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出埃及记生命读经 · 第33篇

神对付祂百姓的肉体

God’s Dealing with the Flesh of His People
1读经：出埃及记16:1-4,8-13上，民数记11:1-6,10-23,31-34。
1Scripture Reading: Exo. 16:1-4, 8-13a; Num. 11:1-6, 10-23, 31-34
2出埃及记呈现出一幅神完满救恩的图画。在神的救恩里，有两件事是顶重要的。第一件就是神要成为祂选民的一切。祂要将自己作到祂所豫定归祂自己的人里面。其次，既然神要成为我们的一切，祂就不要我们作甚么。反之，祂要为我们作一切。
2The book of Exodus presents a picture of God’s full salvation. In God’ss alvation two matters are crucial. The first is that God wants to be everything to His chosen people. He wants to work Himself into those whom He has predestinated unto Himself. Second, since God wants to be everything to us, He does not want us to do anything. Rather, He wants to do everything for us
3当我们把这两件事应用到出埃及记时，我们看见是神自己来对付法老和埃及人。神没有要求以色列人要为著从埃及的暴政得著释放而争战。神作成了一切，完全击败了埃及人。当摩西面对法老时，他所有的只是一根杖，一根死的杖而已。是神为祂的百姓作成一切。想想看在不到四十天之内神为祂百姓所作的。祂降灾在埃及人身上，并在逾越节晚上击杀长子。然后祂拯救以色列人脱离法老的手，带他们经过红海，埃及的军兵在其中被淹没。再者，神领百姓到玛拉，在那里将苦水变甜。然后神领他们往前到以琳，那里有十二股水泉和七十棵棕树。
3As we apply these two matters to the book of Exodus, we see that it was God Himself who dealt with Pharaoh and the Egyptians. God did not ask the children of Israel to fight in order to be released from Egyptian tyranny. God did everything to bring about the total defeat of the Egyptians. When Moses confronted Pharaoh, all he had was a rod, a dead stick. It was God who did everything for His people. Consider what God did for His people within less than forty days. He sent the plagues upon the Egyptians, and on the night of the Passover He slew the firstborn. Then He delivered the children of Israel from the hand of Pharaoh and brought them through the Red Sea, in which the Egyptian army was drowned. Furthermore, God brought the people to Marah, where He changed the bitter water into sweet water. Then He led them onward to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees
一 百姓的贪欲
I. THE PEOPLE’S GREEDY LUST
4根据十六章一节，百姓『在出埃及后第二个月十五日，到了…汛的旷野。』逾越节在正月十四日。所以，十六章的记载是描述逾越节后三十一天所发生的事。我第一次发觉这事时非常惊讶。在这短短的期间内，神的百姓看见了许多神迹。然而，他们对主的丰足没有充分的印象。逾越节是一件大事，过红海更是大事。此外，在玛拉和以琳的经历都是了不起的。然而，当百姓到了汛的旷野，发怨言并贪恋埃及的肉锅时，他们似乎一点经历也没有。很少出埃及记的读者对十六章给与相当的注意。事实上本章比十二章或十四章更大。在十二章有逾越节，十四章有过红海，而在十六章有吃吗哪。吃吗哪表示神的百姓已达到这个地步：他们开始成为属天的子民，成为性情开始因著属天的成分而变化的子民。
4According to 16:1, the children of Israel “came unto the wilderness of Sin...on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.” The Passover was on the fourteenth day of the first month. Therefore, the record of chapter sixteen describes what took place just thirty- one days after the Passover. When I first realized this, I was very surprised. During this short period of time, God’sp eople had seen a number of miracles. However, they were not adequately impressed with the Lord’s sufficiency. The Passover was a great event, and the crossing of the Red Sea was even greater. Furthermore, the experiences at Marah and at Elim were significant. Nevertheless, when the people came to the wilderness of Sin and murmured and lusted after the fleshpots of Egypt, it seems as if they had had no experience at all. Not many readers of Exodus have given adequate attention to chapter sixteen. Actually this chapter is greater than either chapter twelve or chapter fourteen. In chapter twelve we have the Passover, in chapter fourteen the crossing of the Red Sea, and in chapter sixteen the eating of the manna. The eating of manna signifies that God’s people had reached the point where they had begun to be a heavenly people, a people whose nature had begun to be transformed with the heavenly element.
