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出埃及记生命读经 · 第5篇

神呼召所豫备的人（一）

God’s Calling of the Prepared One (1)
1在出埃及记第一章里，我们看见以色列人被奴役；在第二章我们看见神豫备了一位拯救者。本篇信息我们来到出埃及记第三章，我们将要看见神呼召祂所豫备的人。
1In chapter one of Exodus we saw the children of Israel under slavery, and in chapter two we saw the preparation of a savior. In this message we come to Exodus 3, where we shall consider God’scall ing of the prepared one
一 神呼召的动机
I. THE MOTIVATION OF GOD’SCALL ING
2神呼召的动机是以色列人的哀求。（二～25，三7，9。）出埃及记三章七节说：『耶和华说，我的百姓在埃及所受的困苦，我实在看见了，他们因受督工的辖制所发的哀声，我也听见了，我原知道他们的痛苦。』神不仅听见他们的哀声，祂也在他们受苦之地眷顾他们。因此，祂完全知道他们的光景，巴望拯救他们。
2The motivation of God’s calling was the cry of the children of Israel (2:23-25; 3:7, 9). Exodus 3:7 says, 23 “And Jehovah said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows” (Heb.). Not only did God hear their cry, but He also visited them in the place of their affliction. Hence, He fully knew their situation and was eager to rescue them from it.
二 神呼召的时间
II. THE TIME OF GOD’SCALL ING
3虽然神要拯救以色列人脱离捆绑，祂却必须等到摩西完全豫备好。出埃及记这几章启示出神十分有耐性。远在摩西出生以前，以色列人就在埃及受苦了。但神至少还等候了八十年之久。若是你对所处的情况无能为力，就很容易忍耐。在这样的情形里面，你除了等候以外别无选择。但是对于能干彀格的人来说，就不容易忍耐了。神的确能拯救以色列人，祂有足彀的能力。然而，祂却忍耐著等候。有时候我们因神的忍耐感到疲倦，就问：『主阿，要等到几时？你垂听了我们的祷告么？主，你在那里？你不顾我们么？你到几时才为我们作事呢？宇宙中似乎没有神了。』诗篇中一再地有这样的问题，因为作诗的人也和我们一样。神的忍耐使我们等候得疲倦，但这是对我们有益的。因为我们累了，就安息了。我们也许太疲倦，以致连祷告都放弃了。我们知道神是真实的，祂有祂的时候。因此，我们学习把事情留给祂，然后我们就安息了。
3Although God wanted to deliver the children of Israel out of bondage, He had to wait until Moses had been fully prepared. These chapters of Exodus reveal that God is very patient. Even before the birth of Moses, the children of Israel were suffering in Egypt. But God still waited for at least eighty years. It is easy to be patient if you do not have the strength or ability to do anything about the situation. In such a case, you have no choice except to wait. But for one who is capable and qualified, it is difficult to be patient. God was certainly able to deliver the children of Israel; His power was sufficient. Nevertheless, He waited patiently. Sometimes we are exhausted by God’s patience and ask, “How long, Lord? Have You heard our prayers? Lord, where are You? Don’tY ou care for us? How long will it be before You do something for us?” It seems that there is no God in this universe. In the psalms such questions are asked again and again, for the psalmists were the same as we are. It is good for us to be exhausted by the patience of God because after we are exhausted, we rest. We may be so exhausted that we give up praying. We know that God is true and real and that He has His timing. Therefore, we learn to leave the matter with Him. Then we shall be at rest
4摩西的一生过了四十年之后，他无法再等候而不救以色列人。他受了最高的教育，并且成了说话行事都有才能的人。（行传七22。）无疑地，照他自己的估计，他认为他彀资格，也准备好要为他的百姓行事。但是神将摩西放在一边，再经过另一个四十年，直到他照著神的标准完全豫备好。在此我们看见神的忍耐。
4After forty years of his life had gone by, Moses could no longer wait to deliver the children of Israel. He had received the highest education, and he had become a man powerful in words and in deeds (Acts 7:22). According to his own estimation, no doubt he thought he was qualified and ready to act on behalf of his people. But God set Moses aside for another forty years, until he was fully prepared according to God’s standard. In this we see the patience of our God.
