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出埃及记生命读经 · 第19篇

神的要求和法老的抗拒（五）

God’s Demand and Pharaoh’s Resistance (5)
1从九章十三节至十章二十九节我们来到第三组的灾害。像前两组一样，这一组也是由三样灾害构成。我们已看见，神用前六样灾害暴露水、地，和空气的真实光景，这一切都是人类生活所必需的。我们将要看见，在第三组灾害中，神更改了一些支配宇宙功能的原则。
1In 9:13—10:29 we come to the third group of plagues. Like the first two groups, this group also is composed of three plagues. We have seen that God used the first six plagues to expose the actual condition of the water, the earth, and the air, all of which are necessary for man’s livelihood. As we shall now see, in the third group of plagues God altered some of the principles that govern the functions of the universe
2在创世记第一章和第二章里，神恢复了因著撒但背叛而被审判的宇宙。神审判的结果，渊面黑暗，（创一2，）一切变得空虚、旷废。神在祂复造和进一步的创造中，使光出现，然后祂把水聚在一处，使旱地露出来。在这地上产生了各式各样的生命─青草、菜蔬，和树木。然后神造日头、月亮，和众星，是为著在地上产生更高的生命所需要的。藉著这个过程，神为人在地上的生活豫备了所需要的一切。因此，圣经启示是天为著地，地是为著人，有灵的人是为著神。
2In Genesis 1 and 2 God restored the universe which had been judged because of Satan’s rebellion. As a result of God’s judgment, darkness was upon the surface of the deep (Gen. 1:2). Everything had become void and desolate. In His work of restoration and further creation, God caused the light to appear, and then He gathered the waters together so that the dry land could come forth. On this land various kinds of life—grass, herbs, and trees—came into being. Then God created the sun, the moon, and the stars, which are necessary for the development of higher life on earth. Through this procedure, God prepared everything necessary for man’s living on earth. Therefore, the Bible reveals that the heavens are for the earth, the earth is for man, and man with his human spirit is for God
3因为天是为著地，天就供应阳光、风，和雨水，维持地上的生命。没有这三样东西，甚么都无法生长。人若要活在地上为著完成神的旨意，必须有这样的供应。
3Because the heavens are for the earth, they provide sunshine, wind, and rain to sustain life on earth. Without these three things, nothing can grow. Man must have such a provision if he is to live on earth for the fulfillment of God’s purpose
九 第九次冲突
IX. THE NINTH CONFLICT
4创世记二章五节指出，要使百物生长，需要两件事：雨浇灌地和人耕地。雨水是生物在地上生长的基本要素。雨水对生命是首要的，能使生物生长。雨的功用在于使植物和树木生长，以及解人干渴。在耶和华和法老的第九次冲突中，主改变了雨的功用。（九13～35。）没有水，反倒有雹子损坏地的出产。在这次灾害中，神改变了宇宙的一项功能；那就是说，祂更改了一项支配宇宙的自然法则。
4Genesis 2:5 indicates that in order for things to grow, there is the need of two things: rain to water the earth and a man to till the ground. Rain is a basic factor in the growth of living things on earth. Rain is primarily for life, to enable living things to grow. The function of rain is both to cause plants and trees to grow and to quench the thirst of man. During the ninth conflict between the Lord and Pharaoh, the Lord changed the function of the rain (9:13-35). Instead of water, there was hail that damaged the produce of the earth. In this plague God changed one of the functions of the universe; that is, He changed one of the natural principles governing the universe
5宇宙不仅是神所创造的，也是祂所安排和命定来适应人的需要。所以，神命定了某些原则或定律来支配宇宙的功能。在第七样灾害中，神更改了和雨水功能有关的原则。雨不再浇灌地为著产生生命，反倒变成冰雹损坏地上的生命。它没有解人的干渴，反倒杀了他们。出埃及记九章二十三节说，下雹时，有火闪到地上。不仅如此，雹与火搀杂。（24。）因此，两种极端搀杂在一起，表示神更改了宇宙的功用。
5The universe was not only created by God, but also arranged and ordained by Him to meet the need of man. Therefore, God has ordained certain principles or laws to govern the function of the universe. In the seventh plague God changed the principle related to the functions of rain. The rain no longer watered the earth for the production of life, but became hail to damage the life on earth. Instead of quenching people’s thirst, it killed them. Exodus 9:23 says that as the hail was coming down, fire ran along above the ground. Furthermore, the fire was even mingled with the hail (v. 24). Hence, two extremes were mingled together as an indication that God had changed the function of the universe.
