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出埃及记生命读经 · 第35篇

属天的粮食－吗哪（一）

The Heavenly Diet—Manna (1)
1读经：出埃及记16:4-5,13下-15,31；民数记11:6下-9。倘若我们要认识圣经，我们需要属天的光照和异象。尤其是我们要看见出埃及记中各样事物的属灵意义，更是如此。在前面各篇信息中，我们已经看见出埃及记是一卷图画的书。然而，当我们读这卷书时，如果没有亮光，没有异象，我们就无法领会所有这些图画的意义。
1Scripture Reading: Exo. 16:4-5, 13b-15, 31; Num. 11:6b-9 If we would understand the Bible, we need heavenly enlightenment and vision. This is especially true if we are to see the spiritual significance of the various matters in the book of Exodus. In the foregoing messages we have seen that Exodus is a book of pictures. However, if we have no light and no vision as we read this book, we shall not be able to grasp the meaning of all these pictures
2很多基督徒知道以色列人在旷野飘流的年间吃吗哪。但他们中间少有人透彻且充分地晓得出埃及记十六章中吗哪的意义。也许他们很熟悉出埃及记的故事，甚至也知道吗哪乃是基督作我们食物的豫表。但他们对这一章所记载吃的重要性，没有完全的认识。吃的观念在圣经中是基本且根本的。当我们来温习圣经中吃的重要性时，我们需要记住第一次题到的原则。根据这个原则，圣经中第一次题到一件事，这一次就支配它在整本圣经中的意义。神把人造好以后，祂给人关乎吃的命令和警告：『园中各样树上的果子，你可以随意吃。只是分别善恶树上的果子，你不可吃，因为你吃的日子必定死。』（创二16～17。吃在神的话中是一个基本的观念，因为它牵涉到人与神之间的关系。所以，在描写人的被造之后，圣经就说到人活著与吃有关。
2Many Christians know that during the years of wandering in the wilderness, the children of Israel ate manna. But not many of them know in a thorough and adequate way the significance of the manna in Exodus 16. They may be familiar with the story in Exodus, and they may even know that manna is a type of Christ as food to us. But they do not have a full realization of the importance of eating as recorded in this chapter. The concept of eating is a basic and underlying concept in the Bible. As we review the importance of eating in the Scriptures, we need to remember the principle of first mention. According to this principle, the first mention of a matter in the Bible governs its meaning throughout the Scriptures. After God created man, He gave him a command and a warning about eating: “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:16-17). Eating is a basic concept in the divine Word because it concerns man’s relationship to God. Therefore, after describing the creation of man, the Bible speaks of man’s living, which is related to eating
3在创世记一章二十六节我们看见人是照著神的形像，按著神的样式造的。『形像』和『样式』这两个词表明人要成为神的彰显。然而，形像和样式都有点是外面的。它们无需与里面的内容有关。为这缘故，创世记第二章显示人吃的重要性。本章启示出神对人的心意乃是要人吃生命树。人外面有神的形像和样式。但人里面需要接受生命树的果子进到他里面作他的内容。无疑地，生命树是表征神作人的生命。根据神永远的计画，神照著祂的形像，按著祂的样式造人，使人可以彰显祂。然后神把祂所造好的人安置在生命树面前，（创二9，）要人接受神到他里面，作他的生命。这是圣经中第一次题到吃的事。
3In Genesis 1:26 we see that man was created in God’sim age and after His likeness. The words “image” and “likeness” indicate that man is to be God’s express i on. However, image and likeness are both somewhat outward. They do not necessarily involve inward content. For this reason, Genesis 2 shows the importance of man’seating. This chapter reveals that God’sin tent i on for man was that man would eat of the tree of life. Outwardly man possessed God’sim age and likeness. But inwardly man needed to take the fruit of the tree of life into him as his content. The tree of life no doubt is a symbol of God as life to man. According to His eternal plan, God created man in His image and after His likeness so that man might express Him. Then God placed the man He had created in front of the tree of life (Gen. 2:9) with the intention that man take God into him to be his very life. This is the first reference to eating in the Scriptures.
