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创世记生命读经 · 第59篇

撒拉的死和埋葬

The Death and Burial of Sarah
（9） 撒拉的死与埋葬
9) The Death and Burial of Sarah
1在本篇信息中，我们来到创世记二十三章，这章记载撒拉的死与埋葬。我年轻的时候，不了解创世记为甚么有这一章。亚伯拉罕一生必定作了许多大事，我不懂为甚么圣经没有记载那些事，却用了二十节之多描述他如何费时、费力、费财、甚至一再下拜，来取得一块坟地。但圣经不浪费任何字。圣经每个字既都是神的呼出，创世记二十三章就必定非常有意义。我们若认为创世记一章、二章是重要的，也必须认为创世记二十三章是重要的。每位基督徒都宝贵创世记一章，因为那是神创造的记载。我们不仅宝贵创世记一章是创造的记载，也宝贵牠是生命的记载，因为那里说到神的形像和管治权，与神所创造的人有关。我们也宝贵创世记二章，因为那里说到生命树。然而，我们很少人宝贵坟地。但创世记二十三章是以坟地为中心，并且详细记载购买坟地的事。这个故事比创世记其他的记载包含更多的细节。其他每段的记载都相当简略，这段却充分且清楚的记载坟地在那里，为谁所有，如何购买，以及亚伯拉罕所付的代价。这块坟地的说法非常有意义，因为圣经告诉我们，不仅撒拉葬在那里，并且亚伯拉罕、以撒、利百加、雅各和利亚也葬在那里。非常有意义的是，亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的名字，乃是复活之神神圣名称的组成成分。（太二二32。）创世记二十三章是一扇窗户，透过这扇窗户我们能看到新耶路撒冷。在这章里看不到新耶路撒冷，但透过这章却能看到。这章好像一架望远镜：透过牠我们能看见在遥远的将来永远的帐幕。创世记二十一章记载以撒的出生。这的确值得一题。接著，同章告诉我们，亚伯拉罕赎回一口井，栽上一棵垂丝柳树，并呼求耶和华以利俄拉姆的名。我们也已经看过，二十二章记载献以撒的事。然后，二十三章记载撒拉的死和埋葬。这三章至少包括了三十七年。在这三十七年中，亚伯拉罕必定遭遇了许多事，但圣经只题到四件事：以撒的出生，在别是巴的生活，以撒的献上，以及撒拉的死和埋葬。这三章略去了我们所认为重要的事，却包含了撒拉的死和埋葬的详细记载。因此，我们必须密切留意创世记二十三章。
1In this message we come to Genesis 23, a chapter which records the death and burial of Sarah. When I was young, I did not see why this chapter was included in the book of Genesis. I could not understand why, when Abraham must have done many great things which are not recorded, twenty verses were used to describe how he spent his time, energy, money, and even his politeness to acquire a burying place. But the Bible does not waste any words. Since every word of the Bible is God’s breath, Genesis 23 must be very significant. If we consider Genesis 1 and 2 as being important, we must also consider Genesis 23 as being important. Every Christian appreciates Genesis 1 because it gives a record of God’s creation. We appreciate Genesis 1 not merely as a record of creation but also as a record of life. It speaks of God’sim age and dominion as related to the man created by God. We also appreciate Genesis 2 because it tells us of the tree of life. However, few of us appreciate a sepulcher. But Genesis 23 is focused on the matter of a burying place and gives us a detailed account of the purchase of a sepulcher. More details are included in this story than in any other record in the book of Genesis. While every other record is quite brief, this one gives a full and clear account of where the tomb was located, who owned it, how it was purchased, and the amount Abraham paid for it. This sepulcher is mentioned in a very significant way, for we are told that not only was Sarah buried there, but that Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Leah were buried there also. It is very significant that the names of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are the components of the divine title of God who is the God of resurrection (Matt. 22:32). Genesis 23 is a window through which we can see the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem is not found in this chapter, but it can be seen through it. This chapter is like a telescope: through it we can see the eternal tabernacle that is far off in the future. Genesis 21 gives us the record of the birth of Isaac. This was certainly worth mentioning. Following this, in the same chapter we are told that Abraham redeemed a well, planted a tamarisk tree, and called on the name of Jehovah, El Olam. As we have seen, in chapter twenty-two we have the offering of Isaac. Then, in chapter twenty-three, we have the death and burial of Sarah. These three chapters cover at least thirty-seven years. Although a great many things must have happened with Abraham during these thirty - seven years, only four things are mentioned: the birth of Isaac, the living in Beer-sheba, the offering of Isaac, and the death and burial of Sarah. These three chapters exclude many things which, according to our human concept, are important, but include a detailed record of the death and burial of Sarah. Because of this, we must pay close attention to Genesis 23.