6很可能这个灾害适用于我们自己的属灵经历。如果我们与神的关系正常，祂就把属灵的雨降在我们身上，浇灌我们灵中的园子，并解我们的干渴。但如果我们顽梗或背叛主，我们和祂的关系就被破坏了，祂就转变雨的属灵功用，降冰雹在我们灵中，又降下雹子与火。这种属灵功用的改变造成严重的损害。
6It is possible to apply this plague to our own spiritual experience. If our relationship with God is proper, He sends the spiritual rain upon us to water the garden in our spirit and to quench our thirst. But if we are stubborn or rebellious against the Lord, our relationship with Him is destroyed, and He alters the spiritual function of the rain by sending hail upon our spirit and fire with the hail. This change of spiritual function causes severe damage
十 第十次冲突
X. THE TENTH CONFLICT
7第八样灾害发生在第十次冲突的期间，（十1～20，）我们看见宇宙中另一种功能的转变。这一次神更改了风的功能。当风正常作用时，它传送新鲜空气的供应。如果完全没有风，我们都要窒息了。为著风维持我们在地上生命的功用，我们感谢主。从属灵上说，主对我们也是风。有一首诗歌说：『凉爽，你像柔和微风，怎能将你吸彀！』（诗歌第一百四十二首。）为著正常的属灵生活，我们需要经历基督作柔和的微风。在第八样灾害中，神改变了风的功能，使它不再供给新鲜的空气，以维持生命。反而使蝗虫出现，吞吃雹灾所剩下的。雹子粗略地摧毁菜蔬和树木，但是蝗虫彻底地吞吃植物的生命。如同十章十五节说：这蝗虫『遮满地面，甚至地都黑暗了，又吃地上一切的菜蔬，和冰雹所剩树上的果子；埃及遍地，无论是树木，是田间的菜蔬，连一点青的也没有留下。』蝗虫所行的是何等彻底的工作！在审判埃及人以及教育埃及人和以色列人的事上，神作了细致、详尽的工作。冰雹以后，蝗虫来吃尽了生命的供应。这是因著宇宙中一项功能的转变所造成的。
7In the eighth plague, which took place during the tenth conflict (10:1-20), we see a change in another function of the universe. This time God changed the function of the wind. When the wind functions normally, it sends a supply of fresh air. If there were no wind at all, we all would suffocate. We thank the Lord for the function of wind to sustain our life on earth. Spiritually speaking, the Lord is also the wind to us. The line of a hymn says, “I cannot breathe enough of Thee, O gentle breeze of love” (Hymns, #172). For a proper spiritual life, we need to experience Christ as a gentle breeze. In the eighth plague God altered the function of the wind so that it no longer supplied fresh air to support life, but caused locusts to appear which devoured what remained from the plague of the hail. The hail destroyed herbs and trees in a rough way, but the locusts did a finer work to devour the plant life. As 10:15 says, the locusts “covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.” What a thorough work was done by the locusts! In judging the Egyptians and in educating both them and the children of Israel, God did a fine, detailed work. After the hail, the locusts came to consume the life supply. This was caused by a change in one of the functions of the universe.
