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以西结书生命读经 · 第1篇

引言（一）

Introduction (1)
1读经：以西结书1:1-3，民数记4:2-3，历代志上23:3上，路加福音3:23上，以西结书40:17;41:6上，46:22，民
1
2数记8:24，创世记11:6,31。
2Scripture Reading: Ezek. 1:1-3; Num. 4:2-3; 1 Chron. 23:3a; Luke 3:23a; Ezek. 40:17; 41:6a; 46:22; Num. 8:24; Gen. 11:6, 31
3我们这些信息，是要来看以西结书里的异象。我们的目标不是要查读这卷书，或讲解这卷书，乃是要看其中所包含神荣耀生命的异象。所以，我们不会逐节，甚至逐章的看以西结书，乃要竭力将这卷书里与生命有关的重点释放出来。
3Our intention in these messages is to see the visions in the book of Ezekiel. Our goal is not to research this book or to expound it but to see the visions of God’s glorious life contained in it. Therefore, instead of considering Ezekiel verse by verse or even chapter by chapter, we will endeavor to release the crucial points concerning life in this book
以西结书
THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL BEING PARALLEL
与启示录平行
TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION
4圣经启示，在宇宙间有一个奥秘的故事－有关神与人的故事。在这故事里，神进到人里面作人的生命，使人有祂的性情和祂荣耀的形像。最终，在神圣的性情里，神与人被建造在一起，作神安息的地方。这个建造的结果，神与人有了完全的联结。这就是神与人之间那生命奥秘的故事。虽然全本圣经述说神与人这奥秘的故事，但有两卷书特别与这个故事有关，就是以西结书和启示录。这两卷书都说到神作人的生命，说到生命的灵和生命的水流，也说到神的子民，有神荣耀的样式，成为神的居所。这两卷书都结束于耶路撒冷的异象，都给我们看见，神的子民被建造在一起，不但成为神的居所，使祂安息，也成为祂团体的配偶，使祂满足。以西结书和启示录是平行的。我们若要领会以西结书，就需要启示录；我们若要看见启示录里的事，就需要领会以西结书里所启示的事。因此，同时看这两卷书是有帮助的。我们若同时读以西结书和启示录，就会看见这二者在许多方面非常相似。在这两卷书里的要点几乎是相同的。
4The Bible reveals that a mysterious story is unfolding in the universe—a story involving God and man. In this story God enters into man to be man’s life, causing man to have His nature and His glorious image. Ultimately, in the divine nature God and man will be built together to be the place of God’s rest. As a result of this building, God and man will have a complete union. This is the mysterious life story between God and man. Although the entire Bible tells this mysterious story of God and man, two books are concerned with this story in a particular way. These books are Ezekiel and Revelation. Both books speak of God being life to man, of the Spirit of life, of the flow of the water of life, and of God’sp eople, who have His glorious likeness, becoming His dwelling place. Both books end with a vision of Jerusalem, and both books show us that God’sp eople are built together to become not only God’s dwelling place for His rest but also His corporate counterpart for His satisfaction. The books of Ezekiel and Revelation go together in parallel. If we would understand Ezekiel, we need Revelation, and if we would see something in the book of Revelation, we need to understand the things revealed in Ezekiel. Thus, it is helpful to take these books together. If we read Ezekiel and Revelation together, we will see that in many respects they are quite similar. The main points in these two books are nearly the same
与生命有关的异象
Visions Related to Life
5第一个相似点是这两卷书都开始于异象。以西结和约翰都看见异象，并且他们所看见的异象主要与生命有关。圣经对我们说到生命。在以西结书和启示录里，不但有生命这辞，也有描述生命是甚么，以及生命如何在我们里面并在我们中间作工的异象。在这两卷书里，不仅有生命的描述，也有表明生命之事的异象。
5The first similarity is that both books start with visions. Both Ezekiel and John saw visions, and the visions seen by them are mainly related to life. The Bible speaks to us about life. In the books of Ezekiel and Revelation, we have not only the term life but also visions portraying what life is and how life works within us and among us. In both books we have not just a description of life but also visions showing us the matter of life.