（a）在希伯仑－与神交通的地方
a) In Hebron—the Place of Fellowship with God
2在二十二章的末了，亚伯拉罕、撒拉和以撒住在别是巴，毫无疑问，他们是住在立约的井和垂丝柳树附近。这是召会生活的小影，因为召会生活总是在活水井和垂丝柳树旁。忽然，二十三章的开头告诉我们，撒拉死了。虽然亚伯拉罕、撒拉和以撒住在别是巴，但撒拉死了是葬在希伯仑，就是与神交通的地方。撒拉从别是巴往前到了希伯仑。照样，主若迟延祂的回来，我也愿意活在召会生活中，而死在与神的交通里。按照地图，希伯仑在南边的别是巴和北边的耶路撒冷之间，在别是巴到摩利亚的路上，摩利亚就是耶路撒冷所在的地方。主若迟延祂的回来，我愿意葬在通往新耶路撒冷路上的一个地方。今天你住在那里？我们都必须回答，我们住在别是巴，在活水井和垂丝柳树旁的召会中。我们的召会生活就是今天的别是巴。在主回来以前，有些年长的人会离开别是巴，就是召会生活，死在希伯仑，在那里等候新耶路撒冷。希伯仑不仅是与神交通的地方，也是通往耶路撒冷的路。在希伯仑的麦比拉洞是通往新耶路撒冷的门。也许有一天我们会听见撒拉作见证：『当我进入麦比拉洞，我就进入通往新耶路撒冷的门。』撒拉不是仅仅葬在麦比拉洞；她现今睡在那里，等候有一天醒来，发现自己在新耶路撒冷。
2At the end of chapter twenty-two, Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac were dwelling at Beer-sheba, undoubtedly living near the covenanted well and the tamarisk tree. This was a miniature of the church life, for the church life is always by a well of living water and a tamarisk tree. Suddenly, at the beginning of chapter twenty-three we are told of Sarah’s death. Although Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac were living at Beer-sheba, she died and was buried in Hebron, the place of fellowship with God. Sarah went on from Beer-sheba to Hebron. In like manner, if the Lord delays His coming back, I would like to live in the church life and die in the fellowship with God. According to the map, Hebron is between Beer-sheba on the south and Jerusalem on the north. It is on the way from Beer-sheba to Moriah, where Jerusalem is. If the Lord delays His coming back, I would like to be buried in a place which is on the way to the New Jerusalem. Where are you living today? We all must answer that we are living in Beer-sheba, in the church by the well of living water and the tamarisk tree. Our church life is today’s Beer-sheba. Before the Lord comes back, some of the older ones may leave Beer-sheba, the church life, die in Hebron, and wait there for the New Jerusalem. Hebron is not only a place of fellowship with God; it is also a way to Jerusalem. The cave of Machpelah in Hebron is the gateway to the New Jerusalem. Perhaps some day we shall hear Sarah testify, “When I entered into the cave of Machpelah, I entered into the gate which leads into the New Jerusalem.” Sarah was not simply buried in the cave of Machpelah; she is now sleeping there, waiting for the day when she will wake up and find herself in the New Jerusalem
（b）撒拉的早死
b) Sarah’s Early Death
3撒拉在一百二十七岁时死了。（创二三1～2。）在今天这似乎是非常老了，但在当时是早死。亚伯拉罕活了一百七十五岁，（创二五7，）在撒拉死后还活了三十八年。撒拉不该这么早死。她在生以撒三十七年后死去，（创十七1，17，二一5，）这是不正常的。
3Sarah died at the age of one hundred twenty-seven (vv. 1-2). Although this may seem to be very old today, at that time it was an early age to die. Abraham lived one hundred seventy - five years (25:7), living thirty - eight years after Sarah died. Sarah should not have died at such an early age. Her death, thirty-seven years after Isaac’s birth (17:1, 17; 21:5), was abnormal.
