Books
出埃及记生命读经 · 第6篇

神呼召所豫备的人（二）

God’s Calling of the Prepared One (2)
1在前一篇信息中，我们题到了神呼召所豫备之人的四方面：神呼召的动机，神呼召的时间，神呼召的地方，以及呼召者。在本篇信息中，我们要来看神呼召的目的和蒙召的人。
1In the foregoing message we covered four aspects of God’scall ing of the prepared one: the motivation of God’scall ing, the time of God’scall ing, the place of God’scall ing, and the calling One. In this message we shall consider the purpose of God’scall ing and the called one
五 神呼召的目的
V. THE PURPOSE OF GOD’SCALL ING
（一） 拯救以色列人脱离埃及人的暴政
A. To Deliver the Children of Israel out of the Tyranny of the Egyptians
2无论从消极方面或积极方面来看，神呼召摩西的目的都是极其重大的。在消极方面，神呼召他拯救以色列人脱离埃及人的暴政。在三章八节主说：『我下来是要救他们脱离埃及人的手。』神呼召摩西的时候，埃及是地上的超级强国，法老有绝对的权力。在这里有一个人八十岁了，他人生的后四十年花费在旷野里牧放羊群。这样的人如何能拯救以色列人脱离法老残暴的权势？对摩西来说，似乎是不可能的。然而，这就是在消极方面神呼召的目的。
2Both on the negative side and on the positive side, God’s purpose in calling Moses was very great. Negatively, God called him to deliver the children of Israel out of the tyranny of the Egyptians. In 3:8 the Lord said, “I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians.” At the time God called Moses, Egypt was the leading country on earth, and Pharaoh had absolute power. Here was a man now eighty years of age, one who had spent the last forty years of his life shepherding a flock in the wilderness. How could such a one deliver the Israelites from Pharaoh’s tyrannical power? To Moses, it might have seemed impossible. Nevertheless, this was the purpose of God’scall ing on the negative side
（二） 带领以色列人脱离埃及为奴之地，进入迦南流奶与蜜之地
B. To Bring the Children of Israel out of Egypt, the Land of Bondage, and into Canaan, a Land Flowing with Milk and Honey
3神呼召的目的不仅要领以色列人脱离埃及为奴之地，并且要带他们进入迦南『流奶与蜜』之地。（三8，10，17。）从人来说，神呼召的积极方面比消极方面更不可能。这样的事只是一个梦想。但这正是神呼召摩西去作的。虽然他在四十年前已转身背向当时地上最高的文化，从那时起就一直在旷野里牧养羊群。埃及国豫表黑暗的国度，而法老豫表那恶者撒但。神的百姓如何能从这一个邪恶势力的手中被拯救出来，并蒙拯救脱离黑暗的国度？今天这事藉著传福音而完成了。不要以为传福音带人得救是一件容易的事。带领一个人脱离撒但的手，脱离黑暗的国度，乃是一件大事。故此，新约中的神圣启示对传福音有很高的评估。保罗说福音本是神的大能。（罗一16。）
3The purpose of God’scall ing was not only to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt, the land of bondage, but to bring them into Canaan, a land “flowing with milk and honey” (3:8, 10, 17). Humanly speaking, the positive side of God’scall ing was even more of an impossibility than the negative side. Such a thing could only be a dream. But this is precisely what God was calling Moses to do, even though forty years before he had turned his back on the highest culture on earth in his day and had been shepherding a flock in the wilderness ever since. The nation of Egypt typifies the kingdom of darkness, and Pharaoh typifies Satan, the Devil. How can God’sp eople be delivered out of the hand of such an evil power and be rescued from the kingdom of darkness? Today this is done through the preaching of the gospel. Do not think that preaching the gospel to bring people to salvation is an easy task. To bring a person out of Satan’shan dan dout of the kingdom of darkness is a mighty work. For this reason, the divine revelation in the New Testament places a very high value on the preaching of the gospel. Paul says that the gospel is the power of God (Rom. 1:16).