4到圣经的末了，在启示录二十二章，我们又看见生命树。第二节说，从神和羔羊的宝座流出一道河来，在河的两边有生命树。十四节继续说，那些洗净自己衣服的，可得权柄能到生命树那里。十九节是指我们有分于生命树说的。启示录二十二章的这些经文都指明，神的赎民在永世里要吃这棵树，直到永远。再者，启示录二章七节说，得胜的，要吃神乐园中生命树的果子。人堕落以后，神进来救赎祂的百姓。逾越节是神的救赎以及神在救赎中之心意与目的的一幅完整图画。根据出埃及记十二章的图画，吃的观念在救赎里也是基本且中心的。在逾越节的时候，羊羔的血要涂在吃羊羔的『房屋左右的门框上和门楣上』。（出十二7。）然后百姓要吃羊羔的肉与无酵饼和苦菜同吃。（8。）
4At the end of the Bible, in Revelation 22, we once again see the tree of life. Verse 2 says that on either side of the river which flows from the throne of God and the Lamb there is the tree of life. Verse 14 goes on to say that those who wash their robes have right to the tree of life. Verse 19 refers to our share in the tree of life. These references in Revelation 22 all indicate that in eternity and for eternity God’s redeemed people will be eating of this tree. Furthermore, Revelation 2:7 says that those who overcome will eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. After man’s fall, God came in to redeem His people. The Passover is a complete picture of God’s redemption and of God’sin tent i on and purpose in redemption. According to the picture in Exodus 12, the concept of eating is basic and central in redemption also. At the time of the Passover, the blood of the lamb was put on the “two side posts and on the upper doorpost of the houses” wherein the lamb was eaten (Exo. 12:7). Then the people ate the flesh of the lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs (v. 8
5再者，出埃及记十六章的要点就是吃吗哪。这一章没有论到举止、行为或修养；它乃是论到吃。在约翰六章主耶稣明说祂是真吗哪，父神从天上所差来，要作神选民的食物。所以对我们而言，学习如何吃祂是很要紧的。在三十二节主耶稣说：『我实实在在的告诉你们，那从天上来的粮，不是摩西赐给你们的，乃是我父将天上来的真粮赐给你们。』然后主继续说，吃祂的人要因祂活著。（57。）吗哪也在启示录二章十七节题到，那里告诉我们，主要将『隐藏的吗哪』赐给得胜者吃。这些经节帮助我们看见，在圣经中吃的观念是基本且中心的。我们都晓得要活得正确，必须要吃得正确。譬如，我们若吃毒药，我们定规会死。我曾读到一篇文章说，一个人的饮食能影响他的脾气。根据这篇文章，小孩子的脾气尤其受到食物的影响。这说明属灵正确吃的重要性。当然我们若吃基督作真吗哪，我们会发现很难发脾气。正如我们在前一篇信息中指出，这属天的食物使我们的欲望受限制。它也对付我们自私的野心。一方面，属天的吗哪滋养并医治我们；另一方面，它除去我们里头消极的东西。因为吃是这样重要的事，规定人的食物是圣经中另一个基本观念。
5Furthermore, the main point in Exodus 16 is the eating of manna. This chapter does not deal with behavior, conduct, or self-improvement; it deals with eating. In John 6 the Lord Jesus clearly said that He was the real manna, sent from heaven by God the Father to be food for God’s chosen people. Therefore, it is vital for us to learn how to eat Him. In verse 32 the Lord Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, Moses has not given you the bread out of heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread out of heaven.” Then the Lord went on to say that the one who eats Him will live because of Him (v. 57). Manna is also mentioned in Revelation 2:17, where we are told that the Lord will “give of the hidden manna” to the one who overcomes. These verses help us to see that in the Bible the concept of eating is basic and central. We all realize that in order to live properly we need to eat properly. If we take in poison, for example, we shall surely die. I once read an article which said that a person’s diet can affect his temper. According to this article, a child’s temper in particular is affected by his diet. This illustrates the importance of the proper spiritual eating. Surely if we partake of Christ as the real manna, we shall find it difficult to lose our temper. As we have pointed out in a foregoing message, this heavenly food causes our lusts to be restricted. It also deals with our selfish ambition. On the one hand, the heavenly manna nourishes us and heals us; on the other hand, it eliminates the negative things in us. Because eating is such a crucial matter, the regulating of man’s diet is another basic concept in the Bible.
6你知道甚么造成人的堕落么？人是因著吃得不正确而堕落的。同样的原则，我们得救和得医治是因吃得正确。人堕落是因著吃知识树的果子，但他得救和被恢复是因著吃生命树。
6Do you know what brought about the fall of man? Man fell by eating improperly. In the same principle, we are saved and healed by eating in a proper way. Man fell by eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge, but he is saved and recovered by eating of the tree of life
一 基督的豫表
I. A TYPE OF CHRIST
757-吗哪是基督的豫表。（约六31～，48～51，57～58。）作为真吗哪，基督为父神所差，（32，）叫神的选民凭基督活著。（57。）尽管我们很容易承认吗哪是基督的豫表，但我们不该以天然或肤浅的方式来领会。当我们思想出埃及记十六章降吗哪的记载时，看见吃与生活之间的关系，对我们来说是很重要的。我们要活著必须吃，这是圣经中另一个基本的原则。所以在约翰六章五十七节主耶稣说：『吃我的人，也要因我活著。』没有吃，我们就不可能活著。
7Manna is a type of Christ (John 6:31-35, 48-51, 58). As the real manna, Christ was sent by God the 35 Father (v. 32) for God’s chosen people to live by Christ (v. 57). Although we may readily acknowledge that manna is a type of Christ, we should not regard this in a natural way or superficial way. As we consider the account of the sending of manna in Exodus 16, it is important for us to see the relationship between our eating and our living. We must eat in order to live. This is another basic principle in the Bible. Therefore, in John 6:57 the Lord Jesus said, “He who eats Me shall also live because of Me.” Without eating, it is not possible for us to live.