（c）亚伯拉罕的受苦
c) Abraham’s Suffering
4亚伯拉罕和撒拉是全宇宙中最好的夫妻。他们真正彼此相爱，从来没有想到离婚或分居。亚伯拉罕失去了妻子，对他和以撒都是一大损失。以撒是他母亲的爱子，亳无疑问，她非常爱他。以撒三十七岁还没有结婚，与他母亲同住。他四十岁结婚的时候，（创二五20，）圣经甚至告诉我们，他在母亲的帐棚里结婚。（创二四67。）忽然，亚伯拉罕与撒拉，撒拉与以撒之间的爱中断了，因为作妻子和母亲的撒拉，被不正常的死取去了。因著这个，亚伯拉罕受了很大的苦。你若读亚伯拉罕的历史，你会看见神总是取去他的东西。罗得与他分开，以利以谢被弃绝，以实玛利被赶出，以撒在祭坛上献给神。然后他亲爱的妻子死了。亚伯拉罕经历了何等的试炼和苦难！照著我们天然的观念，亚伯拉罕与神这么好，不该遭遇这些事。在创世记二十二章，以撒献给了神，又在复活里归还了亚伯拉罕。在亚伯拉罕同妻子撒拉并儿子以撒享受喜乐生活的当儿，忽然亚伯拉罕喜乐的因素撒拉被取去了。这家庭的喜乐在于作妻子和母亲的撒拉。撒拉一死，这家的气氛、生活和喜乐都被取去了，这家也没有了。这对亚伯拉罕是何等的苦难！我们是蒙神呼召的人，不该盼望在地上有喜乐的生活。我们必须跟随亚伯拉罕的脚踪，仰望更美的家乡，仰望一座有根基的城。（来十一10，16。）我们在地上短暂的生活，乃是客旅的生活。因此，亚伯拉罕不大留意他的住处，不过搭了一座帐棚。他是客旅，是寄居的，仰望一个永久的住处。亚伯拉罕过了三十八年没有撒拉帮助的生活。（创二五7～8。）在圣经里，三十八这数字是受苦、试炼和试验的数字。以色列人在旷野受了三十八年的试炼和试验。我们已经看见，以撒在四十岁结婚。在圣经里，四十这数字也是试炼、试诱和试验的意思。这章还有另一数字，就是四百，是十倍的四十。在圣经里首次用四百这数字，是在创世记十五章十三节，在那里神告诉亚伯拉罕，他的后裔要受患难四百年。在二十三章十六节这里我们读到，亚伯拉罕用四百舍客勒银子的代价买了坟地。这指明是一种试验、试炼和受苦。
4Abraham and Sarah were the best couple in the whole universe. They truly loved one another, never having any consideration of divorce or separation. When Abraham was robbed of his wife, it was a great loss to both Abraham and Isaac. Isaac was a dear son to his mother, and she undoubtedly loved him very much. At the age of thirty- seven, he was still unmarried and lived with his mother. When he did marry at the age of forty (25:20), the Bible even tells us that Isaac was married in his mother’st ent (24:67). Suddenly, the love between Abraham and Sarah and between Sarah and Isaac was broken, for Sarah, the wife and mother, was taken away by an abnormal death. Because of this, Abraham suffered greatly. If you read Abraham’s history, you will see that God was always taking things away from him. Lot separated from him, Eliezer was rejected, Ishmael was cast out, and Isaac was offered to God on the altar. Then his dear wife was taken away in death. What trials and sufferings Abraham passed through! According to our natural concept, Abraham, one who was so good with God, should not have suffered all these things. In chapter twenty-two Isaac was offered to God and returned to Abraham in resurrection. Suddenly, while Abraham was enjoying a happy life with his wife Sarah and his son Isaac, Sarah, the factor of his happiness, was taken away. The happiness in this family was dependent upon Sarah, the wife and the mother. When Sarah died, the atmosphere, life, and happiness of this family were all taken away, and the family itself was gone. What a suffering that was to Abraham! As God’s called ones, we should not expect to have a happy life here on earth. We must follow the steps of Abraham looking for a better country, for a city with foundations (Heb. 11:10, 16). Our temporary life on earth is the life of a traveler. Due to this, Abraham paid little attention to his dwelling place and simply erected a tent. He was a sojourner, a stranger, who was looking for a permanent dwelling place. Abraham lived for thirty - eight years without Sarah’s help (25:8). In the Bible, the number thirty-eight is the number of sufferings, trials, and tests. The children of Israel suffered trials and tests in the wilderness for a period of thirty - eight years. As we have seen, Isaac was forty years old when he married. In the Bible, the number forty also means trials, temptations, and tests. We also have another number in this chapter — four hundred — which is ten times forty. The first time the number four hundred is used in the Bible is in Genesis 15:13, where Abraham was told that his descendants would suffer affliction for four hundred years. Here in 23:16 we read that Abraham bought the sepulcher at the cost of four hundred shekels of silver. This indicates that it was a test, trial, and suffering.
