8在前一篇信息中,我们开始查读建造神的居所所用的材料。我们看见所有的材料都是论到基督身位与工作的美德,并且也都当作举祭来献给神的。这些材料不但是神所创造、所豫备的;也是神的选民所得著、所占有、所享受、所经历的。首先神必须创造并豫备所有的材料。然后百姓必须得著它们、经历它们,并且把它们当作举祭来献给神。虽然多数的译本在二十五章二节没有采用『举祭』的译法,但希伯来字的确是指举祭说的。我们已经看见,举祭是说到升天的基督、上升的基督,而且举祭总是伴随著摇祭,摇祭表明在复活里的基督─复活的基督。摇祭在先,然后是举祭。摇祭乃是豫表在复活里的基督。在复活里,基督能彀行动,能彀『摇一摇』。基督被埋葬了,但坟墓无法扣住祂。在复活里,神成了『摇动的』一位,并且从坟墓里出来了。我们把复活的基督,把『摇动的』一位献给神,就是把祂当作摇祭献上。我们由利未记得知,动物的有些部位,就是胸和腿,时常当作摇祭在主面前摇一摇;其它的部位则当作举祭向祂举起。基督不但是摇祭,也是举祭;不但是复活的一位,也是上升的一位,就是升上诸天,远超万有的一位。我们必须占有基督、得著基督、享受基督,并经历基督作复活的一位,和升天的一位。一方面,我们必须认识在复活里的基督。我们该像保罗一样,渴慕认识基督,晓得『祂复活的大能』。(腓三10。)另一方面,我们必须经历升天的基督。保罗在以弗所一章二十、二十一节论到升天的基督说,神使基督从死人中复活,『并叫祂在诸天上坐在自己的右边,远超过一切执政的、掌权的、有能的、主治的,和一切有名的。』(新译。)我们愈经历升天的基督,在诸天之上的基督,祂就愈成为我们的产业。祂成了我们的奇珍,然后我们把祂献给神作为建造祂居所的材料。这就是献上作为举祭的材料。我们必须牢记这个事实:二十五章二节的举祭蕴含著属灵的经历。我们不该客观地,以没有经历的方式,把材料献给神。我再说,首先材料必须成为我们的所有和享受。一旦材料属于我们,成为我们所有的,我们就可以保有它们,或者甘心乐意地献给神。我们该说:『主,因著我们爱你,情愿将我们的奇珍和产业当作举祭献上,为著建造你的居所。』二十五章一至九节所列举的十二种材料分为三大类;矿物、植物、动物。我们已经看见,植物是指生产的生命,动物是指救赎的生命,而矿物乃是指建造的生命。
8In the previous message we began to consider the materials used for the building of God’s dwelling place. We saw that all the materials refer to the virtues of Christ’s Person and work and that all were offered to God as a heave offering. The materials were not only created by God and prepared by Him; they were also gained, possessed, enjoyed, and experienced by God’s chosen people. First God had to create all the materials and prepare them. Then the people had to gain them, experience them, and offer them to God as a heave offering. Although most versions do not adopt the rendering “heave offering” in 25:2, the Hebrew word definitely denotes a heave offering. We have seen that the heave offering refers to Christ in ascension, to the ascended Christ, and that it is always accompanied by a wave offering, which signifies Christ in resurrection, the resurrected Christ. The wave offering comes first and then the heave offering. The wave offering is a type of Christ in resurrection. In resurrection, Christ is able to move, to “wave.” Christ was buried, but the grave could not hold Him. In resurrection He became the “waving” One and emerged from the tomb. When we offer to God the resurrected Christ, the “waving” One, we offer Him as the wave offering. We know from the book of Leviticus that certain parts of an animal, a breast or a thigh, were often waved before the Lord as a wave offering. Other parts were heaved up to Him as a heave offering. Christ is not only the wave offering but also the heave offering, not only the resurrected One, but the ascended One, the One who has ascended to the heavens, far above all. We need to possess Christ, gain Christ, enjoy Christ, and experience Christ both as the resurrected One and as the ascended One. On the one hand, we need to know Christ in resurrection. Like Paul, we should aspire to know Christ and “the power of His resurrection” (Phil. 3:10). On the other hand, we must experience Christ in ascension. Paul speaks of the ascended Christ in Ephesians 1:20 and 21, where he says that God raised Christ from among the dead and seated Him “at His right hand in the heavenlies, far above all rule and authority and power and lordship, and every name that is named.” The more we experience the ascended Christ, Christ in the heavenlies, the more He becomes our possession. He becomes our particular treasure, which we then offer to God as material for the building up of His dwelling place. This is to offer the materials as a heave offering. We need to be impressed with the fact that the heave offering in 25:2 implies spiritual experience. We should not offer the materials to God in an objective way, in a way without experience. To repeat, first the materials must become our possession and enjoyment. Once they belong to us, they become our possession, and we may keep them, or we may willingly offer them to God. We should say, “Lord, because we love You, we want to offer up our precious treasure and possessions as a heave offering for the building of Your dwelling place.” The materials listed in 25:1-9 are twelve in number and of three categories: minerals, plants, and animals. We have seen that the plants refer to the generating life, the animals to the redeeming life, and the minerals to the building life.