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出埃及记生命读经 · 第16篇

神的要求和法老的抗拒（二）

God’s Demand and Pharaoh’s Resistance (2)
1出埃及记是是一本图画的书，不是一本哲学的书。出埃及记头一段的图画描绘出在撒但霸占下的世界生活。藉著这些图画暴露了这种生活的本质。在这卷书中的图画也揭示了神对祂子民心头的愿望。神对法老说：『容我的百姓去，在旷野向我守节。』（五1。）神的百姓已落在撒但霸占下的世俗生活里。正如出埃及记所启示的，神将他们从埃及拯救出来，并领他们进入旷野，到达山上，在那里他们得著一个属天的异象，就是神在地上之居所的样式。神要帐幕作祂的居所。这是祂心头的愿望。为了暴露在法老霸占下世界生活的真实光景，出埃及记描述了在耶和华和法老之间的十二次冲突。在第一次冲突中没有神迹、灾害，或审判。只有耶和华和法老之间的谈判。神要求法老容祂的百姓往旷野去，走三天的路程，向祂守节。但法老拒绝承认耶和华，也不听祂的要求。
1The book of Exodus is a book of pictures, not a book of philosophy. The pictures in the first part of Exodus present a portrait of life in the world under Satan’s usurpation. By means of these pictures the nature of such a life is exposed. The pictures in this book also unveil the desire of God’she art with respect to His chosen people. God said to Pharaoh, “Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness” (5:1). God’sp eople had fallen into a worldly life under Satan’s usurpation. As the book of Exodus reveals, God delivered them from this and brought them into the wilderness and to the mountain, where they received a heavenly vision of the pattern of God’s dwelling place on earth. God wanted the tabernacle to be His dwelling place. This was the desire of His heart. In order to expose the real situation of life in the world under Pharaoh’s usurpation, the book of Exodus describes twelve conflicts between Jehovah and Pharaoh. In the first conflict there were no miracles, plagues, or judgments. Instead, there was simply the negotiation between Jehovah and Pharaoh. God demanded that Pharaoh let His people go into the wilderness a three days’ journey to hold a feast unto Him. But Pharaoh refused to acknowledge Jehovah or to hearken to His demand
2在第二次冲突中有一个神迹，但7:9没有灾害；有暴露，但没有审判。在七章九节耶和华说：『法老若对你们说，你们行件奇事罢，你就吩咐亚伦说，把杖丢在法老面前，使杖变作蛇。』这个神迹的目的是在暴露世界生活的真实光景。故此，第二次冲突有暴露，但不含审判。头两次冲突以后，灾害开始临到法老和他的百姓身上。出埃及记有两组十项：临到埃及人的十灾，和赐给神百姓的十诫。十灾可以分为四类。第一组包括血灾、蛙灾、和虱灾；第二组包括蝇灾、畜疫之灾、和疮灾；第三组包括雹灾、蝗灾、和黑暗之灾；最后是击杀长子之灾。每一次的灾害都比前一次更为严重。第一组的灾害很麻烦，但它们没有损伤。第二组的灾害对牲畜和人都造成损害。第三组的灾害毁坏了环境，最后一组的灾害了结了世界的生命。在末了一次灾害中，凡在埃及地的长子，从法老直到婢女所有的长子都死了。（十一5。）在启示录十六章我们看见神要降在地上的末了七灾，就是将近大灾难的末期所要临到的灾害。这七灾是『盛神大怒的七碗』。（启十六1。）启示录中的七灾，在许多方面与出埃及记的十灾类似。藉著十灾，神能使祂的选民离开埃及。在大灾难期间，七灾使神的百姓最后一次离开世界。在这世代的末了，大多数神的百姓仍在埃及，就是在世界里。在亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的时代不需要出埃及。照样，末期的得胜者也不需要出埃及。因此，他们将在大灾难之前被提。然而，大多数的基督徒需要出来。藉著末了的七灾，神要将祂的百姓从世界里带出来。
2In the second conflict there was a miracle, but no plague; there was exposure, but no judgment. In the Lord said, “When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Show a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.” The purpose of this miracle was to expose the actual situation of life in the world. For this reason, the second conflict involved exposure, but not judgment. After the first two conflicts, the plagues began to come upon Pharaoh and his people. In Exodus there are two groups of ten items: the ten plagues that came upon the Egyptians and the Ten Commandments that were given to God’sp eople. The ten plagues can be grouped into four categories. The first group includes the plagues of blood, frogs, and lice; the second group, the plagues of flies, murrain, and boils; the third group, the