5已过你读二十三章时，也许并不觉得亚伯拉罕是在受苦。但请注意二节的两个辞－『哀恸』和『哭号。』亚伯拉罕为撒拉哀恸哭号，因为他失去了他的喜乐和家庭生活。译为『哀恸』和『哭号』的希伯来文，原意远超过仅仅哀恸并哭号。亚伯拉罕老年丧妻，受苦太深，极其伤痛。三十八、四十和四百这些数字，指明他极大的受苦。
5As you read this chapter in the past, perhaps you did not have the feeling that Abraham was suffering. But notice two words in verse 2—”mourn” and “weep.” Abraham mourned and wept for Sarah because he had lost his happiness and his family life. The Hebrew words translated “mourn” and “weep” indicate much more than just mourning and weeping. Abraham suffered intensely at losing his wife in his old age; he was deeply hurt. His great suffering is indicated by the numbers thirty-eight, forty, and four hundred
（d）亚伯拉罕的见证
d) Abraham’s Testimony
6失去爱妻的亚伯拉罕，有非常刚强的见证。赫人称他为主，说他是『一位尊大的王子。』（创二三6。）译为『尊大的王子』的希伯来文，也可译为『神的王子。』在希伯来文里，『尊大』这辞是用以指神的。亚伯拉罕彰显神如同神的王子，可敬如同尊大的王子。在他自己眼中，他是外人；但在人眼中，他是一位尊大的王子，神的王子。他的确是有分量的人。我们都需要有分量，并且和亚伯拉罕有同样的见证。在我们的邻居、同事和同学中间，我们不可轻浮，听凭别人轻看我们。我们必须有分量，别人必须尊重我们。虽然我们不该高估自己，但我们在别人眼中必须尊高。我盼望在国中任教的教师会说，在他们班上的学生中，从召会来的少年弟兄是尊大的王子。青年弟兄们，不要只在聚会中放胆祷告，你们在学校里也必须有分量。仅仅有好行为算不得甚么。我们必须有分量。金子和钻石是有分量的，爆米花和棉花糖却是轻的。你若是金子或钻石，你就有分量。我们基督徒是蒙神呼召的人，应当非常有分量，使人觉得希奇，说，『为甚么这个青年人这么有分量？他不平常，也不反常。虽然他是一个正常的青年人，但他不轻浮。他必定是王子。』
6Abraham, one who had suffered the loss of his dear wife, had a very strong testimony. The Hittites addressed him as lord and called him “a mighty prince” (v. 6). The Hebrew words translated “mighty prince” may also be rendered “a prince of God.” In Hebrew, the word for “mighty” is the word for God. Abraham expressed God as a prince of God and was respectable as a mighty prince. In his own eyes, he was a stranger, but in the eyes of the people, he was a mighty prince and a prince of God. He was truly a weighty man. We all need to be weighty and have the same kind of testimony that Abraham had. In our neighborhoods, occupations, and schools, we must not be light and allow others to look down on us. We must be weighty, and others must estimate us very highly. Although we should not estimate ourselves so highly, we must be high in the eyes of others. I hope that the teachers in the junior high schools will say that the young brothers from the church who are students in their class are mighty princes. Young brothers, do not just pray boldly in the meetings. You must also be weighty in school. Simply having good behavior does not mean very much. We must have weight. Gold and diamonds are weighty, but popcorn and cotton candy are light. If you are gold or diamond, you will have weight. As God’s called ones, we Christians should be so weighty that people are surprised and say, “Why is this young man so weighty? He is neither common nor abnormal. Although he is a normal young man, there is no lightness with him. He must be a prince.”