8前面八样灾害以后，似乎没有更进一步审判和教育的必要了。请看埃及地遭受多少的损坏：水变作血，尘土变作虱子，水滋生青蛙，苍蝇污染空气，瘟疫毁灭了牲畜，在人和牲畜身上长了起泡的疮，雨变作雹子，风带来蝗虫。多么彻底的摧毁！倘若我在那里，我要对主说，这些灾害彀了，因为一切都毁坏了。
8After the first eight plagues, it seems that there was no need for further judgment or education. Look how much damage had been done to the land of Egypt. The water had become blood, the dust had become lice, the water had brought forth frogs, flies had polluted the air, pestilence had destroyed the cattle, boils had broken forth upon man and beast, the rain had been changed into hail, and the wind had brought in locusts. What thorough destruction! If I had been there, I would have told the Lord that these plagues were sufficient, for everything had been destroyed
十一 第十一次冲突
XI. THE ELEVENTH CONFLICT
9然而，神还不停止。在第九样灾害中，祂继续改变日头的功能。（十～29。）在耶和华与法老的第十一次冲突中，『埃及遍地就乌黑了三天。』（十22。）这黑暗如此深浓，可以摸得著。它不是一种模糊、抽象的黑暗，而是一种实在、具体的黑暗。出埃及记十章二十三节说到埃及人，『三天之久，人不能相见，谁也不敢起来离开本处。』因这浓密的黑暗，埃及所有的活动都停止了。三天之久，每一件事都中止。在此我们看见神的智慧。为了对付埃及人，祂没有使用人所以为有力的武器。反之，祂使用青蛙、虱子，和苍蝇这样的东西。祂运用对宇宙的支配力，改变原则和自然法则，在埃及人身上降下如此浓密的黑暗，任何人都不可能行动。第三组灾害比前两组更有意义，因为在这些灾害中，神对付了雨、风，和阳光。这使埃及人不可能生存。无疑地，法老的臣仆对法老说：『这人为我们的网罗，要到几时呢？容这些人去，事奉耶和华他们的神罢；埃及已经败坏了，你还不知道么？』（十7。）然而，法老仍旧顽梗。
9God, however, was not finished. In the ninth plague He went on to change the function of the sun (10:21-29). In the eleventh conflict between 21 the Lord and Pharaoh, “there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days” (10:22). This darkness was so thick that it could be felt. It was not a vague, abstract darkness, but a solid, substantial darkness. Exodus 10:23 says of the Egyptians, “They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days.” Because of this thick darkness, all movement in Egypt ceased. For a period of three days, everything was terminated. Here we see God’s wisdom. In order to deal with the Egyptians, He did not use weapons that men regard as powerful. Instead, He used things such as frogs, lice, and flies. Exercising His control over the universe to change the principles and the natural laws, He sent upon the Egyptians a darkness so thick that it was impossible for anyone to move. The third group of plagues was even more meaningful than the first two groups because in these plagues God dealt with the rain, the wind, and the sunshine. This made it impossible for the Egyptians to live. No wonder that Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve Jehovah their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?” (10:7, Heb.). Nevertheless, Pharaoh remained stubborn.
10法老拥有不寻常的能力来抵挡神。他能忍受各种痛苦而不被征服。如果我是法老，在第一样灾害的时候，我就向主的要求降服了。当我看见水变作血，我就要吩咐以色列人离开我的地盘。但尽管埃及地受了一灾又一灾的击打，连与埃及有关的宇宙功能也改变的时候，法老依旧顽梗。
10Pharaoh possessed an unusual ability to stand against God. He could endure all manner of suffering without being subdued. If I had been Pharaoh, I would have given in to the Lord’s demand at the time of the first plague. As soon as I saw the water turn into blood, I would have told the children of Israel to get out of my territory. But although the land of Egypt was smitten with plague after plague, Pharaoh remained stubborn, even when the functions of the universe related to Egypt were changed.
