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以赛亚书生命读经 · 第38篇

从耶西的本所发的嫩条，

A Twig From The Stem Of Jesse
从耶西的根所生的枝子，带进生命的复兴，以及向万民所立的旗帜，向列国所竖的旗号，带进神子民的归回，并外邦人的归顺（一）
And A Branch From The Roots Of Jesse Bringing In The Restoration Of Life And A Banner To The Peoples And A Standard To The Nations Bringing In The Return Of God’sP eople And The Submission Of The Gentiles (1
1读经：以赛亚书十一章一至九节。
1Scripture Reading: Isa. 11:1-9
2在本篇信息中，我们要来看在以赛亚十一章里包罗万有的基督。这一章说到主在末后日子的来临，要带进万物的复兴，以色列的复兴，以及寻求之外邦人的归顺。为了这个目的，基督必须是四个项目。这四个在以赛亚十一章里的项目，按照以赛亚诗意的写法，可分为两组。第一组是基督为从耶西的本所发的嫩条，从耶西的根所生的枝子，带进生命的复兴。（1～9。）第二组是基督为向万民所立的旗帜，向列国所竖的旗号，带进神子民的归回，并外邦人的归顺。（10～16。）旗帜和旗号，是嫩条和枝子的扩大。基督必须是这两组的四个项目，好完成神的经纶。
2In this message we want to see the all-inclusive Christ in Isaiah 11. This chapter covers the Lord’s coming in the last days to bring in the restoration of all things, the revival of Israel, and the submission of the seeking Gentiles. For this purpose Christ has to be four items. These four items in Isaiah 11 form two pairs in the poetic writing of Isaiah. The first pair is Christ as a twig from the stem of Jesse and a branch from the roots of Jesse bringing in the restoration of life (vv. 1-9). The second pair is Christ as a banner to the peoples and a standard to the nations bringing in the return of God’sp eople and the submission to the Gentiles (vv. 10-16). The banner and the standard are the enlargement of the twig and the branch. Christ has to be these two pairs of four items for the fulfilling of God’secon o my
壹 从耶西的本所发的嫩条，从耶西的根所生的枝子
I. A Twig From The Stem Of Jesse And A Branch From The Roots Of Jesse
3基督是从耶西的本所发的嫩条，从耶西的根所生的枝子。（赛十一1～9。）这里把基督豫表为一棵被齐根砍倒的大树桩上所发的嫩条。（参十32～34。）每一件有关以色列和大卫家的事，那时几乎都已经被砍倒。以赛亚十一章只题到大卫的父亲耶西。所有存留的只是耶西，就是大卫的源头而已。耶西所生的，就是大卫家，已经被砍倒，但是大卫的源头仍然存留。当巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒来征服犹大，制伏以色列时，大卫的王室，就是大卫的家，就被砍倒了。尼布甲尼撒毁坏了圣城耶路撒冷和圣殿。他俘掳了大卫的王家，包括王和他的家人，把他们掳到巴比伦去了。这就意谓大卫王家的结束。大卫家这棵大树被砍倒了，但树的本和根还在。基督就是从这源头的本所发的嫩条，从根所生的枝子。
3Christ is a twig from the stem of Jesse and a branch from the roots of Jesse (Is a. 1 1:1-9). Christ is typified by a twig from the stem of a great tree which has been hewn down to the roots (cf. Isa. 1 0:3 2-3 4). Nearly everything concerning Israel and the house of David had been cut down. Only Jesse, David’s father is mentioned in Isaiah 11. All that remained was Jesse, the source of David. The issue of Jesse, the house of David, had been hewn down, but the source from which David came still remained. The royal family of David, the house of David, was cut down when Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, came to conquer Judah and subdue Israel. He destroyed the holy city, Jerusalem, and the holy temple. He captured the royal family of David, including the king and his family, and carried them away to Babylon. This was meant to be the termination of the royal family of David. The big tree of the house of David was hewn down, but the stem with the roots was still there. Christ came out of this source as a twig from the stem and as a branch from the roots.
