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出埃及记生命读经 · 第18篇

神的要求和法老的抗拒（四）

God’s Demand and Pharaoh’s Resistance (4)
1如果我们要领会出埃及记这卷书中的启示，我们必须看见，神盼望祂的百姓在地上为祂建造一个居所。但神的仇敌霸占了祂的百姓，把他们扣留在世界的捆绑中。因此，出埃及记前十四章中，在神和撒但的代表─法老之间有一个竞争。在这个竞争中，神对埃及世界的审判藉著十灾显明了。然而，这些灾害不仅是一种惩罚，也是神暴露世界生活，就是暴露霸占神子民生活之本质、意义和结果的方式。故此，临到埃及人的灾害不仅是惩罚，也是怜悯的警告。如果埃及人蒙了怜悯，他们就要看见世界生活的本质、意义，和结果。
1If we would grasp the revelation in the book of Exodus, we need to see that God desires His people to build a dwelling place for Him on earth. But God’se ne my has usurped His people and holds them in bondage in the world. Therefore, in the first fourteen chapters of Exodus, there was a struggle between God and Pharaoh, the representative of Satan. In this struggle God’s judgment upon the Egyptian world was made manifest through the ten plagues. However, the plagues were not only a punishment, but also God’sway of exposing the nature, the meaning, and the issue of the life of the world, the life which occupied the people of God. Hence, the plagues that came upon the Egyptians were not only punishments, but also merciful warnings. If the Egyptians had received mercy, they would have seen the nature, meaning, and result of the life in the world
2神降十灾，而非九灾或十一灾，是非常有意义的。在圣经里，十这个数字是表征属人生活的完满或完全。例如，我们的十个手指和十个脚趾就表征这样的完全。圣经启示在这世代的末了，在敌基督的统治下将有十国。那十国就是堕落人类生活的最终表现。为了暴露世界里的属人生活，神使用了十灾。我们已经指出，这十灾分为四组。前三组的每一组包含三样灾害，而最后的一样灾害自成一组。我们说过了第一组的灾害，就是血灾、蛙灾，和虱灾。血灾和蛙灾与水有关，而虱灾与地上的尘土有关。因此，在第一组灾害中，水和地被暴露并受审判。我们都为著生计而倚靠水和地。维持人类生活所必需的供应是从这两种资源来的。在前三样灾害中，神暴露了人类堕落生活的本质。祂这样作，显示了人类生活的资源，结局是死亡、搅扰和困恼。
2It is quite meaningful that God sent ten plagues, not nine or eleven. In the Bible the number ten signifies perfection or completeness in human living. For example, our ten fingers and ten toes signify such completeness. The Bible reveals that at the end of this age there will be ten kingdoms under the rule of Antichrist. Those ten kingdoms will be the ultimate expression of fallen human life. In order to expose human life in the world, God used ten plagues. As we have pointed out, these ten plagues are divided into four groups. The first three groups consist of three plagues each, with the last plague standing in a category of its own. We have covered the first group of plagues, the plagues of blood, frogs, and lice. The plagues of blood and frogs are related to water, whereas the plague of lice is related to the dust of the earth. Hence, in the first group of plagues the water and the earth were exposed and judged. We are all dependent on the water and the earth for our livelihood. The supply necessary to sustain human life comes from these two sources. In the first three plagues God exposed the nature of the fallen life of mankind. As He did so, He showed that the resources of man’s livelihood issue in death, trouble, and irritation
3第二组的三样灾害主要是对付空气。今天人非常关心空气污染。在第四、第五，和第六样灾害中，埃及的空气受了污染。成群的苍蝇在空中，瘟疫在空中蔓延，造成疮灾的炉灰在空中扬起来。因此，在第二组灾害中，另一种人类生活所必须的空气，受到了对付。
3The second group of three plagues deals mainly with the air. Today there is much concern about air pollution. In the fourth, fifth, and sixth plagues, the air in Egypt became polluted. Flies swarmed in the air, pestilence was carried through the air, and ashes that caused boils were sprinkled into the air. Therefore, in the second group of plagues, the air, another necessity for man’s life, was dealt with.
