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出埃及记生命读经 · 第13篇

神的要求和法老的抗拒（一）

God’s Demand and Pharaoh’s Resistance (1)
1从本篇信息开始，我们要来看神的要求和法老的抗拒。神的要求和法老的抗拒产生了许多冲突，这些都记载在出埃及记五至十四章。在本篇信息中，我们来到这些冲突的头一次。
1With this message we shall begin to consider the matter of God’s demand and Pharaoh’s resistance. God’s demand and Pharaoh’s resistance issued in a number of conflicts, which are recorded in chapters five through fourteen of Exodus. In this message we come to the first of these conflicts
一 头一次冲突
I. THE FIRST CONFLICT
（一） 耶和华、以色列的神、希伯来人的神对法老的要求
A. The Demand of Jehovah, the God of Israel, the God of the Hebrews, on Pharaoh
2出埃及记五章一节说：『后来摩西、亚伦去对法老说，耶和华以色列的神这样说，容我的百姓去，在旷野向我守节。』在本节中我们有一个神的重要名称：耶和华、以色列的神。在第三节神被称为希伯来人的神。因此，是耶和华、以色列的神、希伯来人的神对法老提出要求。我们已经指出，在希伯来文里，耶和华这名称就是『是』动词的一个形式。这表明耶和华是独一的自有者。祂是那位昔是、今是、以后永是者。『是』动词只有对祂才能绝对适用。惟有神是，我们和其它一切事物都不是。在六章三节神说：『我从前向亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各，显现为全能的神，至于我名耶和华他们未曾知道。』神在出埃及记第三章首次启示祂自己是耶和华。亚伯拉罕、以撒、和雅各没有得著祂的这个启示。在五章一节神也称为以色列的神。这个名称与亚伯拉罕的神、以撒的神、雅各的神的名称不同，它表征神是复活的神。以色列的神这个名称表明神是一班被变化之人的神。雅各是一个天然人的名字，而以色列是一个变化之人的名字。雅各出生时，没有起名叫以色列。反之，他名叫雅各，意思是抓脚跟者、取代者。但在他一生的过程中，雅各被变化，最终神将他改名为以色列。这名含有得胜和王权的意思。一方面，被变化之人是得胜者；另一方面，他们是君王。即使以色列人在埃及处于可怕的光景中，神仍然不认为他们是雅各，而是以色列。在神眼中，祂的选民已经变化成了得胜者和君王。
2Exodus 5:1 says, “And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah, God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness” (Heb.). In this verse we have an important title of God: Jehovah, God of Israel. In verse 3 God is entitled the God of the Hebrews. Hence, the demand on Pharaoh was made by Jehovah, the God of Israel, the God of the Hebrews. We have pointed out that in Hebrew the title Jehovah is a form of the verb to be. This indicates that Jehovah is the unique self - existing One. He is the One who was, who is, and who will be. Only to Him can the verb “to be” be applied in an absolute sense. Only God is; we and all other things are not. In 6:3 God says, “I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God All-sufficient; but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them” (Heb.). God revealed Himself as Jehovah for the first time in Exodus 3. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did not receive this revelation of Him. In 5:1 God is also called the God of Israel. This title is different from the title the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, a title which signifies God as the God of resurrection. The title the God of Israel indicates that God is the God of a transformed people. Jacob was the name of a natural man, but Israel was the name of a transformed man. At birth, Jacob was not given the name Israel. Rather, he was called Jacob, which means a heel-holder, a supplanter. But throughout the course of his life, Jacob was transformed, and eventually God changed his name to Israel. This name implies victory and kingship. On the one hand, the transformed people are victors; on the other hand, they are kings. Even when the children of Israel were in a dreadful situation in Egypt, God still regarded them not as Jacob, but as Israel. In the eyes of God, His chosen people had already been transformed into victors and kings.
3今天同样的原则适用于神对教会的看法。在神眼中，教会已经是荣耀的。然而，若是我们的眼目注视我们属灵的光景，我们会认为自己非常可怜。我们会看见自己像雅各，并不像以色列。然而，神看我们是以色列。神对付撒但─逼迫者和霸占者，告诉他说，祂是一班被变化、得胜，和君尊之人的神。我们都需要看见并相信我们是以色列。今天你也许不信，但是将来，在来世或在永世里，你将会确信。在永世里，所有神的选民都要成为以色列。不要近视，眼光受你现有情形的限制。神不认为你仍在法老的捆绑之下；反之，祂看你是一个蒙了拯救，并且被带进美地所豫表包罗万有基督里面的人。
3The same principle applies to the way God sees the church today. In the eyes of God, the church is already glorious. However, if our eyes are set on our spiritual condition, we may regard ourselves as being very pitiful. We may see ourselves as Jacob, not as Israel. Nevertheless, as God sees us, we are Israel. In His dealings with Satan, the persecutor and usurper, God told him that He is the God of a transformed, victorious, and kingly people. We all need to see and believe that we are an Israel. You may not believe this today, but you will certainly believe it in the future, either in the next age or in eternity. In eternity all God’s chosen people will be an Israel. Do not be shortsighted, limited in your vision by your present situation. God does not regard you as one still in bondage under Pharaoh; rather, He sees you as one who has been delivered and brought into the all-inclusive Christ typified by the good land
4你信得来你是这样一位以色列，这样一位得胜者和君王么？我们都必须大胆相信并宣告这件事。不要注意自己的感觉，而要相信神的话。倘若神说你是以色列，你就是以色列，不论你对自己的感觉是否如此。不错，在出埃及记第五章中以色列人仍在埃及奴役之下。然而，神知道他们不久就要从这奴役中得拯救，并且被带往旷野、山上，最终进入迦南地。在美地上，他们是以色列，神是他们的神。因此，当神来和法老交涉时，并未因祂百姓的光景而失望。祂没有叫摩西和亚伦告诉法老说，祂是雅各的神。反之，祂使法老知道祂是耶和华以色列的神。神似乎在说：『法老，你当明白我是。我是那位昔是、今是、以后永是者。你无法改变我。再者，在我眼中，我的百姓已被变化成以色列了。他们也是希伯来人，过河之人。因为他们是希伯来人，不要想把他们留在红海这边。我是耶和华，凡我所说的必定成就。我说我的百姓是希伯来人，所以他们就是希伯来人。你不能把他们留在埃及。你必须容他们去。』