4王家被砍倒了，留下本和根在那里，约有六个世纪之久，从主前六○六年左右到基督出生的时候。当基督照著以赛亚七章十四节的豫言出生时，祂乃是从耶西的本所发的嫩条。没有多少人会注意到一根嫩条。耶稣乃是从耶西的本所发的嫩条;虽然祂变得如此『微小』，但没有任何逼迫或苦难能将祂砍倒。作为从耶西的本所发的嫩条，祂是存留到永远的。
4The royal family was cut down, leaving the stem with the roots there for approximately six centuries, from about 606 B.C. to the time Christ was born. When Christ was born as prophesied in Isaiah 7:14, He was the twig from the stem of Jesse. Not many people would pay attention to a twig. Jesus was a twig from the stem of Jesse. Although He became so “small,” no amount of persecution or suffering could put Him down. As the twig from the stem of Jesse, He remains forever
5基督在成为肉体里如同嫩条的来临，乃是大卫受剥夺之王家的复兴。大卫的王家已被剥夺到一个地步，几乎没有剩下甚么。但是有一天，在神成为肉体时，有一婴孩生在大卫家。约瑟和马利亚都是大卫的后裔。从马利亚生出一嫩条。大卫那『被砍倒』的王家，在那嫩条出生时得了复兴。
5Christ’s coming in incarnation as the twig was the revival of David’s deprived royal family. David’s royal family was deprived to such an extent that there was hardly anything left of it. But one day in God’sin carnation, a child was born to David’s family. Both Mary and Joseph were descendants of David. Out of Mary a twig was born. David’s “hewn down” royal family was revived at the birth of that twig
6我们必须看见，大卫家的复兴仍然在进行著。按照我们的想法，基督有两次的来临;但按照神的看法，祂只差遣祂的儿子一次而已。这个差遣是从伯利恒开始。当耶稣出生时，那乃是神差祂儿子到地上的开始。这个差遣还没有完全的完成，仍然在进行之中。这个差遣开始于耶稣出生时，完成于人子公开的来临到地上。马太二十四章二十七节说，『闪电怎样从东边发出，直照到西边，人子来临也要这样。』那才是神差遣祂儿子的完成。神的儿子受差遣，要持续二千多年之久。
6We must realize that the revival of David’s family is still going on. According to our thought, Christ has two comings, but according to God’s realization, He has sent His Son once for all. This sending started from Bethlehem. When Jesus was born, that was the beginning of God’ss ending His Son to the earth. This sending has not yet been fully accomplished. It is still going on. This sending began at the time Jesus was born and will be completed when the Son of Man comes to the earth in an open way. Matthew 24:27 says, “For as the lightning comes forth from the east and shines to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.” That will be the completion of God’ss ending His Son
7基督这从耶西的本所发的嫩条，是在二千年前出现的，但祂的受差遣还没有完全完成。祂受神差遣的完成，乃是在三方面达成的：藉著召会的建造，藉著祂对以色列的豫备，以及藉著祂对列国的调整、审判。当前整个中东的局势，完全是为著以色列的好处。以色列享受到最近美国和伊拉克之战的好处;这可以看作是基督来临前，对以色列之豫备的一部分。最近这场伊拉克战争，也是神对列国的调整。自从一九八七年以来，我们看见地上列国中有了极大的调整－首先是苏俄及其卫星国家，其次是在中东国家之间。这是何等的调整！基督在近年来的世界局势上，已经走了一大步。离祂公开的显在地上，现在是更近了，但祂仍然在路上。
7Christ as the twig from the stem of Jesse came into existence about two thousand years ago, but His being sent has not been fully accomplished. The completion of His being sent by God is accomplished in three ways: by His building up of the church, by His preparing of Israel, and by His adjustment, His judging, of the nations. The present situation in the entire Middle East is alto gether for the benefit of Israel. Israel has enjoyed the benefit of the recent war between the United States and Iraq. This can be considered as apart of Christ’s coming in His preparation of Israel. The recent war involving Iraq was also God’sad just ment of the nations. Since 1987 we have seen a great adjustment on earth among the nations—firstly involving Russia and its satellite countries and secondly among the countries in the Middle East. What an adjustment this has been! Christ has taken a big step in these recent years in the world situation. He is much nearer to appearing on earth in an open way, and He is still on His way.
