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耶利米书生命读经 · 第4篇

神在完成祂经纶上的信实

God’s Faithfulness in Fulfilling His Economy
1读经：耶利米书2:13，耶利米哀歌3:22-25，耶利米书23:5-6;31:33-34。在本篇信息中，我要进一步说到耶利米二章十三节，哀歌三章二十二至二十五节，耶利米二十三章五至六节，和三十一章三十三至三十四节。这些经
1Scripture Reading: Jer. 2:13; Lam. 3:22-25; Jer. 6; 31:33-34 3:22-25 In this message I would like to give a further word on Jeremiah 2:13; Lamentations 3:22-25; Jeremiah 23:5-6; and 31:33-34. The intrinsic content of these verses shows us God'secon o my.
2文的内在内容，给我们看见神的经纶。
2GOD'S PURPOSE IN DESIRING TO BE THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS TO HIS ELECT PEOPLE
3神渴望对祂选民作活水泉源的目的
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4耶利米二章十三节启示神是活水的泉源。为甚么神渴望作活水的泉源，给祂的选民喝，使他们得以解渴并满足？神要作活水的泉源给祂的选民喝，目的是要得著扩增并扩大。许多基督徒没有留意这件事。你曾听过神要得著扩大么？有些人听见这话，就说，『神怎能得著扩大？祂还不彀大么？说神能被扩大是亵渎神的。』关于神的扩大这件事，让我们回到圣经，来看圣经怎么说。
4Jeremiah 2:13 reveals that God is the fountain of living waters. Why does God desire to be the fountain of living waters for His elect people to drink that their thirst may be quenched and that they may be satisfied? God's purpose in wanting to be the fountain of living waters for His elect to drink is that He would be increased and enlarged. Many Christians have not paid attention to this matter. Have you ever heard that God wants to be enlarged? When some hear this, they say, "How can God be enlarged? Is He not already large enough? It is blasphemy to say that God can be enlarged." Concerning this matter of God's enlargement, let us come back to the Bible and see what the Bible says
神对祂的选民是满足人的水
God as the Satisfying Water to His Elect
5圣经里有一个思想：神对祂的选民是满足人的水。诗篇三十六篇八至九节上半说，『他们必因你殿里的肥甘，得以饱足；你必使他们喝你乐河的水。因为在你那里有生命的泉源。』（另译）这里的肥甘，意思是食物或生命的供应。河是生命河。在豫表里，神殿里的肥甘指美地丰富的出产。所有献给神的丰富，成了祂殿里的肥甘。我们享受这肥甘，就饮于生命河，神的乐河。圣经里有好些地方用河表征神。首先在创世记二章十至十四节。神照著祂自己的形像造人，然后将他安置在伊甸园里生命树前。10九节首次题到生命树。然后十节继续说，『有河从伊甸流出来滋润那园子，从那里分为四道。』所以，这河与生命树关系密切。说到河的另一处经节是诗篇四十六篇四节：『有一道河，47这河的支流使神的城欢喜。』以西结四十七章说到申言者看见河从神殿流出的异象。在约翰四章，主耶稣说到活水，（10，）以及涌入永远生命的泉源；（14；）10:4在约翰七章，祂说到活水的江河。（38。）在林前十章四节保罗题到灵水。最终，启示录二十二章一节题到生命水的河，从神和羔羊的宝座流出来。神的经纶得著成就，乃是藉著这河的涌流。
5In the Bible there is the thought that God is the satisfying water to His elect. Psalm 36:8-9a says, "They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life." Here fatness means food, or the life supply, and the river is the river of life. In typology the fatness of God'sho use refers to the rich produce of the good land. All the riches that were offered to God became the fatness of His house. As we enjoy this fatness, we drink of the river of life, the river of God's pleasures. In the Bible there are a number of places where God is signified by a river. The first is in Genesis 2:10-14. God created man in His own image and then placed him in the garden of Eden in front of the tree of life. The tree of life is first mentioned in verse 9. Then verse goes on to say, "A river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. " This river, therefore, is closely related to the tree of life. Another verse which speaks of a river is Psalm 46:4. "There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God." Ezekiel tells of the prophet's vision of a river flowing out of the temple of God. In John 4 the Lord Jesus speaks of living water (v. 10) and of a spring of water gushing up into eternal life (v. 14); and in John 7, He speaks of rivers of living water (v. 38). In 1 Corinthians we have Paul'sword about spiritual drink. Finally, in Revelation 22:1 we have a word concerning the river of water of life proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. It is through the flow of this river that God'secon o my is accomplished.
