Books
创世记生命读经 · 第36篇

人第四次的堕落

The Fourth Fall of Man
6 第四次的堕落
F. The Fourth Fall
1在本篇信息中，我们来到创世记十一章。按照创世记这卷书神圣的记载，人类有过四次堕落。第一次是在三章里亚当的堕落，第二次是在四章里该隐的堕落，第三次是在六章里所记洪水以前弯曲悖谬之世代的堕落。现在，在十一章，我们看到人第四次的堕落。（创十一1～9。）这四次堕落是一次接著一次。在这第四次的堕落里，仇敌的狡猾暴露出来了。这次堕落是在洪水以后，在挪亚的领头下，人类生活得著恢复之后，在新地上发生的。我们看过，那生活是在复活里生活的豫表。人第四次的堕落有这样的背景。
1In this message we come to chapter eleven of Genesis. According to the divine record in the book of Genesis, mankind has had four falls. The first fall was that of Adam in chapter three, the second was that of Cain in chapter four, and the third was that of the crooked and perverse generation before the deluge recorded in chapter six. Now, in chapter eleven, we see man’s fourth fall (vv. 1-9). These four falls continued one after another. Here in the fourth fall the subtlety of the enemy is exposed. This fall occurred after the flood. It transpired on the new earth after the restoration of human life under the headship of Noah. As we have seen, that life was a type of the life in resurrection. Man’s fourth fall had such a background
ａ原因
1. The Cause
2在每次堕落的背后都有共同惟一的源头－神的仇敌，撒但。你也许会问：『神不是全能的么？祂既是全能者，为甚么不把这仇敌毁灭？这在祂必定是很容易的。』但即使是神的仇敌，在神的经纶中至少也有点用处。虽然神的经纶有许多积极、白色的事物，但也需要一些消极、黑色的事物，好将白色陪衬出来。撒但就是这些消极、黑色的事物之一。许多哲学家写书说到人在地上的光景。他们所写的都没有甚么意义；没有一本是中肯的。但我们来读圣经，就发现其中满了事实，和神圣的启示，没有一字是多余的。例如创世记头二章启示神的目的，并神与人之间的关系。在接著的八章半，从第三章到第十一章中间，我们看见人四次堕落的记载。在第四次的堕落中，人堕落到了极点，不能堕落得更深了。这表示在人第四次的堕落里，神的仇敌撒但已尽其所能，无法作得更多了。他已作到他所能作的极限，用尽了一切办法，来导致人第四次的堕落。
2Behind each of the four falls there was one common unique source—Satan, the enemy of God. You may ask, “Is not God the Almighty One? Since He is the Almighty One, why did He not destroy this enemy? It would have been so easy for Him to do it.” But even God’se ne my is at least somewhat useful in God’secon o my. Although God’secon o my has so many positive things in white, it needs some negative things in black to show the whiteness of the white. One of the black, negative things is Satan. Many philosophers have written books about the condition of man on earth. All of their writings are nonsense; not one of them has hit the mark. However, when we come to the Bible, we find that it is filled with facts and with the divine revelation. Not one word is wasted. For example, the first two chapters of Genesis reveal God’s purpose and the relationship between God and man. In the next eight and a half chapters, from Genesis 3 to the middle of Genesis 11, we find the record of man’s four falls. In the fourth fall man fell to the uttermost. No fall can go beyond this. This means that in the fourth fall of man, the enemy of God, Satan, has done his worst. He can do nothing more. He did everything within his limit that he could possibly do, using every available means to bring about man’s fourth fall
（一) 撒但的煽动
a. The Instigation of Satan
3撒但在人心里煽动人背叛神。因此，第四次的堕落完全是背叛。虽然在第一次堕落里有一点背叛的元素，但那还不是背叛；大体说来不过是一次堕落。但人最后一次的堕落确实是撒但所煽动的一次背叛。第四次的堕落，连同前三次的堕落，都有撒但和人两个因素。在第四次堕落中，撒但乃是堕落真正的原因，因为是他在人里面煽动人背叛神。从某种意义说，是他在人心里创造了背叛。在四次堕落中，人至少从三个阶段落下去，现在我们需要来看这三个阶段。
3Satan instigated a rebellion against God in the heart of man. Thus, the fourth fall was altogether a rebellion. Although there was a small element of rebellion in the first fall, that fall was not a rebellion; it was mostly a fall. But man’s last fall was truly a rebellion instigated by Satan. The fourth fall, along with the three preceding falls, had the two factors of Satan and man. In this fall Satan was the real cause because he instigated a rebellion within man against God. In a sense, he created a rebellion in the heart of man. In all the falls of man, man fell from at least three levels, and now we need to consider each of them.