8主在祂出生时来临，然后祂去十字架上受死。门徒以为祂要离开他们;但主启示他们，这不是祂的去，乃是祂的来。（约十四3，17～，二十19～22。）主藉著死与复活的去，事实上乃是祂成为灵来到门徒那里，好进到他们里面，并住在他们里面。祂也在五旬节那日作为灵来临，将祂的身体浸入一位灵里。（徒二4上，17。）今天祂仍然在路上。祂正在来。整个世界的局势，乃是基督来临步伐的指标。在伯利恒的马槽里，祂是微小的嫩条，但在马太二十四章二十七节祂作为闪电，必成为向列国所竖的旗号。
8The Lord came a tHis birth. Then He went to the cross to die. The disciples though tHe was going to leave them. However, the Lord revealed that this was not His going but His coming (John 1 4:3, 1 7-2 0; 2 0:1 9-2 2). The 20 Lord’s going through death and resurrection was actually His coming to the disciples as the Spirit to get into them and dwell in them. He also came on the day of Pentecost as the Spirit, baptizing His Body in one Spirit (Acts 2:4a, 17). Today He is still on the way. He is coming. The entire world situation is an indication of the steps of Christ’s coming. He was a little twig in the manger at Bethlehem, but as the lightning in Matthew 24:27, He will be a great standard to the nations.
9我们需要来看以赛亚十一章所启示的。以赛亚书启示基督是嫩条和枝子。祂满了智慧和聪明的灵，谋略和能力的灵，知识和敬畏耶和华的灵。（2。）何等的灵！这灵乃是七倍加强的灵。（启一4。）同著这灵有神的行政、神的政权。11:3-（赛十一3～5。）然后有生命的复兴。（6～9。）至终嫩条成了向万民所立的旗帜，（10，）而枝子成了向列国所竖的旗号。（12。）甚至外邦人也要来归向基督。地的中心在那里？人类的中心在那里？世界历史的中心在那里？请看这旗帜。基督这旗帜乃是中心，万民必往祂而去。这是以赛亚十一章里的启示。
9We need to consider what is revealed in Isaiah 1 1. Isaiah 1 1 reveals Christ as the twig and the branch. He is full of the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of Jehovah (v. 2). What a Spirit! This Spirit is the sevenfold intensified Spirit (Rev. 1:4). Along with this Spirit is God’sad ministration, God’s government (Isa. 5). Then there is the restoration of life (v v. 6-9). Eventually the twig becomes a banner to the peoples (v. 10), and the branch becomes a standard to the nations (v. 12). Even the Gentiles will come to Christ. Where is the center of the earth? Where is the center of the human race? Where is the center of world history? Look at the banner. Christ as the banner is the center, to whom the nations must go. This is the revelation in Isaiah 11.
10基督作为嫩条和枝子早已经来了。一面，基督作嫩条和枝子是在诸天之上，另一面，祂是在信徒和召会里面。祂正在作甚么？祂仍然在往前。祂仍然在路上。祂正在『逐步』的走向我们。祂在我们里面，但祂仍然逐步走向我们；这是祂来临的奇妙真理。
10Christ as the twig and the branch has already come. On the one hand, Christ as the twig and the branch is in the heavens, and on the other hand, He is within the believers and the church. What is He doing? He is still going on. He is still on His way. He is still “stepping” toward us. He is in us, but He is still stepping toward us. This is the marvelous truth of His coming.
11祂成为肉体时是嫩条;祂复活时是长成的枝子，这枝子起初是以赛亚四章二节所启示耶和华的苗。祂是耶和华的苗，指明祂的神性。祂是从耶西的本所发的嫩条，从耶西的根所生的枝子，这指明祂的人性。事实上，祂是一根枝子，就是兼有神性和人性的枝子。
11In His incarnation He was a twig. In His resurrection He is a branch in full. At the beginning this branch was the Shoot of Jehovah as revealed in Isaiah 4:2. His being the Shoot of Jehovah indicates His divinity. His being a twig from the stem of Jesse and a branch from the roots of Jesse indicates His humanity. Actually, He is one branch, a branch that is both divine and human
一 从耶西的本所发的嫩条
A. A Twig from the Stem of Jesse
12我们已经看过，基督是从耶西的本所发的嫩条。（赛十一1上。）耶西的本，指明那受过剥夺之属人的王族源头。（得四17下。）从本所发的嫩条，指明在新鲜里生命的复兴能力。嫩条是非常青翠、柔嫩、新鲜的。
12As we have seen, Christ is a twig from the stem of Jesse (Isa. 11:1a). The stem of Jesse indicates the deprived human royal source (Ruth 4:17b). A twig from the stem of Jesse indicates the restoring power of life in freshness. A twig is so green, so tender, and so fresh
二 从耶西的根所生的枝子
B. A Branch from the Roots of Jesse
13基督也是从耶西的根所生的枝子。（赛十一1下。）耶西的根，指明生命隐藏加深的能力。从根所生的枝子，指明为著结果子的生长能力。嫩条是枝子的开始，枝子是为著结果子。