plagues of hail, locusts, and darkness; and finally, the plague of the killing of the firstborn. Each plague was more severe than the one before. The plagues in the first group were troublesome, but they were not injurious. The plagues in the second group caused harm both to beasts and to men. The plagues in the third group destroyed the environment, and the last plague terminated the worldly life. In the last plague, all the firstborn in the land of Egypt died, from the firstborn of Pharaoh to the firstborn of the maidservants (11:5). In Revelation 16 we see the seven ultimate plagues that God will send upon the earth, plagues that will come toward the end of the great tribulation. These seven plagues will be “the seven bowls of the fury of God” (Rev. 16:1). In many respects, the seven plagues in Revelation are similar to the ten plagues in Exodus. By means of the ten plagues God was able to accomplish the exodus of His chosen people from Egypt. During the great tribulation, the seven plagues will enable God’sp eople to make their final exodus from the world. At the end of this age, most of God’sp eople will still be in Egypt, that is, in the world. In their time, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had no need of an exodus. In like manner, the overcomers at the end time will have no need of an exodus. Therefore, they will be raptured before the tribulation. The majority of Christians, however, will need an exodus. By the seven last plagues, God will bring His people out of the world.
二 第二次冲突
II. THE SECOND CONFLICT
（一） 在神的一面
A. On God’sS i de
3现在让我们来看耶和华与法老之间的第二次冲突。（七8～14。）出埃及记七章十节说：『摩西、亚伦进去见法老，就照耶和华所吩咐的行，亚伦把杖丢在法老和臣仆面前，杖就变作蛇。』这个神迹的意义是在揭露此事实：法老和他臣仆的生命是在撒但霸占的手下，他们在埃及的生活乃在那恶者僭夺和霸占之下。我怀疑法老和他臣仆会了解这事的意义。法老和他的百姓倚靠埃及的天然资源，尤其是尼罗河的丰富出产。这出产就是他们的『杖』，这杖实际上是一条蛇─那恶者。在神眼中，法老和埃及人是倚靠撒但，并且生活在撒但霸占的手下。这个暴露并非惩罚，而是表明神的怜悯。神在祂的怜悯里暴露埃及生活的真相。祂要埃及人知道，他们所倚靠的一切都是出于撒但。在这个暴露里，神的心意是要使他们弃绝那样的生活。今天的原则也是一样。当神临到我们时，祂不是先惩罚己、肉体，或旧人。因祂的怜悯，神首先暴露我们堕落生命的撒但性情。
3Let us now consider the second conflict between Jehovah and Pharaoh (7:8-14). Exodus 7:10 says, “And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as Jehovah had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent” (Heb.). I doubt that Pharaoh and his servants realized that the significance of this miracle was to expose the fact that their life was a life under Satan’s usurping hand, that their living in Egypt was under the Devil’s usurpation and possession. Pharaoh and his people relied on the natural resources of Egypt, especially on the rich supply of the Nile. This supply was their “rod,” a rod which was actually a serpent, the Devil. In God’se yes Pharaoh and the Egyptians were relying on Satan and were living under Satan’s usurping hand. This exposure was not a punishment, but an expression of God’s mercy. In His mercy God exposed the true nature of Egyptian living. He wanted the Egyptians to know that everything they relied on was of the Devil. God’sin tent i on in this exposure was to cause them to forsake that kind of living. The principle is the same today. When God comes to us, He does not firstly punish the self, the flesh, or the old man. In His mercy He firstly exposes the satanic nature of our fallen life.