7我们有分量，是因为有神在我们里面。蒙召的人需要呼求耶和华以利俄拉姆的名。亚伯拉罕越呼求这神圣者的名称，他就越有分量。神是金子。我们若呼求祂，我们就成为金的。我们越呼求这位金神，祂金的元素就越注入到我们全人里面。想一想木头和石化木的不同。木头很轻，但石化木很重，甚至比石头还重，因为有分量重的矿物质作到了牠里面。我们生来都是轻的，但我们已经重生成了有分量的。除了重生，我们还有变化的过程。木头得以石化，是藉著继续不断的水流。这水流带走木头的元素，代之以各种矿物质的元素，将木头变化成有分量、宝贵的石头。我们仅仅作好邻居还不彀。我们必须是神有分量的儿女。我们是神所呼召的人，如今在祂的注入之下。我们必须刚强并有分量，使人能说我们是尊大的王子，是神的王子。身为尊大的王子，亚伯拉罕是可敬的。（创二三6。）他尊敬别人，也得著别人的尊敬。他也是智慧的。（创二三3～。）在本章，我们看见亚伯拉罕与人交往很有智慧，说话非常高雅有风度。不仅如此，亚伯拉罕也很诚实，不占任何人的便宜。（创二三14～16。）他的目的是要购买坟地。当人很有礼貌的要把那地送给他作礼物时，亚伯拉罕知道了那地值四百舍客勒银子，就同意付足全额。他没有抓住机会占别人的便宜，也没有讨价还价。他把以弗仑所要的价钱给他，付足全额，缴清款项。照样，我们也不该给人缺乏的印象；我们必须显出我们的丰富。这是我们的见证。我对于今天基督教低落的道德水平感觉很差。那是何等可怜的行为标准！我们必须彰显神，表明我们这些神的儿女是有分量的，可敬的，并诚实的。我们应当甘愿遭受损失，却不占别人的便宜。我们无论得失都算不得甚么。倘若我们损失，我们仍要活著；倘若我们得著，我们也不能活得更久。我们何等需要学习成为诚实、可敬的，庄重的彰显神。
7We are weighty because we have God in us. The called ones need to call on the name of Jehovah, El Olam. The more Abraham called on this title of the divine Being, the more weighty he became. God is gold. If we call on Him, we shall become golden. The more we call on the golden God, the more of His golden element will be infused into our being. Consider the difference between wood and petrified wood. Wood is light, but petrified wood is weighty. It is even more weighty than stone, because weighty minerals have been wrought into it. We all were born light, but we have been reborn to be weighty. In addition to our rebirth, we have the process of transformation. The way in which wood becomes petrified is through the continuous flow of water. This flow of water carries away the element of wood and adds in its place the element of various minerals, transforming the wood into a weighty, precious stone. It is insufficient for us merely to be good neighbors. We must be weighty children of God. As God’scall ed ones, we are now under His infusion. We must be so strong and weighty that people will say that we are a mighty prince, a prince of God. As a mighty prince, Abraham was respectable (v. 6). He respected others and received their respect in return. He was also wise (vv. 3-13). In this chapter we see that Abraham had a wise way of communing with people, 13 speaking to them in a very tasteful and wise manner. Furthermore, Abraham was honest and did not take advantage of anyone (vv. 14-16). His intention was to purchase the sepulcher. When it was politely offered to him as a gift, Abraham, after learning that its value was four hundred shekels of silver, agreed to pay the full amount. He did not seize the opportunity to take advantage of others, and he did not bargain about the price. He gave Ephron the price he asked, paying the full amount, the full money. Likewise, we should not impress people with our scarcity; we must show our riches. This is our testimony. I feel badly about the low level of morality in today’s Christianity. What a poor standard of behavior there is! We must express God showing that we, as the children of God, are weighty, respectable, and honest. We should be willing to suffer loss, but not to take advantage of others. Whether we lose or gain means nothing. If we lose, we shall still live; if we gain, we cannot live any longer. How we must learn to be honest and respectable, expressing God in a weighty manner.