5神为甚么需要等候那八十年呢？我们没有人愿意等候这样长的时间。当然，神要有路才能更早进来，但在以色列人中没有一个人能让祂进来。所以，神必须等到摩西生下来。四十年以后，摩西在那里，而且已经长大了；但神仍需等候，因为摩西是这样天然。因著还没有一个豫备好的人，神必须等候。这里我们看见一个原则。神在每一个时代中都渴望作一些事。问题不在祂那一边，而是在祂百姓这边。问题总是这样：准备好接受神呼召的人在那里？在我们的时代中，神也渴望作一些事。但是谁准备好接受祂的呼召呢？十九个世纪以前，主耶稣就说祂必快来，（启二二7，）但是祂还没有回来。如果我们问主为何祂的再来迟延这样久，祂也许会回答说：『豫备好让我回来的人在那里？当我见到有彀多的人豫备好了，我就要回来。我渴望回来，但是必须有某些事让我能彀回来。』在出埃及记中，当摩西是个孩子，或者他还是信靠天然的力量和才干时，神就无法进来。神必须等到摩西八十岁。摩西豫备好了以后，神才进来呼召他。以色列人因著暴政、迫害和压制而呼求，但神仍需等候摩西豫备好。同样的原则，因为没有彀多的百姓豫备好让他回来，祂仍旧迟延祂的再来。
5What made it necessary for God to wait those eighty years? None of us would have been willing to wait such a long time. Surely God wanted a way to come in earlier than He did, but there was no one among the children of Israel to whom He could come. Therefore, God had to wait until Moses was born. Forty years later Moses was there, and had grown up, but God still had to wait because Moses was so natural. God had to wait because there was the lack of a prepared one. Here we see a principle. In every age God has desired to do something. The problem has not been on His side; it has always been on the side of His people. The question has always been this: where is one who is ready to receive God’scall? In our age also God is eager to do certain things. But who is ready for His call? More than nineteen centuries ago the Lord Jesus said that He was coming quickly (Rev. 22:7). But He still has not come. If we ask the Lord why His coming back has been delayed so long, He may reply, “Where are those who are ready for Me to come back? When I see that a sufficient number are ready, I shall come. I am very eager to come back, but there must be something for Me to come back to.” In Exodus God could not come in when Moses was a child or when he was still trusting in his natural strength and ability. God had to wait until Moses was eighty years of age. Then, after Moses had been prepared, God came in to call him. The children of Israel cried out because of the tyranny, the persecution, and the oppression, but God still had to wait for Moses to be prepared. In the same principle, the Lord continues to delay His coming back because not enough of His people are ready for Him to return
6在出埃及记第二章和第三章里，我们看见遭逼迫的神子民向神哀求，以及怜悯、恩典和慈爱的神巴望拯救他们。但是摩西慢慢地长大成熟。以色列人的哀求是迫切的，神发的热心也是极大的，但摩西的长大却是缓慢的。今天的情形也是这样。许多圣徒一直叹息渴望主回来，主也巴望要回来，但是豫备好的人在那里？因此，不要向主抱怨今天的情形，我们该使自己在生命中长大。
6In chapters two and three of Exodus we see that the persecuted children of God were crying out to Him and that the God of mercy, grace, and love was eager to rescue them. But Moses was growing slowly unto maturity. The cry of the Israelites was desperate and the eagerness of God was great, but the growth of Moses was slow. The situation is the same today. Many saints have been sighing and longing for the Lord to come back, and the Lord is yearning to come back. But where are the prepared ones? Therefore, instead of complaining to the Lord about today’s situation, we should give ourselves to grow in life.
7当神的主宰把摩西放在一边时，他定规非常丧气，盼望全失。既失去了盼望，他就满足于作一个牧羊人，在米甸地看守羊群。一个曾在王宫里受过教育的人，现在被迫在旷野像牧羊人一样过生活。当年日过去，他失去了他的信心、他的前途、他的兴趣和他的目标，他失去了一切。最后，很可能到了一个地步，他不再认为他是神要用来拯救以色列人脱离埃及捆绑的那一位。摩西也许对自己说：『我必须照顾羊群；但是连这些也不是我的，而是属于我的岳父。我没有主权，没有王国。除了作工维持生计以外，没有甚么留给我作了。我目前所关心的是为羊群找嫩草，找水给牠们喝。』但是有一天，摩西经过了完全的处理，神就向他显现并呼召他。在神眼中，摩西八十岁时已完全豫备好，并彀资格了，神才在恰当的时候临到他。在圣经里，神呼召摩西的记载比呼召其他人的记载都长。祂呼召亚伯拉罕的记载是简短的，呼召以赛亚的记载也是如此，而呼召彼得和大数的扫罗也是一样。但是呼召摩西的记载篇幅既长又详细。在这记载中我们找出关于神呼召的所有要点。因此，我们若要明白神呼召的全部意义，必须非常注意出埃及记第三章中神对摩西的呼召。在历史上，摩西是第一个完备、合格且完全的神的仆人。神使用挪亚建造方舟，但他不是摩西那样的仆人。甚至信心之父亚伯拉罕，也不像摩西那样完全。因著他是圣经中第一个完全合格的神仆人，他就是神仆人的标准模型，并且神对他的呼召就是他呼召众仆人的标准。在原则上，我们都必须像摩西一样地蒙召。
7When by God’s sovereignty Moses was set aside, he must have been very disappointed and he must have lost all hope. Having lost hope, he became content to be a shepherd caring for the flock in the land of Midian. A man who had been educated in the royal palace was now forced to live as a shepherd in the wilderness. As the years went by, he lost everything—his confidence, his future, his interest, his goal. Eventually, Moses probably reached the point where he had no further thought that he was the one whom God would use to rescue the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt. Moses might have said to himself, “I must care for this flock. But not even this flock is mine; it belongs to my father-in-law. I have no empire, no kingdom. There is nothing left for me to do except to labor in support of my family. My immediate concern is to find fresh grass for the flock and water for them to drink.” But one day, when Moses had been thoroughly processed, God appeared to him and called him. At the age of eighty, in the eyes of God Moses was fully prepared and qualified, and at the precise time He came to him. The