5圣经中许多神迹都是用神所创造物质的东西行出来的。例如，主耶稣用五饼二鱼𫗪饱众人。（太十四19。）但我们能说十六章的吗哪是神旧造中的一项么？没有一位学者能告诉我们吗哪的本质或成分是甚么。不论吗哪的本质是甚么，它定规不属于旧造的。在神的旧造里，没有像吗哪这样的东西。十六章有两个神迹：降鹌鹑和降吗哪。鹌鹑属于旧造。有风从耶和华那里刮起，把鹌鹑刮来。（民十一31。）这无疑是一个神迹，但它使用了天然和物质的东西。然而，降吗哪就不同了。吗哪是从天而降的。（出十六4。）虽然我们知道吗哪从天而降，但我们却不知道吗哪的成分是甚么。我们无法说出吗哪的成分是甚么，但我们的确知道它是一种食物，不同于所有属地的食物。有分于吗哪就是得著属天的粮食。这属天的食物不属于旧造。人定规是根据他所吃的而活。营养学家告诉我们，我们吃甚么，就像甚么。例如，我们若吃许多鱼，我们将由鱼所组成。四十年之久，以色列人天天吃吗哪。结果，他们就由吗哪所组成。我们甚至可以说，他们成了吗哪。虽然我们不晓得吗哪的要素，但我们知道它是使百姓变为属天的一种食物。藉著吃这属天的食物，我们成为属天的子民。神将吗哪赐给祂的百姓吃，表明神的心意是要变化祂百姓的性情。祂要变化他们的全人，变化他们的组成。他们已经经历了一种地位的改变。从前他们在埃及。如今他们与主同在旷野，在分别之地。然而，光改变地位还不彀，因为这样太外面也太客观了。还需要有里面、主观的改变，就是生命和性情的改变。神在祂百姓里面产生这样变化的路，乃是藉著更换他们的食粮。因著吃埃及的食物，神的百姓已经由埃及的成分所组成了。世界的成分成了他们的组成。当他们在埃及时，他们没有吃任何属天的东西，因他们所吃的每样东西都是照著埃及的粮食，本质上都是埃及的。尽管神的百姓已从埃及被领到分别的旷野里，他们仍然是由埃及的成分组成的。神的心意是要藉著更换他们的粮食来改变他们的成分。祂不要他们吃出自世界根源的任何东西。他们不得再吃埃及的食物。神要用属天的食物𫗪养他们，为了要用属天的成分来组织他们。神的盼望是要用天上的食物充满他们、满足他们、饱和他们，如此使他们成为属天的子民。
5Many of the miracles in the Scriptures were carried out with the physical things of God’s creation. For example, the Lord Jesus fed the multitude with loaves and fishes (Matt. 1 4:1 9). But can we say that the manna in chapter sixteen was an item of God’sold creation? No scholar can tell us what was the substance or element of manna. Whatever the substance of manna was, surely it did not belong to the old creation. In God’sold creation there is no such thing as manna. In chapter sixteen there are two miracles: the sending of the quails and the sending of manna. The quails belong to the old creation. A wind went forth from the Lord and brought quails (Num. 11:31). This was no doubt a miracle, but it made use of natural and physical things. The sending of the manna, however, was different. Manna came from heaven (Exo. 16:4). Although we know that manna came from heaven, we do not know what the element of manna was. We cannot say what was the essence of manna, but we do know that it was food of a category different from all earthly food. To partake of manna was to have a heavenly diet. This heavenly food did not belong to the old creation. People invariably live according to what they eat. Dietitians tell us that we are what we eat. For example, if we eat a great deal of fish, we shall become a composition of fish. Day by day for a period of forty years, the children of Israel ate manna. As a result, they became constituted with manna. We may even say that they became manna. Although we do not know the essence of manna, we know that it was the kind of food that caused people to become heavenly. By eating such heavenly food we become heavenly people. By giving His people manna to eat, God indicated that His intention was to change the nature of His people. He wanted to change their being, their very constitution. They had already undergone a change of location. Formerly they were in Egypt. Now they were with the Lord in the wilderness, a place of separation. However, it is not sufficient merely to have a change of location, for this is too outward and too objective. There must also be an inward, subjective change, a change of life and nature. The way for God to produce such a change in His people is by changing their diet. By eating Egyptian food God’sp eople had been constituted with the element of Egypt. The element of the world had become their composition. When they were in Egypt, they did not partake of anything heavenly, for everything they ate was according to the Egyptian diet and was Egyptian in nature. Although God’sp eople had been brought out of Egypt into the wilderness of separation, they were still constituted with the element of Egypt. Now God’sin tent i on was to change their element by changing their diet. He did not want them to eat anything that came from a worldly source. They were no longer allowed to eat Egyptian food. God wanted to feed them with food from heaven in order to constitute them with the heavenly element. His desire was to fill them, to satisfy them, to saturate them with food from heaven, and thereby to make them a heavenly people.