4Do you dare believe that you are such an Israel, such a victor and king? We all must be bold enough to believe this and to declare it. Do not hold to your feeling regarding yourself, but believe in the word of God. If God says that you are an Israel, then you are an Israel, whether you feel this way about yourself or not. Yes, in chapter five of Exodus the children of Israel were still under bondage in Egypt. However, God knew that they soon would be delivered from this bondage and brought into the wilderness, to the mountain, and eventually into the land of Canaan. In the good land they would be Israel, and God would be their God. Therefore, as God came to Pharaoh to negotiate with him, He was not disappointed by the condition of His people. He did not have Moses and Aaron tell Pharaoh that He was the God of Jacob. Instead, He let Pharaoh know that He was Jehovah, the God of Israel. It seemed as if God were saying, “Pharaoh, you must realize that I Am. I am He who was, who is, and who will be. You cannot change Me. Furthermore, in My sight, My people have been transformed into an Israel. They also are Hebrews, river-crossers. Because they are Hebrews, don’t try to keep them on this side of the Red Sea. I am Jehovah, and whatever I say must come to pass. I say that My people are Hebrews; therefore, they are Hebrews. You cannot keep them in Egypt. You must let them go.”
5第五章所题神的名称是极其重要的。即使在国际间外交关系中，名称也有重大意义。如果某一个国家的代表要和美国政府磋商，他必须有个适当的名称。他若只是一个领事或部长，他的地位就不彀高。他需要具有大使的头衔，然后才能从事于外交谈判。同样的原则，当神和法老交涉时，祂照著适当的名称介绍祂自己：耶和华、以色列的神、希伯来人的神。祂使法老知道祂是那伟大的『我是』。作为『我是』，祂是一切，而法老甚么都不是。此外，祂还向法老启示祂自己是以色列的神，就是一班被变化为得胜者和君王之人的神。作为具有如此奇妙名称的一位，神向法老题出要求。
5The titles of God mentioned in chapter five are extremely important. Even in diplomatic relations among the nations of the world, titles are of great significance. If a representative of a certain nation is to negotiate with the government of the United States, he must have a proper title. If he were simply a consul or minister, his position would not be high enough. He would need to bear the title of ambassador. Then he could engage in diplomatic negotiations. In the same principle, as God was negotiating with Pharaoh, He presented Himself according to the proper title: Jehovah, the God of Israel, the God of the Hebrews. He let Pharaoh know that He was the great I Am. As the I Am, He was everything, and Pharaoh was nothing. Moreover, He revealed Himself to Pharaoh as the God of Israel, the God of a people transformed to be victors and kings. As the One with such a marvelous title, God made His demand of Pharaoh.
1 容祂的百姓去，在旷野向他守节
1. To Let His People Go That They May Hold a Feast unto Him in the Wilderness
6在五章一节看见了神对法老的要求。摩西和亚伦代表耶和华对法老说：『容我的百姓去，在旷野向我守节。』节期与奴役、苦工成对比。耶和华对法老说，释放祂的百姓脱离奴役，使他们能向祂守节。本节中的『向我』这个词表示神的百姓守节时，祂是喜乐的。他们是向神守节。似乎耶和华对法老说：『我不高兴看见我的百姓在埃及奴役之下。容他们去守节，使我快乐。我喜欢看见我的百姓过节并欢乐。他们不作甚么，惟独吃喝快乐，我就高兴。那是向我守节。』这个向耶和华守节乃是分赐性的敬拜；那就是说，照著分赐到我们里面的来敬拜神。当我们在神面前吃、喝、赞美、歌唱，并欢乐时，便是向祂守节。我们将看见，这样的节期也是向主献祭。献祭就是敬拜。分赐性的敬拜乃是神分赐到我们里面，作我们的享受，使我们可以在祂面前，同著祂，并向著祂守节。这是神所要的敬拜。这不仅在新约里启示出来，也在旧约中有暗示。我们可以认为这里的节期是一个节日、假日、或圣日，就是神的百姓与神一同安息，并与神一同享受神供应的时候。神命定以色列人每年有三次特别的节期。这三个主要的节日就是逾越节，包括无酵节；七七节（五旬节）；和住棚节。那时候百姓甚么工都不可作；凡在那些节日内作甚么工的，必从神的民中被剪除。（利二三30。）这样的守节讨神喜悦，因它是对神的敬拜。根据人的观念，人该一直作工；但根据神的观念，神的百姓该在节期放下他们的工作，从劳碌中得歇息，与神一同守节敬拜祂。
6God’s demand of Pharaoh is seen in 5:1. Speaking on behalf of the Lord, Moses and Aaron said to Pharaoh, “Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.” The feast is in contrast with slavery, with rigorous labor. Jehovah was telling Pharaoh to release His people from slavery so that they could hold a feast unto Him. The words “unto me” in this verse indicate that when God’s people are feasting, He is happy. Their feasting is unto Him. It seems that Jehovah was telling Pharaoh, “I am not happy to see My people under slavery in Egypt. Let them go so that they may feast to make Me happy. I like to see My people feasting and rejoicing. I am glad when they do nothing but eat and rejoice. That is a feast unto Me.” This feasting unto the Lord is dispensational worship; that is, it is worshipping God according to what has been dispensed into us. As we eat, drink, praise, sing, and rejoice in the presence of God, we hold a feast unto Him. As we shall see, such a feast is also a sacrifice unto the Lord. To sacrifice is to worship. Dispensational worship is worship in which God is dispensed into us for our enjoyment so that we may feast in His presence with Him and unto Him. This is the worship God desires. This is not only revealed in the New Testament, but also implied in the Old Testament. We may consider the feast here a festival, a holiday, or a holy day, a time for God’sp eople to rest with God and to enjoy God’spr o vision with God. Three times a year God ordained special periods of feasting for the Israelites. The three main festivals were the Passover, including the feast of unleavened bread; the feast of weeks (Pentecost); and the feast of tabernacles. At those times the people were not allowed to do any work; anyone who worked on those festival days would be cut off from God’sp eople (Lev. 23:30). This feasting pleased the Lord because it was worship to Him. According to the human concept, people should always be working; but according to the divine concept, God’sp eople should put aside their working for the times of festivals to rest from their busyness and to feast with God in worship to Him.