（e）最好的坟地
e) A Sepulcher of Choice
8创世记二十三章六节说到『最好的』坟地，指上好的坟地。主耶稣在地上的时候，没有美好的居所。但祂死27:57-后，被放进非常美好的坟墓里。（太二七57～60。）祂生活在贫寒的家里，却埋葬在富足的墓里。在圣经里，这是一个原则。我们不该住在美好的屋里，却该豫备最好的墓。亚伯拉罕注意坟地过于帐棚。创世记没有一字说到亚伯拉罕如何支搭帐棚，花费多少，或者支搭帐棚的确实地点。他支搭帐棚，就像人到山上露营几天一样。亚伯拉罕是真正露营的人，终其一生在露营。他不大在意帐棚，却非常关心坟地。在本章，我们看见以弗仑田间麦比拉洞的详尽描述。甚至在旧约里的耶路撒冷，也没有描述得这样详细。现在让我们来看这事的意义。在新约的光中我们能看见，亚伯拉罕蒙了神的呼召，晓得自己是客旅，是寄居的，在仰望一座永久的城，和更美的家乡。（来十一9～10，16。）当他仰望这更美的家乡时，他亲爱的妻子忽然死了。但亚伯拉罕没有放弃他的信心。他并没有对以撒说：『以撒，你母亲和我一直在仰望一座有根基的城，和更美的家乡，就是神所应许我们的。我们始终有这盼望。现在你母亲死了。她怎样到达那里？也许我们的神不可靠，我们不该再相信祂了。』亚伯拉罕没有这样说。我们查考希伯来书的记载，就看见亚伯拉罕不失望，也没有失去信心。反之，他在复活的神里面有著刚强的信心，相信他亲爱的妻子会在那城，并在那更美的家乡。这个相信含示复活。
8Verse 6 speaks of the “choice” sepulcher, referring to the best sepulcher. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He did not have a good dwelling place. But after He died, He was put into a very good burying place (Matt. 60). He lived in a poor home, but He was buried in a rich tomb. In the Bible, this is a principle. We should not live in a good home, but we should prepare the best tomb. Abraham paid more attention to the sepulcher than to the tent. Genesis does not say a word regarding how Abraham put up his tent, how much he paid for it, or exactly where he erected it. He pitched his tent like someone who goes camping in the mountains for a few days. Abraham, a true camper, was camping throughout his entire life. Although he did not care very much about the tent, he was very concerned for the sepulcher. In this chapter we find a full description in detail of the cave of Machpelah in the field of Ephron. Not even the Old Testament city of Jerusalem is described in such a detailed way. Let us now consider the meaning of this. In the light of the New Testament, we can see that Abraham was called by God and realized that he was a stranger, a sojourner, looking for a permanent city and a better country (Heb. 11:9-10, 16). As he was looking for this better country, his dear wife suddenly died. But Abraham did not give up his faith. Neither did he say to Isaac, “Isaac, your mother and I have been looking for a city with foundations and for the better country which God has promised us. We have always had this expectation. Now your mother is dead. How will she ever get there? What should we do? Probably our God is not trustworthy and we should not believe in Him anymore.” Abraham did not speak in this way. As we examine the record in Hebrews, we see that Abraham was not disappointed and did not lose his faith. Rather, he had strong faith in the God of resurrection, believing that his dear wife would be in that city and in that better country. This belief implies resurrection.