（1） 人从神的同在堕落到人的良心
1) Man’s Fall from God’s Presence to Man’s Conscience
4第一阶段是人从神的同在堕落到人的良心。这就是说，人从神治堕落到自治。按照创世记二章，神创造人以后，把人放在祂自己面前。人是在神面前，在神与人之间没有任何东西：没有分隔、拦阻或障碍。人是直接在神的同在之中。在非常好和正面的意义上说，人那时是直接受神同在的管治。
4The first level was that man fell from God’s presence to man’s conscience. This means that man fell from the divine government to self-government. According to Genesis 2, after God created man, He put him in front of Himself. Man was in God’s presence, and there was nothing between God and man. There was no separation, hindrance, or frustration. Man was directly in the presence of God. In a very good and positive sense, man was directly governed by God’s presence
5在第十篇信息里我们看见，神创造人有灵、魂、体三部分。灵直接联于神的同在，魂受灵的指引，体受魂的支配。原先人的灵在神的同在之下，魂在灵之下，体又在魂之下。那是起初的情形。在起初，神的同在是支配的素质。我们可以称之为神治。在堕落以前，受造而未堕落的人是直接在这神圣的管治之下。那时，人甚至不是受甚么出于神的事物的支配，乃是直接受神的同在的支配。那是何等美好！我喜欢受一个人的同在的支配。如果弟兄们只是留话给我，叫我作某些事，我会感觉不太好。我不喜欢受他们的话的支配，我要受他们的同在的支配。譬如在婚姻生活中，作妻子的常常受丈夫的同在的支配，这是很甜美的。我被邀到人家中吃饭时，常常看到这种情形。丈夫不需要对妻子说甚么话，妻子只要看看丈夫的眼色，就知道下一步要作甚么。只要看一看丈夫的脸，妻子就知道现在该奉茶了。我们受所爱之人的同在管治并指引，这是何等甜美。起初，人在神的同在之下。人首先是从神的同在堕落到自己的良心。对于多数研究圣经的人而言，良心一直是个问题，因为没有人能确定，在人受造的时候，神有没有给人创造良心。关于这点，圣经并没有记载。结果许多研究圣经的人就认为，人在第一次堕落以前没有良心。但我们必须相信，在最初神就在人里面造了一个元素，这元素至终成了人的良心。良心的元素是在人被造时就在人里面的，但良心的功能却是等到人堕落，亚当和夏娃吃了善恶知识树的果子，他们的眼睛开了，那时候才发展出来。他们的眼睛一打开，他们良心的元素就开始发生功用。神是主宰一切的，祂有先见之明。在祂创造人的时候就为良心作了豫备。良心的元素已经在人里面，但良心的功能是等到人被撒但引诱堕落的时候才开始有用。乃是在那次堕落的时候。良心开始有了功用。
5As we saw in message ten, God created man in three parts, with a spirit, a soul, and a body. The spirit was directly related to God’s presence, the soul was under the direction of the human spirit, and the body was under the control of the soul. Originally, man’s spirit was under God’s presence, his soul was under his spirit, and his body was under his soul. That was the situation at the beginning. At the beginning, God’s presence was the controlling essence. We may call this the divine government. Before the fall, the created, unfallen man was directly under this divine government. At that time man was not even controlled by something out of God. He was controlled directly by the presence of God. How wonderful that was! I like to be controlled by someone’s presence. If the brothers simply leave me a word telling me to do certain things, I would feel quite bad. I do not like to be controlled by their word; I want to be under the direction of their presence. In married life, for example, the wives are often controlled by their husbands’ presence. This is very sweet. I have observed this quite often when I have been invited to have dinner with a family. The husband did not have to say anything to the wife. As the wife looked into her husband’s e yes, she knew exactly what to do next. Just a glance at the husband’s face was sufficient to tell her that it was time to serve tea. How good it is to be governed and directed by the presence of our dear ones. At the beginning, man was under God’s presence from which man fell firstly to man’s own conscience. This matter of the conscience has been a problem to most students of the Bible, because no one has been able to determine whether or not God created a conscience for man at the time of man’s creation. There is no record concerning this. As a result, many Bible students have thought that man had no conscience before man’s first fall. But we have to believe that, from the very beginning, there was within man an element created by God which eventually turned out to be man’s conscience. The element of the conscience was within man from the time of his creation, but the function of the conscience was not developed until the time of the fall, until the time when Adam and Eve partook of the tree of knowledge of good and evil and their eyes were opened. Immediately, when their eyes were opened, the element of their conscience began to function. God is sovereign. He has foresight. In His creation of man, God made provision for the conscience. The element of the conscience was present in man, but its function was not in use until man had been seduced by Satan and had fallen. At the time of that fall, the conscience began to function.
6想一想防盗警铃的例子。虽然警铃已经装好在房子里，但除非有窃盗发生，警铃是不发生功用的。若没有盗贼，警铃不会发生功用。但盗贼一来，警铃立刻发声。这可说明人里面良心的元素。在人被造的时候，良心就已经安设在人里面。当神创造人的时候，就把良心装置在人这房屋里。但是要等到一定的时间，这安设在人里面的良心才发生功用。那个时间就是人第一次堕落的时候。当堕落一发生，良心就立刻起作用，亚当和夏娃才发现他们是赤身露体的。（创三7。）他们感到羞耻。那就是人的良心开始发生功用了。人类能感到羞耻是件好事。如果我偷了一样东西还能夸口，那就非常可怕。如果我偷了东西，我该觉得羞耻。但今天许多年轻人没有羞耻感，他们对自己的恶行并不感到羞耻。羞耻感是对堕落之人的保护；那是我们良心功用的一部分。我们若有一个真实无伪、善良无亏、清洁的良心，当我们作了不洁或不道德的事时，这良心总会叫我们感到羞耻。这是极佳的保护。自有历史以来，良心的功能一直保守了人类。只信赖法律、法院和警察是不彀的。这里需要一种柔细、内在、更深的工作－良心的功能。良心的功能不仅定罪我们，也叫我们有羞耻感。但近五十年来，人类的情形已经堕落到极其败坏的地步，今天甚至有些人毫无羞耻的夸他们不道德的事。他们好像没有良心，如同畜类一般。人与畜类之间有甚么不同？人有良心，使人有羞耻感；畜类没有这样的良心。这是神在祂对人行政中主宰的一部分。在第一次堕落时，人从神的同在堕落到人的良心。从神的同在堕落，诚然可悲，但落到人的良心里，还不失为一种保守。
6Consider the example of a burglar alarm. Although an alarm has been installed in a building, it does not function unless there is a burglary. If there is no burglary, the alarm does not function. But when there is a burglary, the alarm goes off immediately. This illustrates the element of conscience in man. It was installed in man at the time of his creation. It was built into the human building when God created man. But the conscience, which had been installed in man, had to wait for the time to function. That time was the time of man’s first fall. When that fall transpired, the conscience began to function immediately, and Adam and Eve realized that they were naked (3:7). They felt ashamed. That was the beginning of the function of man’s conscience. It is a good thing that human beings are able to feel shameful. If I stole a certain thing and then was able to boast about it, that would be terrible. If I steal something, I should feel ashamed of it. But so many young people today have no feeling of shame. They are not ashamed of their evil doings. But shamefulness is a protection for fallen man; it is a part of the function of our conscience. If we have a genuine, good, clean conscience, it will always cause us to be ashamed whenever we do something unclean or immoral. This is an excellent protection. The function of the conscience has preserved the human race throughout history. Simply trusting in the law, the courts, and the police force would not work adequately. There is the need of a fine, inner, and deeper work—the function of the conscience. The function of the conscience not only condemns us, but also causes us to have feelings of shame. But how the human situation has deteriorated in the past fifty years! Today there is open immorality. Some people even boast of their immorality without any sense of shame. It seems as if they do not have a conscience. They are like animals. What is the difference between man and the animals? Man has a conscience that causes him to have a sense of shame. Animals do not have such a conscience. This is part of God’s sovereignty in His administration over man. In the first fall, man fell from God’s presence to man’s conscience. To fall from God’s presence was really a sad thing. However, to fall to man’s conscience was still a preservation.