（二） 在法老的一面
B. On Pharaoh’sS i de
4法老召了术士来，用他们的杖作了亚伦所作同样的事。（七。）十二节说：『他们各人丢下自己的杖，杖就变作蛇，但亚伦的杖吞了他们的杖。』多年前，我怀疑为甚么埃及的术士能作亚伦所作同样的事。我为此求问主并对祂说，我不了解这样的事为甚么会发生。我们在传福音时也许会遇见类似的情形。我们可以将今天世界上的哲学家比作那些术士。这些哲学家所教导的也许和我们所传的福音类似，我们暴露堕落人类生活的本质，他们也作同样的事。我们说到在世界里生活受霸占，他们也这样说。然而，正如亚伦的杖吞了埃及术士的杖，照样，福音的传扬也吞下了今天哲学的教训。我们在中国传福音时，多次经历到这事，那里有许多『术士』，或是哲学教师。这些哲学家的某些教导与圣经中的一些教导几乎相同。例如，圣经教导我们不该爱世界，有些中国的哲学家也教导同样的事。然而，在我们的传福音里，亚伦的杖吞了『术士』的杖。有时候来自大专学校的哲学家，参加我们的福音聚会。我们没有因他们在场而被吓住，反而呼求主，求祂来对付这些人。祂显明了祂的智慧，我们看见福音吞下了哲学家的教训。
4Pharaoh called upon the magicians to do the same thing with their rods as Aaron had done with his (7:11). Verse 12 says, “For they cast down every man 11 his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’sr od swallowed up their rods.” Years ago, I wondered why the Egyptian magicians were able to do the same thing Aaron had done. I asked the Lord concerning this and told Him that I did not see how such a thing could happen. We may encounter a similar situation in the preaching of the gospel. We may compare the philosophers of the world today to those magicians. These philosophers may teach things similar to what we preach in the gospel. We may expose the nature of the fallen human life, and they may do the same. We may speak about the preoccupations of life in the world, and they may do this also. Nevertheless, just as Aaron’sr od swallowed up the rods of the Egyptian magicians, so the preaching of the gospel swallows up today’s philosophical teachings. We experienced this many times in our gospel preaching in China, where there were many “magicians,” or philosophical teachers. Certain teachings of these philosophers were nearly the same as some of the teachings in the Bible. For example, the Bible teaches that we should not love the world. Some Chinese philosophers taught the same thing. However, in our preaching of the gospel Aaron’sr od swallowed up the rods of the “magicians.” Philosophers from colleges and universities sometimes attended our gospel meetings. Instead of being threatened by their presence, we called on the Lord and asked Him to deal with these people. He showed forth His wisdom, and we saw the gospel swallow up the teaching of the philosophers.
5福音吞下了世界所有的哲学。你传福音时不要受威吓，也不要灰心。反之，要相信你的杖将吞灭哲学的杖。没有甚么能胜过福音。虽然福音不是哲学，却没有甚么比福音更哲学的。故此，福音能吞下世上哲学家的杖。
5The gospel swallows up all the philosophies of the world. Do not be threatened or discouraged in your preaching of the gospel. Rather, believe that your rod will swallow up the philosophical rods. Nothing can overcome the gospel. Although the gospel is not philosophy, nothing is more philosophical than the gospel. For this reason the gospel is able to swallow up the rods of the world’s philosophers
（三） 结果
C. The Issue
6在十三和十四节我们看见第二次冲突的结果。十三节说：『法老心里刚硬，不肯听从摩西、亚伦。』大多数的圣经版本是说使法老的心刚硬。但这不是这里的意思。这样的繙译暗指法老的心可能是柔软的，但它变得刚硬了。但法老的心从起初就是刚硬的。达秘说本节中『刚硬』的希伯来字意思是顽梗。因为法老的心是顽梗的，它无法改变。第二次的冲突暴露了法老内心的刚硬。
6In verses 13 and 14 we see the issue of the second conflict. Verse 13 says, “And Pharaoh’s he art was hard, that he hearkened not unto them” (Heb.). Most versions of the Bible say that Pharaoh’s he art was hardened. This, however, is not the meaning here. Such a rendering implies that Pharaoh’s he art may have been soft but that it became hard. But Pharaoh’she art was hard from the very beginning. Darby says that the Hebrew word for hard in this verse means stubborn. Because Pharaoh’she art was stubborn, it could not be changed. The second conflict exposed the hardness of Pharaoh’she art.