8现在我们必须继续来看，我们生活的方式在于我们所吃的。倘若你吃很多鱼，你将由鱼的成分所组成，因你吸收鱼的生命和性情。如果你的食物只有鸡肉或是牛肉，而没有鱼，你当然就不会由鱼所组成。我们的生活乃是根据我们所吃的食物。根据出埃及记的图画，以色列人命定要过属天的生活。然而，当他们出埃及时，他们带著埃及的食物。在他们旅行的头几个星期，他们就吃这些埃及的食物。但是当埃及食物的供应用尽时，百姓就愁烦了，开始发怨言并抱怨。尽管粮食缺乏对百姓是一个难题，对神却是喜乐的原因，因它给神一个大好机会来改变祂百姓的生活。神的心意是要改变他们的生活，从埃及的生活变为属天的生活。神不要仅在外面调整、改变或规律百姓。祂要藉著更换他们的粮食而生机地变化他们。当以色列人在埃及时，他们有许多不同的东西可吃，就是埃及粮食的所有成分可以吃。然而，神要把他们的粮食从许多项目变为只有一项，就是从天而降的吗哪。
8Now we must go on to see that the way we live depends on what we eat. If you eat a great deal of fish, you will be constituted of the element of fish, for you will absorb the life and nature of fish. Certainly you will not be constituted of fish if your diet includes only chicken or beef, but no fish. The kind of life we have depends on the kind of food we eat. According to the picture in the book of Exodus, the children of Israel were destined to have a heavenly living. However, when they came out of Egypt, they brought Egyptian food with them. During the first few weeks of their travels, they ate this Egyptian food. But when the supply of Egyptian food was exhausted, the people were troubled and began to murmur and complain. Although the shortage of food was a problem to the people, it was a cause of joy to God, for it gave Him an excellent opportunity to change the living of His people. God’s in tent i on was to change their living from an Egyptian living to a heavenly living. God did not want merely to adjust, change, or regulate the people outwardly. He wanted to change them organically by changing their diet. When the children of Israel were in Egypt, they had many different things to eat, all elements of the Egyptian diet. However, God wanted to change their diet from many items to just one item, and that item was the manna which came from heaven.
9在创世记第二章，神的心意乃是使生命树成为人独一的粮食。启示录二十二章指明，在永世里生命树要成为我们独一的粮食。虽然这棵树会结十二样果子，但在新耶路撒冷只有一棵树，没有许多树。反之，在今天的基督教里，有好几千棵树；那就是说，有好几千种食物的来源。但在神的经营里只有一棵树─生命树。这棵树从前在伊甸园里，将来它也要在新耶路撒冷里。在出埃及记十六章和约翰六章里，生命树是以吗哪的名称出现。如果你仔细地并带著理解力来读圣经，你将看见吗哪和生命树是可以互换的。吗哪就是生命树，而生命树就是吗哪。这意思是说，出埃及记十六章的吗哪就是创世记二章的生命树，而约翰六章的吗哪也将是启示录二十二章的生命树。吗哪和生命树是描写同一件东西不同的说法。神没有给祂的选民两种食物。因为只有一位神，也只有一种食物。基督是我们的吗哪和生命树直到永远。我们有一位神，一位基督，并一位灵。我们也有一种食物，一种粮食。
9In Genesis 2 God’sin tent i on was that the tree of life become man’s unique diet. Revelation 22 indicates that the tree of life will be our unique diet in eternity. Although this tree will bring forth twelve kinds of fruit, there will nonetheless be just one tree in the New Jerusalem, not many trees. In today’s Christianity, on the contrary, there are thousands of trees; that is, there are thousands of sources of food. But in God’secon o my there is one tree—the tree of life. This tree was in the garden, and it will be in the New Jerusalem. In Exodus 16 and John 6 the tree of life appears by the name of manna. If you read the Bible carefully and with understanding, you will see that manna and the tree of life are interchangeable. The manna is the tree of life, and the tree of life is the manna. This means that the manna in Exodus 16 was the tree of life in Genesis 2, and that the manna in John 6 will be the tree of life in Revelation 22. Manna and the tree of life are different terms to describe one thing. God does not have two kinds of food for His chosen people. Because there is one God, there is also just one kind of food. Christ is both our manna and our tree of life for eternity. We have one God, one Christ, and one Spirit. We also have one food, one diet
10然而，世人凭著许多不同的食物而活。在前一篇信息中我们指出，属世的人也许凭著教育、运动和消遣这些东西活著。正如有供物质百货的超级市场，也有供精神和宗教食粮的超级市场。因著世人靠著基督以外的这么多东西为生，当然我们可以认为他们是今天的埃及人。我们得救以前，在埃及和所有其他未得救的人一同享受埃及的粮食。如今神要更换我们的粮食。然而，我们也许仍愿坐在埃及的肉锅旁边，吃黄瓜、西瓜、葱、韭菜和蒜，或者享受尼罗河的鱼。所以，我们面临粮食中有一种以上的成分的问题。我们还有靠著基督之外的许多东西而活的问题。譬如，虽然我鼓励青年人获得良好的教育，但我必须题醒他们不要靠教育活著。教育不该成为我们的粮食。
10The people in the world, however, live by many different kinds of foods. In the previous message we pointed out that worldly people may live on such things as education, sports, and amusements. Just as there are supermarkets for physical groceries, there are also psychological and religious supermarkets for psychological and religious groceries. Because the people in the world feed on so many things other than Christ, we may rightly regard them as today’s Egyptians. Before we were saved, we were in Egypt enjoying the Egyptian diet with all the other unsaved people. But we have been saved and have made our exodus out of Egypt. Now God intends to change our diet. However, we may still desire to sit by the fleshpots in Egypt, to feed on cucumbers, melons, onions, leeks, and garlic, or to enjoy fish from the Nile. Therefore, we face the problem of having more than one element in our diet. We also have the problem of living on many things other than Christ. For example, although I encourage the young people to get a good education, I must remind them not to live on education. Education should not become our diet.