4神呼召的目的是一件非常有意义的事。在豫表上，带以色列人进入美地，表明把人带到基督里，就是迦南地所豫表那包罗万有的人位里。今天基督乃是流奶与蜜的美地。神以祂的智慧用『流奶与蜜』的说法来描写美地的丰富。奶与蜜二者都是植物生命和动物生命结合的产品。奶出自吃草的牛。动物的生命因著植物生命的供应而产生出奶来。所以，奶是调和两种生命的产品。蜜的原则也是一样。蜜与植物的生命很有关系。它大部分是来自花朵和树木。当然，也含有一部分的动物生命─小蜜蜂。因此，两种生命合作产生了蜜。这两种生命调和在一起，蜜就产生出来了。
4The purpose of God’scall ing is a matter of tremendous significance. In typology, bringing the children of Israel into the good land signifies bringing people into Christ, the all-inclusive Person typified by the land of Canaan. Christ today is a good land flowing with milk and honey. In His wisdom God uses the expression “flowing with milk and honey” to describe the riches of the good land. Both milk and honey are products of a combination of the vegetable life and the animal life. Milk comes from cattle, which feed on grass. The animal life produces milk from the supply of the vegetable life. Therefore, milk is a product of the mingling of two kinds of life. The principle is the same with honey. Honey has much to do with the plant life. It is derived mostly from flowers and trees. Of course, a part of the animal life is also involved—that little animal, the bee. Hence, in the production of honey, two kinds of life cooperate. These two kinds of life are mingled together, and honey is produced
5奶与蜜表征基督的丰富，来自基督生命两方面的丰富。虽然基督是一个人位，祂却有动物生命所代表的救赎性生命，以及植物生命所代表的产生性生命。一方面，基督是神的羔羊为要救赎我们；另一方面，祂是一块大麦饼为要供应我们。两种生命都是逾越节筵席的一部分，因为在逾越节有羔羊和无酵饼加上苦菜。这些生命配在一起，为了给神所赎之民享受。然而，神呼召的目的，不是在埃及给祂的百姓一点点动物生命和植物生命的享受，它乃是要把他们领进一处流奶与蜜的宽阔之地。今天在教会生活中，你有把握你是在享受基督作美地么？我能见证我每天都在享受基督作为流奶与蜜的宽阔之地。谁有资格带领神的百姓从埃及出来，进入这样奇妙之地呢？在摩西因著神的主宰豫备好之前，没有人能完成这事。甚至摩西在四十岁以前，他定规知道他的百姓以色列人在捆绑之中遭逼迫。既知道这事，他也许下了决心要学习所需要的一切来装备他，好拯救他的百姓。然而，摩西也许没有著看清楚那个目标，不仅要将神的百姓从埃及拯救出来，更是要领他们进入美地。以色列人被带出埃及以后，他们需要一个目标，一个目的地。虽然摩西不完全清楚那个目标，他仍然盼望为他的百姓作些事。他『不肯称为法老女儿之子；他宁可和神的百姓同受苦害，也不愿暂时享受罪中之乐。』（来十一24～25。）到了他四十岁，认为自己已经成熟了，彀资格，并且豫备好要拯救他们。事实上，他甚么都不能作。他凭著自己没有能力拯救百姓。一旦情形险恶，他就逃走了。
5Milk and honey signify the riches of Christ, riches that come from the two aspects of the life of Christ. Although Christ is one Person, He has the redeeming life, typified by the animal life, and the generating life, typified by the vegetable life. On the one hand, Christ is the Lamb of God to redeem us; on the other hand, He is a loaf of barley to supply us. Both kinds of life were part of the Passover meal, for in the Passover there were the lamb and the unleavened bread with bitter herbs. These lives were combined for the enjoyment of God’s redeemed people. The purpose of God’scall ing, however, is not to give His people a little enjoyment of the animal life and the vegetable life in Egypt; it is to bring them into a spacious land flowing with milk and honey. Do you have the assurance that in the church life today you are enjoying Christ as the good land? I can testify that I daily enjoy Christ as a spacious land flowing with milk and honey. Who was qualified to bring God’s people out of the land of Egypt into such a marvelous land? Before Moses was sovereignly prepared by God, there was no one who could have done this. Even before he reached the age of forty, Moses must have known that his people, the children of Israel, were in bondage and were suffering persecution. Having realized this, he might have determined to learn everything necessary to equip him to rescue his people. However, Moses probably did not see clearly that the goal was not just to deliver God’sp eople out of Egypt, but to bring them into the good land. After the children of Israel had been brought out of Egypt, they needed a goal, a destination. Although Moses was not altogether clear concerning the goal, he still expected to do something on behalf of his people. He “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be ill - treated with the people of God than to have the temporary enjoyment of sin” (Heb. 11:24-25). At the age of forty, he considered himself matured, qualified, and equipped to deliver them. Actually, he was not able to do anything. In himself he did not have the power to rescue the people. As soon as the situation became threatening, he fled.