6神从天上降下吗哪以前，祂降下鹌鹑。（十六13。）鹌鹑使百姓更属肉体。鹌鹑的性情和本质符合以色列人的性情和本质。然而吗哪不然，因它属于另一个种类，另一个国度，另一个领域。因此，神藉著降吗哪显明祂的心意是要改变祂百姓的组成要素。祂不满意光有地位的改变。他们还必须有组成要素的改变。今天我们神的百姓是由属地的东西所组成，是由埃及的成分组成的。因此，神的目标不光是要改变我们的行为；祂乃是要改变我们里面的人，改变我们组成里面的组织。虽然我们是用埃及的东西组成的，但神要用属天的成分组织我们。我们大家看见这件事是很要紧的。神知道以色列人需要食物。倘若他们相信主，他们会彼此勉励只要安息于祂就彀了。他们会说：『我们的神知道我们的需要。我们无需发怨言或是抱怨。让我们信靠祂且安息罢。要记得近来主为我们所作的。祂对付法老，击杀长子，打败埃及人，领我们经过红海，并且供应我们一切的需要。』但以色列人不但没有操练相信主，反倒似乎忘了主为他们所作的一切。他们没有为著祂所作的赞美感谢祂，反而发怨言并抱怨。他们对摩西所说的话尖刻而丑恶：『巴不得我们早死在埃及地耶和华的手下，那时我们坐在肉锅旁边，吃得饱足；你们将我们领出来，到这旷野，是要叫这全会众都饿死阿。』（十六3。）甚至摩西也被百姓的怨言所激怒。这由事实证明，摩西说：『我们算甚么，你们竟向我们发怨言呢？』（十六7。）摩西说这话并不得胜。反之，这是他被百姓的怨言摸著，因而被打败的记号。倘若我是摩西，我会说出更激烈的话。我会说：『你们难道忘了我为你们所作的一切么？你们记得肉锅，但你们不记得埃及的暴政、苦工和苦难。我把你们从那个暴政里领出来。为甚么你们向我发怨言呢？』摩西和我们比起来，真是得胜。然而，他没有完全得胜。
6Before God sent manna from heaven, He sent the quails (16:13). The quails caused the people to be even more fleshly. The nature and substance of the quails corresponded to the nature and substance of the children of Israel. Manna, however, did not, for it was of another category, of another kingdom and realm. Thus, by sending manna God showed that His intention was to change the composition of His people. He is not satisfied with a mere change of place. There must also be a change of constitution. We, God’sp eople today, are a composition of earthly things, a composition of the Egyptian element. Hence, God’s goal is not simply to change our behavior; it is to change our inward being, the very inner fabric of our constitution. Although we have been constituted with the substance of Egypt, God intends to constitute us with a heavenly element. It is vital for all of us to see this. God knew that the children of Israel were in need of food. If they had had faith in the Lord, they would have encouraged one another simply to rest in Him. They would have said, “Our God knows our need. There is no need to murmur or complain. Let us trust in Him and be at rest. Remember what the Lord has done for us in recent days. He dealt with Pharaoh, He slew the firstborn, He defeated the Egyptians, He brought us through the Red Sea, and He has supplied our every need.” But instead of exercising faith in the Lord, the children of Israel seemingly forgot everything the Lord had done for them. Instead of praising Him and thanking Him for what He had done, they murmured and complained. Their words were sharp and ugly as they spoke to Moses: “Would that we had died by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into the wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger” (16:3, Heb.). Even Moses was touched by the people’s murmuring. This is proved by the fact that Moses said, “What are we, that ye murmur against us?” (16:7). In uttering this word, Moses was not victorious. To the contrary, this was a sign that he had been defeated, having been touched by the murmurings of the people. If I had been Moses, I would have spoken a much stronger word. I might have said, “Have you forgotten everything I have done for you? You remember the fleshpots, but you don’t recall the tyranny, the labor, and the sufferings in Egypt. I brought you out of that tyranny. Why do you murmur against me?” Compared to us, Moses was victorious. Nevertheless, he was not victorious in an absolute way.
7我们已经指出神在祂的救恩里要成为我们的一切，并且为我们作一切。祂是真的、活的、信实的，且是有目的的。因著在神的救恩里祂有一个目的，我们就不需要求祂怜悯或是来拯救我们。神为我们作事，祂知道我们所需要的一切。倘若我们认识主和祂的道路，每当我们有需要，我们就不会抱怨或发怨言了。反之，我们会说：『赞美主！祂知道我们的一切需要。如果祂要我们一餐不吃，让我们在祂面前赞美欢乐地禁食。即使他几天不给食物，我们仍旧欢乐。祂知道我们的需要，并且祂会在适当的时侯赐下供应。倘若祂为我们拣选禁食，而非过节，让我们仍然赞美祂。祂知道甚么对我们最好。让我们欢乐著接受祂所赐给我们的。』倘若这是以色列人的态度，神就不会降下鹌鹑来。祂只会在次日清晨降下吗哪。祂降吗哪的目的是要改变祂百姓的组成要素。吗哪产生一种新陈代谢的变化，因而埃及的成分被属天的成分所取代。这种属天的新陈代谢使神的百姓被变化。在名义上，以色列人不是埃及人。但在本质和组成上，他们与埃及人没有两样。藉著赐给百姓吗哪，神似乎说：『在地位上我已拯救你们脱离了埃及，但在性情上你们还没有被变化。现在我要藉著更换你们的粮食来改变你们的组成要素，把埃及的粮食变为属天的粮食。我要这样来改变你们的性情和全人，把你们组成独特的百姓。因著我要你们成为属天的，我就不用出于地上的东西来𫗪养你们。一天又一天，我要降下属天的食物，就是从天上我的居所那里来的食物。这食物要改变你们的组成要素。』愿我们都看见，神在他救恩里的心意是要把祂自己作到我们里面，并藉著用属天的食物𫗪养我们来改变我们的组成要素。
7We have pointed out that in His salvation God intends to be everything to us and to do everything for us. He is real, living, faithful, and purposeful. Because God has a purpose in His salvation, there is no need for us to beg Him to have mercy upon us and to rescue us. God is working for us, and He knows all our needs. If we know the Lord and His ways, we shall not complain or murmur whenever we have a need. Instead, we shall say, “Praise the Lord! He knows our every need. If He wants us to miss a meal, then let us have a fast with praising and rejoicing before Him. Even if He withholds food for several days, we shall still rejoice. He knows our need, and He will send the supply at the right time. If He chooses for us to fast instead of feast, let us still praise Him. He knows what is best for us. Let us accept with rejoicing whatever He gives us.” If this had been the attitude of the children of Israel, God would not have sent the quails. He would simply have sent manna early the next morning. His purpose in sending manna was to change the constitution of His people. Manna produces a metabolic change in which the Egyptian element is replaced by the heavenly element. Such a heavenly metabolism causes God’sp eople to be transformed. In name, the children of Israel were not Egyptians. But in nature and in composition they did not differ from the Egyptians in the least. By giving the people manna God seemed to be saying, “I have rescued you from Egypt positionally, but you have not yet been changed dispositionally. Now I shall change your constitution by changing your diet from an Egyptian diet to a heavenly diet. In this way I shall change your nature and your being, and I shall constitute you into a peculiar people. Because I want you to be heavenly, I shall not feed you with anything which has its source in the earth. Day by day, I shall send heavenly food, food from My dwelling place in heaven. This food will change your constitution.” May we all see that God’sin tent i on in His salvation is to work Himself into us and to change our constitution by feeding us with heavenly food.