4我盼望强调这事实：这些灾害不仅是一种审判，还是对世界和世界生活的一种暴露。如果神的心意只是使用这些灾害作为审判，祂就不需要一再地打发摩西和亚伦到法老那里去了。再者，祂也不需要降灾多日了。反之，神能一举就惩罚埃及人，并且毁灭他们。然而，神以细致、详尽的方式对付他们。首先，神将水变作血。然后祂带来烦人的青蛙，接著是恼人的虱子。神这样作的目的不仅是惩罚埃及人，更是要教导他们和祂自己的百姓，人生活供应的资源实际上变成了血、青蛙和虱子。神创造天是为著地，地是为著人的生活。因此，天地都是为著人的生存。然而，人堕落了。按神的公义，祂该在亚当堕落之后，立即审判天地。但神的心意是要藉著人来完成祂永远的旨意。神没有审判万有，反之，祂将宇宙摆在基督的救赎之下。
4I wish to emphasize the fact that these plagues were not only a form of punishment, but also an exposure of the world and of the life in the world. If God’sin tent i on had been to use the plagues only as punishment, there would have been no need for Him to send Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh again and again. Furthermore, there would have been no need for Him to send the plagues over a period of so many days. Instead, God could have punished the Egyptians and destroyed them with one blow. However, God dealt with them in a fine, detailed way. Firstly, God changed the water into blood. Then He brought forth the troublesome frogs and, following that, the irritating lice. God’s purpose in doing so was not only to punish the Egyptians, but to teach both them and His own people that the resources of man’s life supply have actually become blood, frogs, and lice. God created the heavens for the earth and the earth for man’s living. Thus, both the heavens and the earth are for man’s existence. Man, however, has fallen. According to His righteousness, God should have judged both the heavens and the earth immediately after the fall of Adam. But God’sin tent i on is to accomplish His eternal purpose through man. Instead of judging everything, God put the universe under the redemption of Christ
5基督的救赎是一件非常重大的事，比我们所瞭解的还重要。在创世记第一章，神立亚当为所有受造之物的元首。原则上，当头背叛时，所有的受造之物就落在咒诅之下，根据神的公义，应当立刻受审判。整个宇宙应该崩溃了。神无法容忍摸著祂公义、圣洁，和荣耀的任何事物；但是祂也不改变祂的心意，就是祂要在人中间得著一个永远的居所。因此，神选择了在基督的救赎之下来看整个宇宙。在神眼中，基督的救赎在创世以前已经完成了。（彼前一19～20，启十三8。）因为神在基督的救赎之下来看旧造，祂有自由保全宇宙或者审判并毁灭它。因著基督的救赎，神要保全宇宙或是毁灭它，都是完全公平，完全公义的。
5The redemption of Christ is a very weighty matter, much more significant than we realize. God established Adam as the head of the whole creation in Genesis 1. In principle, when the head rebelled, all creation came under the curse and should have been judged immediately according to God’s righteousness. The whole creation should have collapsed. God cannot tolerate anything that touches His righteousness, holiness, and glory; but neither will He change His heart concerning His purpose to have an eternal dwelling among man. Therefore, God chose to view the whole creation under the redemption of Christ, which in His eyes had been accomplished before the foundation of the world (1 Pet. 1:19-20; Rev. 13:8). Because God views the old creation under the redemption of Christ, He has the freedom either to preserve the universe or to judge it and destroy it. Because of the redemption of Christ, God is wholly just and righteous whether He keeps the universe or destroys it
6因所多玛和蛾摩拉背叛祂，并拒绝祂所命定的救赎，神无法再容忍他们的罪恶，那部分的地土就落在祂公义的审判之下。原则上，同样的事也发生在摩西的时代。法老和埃及人拒绝神所命定的救赎，因而使自己赤露敞开地暴露在神的审判之下。因为以色列人仍在救赎之下，神的审判就不临到他们。出埃及记八章二十三节是一节重要的经节：『我要将救赎放在我的百姓和你的百姓之间。』（原文。）在这里主告诉法老，祂要将救赎放在祂的百姓和法老的百姓之间。神用基督的救赎遮盖祂的百姓，但法老和他的百姓拒绝神的救赎，因此，当神降灾在埃及人身上时，他们不在神的救赎之下，而是暴露在祂的审判之下。
6When God could no longer tolerate the sinfulness of Sodom and Gomorrah because they rebelled against Him and rejected the redemption He had ordained, that part of the earth came under His righteous judgment. In principle, the same thing happened in Moses’ time. Pharaoh and the Egyptians rejected the redemption ordained by God and thus made themselves naked and exposed to God’s judgment. Because the children of Israel were still under the redemption, God’s judgment did not touch them. Exodus 8:23 is a crucial verse: “I will put a redemption between my people and thy people” (Heb.). Here the Lord was telling Pharaoh that He would put a redemption between His people and Pharaoh’s people. God covered His people with the redemption of Christ, but Pharaoh and his people rejected God’s redemption. Therefore, when God sent the plagues upon the Egyptians, they were not under God’s redemption, but were exposed to His judgment.