11根据神的经营，我们应当靠基督而活，并且是单靠基督而活。基督该是我们独一的粮食，我们该凭祂活著。我们不该追求靠著任何其它的食物而活。凡是能满足、加强并维持我们的，就是我们的食物。我们所接受作我们维持、力量和满足的独一食物必须是基督。然而，许多信徒没有接受基督作他们满足、力量和维持的独一源头。反而，他们试著由其它的东西得著满足、支持和加强。因著神要我们靠基督而活，我们就该单凭基督得著支持、加强和满足。我们非常强调神要更换我们粮食的这个事实。祂的心意是要断绝属世的粮食，并且限我们只吃属天的粮食，就是基督。因著试探和爱世界这样的说法在基督教里用得很轻忽，我宁可不用它们来说到出埃及记十六章的神圣启示。我盼望问到你的粮食。你今天靠甚么活著？你接受甚么来满足、维持并加强你？我们都必须面对这些问题，并且答覆它们。我们都应当能说：『主是惟一能满足我的那位。除祂以外，我没有满足。我天天靠基督得著加强和维持。祂是我所倚赖的惟一食物。』我能作见证，五十多年来，我没有因著基督以外的东西得著满足、加强或维持。从我十九岁得救的时候起，基督就一直成为满足我的食物。我得著某些好东西，但这些东西没有一样满足过我。
11According to God’secon o my, we should live on Christ and on Christ alone. Christ should be our unique diet, and we should live by Him. We should not seek to live on any other food. Whatever satisfies, strengthens, and sustains us is our food. The unique food we take for our sustenance, strength, and satisfaction must be Christ. However, many believers do not take Christ as their unique source of satisfaction, strength, and sustenance. Instead, they are trying to be satisfied, sustained, and strengthened by other things. Because God wants us to live on Christ, we should be sustained, strengthened, and satisfied by Christ alone. We have strongly emphasized the fact that God wants to change our diet. His intention is to cut off the worldly diet and to limit us to a diet of heavenly food, which is Christ. Because terms such as temptation and loving the world have been used in a light way in Christianity, I prefer not to use them in speaking of the divine revelation in Exodus 16. I wish to inquire concerning your diet. On what are you living day by day? What do you take in to satisfy, sustain, and strengthen you? We all must face these questions and answer them. We all should be able to say, “The Lord is the only One who satisfies me. Apart from Him, I have no satisfaction. I am daily strengthened and sustained by Christ. He is the only food on which I rely.” I can testify that for more than fifty years I have not been satisfied, strengthened, or sustained by anything other than Christ. From the time I was saved at the age of nineteen, Christ has been my satisfying food. I have obtained certain good things, but none of these things has satisfied me even once
12基督必须是我们的食物、满足、力量和维持。但这不是说，我们不需要一些东西为著人的生活。我们需要各样美好和有用的东西，例如教育。但我们不该让这些东西成为我们的食物。我们也许需要它们，也拥有它们，但我们不该靠它们或凭它们而活。我们惟一的食物乃是基督。
12Christ must be our food, satisfaction, strength, and sustenance. This does not mean, however, that we do not need certain things for our human living. We need various good and useful things, including, for example, education. But we should not allow these things to become our food. We may need them and we may have them, but we should not live on them or by them. Our only food is Christ
13对我们成为主观的基督才是我们的食物。祂是经过了种种过程的神作为包罗万有的灵内住在我们的灵里。一方面，基督在天上是万有的主；另一方面，祂住在我们灵里是包罗万有赐生命的灵。我们仰望天上的主，也与在我们灵中的那灵交通。赞美主，祂主观地在我们里面！祂对我们如此主观的主要目的是要成为我们的食物，我们生命的供应。要成为我们的食物和生命供应的东西，必须是能进到我们里面，然后被我们所吸收的东西。它必须被接受进来成为我们的组织和纤维的一部分。基督对我们是主观的正是如此。在林前六章十七节保罗告诉我们：『与主联合的，便是与主成为一灵。』当我们吃某一种食物，就使自己与那种食物联合。譬如，我晚餐吃鱼，我便和鱼联合。同样的原则，我们吃基督作我们的真食物，便与祂联合，并且与祂成为一灵。因此，这位基督对我们是主观的，我们与祂联合并与祂成为一灵，祂是我们的食物，我们属天的吗哪。看见这事对我们来说是很重要的。在释放这些出埃及记的信息时，我不满意于仅仅查考圣经或把教训传给圣徒们。我的愿望乃是我们都以真正、实际的方式来经历这些事。在释放本篇信息之前，我一再向主祷告，使我们都能看见我们需要靠著祂并凭祂活著。我们不需要教训、道理和圣经知识。我们需要接受祂作我们的食物，并凭祂活著。吃基督和凭祂活著不该是偶而的操练。反之，它该是我们一天二十四小时的生活方式。在已过几个月间，我向主的认罪，多半都是因著在藉著与祂成为一灵而活出祂这件事上有亏欠。为著这事，我每天都有许多点要向主认罪。清晨我祷告说：『主，赐给我今天这一分的恩典，使我活出你，并实行与你成为一灵。』大约有一个小时之久我能成功地与主活在一个灵里。然后我就觉察到我不再与祂成为一灵的事实。因此，我需要认罪，求主赦免，并归向祂。与主成为一灵就像呼吸：它不是一次发生就永远成就的，它乃是时时刻刻都在进行的。