（2） 人从人的良心堕落到人的支配
2) Man’s Fall from Man’s Conscience to Others’ Control
7人在自己良心的管治下并没有维持多久。该隐是第一个违犯良心规律的人。创世记四章启示，该隐说谎并杀他的兄弟亚伯，并不觉得羞耻。对于亚伯的死，他向神说谎，这是他破坏良心管治的公开表现。他很傲慢，对自己的罪毫无羞耻。人既违犯了他的良心，所以在洪水前地上就充满了强暴。（创六11。）在前篇信息中，我们看到在洪水以前没有人的管治，乃是到了洪水以后，神才设立代表权柄。人开始运用神的权柄治理别人。那是人治的开始。因此，人第二步是从自治堕落到人治。
7Man did not remain very long under the government of his conscience. The first person to violate the rule of the conscience was Cain. Genesis 4 reveals that Cain was not shameful for lying and for murdering his brother, Abel. His lying to God about Abel’s death was an open manifestation of his breaking of his conscience. He was arrogant and not at all ashamed about his sin. Since man violated his conscience, violence filled the earth before the time of the flood (6:11). As we saw in the previous message, before the flood there was no human government. It was only after the flood that God established a deputy authority. Man began to exercise God’s authority to rule over others. That was the beginning of human government. Thus, secondly, man fell from self- government to human government
8在创世记头九章我们看见三种管治：神治、良心管治或自治、以及人治。所有研究圣经的人都同意，这些管治构成神的三种经纶安排，也就是神对待人的三种方式。第一种安排是神圣的神治，第二种是人自己良心的管治。当人从良心的规律堕落时，他就在第三种安排，就是人治之下。我愿意对年轻人说一点话。感谢神，我们是祂的造物。我们是人，是在祂之下，祂是我们上面真正的管治。我们也有祂为我们所豫备的良心，这是个好东西。此外，我们还有许多代表权柄：在家里有父母，在学校中有校长、老师，还有政府。这一切都是神的代表权柄。靠著这三种管治，人类就得以保存。虽然人类还未蒙拯救，但靠这三种管治，就得以保存到现在。就著人来说，我们都该敬畏神，听从我们的良心，并尊重神的代表权柄。我们该尊重我们的父母、师长和政府。神使用这一切代表权柄来维持人类，使祂的目的得以达成。永远不要背叛神，背叛良心，或背叛人的政府。
8In the first nine chapters of Genesis we see three kinds of government: the divine government, the government of the conscience, or self - government, and human government. All Bible students agree that these governments constitute three of God’s dispensations, three of the ways in which God deals with the human race. The first dispensation was that of God’s divine government, and the second was that of the government of man’sown conscience. When man fell from the rule of his conscience, he came under the third dispensation, that of the human government. I would like to say a word to the young people. We thank God that we are His creatures. As human beings, we are under Him and He is the real government above us. We also have a conscience that He has provided for us. This is a good thing. Moreover, we have many deputy authorities: the parents at home, the principals and teachers in the schools, and the government. All of these are the deputy authorities of God. By these three kinds of government the human race has been preserved. Although mankind has not been saved, it has been preserved by these three kinds of government. Humanly speaking, we all must have a fear of God, we all must listen to our conscience, and we all must respect God’s deputy authority. We must respect our parents, the school administrators, and the government. God uses all the deputy authorities to maintain the human race so that He might fulfill His purpose. Never rebel against God, against the human conscience, or against human government.