活水的泉源藉神的扩增为著神的彰显
The Fountain of Living Waters for God'sEx press i on through His Increase
6神需要对我们作活水的泉源，因为祂有一个经纶。神的经纶是甚么？神的经纶是要使祂自己得著彰显。神不要独自彰显祂自己，乃要藉著祂的配偶彰显祂自己。为这缘故，神创造人，并将他安置在伊甸园里。至终，神说，『那人独居不好。』（创二18上。）在豫表里，这表征神独居不好。这指明圣经所题到的第一个丈夫不是人，乃是神。祂的配偶是谁？亚当照著神的形像被造，乃是要作神的配偶。为了作神的配偶，亚当必须饮于神，将神接受到他里面，使他得著神圣的生命同神圣的性情并神圣的元素，好成为神圣的，来与神相配。因为作丈夫的神是神圣的，作祂配偶的妻子，也该是神圣的，使她能与祂相配。既然那人独居不好，神就用亚当的肋骨建造一个女人，来与他相配。（21～23。）
6God needs to be the fountain of living waters to us because He has an economy. What is God'secon o my? God'secon o my is to have an expression of Himself. God does not want to express Himself by Himself alone; rather, He wants to express Himself through His counterpart. For this reason, God created man and put him in the garden of Eden. Eventually, God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone" (Gen. 2:18a). In typology this signifies that it is not good for God to be alone. This indicates that the first husband mentioned in the Bible was not a human being but God. Who is His counterpart? Adam, who was created in God'sim age, was to be God's counterpart. In order to be God's counterpart, Adam had to drink of God, to receive God into him that he might have the divine life with the divine nature and the divine element in order to be divine to match God. Because God, the Husband, is divine, the wife, His counterpart, should also be divine that she might match Him. Since it was not good for the man to be alone, God builded from Adam'sr i ba woman to match him (Gen. 2:21-23
7我要强调这个事实：神需要对祂的选民作活水的泉源，因为祂有一个经纶，要为自己产生一个配偶，新妇。神经纶的目的是神不再独居，乃要得著一个妻子，作祂的扩增，祂的扩大，好与祂这丈夫相配。这是约翰三章三十节里『扩增』一辞的意义。在这节里，施浸者约翰题到基督说，『祂必扩增。』在前一节约翰说过，『娶新妇的，就是新郎。』三十节的扩增，就是二十九节的新妇。新郎是基督，新妇是祂的扩增，祂的扩大。正如夏娃是亚当的扩增，是用亚当的肋骨建造的，照样，神的选民是新妇，是基督这新郎的扩增。人成为不忠信、不贞洁的，
7I would emphasize the fact that God needs to be the fountain of living waters to His elect because He has an economy, and His economy is to produce a counterpart, a bride, for Himself. The purpose of God'secon o my is that God would no longer be alone but would have a wife to be His increase, His enlargement, and thus to match Him as the Husband. This is the significance of the word increase in John 3:30. In this verse John the Baptist, speaking of Christ, says, "He must increase." In the previous verse John had said, "He who has the bride is the bridegroom." The increase in verse 30 is the bride in verse 29. The Bridegroom is Christ, and the bride is His increase, His enlargement. Just as Eve was the increase of Adam, being built from Adam's rib, so God'select as the bride are the increase of Christ as the Bridegroom. MAN BECOMING UNFAITHFUL AND UNCHASTE
并为著偶像离弃神
AND FORSAKING GOD FOR IDOLS
8神要将自己分赐到人里面，作人的满足，使神得著扩大，但人成为不忠信、不贞洁的，并为著偶像离弃神。人这样的离弃神开始于伊甸园。亚当的妻子夏娃没有对神忠信，反被蛇引诱，从神转向善恶知识树所表征的撒但。藉著夏娃，亚当也被引诱，吃了知识树的果子。这样，人就从神转向偶像。知识树的每根枝子都是偶像。凡我们所有的，甚至凡我们所是的，都能成为偶像。以色列为著偶像离弃神，对神是邪恶、不忠信的。在对神这样不忠信的事上，我们和以色列一样。