13Christ is also a branch from the roots of Jesse (Isa. 11:1b). The roots of Jesse indicate the hidden deepening power of life. A branch from the roots indicates the growing power of fruitfulness. A twig is the beginning of a branch, and a branch is for fruitfulness
三 充满耶和华的灵
C. Full of the Spirit of Jehovah
14当基督这嫩条和枝子在这里时，灵也在这里。四福音给我们看见，无论耶稣在那里，灵就在那里。在四福音里有嫩条，有枝子，也有灵。这灵乃是耶和华的灵，就是智慧和聪明的灵，谋略和能力的灵，知识和敬畏耶和华的灵。（赛十一2。）智慧和聪明的灵是为著心思，主要与人性有关。谋略和能力的灵指耶稣自己是奇妙的策士，藉著那灵一直给我们策略。（九6。）那灵有谋略，也有能力。
14When Christ as the twig and the branch is here, the Spirit is here. The four Gospels show us that wherever Jesus is, the Spirit is. In the four Gospels, the twig is there, the branch is there, and the Spirit is there. This Spirit is the Spirit of Jehovah, who is the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, and the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of Jehovah (Isa. 11:2). The Spirit of wisdom and understanding is for the mind and is mainly related to humanity. The Spirit of counsel and might points to Jesus Himself as the Wonderful Counselor who gives us counsel all the time by the Spirit (Isa. 9:6). The Spirit has both counsel and might
15那灵也是知识和敬畏耶和华的灵。敬畏耶和华是和正确的知识相联的。在我们得救以前，因著我们无知，我们一无所惧。从我们蒙主拯救时起，我们就一直接受属灵的教育，而得著属灵的知识。今天我们许多人能见证，我们不敢去电影院或其他属世或罪恶的地方。许多地方我们不敢去，因为我们敬畏耶和华。有人或许要我们作一件事，但我们不敢作，因为我们敬畏耶和华。我们不敢买有今世摩登样子的衣服，因为我们敬畏耶和华。我们敬畏耶和华，是由于属灵的认识。因为这灵有七个项目－耶和华、智慧、聪明、谋略、能力、知识、以及对耶和华的敬畏－我们可以说，祂是七倍加强的灵。这七个项目说出召会的光景。所以，这指明基督这嫩条和枝子是在这里与我们同在。那灵就是祂的同在。
15The Spirit is also the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of Jehovah. The fear of Jehovah goes together with the proper knowledge. Before we were saved, we were afraid of nothing because we were ignorant. From the time we were saved by the Lord, we have been receiving a spiritual education and acquiring spiritual knowledge. Today many of us can testify that we would not dare go to a movie or to other worldly and sinful places. There are many places to which we dare not go, because we have the fear of Jehovah. Someone may ask us to do something, but we dare not do it, because we have the fear of Jehovah. We dare not buy certain clothes which have the modern appearance of this age, because we fear Jehovah. We fear Jehovah because of the spiritual knowledge. Because this Spirit is of seven items— Jehovah, wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of Jehovah—we may say that He is the sevenfold intensified Spirit. These seven items depict the situation in the church. Therefore, this indicates that Christ as the twig and the branch is here with us. The Spirit is His presence.
四 为著施行耶和华的行政
D. To Carry Out the Administration of Jehovah
16作为从耶西的本所发的嫩条，从耶西的根所生的枝子，基督施行了耶和华的行政。（赛十一3～5。）耶和华的行政有两个项目－公义和公正。基督以敬畏耶和华为乐。（3上。）祂一直以敬畏耶和华为乐，甚至当祂还是十二岁的男孩时就如此。祂行审判不凭眼见，断是非也不凭耳闻，却要以公义审判贫穷人，以公正判断困苦人。（3下～4上。）公平就是公正。基督以公平、公正、正直判断困苦人。在人群社会里不义的事，主要是加于穷人身上;不公正主要的是施于困苦的、受苦的人身上。世上黑暗落后的国家，对困苦的人满了不义和不公。但每一个好的政府，都必须是公义、公正的。不然，那个政府就是黑暗的。神的行政是公义、公正的。
16As the twig from the stem of Jesse and the branch from the roots of Jesse, Christ carries out the administration of Jehovah (Isa. 11:3-5). The administration of Jehovah is of two items— righteousness and justice. Christ delights in the fear of Jehovah (v. 3a). He always delighted in the fear of Jehovah, even as a boy of twelve. He does not judge by what His eyes see nor decide by what His ears hear, but He judges the poor in righteousness and decides with equity for the afflicted (vv. 3b-4a). Equity is justice. Christ decides with equity, justice, fairness, for the afflicted. The unrighteous things in human society are mainly done to the poor. Injustice is mainly exercised over the afflicted, the suffering ones. The dark and backward countries on earth are full of unrighteousness and injustice toward the afflicted. Every good government, however, must be righteous and just. Otherwise, that government is dark. God’sad ministration is righteous and just