7这次冲突进一步的结果是法老不容以色列人去。（14。）神第一次来时，法老不肯听从祂的话。这一次法老不肯听从神的要求，甚至在神暴露了撒但之下世界生活的本质以后，也是如此。这迫使神在第三次的冲突中更严厉地对付法老。
7A further issue of this conflict was Pharaoh’s refusal to let the children of Israel go (v. 14). The first time God came in, Pharaoh refused to hearken to His word. This time Pharaoh refused to hearken to God’s demand, even after God had exposed the nature of life in the world under Satan. This forced God to deal with Pharaoh more severely in the third conflict
三 第三次冲突
III. THE THIRD CONFLICT
（一） 时间和地点
A. The Time and the Place
8这次冲突发生在尼罗河边的一个早晨。（七15。）其它两次冲突也是在清晨发生的。（八20，九13。）法老也许下到河边休闲一下，享受快乐和悠闲。但他的休闲因摩西和亚伦的在场而受到搅扰。神吩咐他们带著神的要求再次面对法老。神的心意是要使法老知道这不是休闲的时候，反之，它是埃及生活的本质被暴露的时候。法老必须看见，在埃及的生活不是安息和享受的生活，而是流血的生活。今天我们有时候也需要到世人享乐的地方去，向他们揭露这件事实：世界所有的欢娱和享乐，结局都是死亡。
8This conflict took place in the morning by the brink of the river Nile (7:15). Two other conflicts also took place early in the morning (8:20; 9:13). Pharaoh may have gone down to the river to relax and to enjoy a time of pleasantness and ease. But his relaxation was disturbed by the presence of Moses and Aaron. God had charged them to confront Pharaoh again with His demand. God’sin tent i on was to let Pharaoh know that this was no time to relax. Rather, it was time for the nature of life in Egypt to be exposed. Pharaoh had to see that life in Egypt was not a life of rest and enjoyment, but a life of blood. There are times today also that we need to go to the place where the worldly people have their pleasure to expose to them the fact that all their worldly entertainments and pleasures issue in death
（二） 在神的一面
B. On God’sS i de
91要求法老容祂的百姓去摩西和亚伦重复他们先前所作同样的要求：『容我的百姓去，好在旷野事奉我。』（七16。）这次神的要求以第一样灾害为后盾。2使法老知道祂是耶和华摩西和亚伦代表耶和华对法老说：『我要用我手里的杖击打河中的水，水就变作血，因此，你必知道我是耶和华。』（七17。）因为神是耶和华，无论祂说甚么，都必成就。耶和华说过：『容我的百姓去』。尽管法老会抗拒这话，至终他将被征服，并知道神是耶和华。
91. Demanding That Pharaoh Let His People Go Moses and Aaron repeated the same demand they had made before: “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness” (7:16). This time God’s demand was backed up by the first plague. 2. Making Pharaoh to Know That He Is Jehovah On behalf of Jehovah, Moses and Aaron were to say to Pharaoh, “In this thou shalt know that I am Jehovah: Behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood” (7:17, Heb.). Because God is Jehovah, whatever He says comes to pass. Jehovah had said, “Let My people go.” Although Pharaoh may resist this word, he will eventually be subdued and know that God is Jehovah.
3 击打河水
3. Smiting the Waters
10根据十九节，亚伦要把杖伸在『埃及所有的水以上，就是在他们的江、河、池、塘以上，叫水都变作血；在埃及遍地，…都必有血。』亚伦这样作了。在埃及遍地的水，甚至在木器和石器中的水，都变作血了。因为尼罗河里的水变作血，河里的鱼死了，河也腥臭了，埃及人就不能吃这河里的水。（21。）埃及人在河的两边挖地，要得水喝。也许他们一发现水，那水就立刻变作血。第一样灾害完全指明，埃及的生活，就是世界的生活，结局没有别的，只有死亡。无论世界的水在那里，在河里、池塘中、或器皿中，结局都是死亡。这灾害是惩罚并败坏埃及生活的开始。神这样开始来毁坏属世的享乐生活。倘若我们了解这灾害的意义，我们就知道在神审判的忿怒下，世界生活的结局就是死亡。我们中间许多人经历过这事。当我们正沉迷于某种属世的享乐中，突然水变作血了。这是一种惩罚和暴露。藉著那样的暴露，我们看见属世的娱乐和消遣并非真正的享乐，而是带进死亡的享乐。在神眼中，埃及的水全然不是水；它们是血。藉著使世界的水变作血，神暴露了属世享乐的真相。祂揭露了世界上的人正在饮血的事实。根据启示录十六章，接近大灾难的末期，神要再一次将世界的水变作血。这血代表死亡，就是罪恶生活的结果。
10According to verse 19, Aaron was to take the rod and stretch out his hand “upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt.” Aaron did so, and throughout the whole land of Egypt the water was turned into blood, even the water in vessels of wood and of stone. Because the waters of the Nile were turned to blood, the fish in the river died, the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river (v. 21). The Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink. It may have been that the water became blood as soon as they found it. The first plague gives a thorough indication that the life of Egypt, that is, the life of the world, issues in nothing but death. It does not matter where the water of the world is, in a river, pond, or vessel, the issue is death. This plague was the beginning of the