11法老与摩西、亚伦讨价还价了许多次。在十章八节法老对他们说：『你们去事奉耶和华你们的神，但那要去的是谁呢？』摩西看出法老的策略，就回答说：『我们要和我们老的少的、儿子女儿同去，且把羊群牛群一同带去，因为我们务要向耶和华守节。』（9。）法老听见这话，他告诉他们，有祸在他们眼前，意思是少年人有意外受伤或被杀的危险。然后法老要求把小孩子留在他那里，壮年人去事奉耶和华。在此我们看见法老的狡诈。所有的父母都知道，把孩子撇在后面，对他们来说是极其困难的，因他们的心在孩子们身上。法老瞭解这事。他要留下小孩，就试著与摩西和亚伦讨价还价。但是他们不同意法老的要求。反之，摩西向埃及地伸杖，第八样灾害，就是蝗虫的灾害便临到法老和埃及人身上。当黑暗之灾的期间，法老再度与摩西、亚伦讨价还价。这回他说：『你们去事奉耶和华，只是你们的羊群牛群要留下，你们的妇人孩子可以和你们同去。』（十24。）虽然法老被神重重地击打，他仍然不听从神的要求。反而继续讲价。对这项交易摩西回答说：『你总要把祭物和燔祭牲交给我们，使我们可以祭祀耶和华我们的神。我们的牲畜也要带去，连一蹄也不留下。』（十25～26。）
11A number of times Pharaoh bargained with Moses and Aaron. In 10:8 Pharaoh said to them, “Go, serve Jehovah your God: but who are they that shall go?” (Heb.). Recognizing Pharaoh’s strategy, Moses replied, “We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto Jehovah” (v. 9, Heb.). When Pharaoh heard this, he told them that evil was before them, meaning that the young ones were in danger of being accidently hurt or killed. Then Pharaoh required that the little ones remain with him and that the men go out to serve the Lord. Here we see Pharaoh’s subtlety. All parents know that it is extremely difficult for them to leave their children behind, because their heart is set on their children. Pharaoh realized this. Wanting to keep the little ones, he tried to bargain with Moses and Aaron. But they did not agree to Pharaoh’s request. Instead, Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the eighth plague, the plague of the locusts, came upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians. During the plague of the thick darkness, Pharaoh again bargained with Moses and Aaron. This time he said, “Go ye, serve Jehovah; only let your flocks and your herds remain: let your little ones also go with you” (10:24, Heb.). Although he had been so grievously smitten by God, Pharaoh still would not hearken to His demand. Instead, he continued to bargain. To this bargain Moses responded, “Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto Jehovah our God. Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left behind” (10:25-26, Heb
12根据九章十五和十六节，耶和华对法老说：『我若伸手用瘟疫攻击你和你的百姓，你早就从地上除灭了。其实我叫你存立，是特要向你显我的大能，并要使我的名传遍天下。』十六节说出是神叫法老存立。以某种意义说，是神支持他。神需要这样顽梗的人坚固存立。法老凭他自己无法如此存立；因此，神使他存立。为了要显出祂的大能，并要使祂的名传遍天下，耶和华需要顽梗的法老。我们已经指出，临到埃及的灾害不仅是为著审判，也是为著教育埃及人和以色列人。倘若我们没有出埃及记前十四章，我不相信我们能彀透彻地认识世界，或清楚地看见神对世界的态度。法老的不屈服是奇特的。甚至在长子被击杀时，他仍不屈服。这由他后来追击以色列人的事实得以证明。神使用法老来教育埃及人，以色列人，和祂在历代的百姓。今天教会人需要从出埃及记这些章节中学知世界生活的本质、意义，和结局，以及神对这种生活的态度。只有得著这样的启示，我们才能真正恨恶世界的生活。
12According to 9:15 and 16, the Lord said to Pharaoh, “For if I had stretched out my hand, that I had smitten thee and thy people with pestilence, thou shouldest have been cut off from the earth. But for this cause I made thee stand, in order to show thee my power; and in order to declare my name throughout all the earth” (Heb.). Verse 16 indicates that it was God who made Pharaoh stand. In a sense, God supported him. God needed such a stubborn one to stand firmly. In himself, Pharaoh could not stand in this way; hence, God made him stand. In order to show His power and to declare His name throughout the earth, the Lord needed the stubborn Pharaoh. We have pointed out that the plagues which came upon Egypt were not only for judgment, but also for the education of the Egyptians and the children of Israel. If we did not have the first fourteen chapters of Exodus, I do not believe we could know the world thoroughly or clearly see God’s attitude toward the world. Pharaoh was unique in that he was not subdued. He was not even subdued when the firstborn were slain. This is proved by the fact that he later pursued the children of Israel. God used Pharaoh to educate the Egyptians, the children of Israel, and His people throughout the generations. The church people today need to learn from these chapters in Exodus the nature, significance, and result of the life of the world and God’s attitude toward such a life. Only by receiving such a revelation can we truly hate the worldly life.
