Books
以赛亚书生命读经 · 第39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（二）
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 (2
1读经：以赛亚书十一章十至十六节。
1Scripture Reading: Isa. 11:10-16
2在本篇信息中，我们要继续交通到以赛亚十一章包罗万有之基督的启示。我们已经看过，在以赛亚四章里有四个项目豫表基督，这四个项目分为两组。头一组是基督为耶和华的苗和地的果子，第二组是基督为荣耀遮覆的罩盖和恩典覆庇的帐棚。在以赛亚十一章也有四个项目豫表基督，这四个项目也分为两组。头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。第二组是基督为向万民所立的旗帜，向列国所竖的旗号。
2In this message we want to continue our fellowship concerning the revelation of the all-inclusive Christ in Isaiah 11. We have seen that in Isaiah 4 there are four items typifying Christ, and these four items form two pairs. The first pair is Christ as the Shoot of Jehovah and the Fruit of the earth, and the second pair is Christ as a covering canopy of glory and an overshadowing tabernacle of grace. In Isaiah 11 there are also four items typifying Christ, and these four items form two pairs. The first pair of items is Christ as a twig from the stem of Jesse and a branch from the roots of Jesse. The second pair of items is Christ as a banner to the peoples and a standard to the nations
3以赛亚十一章完全是说到将来生命的复兴，特别是归回之以色列国的复兴。在这些信息里，我们不是在查读以赛亚十一章将来的应验。我们乃是在查读生命复兴的原则。嫩条和枝子是在生命里而有的，这生命满了复兴的能力、加深的能力、生长的能力、和结果子的能力。从枯死的树桩长出的嫩条，是这生命里有复兴能力的有力明证。枝子表征生命有加深的能力、生长的能力、和结果子的能力。这生命带进那灵，而那灵完成神的行政，在此我们看见生命的完全复兴。基督这生命无论在那里有新鲜和深入的生长，那里就有神公义公正的政权，就有生命的复兴。
3Isaiah 11 is altogether a chapter on the coming restoration of life, especially the restoration of the returned nation of Israel. In these messages we are not studying the future fulfillment of Isaiah 11. We are studying the principle of the restoration of life. The twig and the branch come up in life, and this life is full of restoring power, deepening power, growing power, and fruit-bearing power. A twig coming out from a dried and dead stump is a strong indication of the restoring power in this life. The branch signifies that this life has the deepening power, the growing power, and the fruit-bearing power. This life brings in the Spirit, and this Spirit carries out God’sad ministration where we see a full restoration of life. Wherever Christ as life grows in freshness and depth, there is the Spirit with His riches, there is the government of God in righteousness and justice, and there is the restoration of life
贰 、向万民所立的旗帜，向列国所竖的旗号
II. A Banner To The Peoples And A Standard To The Nations
4藉著以色列的复兴，基督要成为向万民所立的旗帜，向列国所竖的旗号。我们需要来看旗帜和旗号之间的不同。为了要明白圣经的真理，我们必须懂得圣经所用的辞正确的意义。以赛亚十一章描写恢复和复兴的情景。当万民看见这样的复兴时，他们会问：『这是甚么？谁完成这样的事？』这就是为甚么有需要立起旗帜，其上满有解释、描写和指示。这会说服人，劝服人，并得著人。这旗帜成了磁铁，非常有吸力。在复兴的时候，也需要有旗号呼召人并招聚人。因此，在11以赛亚十一章里先题旗帜，然后题旗号。旗帜主要的是为著标明、解释和指示，旗号主要的是为著呼召并招聚人。竖立的旗号，成了被召而聚集之人的中心目标。
4Through the restoration of Israel, Christ will become a banner to the peoples and a standard to the nations. We need to consider the distinction between a banner and a standard. In order to understand the biblical truths, we need to understand the proper meaning of the words used in the Bible. Isaiah 1 1 describes the scene of a recovery, a revival, a restoration. When the peoples see such a restoration, they will ask, “What is this? Who is carrying this out?” This is why there is the need to put up a banner full of explanation, description, and instruction. This convinces people, convicts people, and captures people. This banner becomes a magnet. It is very magnetic. In the restoration, there will also be the need of a standard to call the people and to gather the people. Thus, in Isaiah the banner is mentioned first and then the standard. The banner is mainly for designation, explanation, and instruction, and the standard is mainly for calling and gathering. The standard is placed as the central object of the called and gathered people.