13The Christ who is our food is the Christ who has become subjective to us. He is the processed God indwelling our spirit as the all-inclusive Spirit. On the one hand, Christ is in heaven as the Lord of all; on the other hand, He is dwelling in our spirit as the all- inclusive life-giving Spirit. We look to the Lord in the heavens, and we fellowship with the Spirit in our spirit. Praise the Lord that He is within us subjectively! The main purpose for His being so subjective to us is that He may be our food, our life supply. Anything which is to be our food and life supply must be something that can enter into us and then be assimilated by us. It must be taken in and become part of the very tissue and fiber of our being. Christ is subjective to us in precisely this way. In 1 Corinthians 6:17 Paul tells us, “He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” Whenever we eat a certain food, we join ourselves to that food. For example, when I eat fish for dinner, I join myself to the fish. In the same principle, when we eat Christ as our real food, we are joined to Him and become one spirit with Him. Hence, the Christ who is subjective to us, to whom we are joined and with whom we are one spirit, is our food, our heavenly manna. It is crucial for us to see this. In giving these messages on the book of Exodus, I am not content merely to carry on a Bible study or to pass on teachings to the saints. My desire is that we shall experience all these matters in a way that is actual and practical. Before giving this message, I prayed to the Lord again and again that we all may see our need to live on Him and by Him. We don’t need teachings, doctrines, and Bible knowledge. We need to take Him as our food and to live by Him. Feeding on Christ and living by Him should not be an occasional practice. Rather, it should be the way we live twenty-four hours a day. During the past months, most of the confession I have made to the Lord has been related to my shortcoming in the matter of living Him by being one spirit with Him. Every day I have had much to confess to the Lord regarding this. Early in the morning I pray, “Lord, grant me today’s port i on of grace that I may live You and practice being one spirit with You.” For about an hour I may be successful in living in one spirit with the Lord. Then I become conscious of the fact that I am no longer one spirit with Him. Thus, I need to confess, ask for the Lord’s forgiveness, and come back to Him. To be one spirit with the Lord is like breathing: it does not happen once for all, but takes place moment by moment.
14早期我发觉要胜过某些缠累的罪很难。如今靠著主的怜悯和恩典，我不再被那些罪所搅扰。今天我发觉困难的乃是学习不断地与主成为一灵。这是非常难学的功课。倘若我自己不操练与主成为一灵，那么在这件事上我的职事就没有实际了。活基督和凭基督而活不该仅仅是道理；它必须是我们每天实际的生活。我自己必须学习如此生活。在我的经历中，我发现与主成为一灵必须非常敏锐。缠累人的罪是鲁莽且粗暴的，但与主活在一个灵里是非常柔细、细腻的。我年轻时，我希奇主为甚么嘱咐我们要儆醒祷告。（太二六41。）我希奇为甚么我们需要儆醒。现在我晓得我们必须儆醒，免得里面失去与主的接触。我们必须儆醒，免得关掉属灵的开关，在经历中与基督分离了。要与基督隔绝，我们不必作一些粗鲁的事，好比发脾气。只要以不亲切的眼光看我们的丈夫或妻子，就能使我们与祂隔绝了。我们需要转向主，认罪，并得著祂的赦免。我们甚至需要求祂洁净我们的眼目。我们脸上有不亲切的表情，原因就在于当时我们没有与主成为一灵。
14In my early days I found it difficult to overcome certain besetting sins. Now, by the Lord’s mercy and grace, I am no longer troubled by those sins. What I find difficult today is learning to be continually one spirit with the Lord. This is a very hard lesson to learn. If I myself do not practice being one spirit with the Lord, then my ministry concerning this matter has no reality. Living Christ and living by Christ should not be mere doctrine; it must be our practical daily living. I myself must learn to live this way. In my experience I have discovered that being one spirit with the Lord requires great sensitivity. The besetting sins are coarse and crude, but living in one spirit with the Lord is very delicate and fine. When I was young, I wondered why the Lord charged us to watch and pray (Matt. 26:41). I wondered what need there was for me to watch. Now I am learning that we need to watch lest we inwardly lose contact with the Lord. We need to be watchful lest we turn off our spiritual switch and become separated from Christ in our experience. In order to be cut off from Christ, we need not do something coarse, such as lose our temper. We can be cut off from Him simply by looking at our husband or wife in a way that is unkind. We need to turn to the Lord, confess, and receive His forgiveness. We even need to ask Him to cleanse our eyes. The reason we have an unkind expression on our face is that we are not at that instant one spirit with the Lord.
