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创世记生命读经 · 第41篇

凭信而活

Living by Faith
1在人类所有的历史中，从来没有一本书像圣经这样奇妙。圣经的第一卷书创世记，不是一卷道理的书，乃是一卷历史的书。这卷历史书不是照人的写法，乃是照神的写法。创世记用一些古圣的传记，告诉我们极为神圣的事。神圣的启示包含在创世记人物的生活和故事里。在本篇信息中我们需要来看，亚伯拉罕凭信而活的经历中神圣的启示。
1In all of human history there has never been a book as wonderful as the Bible. As the first book in the Bible, Genesis is not a book of doctrine; it is a book of history. It is not a history in a human way but in a very divine way. Genesis uses the biographies of some ancient saints to tell us something that is so divine. The divine revelation is contained in the human lives, in the human stories, of the people in Genesis. In this message we need to see the divine revelation found in Abraham’s experience of living by faith
（二） 凭信而活
b. Living by Faith
2在前几篇信息中我们看过，蒙召者的经历有三面，就是亚伯拉罕、以撒和雅各这三面。亚伯拉罕这第一面的第一阶段，是他蒙神呼召，这点在前两篇信息中已经充分的说过了。现在我们来看亚伯拉罕第二阶段的经历－凭信而活，或可说凭信的生活。这凭信的生活，不是指内在的生命，乃是指外在的生活，就是蒙召者日常的生活，日常的行事为人。这种日常的行事为人，是凭著信心，不是凭著眼见。（林后五7。）亚伯拉罕的历史是一粒种子。亚伯拉罕的整个传记是一粒种子。这不是道理的种子，乃是我们历史的种子。亚伯拉罕的历史就是我们历史的种子。因为我们的历史是从他的历史长出来的。就某种意义说，我们与亚伯拉罕在生活的经历上是一。我们信徒是亚伯拉罕的真后裔，他是每位蒙神呼召者的真父亲。我们读他的传记，也就是读我们自己的传记。他的故事就是说到我们。当我们读创世记与亚伯拉罕有关的各章时，必须有这样的认识：他的故事就是我们的故事。我们需要看见跟从主必须采取的步骤。第一步是蒙召，第二步是凭信而活。你蒙召了么？你必须有力的说，『阿们，我蒙召了！』亚伯拉罕是头一个蒙召的，我们也看见，他答应神的呼召并不爽快，乃是拖泥带水的。我们的故事也是一样，我们对主呼召的反应完全和他相同。原则上，种子的规模很小，长出来的规模较大，收成的规模最大。我们看过，亚伯拉罕离开哈兰的时候，带著罗得。你没有带著罗得么？如果亚伯拉罕这粒种子带了一个罗得，很可能我们每一个人都带了许多罗得。我怕有些读本篇信息的人，带了十几个罗得。由此我们看见，我们的历史就在亚伯拉罕的传记里。
2In some of the preceding messages we have seen that the experience of the called ones has three aspects, the aspects of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The first stage of the first aspect, the aspect of Abraham, was Abraham’s being called by God. We have covered this point adequately in the last two messages. Now we come to the second stage of the experience of Abraham—living by faith, or we may say a life by faith. When we speak of a life by faith, we do not mean the life within but the life without, that is, the daily living, the daily walk, of the called ones. This daily walk is not by sight but by faith (2 Cor. 5:7). Abraham’s history is a seed. The entire biography of Abraham is a seed. It is not a seed of doctrine but a seed of our history. Abraham’s history is the seed of our history because our history grows out of his history. In a sense, we and Abraham are one in the experience of life. We, the believers, are the true descendants of Abraham, and he is the true father of everyone who has been called by God. When we read his biography, we are also reading our own. His story is about us. As we read all of the chapters in Genesis about Abraham, we must read them in the way of realizing that his story is our story. We need to see the steps that we must take in following the Lord. The first step is being called, and the second is living by faith. Have you been called? You must strongly say, “Amen, I have been called.” Abraham was the first to be called, and, as we have seen, he did not answer God’scall ing in a clean - cut way but in the way of dragging his feet through mud and water. Our story is the same. Our answer to the Lord’scall ing was exactly the same as his. In principle, the seed is on a small scale, the growth is on a greater scale, and the harvest is on the greatest scale. We have seen that when Abraham left Haran, he took Lot with him. Did you not bring a Lot with you? If Abraham, the seed, brought one Lot, then it is probable that each one of us has brought many Lots. I am afraid that some of those reading this message have brought more than ten Lots with them. By this we see that our history is found in Abraham’s biography.
3不管亚伯拉罕如何拖泥带水，神仍然是主宰一切的。神是神。亚伯拉罕不仅蒙召了，也被抓住了。他离开了本地、本族和父家，被带到摩利，就是神要他在的地方，也是神向他再次显现的地方。（创十二6～。）神再次显现，乃是对亚伯拉罕答应祂呼召的印记。神的呼召是爽快的，但亚伯拉罕答应神的呼召却不爽快。虽然如此，神最终得著了完满的答应。我不在乎青年弟兄姊妹多么拖泥带水，迟早他们要完全被抓住。基督的工人和带头的弟兄必须有信心，对弟兄姊妹永不失望。绝不要觉得某位弟兄没有希望。反而我们必须说，那位弟兄很有希望。只要等一会儿，你会看见每个人都要来到摩利。
3Regardless of how much Abraham dragged his feet through the mud and water, God was still sovereign. God is God. Abraham was not only called; he was caught. He came out of his country, his kindred, and his father’sho use, and was brought to Moreh, the place where God wanted him to be and where He reappeared to him (12:6-7). God’s reappearing was a seal to Abraham’s7 answer to His calling. God’s calling was clean - cut, but Abraham’s answer to God’s calling was not. Nevertheless, eventually God received a full answer to His calling. I do not care how much the young brothers and sisters drag their feet. Sooner or later, they will be fully caught. The Christian workers and the leading brothers must have the faith never to be disappointed with the brothers and sisters. Never feel that a particular brother is beyond hope. Rather, we must say that there is much hope with that brother. Simply wait awhile and you will see that everyone will come to Moreh.