9神的救恩与人的堕落方向相反。人首先从神的同在堕落到人的良心，第二步从人的良心堕落到人的管治，最后从人的管治堕落到撒但所煽动的背叛。神的救恩首先将我们从背叛拯救到人治，再从人治拯救到良心，最后从良心拯救到我们灵中神的同在。
9God’ss alvation moves in a direction opposite to that of man’s fall. Man fell firstly from God’s presence to man’s conscience; secondly, from man’s conscience to human government; and eventually from human government to rebellion under Satan’s instigation. In God’ss alvation we are firstly saved from rebellion to human government and from human government to the conscience. Eventually we are saved from conscience to God’s presence in our spirit
（3） 人从人治堕落到撒但的煽动
3) Man’s Fall from Human Government to Satan’s Instigation
10人从自治堕落到人治，还不是最后的堕落。人的堕落甚至比这个更甚，从人治堕落到撒但的煽动里。人治是出于神的授权。但撒但利用神给人的权柄成立邦国，并且煽动人用邦国背叛神。因此人堕落到对神公开的背叛。甚么是背叛？背叛就是否定权利和权柄。在巴别的背叛中，人宣告说，人否定神的权利，人绝对脱离神的权柄。今天我们在世界上也看见这样的情形。有人说，『神是谁？神是甚么？』他们抛弃了良心的感觉，并且否定了神在人身上的权利和权柄。这正是在巴别那里所发生的。在那次背叛中，人类弃绝了神在人身上的权利和权柄。虽然今天有沿著这条线的趋势，但仍有一部分人不是这样，这是神容许人类留存在地上的原因。如果人类忽然之间都变成巴别的人那样，神就要说，『这是我必须下去干涉的时候了。』我们看过，人在巴别背叛的时候，神亲自出来干涉，直接审判了那次背叛。人在巴别那里第四次的堕落，不仅仅是堕落，更是背叛。那次背叛是撒但煽动的。第四次的堕落不是不道德、凶杀或强暴的问题。你若读创世记十一章关于人第四次堕落的记载，会看到那里没有涉及不道德和强暴的事。当我年轻的时候，我读这段圣经，认为人在那里并不太坏。我对自己说，『人造一座城和高塔有甚么不对？在我看很好。这里没有偷盗、凶杀或者不道德，为甚么神一定要下来审判？』那时我没有看见，在那次背叛的背后是甚么。在那次背叛的背后乃是撒但的煽动。因此，人第四次的堕落该称作背叛。那次的堕落不是道德或不道德的问题，乃是在宇宙中谁该有权利和权柄的问题。这权利和权柄是属于神，还是属于人？这些是属于神的。祂是创造者，是拥有万有者。一切的权利和权柄都该是祂的。在巴别那里，神的造物背叛神，说他们不在乎神。他们宣称自己是主人，权柄是他们的，他们想作甚么，就作甚么。所以那不仅仅是堕落，乃是那背叛的撒但所煽动的背叛。
10The fall from self-government to human government, however, was not the final fall. Man fell even further than this, falling from human government to Satan’s instigation. Human government was of God’s authorization. But Satan utilized the authority which God gave man to form nations and to instigate a rebellion against God with the nations. Hence, man fell into an open rebellion against God. What is rebellion? Rebellion is the denial of right and authority. At the rebellion at Babel, man declared that he denied God’sr ight and that he was absolutely free from God’s authority. We see this in the world today. Some people say, “Who is God? What is God?” They cast off the feeling of their conscience and deny God’sr ight and authority over them. This is exactly what happened at Babel. In that rebellion the human race cast away God’sr ight and authority over man. Although there is a tendency along this line today, a part of the human race still is not for this. This is the reason that God is able to allow the human race to remain on earth. If the human race suddenly all became like man at Babel, God would have to say, “This is the time when I must come down to intervene.” We have already seen that at the fall at Babel God personally intervened and judged that rebellion directly. The fourth fall at Babel was more than a fall; it was a rebellion. That rebellion was a satanic instigation. The fourth fall was not a matter of immorality, murder, or violence. If you read the record concerning man’s fourth fall in Genesis 11, you will find that it says nothing about immorality and violence being involved there. When I read this portion of the Bible as a young man, I did not think that it was so bad. I said to myself, “What was wrong for people to build a city and a high tower? It seems wonderful to me. Why did God have to come down to judge? There was no theft, murder, or immorality.” At that time I did not see what was behind that rebellion. At the back of that rebellion was the satanic instigation. Thus, man’s fourth fall must be called a rebellion. The question in that fall was not morality or immorality. It was a question as to who would have the right and the authority in the universe. Do the right and the authority belong to God or to man? They belong to God. He is the Creator, the owner of all. All right and authority must be His. At Babel, the creatures of God rebelled against Him, saying that they did not care for Him. They claimed that they were the owners, that authority was theirs, and that they would do whatever they wanted to do. Thus, that was not merely a fall, but a rebellion instigated by the rebellious Satan
11首先，人在神之下；其次，人在自己的良心之下；再次，人在人的管治之下。到了巴别背叛的时候，人在那里？那时人在撒但的煽动中，完全在撒但之下，与撒但合作。这带我们来到第四次堕落的原因的第二个因素。
11Firstly, man was under God; secondly, man was under man’s conscience; and thirdly, man was under human government. Where was man at the time of Babel? He was under Satan’s instigation. At that time man was altogether under Satan. Man collaborated with Satan. This brings us to the second factor of the cause of the fourth fall
（二） 人类的背叛
b. The Rebellion of the Human Race
12第四次堕落的原因，第二个因素乃是人类的背叛。整个人类集体背叛神的权利和权柄。正如我们所看过的，问题在于谁在这宇宙中有权利，谁在地上有权柄。整个人类受鼓动，被煽动起来背叛，宣告他们不在意神的权利和权柄。
12The second factor of the cause of the fourth fall was the rebellion of the human race. The whole human race rebelled collectively against God’sr ight and authority. As we have seen, the issue was a matter of who would have the right in this universe, of who would have authority on earth. The entire human race was stirred up, having been instigated into rebellion, to declare that they did not care for God’sr ight or for God’s authority
（1） 人不用灵
1) Man Not Using the Spirit
13第一次堕落，人不用他的灵。你若读创世记第三章，会看见亚当和夏娃可能已经忘记他们的灵。他们不用灵。
13In the first fall man did not use his spirit. If you read Genesis 3, you will see that Adam and Eve had probably forgotten about their spirit. They did not use it
（2） 人凭魂行动
2) Man Acting by the Soul
14第二次堕落，人凭他的魂行动。你若读创世记第四章该隐的故事，会看见他是百分之百活在魂里的人。他完全在他的灵之外。
14In the second fall man acted by his soul. If you read the story of Cain in Genesis 4, you will see that he was a man who was one hundred percent in the soul. He was absolutely outside of his spirit
（3） 人照著肉体行事
3) Man Walking according to the Flesh
15第三次堕落，人照著他的肉体行事。你看见这三个步骤么？第一，人忽略灵；第二，他凭魂行动；第三，他完全照著肉体生活行动。所以到了创世记六章，人变成了肉体。（创六3。）神无法再容忍这堕落的肉体，于是差洪水来施行审判。
15In the third fall man walked according to the flesh. Can you see these three steps? Firstly, man neglected the spirit; secondly, he acted by the soul; and thirdly, he lived and walked absolutely according to the flesh. So by the time of Genesis 6 man had become flesh (6:3). God could no longer tolerate this fallen flesh and He sent the flood as His judgment upon it.