record of God’scall ing of Moses is longer than the record of His calling of any other person in the Bible. The record of His calling of Abraham is brief, and so is that of Isaiah. The same is true of the calling of Peter and of Saul of Tarsus. But the record of the calling of Moses is lengthy and detailed. In this account we find all the basic points concerning God’scall ing. Thus, if we would know the full significance of God’scall ing, we must pay close attention to God’scall ing of Moses in Exodus 3. Moses was the first complete, qualified, and perfected servant of God in history. Noah was used by God to build the ark, but he was not the kind of servant Moses was. Not even Abraham, the father of faith, was perfected as a servant of God in the way Moses was. Because he was the first fully qualified servant of God in the Bible, Moses is the standard model of God’s servant, and God’scall ing of him is the standard for His calling of all His servants. In principle, we all need to be called the way Moses was
三 神呼召的地方
III. THE PLACE OF GOD’SCALL ING
（一） 旷野的背面
A. The Back Side of the Wilderness
8出埃及记三章一节说：『摩西牧养他岳父米甸祭司叶忒罗的羊群，一日领羊群往旷野的背面去，到了神的山，就是何烈山。』（另译。）有一天摩西领羊群往旷野的背面去。这指出只有当我们在环境的背面时才能蒙召，当我们在正面时决不能蒙召。我相信摩西领羊群到旷野的背面去，是因为他寻找最好的牧场。他也许不满意那些熟悉的地方，他盼望有新的地方。因此，他到旷野的背面去。如果我们要接受神的呼召，就必须在正确的地方。这地方首先是在我们处境的背面。假若你是一个教员，神无法在你教书职业的正面呼召你。你必须在背面。同样的原则，如果你是一个生意人，你要被神呼召，就必须到你生意的背面。
8Exodus 3:1 says, “Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the back side of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.” One day Moses led the flock to the back side of the desert. This indicates that we can be called only when we are at the back side of our situation, never when we are at the front. I believe that Moses led the flock to the back side of the desert because he was looking for the best pasture. He might have been dissatisfied with the familiar places, and he might have desired a new place. Thus, he went to the back side. If we would receive God’scall ing, we also must be in the proper place. This place is firstly the back side of our situation. If you are a teacher, God cannot call you at the front side of your teaching profession. You must be at the back side. In the same principle, if you are a businessman, you must go to the back side of your business in order to be called by God.
9在背面意思是我们不满意目前的光景。摩西多年在旷野的正面牧养群羊。但是有一天，他失意、不满足，决定到背面去看看那里有些甚么。如果你不满意你的职业或婚姻，这个不满意会把你转到背面去。每一位蒙神呼召的人都能作见证，他是在背面蒙召的。在呼召摩西的事上，是谁临到谁？是摩西来到神这里呢，还是神临到摩西？我要说他们都在行走，最后在某一个地点相遇。神从天上走到那里，而摩西从他所居住之地走到那里。因此，很难说是谁临到谁。按我们的经历来看，有一天我们来到某地，在那里我们遇见了神。
9To be at the back side means that we are not content with our present situation. For years Moses fed the flock on the front side of the desert. But one day, discontented and dissatisfied, he decided to go to the back side to see what was there. If you are dissatisfied with your occupation or with your marriage, this dissatisfaction may turn you to the back side. Every one who has been called by God can testify that he was called at the back side. In the calling of Moses, who came to whom? Did Moses come to God, or did God come to Moses? I would say that both were traveling, and they eventually met at a certain spot. God traveled there from the heavens, and Moses traveled there from where he was living. Thus, it is difficult to say who came to whom. According to our experience, we one day came to a certain place, and there we met God
（二） 神的山
B. The Mountain of God
10当摩西往旷野的背面去，他『到了神的山，就是何烈山。』许多时候我们处境的背面竟然是神的山。然而，摩西不知道神的山在旷野的背面。但是当摩西带著羊群慢慢走向神的山时，神已经在那里等候他了。
10When Moses went to the back side of the desert, he “came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.” Many times the back side of our situation turns out to be the mountain of God. Moses, however, did not know that the mountain of God was at the back side of the desert. Nevertheless, as Moses was slowly making his journey with the flock to the mountain of God, God was already there waiting for him
（三） 圣地
C. Holy Soil
11在第五节神对摩西说：『不要近前来，当把你脚上的鞋脱下来，因为你所站之地是圣地。』本节中的『圣地』是指人没有踏过之地。这说出神的呼召发生在未受人搅扰的地方。神的呼召总是临到处女地，就是只有神摸过之地的人。这意思是说，每一个真实的呼召，都是临到没有人手操纵或意见的地方。如果我们要蒙神呼召，我们必须在一个完全为祂保留的地方。
11In verse 5 God said to Moses, “Draw not nigh hither: put off thy sandals from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy soil” (Heb.). The “holy soil” in this verse refers to land untouched by man. This indicates that God’s calling occurs in a place where there is no human interference. God’s calling always comes to one who i son virgin soil, soil touched only by God. This means that every genuine calling comes in a place where there is no human manipulation or opinion. If we would be called by God, we must be in a place reserved wholly for Him.