（1） 力量－神的显现
1) Strength—the Appearance of God
4在摩利，神再次向亚伯拉罕显现，他又遇见了神。（创十二6～7。）如果你说你已经蒙召了，我要问你这个问题：你蒙召的印记是甚么？我们蒙召的印记乃是神再次的显现。神再次的显现，神再次的临到我们，乃是我们答应祂呼召的印记。神向亚伯拉罕再次的显现，乃是使亚伯拉罕能凭信而活的力量。
4At Moreh God reappeared to Abraham and he met God again (12:6). If you say that you have been called, I would ask you this question: What is the seal of your calling? The seal of our calling is God’s reappearance. God’s reappearance, His coming again to us, is the seal of our answer to His calling. The reappearing of God to Abraham was the strength that enabled him to live by faith
5你读创世记的记载，会看到在亚伯拉罕的时代，人类的生活方式是建造坚固的城保护自己，并建造高塔传扬自己的名。那是人类在巴别的生活。但亚伯拉罕的生活方式完全不同。他的生活对人类在巴别所已经完全发展的方式，是个相反的见证。在第三十六篇信息中我们看过，巴别有一座人所建造的大城。这城不是用神造的石头建造的，乃是用人造的砖头建造的。那些砖头是藉杀死土壤中生长生命的元素造成的。但蒙召的亚伯拉罕不是那样生活。亚伯拉罕没有城，也没有塔。神再次显现，作为亚伯拉罕答应神呼召的印记之后，亚伯拉罕立刻筑了一座坛，不是要传扬自己的名，乃是要呼求耶和华的名。亚伯拉罕为甚么这样作？因为他有神再次的显现。他怎能这样作？还是因为他有神再次的显现。请记得，创世记中有关亚伯拉罕的记载是传记，不是道理、宗教或传说。亚伯拉罕并不是因为教训或宗教传统而筑坛。他筑坛是因为神再次向他显现。神再次的显现对他是一切。这不仅印证亚伯拉罕答应了神的呼召，也加强他，使他的生活方式与全人类完全不同。这使他的生活对当时的时代作了相反的见证。亚伯拉罕所筑的坛，对巴别塔是相反的见证。
5If you read the record in Genesis, you will see that during Abraham’s time mankind lived in the way of building a strong city for their protection and erecting a high tower for making themselves a name. That was the living of the humankind at Babel. But Abraham lived in an absolutely different way. His living was an anti - testimony to the way of the humankind, to the way that had been fully developed at Babel. As we saw in message thirty-six, at Babel there was a great city built by man. This city was not built with God-created stones but with man - made bricks. Those bricks were made by killing the element in the soil that grows life. But Abraham, the called one, did not live in that way. With Abraham, there was no city and no tower. After God’s reappearing as the seal to Abraham’s answer to God’scall ing, Abraham immediately built an altar, not to make a name for himself but to call upon the name of the Lord. Why did Abraham do this? Because he had the reappearing of God. How was he able to do this? Also because he had the reappearing of God. Remember that the record in Genesis concerning Abraham is a biography, not a doctrine, religion, or tradition. Abraham did not build an altar because of teaching or religious tradition. He built it because God had reappeared to him. God’s reappearing meant everything to him. It not only sealed Abraham’s answer to God’scall ing; it also strengthened him to live in a way that was absolutely different from the way of all of the humankind. It caused him to live as an anti- testimony to his generation. The altar that Abraham built was an anti-testimony to the tower of Babel.
（a）到了迦南以后
a) After Arriving at Canaan
6现在我们需要找出，亚伯拉罕在甚么时候经历神再次的显现。我们的神从来不作没有目的的事，祂绝不会作无意义的行动。祂所作的每件事都有目的，都有意义。在亚伯拉罕答应神的呼召，相信神并顺从神之后，他来到摩利橡树那里。（创十二6～7。）当他来到那个地方，神就再次向他显现，因为他已经相信并顺从神的呼召。亚伯拉罕既是相信并顺从神呼召的人，他对该停留的地方就没有选择。神第二次在哈兰呼召亚伯拉罕，他就在那里过河，开始了漫长的旅程。他在这11:8漫长的旅程中，没有自己的选择。希伯来十一章八节告诉我们，亚伯拉罕不知道往那里去。他手中没有路线图。他的路线图是一个活的人位，就是那位活神。他在旅程中必须不断的仰望神；他无法停留在他所选择的地方。在他的旅途中，神的同在是他的方向，是他的路线图。他这样跟从神，直到摩利。到了摩利，神就向他显现。神在摩利的显现，指明亚伯拉罕已经到了神要他到的地方。在那里神告诉亚伯拉罕，祂要把那地赐给他的后裔。
6Now we need to find out at what time Abraham experienced God’s reappearing. Our God never does anything without a purpose and He never acts in a meaningless way. Everything He does is purposeful and meaningful. After Abraham answered God’s calling, believing in Him and obeying Him, he came to the oak of Moreh (12:6-7). When he came to that place, God reappeared to him because he had believed in God’scall ing and had obeyed it. As one who believed and obeyed God’s calling, Abraham had no choice of the place where he should stay. God called Abraham a second time at Haran, and he crossed the river there, beginning a long journey. While he was on this long journey, he did not have his own choice. Hebrews tells us that Abraham did not know where he was going. He had no road map in his hand. His road map was a living Person, the living God. While he was journeying, he had to look to God continually; he could not stop at any place he chose. As he was traveling, God’s presence was his direction, his road map. He followed God in this way until he arrived at Moreh. At Moreh, God appeared to him. That appearing of God at Moreh indicated that Abraham had come to the place where God wanted him to be. There God told Abraham that He would give that land to his descendants.