7在堕落里，人得罪了神的公义并亏缺了神的荣耀。然而，神没有带著审判而来。那么神的公义如何得维持呢？根据创世记三章二十一节，答案在于神的救赎。神用来遮盖亚当和夏娃的动物皮子是指基督的救赎。因著基督的救赎，神能公义地维持宇宙的存在。在出埃及记中，法老和埃及人不在意基督的救赎。因著他们对待神百姓的方式，他们配受审判；因此，神藉著十灾在埃及人身上施行祂的审判。在灾害期间，埃及人暴露于神公义的对付之下。但以色列人仍然在基督的救赎之下，因神将救赎放在他们和法老的百姓之间。
7In the fall , man had sinned against God’s righteousness and had come short of God’s glory. Nevertheless, God did not come in with judgment. How then could God’s righteousness be maintained? According to Genesis 3:21, the answer rests in God’s redemption. The skins of the animal God used to cover Adam and Eve point to the redemption of Christ. Because of the redemption of Christ, God is able righteously to maintain the existence of the universe. In Exodus Pharaoh and the Egyptians did not care for the redemption of Christ. They deserved to be judged for the way they were treating God’sp eople. Therefore, God exercised His judgment upon the Egyptians through the ten plagues. At the time of the plagues, the Egyptians were exposed to God’s righteous dealings. The children of Israel, however, remained under the redemption of Christ, for God had put a redemption between them and Pharaoh’sp eople
8今天全地仍在基督的救赎之下。若非因著基督的救赎，日头、月亮，和众星宿就要分崩离析了。神为著人生存的缘故托住天地。你也许会怀疑公义的神如何能容忍今天世人的罪恶。祂能容忍，是因为祂从基督的救赎来看世界。所有的世人实际上都在享受基督救赎的恩惠，虽然他们不认识它。歌罗西书告诉我们，神藉著基督的死，叫万有与自己和好了。（一20。）惟有在基督的救赎之下，这地才适合人居住。倘若受造之物不在基督的救赎之下，它就要崩溃了。但神扩大祂的怜悯，在基督的救赎之下来看不信的人，使他们有机会悔改并接受这救赎。
8Today the whole earth is still under the redemption of Christ. If it were not for Christ’s redemption, the sun, the moon, and the planets would disintegrate. God upholds the heavens and the earth for the sake of man’s existence. You may wonder how the righteous God can tolerate the sinfulness of people in the world today. He can tolerate it only because He views the world through the redemption of Christ. All the people of the world are actually enjoying the benefit of Christ’s redemption, although they have no realization of it. Colossians tells us that God has reconciled all things to Himself through the death of Christ (1:20). Only under the redemption of Christ is this earth a suitable place for man to live. If the creation were not under the redemption of Christ, it would collapse. But God extends His mercy to view the unbelievers under the redemption of Christ that they might have the opportunity to repent and receive this redemption.