15我们每天旱晨都当求主赐给我们恩典，在那一天与祂成为一灵。然后我们需要终日实际地操练与祂成为一灵。倘若我们试著这样作，就会发觉我们总是不与祂合一。我们的经历有点像一盏灯，因著某种电的问题，忽明忽暗。有一次我的书房里有这样的一盏灯，我发觉它很麻烦。一下子灯亮了；一下子灯又灭了。整天都是又亮又灭。我们对主的经历常常就是这样。所有要藉著与祂成为一灵而活基督的人，都会被这种时断时续的经历所困扰。
15Every morning we should ask the Lord to give us the grace to be one spirit with Him for that day. Then we need to exercise to be one spirit with Him in a practical way throughout the day. If we try to practice this, we shall realize that time after time we are no longer one with Him. Our experience may be somewhat like a lamp that, because of some electrical problem, switches off and on unpredictably. I once had such a lamp in my study, and I found it very troublesome. One moment the light was on; the next moment it was off. It would switch off and on all day long. We are often this way in our experience with the Lord. All those who want to live Christ by being one spirit with Him will be troubled by such on-and-off experiences
16当你夜晚准备就寝时，要求主豫备你第二天操练与祂成为一灵。如果我们尽力活在与主合一的里面，我们会发现接受基督作食物对我们多半是道理。在我们的日常生活中还没有太多的实际。
16As you are getting ready for bed at night, ask the Lord to prepare you to practice being one spirit with Him the next day. If we endeavor to live in oneness with the Lord, we shall discover that taking Christ as our food has been for us largely a matter of doctrine. It is not yet much of a reality in our daily life.
17许多基督徒知道吗哪是基督的豫表。但是光懂得这个道理没有甚么意义。神的心意是要我们终日靠基督而活。祂不要我们在基督以外靠别的东西活著。我们需要某些东西为著我们的生活，但它们不该成为我们的食物。基督是我们独一的粮食，我们应当凭祂活著，并且单单靠祂而活。愿我们的眼睛得开启，看见这件重要的事。
17Many Christians know that manna is a type of Christ. But simply to know this as a doctrine does not mean anything. God’sin tent i on is for us to live on Christ all day long. He does not want us to live on anything other than Christ. We need certain things for our living, but they should not become food to us. Christ is our unique diet, and we should live by Him and on Him alone. May our eyes be opened to see this crucial matter.
二 给神百姓独一的食物
II. THE UNIQUE FOOD FOR GOD’SP EOPLE
18属天的吗哪要成为给神百姓独一的食物。以色列人甚至能说：『除这吗哪以外，在我们眼前并没有别的东西。』（民十一6下。）在基督作为给神百姓独一食物的事上，我盼望对职事的独一性说一点话。有些基督徒宣称有许多不同的职事。正如我们已指出的，今天在基督教里有好几百个源头；也有好几百个所谓的职事。然而在圣经中，尤其在新约里，只有一个职事。十二位使徒全都有分于这同一个职事。在一篇叫作『新约经营中的职事』的信息中（参看真理信息第四篇），我们看见在新约经营中职事的真理。我们在那篇信息中指出，在主的眼中，在新约时代里只有一个职事。十二位使徒没有不同的职事。反之，他们全都有分于新约中这独一的职事。论到犹大，彼得说他『本来列在我们数中，并且在这职事上得了一分。』（行传一17，另译。）这证明十二位使徒全都在『这职事』中。这说出新约里有一个独一的职事。因此，当使徒们祷告能有人替换犹大时，他们求主指明祂所拣选的是谁，『叫他有分于这职事。』（行传一25，另译。）
18The heavenly manna is to be the unique food for God’sp eople. The children of Israel could even say, “There is nothing at all, besides this manna, before our eyes” (Num. 11:6b). In relation to Christ as the unique food for God’sp eople, I wish to say a word about the uniqueness of the ministry. Some Christians claim that there are many different ministries. In Christianity today, as we have already pointed out, there are hundreds of sources; there are also hundreds of so-called ministries. However, in the Bible, especially in the New Testament, there is just one ministry. The twelve Apostles all shared in the same ministry. In a message entitled “The Ministry in the New Testament Economy” (see Truth Messages, Message Four), we considered the truth regarding the ministry in the New Testament economy. We pointed out in that message that in the eyes of the Lord, there is just one ministry in the New Testament age. The twelve Apostles did not have different ministries. Rather, they all shared in the unique New Testament ministry. Speaking of Judas, Peter said that he “was numbered among us, and was allotted his portion of this ministry” (Acts 1:17). This proves that the twelve Apostles were all in “this ministry.” This indicates that there is one unique ministry in the New Testament. Therefore, when the Apostles prayed about a replacement for Judas, they asked the Lord to show them whom He had chosen to “take the place of this ministry” (Acts 1:25
19使徒保罗在这职事中也有一分。在林后四章一节他说：『我们受了这职事。』他不是说：『我受了这职事。』也不是说：『我们受了这些职事。』再者，在提前一章十二节保罗说：『我感谢那给我力量的，我们主基督耶稣，因祂以我有忠心，把我放在这职事里。』（另译。）在这一节保罗不是说：『祂把我放在我的职事里。』他是说主把他放在新约中那独一的职事里。
19The apostle Paul also had a part in this ministry. In 2 Corinthians 4:1 he spoke of “having this ministry, as we have received mercy.” He did not say, “I have this ministry,” nor, “We have these ministries.” Furthermore, in 1 Timothy 1:12 Paul said, “I give thanks to Him who empowers me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because He has counted me faithful, appointing me to the ministry.” In this verse Paul does not say, “He appointed me to my ministry”; he says that the Lord appointed him to the unique New Testament ministry.