六 蒙召者
VI. THE CALLED ONE
（一） 被对付并豫备了四十年神花了另一个四十年，把这位能干
A. Having Been Dealt With and Prepared for Forty Years God spent another forty years to bring this capable
6却失意的人带到尽头。要了结这样一个人不是一件容易的事。训练了四十年才能使摩西晓得，他没有资格拯救神的百姓脱离埃及，并且领他们进入美地。当摩西在旷野的头几年间，他也许抱怨他的希伯来同伴不愿承认他是以色列的拯救者。摩西也许说过：『他真是瞎眼！竟不知道我是要拯救他们的人。就是因著他，我被迫逃亡。以色列人中间没有人能作我所能作的。但现在一切都完了。』我信一年一年地过去，摩西的态度开始有转变；最后他不再为他的光景责备别人。
6yet disappointed man to the end. It is not an easy matter to terminate such a person. It took forty years of discipline to make Moses realize that he was not qualified to deliver God’sp eople out of Egypt and to bring them into the good land. During his first few years in the wilderness, Moses might have complained about his fellow Hebrew who refused to recognize him as the deliverer of Israel. Moses might have said, “How blind he was! He didn’t realize that I was the one to deliver them. Because of him, I was forced to flee. No one among the children of Israel can do what I could have done. But now everything is ruined.” I believe that as year after year went by, Moses’ attitude began to change; eventually he no longer blamed others for his situation
7教育一个人很容易，但要了结他却相当困难。然而经过了在旷野的那些年间，摩西完全被了结了。当神在焚烧的荆棘里向他显现时，摩西认为自己甚么都不配，只配死。然而，就在那个关头，当摩西认为他完了的时候，神却进来呼召他。神对付摩西并豫备他达四十年之久。（行传七30。）我们单单由他在王宫长大以后却必须住在旷野的事实，就知道摩西受了对付。假如某人在美国长大，突然被迫居住在一个非常落后的国家里。一天过一天那人会有被对付的感觉。无疑的，当摩西在旷野作牧羊人看守羊群，甚至那群羊也不属于他，而是属于他的岳父时，他会有这样的感觉。藉著这种对付，摩西逐渐地豫备好了。
7It is easy to educate a person, but it is very difficult to terminate him. But after those years in the wilderness, Moses was fully terminated. When God appeared to him in the burning thorn - bush, Moses considered himself good for nothing but death. Nevertheless, at that very juncture, when Moses thought that he was finished, God came in to call him. God dealt with Moses and prepared him over a span of forty years (Acts 7:30). We know that Moses was dealt with just by the fact that he had to live in the wilderness after having been raised in the royal palace. Suppose someone raised in the United States is suddenly forced to live in a very backward country. Day by day that person will have the feeling that he is being dealt with. Moses, no doubt, had this feeling in the wilderness as he worked as a shepherd to care for a flock that did not even belong to him, but belonged to his father-in-law. Through such a dealing, Moses was gradually prepared.
（二） 失去了对自己的信心
B. Having Lost Confidence in Himself
8经过了在旷野的那些年，摩西失去了对自己所有的信心。（三11，参看二～13。）当神呼召他时，摩西说：『主阿，我素日不是能言的人，就是从你对仆人说话以后，也是这样，我本是拙口笨舌的。』（四10。）为甚么在行传七章二十二节司提反说摩西『说话行事，都有才能』呢？当摩西四十岁时，他说话行事，都有才能。这意思是说他是能言的人。但在另一个四十年以后，他失去了对自己的信心；他认为自己是一个拙口笨舌的人。出埃及记第四章和行传第七章的4记载都是正确的。行传第七章的记载适用于摩西四十岁时，而出埃及记第四章的记载适用于他八十岁时，在他受了对付，天然的能力被剥夺之后。
8After those years in the wilderness, Moses lost all confidence in himself (3:11; cf. 2:11-13). When God called him, Moses said, “O my Lord, I am not 11 eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant; but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue” (4:10). Why then does Stephen in Acts 7:22 say that Moses was “powerful in his words and deeds”? When Moses was forty, he was mighty in words and deeds. This means that he was eloquent. But after another forty years he lost confidence in himself; he regarded himself as one who was slow of speech. The record in Exodus 4 and the one in Acts 7 are both true. The record in Acts 7 applies to Moses at the age of forty, whereas the record in Exodus applies to him at the age of eighty, after he had been dealt with and after his natural ability had been stripped away.