二 神的对付
II. GOD’S DEALING
8现在让我们继续来看，当神的百姓发怨言并抱怨缺少食物时，神如何来对付他们。当我们思想这件事时，要知道我们都有以天然方式来认识圣经的倾向。根据我们天然的领会，我们会认为在出埃及十六章，神光是试验以色列人。我们也许相信神特意不给食物，为要试验祂的百姓，并暴露他们缺乏信心。有些人甚至指出这是希伯来三章十二节中不信的恶心。根据这个观点，以色列人没有信心等候神，信靠祂，安息于祂，并赞美祂。他们因著不信的恶心而抱怨。所以神责备他们。然后祂在晚上降下鹌鹑，并在早晨降下吗哪。
8Let us now go on to see how God dealt with His people when they murmured and complained about the lack of food. As we consider this matter, we need to realize that we all have the tendency to understand the Bible in a natural way. According to our natural understanding, we may think that in Exodus 16 God was merely testing the children of Israel. We may believe that God purposely withheld food in order to test His people and to expose their lack of faith. Some may even refer to Hebrews 3:12 regarding an evil heart of unbelief. According to this point of view, the children of Israel did not have the faith to wait on God, to trust in Him, to rest in Him, and to praise Him. Because of an evil heart of unbelief, they complained. Therefore, God rebuked them. Then He sent the quails in the evening and the manna in the morning
9这种对出埃及十六章的领会非常肤浅。这样来认识这一章不需要圣灵的光照。凡这样来认识这段话的人，他们读圣经就像一个小学生能读出字句，但他不过是天然肤浅地领会所读的。倘若我们有属灵的异象，我们将看见出埃及十六章启示神的赎民仍要过天然的生活。然而，神的心意是要他们过属天的生活。百姓巴望和他们在埃及一样地过生活，回想他们如何坐在肉锅旁边，享受埃及的食物。但神的愿望是他们不再吃埃及的食物。祂要他们更换粮食，过属天的生活。祂要他们忘掉埃及的粮食，有分于属天的食物，有分以前从未有人吃过的食物。神似乎对祂的百姓说：『直到如今，没有人吃过属天的食物。我要使你们成为属天的子民，得著属天的生命，并以属天的方式过生活。从现在起，我要用属天的粮食𫗪养你们。』
9This understanding of Exodus 16 is very superficial. To understand the chapter in this way does not require the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. Those who understand this portion in such a way read the Bible like an elementary school child who can read the words, but has nothing more than a natural and superficial grasp of what he reads. If we have spiritual vision, we shall see that Exodus 16 reveals that God’s redeemed people still wanted to live a natural life. God’sin tent i on, however, was for them to live a heavenly life. Desiring to live in the same way they did in Egypt, the people remembered how they sat by the flesh-pots enjoying the food of Egypt. But God’s desire was that they no longer eat Egyptian food. He wanted them to change their diet and to live a heavenly life. He wanted them to forget the Egyptian diet and to partake of heavenly food, a kind of food that no one had ever eaten before. God seemed to be saying to His people, “Until now, no one has eaten heavenly food. I want to make you a heavenly people, and I want you to have a heavenly life and live in a heavenly way. From now on, I shall feed you with a heavenly diet
10我学习不信靠天然的领会来读主的话。当我读出埃及记这一章时，我不满意对这段话语天然的领会。我不要照著天然的观念说话，浪费圣徒的时间。所以我对主说：『倘若你要我讲这一章，你必须赐给我你的亮光和异象。将你对本章的心意指示我。』当我祷告，仰望主，并在祂面前思考这一章时，光便开始照耀。在光的照耀之下，我看见这里的要点是说，尽管神的百姓要继续过老旧的埃及生活，神的心意却是要使他们过另一种生活。因为神的目标是要更换他们的粮食。祂没有在他们进入旷野以后，立刻赐粮食给他们。因著神的智慧，祂特意延迟把食物赐给他们。倘若神提早更换他们的粮食，他们就不会获得充分的印象。祂晓得如果等到祂的百姓有了需要，然后赐下属天的吗哪，他们才会有更深刻更持久的印象。以色列人在旷野的四十年间是靠吃吗哪为生。圣经告诉我们，他们只有两次在吗哪上有难处。出埃及记十六章百姓受神的管教。这个管教训练他们不要贪爱埃及的粮食。但根据民数记十一章，一年后百姓又贪恋埃及的食物。但他们在基博罗哈他瓦受到神更严厉的管教之后，他们对神所供给属天的粮食就不再有任何问题了。神对祂的百姓实在是一位慈父。首先以色列人在旷野受管教。然后一年以后，他们在基博罗哈他瓦受管教。倘若神在百姓来到旷野以前就赐下吗哪，他们就不会宝贵它，并且可能没有学到甚么。百姓到了旷野，发觉没有食物以后，他们就开始发怨言并抱怨。在那天晚上，神降下鹌鹑来满足他们的欲望。然后，次日旱晨，吗哪来到了。无疑这使百姓有深刻的印象。