5在召会生活里，当我们中间的基督越长越大时，我们至终就会得著基督作旗帜。这长大的基督成了旗帜，用以描写、标明并解释。基督这旗帜，指示人关于在召会里振兴和复兴的事。这旗帜必成为大的磁铁，极大的吸引。牠必非常有吸引力。事实上，这个大磁铁也是一个招引人、吸引人、呼召人、集合人、招聚人的旗号。
5In our church life, when the Christ among us grows bigger and bigger, eventually we have Him as the banner. This grown up Christ becomes a banner to describe, to designate, and to explain. Christ as the banner instructs people concerning the revival and restoration in the church. This banner will be a great magnet, a great attraction. It will become very magnetic. Actually, this great magnet is also a standard which draws people, attracts people, calls people, collects people, and gathers people
6无论基督在那里被高举，并成为寻求祂的人被召聚的中心目标，那里就有神子民的归回，以及被征服者的归顺。于是召会生活就成为一种吸引，不是藉著召会的本身，乃是藉著基督这嫩条成了旗帜，以及基督这枝子成了旗号。我们必须看见，为甚么以赛亚把基督作为嫩条和枝子，与基督作为旗帜和旗号摆成一对。在我们中间，当基督这嫩条长大时，这长大的嫩条就成了旗帜，描写、解释、标明，甚至指示基督向著召会的所是。这同一位基督也是枝子，长大成为旗号。
6Wherever Christ is exalted and taken as the central object for His seeking ones to be gathered to, there is the return of God’sp eople and the submission of the subdued ones. The church life then becomes an attraction, not by the church itself but by Christ as the twig to become the banner and as the branch to become the standard. We need to see why Isaiah couples Christ as the twig and the branch with Christ as the banner and the standard. When we have Christ as a twig growing among us, this growing up twig becomes a banner, which describes, explains, designates, and even gives some instructions concerning what Christ is to the church. The same Christ is also a branch growing up to be a standard
一 、向万民所立的旗帜
A. A Banner to the Peoples
711:10基督是向万民所立的旗帜。以赛亚十一章十节说，『到那日，耶西的根立作万民的旗帜，列国的人必寻求祂，祂安息之所必有荣耀。』『耶西的根』，指明与一节里的嫩条同是属人的王族源头。大卫就是这属人王族的源头。『立』，指明满了力量和能力。基督满了力量和能力，是向万民所立的旗帜。
7Christ is a banner to all the peoples. Isaiah says, “And in that day the root of Jesse, / Who stands as a banner to the peoples — / Him will the nations seek, / And His resting place will be the glory.” The root of Jesse indicates the same human royal source as that of the twig in verse 1. David is this human royal source. The word stands indicates being full of strength and ability. Christ stands full of strength and ability as a banner to the peoples.
8『旗帜』，或许是一节里嫩枝的扩大，指明一个标志，作为招聚并集合的记号。十节里『旗帜』一辞，原文也可译为『标志』，或『信号』。基督作为旗帜，乃是向地上万民作招聚并集合的记号。在十节的『向万民』这句话，指明是向地上所有的人。
8A banner, probably being the enlargement of the twig in verse 1, indicates an ensign as a gathering and collecting mark. The Hebrew word for banner in verse 10 may also be translated as ensign (ASV) or signal (NASB). Christ as a banner is the gathering and collecting mark to the peoples of the earth. The phrase to the peoples in verse 10 indicates to all the people of the earth
9『列国的人必寻求祂』，指明地上的列国都必转向祂，乐意作祂的百姓。有一日必要来临，那时地上的万民都必转向基督寻求祂，并乐意作祂的百姓。我们正在期待那一日。
9Him will the nations seek indicates that all the nations of the earth will turn to Him and be willing to be His people. The day will come when all the peoples on this earth will turn to seek after Christ and will be happy to be His people. We are expecting that day
10『祂安息之所必有荣耀』，指明神的神圣荣耀要成为基督的安息之所。神圣的荣耀乃是祂的床舖、祂的沙发、祂的安息之所，这指明神圣的荣耀与基督是一。神圣的荣耀是祂的安息之所，含示祂的神性，意思就是祂与神乃是一。事实上，向万民所立的旗帜就是神自己。
10His resting place will be the glory indicates that the divine glory of God will be Christ’s resting place. The divine glory will be His bed, His sofa, His resting place. This indicates that the divine glory is one with Christ. The divine glory being His resting place implies His divinity, which means that He and God are one. Actually, the banner to the peoples is God Himself
二 、向列国所竖的旗号
B. A Standard to the Nations
11基督也是向列国所竖的旗号。（赛十一12上。）『旗号』，或许是一节里枝子的扩大，指明呼召和招聚之能力的影响。高竖的旗号，总是呼召并招聚人到所竖立之处。这样的旗号对列国成了极大的磁铁。『向列国』，指明向著全地。
11Christ is also a standard to the nations (v. 12a). A standard, probably being the enlargement of the branch in verse 1, indicates the influence of the calling and gathering power. A standard, standing high, always calls and gathers people to that place where it is. Such a standard becomes a great magnet to the nations. To the nations indicates to all the earth
三 、带进神子民的归回，并外邦人的归顺