8God intended to dispense Himself into man as man's satisfaction that God might be enlarged, but man became unfaithful and unchaste and forsook God for idols. This forsaking of God began in the garden of Eden. Eve, the wife of Adam, was not faithful to God but was seduced by the serpent to turn from God to Satan, symbolized by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Through Eve Adam also was seduced and ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge. In this way man turned away from God to idols. Every branch of the tree of knowledge is an idol. Whatever we possess, and even whatever we are, can be an idol. Israel was evil and unfaithful to God in forsaking God for idols. In the matter of such unfaithfulness to God, we are the same as Israel
神的信实引导我们
GOD'S FAITHFULNESS IN LEADING US
进入祂的经纶
INTO HIS ECONOMY
9我们虽然不忠信，神却是信实的。哀歌三章二十三节下半说，『你的信实，极其广大。』有一首著名的诗歌论到神的信实，（诗歌十三首，）副歌说，『「你的信实广大！你的信实无边！」你的怜悯每晨都是新鲜！我所需要一切全由你供给，你的信实极其广大无边！』我们对圣经并这首诗歌所说关于神信实的领会，可能是天然的，也可能是属灵的。你唱这首诗歌的时候，如何领会『信实』一辞？你若天然的领会神的信实，也许以为祂主要是在物质供给或物质祝福的事上信实。有人说神是信实的，意思是祂信实的顾到他们物质的需要。然而，在林前一章九节保罗说，『神是信实的，你们乃是为祂所召，进入了祂儿子我们主耶稣基督的交通。』神在这件事上是信实的，但祂也许没有信实的供给你大的房子，或高薪的工作。我不否认神信实的顾到我们的福利。我的点乃是，神的信实并非照著我们天然的领会。
9Although we are unfaithful, God is faithful. Lamentations 3:23b says, "Great is Your faithfulness." The chorus of a well-known hymn on God's faithfulness (Hymns, #19) says, "'Great is Thy faithfulness!' 'Great is Thy faithfulness!' / Morning by morning new mercies I see; / All I have needed Thy hand has provided— / 'Great is Thy faithfulness,' Lord, unto me!" We may understand what the Bible says and what this hymn says about God's faithfulness either in a natural way or in a spiritual way. When you sing this hymn, how do you understand the word faithfulness? If you understand God's faithfulness in a natural way, you may think that He is faithful primarily in the matter of material provisions or physical blessings. When some say that God is faithful, they mean that He is faithful to take care of their material needs. However, in 1 Corinthians 1:9 Paul says, "God is faithful, through whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." God is faithful in this matter, but He may not be faithful to provide you a large house or a well-paying job. I would not deny the fact that God is faithful in caring for our welfare. My point is that God's faithfulness is not according to our natural understanding
10看看使徒保罗的苦难。他蒙神呼召、受神托付，委以负担，并受差遣，然而他无论往那里去，都有难处。例如，他一开始传扬基督，就遭受逼迫。他甚至必须在筐子里给人从城墙上缒下去，藉此逃离大马色。难道这是神对保罗不信实么？不，这意思乃是，神的信实不是照著我们天然的领会。
10Consider the sufferings of the apostle Paul. He was called, commissioned, burdened, and sent by God, but wherever he went he had troubles. For example, as soon as he began to preach Christ, he began to suffer persecution. He even had to escape from Damascus by being lowered down the wall in a basket. Does this mean that God was not faithful to Paul? No, it means that God's faithfulness is not according to our natural understanding.