（4） 整个人类集体起来背叛神
4) The Whole Human Being Rising Up Collectively to Rebel against God
16第四次堕落，人集体起来背叛神。他们全人受撒但鼓动起来背叛神。想想你的经历，你会发现在你里面也有这四件事。有的时候我们不用灵，有的时候我们凭魂行动，有的时候我们更糟，照著肉体行事为人。还有的时候糟透了，在我们深处会说，『我不在乎神不神。』我相信我们都说过这样的话。即使没有说过很多遍，至少也说过几次。我不信有人从未说过这样的话。就是不在外面说，也在里面深处说，『我不在乎神，祂太麻烦了。我是自由的人，我不愿意被神打扰。』甚至在你进到召会生活以后，在你里面仍然有撒但这样的煽动。这是撒但的工作，要在你里面再把巴别建造起来。甚么时候你说不在乎神，那就是你想建造一座城和一座塔。那就是撒但煽动出来的背叛。
16In the fourth fall man rose up collectively to rebel against God. His whole being was stirred up by Satan to rebel against God. If you consider your experience, you will find these four things within yourself. Sometimes we do not use our spirit and sometimes we go by the soul. At other times we are much worse, behaving ourselves according to the flesh. At other times the situation is even worse, for deep within us we may say, “I don’t care for God.” I believe that we have all said this. If we have not said it many times, at least we have said it a few times. I do not believe that there is anyone who has never said this. Although we might not have spoken these words outwardly, deep within we have said, “I don’t care for God. He is too troublesome. I am a free person. I don’t want to be bothered by God.” Even after coming into the church life, there is still within you this sort of satanic instigation. This is the work of Satan to build up Babel in your being once again. Whenever you say that you do not care for God, it means that you intend to build a city and a tower. That is rebellion, the rebellion that comes from Satan’s instigation
（5） 人堕落到了极处
5) Man’s Fall to the Uttermost
17在第四次堕落中，人堕落到了极处，不能再堕落了。人已堕落到了底。这次终极的堕落，终于使神放弃了亚当族类。神决定放弃受造的族类。牠已经成为无望的族类，堕落到一个地步，连神也不能再作甚么了。神虽然放弃了受造的族类，但祂并没有放弃祂在人身上的目的。一面祂放弃了亚当族类，但另一面祂从那堕落的族类中呼召出一个人来，要有新的起头。那个蒙召的人，名叫亚伯拉罕。按照圣经，亚伯拉罕成了新族类的元首。亚当是受造族类的元首，亚伯拉罕是蒙召族类的元首。在以下几篇信息中，我们要更多的说到亚伯拉罕的蒙召。
17In the fourth fall man fell to the uttermost. He simply could not fall any further. He had reached the bottom. This ultimate fall eventually caused God to forsake the Adamic race. God decided to give up the created race. It had become hopeless. It had reached the point where not even God could do anything with it. Although God forsook the created race, He did not give up His purpose for man. On the one hand, He gave up the Adamic race, but on the other hand, He called a man out of that fallen race to have a new beginning. The name of that called one was Abraham. According to the Bible, Abraham became the head of a new race. Adam was the head of the created race, and Abraham was the head of the called race. In the following messages we shall have much to say about the calling of Abraham
18神有祂的路来达成祂的目的。不管撒但的煽动或人的煽动，神仍然是神。祂是主宰一切的。神似乎说，『好罢，我要放弃亚当族类了。』但在祂主宰之下，祂拣选了一个人作新族类的元首。这个拣选，这个选择，乃是在创世以前所作的。神是这样的计画，并按照时间表来实行。神有一个时间表。在祂的时间里，祂放弃了亚当族类，并呼召亚伯拉罕作新族类的头。
18The Lord has a way to fulfill His purpose. Regardless of the instigation of Satan and the rebellion of man, God is still God. He is sovereign. God seemed to say, “All right, I will let go of the Adamic race.” But, under His sovereignty, He selected one to be the head of a new race. This selection, this choice, was made before the foundation of the world. God planned it this way and worked it according to schedule. God has a schedule. In His schedule, He dropped the Adamic race and called out Abraham to be the head of a new race.
ｂ过程
2. The Process
（一） 共谋背叛神
a. Conspiring to Rebel against God
19现在我们来看这次背叛的过程，程序。在这次背叛里有共谋。（创十一。）在撒但的煽动下，人来在一起图谋背叛神。撒但所煽动对神的背叛，常常以共谋开始。历代以来人类中有过多次这样背叛神的共谋，第一次是在巴别，那是人类背叛神的开始。在撒但的煽动下，人决定集体弃绝神并背叛神。
19Let us now consider the process, the procedure, of this rebellion. In this rebellion there was a conspiracy (11:3). Under the instigation of Satan, man came together to conspire to rebel3 against God. The rebellion against God instigated by Satan always begins with a conspiracy. Throughout the generations, many times such a conspiracy against God has happened among the human race. The first one was at Babel. That was the beginning of mankind’s rebellion against God. Under Satan’s instigation, man decided collectively to give up God and to rebel against Him.