7神第一次向我们显现，完全不在于我们；发起那次呼召的乃是神。然而，在第一次显现以后，其他每次的显现都在于我们的光景。神第一次显现是祂所发起的，不在于我们，后来的显现却在于我们的光景。如果亚伯拉罕没有到达摩利，他就不会有神再次的显现。这再次的显现加强他，使他与神一同往前。这样的与神一同往前，就是亚伯拉罕凭相信神而活。
7God’s first appearing to us does not depend upon us at all. It is God who initiates that calling. However, after the initial appearing, every other appearing depends upon our condition. Although God’s first appearing is initiated by Him and does not depend upon us, the subsequent appearings depend upon our condition. If Abraham had not arrived at Moreh, he would not have had God’s reappearing, the reappearing that strengthened him to go on with God. This going on with God was Abraham’s living by faith in God.
（b）与罗得分开以后
b) After the Separation of Lot
8神第二度向亚伯拉罕再次显现，记载在创世记十三章十四至十七节。在这一章我们看见亚伯拉罕和罗得有了难处。在肉身里，罗得是亚伯拉罕的姪儿；但在神面前，罗得是亚伯拉罕的弟兄。虽然罗得使亚伯拉罕为难，但亚伯拉罕并不与他相争。相反的，他让罗得选择。罗得与亚伯拉罕分开，留下他独自一人以后，神又向亚伯拉罕显现。这次的显现是由于亚伯拉罕没有为自己争斗或争吵，反将一切的选择都留给他的弟兄罗得。神这次的显现也加强了亚伯拉罕凭信的生活。我们蒙神呼召以后，需要凭信而活，这是我们今天的需要。你若蒙了神的呼召，就必须凭信而活。在圣经里，信心与眼见相对。你若蒙了神的呼召，就必须凭信心，不凭眼见而生活。看看今天的世界，那无疑是在巴别所撒人类生活的收成。种子撒在巴别，今天的世界乃是那粒种子的大收成。人为自己的生活建造大城，为自己的名建造高塔。这是世界各地的情形。但我们已经蒙了呼召，我们该怎么办？我们必须凭信而活。凭信而活是甚么意思？就是在一切事上靠神而活。亚伯拉罕没有宣告他凭信而活，也没有传讲凭信而活，他只是凭信而活。现在我们需要来看，亚伯拉罕如何凭信而活。
8A second reappearing of God to Abraham is recorded in Genesis 13:14-17. In this chapter we see that Abraham had difficulty with Lot. In the flesh, Lot was Abraham’s nephew, but before God he was Abraham’s brother. Although Lot gave Abraham a difficult time, Abraham did not strive with him. Rather, he allowed Lot to have the choice. After Lot had separated from Abraham, leaving him alone, God reappeared to Abraham again. This reappearing was due to the fact that Abraham did not strive or fight for himself but left all the choices with his brother Lot. This second reappearing of God also strengthened Abraham’s life by faith. After we have been called by God, we need to live by faith. This is our need today. If you have been called by God, you have to live by faith. In the Bible, faith is in contrast to sight. If you have been called by God, you must live by faith, not by sight. Look at today’s world: it is undoubtedly a harvest of the human living sown at Babel. A seed was sown at Babel, and the world today is a great harvest of that seed. People are building great cities for their living and are erecting high towers for their name. This is the situation everywhere on earth. But we have been called. What shall we do? We must live by faith. What does it mean to live by faith? It means to live by trusting in God for everything. Abraham did not declare that he lived by faith. Neither did he preach living by faith. He simply lived by faith. Now we need to see in what way Abraham lived by faith
（2） 意义－祭坛
2) Significance—the Altar
（a）第一座坛
a) The First Altar
9亚伯拉罕到了摩利，神再次向他显现之后，他筑了一座坛。（创十二7。）这是亚伯拉罕所筑的第一座坛。要凭信而活，我们首先必须筑坛。在圣经里，坛的意思是我们的一切都为著神，并事奉神。筑坛的意思是将我们所是和所有的一切，都献给神。我们需要将我们所是的一切和所有的一切，都放在坛上。在我们为神作事之先，神会对我们说，『孩子，不要为我作甚么，我要的是你。我要你为著我将你所是的一切和所有的一切，都放在坛上。』这才是真实的交通，真实的敬拜。蒙召者真实的敬拜，乃是将我们所是和所有的一切，都放在坛上。
9After Abraham had arrived at Moreh and after God had reappeared to him, he built an altar (12:7). This was the first altar that Abraham built. In order to live by faith, we must first of all build an altar. In the Bible an altar means that we have all for God and serve God. Building an altar means that we offer everything we are and have to God. We need to place all that we are and all that we have on the altar. Before we do anything for God, God would say to us, “Child, don’t do anything for Me. I want you. I want you to put all that you are and all that you have on the altar for Me.” This is real fellowship, real worship. The real worship of the called ones is to put all that we are and have on the altar.