punishment and destruction of Egyptian life. In this way God began to destroy the life of worldly enjoyment. If we realize the significance of this plague, we shall know that under the wrath of God’s judgment the life of the world issues in death. Many of us have experienced this. While we were indulging in some form of worldly pleasure, the water suddenly became blood. This was both a punishment and an exposure. Through that exposure we saw that worldly entertainments and amusements are not the real pleasures, but are pleasures that issue in death. In the eyes of God, the waters of Egypt are not waters at all; they are blood. By causing the water of the world to turn into blood, God exposes the true nature of worldly pleasure. He unveils the fact that the people in the world are drinking blood. According to Revelation 16, near the end of the great tribulation God will once again change the water of the world into blood. This blood represents death, the issue of a life of sin
11我们已指出持续了七天（七25）的第一样灾害，暴露出埃及的生活。如果埃及人悔改了，这个暴露对他们就不是一种惩罚。但因为他们不悔改，它就成了一种惩罚。今天在传福音的事上，原则也是一样。倘若罪人接受福音的话，这话就仅仅暴露他们。倘若他们不接受，这话对他们就是审判的话。主耶稣亲自指出，那些不领受祂话的人，要受他们所弃绝之话的审判。（约十二48。）
11We have pointed out that the first plague, which lasted seven days (7:25), exposed Egyptian life. If the Egyptians had repented, this exposure would not have been a punishment to them. But because they did not repent, it became a form of punishment. The principle is the same in the preaching of the gospel today. If sinners receive the word of the gospel, this word will simply expose them. But if they will not receive it, it will be to them a word of judgment. The Lord Jesus Himself indicated that those who do not receive His word will be judged by the very word they reject (John 12:48
12第一样灾害启示神是怜悯且有智慧的。在这次灾害中祂没有杀死埃及人。祂只是把水变作血，为要警告并暴露他们。祂没有作甚么来直接伤害他们。如果法老接受了这个暴露，这暴露对他就是怜悯。但因著他拒绝了它，这暴露反倒成了审判。神对待人并非不恩慈。相反的，祂是智慧的并富有怜悯。所以，在第一样灾害的审判里，有一个怜悯的警告。使埃及人知道他们属世供应和享受的结局乃是死亡第一样灾害的目的，在使埃及人知道他们属世供应和享受的结局乃是死亡。血所表征的死亡揭示了世界生活的本质和意义。
12The first plague reveals that God is merciful and wise. In this plague He did not kill the Egyptians. He simply turned the water into blood in order to warn them and expose them. He did nothing here to hurt them directly. If Pharaoh had accepted this exposure, it would have been a mercy to him. But because he rejected it, it became judgment instead. God is not unkind in His dealings with people. On the contrary, He is wise and very merciful. Therefore, in the punishment of the first plague there was a merciful warning. 4. To Make the Egyptians Know That Their4 Worldly Supply and Enjoyment Issue in Death The purpose of the first plague was to make the Egyptians know that their worldly supply and enjoyment issued in death. The death signified by the blood unveiled the nature and significance of life in the world.
（三） 在法老的一面
C. On Pharaoh’sS i de
13埃及的术士又一次能用他们的邪术，行摩西和亚伦用杖所行的事。然而，尽管他们能带来血，他们却不能避免它。今天世界上的哲学家，能揭露世界的生活实际上就是死亡，但他们没有法子挪去死亡。只有福音能作这事。
13Once again, the magicians of Egypt were able to do the same thing with their enchantments as Moses and Aaron had done with the rod. However, although they could bring the blood in, they were not able to get rid of it. Today the philosophers of the world can expose that life in the world is actually death, but they do not have the means to take away the death. Only the gospel can do this
（四） 结果
D. The Issue
14第三次冲突的结果是法老刚硬的心再次被暴露。他又不肯听从摩西和亚伦。二十三节说：『法老转身进宫，也不把这事放在心上。』因为法老是顽梗的，他无心为著神的要求。这使第二样灾害必须临到埃及人。
14The issue of the third conflict was that for the second time the hardness of Pharaoh’she art was exposed. Once again he did not hearken to Moses and Aaron. Verse 23 says, “And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.” Because Pharaoh was stubborn, he had no heart for God’s demand. This made it necessary for the second plague to come upon the Egyptians