9创世记二十三章不是论复活的一章，乃是论进入复活之门的一章。在创世记二十三章，撒拉不是进入复活，乃是进入那门。照著亚伯拉罕的领会，撒拉的死就是进入复活的门。亚伯拉罕没有轻忽这事。他可能多少轻忽他的帐棚，但他不轻忽妻子的坟地。他购买麦比拉洞的用意，不仅是要把撒拉葬在那里，也是要把自己葬在那里。在希伯来文里，麦比拉这辞的意思是双或成双。凡葬在这洞里的，都是夫妻：亚伯拉罕和撒拉，以撒和利百加，雅各和利亚。（创二三19，二五9，四九29～32，五十13。）在亚伯拉罕的深处，充满了期盼，有一天他的妻子要在那有根基的城里。这含示复活。在雅各死前不久，嘱咐众子要把他葬在麦比拉洞。在古时将雅各的骸骨从埃及运到迦南埋葬不是一件小事，但雅各的众子为他这样作了。（创五十13。）藉此我们能晓得，雅各在将要死时，认为死并不是了结，乃是站口，是进入更美家乡的门。
9Genesis 23 is not a chapter on resurrection; it is a chapter on the gate into resurrection. In Genesis 23 Sarah did not enter into resurrection; she entered into the gate. According to Abraham’s realization, Sarah’s death was the entering into the gate of resurrection. Abraham did not take this matter lightly. Although he might have been somewhat light with his tent, he was not light concerning the burying place of his wife. His intention in purchasing the cave of Machpelah was not only to bury Sarah there, but also to bury himself there. The word Machpelah in Hebrew means double or doubling. Everyone who was buried in this cave was buried as one of a couple: Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Leah (v. 19; 25:9; 49:29-32; 50:13). Deep within, Abraham was filled with the expectation that one day his wife would be in the city of foundations. This implies resurrection. Shortly before his death, Jacob charged his sons to bury him in the cave of Machpelah. Although in ancient times it was not a small thing to take Jacob from Egypt to Canaan to be buried, Jacob’ss ons did it for him (50:13). By this we can realize that, as he was about to die, Jacob did not consider death as a termination but as a station, as the gate into the better country.
10亚伯拉罕充满了复活的盼望。他也许爱他妻子的尸体甚于她活著的时候。撒拉若能对亚伯拉罕说话，她也许说，『亚伯拉罕，为甚么你在我死后对我这么好？我活著的时候，你从来没有为我豫备一个好帐棚。现在我死了，你付了这么多钱买一个洞，把我葬在里面。为甚么你买了一个带著田和树的洞？你在作甚么？』亚伯拉罕也许说，『撒拉，你必须晓得，你不是葬在这里。你不过是在这里休息。我为你豫备了最好的卧室，在你等候那日的期间可以在这里休息。若是那日遥远的话，我会来与你成为一，我们要一同安息。这就是我买了洞也买了田的原因。看看田间的生命。这不是死亡之地，乃是生命之地。』在圣经里，田表征生命的长大，就是复活。甚至今天也是这样。你若不相信复活。我要请你看看麦田。麦子种下不久，就又长起来。一九三六年，我在中国清华大学向一班学生传福音。一天晚上，我传完福音之后，一位青年学生走过来，要我解释复活的事。他说，『我对基督教没有问题，但我无法相信复活。在现今的科学时代，我们怎能相信复活这类迷信的事？死人怎能复活？但这是圣经里一个主要的教训。』我对他说，这很容易解释。在我们所坐的房间，透过窗户能看见麦田。我说，『看看麦田。你看见长在那里的麦子么？你在这些田里看不见复活么？种子撒在土里，死了，最终麦子长出来了。这就是复活。』这简单的例证说服了他，他得救了。生长的田地表征复活，但浮木表征死亡。亚伯拉罕不是把撒拉放进死亡之地，乃是放进生命之地，就是满了复活之地。她埋葬的洞是在田头，（创二三9，）附近有许多树木。（创二三17。）假定麦比拉洞的周围是成堆的浮木，人看见了就会觉得那是死亡之地，了结之地。但麦比拉洞不是了结之地，乃是满了复活盼望之地。那是在通往复活的路上。在这地方，当撒拉等候那日来临的时候，她能安然睡觉。倘若她能说话，她会说，『我不是在死地等候。我是在活地。看看田和树木。有一天，我要在复活里。』亚伯拉罕在仰望一个更美的家乡，和一座有根基的城，撒拉的死并没有使他失望。反之，这事激起他对要来之日的期盼。因此，他一心一意，花了大笔金钱为撒拉、自己和后裔买了坟地。我们若有新约的亮光，就会晓得这指明复活的期盼。我再说，坟地是进入盼望之城新耶路撒冷的通路、大门。阿利路亚，麦比拉洞是在通往耶路撒冷的路上。
10Abraham was filled with the hope of resurrection. He might have even loved the dead body of his wife more than he loved Sarah when she was living. If Sarah could have spoken to Abraham, she might have said, “Abraham, why are you so good to me after I have died? When I was living you never prepared a good tent for me. Now that I am dead, you have paid so much money to buy a cave in which to bury me. Why did you buy a cave with a field and trees? What are you doing?” Abraham might have said, “Sarah, you must realize that you are not being buried here. You will just rest here. I have prepared the best bedroom for you in which you may rest as you wait for that day. If that day is far off, I will come to be one with you and we shall rest together. This is why I have purchased the field as well as the cave. Look at the life in the field. It is not a place of death—it is a place of life.” In the Bible, a field signifies the growth of life, that is, resurrection. This is true even today. If you do not believe in resurrection, I would ask you to consider a wheat field. Not