10In reading the Word I have learned not to place any trust in my natural understanding. As I was reading this chapter of Exodus, I was not satisfied with the natural understanding of this portion of the Word. I do not want to waste the saints’ time by speaking according to the natural concept. Therefore, I said to the Lord, “If You require me to speak from this chapter, You must give me Your light and Your vision. Show me what is in Your mind concerning this chapter.” As I prayed, looked to the Lord, and considered this chapter in His presence, the light began to shine. Under the shining of the light, I saw that the main point here is that although God’sp eople wanted to continue living the old Egyptian life, God’sin tent i on was to cause them to live another kind of life. Because His aim was to change their diet, He did not send them food immediately after they came into the wilderness. In His wisdom, God purposely delayed in providing food for them. If He had changed their diet earlier, the people would not have been impressed adequately. He realized that if He waited until His people had a need and then sent the heavenly manna, they would be more deeply and lastingly impressed. The children of Israel fed on manna in the wilderness for a period of forty years. The Bible tells us that only twice were they troubled with respect to manna. In Exodus 16 the people were disciplined by God. This discipline trained them not to desire the Egyptian diet. But, according to Numbers 11, a year later the people once again lusted for the food of Egypt. But after they had been disciplined by God more severely at Kibroth- hattaavah, they no longer had any problems with the heavenly diet provided by God. God certainly was a good Father to His people. Firstly the children of Israel were disciplined in the wilderness. Then, a year later, they were disciplined at Kibroth-hattaavah. If God had sent manna before the people had come to the wilderness, they would not have appreciated it, and they probably would not have learned anything. After the people arrived in the wilderness and realized that there was no food, they began to murmur and complain. On the evening of that day, God sent quails to satisfy their lust. Then, the next morning, the manna came. No doubt, this made a deep impression on the people
（一） 用鹌鹑满足他们的欲望
A. Satisfying Their Lust with Quails
11埃及的食物适合神百姓的肉体。他们愈吃埃及的食物，他们就愈属肉体，因为埃及的食粮符合百姓的肉体，并且滋养百姓的肉体。然而，吗哪是另外一种食物。它从天而降，并且使那些吃它的人变为属天。当以色列人在旷野发怨言，他们的怨言是照著他们的肉体。这意思是说，他们照著老旧的己、老旧的人而发怨言。他们发怨言，不像神的赎民一般活著，倒像天然的人。这里的肉体不仅代表我们这个人欲望的部分；它乃是代表我们堕落之人的全部，我们整个旧人。虽然神的百姓已蒙了救赎，但他们仍然像那些没有蒙神救赎的埃及人一般活著。故此，神降下鹌鹑来满足他们肉体的欲望。祂第一次降下鹌鹑是在出埃及记十六章。虽然祂管教百姓，但祂在这时候的管教并不严厉。第二次『耶和华的怒气就向他们发作，用最重的灾殃击杀了他们。』民十一33。）民数记十一章三十四节继续说：『那地方便叫作基博罗哈他瓦，因为他们在那里葬埋那起贪欲之心的人。』基博罗哈他瓦意思就是贪欲之人的坟墓。
11The food in Egypt suited the flesh of God’sp eople. The more they ate of Egyptian food, the more fleshly they became, for the Egyptian diet corresponded to the people’s flesh and nourished it. Manna, however, was food of another category. It came from heaven and it caused those who ate it to become heavenly. When the children of Israel were murmuring in the wilderness, their murmuring was according to their flesh. This means that they were murmuring according to the old self, according to the old person. In their murmuring they were not living as God’s redeemed people, but as natural people. The flesh here does not signify only the lustful part of our being; it signifies the totality of our fallen being, the whole of our old person. Although God’s people had been redeemed, they were still living like Egyptians, like those who had not been redeemed by God. For this reason, God sent quails to satisfy their fleshly lusts. The first time He sent quails was in Exodus 16. Although He disciplined the people, His discipline on this occasion was not severe. The second time “the wrath of Jehovah was kindled against the people, and Jehovah smote the people with a very great plague” (Num. 11:3 3, (Heb.). Numbers 11:34 goes on to say, “And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.” Kibroth- hattaavah means the graves of lust.