7向主守节就是敬拜祂。根据天然的观念，敬拜是在神面前鞠躬、下跪、俯伏。但根据神的观念，真正的敬拜乃是享受神作我们的供应，并且在我们对祂的享受中，祂是我们的安息。约翰四章揭示，父所要的敬拜乃是喝活水。我们愈饮于作那灵的神的儿子，父神就得著愈多的敬拜。真正的敬拜乃是饮于神的供应，就是神自己为我们的享受所豫备的。五章一节说到在旷野守节。这里的旷野有正面的意义。旷野是神要祂百姓达到的第一个目的地。在我得救的那天，我立刻被神带到旷野。旷野与埃及对立。在埃及满了世界的文化，有积货城。神要拯救祂的百姓脱离积货城和属人的文化，并把他们领到旷野分别的地方。在我们得救以前，我们是在尼罗河岸上的一座城里。但在神的救恩里，我们从这些城里被带出来，进入旷野，那里没有属人的文化和世界的建造。
7To hold a feast unto the Lord is to worship Him. According to the natural concept, to worship is to bow down, to kneel down, to prostrate ourselves before God. But according to God, real worship is our enjoyment of God as our provision and then our rest in what we enjoy of Him. As John 4 discloses, the worship the Father seeks is the drinking of the living water. The more we drink of His Son as the Spirit, the more worship God the Father receives. Real worship is to drink of God’spr o vision, which is God Himself prepared for our enjoyment. The feast spoken of in 5:1 was to beheld in the wilderness. The wilderness here has a positive meaning. It was the first destination God wanted His people to reach. On the day I was saved, I was immediately brought by God into the wilderness. The wilderness stands in contrast to Egypt. In Egypt, which was filled with the culture of the world, there were the treasure cities. God wanted to rescue His people from the treasure cities and from human culture and to bring them into a place of separation in the wilderness. Before we were saved, we were in one of the cities on the bank of the Nile. But, in God’ss alvation, we have been brought out of such cities into the desert, where there is no human culture and no worldly building
2 容他们往旷野去，走三天的路程
2. To Let Them Go Three Days’ Journey into the Wilderness
8在第三节摩西和亚伦对法老说：『求你容我们往旷野去，走三天的路程。』本节是说三天，不说两天、四天，或其它的数字，这是很有意义的。在圣经中，三这个数字，尤其是三天，是表征复活。主耶稣在第三天复活。走了三天的路程之后，以色列人过了红海，埃及的军兵在其中被埋葬。过了红海以后，神的百姓就在复活里。他们在逾越节晚上经过了死，并且在红海里埋葬。因此，走了三天的路程以后，神所拣选并拯救的子民就在复活里。
8In verse 3 Moses and Aaron told Pharaoh, “Let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness.” It is significant that this verse speaks of three days, not of two, four, or any other number. In the Bible the number three, especially three days, signifies resurrection. The Lord Jesus was resurrected on the third day. After the three days’ journey, the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea, in which the Egyptian forces were buried. After passing through the sea, God’sp eople were in resurrection. They had passed through death on the night of the Passover, and they were buried in the Red Sea. Therefore, after a journey of three days’ duration, God’s chosen and rescued people were in resurrection.