（四） 一丛荆棘中
D. The Midst of a Thorn-bush
12在这圣地上有一丛荆棘。第二节说：『耶和华的使者从荆棘里火焰中向摩西显现。摩西观看，不料，荆棘被火烧著，却没有烧毁。』那丛荆棘代表摩西自己。神从荆棘里呼召的事实，说明神呼召的地方就在我们里面。神没有从天上呼召我们，祂乃是从我们里面呼召我们。有些人会怀疑这原则是否适用于大数扫罗的事例中。首先，主从天上呼召扫罗，但最后这呼召成了扫罗里面的东西。呼召他的主进到他里面，进入大数的『荆棘』里面。我们的经历能证实神呼召的地方是在我们里面。每一个真正蒙神呼召的人都能作这个见证。起头似乎是神从天上呼召，但最后却很清楚，神是从『荆棘』里呼召。
12On this holy soil there is a thorn-bush. Verse 2 says, “And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a thorn-bush: and he looked, and, behold, the thorn-bush burned with fire, and the thorn-bush was not consumed” (Heb.). The thorn-bush represents Moses himself. The fact that God called from the midst of a thorn-bush indicates that the place of God’scall ing is within us. God does not call us from the heavens; He calls from within us. Some may wonder whether this principle applies in the case of Saul of Tarsus. Initially, Saul was called by the Lord out of heaven, but eventually this calling became something within Saul. The Lord who called him came into him, into the “bush” from Tarsus. Our experience bears witness to the fact that the place of God’scall ing is within us. Every one who has truly been called by God can testify of this. At the beginning it might have seemed as if God were calling from the heavens. Eventually, however, it became clear that God was calling from within the “thorn-bush
（五） 火焰
E. A Flame of Fire
13第二节也说到『火焰』。这是指神圣洁的荣耀说的。在圣经里，神的圣洁被比喻作烈火。无论何时神呼召人，总是以祂圣洁的荣耀来呼召他。神以这样的方式呼召人，为要分别他归于祂的圣洁。表面看来神的呼召是发生在旷野的背面，实际上是发生在神的山，尤其是在圣地。按经历说，它来自荆棘里，最后，来自火焰中。这就是神呼召摩西的地方：在旷野的背面、在山上、在圣地、在荆棘里，并在火焰中。神在火焰中呼召摩西。事实上，神就是火焰，因为呼叫摩西的声音是从火中出来。因此，那说话、呼叫的乃是火。我们都需要在这样的地方，然后神的呼召就会临到我们。
13Verse 2 speaks also of “a flame of fire.” This refers to the glory of God’s holiness. In the Bible God’s holiness is likened to fire. Whenever God calls someone, He calls him in the glory of His holiness. By calling a person in such a way, God separates him unto His holiness. Apparently God’scall ing occurred at the back side of the desert; actually it took place at the mountain of God and, particularly, on holy soil. Experientially, it was from within the midst of a thorn-bush, and, ultimately, it was from the flame of fire. This was the place of God’scall ing of Moses: at the back side, on the mountain, on holy soil, in the midst of a thorn-bush, and in a flame of fire. In the fire God was calling Moses. In fact, God was the flame of fire, for the voice which called Moses came out of the fire. Hence, it was the fire that was speaking, that was calling. We all need to be in such a place. Then God’scall ing will come to us
14蒙神呼召不仅仅是一件把我们自己奉献给主，就读圣经学院或神学院，毕业后接受任命的事。这样的『呼召』在神眼中毫无意义。神的呼召发生于我们在世界中生活的背面，在神的山上，并在一处没有人搅扰的地方。不但如此，神从焚烧的荆棘中，以祂圣洁的荣耀呼召了我们。