10按照人的观点，人会说我们这样作很愚昧。他们会指责我们浪费时间，浪费生命。如果他们和亚伯拉罕在一起，他们会说，『亚伯拉罕，你在作甚么？你疯了？你为甚么筑一座像坛这样低矮的东西，把一切都放在坛上烧掉？那不是很愚昧么？』我们蒙召的人无论作甚么，在世人眼中都是愚昧的。很多亲戚会说，我们参加这么多聚会是愚昧的。他们希奇为甚么我们不留在家里，和家人一起看电视。世人不明白为甚么我们一周参加聚会好几次，他们以为我们疯了。他们会说，『你们在那小建筑物里作甚么？你们为甚么周三、周五、周六都去那里？礼拜天还去两次，甚至有时周一、周二、周四也去，你们这班人疯了么？』是的，照世人说，我们是疯了。神的显现使我们发疯了。坛的意义就是我们不为自己保留甚么。坛的意义就是我们晓得我们在地上是为著神。坛的意义就是我们的生活是为著神，神是我们的生命，并且我们生活的意义就是神，所以我们把一切都放在坛上。我们在这里不是传扬自己的名；我们为祂名的缘故，把一切都放在坛上。你若核对自己的经历，会看见在你蒙召之后，神立刻再向你显现，你就说，『主阿，从今以后，一切都是你的。凡我的所是、所有、所能作、并所要作的，都是为著你。』我仍然能彀回忆我得救那天下午所发生的事。我从那个聚会的地方出去，走在街上，举目望天说，『神阿，从今天起，一切都是为著你。』那是真正的奉献。在属灵的意义上，这就是筑坛。我相信许多读本篇信息的人，会有这样的经历。当我们接受了神的呼召，我们就发疯了，我们不在意会发生甚么事。虽然那时候我们不知道自己说的是甚么，但我们应许主，凡我们所有的都是为著祂。那天我在街上这样对主说的时候，我不知道那句话的含意。几年后，当我发现自己在一些难处中，在我里面的主说，『你不记得那天下午走在街上时所说的话么？你不是说，「神阿，从今天起，一切都为著你」么？』当我在合约上签字的时候，我不知道内容是甚么。但是要懊悔已经太迟了；合约已经签了字。对主说一切都为著祂，乃是真实的筑坛。我们都能作见证，每当我们对主说一切都为祂的时候，感觉是多么甜美，交通是多么亲密。在那个时候，我们深深的进到主自己里面。
10According to the human viewpoint, people will say that we are foolish for doing this. They will accuse us of wasting our time, of wasting our lives. If they had been with Abraham, they would have said, “Abraham, what are you doing? Are you crazy? Why do you build such a low thing as an altar, and put everything on it and burn it? Isn’tt hat foolish?” As called ones, whatever we do will be foolish in the eyes of the worldly people. Many of our relatives will say that it is foolish for us to attend meetings so often, wondering why we do not stay at home and watch television with our family. The worldly people cannot understand why we attend meetings several times a week. They think that we are crazy. They would say, “What are you doing there in that little building? Why do you go there on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, twice on Sunday, and even sometimes on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday? Are you people crazy?” Yes, according to the worldly people, we are crazy. God’s appearing makes us crazy. An altar means that we do not keep anything for ourselves. An altar means that we realize that we are here on earth for God. An altar means that our life is for God, that God is our life, and that the meaning of our life is God. So we put everything on the altar. We are not here making a name for ourselves; we are putting everything on the altar for the sake of His name. If you check with your experience, you will see that immediately after you were called, God appeared to you again, and you said, “Lord, from now on everything is Yours. All that I am, all that I have, all that I can do and am going to do is for You.” I can still recall what happened on the afternoon that I was saved. As I went out of that church building and walked along the street, I lifted up my eyes to heaven and said, “God, from today on everything is for You.” That was a real consecration. In a spiritual sense, it was the building of an altar. I believe that many of you reading this message have had such an experience. When we received God’scall ing, we were crazy, not caring about what would happen. Although we did not realize what it meant at the time, we promised the Lord that everything we had was for Him. When I said this to the Lord that day on the street, I did not realize what it involved. When after a few years I found myself in some difficulties, the Lord within me said, “Don’ty ou remember what you said that afternoon as you walked along the street? Didn’ty ou say, O God, from today on everything is for You’?” When I signed the contract, I did not know what was involved. But it was too late to repent; the contract had already been signed. To tell the Lord that everything is for Him is the real building of an altar. We all can testify how sweet is the sensation and how intimate is the fellowship whenever we tell the Lord that everything is for Him. At that time, we come deeply into the Lord Himself
11虽然我们可以告诉主，我们所是和所有的一切都为著祂，但几天之后，我们可能就忘记了。但那位呼召我们的永不忘记，祂有超绝的记忆力。祂常常临到我们，并题醒我们对祂说过的话。祂也许会说，『你不记得那天你对我说的话么？』这不是道理，乃是真实的经历。除非你没有蒙召，否则不会例外。只要你是蒙召的人，我就完全确信你有过这样的经历。主确实再次向你显现；祂显现时你也曾发疯，应许把一切都给祂，毫不考虑其中的含意。你就是把自己奉献给祂。你不晓得你所应许的是甚么意思。我感谢神，在我们说的时候，我们并不清楚。我们不晓得说了一句简短的话，结果我们与神有了多少的牵连。我们被这句话绑住了。祂是神，祂是呼召者，我们是蒙召者，一切都在于祂。即使我们要为祂发疯，在我们自己里面也没有动力这样作。但只要祂一向我们显现，我们就发疯了，并且说，『主阿，一切都是你的。拿去罢。你要怎么作，就怎么作。我把一切都献给你。』我们这样把自己献给主的时候，就像作梦一样，后来醒过来，才开始领悟这事的含意。在我服事的初期，我很有负担帮助人献上自己。我虽然给人许多与奉献有关的教导，却看不见多少果效。我的教导不大管用。最后我知道，你无法藉著教导帮助人献上自己。不是教导使人把自己奉献给主，乃是主的显现激励人这样作。我们若能帮助人遇见主，进到祂的同在里，那就彀了。我们无须告诉他们把自己奉献给神，或把一切在祭坛上奉献给主。只要神一向人显现，甚么都不能拦阻他们献上自己。他们会自然而然、自动自发的说，『主阿，一切都是你的。从今以后，一切都为著你。』你没有这样的经历么？你没有为著神和神的旨意，把你所是和所有的一切都放在祭坛上么？