11我们相信主耶稣时，也许期望有平安和祝福。但我们也许反而有了许多难处，失去了我们的安全、我们的健康、或我们的财产。有些基督徒经历这样的事，就疑惑神的信实，问说为甚么神不阻止艰难临到他们。我们要领悟，神允许我们有难处，但祂在祂的定旨上是信实的，就是要使我们转离偶像，带我们归向祂自己。我们的平安、安全、健康和财产，也许成了我们的偶像，而神是信实的，祂取去这些东西，为叫我们饮于祂这活水的泉源。我们的房屋或财产若成为我们的偶像，我们就是饮于牠们，不是饮于神。神的信实就是要对付这些偶像，好使我们饮于祂。在引导我们进入祂的经纶上，神是信实的，要我们喝基督，吃基督，享受基督，吸取基督，并吸收基督，好叫神在我们身上得著祂的扩增，完成祂的经纶。这就是神的信实。
11When we believed in the Lord Jesus, we might have expected to have peace and blessing. But instead we might have had many troubles and might have lost our security, our health, or our possessions. When some Christians experience such things, they may question God's faithfulness and ask why He did not prevent hardships from happening to them. We need to realize that in allowing us to have troubles, God is faithful in His purpose to turn us from idols and bring us back to Himself. Our peace, safety, health, and possessions may become idols to us, and God is faithful to take these things away so that we may drink of Him as the fountain of living waters. If our house or our possessions become idols to us, we drink of them and not of God. God's faithfulness is a matter of dealing with these idols and causing us to drink of Him. God is faithful in leading us into His economy, and His economy is for us to drink Christ, to eat Christ, to enjoy Christ, to absorb Christ, and to assimilate Christ that God may have His increase with us to fulfill His economy. This is God's faithfulness
12以色列人没有饮于神这活水的泉源，反而饮于他们的偶像。所以，神用巴比伦人对付这些偶像，也毁灭对他们成了偶像的耶路撒冷，甚至圣殿。我们要看见，我们不比以色列人好。任何事物对我们都能成为偶像。但神在完成祂经纶的事上是信实的;因著祂的信实，祂就对付我们的偶像，使我们饮于祂。我们都需要饮于神这活水的泉源，将基督接受到里面，并吸收祂，这样祂就能扩增，以完成神的经纶，藉著祂的配偶得著彰显。神是信实的，但我们既不忠信，也不贞洁，反而有了许多别的丈夫。我们失败亏欠神以后，也许得著一些怜悯和恩典，因而悔改哀哭说，『我是多么可怜！长久以来我都不太爱主，也没有参加聚会。』我们悔改哀哭的时候，神就欢乐。然而，我们若过于悔改哀哭，甚至我们的悔改也可能成为偶像。我们也许在聚会中见证，说我们已向神彻底悔改，但这可能成为自夸，成了自己制造的偶像。所以，我们悔改以后，应当开始饮于活水，赞美神，为凡事感谢祂，并且享受祂。这是神所要的。除了叫我们享受基督，神对任何事物都不感兴趣。
12Instead of drinking of God as the fountain of living waters, Israel drank of their idols. Therefore, God used the Babylonians to deal with these idols and also to destroy Jerusalem and even the temple, which had become an idol to them. We need to see that we are not better than Israel. Anything can become an idol to us. But God is faithful in fulfilling His economy. In His faithfulness He deals with our idols that we may drink of Him. We all need to drink of God as the fountain of living waters, receiving Christ into us and assimilating Him, so that He may increase for the fulfillment of God'secon o my to have His expression through His counterpart. Whereas God is faithful, we are neither faithful nor chaste but go to many other husbands. After failing God, we may receive some mercy and grace and therefore repent and weep, saying, "How pitiful I am! For a long time I have not loved the Lord very much, and I have not attended the meetings." While we are repenting and weeping, God is rejoicing. However, if we repent and weep too much, even our repentance may become an idol. We may testify in a meeting, saying that we have thoroughly repented to God. But this may be a matter of self - boasting and be a self - made idol. Therefore, after repenting, we should begin to drink of the living waters, praising God, giving thanks to Him for everything, and enjoying Him. This is what God wants. God is not interested in anything other than our enjoyment of Christ.