9我们所吃的一切食物以及我们所享受的一切生命供应，都在基督的救赎之下。否则，水会变作血，鱼会变作青蛙，地土会不出产谷类，反而出产荆棘或虱子，并且苍蝇要从空中飞来。十灾临到埃及是因他们拒绝神的救赎。法老抗拒神的时候，法老和埃及人把他们自己暴露在神公义的审判下。但神甚至在施行审判时也是怜悯的。祂没有以一次审判的行动来灭绝埃及人，而是降下一连串的灾害在他们身上。祂这样作的目的不仅是要惩罚或审判，更是要暴露并警告埃及人，使他们有机会转向祂。
9All the food we eat and all the life supply we enjoy are under the redemption of Christ. Otherwise, the water would become blood, the fish would become frogs, the earth would produce either thorns or lice instead of grain, and from the air would come flies. The ten plagues came upon Egypt because they rejected God’s redemption. At the time of Pharaoh’s resistance to God, Pharaoh and the Egyptians exposed themselves to God’s righteous judgment. But He was merciful even in the exercise of His judgment. Instead of annihilating the Egyptians with one act of judgment, He sent a series of plagues upon them. His intention in doing this was not only to punish or to judge, but also to expose and to warn the Egyptians that they might have opportunity to turn to Him
10每一样灾害都是有意义的。在第一样灾害里，水变作血。你保证今天你所享受世界的水实际上不是血么？这水若在基督的救赎之下，它就是水。但如果它不在基督的救赎之下，它实际上就是血。照样，在你的经历中，生活供应所必须的根源─水，是产生鱼呢，还是青蛙？它完全在于那水是否在基督的救赎之下。我能从清洁的良心作见证，我所享受的水所出产的是鱼，而不是青蛙。再者，地为我出产谷类、小麦，和菜蔬，而不是出产虱子。然而，倘若在你的经历中，地土不在基督的救赎之下，地上的尘土将变作虱子。
10Each plague is significant. In the first plague, the water was changed into blood. Do you have the assurance that the water of the world which you are enjoying today is not actually blood? If this water is under the redemption of Christ, it is water. But if it is not under Christ’s redemption, it is really blood. In like manner, in your experience does the water that is the source of the necessary life supply produce fish or frogs? It all depends on whether or not the water is under the redemption of Christ. I can testify from a pure conscience that the water I enjoy produces fish and not frogs. Furthermore, for me the earth produces corn, wheat, and vegetables; it does not produce lice. However, if in your experience the earth is not under Christ’s redemption, the dust of the earth will become lice
六 第六次冲突
VI. THE SIXTH CONFLICT
11在主和法老之间的第六次冲突中，耶和华打发成群的苍蝇到法老和所有的埃及人身上。（八20～32。）很难判断这些苍蝇是属于那一种的。史壮（Strong）经文汇编的字典说，有各种不同的苍蝇。达秘在他的译本里使用『狗蝇』这个词，而详述本圣经说是吸血的牛蝇，就是叮咬牲畜并吸牲畜之血的苍蝇。无论是那一种的苍蝇，牠们成群来到法老、他的臣仆，并他的百姓身上。所有埃及人的房屋都满了成群的苍蝇。
11In the sixth conflict between the Lord and Pharaoh, the Lord sent upon Pharaoh and all the Egyptians swarms of flies (8:20-32). It is difficult to determine what kind of flies these were. The dictionary in Strong’s Concordance says that there were diverse kinds of flies. In his translation Darby uses the word dog flies, whereas the Amplified Bible says blood - sucking gadflies, flies that bit the cattle and sucked the blood of the cattle. Whatever kind of flies these were, swarms of them came upon Pharaoh, his servants, and his people. All the houses of the Egyptians were filled with swarms of flies.
12这些成群的苍蝇表征今日世界气氛的污染，就是因恶行充塞在这气氛中所造成的污染。例如，在拉斯维戛斯这样的城市中，道德的气氛是何等污染。每当我访问该城，接触当地一些有追求的圣徒时，我就觉得那城市的气氛是污浊的。今日世界的气氛满了『苍蝇』。从属灵上说，在属世的地方没有新鲜的空气。因著人的堕落，世界的道德气氛受到污染；满了成群有害的昆虫。因此，第四样灾害指明，空中不是充满洁净或积极的东西，而是满了各种不洁和邪恶的东西。藉著前四样灾害中的暴露，我们看见血、青蛙、虱子，和苍蝇。真是一幅在世界中堕落人类生活的详尽图画！然而，今天世人不了解他们在世界生活的真实光景。为要使他们了解这事，神必须进来向他们彻底暴露这事，正如祂藉著灾害向埃及人所行的一样。
12These swarms of flies signify the pollution in the atmosphere of the world today, pollution caused by immorality that pervades the atmosphere. Consider, for example, how polluted is the moral atmosphere in a city such as Las Vegas. Whenever I visited that city to contact some seeking saints who were there, I had the sense that the atmosphere over the city was foul. The atmosphere of today’s world is teeming with “flies.” Spiritually speaking, there is no fresh air in the worldly places. Because of the fall of man, the moral atmosphere of the world has been polluted; it is full of noisome swarms of insects. Thus, the fourth plague indicates that the air is not filled with clean things or positive things, but filled with all manner of unclean and evil things. By means of the exposure in the first four plagues, we see the blood, the frogs, the lice, and the flies. What a detailed picture of the living of fallen man in the world! However, the people in the world today do not realize the actual situation of their life in the world. In order for them to realize this, God must come in to expose it to them thoroughly, just as He did to the Egyptians through the plagues