（二） 凭人工用土造砖
b. Making Bricks with the Earth by Human Labor
20人共谋背叛神是作些甚么？他们造砖，将砖烧透了。（创十一3。）表面看，这是个很简单的故事，连小孩子都很熟悉。但这件事深入的意义却非常深奥。按照圣经的全部启示，神的建造从来没有用过砖。神是用石建造。最终新耶路撒冷是用宝石建造的。（启二一～20。）石与砖不同。石是神造的；砖是人造的。宝石不但是神所造的，更是神所变化的。砖是人用土造的。在巴别，人烧土，烧泥作砖，来建造城和塔。法老也用砖建造积货城。（出一11，14上。）现在我们需要把这段神的话寓意化，好了解这故事的表征。
20What did the people do in their conspiracy to rebel against God? They made bricks and burned them thoroughly (v. 3). Apparently, this is a simple story, and even little children are familiar with it. However, the deeper significance of this matter is profound. According to the whole revelation of the Bible, God’s building has never been with any kind of bricks. God’s building is with stones. Eventually, the New Jerusalem will be built with precious stones (Rev. 21:18-20). Stones are 18 different from bricks. Stones are God-made; bricks are man- made. Precious stones are not only God-made but also God- transformed. Bricks are made by man with the earth. At Babel, man burned the earth, the mud, into bricks to build a city and a tower. Pharaoh also built his treasure cities out of bricks (Exo. 1:11, 14a). Now we need to allegorize this portion of the holy Word in order to see what this story signifies.
21按照圣经的记载，地是为著生长生命。（创一11。）生长生命需要若干元素。地有产生生命的一切必要元素。连我们人身体的生长也是靠地里的元素。我们所吃的肉类、菜蔬、五榖，都是来自地。这些食物中一切叫人得营养和长大的元素都出自于地，因此地含有生长生命所需的元素。那么作砖是甚么意思？作砖乃是为著人的建造，杀死、焚烧地土中每一项使生命生长的元素。你如果有这样的眼光，就会认识今天每一社会，每一人类文化，都是在烧土作砖。例如学校，就是杀死生长生命的元素，烧土作砖。按表号说，土表征人性。撒但所煽动的背叛，烧毁人里面生长生命的元素，杀死了这些元素，并且把人错用来建造背叛神的东西。这发生在巴别的事，在同样的原则里，也发生在整个人类的历史中。
21According to the biblical record, the earth is for growing life (1:11). Growing life requires certain elements. The earth has all the elements necessary for producing life. Even we grow physically with the elements found in the earth. The meat, vegetables, and cereal we eat all come from the earth. All of the nourishing and growing elements in these foodstuffs come out of the earth. Thus, the earth contains the elements needed to grow life. What does it mean to make bricks? It is, for the sake of man’s building, to kill, to burn, every bit of the element in the earth that grows life. If you have the insight, you will realize that today every society, every human culture, is burning the earth into bricks. The schools, for instance, kill the element that grows life, burning it in order to make bricks. In figure, the earth signifies humanity. The rebellion instigated by Satan kills the element within man that grows life by burning it out and it misuses man to build something against God. This happened at Babel and, in the same principle, it has happened throughout human history.
22作砖需要劳力，需要很大的劳力。因为人否认了神，人必须劳苦才能建造出东西来。全部人类的历史是一部人类劳苦建造的记载，这建造所用的材料乃是被错用的泥土（人类）。这是建造巴别的方法－用被错用了的泥土加上人类的劳力。
22To make bricks requires human labor, even a great deal of labor. Since man has denied God, man has to labor so that he might build up something. All of human history is a record of man’s building by human labor with the misused earth (mankind). This was the way that Babel was built—with the misused earth plus human labor
（三） 建造城以过人为、无神的生活
c. Building a City to Have a Manmade, Godless Life
23用被错用了的泥土，凭劳力来建造，就是建立人为、无神的生活。在巴别所建造的城，不能长出甚么来。那里没有神，没有生命。请看人类的文化、社会、以及全世界现在的情形。人们在作甚么？他们在烧土作砖，为要建造一座没有神、没有生命的城。这就是今天的社会。每个社会都是一个巴别。今天的社会，乃是人将神创造的泥土，烧去其中生长生命的元素而成为砖头，所建造成的。今天社会上的每一组织，都在将泥土烧成砖，以建造一座无神又无生命的巴别城。你见过有那个社会不是这样作的？你如果见过这样的社会，那必定是召会。召会不烧泥土，召会是耕土播种。召会不是在建造一座无生命又无神的城，召会是在建造一座有神、且满有生命的城。召会的建造是用宝石，不是用烧土而成的砖。不仅在世俗的社会里，甚至在所谓的基督教社会里，在基督教里，在某种程度上，人们也是在烧土作砖。他们将生长生命的元素烧死，为要建造一座无神又无生命的城。我希望在召会中，每一个人都看见召会是和任何种的社会不同的。召会是惟一不烧泥土的。召会耕土、播种并浇灌，使生命的种子，就是基督，长大并产生材料，好建造神的圣城。这是召会在这里所作的。然而，其他各种社会，包括许多所谓的基督教团体，乃是烧去生长生命的元素，为著建造无神又无生命的城。但在召会生活中我们不是烧土，我们是浇灌土。我们在作栽种并生长的工作:耕地、播种、浇灌并生长。我们不烧毁、不杀死。我们有一个建造，就是神的建造，但不是用人造的砖或靠人的劳力，乃是用神所创造并变化的石头，且靠著神的工作。
23The building by human labor with the misused earth is simply to build up a manmade, godless life. The city built at Babel could grow nothing. It was godless and lifeless. Look at human culture, at society, and at the situation throughout the world. What are the people doing? They are burning the earth into bricks in order to build up a city that is without God and without life. This is today’s society. Every society is a Babel. Today’s society is built up with bricks made by men who burn the element that grows life out of the earth created by God. Every organization in today’s society is burning the earth into bricks and building up a Babel that is godless and lifeless. Have you ever seen a society that is not doing this? If you have seen such a thing, it must be the church. The church does not burn the earth; the church plows the earth and sows seed into it. The church is not building up a lifeless and godless city; it is building up a city that is godly and full of life. The building in the church is with precious stones, not with bricks that come out of burning the earth. Not only in secular society but even to some degree in so-called Christian society, in Christianity, people are burning the earth into bricks. They are burning to death the element that grows life in order to build up a city that is godless and lifeless. I hope that everyone in the church will see the difference between the church and any type of society. The church is unique in that it does not burn the earth. The church plows the earth, sows seed into it, and waters it. That life seed, which is Christ, will grow and produce materials for the building up of God’sho ly city. This is what the church is doing here. However, every other society, including many of the so-called Christian groups, are burning the element that grows life for the purpose of building up a city that is godless and lifeless. But here in the church life we are not burning the earth; we are watering it. We are doing the work of planting and growing. We are plowing, sowing, watering, and growing; we are not burning or killing. We do have a building, the building of God, but it is not built with man-made bricks or by human labor; it is built with God-created and transformed stones and by the divine work.