神不失望，祂的怜恤也不断绝
GOD NOT BEING DISAPPOINTED AND HIS COMPASSIONS NOT FAILING
13我们也许以为，因著我们的失败，我们是无望的。因此，我们来看哀歌三章二十二至二十五节是有益的:『我们不至消灭，是出于耶和华的慈爱，因祂的怜恤不至断绝；每早晨这些都是新的。你的信实，极其广大。我心里说，耶和华是我的分；因此我仰望祂。那等候耶和华，心里寻求祂的，耶和华必恩待他。』这些话是巴比伦人毁灭了耶路撒冷，焚烧了圣殿，并将许多人掳去以后写的。照一些历史的记载，耶利米哀歌是耶利米坐在小山上，俯视被毁的耶路撒冷城时所写的。当然，以色列人必定觉得，神丢弃了他们，他们完了。一面，耶利米哀哭；另一面，他写作。在他的写作里他能说，他们不至消灭，是出于耶和华的慈爱。他能说，他们仍在那里，神没有丢弃他们。首领、申言者和祭司失败了，但神的怜恤不断绝，反而，这些每早晨都是新的。耶利米甚至能宣告，耶和华是他的分，他仰望祂，因祂必恩待那等候祂的。为甚么在神里面有盼望？因为神不失望。
13We may think that because of our failure, we are hopeless. Thus, it is profitable to consider Lamentations 3:22-25. "It is Jehovah's lovingkindness that we are not consumed, / For His compassions do not fail; / They are new every morning. / Great is Your faithfulness. / Jehovah is my portion, says my soul; / Therefore I hope in Him. / Jehovah is good to those who wait on Him, / To the soul that seeks Him." These words were written after the Babylonians had destroyed Jerusalem, burned the temple, and carried away many into captivity. According to some historical books, Lamentations was written while Jeremiah was sitting on a small mountain overlooking the destroyed city of Jerusalem. Surely, the people of Israel must have felt that God had given them up and that they were finished. On the one hand, Jeremiah was weeping; on the other hand, he was writing. In his writing he could say that it was of Jehovah's lovingkindness that they were not consumed. He could say that they were still there and that God had not given them up. The princes, the prophets, and the priests had failed, but God's compassions do not fail; rather, they are new every morning. Jeremiah could even declare that Jehovah was his portion and that he hoped in Him, for He is good to those who wait on Him. Why is there hope in Him? There is hope in God because with God there is no disappointment
以色列的失败开路
ISRAEL'S FAILURE OPENING THE WAY
14让基督进来作他们的义
14FOR CHRIST TO COME IN TO BE THEIR RIGHTEOUSNESS
15关于这点我们要看见，以色列的失败开路让基督进来作他们的公义。今天我们的情况也是一样。我们的失败开路让基督进来。
15At this point we need to see that Israel's failure opened the way for Christ to come into be their righteousness. The situation is the same with us today. Our failure opens the way for Christ to come in
16耶利米二十三章五至六节说到基督的进来：『耶和华说，看哪，日子将到，我要给大卫兴起一个公义的苗；祂必掌王权，行事精明，在地上施行公理和公义。…祂的名必称为耶和华我们的义。』公义的苗是基督这大卫的后裔。日子将到，所有的以色列人都要接受基督作他们的义。他们离弃祂，但他们的离弃，却开了门让祂进来作他们的义。他们会说，『主，我们没有任何事物是神能承认为义的，但你来作我们的义。』
16Jeremiah 23:5-6 speaks of Christ's coming in. "Behold, days are coming, / Declares Jehovah, / When I will raise up to David a righteous Shoot; / And He will reign as King and act prudently / And will execute judgment and righteousness in the land./...And this is His name by which He will be called, / Jehovah our righteousness." This righteous Shoot is Christ as the descendant of David. The day is coming when all Israel will receive Christ as their righteousness. They forsook Him, but their forsaking of Him has opened the door for Him to come in to be their righteousness. Then they may say, "Lord, we do not have anything that God can recognize as righteousness, but You have come to be our righteousness