12神用重灾击杀百姓以前，祂降下极多的鹌鹑。主以神奇的方式用鹌鹑𫗪养了百姓三十天之久。(民十一19～20。）民数记十一章三十一节描述那许许多多的鹌鹑：『有风从耶和华那里刮起，把鹌鹑由海面刮来，飞散在营边和营的四围，这边约有一天的路程，那边约有一天的路程，离地面约有二肘。』鹌鹑真是多阿！起先百姓很高兴。但最后他们厌恶了鹌鹑，因为百姓必须一直吃，甚至肉从他们鼻孔里喷出来。(民十一20。）民数记十一章三十三节告诉我们：『肉在他们牙齿之间，倘未嚼烂，耶和华的怒气就向他们发作。』我们需要把民数记十一章的记载应用到我们的经历上。倘若我们得救以后，继续贪求世界的东西，神会给我们。譬如，假设你贪求一辆新车子。为了满足你的欲望，神会把轿车给你，但神不高兴这么作。反之，祂会把你所贪求的赐给你，为要向你显出祂的荣耀，祂的怒气和祂的丰富。就如神赐给以色列人许多鹌鹑，祂也会给你许多轿车，以致你厌恶了它们。神将你所贪求的赐给你，但你会经历祂的怒气。迟早你会厌恶你所贪求的轿车。
12Before God smote the people with a great plague, He sent quails in abundance. In a miraculous way, the Lord fed the people with quails for thirty days (Num. 11:19-20). In Numbers 11:31 we have a description of the vast number of quails: “And there went forth a wind from Jehovah, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side, and as it were a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth” (Heb.). What an abundance of quails! At first, the people were pleased. But eventually the quails became loathsome to them, for the people had to eat them until the flesh came out of their nostrils (Num. 11:20). In Numbers 11:33 we are told, “And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of Jehovah was kindled against the people” (Heb.). We need to apply the record in Numbers 11 to our experience. If we continue to lust for worldly things after we are saved, God may give them to us. For example, suppose you lust after a new car. God may give it to you in order to fulfill your lust, but He will not be happy in doing so. Rather, He will give you what you lust after in order to show you His glory, His anger, and His sufficiency. Just as God sent an abundance of quails to the children of Israel, He may give you so many cars that they become loathsome to you. God will give you what you lust after, but you may experience His displeasure. Sooner or later, the very cars you lust after will become loathsome to you.
13我认得一些信徒，当他们年轻时，真是爱钱。但他们致富以后，却厌恶了他们所爱的钱。不仅如此，他们还遭受属灵的死亡。今天所有的基督徒都需要听见主的话对这事的教训。我愿鼓励众圣徒不要爱世界，不要照著肉体贪求世界的东西。但这正是今天许多基督徒所作的事。为了满足他们的欲望，他们追求埃及的东西。神也许容让他们得著所想望的。然而，这不是积极的记号。不要以为神若把你所贪求的赐给你，祂就赞同你，满意你，或是有意要造就你。反之，这是祂发怒和不愉快的记号。今天许多基督徒被神在怒气中击杀。因这缘故，他们没有生命，只有属灵的死亡。我希望在主恢复里的众圣徒，尤其是青年人，要学习忘掉世界，不贪恋埃及的东西。拯救我们的神是真的、活的、信实的，且是有目的的，祂会顾到我们的需要。我们不需要贪恋世界的东西。我们不再是属世的人。我们乃是神的选民，祂要我们过属天的生活。我能作见证，主是信实的，值得我们来信靠。我在经历中学习不凭著自己行事。我在自己里面所作的任何事都会使主发怒。我再说，主要成为我们的一切，并要为我们作一切。赐给我们属天的食物，降吗哪给我们，乃是祂的愿望。藉著有分这属天的食物，我们将成为属天的子民，过著属天的生活。这会使我们与世人迥然不同。
13I have known some believers who had a great love for money when they were young Christians. But after they became rich, the money they loved became loathsome to them. Furthermore, they suffered spiritual death. All Christians today need to hear the teaching of the Word concerning this. I would encourage all the saints not to love the world and not to lust according to the flesh after worldly things. But this is the very thing many Christians are doing today. In order to satisfy their lusts, they are pursuing the things of Egypt. God may allow them to have what they desire. This, however, is not a positive sign. Do not think that if God gives you what you lust after, He agrees with you, He is happy with you, or He intends to edify you. On the contrary, this is a sign of His anger and displeasure. Most of today’s Christians have been smitten by God in His anger. For this reason, with them there is no life, only spiritual death. I hope that all the saints in the Lord’s recovery, especially the young people, will learn to forget the world and not to lust after Egyptian things. The God who has saved us is real, living, faithful, and purposeful, and He will take care of our needs. There is no need for us to lust after worldly things. We are no longer worldly people. We are God’s chosen people, and He wants us to live a heavenly life. I can testify that the Lord is faithful and worthy of our trust. Through my experience I have learned not to act on my own. Anything I do in myself will displease the Lord. I repeat, the Lord wants to be everything to us and to do everything for us. It is His desire to give us heavenly food, to rain manna upon us. By partaking of this heavenly food, we shall be a heavenly people living a heavenly life. This will make us altogether different from worldly people
（二） 向百姓显出祂的荣耀
B. Showing the People His Glory
14藉著神的管教，以色列人看见祂的荣耀。然而，他们不是愉快地看见它。我们在前面的信息中曾指出，常常当我们向主发怨言时，祂的荣耀向我们显现。然而，当我们与祂的关系正确时，祂的同在似乎并不特别显著。例如，在教会的聚会中，你也许没有特别觉得主的同在。但如果你想要沉缅在某种属世的娱乐中，你也许会强烈地感觉祂的同在。主在你里面会十分活跃，甚至发怒。这就是主的荣耀向你显现。当你行主的旨意，你也许不觉得主与你同在。但是当你不顺服主时，你会确定地觉得祂与你同在。这就是主荣耀的显现；但不是以积极的方式。
14By means of God’s discipline the children of Israel saw His glory. However, they did not see it in a pleasant way. In the foregoing message we pointed out that often when we are murmuring against the Lord, His glory appears to us. However, when we are right with Him, His presence may not seem particularly noticeable. For example, in the meetings of the church you may not sense the Lord’s presence in a special way. But if you attempt to indulge in some form of worldly entertainment, you may have a strong awareness of His presence. The Lord within you may be very active, even aggravated. This is the glory of the Lord appearing to you. When you are doing the Lord’s will, you may not sense that the Lord is with you. But when you are disobeying the Lord, you will have the definite impression that He is with you. This is the appearing of the Lord’s glory, but not in a positive way.