C. Bringing In the Return of God’sP eople and the Submission of the Gentiles
12基督是向万民所立的旗帜，向列国所竖的旗号，必带进神子民的归回，并外邦人的归顺。（赛十一11末，12下～16。）主必二次从列国中救回自己百姓中所剩余的，从地的四方招聚他们。（11，12下。）主第一次救回以色列是使他们出埃及。甚至今天多数的犹太人仍然分散分布在全球各地。
12Christ as the banner to the peoples and the standard to the nations will bring in the return of God’sp eople and the submission of the Gentiles (Isa. 11:11d, 12b-16). The Lord will recover for the second time the remnant of His people from the nations and gather them from the four corners of the earth (vv. 11, 12b). The first time the Lord recovered Israel was in their exodus from Egypt. Even today most of the Jews are dispersed, scattered everywhere, throughout the globe.
13十三节至十四节说，以法莲必不嫉妒犹大，犹大也不扰害以法莲;他们要一同掳掠东方和西方的列国；列国必在他们的掌握中，顺服他们。以法莲是以色列北国，犹大是南国。一个国分裂为二－以色列国和犹大国。他们不再彼此扰害，反而和谐为一。他们要一同掳掠东方和西方的列国；列国必在他们的掌握中，顺服他们。在我们的经历里，这表征我们传福音的结果。我们若彼此嫉妒扰害，我们就不能一同掳掠东方和西方的人；他们也不会在我们的掌握中，顺服我们。
13Verses 13 and 14 say that Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, nor will Judah be hostile to Ephraim. They will be together to plunder the nations on the west and on the east; the nations will come into the grasp of their hand and submit to them. Ephraim was the northern nation of Israel, and Judah was the southern nation. The one nation was divided into two—the nation of Israel and the nation of Judah. Instead of their being hostile toward one another, they will be harmoniously one. They will be together to plunder the nations on the west and on the east. The nations will come into the grasp of their hand and submit to them. In our experience this signifies the result of our preaching of the gospel. If we are jealous of each other and hostile to each other, we cannot be together to plunder the people from the west and from the east, and they will not fall into the grasp of our hand and submit to us
14不仅如此，耶和华必毁灭埃及的海汊（红海湾），用暴热的风，使幼发拉底大河分为七条，令其枯干；从亚述必有一条大道，使祂剩余的百姓得以归回。（15～16。）埃及海就是红海，埃及的海汊就是苏彝士湾，也就是红海湾。有一日必来临，那时红海湾必被毁灭。那日，神的子民以色列人必能从埃及走到他们的圣地。
14Furthermore, Jehovah will destroy the tongue of the sea of Egypt (the gulf of the Red Sea) and will dry up Euphrates, the great river, with the scorching of the wind and will strike it into seven streams; and there will be a highway from Assyria for the remnant of His people which remain to return (vv. 15-16). The sea of Egypt is the Red Sea, and the tongue of the sea of Egypt is the Gulf of Suez, the gulf of the Red Sea. The day will come when this gulf will be destroyed. In that day God’sp eople, Israel, will be able to walk through from Egypt to their holy land
15以赛亚告诉我们，耶和华必使『大河』枯干。（15。）这大河就是亚伯拉罕所渡过的幼发拉底河。（书二四2～3。）启示录十六章十二节也题到幼发拉底大河，与哈米吉顿大战有关。在要来的日子，神必用暴热的风，使幼发拉底河枯干。然后那河必被击打分为七条，使神的子民得以走过那河，归回本地。
15Isaiah tells us that Jehovah will dry up “the River” (v. 15). This is the great river, the Euphrates, which Abraham crossed (Josh. 24:2- 3). The great river Euphrates is also mentioned in Revelation 16:12 in relation to the war at Armageddon. In the coming days, God will dry up the Euphrates with the scorching heat of the wind. Then that river will be stricken into seven streams, so that God’sp eople can walk through it to return to their land
16从亚述也必有一条大道，使祂剩余的百姓得以归回。主必建一条从亚述到圣地的大道。祂必改变地势。首先，拦阻人从埃及到圣地之交通的埃及海汊，必被毁灭。第二，神要用暴热的风，使幼发拉底河分为七条，令其枯干。以赛亚十一章十五节说，祂必令人过去不至湿脚。『令人过去不至湿脚』，直译是『让人可以穿鞋过去』。这一大拦阻必定干掉，使以色列人可以走过。第三，神必建一条从亚述到圣地的大道。这一切乃要解决以色列人归回的三大难题和拦阻。
16There will also be a highway from Assyria for the remnant of His people which remain to return. The Lord will build a highway from Assyria to the Holy Land. He will change the situation of the earth. First, the tongue of these a of Egypt, which frustrates the traffic from Egypt to the Holy Land, will be destroyed. Second, God will use the scorching heat of the wind to dry up the Euphrates into seven streams. Verse 15 says that He will march men through it dryshod. Dryshod literally means in sandals. This big frustration will be dried up so that the children of Israel can walk through it. Third, God will build up a highway to the Holy Land from Assyria. All of this will solve the three big problems and frustrations for the return of the children of Israel.