17照耶利米的豫言，无论以色列多么邪恶、奸恶，无论他们离弃神多少次，去为自己凿出破裂的池子，他们仍要得复兴。在以色列复兴时，基督要作他们的公义、救赎和生命，（三一33～34，）基督也要得高举，作他们的中心和普及。神要进来，将自己这神圣的生命分赐到祂的选民里面，作他们的生命，和生命之律同其性能，使他们认识神并活神。至终，他们要和保罗以及今天在基督里的信徒一样，成为新造。不至失望，反倒确信神有路使我们成熟，将我们带进新耶路撒冷
17According to the prophecy of Jeremiah, no matter how evil and wicked Israel may be and no matter how often they have forsaken God to hew out broken cisterns for themselves, Israel will be restored. In the restoration of Israel, Christ will be their righteousness, redemption, and life (31:33-34), and Christ will be exalted to be their centrality and universality. God will come in to dispense Himself into His elect as the divine life to be their life and life law with its capacity to know God and to live God. Eventually, they, like Paul and the believers in Christ today, will be a new creation. NOT BEING DISAPPOINTED BUT BEING ASSURED THAT GOD HAS A WAY TO CAUSE US TO MATURE AND TO BRING US INTO THE NEW JERUSALEM
18今天我们若失败亏欠神，我们不该失望；神有路来对付我们。祂有路使我们成熟，然后将我们带进新耶路撒冷。我们若是得胜者，就要在千年国里享受赏赐。我们若失败，就会在千年国里受刑罚，但至终我们还要成熟，进入新耶路撒冷。今天有些基督徒爱世界，但迟早神要进来，将世界的『玩具』取去，他们就要悔改。然后祂也许说，『孩子，你不需要再悔改。只要将基督接受进来，并与我一同欢乐。』我们不需要为自己的情况忧虑。神是忍耐、同情并怜恤的，祂要花时间使我们成熟。每位信徒，无论现在软弱或刚强，都要在新耶路撒冷里，在那里每个人都要成熟。无论我们是殷勤或只是稍微寻求神，神都有路使基督成为我们的公义、我们的救赎、我们的生命、我们生命之律、和我们生命的性能，这样我们就能成熟。每位在基督里的真信徒，都要达到成熟，并且在新耶路撒冷里。因此，我们不该沮丧或灰心。反之，我们应当受鼓励。
18If we fail God today, we should not be disappointed. God has a way to deal with us. He has a way to cause us to mature and then to bring us into the New Jerusalem. If we are overcomers, we will enjoy the reward in the millennium. If we are defeated, we will suffer punishment in the millennium, but eventually we will be matured and enter into the New Jerusalem. Some Christians may love the world today, but sooner or later God will come in to take away the "toy" of the world, and they will repent. Then He may say, "Child, you don't need to repent anymore. Simply take Christ in and rejoice with Me." There is no need for us to worry about our situation. God is patient, sympathetic, and compassionate, and He will take the time to make us mature. Every believer, whether presently weak or strong, will be in the New Jerusalem, and everyone there will be mature. Whether we seek God diligently or only a little, God has a way to make Christ our righteousness, our redemption, our life, our life law, and our life capacity so that we can be matured. Every real believer in Christ will reach maturity and be in the New Jerusalem. Thus, we should not be dismayed or discouraged. Rather, we should be encouraged.