20使徒们只有一个职事，因为他们供应同样的食物。我们都知道新约有四福音。我们不能否认四福音之间有所不同。马太是由作王的角度来写；马可是从服事的角度；路加是从藉著正常人性而有之救赎的角度；而约翰则是从藉著基督神性之生命的角度。然而，福音书说到一个人。四福音的作者都供应同一位基督。这说出尽管福音书的作者所著重的点不同，在他们的职事里却是一。每一本福音书都是这位奇妙人物的传记。然而在今天的基督教世界里，有许多不同的职事。这些职事已经成了分裂的原因。不是一棵树和一种食物，反而有几百棵树产生许多不同种类的食物来。那些反对主恢复的人有时候说，地方教会只听李常受一个人的，而且不接受别人的职事。说众教会只听从我是不正确的。然而，我要强烈地宣告众教会只有一个职事。今天我们在主的恢复里有独一的职事。今天的光景和恢复的起初是一样的。再者，这职事在世界各地也是一样的。在美国、欧洲、亚洲、非洲和大洋洲，这职事是一个，而且是同样的。尽管在主的恢复里只有一个职事，但却有成百，甚至成千位说话的人。尽管他们从不同的角度说话，但所有这些说话的人都说同样的事。为著祂恢复中的职事赞美主！我们都吃同一棵树─生命树。我们没有任何其它的源头。在主的恢复里，我们不能接受任何不是这职事之一部分的职事。接受其它的职事就是吃进去一些与属天吗哪不同的食物。我们感谢主，从起头祂就指示我们甚么是基督的职事，生命的职事。我们有一棵生命树，一种吗哪。多年来我在美国这里，释放了几千篇信息。但所有这些信息只输送一种食物，一种粮食：就是基督作为给神百姓的独一食物。
20The apostles had one ministry because they ministered the same kind of food. We all know that in the New Testament there are four Gospels. We cannot deny that there are differences among the Gospels. Matthew wrote from the angle of the kingship; Mark, from the angle of service; Luke, from the angle of redemption through the proper humanity; and John, from the angle of life through Christ’s deity. Nevertheless, the Gospels present one Person. The writers of the four Gospels all minister the same Christ. This indicates that although the Gospel writers differ in emphasis, they are one in their ministry. Each of the Gospels is a biography of the same wonderful Person. In today’s Christian world, however, there are many different ministries. These ministries have been a cause of division. Instead of one tree with one diet, there are hundreds of trees producing many different kinds of food. Those who oppose the Lord’s recovery sometimes say that the local churches listen only to one person, Witness Lee, and do not receive the ministry of anyone else. It is not true to say that the churches listen only to me. However, I will strongly declare that all the churches have just one ministry. We in the Lord’s recovery today have the unique ministry. This is the same today as it was at the beginning of the recovery. Furthermore, this ministry is the same throughout the world. In the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia, the ministry is one and the same. Although there is one ministry in the Lord’s recovery, there are hundreds, even thousands, of speakers. But all these speakers are speaking the same thing, although they may speak it from different angles. Praise the Lord for the ministry in His recovery! We are all eating from one tree, the tree of life. We do not have any other source. In the Lord’s recovery we cannot accept any ministry that is not part of the ministry. To accept other kinds of ministry would be to take in some food that is different from the heavenly manna. We thank the Lord that from the very beginning He showed us what is the ministry of Christ, the ministry of life. We have one tree of life, one manna. Throughout the years I have been in this country, I have given thousands of messages. But all these messages have conveyed one food, one diet: Christ as the unique food for God’sp eople
21主若许我，我能释放一篇又一篇关乎道理的信息。但主不许我说这些事。当我释放启示录和马太福音生命读经的信息时，主保守我不从生命树岔到豫言的知识上去。但有时候，有人问我有关圣经豫言的问题，例如，但以理九章的六十二个七。这样的问题可能是一个试探。当我开口回答这样的问题时，我就被题醒，我的托付乃是将作为独一食物的基督供应出去。我们没有另一棵树叫作道理树或是豫言树。
21If the Lord were to allow me, I could give message after message concerning doctrine. But the Lord does not permit me to speak on such things. When I was giving the life-study messages on Revelation and Matthew, the Lord preserved me from being distracted from the tree of life to knowledge of prophecy. Sometimes, however, I am asked questions related to Bible prophecy, for example, regarding the sixty - two weeks in Daniel 9. Such a question can be a temptation. As I have opened my mouth to answer a question such as this, I have been reminded that my commission is to minister Christ as the unique food. We do not have another tree called the tree of doctrine or the tree of prophecy.
