示能力。（参腓三10，弗一19～20。）猛快的水流具有大能。希底结流向亚述，亚述的意思是平原，居人之地。这告诉我们，生命水的流达到人居住的地方。（参约十10下，七37。）
44The third head is Hiddekel (the Hebrew name of Tigris) which means rapid, implying power (cf. Phil 3:10; Eph. 1:19-20). Water that flows rapidly has power. Hiddekel flows toward Assyria, which means plain, the inhabited place. This tells us that the flow of living water reaches the place where people dwell (cf. John 10:10b; 7:37
（d）第四道
4) The Fourth Head
45第四道河叫作伯拉（幼发拉底的希伯来名），意思是馨香的，使之肥沃的，或结果子的。（参林后二14，彼后一3～8，，加五22～23。）赞美主！最后一道生命水的流使我们馨香、肥沃、多结果子。最近，我们讲到结果子。我们怎能结果子？我们只有藉著生命河在我们里面的涌流才能结果子。当生命在我们里面涌流的时候，这生命就使我们馨香、肥沃、并且多结果子。真是太好了！
45The fourth head is called Perath (the Hebrew name of Euphrates) which means sweet, making fertile, or fruitful (cf. 2 Cor. 2:14; 2 Pet. 1:3-8, 11; Gal. 5:22-23). Praise the Lord! The last head of the flow of 11 living water makes us sweet, fertile, and fruitful. Recently, we have been talking about fruit bearing. How can we bear fruit? We can bear fruit only by the flow of the river of life within us. As long as the life flows within, it will make us sweet, fertile, and fruitful. This is wonderful!
46我们若将这一条河的四道摆在一起，就看见一幅新约完整的图画。我们需要用整本的新约来解说这一条神圣生命江河的四道支流。
46If we put all four heads of the one river together, we have a full picture of the New Testament. We need the whole New Testament to define the four heads of the one river of the divine life.
47我再说，创世记里的每一样事物都是种子。种子的生长是在新约，而收割是在启示录。这涌流之江河的种子是撒在创世记二章，此后圣经的各卷是这种子的生长，到启示录就收获了。我们需要整本圣经来明白创世记二章这一幅图画的真正意义。神在祂的儿子耶稣基督里，在食物的形态里，对我们是生命。如果我们将祂吃进来，我们不只得著满足，而且这生命在我们里面还要成为滋润的江河。这河要在我们里面成为急流，重生我们，变化我们，使我们馨香，并多结果子。藉这涌流，我们要变成金子、珍珠和宝石，为著建造神的居所，就是新耶路撒冷。赞美主！这是神达成祂永远目的的路。不过这只是第二步。到下一篇信息，我们要讲第三步。
47Once again I say that everything found in the book of Genesis is a seed, the growth of the seed is in the New Testament, and the harvest is in the book of Revelation. The seed of the flowing river is sown in Genesis 2, the growth occurs in the following books of the Bible, and the harvest is in the book of Revelation. We need the whole Bible to give us the true meaning of the picture in Genesis 2. God in His Son Jesus Christ is life to us in the form of food. If we take Him in, we not only have satisfaction, but this life will become a watering river within us. This water will be a torrent flowing within us to regenerate us, transform us, and to make us sweet and fruitful. By this flow we will become gold, pearl, and precious stones for the building of God’s habitation, the New Jerusalem. Praise the Lord! This is God’sway to fulfill His eternal purpose. However, this is just the second step. We will cover the third step in the next message