11Although we may tell the Lord that everything we are and have is for Him, we may forget it a few days later. But the One who called us will never forget. He has an excellent memory. Often He will come to us and remind us of what we have said to Him. He may say, “Don’t you remember what you said to Me that day?” This is not a doctrine; it is a real experience. Unless you have not been called, you are not an exception. As long as you are a called one, I have the complete assurance that you have had this kind of experience. The Lord did reappear to you, and at that reappearing you were crazy, promising to give the Lord everything, without considering the meaning of the involvement. You simply consecrated yourself to Him. You did not realize the meaning of what you promised. I thank God that we were not clear about this when we did it. We did not realize how much we became involved with God as a result of speaking one short sentence. We were bound by it. He is God. He is the calling One, and we are the called ones. It is all of Him. Even if we want to be crazy for Him, in ourselves we do not have the incentive to do it. But once He appears to us, we are crazy and say, “O Lord, everything is Yours. Take it. Lord, do what You want. I offer everything to You.” Such a time of offering ourselves to the Lord is like a dream. Later we wake up and begin to realize what it involves. In the early days of my ministry I was burdened to help people to consecrate themselves. Although I gave a lot of teaching about consecration, I did not see much result. My teaching did not work very well. Eventually, I learned that you cannot help people to consecrate themselves by teaching them. It is not teaching that causes people to consecrate themselves to the Lord; it is the Lord’s appearing that motivates them to do this. If we can help people to meet the Lord and come into His presence, that will be sufficient. We do not need to tell them to consecrate themselves to God or to offer everything to the Lord on the altar. Once God appears to people, nothing can stop them from consecrating themselves. Spontaneously and automatically, they will say, “Lord, everything is Yours. From now on everything is for You.” Have you not had this kind of experience? Have you not laid everything you are and have upon the altar for God and His purpose?
（b）第二座坛
b) The Second Altar
12亚伯拉罕在摩利为耶和华筑坛之后，他就走遍那地。神不是只给他一小块地，乃是给他广阔的地。亚伯拉罕在旅途中，来到伯特利和艾中间的地方。伯特利在西边，艾在东边。在伯特利和艾的中间，亚伯拉罕筑了另一座坛。（创十二8，十三3～4。）伯特利的意思是神的家，艾的意思是一堆废墟。伯特利和艾互相成对比。这对比是甚么意思？就是说，在蒙召者的眼中，只有神的家是值得的，其他的一切不过是一堆废墟。今天对我们原则也是一样。一面我们有伯特利，神的家，召会生活；与此相对的是一堆废墟。凡与召会生活相反的，都是一堆废墟。在蒙神呼召者的眼中，召会生活之外的一切，都是一堆废墟，因为蒙召者从神的观点看世界的局面。这观点和世界的观点完全不同。按照属世的观点，世界上每件事都是高尚、美好、奇妙的；但由蒙神呼召者的观点看来，凡与神的家相对的，都是一堆废墟。首先，我们在摩利献上自己。然后我们在召会生活和一堆废墟之间献上自己。就我们而论，只有神的家是值得的，此外一切都是废墟。在神的家和废墟之间，我们筑了一座坛，使我们可以与神交通，敬拜神，并事奉神。
12After Abraham built an altar to the Lord at Moreh, he traveled through the land. God did not give him just one little spot; He gave him a spacious land. In his travels, Abraham came to a place that was between Bethel and Ai. Bethel was on the west and Ai was on the east. Here, between Bethel and Ai, Abraham built another altar (12:8; 13:3-4). Bethel means the house of God, and Ai means the heap of ruins. Bethel and Ai stand in contrast one to another. What does this contrast mean? It means that in the eyes of the called ones only God’sho use is worthwhile. Everything else is just a heap of ruins. The principle is the same with us today. On the one hand, we have Bethel, God’sho use, the church life. Opposite to this is a heap of ruins. Everything that is contrary to the church life is a heap of ruins. In the eyes of God’scall ed ones, everything other than the church life is a heap of ruins because the called ones look at the world situation from God’s point of view. This point of view is absolutely different from the world’s point of view. According to the worldly viewpoint, everything in the world is high, good, and wonderful, but, from the point of view of God’scall ed ones, everything opposite to the house of God is a heap of ruins. Firstly, we consecrate ourselves at Moreh. Then we consecrate ourselves at the place that is between the church life and the heap of ruins. As far as we are concerned, only the house of God is worthwhile. Everything other than this is a heap of ruins. Between the house of God and the heap of ruins we build an altar that we might fellowship with God, worship Him, and serve Him
（c）第三座坛
c) The Third Altar