9很少基督徒知道神对付人的方式。我遇见许多圣徒深信他们从神接受了一个负担，要为祂作某项工作。然而，他们一开始去作时，神就介入来对付他们，没有例外。每当我们如此确信，我们蒙了呼召，有了负担，就该期待神的对付。我们也许盼望别人和我们站在一起，岂不知他们却反对我们。我们因这弃绝而失望，也许决定完全丢下那个负担；但我们无法丢下真正从主来的任何负担。如果你能丢下负担，这就表明它起初就不是从神来的。每当主给了我们负担时，不论别人如何反对我们，我们都不能将那负担搁在一边。虽然我们也许失望透了，负担却仍在我们里面。迟早它要再在我们里面兴起。无疑的，当摩西四十岁时，有个负担从主临到他。我信摩西的父母，尤其是他的母亲，曾把他奉献给神。无疑的，摩西甘心接受神的负担。
9Few Christians really know God’s way of dealing with people. I have met a good number of saints who were extremely confident that they had received a burden from God to do a certain work for Him. However, without exception, as soon as they began to do something, God intervened to deal with them. Whenever we are so assured that we are called and burdened, we should expect God’s dealing. We may expect others to stand with us, but they oppose us instead. Disappointed by this rejection, we may decide to drop the burden altogether. But we cannot drop any burden that truly comes from God. If you can drop a burden this indicates that it was not of God in the first place. Whenever we have been burdened by the Lord, we cannot lay aside that burden, no matter how much others may oppose us. Although we may be extremely disappointed, the burden remains with us. Sooner or later, it rises up within us again. No doubt, when Moses was forty years of age a burden came to him from the Lord. I am convinced that Moses’ parents, especially his mother, had consecrated him to God. No doubt Moses willingly accepted God’s burden.
10然而，因著他这样自信他有才干和能力实现这负担，神就安排环境使他被弃绝。摩西定规深深失望。一年过一年，神在摩西身上作工，不是要消除这个负担，而是要了结摩西天然的才干，使他对自己毫无信心。我们的难处是这样：如果我们有从主来的负担，就想用我们天然的力量去实现它。但如果我们天然的力量受到对付，我们就想将负担丢在一旁。我们没有把神的负担与我们天然的力量分开。我们喜欢把这两件事联在一起，但神却要把它们分开，保留负担，而把我们天然的力量搁在一边。所以，神花了四十年来对付摩西的天然力量。原则上，祂也对我们作同样的事。
10However, because he was so confident that he had the ability and the power to carry out this burden, God arranged for him to be rejected. Moses must have been deeply disappointed. Year after year, God worked on Moses, not to eliminate the burden, but to terminate Moses’ natural ability and to cause him to have no confidence in himself. Our problem is this: If we have a burden from the Lord, we tend to use our natural strength to carry it out. But if our natural strength is dealt with, then we tend to cast aside the burden. We do not separate God’s burden from our natural strength. We like to marry these two things, but God wants to divorce them, to keep the burden and to set aside our natural strength. Therefore, God took forty years to deal with Moses’ natural strength. In principle, He will do the same thing with us.
11当神呼召摩西时，摩西说他是拙口笨舌的。摩西似乎说：『主，既然你对付了我的才干，我就不再接受你的负担。我要辞职。我不是被打发到法老那里拯救以色列人脱离他手的适当人选。我是拙口笨舌的。我怎能对法老说话呢？』摩西这样对主说话，显然是诚恳的。但神却向他发怒。（四14。）这表示在摩西这边有些难处。神要『雇用』摩西，但摩西拒绝接受这项工作。当摩西与主讨价还价时，神知道他心里所存的。在摩西心里也许会说：『主，四十年前我尽力去搭救以色列人，但你不许我成功。我被弃绝，必须逃到这旷野来，我在旷野受苦四十年。我已忘了在王宫里所学的一切。我成为无有。现在你说要我去见法老。我彀格的时候，你辞退我；但是现在我不彀格且无能的时候，你却要雇用我。』摩西也许暗地里责怪主。这可能是神不高兴他的原因。在摩西和神里面都有一些没有表达出来的东西。主里面也许说：『摩西，我不需要你作任何事。你岂没有看见那里的荆棘么？荆棘烧著，却没有烧毁。我只要你来彰显我。摩西，不要拒绝这个负担。要接受负担，但不要用你的才干和力量去实现它。因你认为自己准备死了，我现在就能用你。摩西，不要拒绝我。我不要照你天然的观念用你。我要以我的方式来用你，就像荆棘被火烧著，却不被烧毁。』
11When God called Moses, Moses said that he was slow of speech. It seems that Moses was saying, “Lord, now that You have dealt with my ability, I no longer accept Your burden. I want to resign. I am not the right person to be sent to Pharaoh to deliver the children of Israel out of his hand. I am slow of speech. How can I speak to Pharaoh?” In speaking this way to the Lord, apparently Moses was sincere. God, however, was angry with him (4:14). This indicates that on Moses’ side there was some problem. God wanted to “hire” Moses, but Moses refused to accept the job. As Moses was bargaining with the Lord, God knew what was in his heart. Inwardly