13今天许多基督徒恨恶罪，但少有人恨恶世界。然而，雅各书四章四节说：『岂不知与世俗为友，就是与神为敌么？所以凡想要与世俗为友的，就是与神为敌了。』我们或许很小心不发脾气，但是太不注意保守我们的心不爱世界。发脾气是罪，但是爱世界却是与神为敌。对神来说，世界比罪还要糟。罪触犯神的公义，而世界却触犯了神的圣洁，神的圣洁高过祂的公义。我们何等需要出埃及记所给我们的教育！藉著这卷书的前面几章，我们看见神何等恨恶世界。如果我们从这些章节得了教育，我们就不仅恨恶罪，并且恨恶世界。有些摩登派的教师争辩说，神在干涉法老情形的事上是不公义的。根据他们的教训，法老在他自己的辖区内执行权柄并没有错。他们没有看见神使用法老是要教育祂的选民。为了完成祂自己的旨意，神使法老存立。神需要他，并使用他教导祂的百姓许许多多的功课。
13Many Christians today hate sin, but not very many hate the world. Nevertheless, James 4:4 says, “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” We may be very careful about losing our temper, but we may be extremely careless in guarding our hearts from loving the world. To lose our temper is sinful, but to love the world is to be an enemy of God. To God, worldliness is worse than sinfulness. Sinfulness is against God’s righteousness, whereas worldliness is against God’s holiness, which is higher than His righteousness. How we need the education afforded us by the book of Exodus! It is through the early chapters in this book that we come to see how God hates worldliness. If we have been educated by these chapters, we shall hate not only sin but worldliness also. Some modernistic teachers have argued that God was not righteous in interfering with the situation in Pharaoh’s territory. According to their teaching, Pharaoh was not wrong in exercising his authority within his own jurisdiction. They failed to see that God used Pharaoh to educate His chosen people. For the fulfillment of His own purpose, God made Pharaoh to stand. God needed him and used him to teach His people many lessons
14我很宝贵这些灾害所教导我的功课，尤其是在世界方面。我作基督徒五十多年了，但我从来没有这样透彻地认识世界，像我最近藉著研读关乎十灾的这些章节中所认识的。这些灾害，在关乎世界生活的本质、意义，和结局方面，教导我许多的功课。
14I appreciate the plagues for the lessons they have taught me, especially concerning the world. I have been a Christian for more than fifty years, but I have never known the world in such a thorough way as I know it now through my most recent study of these chapters regarding the ten plagues. These plagues have taught me a number of lessons about the nature, significance, and consequence of a worldly life
15倘若我们看见血、青蛙、虱子、瘟疫、疮、冰雹、蝗虫，和黑暗，就不需要任何人劝我们不要爱世界。自然而然我们会看见世界的东西不可爱，并且我们会自动地不爱世界。你爱青蛙、虱子、苍蝇、瘟疫、蝗虫，和黑暗这样的东西么？当然不。然而，你会一无所知地爱它们，因你没有看见它们的真相。譬如，你也许以为血是水，或者虱子是尘上。只有在你看透世界事物的真相时，你才会不爱它们。
15If we have seen the blood, the frogs, the lice, the pestilence, the boils, the hail, the locusts, and the darkness, we shall not need anyone to exhort us not to love the world. Spontaneously we shall see that the things of the world are not lovable, and we shall automatically stop loving the world. Do you love things such as frogs, lice, flies, pestilence, locusts, and darkness? Certainly not! However, you may love them unknowingly because you do not see them for what they really are. For example, you may think that the blood is water or that the lice are dust. Only when you see into the true nature of the things of the world will you stop loving them