13亚伯拉罕在希伯仑的幔利筑了第三座坛。（创十三18。）幔利的意思是力量，希伯仑的意思是交通，交往或友谊。按照创世记十八章一节，神是在幔利那里访问亚伯拉罕。在那次访问中，神不仅向他显现，并且停留了相当长的时间，甚至与他一同坐席。我们到了那一章，会更多看见这事。虽然摩利以及伯特利和艾的中间都很好，但没有一处是亚伯拉罕留下来一直与主交通的地方。亚伯拉罕留下来，一直与主交通的地方，乃是希伯仑的幔利。我们都需要维持与主不断的交通。这不是偶然的，也不该时有时无，这必须是继续不断的。可能几年前，你曾为主筑坛；这很好，但以后怎样呢？你也许说，两年前你筑过坛，但今天如何呢？我们很多人有在摩利的经历，但没有在幔利的经历。我信亚伯拉罕的一生多半是在希伯仑，就是在他与主能有不断交通的地方度过的。在希伯仑那里，他筑了第三座坛。我们至少都需要筑三座坛：第一座在摩利，第二座在伯特利和艾的中间，第三座在希伯仑的幔利。我们需要在希伯仑的幔利筑一座坛，使我们可以敬拜神，事奉神，并与神有不断的交通。这是在希伯仑第三座坛的经历。
13Abraham built the third altar at Mamre of Hebron (13:18). Mamre means strength, and Hebron means fellowship, communion, or friendship. According to Genesis 18:1, it was at Mamre that God came to visit Abraham. In that visit God not only appeared to him but stayed with him for quite a long time, even feasting with him. We shall see more about this when we come to that chapter. Although both Moreh and the place between Bethel and Ai were good, neither one was the place where Abraham stayed for constant fellowship with the Lord. The place where Abraham stayed for such constant fellowship with the Lord was Mamre of Hebron. We all need to maintain a constant fellowship with the Lord. This does not happen by accident; neither should it occur occasionally. It must be constant. Perhaps some years ago you built an altar to the Lord. This is good, but what has happened since then? You may say that you built an altar two years ago, but how about today? Many of us have had the experience at Moreh but have not had the experience at Mamre. I believe that Abraham’s life was mostly spent at Hebron, the place where he could have constant fellowship with the Lord. There, at Hebron, he built the third altar. We all need to build at least three altars: the first at Moreh, the second between Bethel and Ai, and the third at Mamre in Hebron. We need to build an altar at Mamre in Hebron so that we may worship God, serve Him, and have constant fellowship with Him. This is the experience of the third altar, the altar in Hebron.
（3） 表现－帐棚
3) Expression—the Tent
（a）因为他所有的一切全是为著神，并且他信靠神
a) Because All the Things He Had Were for God and He Trusted in God
14亚伯拉罕筑坛以后，就支搭帐棚。（创十二7～8。）在巴别，人先造城，然后造塔。但亚伯拉罕先筑坛，然后搭棚。这意思是亚伯拉罕为著神。他所作的第一件事是顾到敬拜神，与神交通，其次才顾到他的生活。帐棚是为著亚伯拉罕的生活。亚伯拉罕没有先顾到他的生活。那是次要的。对亚伯拉罕而言，首要的事是把一切献给神，敬拜事奉神，并与神有交通。然后亚伯拉罕才为他的生活支撘帐棚。亚伯拉罕住帐棚，指明他不属于世界，反而对人是一个见证。（来十一9。）
14After Abraham built an altar, he pitched a tent (12:7-8). At Babel, the people firstly built a city and then erected a tower. But Abraham firstly built an altar and then erected a tent. This means that Abraham was for God. The first thing he did was to take care of the worship of God, of his fellowship with God. Secondly, he took care of his living. The tent was for Abraham’s living. Abraham did not take care of his living first. That was secondary. With Abraham, the primary matter was to consecrate everything to God, to worship and serve God, and to have fellowship with God. Only then did Abraham pitch a tent for his living. Abraham’s dwelling in a tent indicated that he did not belong to the world but was a testimony to the people (Heb. 11:9
（b）在见证的地方
b) At the Place of Testimony
15亚伯拉罕先在伯特利和艾的中间支搭帐棚。（创十二8，十三3。）那是神的家所在的地方，也是他开始作见证，藉著与神交通彰显神的地方。他的祭坛是他向世人为神作见证的开始；他的帐棚是他向世人为神作见证的完成。他的帐棚是他的后裔在旷野所建造之帐幕的小影，那个帐幕称为『见证的帐幕。』（出三八21，直译。）因为他的帐棚支搭在伯特利旁，就一面的意义说，这帐棚可视为神的家，为著神在地上的见证。
15Abraham firstly pitched his tent at the place between Bethel and Ai (12:8; 13:3). That was the place where God’sho use was and where he began his testimony in expressing God by fellowshipping with Him. His altar was the beginning of his testimony for God to the world, whereas his tent was the completion of his testimony to the world for God. His tent was a miniature of the tabernacle built by his descendants in the wilderness, which was called the “tabernacle of testimony” (Exo. 38:21). Since his tent was pitched by Bethel, in a sense it may be considered as the house of God for God’s testimony on earth
（c）在交通的地方
c) At the Place of Fellowship
16后来亚伯拉罕把帐棚迁到希伯仑，希伯仑的意思是交通。（创十三18。）他的帐棚首先是向世人为神作见证，后来成了他与神交通的中心。这点在十八章得到有力的证明。那时神来到希伯仑幔利的帐棚里，与亚伯拉罕同处。因著亚伯拉罕支撘帐棚，神在地上就有一个能与人来往交通的地方。他的帐棚把神从天上带到地上。我们所有蒙神呼召的人都应当支搭帐棚。一面说，这样的帐棚对世界是神的见证；另一面说，这帐棚乃是与神交通，把神从天上带到地上的地方。
16Later, Abraham removed his tent to Hebron, which means fellowship (13:18). His tent firstly was a testimony for God to the world and then it became the center where he had fellowship with God. This is strongly proved by what occurred in chapter eighteen when God came to stay with him in the tent at Mamre in Hebron. By Abraham’spit ching a tent God had a place on earth where He could communicate and fellowship with man. His tent brought God from heaven to earth. All of us, God’scall ed ones, should pitch a tent. On the one hand, such a tent is a testimony of God to the world; on the other hand, it is a place of fellowship with God to bring God from heaven to earth.