14To be called by God is not simply a matter of consecrating ourselves to the Lord, attending a Bible school or seminary, and then being ordained after graduation. Such a “calling” means nothing in the eyes of God. God’scall ing takes place at the back side of our life in the world, on the mountain of God, and in a place where there is no human interference. Furthermore, we are called by God in the glory of His holiness from within the midst of a burning thorn-bush
四 呼召者
IV. THE CALLING ONE
15蒙召者知道那位呼召者的名字是极其重要的。出埃及记第三章以完满的方式启示了神的名，就是那位呼召者的名，它的启示也许比其它任何部分的话语都更完全。当神呼召摩西时，摩西说：『我到以色列人那里，对他们说，你们祖宗的神打发我到你们这里来；他们若问我说，他叫甚么名字，我要对他们说甚么呢？』（13。）在这里我们看见摩西关切神的圣名。他要知道那位呼召他者的名字。
15It is of vital importance that the one who is called know the name of the One who is calling him. Exodus 3 reveals the name of God, the calling One, in a full way, more fully perhaps than any other portion of the Word. When God called Moses, Moses said, “Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say unto me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?” (v. 13). Here we see Moses’ concern with the divine name. He wanted to know the name of the One calling him.
（一） 耶和华的使者
A. The Angel of Jehovah
16呼召摩西的那位首先是耶和华的使者。（2。）在达秘的英文译本里，将『使者』这词大写，表示这位使者是独一的。事实上，神的儿子基督就是神的使者，独一的奉差遣者。根据圣经，天使就是使者，就是奉差遣的人。在启示录中众教会领头的人被称为天使、使者、奉差遣者。所以在三章二节中，主的使者就是神所差遣的人。我们将二节和四节摆在一起，就看见这位奉差遣者，耶和华的使者，实际上就是耶和华自己。第四节说：『耶和华见他过去要看，神就从荆棘里呼叫。』（另译。）这证明耶和华的使者就是耶和华自己，而耶和华就是神。新约启示神的儿子主耶稣降世是奉父的差遣。祂是神所差遣的人，也就是神自己。
16The One who called Moses was firstly the Angel of Jehovah (v. 2). In his translation, Darby capitalizes the word “Angel” to indicate that this Angel was someone unique. Actually, it was Christ, the Son of God, who is God’sAng el, the unique sent One. According to the Bible, an angel is a messenger, that is, one who is sent. In the book of Revelation the leading ones in the churches are called angels, messengers, sent ones. The Angel of the Lord, therefore, in 3:2 is God’ss entOne. When we put verses 2 and 4 together, we see that this sent One, the Angel of Jehovah, is actually Jehovah Himself. Verse 4 says, “And when Jehovah saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the thorn-bush” (Heb.). This proves that the Angel of Jehovah is Jehovah Himself and that Jehovah is God. The New Testament reveals that the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, came as the Father’ss entOne. As God’ss entOne, He was God Himself
17为了呼召并差遣摩西，差遣人的神以奉差遣者的身分向他显现。只有那位奉差遣者才能打发受差遣的人。例如，在新约里受差遣的使徒乃是奉神差遣的主耶稣所打发的。在约翰二十章二十一节，主耶稣对门徒说：『父怎样差遣了我，我也照样差遣你们。』所以，我们这些主的门徒，是奉神差遣的那一位所打发的，祂就是基督，是耶和华的使者。
17For the purpose of calling and sending Moses, God, the sending One, appeared to him as the sent One. Only the One who has been sent can send out the sent ones. For example, the apostles, the sent ones in the New Testament, were sent out by the Lord Jesus, God’ss entOne. In John 20:21 the Lord Jesus said to the disciples, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” Therefore, we, the Lord’s disciples, are sent out by God’ss entOne, who is Christ as the Angel of Jehovah.