9有些人会怀疑以色列人怎能在红海、又在约但河里埋葬。倘若我们从基督徒经历的光中来看这事，就不难领会。在我们得救的那天，我们被救到基督的死里。从那时起，我们就接受了基督死的功效。这意思是说，在我们的经历中，我们一再地被钉死并埋葬。我不能告诉你，我经历过多少次这种钉死和埋葬。这说出我们起初、基本的基督徒经历和更往前时的经历，在本质上是一样的。我们在属灵生命成熟时无论经历甚么，与我们在刚得救那天的经历，原则上是一样的。当我们得救时，我们被摆在基督的死里、被埋葬，并且复活。我们无法对这死、埋葬，和复活经历得尽。在我得救那天，我就经历到这一切，虽然那时我对此毫无所知。当我得了救，从福音聚会出来之后，走在街上就感觉我是在旷野里。在旷野就是在红海的那一边，在复活里。在这样的地位上就是希伯来人，复活和变化的过河之人。这是对救恩的正常经历。每一个正常得救的人都走了三天的路程，往旷野去，并经历了死、埋葬，和复活。
9Some may wonder how the children of Israel could have been buried both in the Red Sea and in the Jordan River. This is not hard to understand if we view it in the light of our Christian experience. On the day we were saved, we were saved into the death of Christ. Since that time, we have been subject to the effectiveness of Christ’s death. This means that in our experience we are crucified and buried again and again. I cannot tell you how many times I have undergone this crucifixion and burial. This indicates that our initial, basic Christian experience is the same in nature as our more advanced experience. Whatever we experience in the maturity of our spiritual life will be the same in principle as our experience in the beginning, on the very day of our salvation. When we were saved, we were placed into the death of Christ, we were buried, and we were resurrected. We cannot exhaust the experience of this death, burial, and resurrection. I experienced all this on the day I was saved, although at the time I had no knowledge of it. After I came out of the gospel meeting in which I was saved, I had the sense as I walked on the street that I was in the wilderness. To be in the wilderness is to be on the other side of the Red Sea in resurrection. To be in such a position is to be a Hebrew, a resurrected and transformed river- crosser. This is the normal experience of salvation. Everyone who has been saved in a normal way has taken a three days’ journey into the wilderness and has experienced death, burial, and resurrection
3 祭祀耶和华他们的神
3. To Sacrifice unto Jehovah Their God
10耶和华也要求法老，容以色列人去祭祀耶和华他们的神。（3。）祭祀是和过节平行的字。对以色列人来说，节期就是盛筵，但对神来说，节期乃是祭祀。没有献祭，就没有东西可吃。以色列人所吃的就是他们献给神的祭物。逾越节说明了这事。献给神的羊羔就是以色列人的食物。这启示节期和祭祀是一件事的两面。凡我们献给神的，自然就成了我们的食物。这也是分赐性的敬拜。这种敬拜不需要我们在主面前五体投地的下拜。神没有说：『容我的百姓去旷野，使他们在我面前下拜。』神不要祂的百姓这样作。祂要他们祭祀祂，并向祂守节。
10Jehovah also demanded that Pharaoh allow the children of Israel to sacrifice to Jehovah their God (v. 3). Sacrifice is a word parallel to feasting. To the children of Israel, the feast was a feast, but to God it was a sacrifice. Without the sacrifice, there was nothing to feast on. What the children of Israel were to feast on was the very sacrifice they were to offer to God. The Passover illustrates this. The lamb sacrificed to God was food for the children of Israel. This reveals that the feast and the sacrifice are two aspects of one thing. Whatever we sacrifice to God spontaneously becomes our feast. This also is dispensational worship. This kind of worship does not require that we prostrate ourselves before the Lord. God did not say, “Let My people go into the wilderness so that there they may prostrate themselves before Me.” God does not want His people to do this. He wants them to sacrifice to Him and to hold a feast unto Him
11神对法老的要求，给我们看见为著祂百姓完满、全备的救恩。这救恩包括神拯救他的百姓脱离撒但霸占的手，在复活里把他们带到旷野，使他们能向祂守节，并祭祀祂。何等奇妙的救恩！
11In God’s demand placed on Pharaoh we see a perfect, complete salvation for His people. This salvation includes God’s rescuing His people from the usurping hand of Satan and bringing them into the wilderness in resurrection so that they can hold a feast unto Him and sacrifice to Him. What a wonderful salvation
（二） 法老表征霸占人的撒但和我们被撒但霸占并僭夺的己
B. Pharaoh, Symbolizing the Usurping Satan and Our Satan-possessed and Usurped Self
12现在我们来看法老的抗拒。（五2，～9。）法老表征霸占人的撒但和我们被撤但霸占并僭夺的己。因为己实际上就是法老，我们对自己和别人都可能是法老，丈夫和妻子可能彼此是对方的法老，父母也可能是儿女的法老。法老就是使神的百姓不能向主守节的人。例如，五位弟兄同住在一个弟兄之家里面。其中三位也许盼望照常参加教会的聚会，但其余的人可能拦阻并鼓励他们留在家里。这样作，这两位弟兄就成了法老。我们几时使别人不能向主守节或祭祀祂，我们就是法老。譬如说，父母也许关心子女的教育，禁止他们参加教会的聚会，要求他们过多的时间来专心念书。父母亲若这样作，他们就是儿女的法老。有时候我们太责备撒但。不错，霸占人的撒但是客观的法老。但我们是实际、主观的法老。我们可能是自己的法老，不让自己往旷野去向主守节。倘若你核对你的经历，你将看见许多时侯你拦阻自己向主守节，不让自己参加教会的聚会。你也许以疲倦为藉口，不参加教会的筵席。虽然你说你太疲倦了，不能参加聚会，但你却在电话里聊天劲头十足。不要以为今天只有撒但自己是法老。人人都可能是法老。每当己被撒但霸占并僭夺时，己就成了主观的法老。
12Now we come to Pharaoh’s resistance (5:2, 4-9). Pharaoh symbolizes the usurping Satan and our4 Satan-possessed and usurped self. Because the self is Pharaoh in a very practical way, we may be a Pharaoh both to ourselves and to others. A husband and wife may be a Pharaoh to each other, and parents may be a Pharaoh to their children. A Pharaoh is one who keeps God’sp eople from feasting unto the Lord. For example, five brothers may live together in a brothers’ house. Three of them may desire to attend the church meeting as they usually do, but the others may restrain them and encourage them to stay home. In doing this, these two brothers become Pharaohs. Any time we keep others from feasting unto the Lord or from sacrificing to Him, we are a Pharaoh. Parents, for example, may be so concerned about their children’s education that they forbid them to attend the meetings of the church and require them to devote an unreasonable amount of time to study. When parents behave in such a way, they are Pharaohs to their children. Sometimes we blame Satan too much. Yes, the usurping Satan is Pharaoh in an objective way. But we are Pharaohs in a practical, subjective way. We may be a Pharaoh to ourselves, not allowing ourselves to go into the wilderness to feast unto the Lord. If you check with your experience, you will see that many times you have frustrated yourself from feasting unto the Lord. You have kept yourself away from the meetings of the church, perhaps with tiredness as your excuse for not attending the church feast. Although you may have claimed to be too tired to attend the meetings, you were full of energy to talk on the telephone. Do not think that today only Satan himself is Pharaoh. Everyone can be a Pharaoh. Whenever the self is possessed by Satan and usurped by him, the self becomes a subjective Pharaoh.