七 第七次冲突
VII. THE SEVENTH CONFLICT
13下一个灾害是瘟疫临到埃及人所有的牲畜身上。（九1～7。）我相信这次瘟疫是由成群的苍蝇散布的病菌所引起的。出埃及记九章三节说：『耶和华的手加在你田间的牲畜上，就是在马、驴、骆驼、牛群、羊群上，必有重重的瘟疫。』依据利未记十一章，马、驴，和骆驼是不洁净的。牠们能用来运输，但不能用来作食物。然而，牛羊被认为是洁净的，适合以色列人食用。因此，遭受灾害的动物有两类：用作运输的和用作食物的。神审判在埃及的运输和食物。这表明今天在世界上，运输的方法和吃的方式也将受到神的审判。我们又一次看见，神以十分细致的方式审判埃及人，一项一项地毁坏他们的生计。埃及人倚靠尼罗河，但尼罗河受到审判。他们倚靠地土和空气，但是地土和空气也受了审判。再者，埃及人倚靠他们的牲畜为著运输和食物，但在第五样灾害中，连牲畜也受到了审判。
13The next plague was a pestilence that came upon all the cattle of the Egyptians (9:1-7). I believe that this pestilence was caused by germs spread by the swarms of flies. Exodus 9:3 says, “Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous pestilence” (Heb.). According to Leviticus 11, horses, asses, and camels were unclean. They could be used for transportation, but not for food. However, the oxen and the sheep were regarded as clean and were fit for the children of Israel to eat. Hence, the animals that were subject to the plague were of two categories: those used for transportation and those used for food. God judged both the transportation and the food in Egypt. This indicates that the means of transportation and the way of eating in the world today will also be judged by God. Once again we see that God judged the Egyptians in a very fine way, destroying their livelihood item by item. The Egyptians depended upon the Nile, but the Nile was judged. They depended upon the earth and the air, but the earth and the air were also judged. Furthermore, the Egyptians depended upon their cattle for transportation and food, but in the fifth plague even the cattle were judged
14牲畜既是无罪的，你会怀疑为甚么牠们受到神的审判。根据创世记第三章，虽然地本身没有罪，地却因亚当的罪受到牵累。亚当犯罪以后，地就落在咒诅之下。（创三17～18。）因此，亚当的堕落牵累了全地。同样的原则，埃及人的牲畜受了审判，不是因为牠们本身有罪，乃是因为牠们受到法老和埃及人罪恶的牵累。因这些牲畜属于埃及人，牠们就被牵累在埃及人的罪里。在此我们看见，神公义的审判也对付与罪恶光景有牵累的事物。因为在埃及的牲畜与法老有关并且服事法老，牠们便遭受神在法老身上的公义审判。牵连的原则适用于今日。倘若我们爱主，并且在祂的祝福之下服事祂，与我们有关的一切也要蒙福。连牲畜和物质的所得也要蒙福。如果我们爱主，连我们的环境也要蒙福。我们的亲戚、朋友，和邻居也要有分于临到我们的祝福。在神的公义之下，我们这些爱主的人要成为别人蒙福的因素，甚至对整个社会也是如此。那些不认识主的人也可享受到正面连带的益处。
14Since the cattle were not sinful, you may wonder why they were judged by God. According to Genesis 3, the earth was involved with Adam’s sin, even though the earth itself was not sinful. After Adam sinned, the earth came under the curse (Gen. 3:17-18). Thus, Adam’s fall implicated the whole earth. In the same principle, the cattle of the Egyptians were judged, not because they themselves were sinful, but because they were implicated by the sin of Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Because these cattle belonged to the Egyptians, they were involved in the sin of the Egyptians. Here we see that God’s righteous judgment also deals with the implications of a sinful situation. Because the cattle in Egypt were related to Pharaoh and served Pharaoh, they were subject to the righteous judgment of God upon Pharaoh. The principle of implication applies today. If we love the Lord and serve Him under His blessing, everything related to us will be blessed also. Even such things as animals or material possessions will be blessed. If we love the Lord, even our environment will be blessed. Our relatives, friends, and neighbors will be positively implicated in the blessing that is upon us. Under God’s righteousness, we who love the Lord become a factor of blessing to others, even to society as a whole. Those who do not know the Lord may enjoy the benefits of such a positive implication.