活水的流
The Flow of Living Water
6在全本圣经里，最清楚说到神流出来作生命的书，就是以西结书和启示录。以西结书和启示录都给我们看见活水的流。以西结四十七章一节说到从神住处流出来的河。九节说，『这河水所到之处，百物都必生活，』（另译，）十二节说，『在河这边，与那边的岸上，必生长各类的树木；其果可作食物，叶子不枯干，果子不断绝；每月必结新果子，因为这水是从圣所流出来的；树上的果子，必作食22:1物，叶子乃为治病。』在启示录二十二章一至二节，我们看见生命水的河从神和羔羊的宝座流出来。『天使又指给我看在城内街道当中一道生命水的河，明亮如水晶，从神和羔羊的宝座流出来。在河这边与那边有生命树，生产十二样果子，每月都结出果子，树上的叶子乃为医治万民。』所以，在以西结书和启示录里，都有河带著生命的供应从神流出来。
6In the entire Bible the books that speak most clearly concerning God flowing out as life are Ezekiel and Revelation. Ezekiel and Revelation both show us the flow of the living water. Ezekiel 47:1 speaks of the river that flows out of the habitation of God. Verse 9 says, “Every thing shall live whither the river cometh,” and verse 12 says, “By the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.” In Revelation and 2 we see the river of water of life proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. “He showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb in the middle of its street. And on this side and on that side of the river was the tree of life, producing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” In both Ezekiel and Revelation, therefore, we have a river flowing out of God with the life supply.
耶路撒冷的异象
Visions of Jerusalem
7以西结书和启示录共同有的主要事物，乃是耶路撒冷的异象。以西结书结束于耶路撒冷的异象，启示录也是。这两卷结束于耶路撒冷之异象的书，告诉我们神的心意是要进到我们里面作生命，使我们得有祂的性情和形像，好叫我们这些有祂作生命的人，在祂的性情和形像里，同被建造为圣城，作神的居所直到永远。这是以西结书和启示录的中心信息。所以，以西结书的信息与启示录的信息是相同的。
7The main thing that Ezekiel and Revelation have in common is that both books give us a vision of Jerusalem. Ezekiel ends with the vision of Jerusalem, and so does Revelation. These two books, which end with a vision of Jerusalem, tell us that God’sin tent i on is to come into us as life that we may have His nature and image so that, in His nature with His image, we who have Him as our life may be built up together as the holy city to be God’s dwelling place for eternity. This is the central message of both Ezekiel and Revelation. Therefore, the message of the book of Ezekiel is the same as that of the book of Revelation
以西结和约翰都站在祭司的地位上
Both Ezekiel and John Standing in the Position of a Priest
8以西结书和启示录不但在内容上相似，这两卷书的作者在某些方面也相似。最重要的相似点是，申言者以西结和使徒约翰都是在神面前的祭司。虽然以西结是申言者，但他看见记载在他书里的异象时，是站在祭司的地位上，有祭司的身分，（结一3，）也有祭司的生活。他在迦巴鲁河边，必定是在灵里尽他祭司的职分，事奉神，与神交通；所以天开了，他就看见神作人生命，使神与人同被建造的荣耀异象。在启示录五章十节，使徒约翰说到神所救赎的人是神的祭司。这指明约翰自己必定是作祭司事奉。约翰写启示录时，他的心境、地位、光景和情况，乃是祭司。
8Not only are the books of Ezekiel and Revelation similar in content, but the authors of these books are similar in certain respects. The most important similarity is that the prophet Ezekiel and the apostle John were both priests before God. Although Ezekiel was a prophet, when he saw the visions recorded in his book, he stood in the position of a priest, having the status of a priest (Ezek. 1:3) and also the life of a priest. As he was by the river Chebar, he surely was carrying out his priesthood in the spirit, serving God and fellowshipping with God, so that the heavens were opened and he saw the glorious vision of God being life to man so that He and man could be built together. In Revelation 5:10 the apostle John speaks of God’s redeemed people being priests to God. This indicates that John himself must have been serving as a priest. When John wrote the book of Revelation, his heart, standing, condition, and situation were that of a priest.