18根据出埃及记第三章，差遣者就是奉差遣者。这在神的呼召里是极重要的一点。知道如何使用雇来的人并且合宜的监督他们的，乃是已经作过他们那项工作的人。同样的原则，因基督是奉神差遣的人，只有祂知道如何差遣人。关乎创造的事，创世记第一章说起初神创造诸天和地。但在创世记第二章，当神来接触人并发展与人的关系时，便使用『耶和华』这名。在出埃及记第三章这里，神前来呼召摩西，不是直接以神的名，也不是先以耶和华的名，而是以耶和华使者的名。本章不是论到创造或与人发展关系的事，而是呼召摩西的事。这样一位呼召者需要具备有奉差遣者的资格，只有作为耶和华使者的基督才彀这个资格。因为是那位奉差遣者呼召受差遣的人，就是耶和华的使者，神的儿子，来差遣摩西。为甚么『耶和华的使者』这名称不用在出埃及记的头两章呢？因为直到第三章摩西才豫备好。所以，神作为耶和华的使者临到他，要呼召他并差遣他。为了差遣摩西，需要一位有奉差遣之经历的人。根据撒迦利亚书第二章，差遣者就是奉差遣者，奉差遣者就是差遣者。在出埃及记第三章我们看见同样的原则。耶和华的使者就是耶和华自己。神的儿子，奉神差遣者，实际上就是神自己。太初与神同在，并且就是神自己的那位，就是神所差来的。
18According to Exodus 3, the calling One is the sent One. This is a crucial point in God’scall ing. The one who knows how to use his employees and how to properly supervise them is the one who has done their particular job already. In the same principle, because Christ is God’ss entOne, only He knows how to send forth others. Regarding creation, Genesis 1 says that in the beginning it was God who created the heavens and the earth. But in Genesis 2, when God came to contact man and to develop a relationship with him, the name “Jehovah” is used. Here in Exodus 3 God came in to call Moses, not directly in the name of God nor firstly in the name of Jehovah, but in the name of the Angel of Jehovah. In this chapter it is not a matter of creation nor of developing a relationship with man; it is a matter of calling Moses. To be such a calling One there is the need for someone with the qualifications of a sent one, qualifications met uniquely by Christ as the Angel of Jehovah. Because it is the sent One who calls the sent one, the Angel of Jehovah, the Son of God, came to send Moses. Why is the title “the Angel of Jehovah” not used in the first two chapters of Exodus? It is not until chapter three that Moses was prepared and ready. Therefore, God came to him as the Angel of Jehovah to call him and to send him. For the sending of Moses, there was the need of One with the experience of having been sent. According to Zechariah 2, the sending One is the sent One, and the sent One is the sending One. We see the same principle at work in chapter three of Exodus. The Angel of Jehovah is Jehovah Himself. The sent One of God, the Son of God, is actually God Himself. The very One who was in the beginning with God and who is God Himself was sent by God
19『耶和华的使者』这个称呼，主要是指神的儿子基督，奉差遣拯救神的百姓脱离他们受苦的光景。（参看士六12，22，十三3～5，16～22。）在出埃及记第三章这里，主来呼召摩西，为要拯救以色列人脱离捆绑。因此，
19The title “the Angel of Jehovah” mainly refers to Christ, the Son of God, sent to save God’sp eople from their situation of suffering (see Judg. 6:12, 22; 13:3-5, 16-22). Here in Exodus 3 the Lord came to call Moses for the delivery of the children of Israel from bondage. Hence, He came as the Angel of Jehovah.
20祂作为耶和华的使者来到那里。
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（二） 耶和华
B. Jehovah
21本章所启示的第二个名称是耶和华，意思是『祂昔是、今是，以后永是』。这个称呼基本上是由『是』这个动词所组成的。除了主以外，其它一切都是虚无。祂是惟一具有存在之实际的那一位。除了祂以外，『是』这个动词不该绝对适用于任何人或任何事。祂是惟一的自有者。宇宙中的万有都是虚无。惟有耶和华『祂昔是、今是，以后永是』。祂过去是，现在是，将来还是。
21The second title revealed in this chapter is Jehovah, which means “He who was, who is, and who will be.” This title is composed basically of the verb “to be.” Apart from the Lord, all else is nothing. He is the only One who is, the only One who has reality of being. The verb “to be” should not be applied absolutely to anyone or anything except to Him. He is the only self- existent being. In the universe all things are nothing. Only Jehovah is “He who was, who is, and who will be.” In the past, He was; in the present, He is; and in the future, He will be
22希伯来十一章六节说：『到神面前来的人，必须信祂是。』（另译。）根据本节，神是，而我们必须信祂是。神是，但我们不是。如果我们要被神呼召，我们必须认识，那位呼召者首先是奉神差遣者，其次是耶和华，昔是、今是，以后永是的那一位。我们必须晓得，呼召我们的神是，而我们不是。我们都必须以这样的方式来认识神。
22Hebrews 11:6 says that “he who comes forward to God must believe that He is.” According to this verse, God is, and we must believe that He is. God is, but we are not. If we would be called by God, we must know that the calling One is firstly the sent One of God and secondly, Jehovah, the One who was, who is, and who will be. We must know that the God who calls us is and that we are not. We all need to know God in such a way
（三） 神
C. God
23这位呼召者就是神。（三4，6，。）希伯来字的神是『以罗欣』，意思是信实守约的大能者。神不仅是大能的，还是信实履行祂约的。如果我们要被主呼召，我们必须知道祂是大能且信实的，有能力为我们作一切事，并且信实地遵守祂的话。
23This calling One is the very God (3:4, 6, 14). The Hebrew word for God is Elohim, which means the 14 mighty One who is faithful in His oath. God is not only mighty, but also faithful to fulfill His covenant. If we would be called by the Lord, we must realize that He is mighty and faithful, mighty to do everything for us and faithful to keep His word.