（三） 向百姓显出祂的丰富
C. Showing the People His Sufficiency
15再者，我们许多人通常藉著某种消极的经历来认识主的丰富。我们也许是以一种羞耻的方式来认识主实在是丰富的。譬如，一位弟兄从远东来到这个国家时非常困苦。但几年以后，他有了一个博士学位和高薪的工作。现在他能见证神的丰富。其余的人能作见证说，虽然他们想要一个有三间卧室的房子，神却赐给他们五间卧室的房子。在这件事上，神向他们显出祂的丰富。然而，祂这样作不是以积极的方式，而是以消极的方式。
15Furthermore, usually through some kind of negative experience, many of us have come to know the Lord’s sufficiency. We have learned, perhaps in a shameful way, that the Lord truly is sufficient. For example, a brother from the Far East may arrive in this country very poor. But several years later, he has a doctoral degree and a high-paying job. Now he can testify of God’s sufficiency. Others can testify that although they wanted a home with three bedrooms, God gave them a five-bedroom home. In this matter, God showed them His sufficiency. However, He did so not in a positive way, but in a negative way
16在主没有缺乏。然而在民数记十一章摩西不晓得这事。他对主说，在百姓中间，步行的男人有六十万。（21。）然后他继续问主：『难道给他们宰了羊群牛群，或是把海中所有的鱼，都聚了来，就彀他们吃么？（22。）在此我们看见摩西怀疑神怎么能把肉类供应六十万男人加上妇女孩子三十天之久。根据二十三节，耶和华回答摩西说：『耶和华的膀臂岂是缩短了么？现在要看我的话，向你应验不应验。』主不需要羊群、牛群或鱼。祂的心意乃是要降下许多的鹌鹑来。我们很多人能作见证，我们得救以后，我们的确得著所贪恋的。事实上，我们得著的这么多，以致从我们的鼻孔里喷出来，并使我们遭受属灵的死亡。例如，其位弟兄的汽车和房子愈多，难处也愈多。最后，他厌烦了这些东西。尽管是以这样消极的方式，我们却看见主是丰富的。然后我们为著祂的丰富敬拜祂。
16With the Lord there is no scarcity. However, in Numbers 11 Moses did not realize this. He told the Lord that among the people there were six hundred thousand footmen (v. 21). Then he went on to ask the Lord, “Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?” (v. 22). Here we see that Moses wondered how God could supply meat for six hundred thousand men plus women and children for a period of thirty days. According to verse 23, the Lord answered Moses, “Is Jehovah’s hand become short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not” (Heb.). The Lord did not need flocks, herds, or fish. His intention was to send a vast quantity of quails. Many of us can testify that, after we were saved, we did receive what we lusted after. In fact, we received it in such abundance that it came out of our nostrils and caused us to suffer spiritual death. For example, the more cars and houses a brother has, the more problems he may have. Eventually, these things became loathsome to him. Although it may be in such a negative way, we come to see that the Lord is sufficient. Then we worship Him for His sufficiency.