1 否认耶和华神，不理祂的要求，不容以色列人去
1. Denying Jehovah God, Ignoring His Demand, and Not Letting Israel Go
13第二节详细记载法老的抗拒：『法老说，耶和华是谁，使我听祂的话，容以色列人去呢？我不认识耶和华，也不容以色列人去。』在此我们看见法老否认耶和华神，不理祂的要求，并且不容以色列人去。法老甚至不承认耶和华，实际上等于否认耶和华的存在。我们常常拦阻别人向主守节，也常否认主并且不理祂的要求。我们拦阻自己献祭给主也是一样。非常实际的，这意思是说，如果我们拦阻自己参加教会的聚会，我们就像否认主的法老一样。
13Verse 2 records Pharaoh’s resistance in a detailed way: “And Pharaoh said, Who is Jehovah, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not Jehovah, neither will I let Israel go” (Heb.). Here we see that Pharaoh denied Jehovah God, ignored His demand, and refused to let Israel go. Pharaoh refused even to acknowledge Jehovah, virtually denying Jehovah’s existence. Often when we frustrate others from feasting unto the Lord, we deny the Lord and ignore His demand. The same is true when we hinder ourselves from sacrificing to the Lord. In a very practical way, this means that if we keep ourselves from the church meetings, we are like Pharaoh who denied the Lord
14对我们基督徒来说，聚在一起是一件非常有意义的事。每当我们照著主的命定聚在一起，我们就是向主守节，也是向我们的神献祭。假使我们基督徒没有正确的聚集，主在地上能作甚么？主甚么也不能作，并且祂也得不著真正的敬拜。由此我们看见，基督徒正确的聚集是有重大的意义。有些以色列人也许认为，只要他们蒙拯救脱离法老的手，并且从埃及得释放，一切就都好了。但事实并非如此。神的选民不仅从埃及出来，他们还要在旷野向主守节，并祭祀祂。在本质上，过节是一件团体的事，没有人能单独过节。要过节我们我就必须与许多人在一起。人愈多愈好。假如一顿大餐中的许多道菜都豫备好，摆在你家中的餐桌上，而你坐下来独自吃它，这是过节么？断乎不是！为了过节，你必须邀请许多人与你同吃。倘若只有几个人与你同席，这一餐仍然不是过节。你需要许多同伴。同样的原则，没有一个基督徒能单独或只和少数几个信徒向主守节。他必须参加基督徒的正当聚集。
14For us Christians to come together is a matter of great significance. Whenever we gather together according to the Lord’so rd i nation, we hold a feast unto the Lord and we sacrifice to our God. Suppose we Christians did not have a proper gathering. What would the Lord be able to do on earth? The Lord would not be able to do anything, and He would not receive any real worship. By this we see that the proper gathering together of Christians is of tremendous importance. Some of the children of Israel may have thought that as long as they were delivered from the hand of Pharaoh and released from Egypt, everything would be all right. But that would not have been true. God’s chosen people were not only to make their exodus out of Egypt, but they were also to hold a feast unto the Lord in the wilderness and to sacrifice to Him. By its very nature a feast is a corporate matter. No one can hold a feast alone. To have a feast we must be together with many others. The more people there are, the better it is. Suppose a dinner of many courses is prepared and set on your dining table at home and you sit down to eat it by yourself. Is this a feast? Certainly not! In order for it to be a feast, you must invite a large number of people to eat with you. If you have just a few others to dine with you, this meal is still not a feast. You need a great company. In the same principle, no Christian can hold a feast unto the Lord alone or with just a few other believers. He must attend a proper gathering of Christians
15漏掉一次教会的聚会就漏掉一次筵席，也失去了享受。我们因此所受的亏损不如神所受的亏损那样严重。如果我们不来过节，神就没有筵席，也得不著祭祀。愿我们对这件事的重要有深刻的印象。
15To miss a meeting of the church is to miss a feast and to lose out on the enjoyment. The loss we suffer in this way is not as serious as the loss God suffers. If we do not attend the feast, God has no feast and does not receive the sacrifice. May we all be deeply impressed with the importance of this.