17当基督回来时，祂要以口中的杖击打世界，以嘴里的气杀戮恶人。（4下。）祂嘴里的气就是祂口里所出的话。公义必当祂的腰带，使祂刚强，信实必当祂胁下的带子，使祂稳固。（5。）一个政府若要强盛而有力，就必须是公义的；若要稳固，就必须是信实的。不公义的政府不能持久，不信实的政府不会稳固。神的行政是强有力并且稳固的。
17When Christ returns, He will strike the land with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips, He will slay the wicked (v. 4b). The breath of His lips is His word out of His mouth. Righteousness girds His loins, making Him strong, and faithfulness girds His hips, making Him steady (v. 5). For a government to be strong, it must be righteous. For it to be steady, it must be faithful. A government that is not righteous cannot stand for long, and a government that is not faithful is not steady. God’sad ministration is strong and steady
五带进生命的复兴
e Bringing In The Restoration Of Life
18耶和华的行政带进生命的复兴。（赛十一6～9。）在生命的复兴时，豺狼必与绵羊羔同居，豹子必与山羊羔同卧。（6上。）豺狼扑杀羊羔，但在生命的复兴时，牠们必与羊羔同居。在生命的复兴时，少壮狮子必与牛犊和肥畜同群，小孩子要牵引牠们。（6下。）牛必与熊同食，牛犊必与小熊同卧，狮子必吃草与牛一样。（7。）吃奶的孩子必玩耍在虺蛇的洞口，断奶的婴儿必按手在毒蛇的穴上。（8。）以赛亚十一章九节说，『在我圣山的遍处，这一切都不伤人，不毁物，因为认识耶和华的知识要充满遍地，好像水充满洋海一般。』这个敬畏神的知识乃是在生命的复兴时，藉著耶和华的行政，从那灵而来的。
18The administration of Jehovah brings in the restoration of life (vv. 6-9). In the restoration of life, the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the kid (v. 6a). The wolves prey on the lambs, but in the restoration of life, they will dwell with the lambs. In the restoration of life, the calf, the young lamb, and the fatling will be together, and a young boy will lead them about (v. 6b). The cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox (v. 7). The nursing child will play by the cobra’sho le, and upon the viper’s den the weaned child will stretch his hand v. 8). Isaiah 11:9 says, “They will not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea.” This God-fearing knowledge comes from the Spirit through the administration of Jehovah in the restoration of life
19这生命的复兴是在来世，但我们不该忘记希伯来六章五节，那里告诉我们，我们要在今世豫尝到来世的能力。以赛亚十一章所记载来世将要发生的事，该在我们中间成为豫尝。在我们中间不应当有『豺狼』、『豹子』、『熊』、『狮子』、或『毒蛇』。保罗在行传二十章告诉弟兄们，要留意凶暴的豺狼进入他们中间。（29。）因为召会生活是来世的豫尝，所有的『豺狼』、『豹子』、『熊』、『狮子』、和『毒蛇』，都应当改变性情。这就是生命的复兴。在消极一面说，我们已过可能是这样的人。有时候我们会认为某位弟兄是只『豹子』，直到我们发现他的性情改变了。召会生活可以看作生命复兴的『动物园』，其中每一个人的性情，都藉著那灵，并因基督这嫩条和枝子而有改变。
19This restoration of life will be in the next age, but we should not forget Hebrews 6:5, which tells us that we have a foretaste in this age of the works of power of the coming age. What will happen in the next age as recorded in Isaiah 11 should be among us today as a foretaste. Among us there should be no “wolves,” leopards,” “bears,” “lions,” or “vipers.” Paul told the brothers in Acts 20 to beware of fierce wolves coming in among them (v. 29). Because the church life is a foretaste of the coming age, all the “wolves,” “leopards,” “bears,” “lions,” and Svipers” should have their nature changed. This is the restoration of life. In the past we may have been such persons in a negative sense, but now our nature has changed. Sometimes we may consider that a certain brother is a leopard” until we find out that his nature has changed. The church life may be considered as a “zoo” of the restoration of life where all have their nature changed through the Spirit and by Christ as the twig and the branch