全本圣经的缩影
A MINIATURE OF THE ENTIRE BIBLE
9以西结书在圣经中占有非常重要的地位。我们若认识圣经所启示的，就能看见以西结书是全本圣经的缩影。以西结书里所启示的，乃是圣经中整个启示浓缩的形态。在这意义上，以西结书是全本圣经的缩影。
9The book of Ezekiel occupies a very important position among the books of the Bible. If we know what the Bible reveals, we can see that Ezekiel is a miniature of the entire Bible. What is revealed in Ezekiel is a condensed form of the whole revelation in the Bible. In this sense Ezekiel is a miniature of the Scriptures as a whole
神永远的定旨
God’s Eternal Purpose
10圣经清楚给我们看见，神永远的定旨是要将祂自己分赐到一班人里面。祂的心意是要将祂自己分赐到我们里面，使我们有祂作我们的生命，使我们得有祂的性情，并且使我们具有祂荣耀的形像。这就是说，神的定旨、神的心意，是要我们与祂有同样的生命、性情和形像，至终，我们与祂，祂与我们，调和在一起成为一个实体，带著两个性情，就是神圣的性情和属人的性情，好同被建造，作神永远的居所。这是神清楚启示在圣经里的永远定旨。以西结书浓缩的给我们看见同样的图画，启示神的心意是要将祂自己作到我们里面作我们的生命，并将祂自己与我们调和，使我们在祂这生命里同被建造，作祂永远的住处。这就是圣经所启示的，以西结书作为缩影也启示这事。
10The Bible shows us clearly that God’s eternal purpose is to dispense Himself into a group of human beings. His intention is to dispense Himself into us that we may have Him as our life, that we may have His nature, and that we may bear His glorious image. This means that God’s purpose, His intention, is that we and He would have the same life, nature, and image and that eventually, we and He, He and we, would be mingled together as one entity with two natures, the divine nature and the human nature, in order to be built together as God’s eternal dwelling place. This is God’s eternal purpose, which is clearly revealed in the Scriptures. The book of Ezekiel shows us the same picture in a condensed way, revealing that God’sin tent i on is to work Himself into us as our life and to mingle Himself with us that we might be built together in Him as life to be His eternal habitation. This is what the Bible reveals, and this is what, in miniature, Ezekiel also reveals
生命、性情、形像和建造
Life, Nature, Image, and Building
11在创世记头三章，我们看见神创造人，并将人安置在生命树跟前。生命树象征神自己在食物的形态里作我们的生命。由于人的堕落，生命树被基路伯包围、隐藏，并有『四面转动发火焰的剑，要把守生命树的道路』。（创三24。）从创世记三章起，我们看见神的审判以及神的眷顾、怜悯和救恩。一面，神那发火焰的剑施行祂的审判，把一切与祂自己不合的都烧毁。另一面，神藉著祂的恩典为祂自己救赎了一班人。藉著基督的救赎，通往生命树的道路又向人开启。如今人藉著基督的救赎并在基督的救赎之下，得以自由进到生命树跟前，也可以接受生命树作食物。这就是为甚么在约翰六章主耶稣告诉我们，祂来作生命的粮，我们该接受祂作我们的食物。祂说，『那吃我的人，也要因我活著。』（57下。）我们若接受祂作我们的食物，我们就会有祂的生命和性情，至终，我们会具有祂的形像。藉著有祂的生命、性情和形像，我们就同被建造。祂在约翰十七章二十一节为著这个建造祷告，那时祂祷告说，『使他们都成为一；正如你父在我里面，我在你里面，使他们也在我们里面。』这样成为一；意思就是我们需要同被建造。我们若从约翰的福音书到约翰的启示录，就能看见在启示录二十一至二十二章，所有蒙救赎的人同被建造成为一个城。在这城里，我们都是一，不只在道理上是一，甚至也不只在异象上是一，乃是在建造上是一。由此我们看见，我们需要彼此在生命里被建造。然后神要得著一座城－新耶路撒冷。这是圣经里所描绘的图画。我们来到以西结书，就看见同样的图画。在第一章有烈火的基路伯，有神在他们中间。别章给我们看见神如何来作我们的生命。（十一，三三～三四，三六～三七，四七。）至终，四十八章启示我们有神生命的人同被建造成为圣城耶路撒冷。我们再次看见以西结书是圣经的缩影。
11In the first three chapters of Genesis, we see that God created man and placed him before the tree of life. The tree of life signifies God Himself as life to us in the form of food. Due to the fall of man, the tree of life was encompassed and concealed by cherubim, and “a flaming sword which turned every way” kept “the way of the tree of life” (Gen. 3:24). From Genesis 3 onward we see both God’s judgment and God’s care, mercy, and salvation. On the one hand, God’s flaming sword executes His judgment, burning away whatever is contrary to Himself. On the other hand, through His grace God has redeemed a people for