（四） 我们父亲的神
D. The God of Our Father
24第六节说：『又说，我是你父亲的神，是亚伯拉罕的神，以撒的神，雅各的神。』『你父亲的神』这个片语表明与神的历史。当神来呼召你，祂对你不该是一个陌生人。如果祂对你是陌生人，你就没有资格蒙祂呼召。说神是我们父亲的神，不是指祂是我们肉身父亲的神，因我们肉身的父亲也许不是神的儿子。当我们得救时，我们得到另一个家谱，另一个属灵的族谱。故此，保罗对哥林多人说他用福音生了他们。（林前四15。）保罗没有结婚，因此他没有肉身的儿女。但他有许多属灵的儿女。每一位在基督里的信徒都有一位属灵的父亲。在神眼中，呼召你的主乃是你属灵父亲的神。摩西肉身的父亲是一个敬虔的人。所以，当神呼召摩西时，祂称自己是『你父亲』的神。这说出了与神的历史。当神向摩西显现并呼召他时，祂不是一个陌生人，因祂已经与摩西一家同在好几代了。
24Verse 6 says, “Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” The phrase “the God of thy father” denotes history with God. When God comes to call you, He should not be a stranger to you. If He is a stranger as far as you are concerned, then you are not qualified to be called by Him. To say that God is the God of our father does not mean that He is the God of our father in the flesh, for our natural father may not be a child of God. When we were saved, we gained another genealogy, a spiritual lineage. For this reason Paul told the Corinthians that he begot them in the gospel (1 Cor. 4:15). Paul was not married, and thus he had no children in the flesh. But he had a great many spiritual children. Every believer in Christ has a spiritual father. In the eyes of God, the Lord who calls you is the God of your spiritual father. Moses’ father in the flesh was a godly man. Therefore, when God called Moses, He referred to Himself as the God of “thy father.” This indicates a history with God. When God appeared to Moses and called him, He was not a stranger, for He had been with Moses’ family for generations.
25摩西父亲的神就是亚伯拉罕的神、以撒的神、雅各的神。这意思是说神是每一种人的神。我们也许是一个像亚伯拉罕一样的好人，像以撒一样平凡的人，或是像雅各一样的抓夺者。但不论我们怎样，神都是我们的神。亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的神是包罗万有的神。无论何时神来呼召你，祂总是包罗万有的那一位。神是我们父亲的神，祂是亚伯拉罕的神、以撒的神、雅各的神。神的这些称呼也说明祂是立约的神。立约的神是为著每一个人。不论你是谁，祂是你的神，并且祂有资格呼召你。
25The God of Moses’ father was the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. This means that God is the God of every kind of person. We may be a good person like Abraham, a somewhat neutral person like Isaac, or a supplanter like Jacob. But whatever we are, God is our God. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the all- inclusive God. Whenever God comes to call you, He is always the all-inclusive One. God is the God of our father, and He is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. These titles of God also indicate the God of the covenant. The covenanting God is for everyone. No matter who you may be, He is your God, and He is qualified to call you
（五） 我就是那我是
E. I Am That I Am
26现在我们来到神最奇妙的称呼：『我就是那我是。』（三14～15，另译。）在十四节中，主指示摩西说：『你要对以色列人这样说，那『我是』打发我到你们这里来。』主的名是『我是』。换言之，祂的名就是『是』这个动词。我们没有资格说我们是。我们甚么都不是，惟有祂是。所以，祂称自己：『我就是那我是。』中文译本说祂是『那自有永有的』。『我是』指明那位自有的，祂不需要倚靠自己以外的任何事物而存在。这位也是那永有的，那就是说，祂永远长存，无始无终。在约翰八章五十八节主耶稣说：『我实实在在地告诉你们，还没有亚伯拉罕，我就是。』（另译。）主是那伟大的『我是』，是永远长存的神。
26Now we come to the most wonderful title of God: “I AM THAT I AM” (3:14-15). In verse 14 the Lord instructed Moses, “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” The Lord’s name is I Am. In other words, His name is simply the verb “to be.” We are not qualified to say that we are. We are nothing; only He has being. Therefore, He calls Himself, “I AM THAT I AM.” The Chinese version speaks of Him as “the self-existing One and ever-existing One.” “I Am” denotes the One who is self-existing, the One whose being depends on nothing apart from Himself. This One is also the ever-existing One, that is, He exists eternally, having neither beginning nor ending. In John 8:58 the Lord Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham came into being, I am.” As the great I Am, the Lord is the eternal, ever-existing God