Moses might have been saying, “Lord, forty years ago I tried my best to rescue the children of Israel, but You didn’tall ow me to succeed. I was rejected, and I had to flee to this wilderness, where I have been suffering for forty years. I have forgotten everything I learned in the royal palace. I have become nothing. Now You say that You want me to go to Pharaoh. When I was qualified, You fired me. But now that I am disqualified and incapable, You want to hire me.” Secretly, Moses might have been blaming the Lord. This might have been the reason God was not happy with him. Both in Moses and in God there was something that was not expressed. Within Himself the Lord might have been saying, “Moses, I don’t need you to do anything. Don’ty ou see the thorn-bush there? It is burning, but it is not consumed. I want you simply to manifest Me. Moses, don’t reject the burden. Receive it, but don’t use your ability and strength to carry it out. Because you consider yourself ready for death, I can now use you. Moses, don’t reject Me. I do not intend to use you according to your natural concept. I want to use you in My way, as a thorn-bush that is burning without being consumed
12为神作事却不用我们自己的力量或才干是不容易的。多年来，我一直学这个功课，主要是藉著受苦和失败来学的。世人常常有这种态度，如果要求他们作某件事，就该让他们能彀以自己的方式去作，而不受他人的干扰或劝告。连教会中的长老也可能有这种态度。我们的感觉可能是这样：『如果你要我作这事，那就请你离开，让我放手作罢！』然而，当神呼召我们作某些事时，祂要我们作，但不是凭我们自己。当神呼召我们时，祂似乎说：『是的，我要你作这事，但我要你凭著我作这事，而不是凭你自己。』我们的难处常是这样，如果我们不能凭自己作某事，我们就完全拒绝作这事。这个态度对于主恢复的工作是一大拦阻。很多圣徒知道他们需要教会生活，但因著他们很失望，就勉强来到聚会中。他们就像在旷野中失意的摩西，被神对付直到他失去了信心。然而，他仍然愿意接受主的负担。摩西四十岁以前，神就使他有负担。然而，摩西必须学习与神合作，不用他天然的才干和力量。直到摩西失去了对自己的全部信心，神的呼召才能临到。原则上神也这样来对付我们。当我们不再信靠自己时，祂就进来呼召我们。
12It is not easy to do something for God without using our own strength or ability. Throughout the years I have been learning this very lesson, mainly through sufferings and failures. Often people have the attitude that if they are asked to do something, they should be able to do it their own way without interference or advice from others. Even elders in the church may have this attitude. Our feeling may be, “If you want me to do this, then please stay away and let me do it.” However, when God calls us to do something, He wants us to do it, but not by ourselves. When He calls us, it seems that God says, “Yes, I want you to do this, but I want you to do it by Me, not by yourself.” Our problem often is that if we cannot do a certain thing by ourselves, then we refuse to do it at all. This attitude has been a great hindrance to the work of the Lord’s recovery. Many saints know that we need the church life, but, because they are disappointed, they are reluctant to come to the meetings. They are like the disappointed Moses in the wilderness who was dealt with by God until he lost his confidence. However, he was still willing to take up the Lord’s burden. Moses was burdened by God before he was forty years old. Nevertheless, Moses had to learn to cooperate with God without using his natural ability and strength. God’scall could not come until Moses had lost all his confidence in himself. In principle God deals with us in the same way. When we no longer trust ourselves, He comes in to call us
（三） 认识他的无能
C. Realizing His Inability
13摩西也必须认识他的无能。（四～13。）。他完全明白凭著他自己，他不是答应神呼召的适当人选。也许在旷野的四十年间，甚至在牧养羊群上也经历了失败。神主宰的权柄造出某些摩西无法胜过的环境。这一切都是为了帮助摩西认识他的无能而设计的。
13Moses also had to realize his inability (4:10-13). He came to fully realize that in himself he was not the 10 right person to answer God’s call. Perhaps during the forty years in the wilderness he even experienced failure in shepherding the flock. God sovereignly might have created certain circumstances which Moses was not able to overcome. All this was designed to help Moses realize his inability.