15在第二次世界大战期间，我在中国内地旅行的经历可以说明这事。那些常和我一同旅行的人，虽然他们没有相信主耶稣，却对我说他们因我蒙福。在战争期间，旅行很困难。但是当难处来到，我就祷告，主便保守我。这使我的旅伴知道，他们蒙福是因为神祝福了我。在法老和埃及人的事例中，我们看见牲畜受到消极的牵累。因著法老的顽梗和硬心，牲畜遭受到瘟疫之灾。这该教导我们不要与那些罪恶的人有牵累，而要远离他们。否则，我们可能消极地被卷入他们的景况中。
15My experience of traveling in the interior of China during World War II illustrates this. Often those who were traveling with me, even though they did not believe in the Lord Jesus, told me that they received benefit because of me. During wartime it was difficult to travel. But when trouble came, I prayed, and the Lord preserved me. This caused my traveling companions to realize that they were blessed because God had blessed me. In the case of Pharaoh and the Egyptians, we see that the cattle were implicated negatively. Because of Pharaoh’s stubbornness and hardness of heart, the cattle were subject to the plague of pestilence. This should teach us not to become involved with those who are sinful, but to stay away from them. Otherwise, we may become negatively implicated in their situation.
16神为著祂百姓的缘故，也许不审判世界。即使祂按著祂的公义来审判世界，祂仍然眷顾祂的百姓，为要完成祂的心意，在地上得著一个居所。我们已看见在蝇灾时，神把救赎放在祂的百姓和法老的百姓之间。照样，当严重的瘟疫临到牲畜时，九章四节说：『耶和华要分别以色列的牲畜和埃及的牲畜，凡属以色列人的，一样都不死。』根据第六节，属于以色列人的牲畜，一个都没有死。法老打发的人去看，以色列人的牲畜连一个都没有死。（7。）因为世界的人拦阻神的百姓完成祂的旨意，神就进来审判埃及的生活方式。甚至以色列人也不认识埃及生活的真相。他们对于埃及之生活的本质、生计，和结果，也需要启示。埃及人愈受审判，以色列人对埃及的生活就愈蒙光照。因此，神使用灾害来成就两件事：惩罚埃及人，使他们释放神的百姓；以及开启以色列人的眼睛，看见在埃及被霸占之生活的本质。他们藉灾害所得的光照，使他们愿意逃出埃及，并进入旷野，且在神的山上，他们能得著关乎祂居所的启示。
16For the sake of His people, God may withhold His judgment from the world. Even when He comes in to judge the world according to His righteousness, He still takes care of His people in order to fulfill His desire to have a dwelling place on earth. We have seen that in the plague of the flies, God put a redemption between His people and Pharaoh’sp eople. Likewise, in the plague of the grievous pestilence upon the cattle, 9:4 says, “And Jehovah shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Israel” (Heb.). According to verse 6, none of the cattle belonging to the children of Israel died. The messengers sent by Pharaoh saw that none of their cattle had died (v. 7). Because the people of the world were hindering God’s people from fulfilling His purpose, God came in to judge the way of living in Egypt. Not even the children of Israel understood the true nature of Egyptian life. They also needed a revelation of the nature, the living, and the result of life in Egypt. The more the Egyptians were judged, the more the children of Israel were enlightened regarding the living of Egypt. Therefore, God used plagues to accomplish two things: to punish the Egyptians so that they might release His people and to open the eyes of the children of Israel to the nature of the life of usurpation in Egypt. The enlightenment they received through the plagues made them willing to flee out of Egypt and to go into the wilderness where, at the mountain of God, they could receive God’sr evelation concerning His dwelling place.