16为著法老和他的顽梗，我们感谢主。在罗马书第九章，保罗题出法老的事迹作例子。因为法老不屈服，神就在埃及人身上降下一次又一次的灾害。在每样灾害中，都给我们一个功课。如果我们对这些灾害的意义有深刻的印象，我们就要与世界分开，并且恨恶世界的生活。在第一样灾害中有血，在第九样灾害中有黑暗。血和黑暗都是表征死亡。因此，这些灾害是本于死亡，以致于死亡，世界的生活完全是一件死亡的事。但是根据创世记第一章和第二章，神在祂创造里的命定是从生命达到生命。因著堕落的人爱世界，神就藉著灾害暴露世界不是从生命达到生命，而是从血到黑暗，从死亡达到死亡。在血和黑暗之间是青蛙、虱子、苍蝇、瘟疫、疮、冰雹，和蝗虫。在第七、第八，和第九样灾害中，与埃及有关的宇宙功用转变了，它表明埃及的气氛不再适合人的生活。反之，它只是导致死亡。我们已经指出，埃及是世界的豫表。如果我们对世界有一个清楚的异象，我们就要知道神对它的态度，并且自然而然地不爱世界。倘若我们要成为神在地上的居所，我们就必须透彻地认识世界，并且世界的成分必须从我们里面清除。只有藉著与世界分别，我们才能成为神的居所。在神的救赎里，我们不仅从罪恶和神的审判里蒙了拯救，并且与世界分别。根据加拉太书一章四节，基督为我们的罪舍己，要救我们脱离这邪恶的世代。因此完全的救赎包括逾越节和过红海。以色列人蒙救赎出了埃及以后，神把他们带到何烈山，在那里他们领受了关乎神居所的异象。因此，出埃及记这卷书使我们清楚看见世界和神的居所。
16We thank the Lord for Pharaoh and his stubbornness. In Romans 9 Paul presents the case of Pharaoh as an example. Because Pharaoh would not be subdued, God sent one plague after another upon the Egyptians. In each plague there is a lesson for us. If we are deeply impressed with the significance of the plagues, we shall become detached from the world and come to hate the life of the world. In the first plague there was blood, and in the ninth, darkness. Both blood and darkness signify death. Hence, the plagues went from death to death. The life of the world is altogether a matter of death. But according to Genesis 1 and 2, God’so rd i nation in His creation is from life to life. Because fallen man loves the world, God through the plagues exposed that the world is not from life to life, but from blood to darkness, from death to death. Between the blood and the darkness are the frogs, the lice, the flies, the pestilence, the boils, the hail, and the locusts. In the seventh, eighth, and ninth plagues, the functions of the universe related to Egypt were changed to indicate that the very atmosphere over Egypt was no longer suitable for human life. Instead, it issued only in death. We have pointed out that Egypt is a type of the world. If we have a detailed vision of the world, we shall know God’s attitude toward it, and we shall spontaneously cease to love it. If we would be God’s dwelling place on earth, we must know the world in a thorough way, and the element of the world must be purged out of our being. Only through being separated from the world can we become God’s dwelling place. In God’s redemption we are not only saved from sin and from God’s judgment, but also separated from the world. According to Galatians 1:4, Christ gave Himself for our sins in order to deliver us from this present evil age. Full redemption thus includes both the Passover and the crossing of the Red Sea. After the children of Israel had been redeemed out of Egypt, God brought them to Mount Horeb, where they received the revelation concerning God’s dwelling place. The book of Exodus, therefore, gives us a clear view both of the world and of God’s dwelling place.
17我特别对青年人有负担。他们的前途充满盼望。然而，他们仍需要认识，与世界有关的每一件事都是从死亡达到死亡，其间有各样的灾害。我们若爱世界，在我们宇宙中的每项功能都要改变，所有生活的资源都要被毁坏。这是出埃及记这卷书所揭示神对世界的审判。
17I am burdened especially for the young people. They have a promising future ahead of them. However, they still need to realize that everything related to the life of the world goes from death to death, with various plagues in between. If we love the world, every function in our universe will be changed, and all the resources of life will be destroyed. This is God’s judgment on the world as unfolded in the book of Exodus