17我们也必须克服在主行动中我们传福音的拦阻。我最近和一些弟兄交通到我的感觉，就是主的恢复该重新思考其方向。世界已经改变了，并且仍在改变之中。世界局势有四个大的变动。第一，今天欧洲有了共同市场。第二，东、西德已经统一了。第三，在欧洲许多的小国里，有很多政治变动。第四，苏俄及其卫星国已经改变了，并且仍在改变之中。地上所有的领袖都在思考，他们在将来地上列国中，为各自的经济、工业和教育，该采取甚么步骤。
17We also have to overcome frustrations for our preaching of the gospel in the Lord’s move. I was recently fellowshipping with some brothers about my feeling that the Lord’s recovery should reconsider its direction. The world has changed and it is still changing. There have been four great recent changes in the world situation. First, today Europe has a common market. Second, East and West Germany have been united. Third, there has been much political change in the small European countries. Fourth, Russia and all her satellite countries have changed and are still changing. All the leaders of this earth are considering what steps to take for their economy, their industry, and their education for their future among all the nations on earth
18我们已过曾经指出，整个世局都是为著豫备主在祂福音中的行动。以赛亚书给我们看见，神对祂选民的惩治以及祂对列国的审判，引进了基督。基督就是福音，世界局势乃是为著福音。当前的世界正在为著福音的进展，而有所变动。甚至在主耶稣来临时，当时的世界也在变动。罗马将军庞培（Pompey）在主前六十三年已经7征服了耶路撒冷。在主前二十七年，亚古士督（Augustus）获得罗马元老院同意，成立罗马帝国。这一切为二十七年之后基督的出生豫备好道路。
18We have pointed out in the past that the entire world situation is the preparation for the Lord’s move in His gospel. The book of Isaiah shows that God’s chastisement of His chosen people and His judgment of the nations ushers in Christ. Christ is just the gospel, and the world situation is for the gospel. The present world is changing for the advancement of the gospel. Even the Lord Jesus came as the world was changing. The Roman general Pompey had conquered Jerusalem in 6 3 B. C. In 2 B. C. Augustus received the approval of the Roman Senate to form the Roman Empire. That prepared the way for Christ’s birth just twenty-seven years later.
19使徒们的传福音，是随著当时的政治局势。在已过二十个世纪里，福音总是照著地上政治的变动而行动的。有些去过苏俄的弟兄们，最近交通到主已经使苏俄向我们的文字出版打开。有许多来自苏俄人民令人鼓舞的信，见证这事。我们不能只看著这个局势而安静自满。我们必须在今日世界局势的光中，重新思考我们的方向。
19The apostles’ preaching of the gospel followed the political situation at that time. In the past twenty centuries, the gospel has always traveled according to the political changes on this earth. The brothers who have traveled to Russia recently have shared that the Lord has opened up Russia to our publications. There are many encouraging letters from the Russian people testifying of this. We cannot merely observe this situation and be complacent. We have to reconsider our direction in light of the world situation today.