八 第八次冲突
VIII. THE EIGHTH CONFLICT
17在第八次冲突时所发生的第六样灾害中，（九8～12。）在人和牲畜身上，长了起泡的疮。耶和华吩咐摩西和亚伦，取几捧炉灰，在法老面前向天扬起来。这灰要在埃及全地变作尘土，在人身上和牲畜身上，成了起泡的疮。（九8～9。）灰是东西被焚烧以后所剩下的。在第五样灾害的末了，埃及的所有资源都受了审判。水、地土、空气，和牲畜都受了神的审判。然而，东西被烧毁后的残余物─炉灰，仍必须受对付。这表示我们堕落人类生活的残余物都必须被神对付。你也许以为某件东西已被彻底对付了。不错，它是被对付了，但是还有一些灰，一些残余物。在某种意义上，残余物比那件东西的本身还要厉害，因为残余物能造成疮灾。你曾经作过或拥有过某件东西的残余物会造成严重的损害。所以，神不仅对付东西的本身，也对付那些东西的残余物。藉著把炉灰向天扬起来，炉灰就被暴露了。
17In the sixth plague, which took place during the eighth conflict (9:8-12), boils broke forth upon man and beast. The Lord told Moses and Aaron to take handfuls of ashes from the furnace and to sprinkle them toward heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. The ashes became fine dust which caused boils to break forth upon man and beast throughout the land of Egypt (9:8-9). Ashes are what remains after something has been burned. At the end of the fifth plague, all the resources of Egypt had been judged. The water, the earth, the air, and the cattle had all been judged by God. Nevertheless, the ashes, the remainder of things burned, still had to be dealt with. This indicates that anything remaining of our fallen human life must be dealt with by God. You may think that a certain thing has been dealt with thoroughly. Yes, it has been dealt with, but there are still some ashes, some remainder. In a sense, the remainder is worse than the thing itself, for the remainder can cause boils. The remainder of something you once did or had can cause serious damage. Therefore, God deals not only with the things themselves, but also with the remains of those things. By sprinkling the ashes from the furnace into the air, the ashes were exposed.
18神审判了水、地和尘土，以及空气之后，似乎没有留下甚么资源为著埃及人的生计。甚至用作运输的动物也被杀了。但是被对付和焚烧过的东西仍然有灰留下来。连这些灰、残余物，神也不宽容。这表明神的暴露和审判是何等细致、彻底，它也显明神作细工来教育祂的百姓，认识抵挡祂经营的世界生活的真相。神对埃及审判的教育一面实在高明。灰通常不含病菌，因为所有的病菌都被烧光了。但是摩西和亚伦撒在空中的灰定规是满了病菌，因它们变作尘土，成了起泡的疮。你也许认为已往罪恶的习惯已被彻底地对付，仅存的残余物就是干净的灰，不含病菌的灰。但神连这样的残余物也不满意。因此，祂进来审判罪恶事物的残余物。不要以为在你个人的生活里，你的罪恶被审判过之后，就没有剩下甚么需要对付了。反之，在你里面仍有残余物，就是被审判和受对付所剩下的。这表示在神的眼中，埃及生活的一切─水、地土、空气，和灰─都必须受审判并被暴露。世界的生活丝毫不该存留。
18After God had judged the water, the earth with the dust, and the air, it seems that nothing was left of the resources for the Egyptian livelihood. Even the animals used for transportation were killed. But there were still ashes left from the things that had been dealt with and burned out. Even the ashes, the remainder, God would not tolerate. This indicates how fine, how thorough, both God’s exposing and His judgment were, and it also shows that God did a fine work to educate His people to know the real nature of the life in this world that is against His economy. The educational aspect of God’s judgment upon Egypt was very fine indeed. Ashes usually contain no germs, for all the germs have been burned away. But the ashes scattered into the air by Moses and Aaron must have been filled with germs because they became dust that caused boils. You may think that your past sinful practices have been thoroughly dealt with and that the only remainder is clean ashes, ashes that contain no germs. But God is not satisfied even with such remains. Therefore, He comes in to judge the remainder of the sinful things. Do not think that in your personal life nothing remains to be dealt with after your sins have been judged. On the contrary, there is still a remainder within you, the remains of what has been judged and dealt with. This indicates that, in the eyes of God, everything of the Egyptian life—the water, the earth, the air, and the ashes—must be judged and exposed. Nothing of the life of the world should remain
19不要夸口你如何对付了已往的罪恶或属世的作法。在你里面的深处也许还有一些灰。例如，一位弟兄在成为基督徒以前，曾是一名杰出的运动员。他或许以为他对运动的爱好已受了对付。它可能受了对付，但是灰可能还未被对付。青年姊妹们或许还有好几盒灰，就是某些她们深爱之物的残余。为著你在祂的引领下所经历的一切对付赞美主！但是灰如何呢？神要它们也被暴露并受审判。