（四） 建造塔宣告弃绝神
d. Building a Tower to Declare the Renouncing of God
24我年轻的时候不懂得那些人为甚么造一座城，又造一座塔。造塔有甚么目的？你如果读这段神的话，会看出塔是为著向全宇宙，特别是向神宣告，人已经向神并一切其他的人独立了。今天在人类社会中，城和塔的原则还是一样。塔表征宣传。就是在基督教的工作中，也有造塔作宣传的。例如把某某博士宣传为世界名布道家，那种宣传就是一座塔。在这种情形下，耶稣基督还不如某某博士这位世界名布道家的名声大。人是去听他，不是去听基督。大的招牌、加强的宣传，都是塔的建筑。
24When I was young I did not understand why those people at Babel built a tower as well as a city. What was the purpose of the tower? If you read this portion of the holy Word, you will find that the tower was a declaration made to the whole universe, especially to God, that man had become independent of God and everyone else. The principle of a city with a tower is the same in human society today. A tower signifies advertisement. Even in Christian work there may be the building of a tower for advertisement. A certain Dr. So-and-So may be advertised as a world-famous preacher. That advertisement is a tower. In such a case, Jesus Christ would not have as great a name as Dr. So-and-So, the world-famous preacher. People go to hear him, not Christ. Big signs, extensive advertisements—these are the building of a tower
25巴别就是巴比伦。巴比伦是希腊文，在希伯来文里就是巴别。在创世记十一章有巴别，在启示录十七章有巴比伦。启示录十七章的巴比伦，就是今天的基督教国。今天许多基督教里带头的人都知道，启示录十七章的巴比伦是指现今的基督教国。然而，他们还是继续建造他们自己的巴比伦。他们不仅留在巴比伦，而且建造巴比伦。他们建造他们的塔，越高越好。有一天当我思想这种情形时，主给我看见，巴别城就像坟墓，而塔就像墓碑。坟墓如果没有墓碑，就不完全。当人竖起一种标志来作广告的时候，他们应该知道那是一块墓碑，一个死人的标记。
25Babel is the source of Babylon, for Babylon is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Babel. Eventually, we not only have Babel in Genesis 11 but Babylon in Revelation 17. The Babylon found in Revelation 17 is today’s Christendom. Many leaders in today’s Christianity know that Babylon in Revelation 17 is Christendom. Nevertheless, they continue building their own Babylon. Not only do they remain in Babylon, they are building it. They want to build their towers as high as possible. One day as I was considering this kind of situation, the Lord showed me that the city of Babel is like a tomb and that the tower is like a tombstone. If a tomb does not have a tombstone, it will be incomplete. When people erect a sign for advertisement, they should realize that it is a tombstone, a mark of the dead
（五） 传扬人的名，否认神的名
e. Making a Name to Deny God’s Name
26塔的建造也是为了传扬人的名。他们追求传扬他们的名，就否认了神的名，也就是否认了神自己。人最得罪神的事，就是为著传扬自己的名而建造巴别塔。传扬人的名，实际上就是否认神的名。你若仔细读创世记十二章，会看见亚伯拉罕进入美地的时候，他没有建一座塔来传扬他的名；他筑了一座坛，让他可以呼求耶和华的名。（创十二7～8。）在巴别那里，背叛的人造了一座城同一座塔，来传扬人的名；但亚伯拉罕在美地上搭了一个帐棚给自己居住，又筑了一座坛呼求耶和华的名。那在巴别造的塔，实在得罪神。竖立一座塔以传扬自己的名，等于否认神的名。我们最好隐藏自己的名。你若想要扬名，最好是得一个恶名。
26The tower was also built for the purpose of making themselves a name. In seeking to make themselves a name, they denied God’s name, that is, they denied God Himself. What offended God the most was that the purpose of building the tower of Babel was to make a name for man. To make a name for man is actually to deny God’s name. If you read the next chapter, Genesis 12, carefully, you will see that when Abraham went into the good land, he did not build a tower to make himself a name; he built an altar that he might call on the name of the Lord (12:7-8). Here, at Babel, rebellious man built a city with a tower for making a name for man, but Abraham, in the good land, erected a tent for his dwelling and built an altar for calling on the name of the Lord. That manmade tower at Babel was surely an offense to God. To set up a tower for making ourselves a name is equal to denying God’s name. It is better that we conceal our name. If you intend to get a name, it is better that you get a bad name.