（四） 认为自己只配死
D. Considering Himself Good for Death
14神呼召摩西的时候，他认为自己甚么都不配，只配死。请记得，在第三章里，神向摩西显现时，摩西是八十岁。在摩西所写的诗篇第九十篇里，他说：『我们一生的年日是七十岁，若是强壮可到八十岁；但其中所矜夸的，不过是劳苦愁烦；转眼成空，我们便如飞而去。』（10。）这指明摩西在八十岁时，认为自己就要死了。当神呼召摩西时，摩西也许心里说：『主，我四十岁时你为甚么不用我？那时我能干、活跃而新鲜。但现在我就要死了。我八十岁了，我的死期近了。然而，你这个时候到这里来叫我作这事。对我而言似乎你来的不是时候。主，我不再是能干有用的了。我是一个只配死的老人。』这是当神临到摩西，呼召他拯救以色列人脱离埃及时，他对自己的感觉。
14At the time God called him, Moses considered himself good for nothing but death. Remember, when God appeared to Moses in chapter three, Moses was eighty years of age. In Psalm 90, written by Moses, he says, “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away” (v. 10). This indicates that, at the age of eighty, Moses considered himself ready for death. When God called Moses, Moses might have said within his heart, “Lord, why didn’tY ou use me when I was forty? Then I was capable, active, and fresh. But now I am ready to die. I am eighty years old, and the time of my death is at hand. Nevertheless, here You are coming to me and asking me to do something. It seems to me that You are coming at the wrong time. Lord, I am no longer capable or useful. I am just an old man good for death.” This was Moses’ feeling about himself when God came to him to call him to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt.
15一九五○年我在马尼拉照著这些路线向青年人释放了一篇信息。次日，青年人开始装作年纪老迈，将要死了。虽然他们中间很多人只有十几岁，他们的行动却像八十岁的老人。然而，这种举动只维持了几天。如果我们是老的，我们就是老的；如果我们是年轻的，我们就是年轻的。装作或表演是没有用的。我们是甚么人，就是甚么人。你若像打死埃及人时的摩西，那就是你的光景。你若像八十岁时的摩西，那也是你的光景。有一天我们都要达到认为自己只配死的地步。每一个被主呼召的人都必须经过一段期间，失去他的信心，认识他的无能，认为自己只配死。最后，我们对自己就将有摩西在八十岁时所有的认识。
15In 1950 I gave a message along these lines to the young people in Manila. The next day, the young people began to pretend that they were aged and ready to die. Although many of them were still teen- agers, they acted as if they were eighty years old. This behavior, however, lasted only a few days. If we are old, we are old, and if we are young, we are young. There is no point in pretending or performing. We can only be what we are. If you are like Moses smiting the Egyptian, then that is where you are. And if you are like Moses at the age of eighty, then that is where you are. One day we all shall reach the point where we consider ourselves good only for death. Everyone called by the Lord must pass through a period of time in which he loses his confidence, realizes his inability, and considers himself good only for death. Eventually, we shall have the same realization about ourselves that Moses had at the age of eighty
（五） 受嘱咐作奉差遣者，不是差遣者
E. Charged to Be a Sent One, Not the Sending One
16就在摩西认为自己即将死了的时候，神进来吩咐他作一个奉差遣的人。（三10，15。）神是差遣者，发起人，而摩西是奉差遣执行差遣者之意愿的人。为了强调这一点，『打发』这个词在第三章和第四章里用了许多次。神打发摩西时似乎说：『摩西，我是主，现在打发你。你不是差遣者或发起人。你是奉差遣实行我旨意的人。』在下一篇信息中，我们将要看见摩西面对法老时，他一点不凭著自己行事。反而，他的行动就像一个奉主差遣的人，行神所吩咐他行的。
16At the very time Moses considered himself ready for death, God came in to charge him to be a sent one (3:10, 15). God was the sending One, the Initiator, and Moses was to be the sent one to carry out the wishes of the sending One. To emphasize this point, the word “send” is used a number of times in chapters three and four. In His calling of Moses, God seemed to be saying, “Moses, I, the Lord, am sending you. You are not to be the sender or the initiator. You are to be the sent one to carry out My will.” In a forthcoming message we shall see that when Moses confronted Pharaoh, he did nothing on his own. On the contrary, he acted as the Lord’ss entone, doing whatever God charged him to do.