17不要以为支搭帐棚是件小事。后来亚伯拉罕的后裔蒙召出埃及，进入旷野，神就吩咐他们造帐棚，并且吩咐他们在帐棚前筑坛。（出二六1，二七1。）在出埃及记那里，我们看见祭坛和帐棚，就是帐幕。那个帐幕是神在地上的家。亚伯拉罕的帐棚也是神在地上的家。在创世记十八章我们能看见，神来到亚伯拉罕的帐棚里与他同处。在那时亚伯拉罕是向神献祭的祭司。他筑坛并向神献祭，证明他供职作祭司。神的心意是要所有蒙祂呼召的人都作祭司。我们是祭司。我们不需要别人为我们献祭，我们必须自己献祭。当亚伯拉罕在他的帐棚里与神坐席的时候，他是大祭司，他帐棚的内部是至圣所，神在那里。藉此我们能看见，亚伯拉罕的帐棚是他的后裔在旷野所造，作神和祭司居所之帐幕的豫影。在创世记这里我们看见，一个和神同住在帐棚里，名叫亚伯拉罕的祭司，在帐棚旁边有一座祭坛。
17Do not think that this matter of a tent is a small thing. Later, when Abraham’s descendants were called out of Egypt and entered into the wilderness, God commanded them to build a tent and in front of the tent He commanded them to build an altar (Exo. 26:1; 27:1). There, in Exodus, we see an altar with a tent, a tabernacle. That tabernacle was God’sho use on earth. Abraham’st ent was also God’sho use on earth. In Genesis 18 we can see that God came and stayed with Abraham in his tent. At that time, Abraham was a priest offering sacrifices to God. His building an altar and offering sacrifices to God proved that he functioned as a priest. God’sin tent i on is that all of His called ones should be priests. We are priests. We do not need others to offer sacrifices for us. We must do it ourselves. When Abraham was feasting with God in his tent, he was the high priest, and the inner part of his tent was the Holy of Holies. God was there. By this we can see that Abraham’st ent was a prefigure of the tabernacle built by Abraham’s descendants in the wilderness as the dwelling place for God and for the priests. Here in Genesis we see a priest named Abraham who lived with God in his tent. At the side of this tent there was an altar
（d）因著信，像在异乡作客
d) Sojourning by Faith as in a Strange Country
18不要忘记，亚伯拉罕的历史就是你的历史。你没有一个帐棚，在那里始终有主的同在么？世人没有这样的帐棚，他们只有大城。世人惟一能看见的，就是他们的大城。他们说，『看我的公司。看我的教育，我的成就。看我有多少的东西。』但我们能对世人说，『你有一切，但有一样你没有－神的同在。你没有帐棚－你只有巴别城。你所有的不过是大巴比伦的一部分。』我们是高阶层或低阶层的人，都无关紧要，要紧的是我们无论在那里，都有一个有神同在的帐棚。当我们有一个有神同在的帐棚，我们里面就深深觉得，在地上没有一样事物是持久的，每样事物都是短暂的。我们仰望永世。银行、公司、成就，都是短暂而无意义的。我们在地上没有长存的事物。我只喜欢有一个有神同在的帐棚，我喜欢生活在这样的光景中。我们可以对世人说，『某某博士，我没有你所有的那么多，但我有一样你没有－神的同在。我不需要等到永世才有神的同在，在我的帐棚里现在就有神的同在。我的环境就是帐棚，就是新耶路撒冷的小影。这在你眼中也许不值得，但在神眼中却极其重要。』这就是支搭帐棚的意思。
18Do not forget that Abraham’s history is yours. Do you not have a tent where you always have the Lord’s presence? The worldly people do not have such a tent. They only have a great city. The only thing that the worldly people can see is their great city. They say, “Look at my corporation. Look at my education, my attainment. Look at how many things I have.” But we can say to the worldly people, “You have everything, but there is one thing that you don’th ave—God’s presence. You do not have the tent—you have the city of Babel. All that you have is a part of the great Babylon.” Whether we are high-class people or low-class people does not mean very much. All that matters is that wherever we are we have a tent with God’s presence. When we have a tent with God’s presence, we have the deep sensation within that nothing here on earth is lasting. Everything is temporary. We are looking to eternity. The banks, the corporations, the attainments — all are temporal and mean nothing. We have nothing constant on this earth. I just like to have a tent with God’s presence. I like to live in such a situation. We may say to the worldly people, “Dr. So- and-so, I don’th ave as much as you have, but I have the one thing that you don’th ave—God’s presence. I don’th ave to wait for eternity to have God’s presence. I have His presence right now in my tent. My surroundings are a tent, a miniature of the New Jerusalem. This may not be worthwhile in your eyes, but in God’se yes it means a great deal.” This is what it means to pitch a tent.