2 加重他们的苦工
2. Increasing Their Labor with Rigor
（1） 不再给他们草
a. Giving Them No More Straw
16在第七节法老吩咐百姓的督工和官长说：『你们不可照常把草给百姓作砖，叫他们自己去捡草。』法老不让以色列人去，事实上反而加重他们的苦工。他甚至吩咐不再给他们草。在我们的经历中也是这样。当神要拯救某一个人脱离今天的世界，撒但就夺去那人的『草』；那就是说，他夺去那人世界的供应。这迫使那人为了谋生作更重的苦工。
16In verse 7 Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and the officers, saying, “Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.” Instead of letting Israel go, Pharaoh actually increased their labor with rigor. He even commanded that they be given no more straw. It is the same in our experience. When God is about to rescue a certain person from today’s world, Satan takes away that person’s “straw”; that is, he deprives him of the supply from the world. This forces that one to work with more rigor in order to make a living
（2） 要求他们作同样数目的砖在第八节法老说：『他们素常作
b. Requiring of Them the Same Number of Bricks In verse 8 Pharaoh said, “And the number of the bricks
17砖的数目，你们仍旧向他们要，一点不可减少。』在此我们看见，虽然法老削减草的供应，但他仍旧要求同样数目的砖。这表示神的百姓作日常的工作更艰难了。许多基督徒都有这样的经历。在他们蒙神呼召以后，他们比蒙召之前更难谋生。只因为他们被基督摸著了，撒但就夺去他们的『草』，并不减低他的要求。所以，他们谋生就更难了。
17which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not reduce any of it” (Heb.). Here we see that although Pharaoh cut off the supply of straw, he still required the same number of bricks. This indicates that it was much harder for God’sp eople to do the daily work. Many Christians have experienced something like this. After they were called by God, it was harder for them to earn a living than it was before they were called. Simply because they had been touched by Christ, Satan took away their “straw” without lessening his demands. Hence, it became more difficult for them to make a living
（3） 定罪他们懒惰
c. Condemning Them as Being Idle
18不仅如此，法老说以色列人：『因为他们是懒惰的，所以呼求说，容我们去祭祀我们的神。』（8。）根据法老的观念，以色列人因著懒惰，所以要到旷野去，祭祀他们的神。在今日的法老眼中，尤其是在反对者和不信者的眼中。我们在主恢复里的人是懒惰的。他们责难我们懒惰，常到会所来参加教会的聚会或话语职事的聚会。他们定罪我们，说我们不要工作、读书，不照管家庭和家人。按他们的领会，我们是用聚会作为懒惰的藉口。
18Furthermore, Pharaoh said of the children of Israel, “For they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God” (v. 8). According to Pharaoh, it was because of idleness that the Israelites wanted to go into the wilderness to sacrifice to their God. In the eyes of today’s Pharaohs, especially in the eyes of the opposers and the unbelievers, we in the Lord’s recovery are idle. They accuse us of idleness in coming to the meeting hall so often to attend the meetings of the church or the meetings for the ministry of the Word. They condemn us, saying that we do not want to work, study, or care for our homes and families. According to their understanding, we use the meetings as an excuse for idleness
（4） 使他们不听『虚谎的言语』
d. Causing Them Not to Regard “Vain Words
19在第九节法老说：『你们要把更重的工夫加在这些人身上，叫他们劳碌，不听虚谎的言语。』法老不要神的百姓注意他所以为『虚谎的言语』。然而，这些『虚谎的言语』实际上就是神的话。今天的光景也是一样。今日的法老认为神的话不过是虚谎的言语。就他们说，我们在教会聚会中或在职事聚会中听神的话语，就是在听虚谎的言语。
19In verse 9 Pharaoh said, “Let the labor be heavier on the men, that they may labor therein; and let them not regard vain words” (Heb.). Pharaoh did not want God’sp eople to regard what he thought were “vain words.” These “vain words,” however, were actually the word of God. The same is true today. Today’s Pharaohs regard the word of God as nothing more than vain words. As far as they are concerned, we who hearken to the word of God as it is sounded forth in the church meetings and in the meetings of the ministry are listening to vain words.
20我们在教会生活里所作的，在世人眼中也许是懒惰，但他们所作的，在神眼中是虚空。埃及满了劳碌。在埃及捆绑之下的每个人都是非常忙碌的。然而人一旦从埃及蒙了拯救，并被带到旷野之后，他就变得懒惰了。你喜欢忙碌或是懒惰？我喜欢这种懒惰。尽管我不是一个懒人，我却愿意被法老称为懒惰。例如，我喜欢在家里打扫，在花园工作。但是在花了一些时间这样打扫和工作以后，我必须说：『撒但，彀了。我现在不再工作了。我要在主面前懒惰。』这样的懒惰何等好！我们都该有个时侯说：『撒但，彀了。现在是我懒惰的时候。』懒惰在这里的意义是指向主守节并祭祀祂。在世人的眼中，教会生活是懒惰的生活。事实上，我们既不懒惰也不忙碌，我们是在过节、在献祭。在主面前，这是正确的为人生活。神的救恩是拯救我们从劳碌中出来，带我们进入懒惰。今天人们太忙于照顾今生的事。有些人很勤勉，没有时间向主守节。我们需要从这种劳碌中蒙拯救，为要有更多懒惰的时间。一个懒惰的人该训练成忙碌。但是太忙碌的人必须训练得懒惰，那就是说，要在花一些时间与众圣徒在教会的聚会中。基督徒的生活不是一种属世忙碌的生活，乃是正当懒惰的生活。我们不致于忙于今生的事而不顾神的话。在教会的聚会中，我们何等享受懒情并听神『虚谎的言语』！对我们这些为基督而活的人来说，我们需要生存。没有我们人的存在，就无法活出基督来。但今天在堕落世界里的人不顾别的，只顾他们的生存；他们不顾生存的目的。生存是一回事，但为著神的旨意而生存是另一回事。神所命定我们生存的目的乃是活基督、活出神来，并作神的见证。但世人只是活著，他们没有目的。最终他们以活下去作为他们活著的目的。他们不知道别的，只知道生存。撒但抓住人的生存或人的生活，并利用这个生存来霸占人，使得今天全世界只顾生存，却不在生存中顾到神的旨意。
20What we are doing in the church life may be idle in the eyes of the worldly people, but what they are doing is vanity in the eyes of God. Egypt is filled with busyness. Everyone still under bondage in Egypt is very busy. But as soon as someone is rescued from Egypt and is brought into the wilderness, he will become idle. Which do you prefer, busyness or idleness? I prefer this kind of idleness. Although I certainly am not a lazy person, I desire to be in what Pharaoh calls idleness. For example, I enjoy cleaning in my home and I am fond of working in the garden. But after spending a certain amount of time cleaning or working in this way, I may need to say, “Satan, this is enough. I will not do any more work now. Instead, I shall be idle before the Lord.” How good it is to be idle in this way! There is a time when we all should say, “Satan, that is enough. It is now time for me to be idle.” To be idle in this sense means to feast unto the Lord and to sacrifice to Him. In the eyes of the worldly people, the church life is a life of idleness. Actually, we are neither idle nor busy—we are feasting and sacrificing. Before the Lord, this is the proper kind of human life. God’ss alvation is to rescue us out of busyness and to bring us into idleness. People today are too busy caring for the things of this life. Some are so industrious that they have no time to feast unto the Lord. We need to be delivered from this busyness in order to have more time for idleness. A lazy person should be trained to be busy. However, someone who is too busy must be trained to be idle, that is, to spend some time with the saints in the meetings of the church. The Christian life is not a life of worldly busyness; it is a life of proper idleness. We are not to be so busy with the things of this life that we disregard the word of God. How we enjoy being idle and regarding God’s “vain words” in the church meetings! For us to live for Christ, we need to exist. Without our human existence we cannot live Christ. But today those in the fallen world care for nothing but their existence; they do not care for the purpose of their existence. To exist is one thing, but to exist for the divine purpose is another thing. The purpose ordained by God for our existence is to live Christ, to live God out, and to have God’s testimony. But the people of this world have only their existence; they have no purpose. Eventually they make their existence itself the purpose of their existence. They know nothing but existence. Satan picks up the existence of human beings or of human living and uses this existence to usurp people so that today the whole world cares only for existence, not for God’s purpose in existence.