27我们已经看见在三章十四节，主吩咐摩西对以色列人说，那『我是』的打发他。『我是』这词不是一个完整的句子，但在这里的作用是一个名字，甚至是一个独特的名字。如我们所看见的，这名称实际上就是『是』这个动词。只有神彀资格把这个动词应用在祂的存在上，因为只有他是自有的。你我必须认识我们不是自有的。神就是那『我是』，祂是我们所需要的一切。我们能在『我是』这两个字之后加上我们所需要的一切。你疲倦么？这位『我是』就是你的安息。你饥饿么？祂是你的食物。你发死么？祂就是生命。在新约里主用许许多多的事物来描写祂自己：『我是真葡萄树』，（约十五1，）『我就是生命的粮』，（约六35，）『我是光』。（约八12。）作为『我是』的那位，神是一切─天、地、空气、水、树木、鸟、牲畜。这不是泛神论，泛神论是一种把神和物质的宇宙视为一个的宗教信仰。我没有说每件事物都是神，但我的确宣告神是一切积极正面事物的实际。这暗示出神必须是你，甚至是你这个人的实际。我们能对祂说：『主，你就是我。』如果主不是我们，我们就一无所有，没有实际。这伟大的『我是』，包罗万有的一位，就是来呼召我们的那位。说我们的神是包罗万有的一位并不是异端，乃是满了亮光的真理。只有那些眼瞎并在黑暗里的人才反对这样的真理。我能作见证，在我五十多年的基督徒生活里，这位『我是』一直扶持著我。因著祂以祂的所是来扶持我，我从来没有滑跌退后。不仅如此，我还能持续在这个职事里四十多年之久。我认识召我的那位。那位『我是』呼召了我。那位呼召我的一直扶持我。人的言语无法说尽祂的所是。
27We have seen that in 3:14 the Lord told Moses to say to the children of Israel that I Am had sent him. The words “I Am” are not a complete sentence, but function here as a name, even a unique name. This name, as we have seen, is actually the verb “to be.” Only God qualifies to have this verb applied to His being, for only He is self-existent. You and I must realize that we are not self-existent. As I Am, God is everything we need. To the words “I Am” we can add whatever we may need. Are you tired? The I Am is your rest. Are you hungry? He is your food. Are you dying? He is life. In the New Testament the Lord uses many things to describe Himself: “I am the true vine” (John 15:1), “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35), “I am the light” (John 8:12). As I Am, God is everything — heaven, earth, air, water, trees, birds, cattle. This is not pantheism, the religious belief that identifies God with the material universe. I do not say that everything is God, but I do declare that God is the reality of every positive thing. This implies that God must be you, even the reality of your very being. We can say to Him, “Lord, You are me.” If the Lord is not us, then we are nothing, and we have no reality. This great I Am, the all-inclusive One, is the One who has come to call us. It is not heresy to say that our God is the all-inclusive One. It is a truth full of light. Only those who are blind and who are in darkness oppose such truth. I can testify that for the more than fifty years of my Christian life the I Am has been sustaining me. Because of His sustaining me with what He is, I have never backslidden. Furthermore, I have been able to continue in the ministry for more than forty years. I know the One who called me. I have been called by the I Am. The One who called me sustains me all the time. No human language can adequately express what He is.
（六） 耶和华，希伯来人的神
F. Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews
28最后，这位呼召者是『耶和华，希伯来人的神』。（三18。）『希伯来』这词的意思是过河的人。过河的人是一班分别的人，一班从世界里分别出来的人。如果我们要被神呼召，我们必须看见，呼召人的神乃是过河之人的神，被分别之人的神。祂是这样的一位神，祂不是那些在巴别之人的神，也不是那些在埃及之人的神，因为他们没有被分别。我们若不从世界中被分别，神就不能成为我们的神。祂不是埃及人的神，而是希伯来人的神，就是过了河为著完成祂旨意之人的神。
28Finally, the calling One is “Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews” (3:18, Heb.). The word “Hebrew” means river - crosser. The river - crossers are a separated people, people separated from the world. If we would be called by God, we must see that, as the calling One, God is the God of the river - crossers, the separated people. As such a God, He is not the God of those in Babel nor is He the God of those in Egypt, because they are not separated. If we are not separated from the world, God cannot be our God. He is not the God of the Egyptians, but the God of the Hebrews, of the people who have crossed the river for the fulfillment of His purpose.