17作一个奉差遣的人，意思是说我们不凭著自己作事。反而，我们只实行那打发我们之人的意愿。作一个奉差遣的人是有福的，并且能使我们完全进入安息。要作一个奉差遣的人，我们必须经过许多训练和管教。许多时候我打发人替我作某些特别的工作。尽管他们说他们清楚我所要他们作的，最后他们却照著自己的意思作那些事情。这说明要作一个奉差遣的人是需要训练的。
17To be a sent one means that we do nothing by ourselves. Instead, we simply carry out the wishes of the one who has sent us. To be a sent one is blessed and brings us fully into rest. In order to be a sent one, we must pass through a great deal of training and discipline. A number of times I have sent people to do some specific task for me. Although they said they were clear about what I wanted them to do, they eventually did things according to themselves. This indicates that it takes training to be a sent one
（六） 荆棘被火烧著，却没有烧毁
F. A Thorn-bush Burning but Not Consumed
18神对摩西说话以前，祂给他看见火烧荆棘的异象。祂『从荆棘里火焰中向摩西显现』，（2，）荆棘被火烧著，却没有烧毁。摩西看见这烧著的荆棘，说：『我要过去看这大异象，这荆棘为何没有烧坏呢？』（3。）荆棘代表摩西自己。这表示每一个被神呼召的人，必须认识他只是一丛荆棘，里面有火烧著，这火就是神自己。虽然神要在我们里面并在我们身上焚烧，祂却不烧毁我们；那就是说，祂不用我们作燃料。根据创世记第三章，荆棘代表因罪而来的咒诅。这说明作为蒙神呼召之人的摩西，是在神咒诅之下的罪人。摩西是一丛荆棘，而不是利巴嫩的香柏木。在荆棘里烧著的火代表神圣洁的显出。圣经中第一次题到火是在创世记三章二十四节，说到『四面转动发火焰的剑，要把守生命树的道路。』这火的出现是在人吃了善恶知识树而堕落之后。这火焰赶逐人离开生命树，甚至使人不能接触生命树。出埃及记第三章又题到火。这里的火不是赶逐人离开任何事物；反而它表明：即使摩西是一丛荆棘，一个在神咒诅之下的罪人，神圣洁的荣耀仍可在摩西里面且在他身上焚烧。神的圣洁怎么可能在我们里面焚烧呢？惟有藉著神的救赎，满足神圣洁的要求，这才成为可能。所以，虽然我们曾是在神咒诅之下的罪人，但今天神的圣洁不再赶逐我们离开生命树，它乃是在我们里面焚烧。圣洁的火如今与被咒诅的罪人成为一个，甚至在他身上焚烧。
18Before God spoke to Moses, He showed him the sign of a burning thorn-bush. He “appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a thorn-bush” (v. 2, Heb.), a bush that burned with fire without being consumed. Seeing this burning thorn - bush, Moses said, “I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the thorn - bush is not burnt” (v. 3, Heb.). The thorn-bush represented Moses himself. This indicates that everyone who is called of God must realize that he is just a thorn-bush with a fire burning within him and that this fire is God Himself. Although God desires to burn within us and upon us, He will not burn us; that is, He will not use us as fuel. According to Genesis 3, thorns signify the curse that came because of sin. This indicates that, as God’scall ed one, Moses was a sinner under God’s curse. Moses was a thorn - bush, not a cedar of Lebanon. The fire burning within the thorn-bush signifies the manifestation of God’s holiness. Genesis 3:24, the first mention of fire in the Bible, speaks of “a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” This fire appeared after man fell by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This flame excluded man from the tree of life; it kept him from even touching it. In Exodus 3 fire is mentioned again. Here the fire does not exclude man from anything; rather, it indicates that the glory of God’s holiness should burn within Moses and upon him, even though he is a thorn-bush, a sinner under God’s curse. How is it possible for God’s holiness to burn within us? This is possible only through God’s redemption, which fulfills the requirements of God’s holiness. Therefore, today God’s holiness no longer excludes us from the tree of life; it burns within us, although we once were sinners under God’s curse. The holy fire is now one with the cursed sinner and even burns upon him.
19荆棘被火烧著却没有烧毁的事实，说明神圣洁的荣耀该在我们里面焚烧，但我们不该被耗尽。若是一个神的仆人被耗尽了，这意思是说他用自己的能力为神作某事。神不要用我们天然的生命作燃料。祂只要以祂自己作燃料来焚烧。我们只需要是一丛荆棘，让神圣的火在其中烧著。我信摩西从未忘记那个火烧荆棘的异象。所记得的那个异象定规在他里面作工，不断题醒他不要用天然的力量或才干。藉著火烧荆棘的异象，神使摩西有印象，他是一个器皿，一个通道，神藉著他得以彰显。学习我们只是一丛荆棘为著彰显神的功课不是容易的。多年来我一直学一个功课：为神作工，却不用天然的生命作燃料，只让神在我里面焚烧。
19The fact that the thorn-bush burned without being consumed indicates that the glory of God’s holiness should burn within us, but that we should not be exhausted. If a servant of God is exhausted, it may mean that he is using his own energy to do something for God. God does not want to use our natural life as fuel. He will burn only with Himself as fuel. We are simply to be a thorn-bush with the divine fire burning within it. I believe Moses never forgot the sight of that burning thorn-bush. The memory of that vision must have worked within him to constantly remind him not to use his natural strength or ability. Through the sign of the burning thorn-bush, God impressed Moses that he was a vessel, a channel, through which God was to be manifested. It is not easy to learn that we are simply a bush for the manifestation of God. Throughout the years I have been learning one lesson: to work for God without using the natural life as the fuel, but letting God burn within me