ｃ结果
3. The Result
（一） 分散居住
a. Scattered in Living
27人第四次堕落的第一个结果，乃是人类不能再集居一地，而被分散各地居住。（创十一8～9。）按照圣经，第一世纪的召会并没有分散，乃是向各地扩展。同样的，因著我们的移民，我们一直在扩展。分散就是分裂。然而我们不是分裂。我们是一的，我们是在扩展。我们盼望来年有更多的召会兴起。但那不是分散；那是美妙的扩展。召会不是要分散，乃是要扩展。
27The first result of man’s fourth fall was that mankind was scattered in living, no longer able to live together in one place (vv. 8-9). According to the Bible, the church in the first century was not scattered. The church was spreading. Likewise, in all of our migrations, we have been spreading. Scattering means division. But we are not divided. We are one and we are spreading. We expect more churches to be raised up in the years to come. But that will not be a scattering; it will be a marvelous spreading. The church is not going to be scattered; it is going to spread
（二） 变乱言语
b. Confounded in Language
28人第四次堕落的结果，第二是人的言语被变乱了，不能再说同样的言语。（创十一7，9。）在巴别，人的言语被变乱、混乱了。我在第三十四篇信息中指出过，言语是我们观念的发表和表达。在召会中我们不该有不同的说话，因为在召会中我们应该只有一1个心思。在罗马十五章五至六节，林前一章十节及腓立比二章二节，使徒保罗劝信徒要有一样的心思。我们只有一个心思。有的人厉害的批评我们说，所有的地方召会都是一样的，都说一样的事，都是一样的观念。他们认为这很可怕，但我要说这是非常美好。这是巴别的反面。
28Secondly, as a result of the fourth fall, mankind was confounded in language, no longer able to have the same language (vv. 7, 9). At Babel the language was confounded and confused. As I pointed out in Message Thirty-four, language is the utterance, the expression, of our concepts. In the church we should not have different kinds of speaking, because in the church we should have only one mind. In Romans 15:5-6, Corinthians 1:10, and Philippians 2:2, the Apostle Paul charged the believers to be of one mind. We have only one mind. Some people criticize us severely, saying that all the local churches are the same, speak the same thing, and have the same concept. Although they claim that this is terrible, I say that it is marvelous. This is the reverse of Babel.
29咒诅的结果总是混乱。如果在这里的召会中，有不同的思想和意见，那就表示咒诅已经临到我们了。这些年来我在工作里从未说过一句异议的话。这不是说我在每一方面都和别的同工一样，乃是说我确切认识我不该作咒诅之下的人。每个异议的人必定落在咒诅之下。要当心，不要有异议。如果有异议，你就首先落在咒诅之下。神所命定永远生命的福是降在合一之上。（诗一三三3。）我感谢主，这些年来我没有受到咒诅，却蒙到祝福，因为我从未和同工有异议。在召会生活中我们必须儆醒，不说不同的事。不要表现你的聪明或机警，不要显露你比别人更好，更高。最聪明的人是蒙受祝福的人，而蒙受祝福乃在于我们说同样的事。罗马十五章五至六节甚至说，要同心合意，用同一的口。召会该只有一个口，因为召会是一个身体。看看你自己，你有几个心思和口？当然，你只有一个心思，一张口。如果你有两个心思，你就碰到大难处了。今天基督教这么多的难处，就是因为有千万不同的心思。今天的基督教几乎没有手和脚；只有很多的心思和口。每一部分都是口。我从前曾在这样的情况下。我听不到别的话，只听到：『那个我不同意，』或『这个我不以为然，』或『这个我不喜欢。』甚至妻子不同意丈夫，儿女不同意父母。这是所谓的基督教中可怜的光景，也是基督教中满了咒诅的原因。
29The curse always results in confusion. If in the church in Anaheim we have different thoughts and opinions, that is a sign that the curse has come upon us. In all the years that I have been in the work, I have never spoken a dissenting word. This does not mean that in every respect I was the same as the other co-workers, but I did realize that I should not be one who is under the curse. Everyone who is dissenting will be under a curse. Be careful. Do not be dissenting. If you are dissenting, you will be the first to be under the curse. God’s commanded blessing of life evermore is upon the unity (Psa. 133:3). I thank the Lord that throughout the years I have not received a curse but a blessing because I have never been dissenting with the co- workers. In the church life we must be on the alert not to say things differently. Do not try to display your smartness or your sharpness. Do not try to show that you are better, higher, than others. The sharpest one is the person who receives the blessing, and receiving the blessing depends upon our speaking the same thing. Romans 15:5-6 even speaks of having one mind and one mouth. The church should have one mouth because the church is one body. Look at yourself. How many minds and mouths do you have? Of course, you only have one mind and one mouth. If you had two minds, you would be in a great deal of difficulty. The reason that today’s Christianity has so much trouble is that there are thousands of minds. Today’s Christianity has hardly any hands or feet; it only has minds and mouths. Every part is a mouth. When I was in that situation, I could not hear anything except, “I don’t agree with that,” or, “I don’t think so,” or, “I don’t like it.” Not even the wives would agree with the husbands nor the children with the parents. That is the poor situation in so-called Christianity. That is why Christianity is full of the curse.
30在召会生活中我们有甚么？我们有祝福，因为我们有同一的心思和同一的口。你今天去访问各地的召会，你会惊奇的听到他们说同样的事。最近我在台北住了一个月。然后去韩国和日本住了几天。在韩国和日本的信徒，和在台北的信徒说的是一样的事。我虽然不懂韩语和日语，但我懂得他们的『口音。』他们的『口音』没有被变乱。这不是巴别－这是五旬节。在五旬节那一天，一切说不同语言的人都能彼此懂得。（徒二7～11。）今天的召会生活是真正的五旬节。我们没有分散，我们有合一。我们没有混乱。我们只说一种话。我们是真正五旬节的人。
30What do we have in the church life? We have the blessing because we have one mind and one mouth. If you visit the church in Hong Kong today and the church in Tokyo tomorrow, you will be surprised to hear them speaking the same thing. Recently I stayed in Taipei for a month and then spent a few days in Korea and Japan. The believers in Korea and Japan spoke the same thing as those in Taipei. Although I could not understand the Korean or Japanese languages, I could understand their lips. Their lips were not confounded. This is not Babel—this is Pentecost. On the day of Pentecost, all the different peoples with different languages understood one another (Acts 2:7-11). The church life today is the real Pentecost. We do not have scattering; we have unity. We do not have confusion; we have one speaking. We are truly Pentecostal