22在主的恢复里，我们注意麦子，而不在意糠秕。尽管有成千的麦粒，所有的子粒都产生麦子，而非其它种的榖粒。同样的原则，圣经只出产基督作我们独一的食物。为这缘故，我们不接受那些分赐其它种类食物的职事。根据圣经，神有一个职事。这职事就是基督的职事，生命的职事。凡有分于这独一职事的人都说一样的话，并且有一样的目标。主的恢复在美国的这些年间，我们的说法和目标是一个，为此我满了感谢。这一的原因乃在于我们的职事是一个，并且我们供应众圣徒的生命也是一个。
22In the Lord’s recovery we care for the wheat, not for the chaff. Although there may be thousands of grains of wheat, all the grains produce wheat, not some other kind of crop. In the same principle, the Bible produces only Christ as our unique food. For this reason, we do not accept those ministries that impart other kinds of food. According to the Bible, God has one ministry. This ministry is the ministry of Christ, the ministry of life. All those who share in this unique ministry speak with the same tone and have the same goal. I am thankful that during the years the Lord’s recovery has been in this country our tone and goal have been one. The reason for this oneness is that our ministry is one and the life we are ministering to the saints is also one
23我有负担要强调圣经中以及今天主恢复里那独一职事的重要性，因为有些人批评我们不接受其它的职事。他们对于在主恢复里的职事是一个的事实加以责难。这种对职事的批评是狡猾的，就像创世记三章中的蛇说话一样。我盼望这话会给我们打预防针好对付那狡猾者的毒素。每当有人批评主恢复中独一的职事时，我们应当回答，我们有一个职事，因为在圣经中只有一棵生命树。既然我们有一位神，一位基督，和一位灵并一棵生命树，我们也有一个职事。赞美主，在祂的恢复中有独一的职事！因为职事是独一的，所以我们中间没有分裂。然而，若有两个职事，就会有分裂。若有二十个职事，就会有二十个分裂。我们感谢主，我们蒙保守在一里面，因为我们只有一个职事。然而，我们需要清楚，有一个职事并非说众教会只有一位说话者。今天在地上有三百五十处以上地方的教会。那一个人有可能成为在所有这些教会中惟一说话的人呢？正如我们已指出的，在远东和西方有许许多多说话的人，为著同样的目标说同样的事。
23I have been burdened to emphasize the importance of the unique ministry in the Bible and in the Lord’s recovery today because some criticize us for not receiving other ministries. They find fault with the fact that the ministry in the Lord’s recovery is one. This criticism concerning the ministry is subtle, like the speaking of the serpent in Genesis 3. I hope that this word will inoculate us against the poison of the subtle one. Whenever someone speaks critically of the unique ministry in the Lord’s recovery, we should reply that we have one ministry because in the Bible there is just one tree of life. Since we have one God, one Christ, and one Spirit with one tree of life, we also have one ministry. Praise the Lord that in His recovery there is only one ministry! Because the ministry is unique, there are no divisions among us. However, if there were two ministries, there would be division. If there were twenty ministries, there would be twenty divisions. We thank the Lord that we are preserved in oneness because we have one ministry. We need to be clear, however, that to have one ministry does not mean that there is just one speaker for all the churches. There are more than three hundred fifty local churches on earth today. How could any person be the only one to speak in all these churches? As we have pointed out, both in the Far East and in the West, there are many speakers speaking the same thing for the same goal.
24因著吗哪是给神百姓独一的食物，他们就不许可照著自己的口味来拣选食物。在吃的事上，人喜欢吃合个人口味的食物。比方说，在香港有许多中国餐馆善于各种烹调。为著肉身的食物，我们能从许多精选的中国餐馆和各式各样的西餐烹调中作选择。但在新耶路撤冷中，只有一种食物和一种粮食。根据启示录二十二章新耶路撒冷的异象，生命水的河从神和羔羊的宝座流出来，河边长著生命树。在主的恢复中也是如此，我们有基督作我们独一的食物。
24Because manna was the unique food for God’sp eople, they were not permitted to have any choice of food according to their own tastes. In the matter of eating, people like to eat food that suits their personal tastes. For example, in Hong Kong there are many Chinese restaurants which specialize in different kinds of cooking. For our physical food we can choose from a wide selection of Chinese restaurants as well as from many different styles of Western cooking. But in the New Jerusalem there will be just one kind of food and one diet. According to the vision of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 22, the river of water of life flows out from the throne of God and the Lamb, and along the river grows the tree of life. It is also this way in the Lord’s recovery, where we have Christ as our unique diet