19无论何时我们答应神的呼召，而神再次向我们显现，我们也为神筑一座坛，告诉神我们所是和所有的一切都是为著祂，我们就会立刻支搭帐棚。人们自然会看见，这是我们不属这世界的表现和宣告。藉著支搭帐棚，我们宣告我们属于另一个家乡。我们不属于这一个家乡，我们仰望更美的家乡。我们不喜欢这一个家乡，就是这地，这世界。我们指望进入另一个家乡。我们因著信，像在异乡作客。（来十一9。）（e）盼望等候一座有根基的城希伯来十一章十节说，亚伯拉罕『等候那座有根基的城，其设计者并建筑者乃是神。』这座有根基的城无疑就是新耶路撒冷，有神所设立建造的坚固根基。（启二一14，19～。）当亚伯拉罕住在没有根基的帐棚里，他是在仰望并等候一座有根基的城。但我不信亚伯拉罕知道，他是在等候新耶路撒冷。甚至许多基督徒也不知道，他们所等候的乃是新耶路撒冷。但我们必须清楚，我们今天是住在召会生活的帐棚里，等候召会终极的完成，就是新耶路撒冷，神那有根基的城。
19Whenever we answer God’scall ing and God reappears to us and we build an altar for God, telling Him that everything we are and have is for Him, we shall immediately erect a tent. Spontaneously, people will see that this is an expression, a declaration, that we do not belong to this world. By pitching a tent we declare that we belong to another country. We do not belong to this country; we are looking for a better one. We do not like this country, this earth, this world. We expect to come into another country. We are sojourning by faith as in a strange country (Heb. 11:9). e) Waiting with Expectation for a City with Foundations Hebrews 11:10 says that Abraham “waited for the city which has the foundations, whose Architect and Maker is God.” This city which has foundations is undoubtedly the New Jerusalem, which has solid foundations laid and built by God (Rev. 21:14, 19-20). While Abraham was living in a tent without any foundations, he was 20 looking and waiting for a city with foundations. But I do not believe that Abraham knew that he was waiting for the New Jerusalem. Even many Christians do not know that what they are waiting for is the New Jerusalem. But we have to be clear that we are living in the tent of the church life today, waiting for its ultimate consummation, which will be the New Jerusalem—the city of God with foundations.
（f）生活在新耶路撒冷的影儿中
f) Living in a Shadow of the New Jerusalem
20亚伯拉罕的帐棚是新耶路撒冷的小影，新耶路撒冷是神在宇宙中终极的帐幕。（启二一2～3。）当亚伯拉罕住在那帐棚里，他是活在新耶路撒冷的小影中。当他在那里与神一同生活的时候，他是在等候一座至终要成为新耶路撒冷的城。新耶路撒冷，永远的帐幕，要顶替亚伯拉罕所住临时的帐棚。亚伯拉罕的帐棚是神永远居所的一粒种子。这粒种子生长在他后裔于旷野所支搭的帐幕，（出四十，）其收成将是新耶路撒冷，就是神与人的帐幕。神在我们众人里面仍需要这样的种子。我们都必须是那些生活在帐棚里，并仰望更美家乡的人。在这更美的家乡有永远的帐幕，神与我们，我们与神要在其中永远同住。亚伯拉罕的兴趣完全在于更美的家乡。虽然神曾告诉他，要把那地赐给他和他的后裔，亚伯拉罕对这并不在意。他仰望另一个家乡，和一座有根基的城。至终，圣经告诉我们，这更美的家乡是新天新地，那座有根基的城是新耶路撒冷，就是神和所有蒙召者永远的居所。
20Abraham’st ent was a miniature of the New Jerusalem, which will be the ultimate tabernacle of God in the universe (Rev. 21:2-3). As he lived in that tent, he was living in a shadow of the New Jerusalem. While he was living there with God, he was waiting for a city, a city that eventually will be the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem, the eternal tabernacle, will replace that temporary tent in which Abraham lived. Abraham’st ent was a seed of God’s eternal dwelling place. This seed grew in the tabernacle erected by his descendants in the wilderness (Exo. 40), and its harvest will be the New Jerusalem, the tabernacle of God with man. God still needs to have such a seed in all of us. We all need to be those who live in a tent and who look forward to a better country, a country in which there will be the eternal tabernacle where God and we, we and God, will live together for eternity. Abraham’sin te rest was altogether in a better country. Although God had told him that He would give the land to Abraham and his descendants, Abraham did not care for that. He was looking for another country and for a city with foundations. Eventually, the Bible tells us that this better country is the new heaven and the new earth and that the city with foundations is the New Jerusalem, the eternal dwelling place for God and for all His called ones.
21今天我们是在重复亚伯拉罕的生活和历史。从前只有一个亚伯拉罕，现在有许多亚伯拉罕。今天的召会生活，就是亚伯拉罕生活和历史的收成。亚伯拉罕凭信的生活，现今正在我们中间重复。我们都在这里筑坛，并且支搭帐棚。请看召会生活：我们有祭坛和真正的帐幕。这是要来新耶路撒冷的图画，在那里我们要与神永远同住。圣经结束于帐棚。新耶路撒冷是宇宙中终极的帐棚，终极的帐幕。也许有一天亚伯拉罕在新耶路撒冷里遇见神，神会说，『亚伯拉罕，你不记得那天我们在你的帐棚里一同坐席么？你的帐棚是这座永远帐幕的小影。』亚伯拉罕的帐棚是一粒种子，这粒种子的生长是在出埃及记，其收成是在启示录二十一章。原则上，亚伯拉罕的帐棚和新耶路撒冷那终极的帐棚并无不同。如果我是亚伯拉罕，将来在新耶路撒冷里遇见神，我要说，『主阿，我记得你那天到过我的帐棚，现在我来到你的帐棚了。』
21Today we are repeating the life and history of Abraham. Once there was only one Abraham; now there are many. The church life today is the harvest of the life and history of Abraham. Abraham’s life by faith is presently being repeated among us. We all are here building an altar and pitching a tent. Look at the church life: we have an altar and a real tabernacle. This is a picture of the coming New Jerusalem where we shall spend eternity with God. The Bible ends with a tent. The New Jerusalem is the ultimate tent, the ultimate tabernacle, in the universe. Maybe one day Abraham will meet with God in the New Jerusalem, and God will say, “Abraham, don’ty ou remember that day when we feasted together in your tent? Your tent was a miniature of this eternal tabernacle.” Abraham’st ent was a seed. The growth of that seed is in Exodus and its harvest is in Revelation 21. In principle, there is no difference between Abraham’st ent, and the New Jerusalem, the ultimate tent. If I were Abraham meeting with God in the New Jerusalem, I would say, “Lord, I remember the day You came to my tent. Now I come to Your tent