20在马可十二章二十六节，主耶稣是指出埃及记三章二节的荆棘说的。达秘在他的英文译本里，于『荆棘』之前加上『那一段』这几个字；美国标准本则加上『那里的』。火烧荆棘的记载对于神所呼召的人成为不能磨灭的记念和见证。它见证我们不是别的，只是荆棘这事实。
20In Mark 12:26 the Lord Jesus refers to the bush of Exodus 3:2. In his translation Darby adds the words “the section of” before “bush”; the American Standard Version adds “the place concerning.” The record of the burning thorn-bush is to be a continuing memorial and testimony to God’scall ed ones. It bears witness to the fact that we can be nothing other than thorn-bushes
21在这些日子里，我们看见了众圣徒都能成为使徒、先知、传福音的、牧人和教师。然而，我们若要作为这样的恩赐，为著基督的身体来尽功用，我们必须先是焚烧的荆棘，像摩西一样，不信靠自己，不照著天然的能力来为神发热心。从神呼召摩西的时候起，摩西就不再对自己有任何的信心。当别人背叛他时，他不和他们争辩，他到神那里去俯伏在祂面前。摩西这样作，给人看见他是一丛焚烧的荆棘。当摩西俯伏在神面前，神就像火焰般来到，在摩西这丛荆棘中彰显祂自己。但愿这荆棘的记载使我们有深刻的印象，永不忘记。我们在自己里面是一无所有，我们只是一丛荆棘。但神仍然宝贵我们，巴望像火焰一样从我们里面彰显祂自己。我们该宝贵祂的焚烧，决不照著天然的人信靠我们的所是。我们天然的人及其才能、力量和才干，都必须终止并被忘记。我们的才干和力量毫无意义。荆棘能作甚么呢？甚么也不能作。虽然你认为自己很能干，最后你将承认你只是一丛无用的荆棘。我们都必须对自己有这样的著法。感谢神，祂眷顾我们，与我们同在，并且焚烧我们。虽然神圣的火焰在我们里面并在我们身上焚烧，我们自己却不被烧毁。
21In these days we have seen that all the saints can be apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds and teachers. However, if we would function as such gifts to the Body of Christ, we must first be burning thorn- bushes, those, like Moses, who have no confidence in themselves and who do not burn for God according to their natural energy. From the time God called Moses, Moses no longer had any confidence in himself. When others rebelled against him, he did not argue with them; he went to God and fell down before Him. In doing so, Moses showed that he was a burning thorn-bush. As Moses prostrated himself before God, God came forth as flaming fire, manifesting Himself from within Moses as the thorn - bush. May this record of the thorn - bush make such a deep impression upon us that we never forget it. In ourselves, we are nothing; we are mere thorn - bushes. But God still treasures us and desires to manifest Himself as a flame of fire from within us. We should treasure His burning by never putting any trust in what we are according to the natural man. Our natural man with its energy, strength, and ability must be terminated and forgotten. Our ability and strength mean nothing. What can a thorn-bush do? Nothing. Although you may consider yourself to be capable, you will eventually realize that you are merely a useless thorn-bush. We all must have such a view of ourselves. Thank God that He visits us, stays with us, and burns upon us. Although the divine flame burns within us and upon us, we ourselves are not consumed.
22神呼召摩西并打发他到法老那里去以后，成就一切并得著荣耀的不是摩西，而是神自己。摩西没有武器，他只有一根杖。他照著主的话带著那根杖到法老那里去，神便成就了一切。所以，荣耀得著彰显不是为著摩西，乃是为著神。在摩西里面并在他身上彰显了神的荣耀。我们都该像摩西一样成为蒙召的人，迟早我们都要看见摩西在出埃及记第三章所看见的异象，就是荆棘被火烧著却不被烧毁的异象。这异象必须铭刻在我们全人里面。每当我们来摸神的工作或教会的事奉时，就要被题醒我们甚么都不是，只是一丛荆棘。日子近了，我们都要明白这事。
22After God called Moses and sent him to Pharaoh, it was not Moses but God Himself who did everything and who was glorified. Moses had no weapon; he had only a rod. With that rod he went to Pharaoh at the word of the Lord, and God did everything. Therefore, the glory was manifested not for Moses, but always for God. Within Moses and upon him the glory of God was manifested. We all should be called ones like Moses. Sooner or later, we all shall behold the very sight Moses saw in chapter three of Exodus, the vision of a bush that burns without being consumed. This vision needs to be stamped upon our being. Then whenever we touch the work of God or the service of the church, we shall be reminded that we are nothing more than a thorn-bush. The day is coming when we all shall realize this