21我们人类生存的一切所需必须在神圣的约束下。任何超过我们需要的事物都成为世俗的、『埃及的』、法老的东西，使我们离开神旨意的经营。在凡事上，神的经营必须是决定性的因素。我们的生活不该像『埃及人』，不该像世人。我们需要一个住处，也需要使我们的屋子保持清洁。但如果到了聚会的时间，我们还继续清扫，我们的清扫就成了『埃及的』，成了离开神经营的事。我们在地上不是为著清扫，而是为著向主守节。甚至我们在花多少时间与孩子们相处也该由神的经营来决定。其他的基督徒行动可以像世人，但我们必须是圣洁的子民、分别的百姓。我们的生活和生存倚赖属天源头的供应，不靠世界的供应。为此我们需要异象，并需要操练我们的信心。摩西是一个大有信心的人，率领两百万人出埃及，进入旷野，在那里没有属地的供应来为著他们的生存。
21All things necessary for our human existence need to be under a divine limitation. Anything that exceeds our need becomes worldly, “Egyptian,” something of Pharaoh, and it frustrates us from the economy of God’s purpose. In everything God’secon o my must be the deciding factor. Our living should not be like that of the “Egyptians,” the worldly people. We need a place to live, and we need to keep our house clean. But if we continue with our cleaning when it is time to go to the meeting, our cleaning becomes “Egyptian,” something apart from the economy of God’s purpose. We are on earth not for cleaning but for a feast unto the Lord. Even how much time we spend with our children should be decided by God’secon o my. Other Christians may act like the people of the world, but we have to be a holy people, a separated people. Our living and our existence depend on the provision from the heavenly source, not on the supply from the world. For this we need the vision, and we need the exercise of our faith. Moses was a man of great faith to lead two million people out of Egypt into the wilderness, where there was no earthly supply for their human existence
（三） 冲突的结果
C. The Issue of the Conflict
1 以色列人遭受更多的苦待
1. Israel Suffering More Cruelty
22现在我们来看神的要求和法老的抗拒所引起冲突的结果。第一面的结果是以色列人遭受更多的苦待。（五10～21。）冲突愈大，神的选民受苦也愈多。这是仇敌的策略。不过不要以为苦难增加是消极的记号。事实上，它是积极的记号，因它表示神和仇敌正展开谈判，而我们受到了这谈判的影响。我们的受苦是一个记号说出神正在拯救我们的过程中。
22Now we come to the issue of the conflict caused by God’s demand and Pharaoh’s resistance. The first aspect of the issue was that Israel suffered more cruelty (5:10-21). The greater the conflict, the more God’s chosen people suffered. This is the enemy’s strategy. Do not think, however, that increased suffering is a negative sign. Actually, it is a positive sign, for it indicates that God’s negotiation with the enemy is taking place and that we are affected by it. Our suffering is a sign that God is in the process of delivering us
232摩西受困惑并沮丧
232. Moses Being Bothered and Discouraged
24二十二和二十三节说出摩西受困惑并沮丧。摩西甚至问主为何打发他。不仅如此，摩西还对祂说：『你一点也没有拯救他们。』我们中间许多人有过类似的经历。我们愈把基督服事给人，他们就愈受苦。这使我们困惑并沮丧。我们的观念是，如果我们以正确的方式服事，别人就必蒙福。我们巴望死人复活，有病的人得医治，软弱的人得著刚强，贫穷的人得以富足。然而，情形时常与我们所期望的相反。我能从我的经历中强烈地作这个见证。许多时候我很失望，正如摩西一样。有时候我到主面前说：『主，怎么了？你吩咐我把这事服事给你的百姓。对我来说，似乎你该祝福他们，并且印证我的职事。但我愈服事百姓，他们的难处就愈多。主，我有甚么错的？我不明白所发生的事。』
24Verses 22 and 23 indicate that Moses was bothered and discouraged. Moses even asked the Lord why He had sent him. Furthermore, Moses said to Him, “Neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.” Many of us have had similar experiences. The more we ministered Christ to others, the more they suffered. This caused us to become troubled and discouraged. Our concept is that if we minister in a proper way, others will be blessed. We expect the dead to be resurrected, the sick to be healed, the weak to be strengthened, and the poor to be enriched. However, the situation is often the opposite of what we anticipate. I can testify of this strongly from my experience. Many times I have been disappointed, just as Moses was. Sometimes I went to the Lord and said, “Lord, what happened? You told me to minister this matter to Your people. It seems to me that You should bless them and put Your seal upon my ministry. But the more I minister to the people, the more difficulty they have. Lord, am I wrong in some way? I don’t understand what is happening.”