17就如民数记十一章的以色列人，我们也需要看见神的怒气和祂的丰富。然后我们真知道主是信实的，祂要应付我们的需要。因著祂是我们的牧者，我们必不致缺乏。事实上，有时候我们所有的比所需要的更多。迟早我们要学习不贪恋任何东西。我们甚至必须告诉主，我们不再要汽车或房屋。换句话说，我们不再要鹌鹑。反之，我们对属天的吗哪感到满足。吗哪是以简单的方式降下，它绝不麻烦。以色列人在旷野起初的年间，他们学习不贪恋埃及的食物。一年之久，他们没有因吗哪的粮食而困扰。但他们又发怨言时，神就严厉地管教他们、训练他们。这次管教以后，他们学了持久的功课。从那时候起，他们就满意属天的粮食。他们继续以吗哪为生达三十八年以上。你已学会满意属天的食物，并且不贪恋埃及的东西么？作为神的赎民，我们不该贪恋世界的东西。我们需要知道我们的神是真的、活的、信实的，且是有目的的。因祂拯救我们有一个目的，祂必以自己的方式引导并眷顾我们。我们不需要忧虑或贪恋甚么。祂知道我们的一切需要，并且祂要照著属天的粮食在适当的时候应付我们的需要。
17Like the children of Israel in Numbers 11, we need to see God’sang er and His sufficiency. Then we shall truly know that the Lord is faithful to meet our needs. Because He is our Shepherd, we shall not want. In fact, we may sometimes have much more than we need. Sooner or later, we shall learn not to lust after anything. We may even have to tell the Lord that we do not want any more cars or houses. In other words, we do not want any more quails. Rather, we are content with heavenly manna. The manna comes in a simple way, and it is never troublesome. At the beginning of their years in the wilderness, the children of Israel learned not to lust after Egyptian food. For a year, they were not troubled by their diet of manna. But when they complained again, God disciplined them and trained them in a severe way. After this discipline, they learned a lasting lesson. From that time onward, they were satisfied with the heavenly diet. They continued to feed on manna for more than thirty-eight years. Have you learned to be satisfied with heavenly food and not to lust for the things of Egypt? As God’s redeemed people, we should not lust after worldly things. We need to realize that our God is real, living, faithful, and purposeful. Because He has saved us with a purpose, He will surely lead us and care for us in His own way. There is no need for us to worry or to lust after anything. He knows all our need, and He will meet our need at the right time according to the heavenly diet
18我们愈享受主赐给我们的食物，我们就愈属天。让我们忘掉埃及的肉锅，要喜乐并满意属天的粮食。让我们享受神属天的供应，使我们在各方面都成为属天的子民。那么，虽然我们在地上行走在旷野里，但我们要成为有属天粮食的属天子民。我们供应的源头不在地上，乃是在天上。一天又一天，神降下属天的食物给我们，使我们可以吃它，并成为属天的子民。神对付祂百姓肉体的路乃是更换他们的粮食。这是真正对付神百姓的肉体。有些基督教教师以肤浅的方式来看对付肉体这件事，说，肉体藉著十字架被对付。但不论肉体是完整的或是被切成碎片，它还是肉体。正确的对付肉体是藉著更换粮食。
18The more we enjoy the food the Lord sends us, the more heavenly we shall become. Let us forget the fleshpots of Egypt and be happy and satisfied with the heavenly diet. Let us enjoy God’she aven ly supply so that we may be a heavenly people in every way. Then, although we walk in a wilderness on earth, we shall be a heavenly people with a heavenly diet. The source of our supply is not on the earth— it is in the heavens. Day by day, God rains the heavenly food upon us so that we may eat of it and become a heavenly people. God’s way to deal with the flesh of His people is to change their diet. This is the real dealing with the flesh of God’sp eople. Viewing this matter of dealing with the flesh in a superficial way, some Christian teachers say that the flesh is dealt with by the cross. But whether the flesh remains whole or is cut into pieces, it is still the flesh. The proper dealing with the flesh comes through a change of diet.
19当以色列人在旷野时，他们要以老旧的方式过生活。他们渴望埃及的食品。根据民数记十一章五节，他们说：『我们记得在埃及的时候，不花钱就吃鱼，也记得有黄瓜、西瓜、韭菜、葱、蒜。』这埃及的粮食用埃及的成分来组织百姓，就是用符合他们肉体的成分来组织百姓。神的心意不仅要对付祂百姓的肉体；也要使肉体摆在一边。祂的心意是要赐给他的百姓另一种食物，藉此重组他们。在出埃及记十六章我们看见，他们的粮食不该再包含埃及的食物；它只该包含属天的食物。这就是神对付肉体的路。我们是堕落过的人，在整个堕落的性情里，没有别的，只有肉体。即使这个肉体被切成碎片，它还是肉体。神对付肉体的路乃是把肉体摆在一旁，不去𫗪养它。因这缘故，神更换他百姓的粮食，并赐给他们肉体所不喜欢的食物。藉著更换他们的粮食，用天上的吗哪𫗪养他们，神使他们得著不同的组成要素。这就是出埃及记十六章的要点。在本章我们看见更换粮食的结果就是神选民的重组和变化。
19When the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they wanted to live in the old way. They desired the foodstuffs of Egypt. According to Numbers 11:5, they said, “We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic.” This Egyptian diet constituted the people with the element of Egypt, an element that corresponded to their flesh. God’sin tent i on is not only to deal with the flesh of His people; it is also to cause the flesh to be set aside. His intention is to give His people another diet and thereby to reconstitute them. In Exodus 16 we see that their diet should no longer consist of foodstuffs from Egypt; it should consist only of heavenly food. This is God’sway to deal with the flesh. As fallen beings, we, in the totality of our fallen nature, are nothing but flesh. Even if this flesh is cut into pieces, it remains flesh. God’sway to deal with the flesh is to put it aside and not to feed it. For this reason, He changes the diet of His people and sends them food which their flesh does not like. By changing their diet and feeding them with manna from heaven, He causes them to have a different constitution. This is the crucial point in Exodus 16. In this chapter we see the change of diet that results in the reconstitution and transformation of God’s chosen people