long after the grains of wheat are planted, they rise up again. In 1936, I was preaching the gospel to a group of students at Ching-Hua University in China. One evening, after I had preached, a young student came up to me and, wanting me to explain the matter of resurrection, said, “I have no problem with Christianity, but I cannot believe in the resurrection. How can we, in our modern, scientific age, believe in such a superstitious thing as resurrection? How can a dead person be resurrected? Yet, this is one of the main teachings in the Bible.” I said to him that this was easy to explain. Through the window of the room in which we were sitting we could see wheat fields. I said, “Look at the wheat fields. Do you see the wheat that is growing there? Can’ty ou see resurrection in these fields? The seed is sown into the soil, dies, and eventually the wheat comes forth. This is resurrection.” This simple illustration convinced him, and he was saved. Now he is one of the leading co-workers on the island of Taiwan. A growing field signifies resurrection, but driftwood signifies death. Abraham did not put Sarah into a place of death, but into a place of life, a place full of resurrection. The cave in which she was buried was in the end of the field (v. 9), and there were many trees nearby (v. 17). Suppose the cave of Machpelah was surrounded by piles of driftwood. Whenever anyone saw this, he would immediately have had the sense that it was a place of death, a place of termination. But the cave of Machpelah is not the place of termination; it is a place full of the expectation of resurrection. It is on the way to resurrection. In this place, Sarah could restfully sleep as she waited for that day to come. If she could speak, she might say, “I am not waiting in a place of death. I am in a living place. Look at the field and the trees. Someday, I’ll be in resurrection.” Sarah’s death did not disappoint Abraham in his search for a better country and for a city with foundations. On the contrary, it stirred up his expectation of the coming day. Therefore, he devoted much attention and spent a large amount of money to purchase the burying place for Sarah, himself, and his descendants. If we have the light from the New Testament, we shall realize that this indicates the expectation of resurrection. Once again I say that the sepulcher is the passageway, the gateway, into the expected city, the New Jerusalem. Hallelujah, the cave of Machpelah is on the way to Jerusalem!
11我们所以知道创世记二十三章指明复活的盼望，乃因主耶稣说，亚伯拉罕的神，以撒的神，雅各的神，不是死人的神，乃是活人的神。（太二二31～32。）在我们眼中，亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各是死的，但在神眼中，他们是活的。我们的先祖亚伯拉罕，神所呼召的人，不太留意现今，但他的确留意将来。最好的坟地是为著将来。原则上，我们也不该为著现今豫备更好的屋子，乃该为著将来豫备门路。我们在这里不是为著今天，乃是为著明天。主若迟延祂的回来，我们都要进入这门。我们不该过于留意现今，乃该留意将来。我们该住在帐棚里，仰望那座有根基的城。
11We know that Genesis 23 indicates the expectation of resurrection because the Lord Jesus said that the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob is not the God of the dead but of the living (Matt. 22:31-32). In our eyes, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are dead, but in God’se yes, they are living. Our forefather, Abraham, God’scall ed one, did not care very much for the present, but he did pay attention to the future. The choice sepulcher was for the future. In principle, we also should not prepare a better home for the present but a gateway for the future. We are not here for today but for tomorrow. If the Lord delays His coming back, we all shall enter into this gateway. We should not pay too much attention to the present but rather to the future. We should live in a tent looking for the city which has foundations