3 耶和华神再坚定祂的名和祂的约
3. Jehovah God Reconfirming His Name and His Covenant
25摩西向主表露他的沮丧和困惑之后，耶和华神进来再坚定祂的名和祂的约。（六1～8。）神对摩西说：『我是耶和华，我从前向亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各，显现为全能的神，至于我名耶和华他们未曾知道。我与他们坚定所立的约，要把他们寄居的迦南地赐给他们。』（六2～4。）有甚么比再坚定神的名和神的约更宝贵？因著神的再度保证，摩西得到加强和鼓励，回到法老那里，再对以色列人说话。
25After Moses expressed his discouragement and bewilderment to the Lord, Jehovah God came in to reconfirm His name and His covenant (6:1-8). God said to Moses, “I am Jehovah: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God All-sufficient; but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers” (6:2-4, Heb.). What is more precious than the reconfirmation of God’s name and His covenant? By God’s reconfirmation, Moses was strengthened and encouraged both to go back to Pharaoh and to speak again to the children of Israel
26简言之，主的名就是祂自己的所是，祂的约就是祂带著应许所说的话，并以誓言来保证。平常所说的话不是约，但是带著应许所说的话，并以誓言来保证，就成了约。（参看希伯来书生命读经第三十六篇）。神对亚伯拉罕说话；然后祂以关于美地的应许说话，就是一再坚定的应许。最后，有一个誓言。因此，神在祂自己和亚伯拉罕之间立了一个契约、合同；神所应许的话就成了一个约。（创十五。）割礼就是这约的记号。（创十七。）
26In brief, the Lord’s name is what He Himself is, and His covenant is His word spoken with a promise and confirmed with an oath. A word spoken in an ordinary way is not a covenant, but a word spoken with a promise and confirmed with an oath becomes a covenant. (See Life - study of Hebrews, Message Thirty - six.) God spoke to Abraham; then He spoke with a promise concerning the good land, a promise that was confirmed again and again. Finally, there was an oath, so that there was an agreement, a contract, made by God between God Himself and Abraham; the promising word of God became a covenant (Gen. 15). Circumcision was a token of this covenant (Gen. 17).
27今天我们可以经历神再坚定祂的名和祂的约。有时候我向主发了怨言以后，祂向我坚定祂的名，提醒我祂是那『我是』。那独一的自有者。如此再坚定的时侯。主似乎说：『我绝不失信，我所说的是真的。我是，但那些苦难不是。不要相信你的光景，要相信我的所是。』在这时候，神也向我们再坚定祂的约。
27Today we may experience God’s reconfirming His name and His covenant. Sometimes after I have complained to the Lord, He has confirmed His name to me with the reminder that He is the I Am, the unique self-existing One. At such times of reconfirmation, the Lord seems to say, “I can never fail. I mean whatever I say. I am, but the sufferings are not. Do not believe in your situation—believe in what I am.” In such times God also reconfirms His covenant to us
4 以色列人不听从摩西
4. Israel Not Hearkening unto Moses
28在六章六节至八节，主给摩西一些很有鼓励性的话要对以色列人说。祂要摩西告诉他们，祂要从埃及人的重担之下把他们领出来，用伸出来的膀臂救赎他们，带他们归向祂作百姓。并且把他们领进祂所应许给亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的那地。虽然如此，第九节说：『摩西将这话告诉以色列人，只是他们因灵里枯竭、苦工愁烦，不肯听他的话。』（直译。）他们的灵因受苦难而枯竭。因此，他们不肯听神对摩西说的话。神的百姓灵里枯竭，就像汽车没有汽油一样。当我们灵里枯竭时，就不能忍受任何捆绑或苦难。所以，我们需要祷告，使我们的灵得蒙保守并得供应。我们需要求主保守我们灵里永不枯竭。
28In 6:6-8 the Lord gave Moses some very encouraging words to speak to the children of Israel. He wanted Moses to tell them that He would bring them out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, redeem them with an outstretched arm, take them to Him for a people, and bring them into the land which He promised to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Nevertheless, verse 9 says, “And Moses spoke so unto the children of Israel; but they hearkened not unto Moses from shortness of spirit, and from cruel bondage” (Heb.). Their spirit had been exhausted by their sufferings. Hence, they would not regard God’sword to Moses. In their shortness of spirit, God’sp eople were like a car without gasoline. When we are short of spirit, we cannot bear any kind of bondage or suffering. Therefore, we need to pray that our spirit will be preserved and supplied. We need to ask the Lord to keep us from ever being short of spirit
29在本篇信息中我们看见神和神的仇敌─法老之间的冲突，法老在客观的一面表征撒但，在主观一面表征撒但所霸占并僭夺的己。神要我们走三天的路程，往旷野去，使我们可以向祂守节，并祭祀祂。但是撒但和己起来否认神，不让我们去。然而，因著主的完全救恩，我们许多人已从埃及的捆绑得拯救，现今在旷野享受节期，并献祭给我们的神。
29In this message we have seen the conflict between God and God’se ne my, Pharaoh, who symbolizes Satan objectively and the Satan-possessed and usurped self subjectively. God wants us to take a three days’ journey into the wilderness so that we may hold a feast unto Him and sacrifice to Him. But Satan and the self rise up to deny God and to refuse to let us go. Nevertheless, because of the Lord’s full salvation, many of us have been delivered from bondage in Egypt and are now in the wilderness enjoying the feast and offering sacrifice to our God