20行传十三章给我们看见，在安提阿的召会中有五位申言者和教师在一起禁食祷告。然后他们得到引导，保罗和巴拿巴应当分别出来，打发出去。他们就把福音从安提阿带到小亚细亚。那是主行动的一大步。我信这五位申言者和教师那时正在考虑，如何把主的福音从圣地带到外邦世界；在他们考虑时，引导就临到他们。
20Acts 13 shows five prophets and teachers in the church in Antioch fasting and praying together. Then the guidance came that Paul and Barnabas should be separated and sent out. They carried the gospel from Antioch to Asia Minor. That was a big step for the Lord’s move. I believe that these five prophets and teachers were considering how to bring the Lord’s gospel from the Holy Land to the Gentile world, and during their consideration, the guidance came
21在保罗第二次的旅程中，他和他的同工要在亚西亚讲道，但圣灵禁止他们。（徒十六6。）他们想要往庇推尼去，耶稣的灵却不许。（7。）圣灵禁止他们向左往亚西亚去，耶稣的灵也不许他们向右往庇推尼去，这指明使徒和他的同工只有往前直行的方向。自然而然的，他们应当往前去马其顿。但保罗必须在夜间得了异象，有一个马其顿人求他过爱琴海到马其顿去帮助他们。（9。）然后保罗和他的同工便推断，神召他们把好信息带到马其顿去。
21In Paul’s second journey, he and his co-workers intended to speak the word in Asia, but they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit (Acts 16:6). Then they tried to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them (v. 7). The Holy Spirit’s forbidding them to go to the left, to Asia, and the Spirit of Jesus’ not allowing them to go to the right, to Bithynia, indicated a straightforward direction for the apostle and his co-workers. Spontaneously, they should have just gone forward to Macedonia. But Paul had to receive a vision during the night of a Macedonian man entreating him to come over across the Aegean Sea into Macedonia to help them (v. 9). Then Paul and his co-workers concluded that God had called them to bring the good news to Macedonia
22他们渡过爱琴海，进入欧洲，来到腓立比。腓立比是罗马帝国在国外的坚固前哨站，那里的国民拥有和首都罗马的人同等的权利。作为古罗马帝国的堡垒，腓立比是福音在欧洲开始扩展的战略城市。福音从那里扩展到整个欧洲，至终传到希腊和罗马。
22They crossed the Aegean Sea into Europe and came to Philippi. Philippi was a fortified outpost of the Roman Empire in a foreign country, where the citizens had equal rights with those at the capital, Rome. As a fort of the ancient empire of Rome, Philippi was a very strategic city for the spread of the gospel at its beginning in Europe. From there the gospel spread throughout Europe and eventually to Greece and Rome
23我们必须考虑当前的世界局势，以及我们当前的方向。我们难道只看著局势，而说就著主的恢复而言一切都很好么？我们中间有许多年轻人，在已过几年里受了训练，并且我们目前有一百多位在全时间训练里。我们在为这事祷告。我们可能在下一期的训练里，将我们的语言课程改为俄语、法语、德语，加上英语。一个人若懂得这四种语言，他几乎就能在全欧洲和苏俄旅行并对人说话。我鼓励年轻人为了主的行动，学习法语、德语和俄语。
23We have to consider the present world situation and our present direction. Should we just look at the situation and say that everything is good with the Lord’s recovery? Many young ones among us have been trained in the past few years, and we presently have over one hundred in the full - time training. We are praying about this matter. It may be that in our next term of training, we will change our language lessons to Russian, French, and German, plus British English. If one has a knowledge of these four languages, he can travel and speak to people throughout nearly all of Europe and Russia. I encourage the young people to learn French, German, and Russian for the Lord’s move.
24在这些日子里，我们需要全心注意包罗万有的基督，祂是神圣的三一为著将祂自己分赐到祂选民里面之行动大轮的中心和普及。在为著主的恢复、有正确之生命振兴和复兴的召会生活里，基督应当是嫩条、枝子、旗帜和旗号。首先，我们自己必须有生命的复兴。然后，这会繁衍，并由旗帜(就是基督)所标明。祂会被列国所寻求，向他们成为所竖的旗号。为著基督，阿利路亚！
24In these days we need to pay our full attention to the all - inclusive Christ, who is the centrality and universality of the great wheel of the move of the Divine Trinity for the divine dispensing of Himself into His elect. In the church life for the Lord’s recovery, where the proper revival and restoration of life are taking place, Christ should be the twig, the branch, the banner, and the standard. First, we ourselves must have a restoration of life. Then this will be propagated and will be designated by a banner, Christ. He will then be sought after by the nations, and He will become a standard to them. Hallelujah for Christ!