19Do not boast of how you have dealt with your past sins or worldly practices. Deep within, you may still have some ashes. For example, a brother may have been an outstanding athlete before he became a Christian. He may think that his love for sports has been dealt with. It may have been dealt with, but the ashes may not have been. Young sisters may have boxes of ashes, the remains of certain things which they dearly treasure. Praise the Lord for all the dealings you have experienced under His leading! But what about the ashes? God requires that they also be exposed and judged
20疮灾影响埃及人，但它没有临到以色列人。然而有些圣徒觉得，他们曾有经历，扬起已往经历的灰，对其他信徒造成损害。圣徒必须谨慎，行事为人不要像外邦人。在见证我们如何对付罪恶的事情上，很可能把灰在空中扬起来。我们需要求主用祂得胜的宝血遮盖我们。这样的祷告将我们摆在基督的救赎之下，膏油的涂抹要禁止我们散布炉灰。这个灾害的真正意义在于表明神的审判是何等细致和彻底，甚至对付被焚烧之物的残余；并且表明了神对祂百姓的教育是何等深入。
20The plague of the boils affected the Egyptians, but it did not come upon the children of Israel. Yet some of the saints may feel that they have had the experience of scattering ashes of their past experiences and causing damage to other believers. The saints must be careful not to walk as Gentiles. In giving testimony of how we have dealt with sinful things, it is possible to spread ashes in the air. We need to pray that the Lord will cover us with His prevailing blood. Such a prayer will put us under the redemption of Christ, and the anointing will restrict us from spreading ashes. The real significance of this plague is that it indicates how fine and how thorough God’s judgment was, even dealing with the remainder of things burned out, and also how extensive was God’s education for His people.
21对于罪恶事物的残余也必须受审判的事实，我们需要有深刻的印象。在神眼中，埃及没有一样东西是好的。一切与埃及生活有关的，与世界生活有关的，都必须彻底地被暴露并受审判。愿神向我们暴露世界生活的每一方面。在第二组的灾害中，两件事情非常显著。第一件是这些灾害没有影响歌珊地，因以色列人在主的救赎之下。第二件是在这些灾害中，埃及的术士束手无策。我们曾指出，世界某些哲学家所教导的事，和我们在传福音时所教导的类似。但是最终这些今日的『术士』甚么也不能作。世界的哲学家无法救人脱离蝇灾、瘟疫，或疮灾。他们不能拯救人脱离道德和属灵的堕落。惟有神的救恩能拯救人脱离这事。迟早连『术士』也要在神的面前无能为力。
21We need to be deeply impressed with the fact that even the remains of sinful things must be judged. In the eyes of God nothing of Egypt is good. Everything related to Egyptian living, to the living of the world, must be exposed and judged thoroughly. May God expose to us every aspect of the living of the world. In the second group of plagues two matters are very striking. The first is that these plagues did not affect the land of Goshen, because the children of Israel were under the Lord’s redemption. The second is that in these plagues the Egyptian magicians were not able to do anything. We have pointed out that certain of the philosophers of the world may teach things similar to what we teach in the preaching of the gospel. Eventually, however, these present-day “magicians” are not able to do anything. The philosophers of the world cannot save people from flies, pestilence, or boils. They cannot rescue anyone from moral and spiritual pollution. Only the salvation of God can deliver people from this. Sooner or later, even the “magicians” will become powerless before the hand of God
22藉著所有这些图画和各样的灾害，我们能看见堕落人类生活的真相。圣经中其它部分没有给我们这样一幅详尽的图画，看见世界的生活抵挡神的建造。世界反对神的建造，而神的建造与世界对立。在这两相对立的势力之间，神的选民是重要的因素。倘若神的百姓留在世界里，神就不能作甚么。但是他们若愿意从世界蒙拯救归向神，神就能在地上完成祂的旨意，得著祂的居所。因此，神必须进来对付霸占的世界，并教育祂的百姓，认识世界的所是，好使他们丢弃世界，不再留在那里。十灾教导以色列人埃及的真相是甚么，以及僭夺、霸占，并占有他们的是甚么。
22Through all these pictures with all the plagues we can see the real situation of our fallen human life. No other portion in the Bible shows us such a detailed picture of the worldly life as it opposes God’s building. The world is against God’s building, and God’s building is opposed to the world. God’s chosen people are the crucial factor between these two opposing forces. If God’s people remain in the world, God cannot do anything. But if they are willing to be rescued from the world unto God, God can work out His purpose on the earth to have His dwelling place. Therefore, God must come in to deal with the usurping world and to educate His people to realize what the world is, so that they may give up the world and remain there no longer. The ten plagues taught the children of Israel what the real nature of Egypt is and what it is that usurped them, occupied them, and possessed them.