Himself. Through the redemption of Christ the way to the tree of life has been opened again to man. Now man, under and through Christ’s redemption, has free access to the tree of life and may take the tree of life as his food. This is why in John 6 the Lord Jesus told us that He came as the bread of life and that we should take Him as our food. He said, “He who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me” (v. 57b). If we take Him as our food, we will have His life and nature, and eventually, we will bear His image. By having His life, nature, and image we will be built up together. He prayed for this building in John 17:21 when He prayed, “That they all may be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us.” To be one in such a way means that we need to be built up together. If we go from John’s Gospel to John’s Revelation, we can see that in Revelation 21 and 22 all the redeemed ones have been built together into one city. In this city we are all one, not just one in doctrine nor even just one in vision but one in building. From this we see that we need to be built up one with another in life. Then God will have a city, the New Jerusalem. This is the picture portrayed in the Scriptures. When we come to the book of Ezekiel, we see the same picture. In the first chapter are the cherubim of flaming fire with God in their midst. Other chapters show us how God comes to be our life (chs. 11, 33, 34, 36, 37, 47). Eventually, chapter forty-eight reveals that we who have God’s life will be built up together into the holy city, Jerusalem. Once again we see that the book of Ezekiel is a miniature of the Bible.
12我们需要对这事实有深刻的印象，全本圣经和作为圣经缩影的以西结书启示，神的心意是要将祂自己分赐到我们里面，作我们的生命，使我们有祂神圣的性情，并具有祂荣耀的形像。然后藉著神圣的性情同神圣的形像，我们就同被建造，作一个永远的居所－新耶路撒冷。这是圣经，也是以西结书，启示的中心点。
12We need to be deeply impressed with the fact that the Bible as a whole and the book of Ezekiel as a miniature of the Bible reveal that God’sin tent i on is to dispense Himself into us as our life that we may have His divine nature and bear His glorious image. Then by the divine nature with the divine image we will be built together as one eternal dwelling place—the New Jerusalem. This is the central point of the revelation of the Bible and also of the book of Ezekiel.
以西结书的四段
THE FOUR SECTIONS OF EZEKIEL
13以西结书是一卷异象的书。本书第一段（一）陈明主荣耀样式的异象，启示神如何藉著四活物得以显现、行动并管理祂的行政。藉著活物的配搭，神就能行动并管理。在第二段（二～三十二），神来作烈火审判祂的子民和外邦列国。在审判之后，神藉著生命来恢复祂的子民。第三段（三十三～三十九）是恢复的一段。第四段（四十～四八）与神圣别的建造有关，出于藉著生命而有的恢复，并总结本书。因此，以西结书开始于主荣耀的样式，结束于神圣别的建造。这指明神的目标乃是建造。
13Ezekiel is a book of visions. The first section of this book (ch. 1) presents a vision of the appearance of the glory of the Lord, revealing how God is manifested, how God moves, and how God administrates His government through the four living creatures. Through the coordination of the living creatures, God is able to move and administrate. In the second section (chs. 2—32) God comes as the consuming fire to judge His people and the heathen nations. After the judgment God comes in to recover His people by life. The third section (chs. 33—39) is the section of recovery. The fourth section (chs. 40—48), which concerns the holy building of God, comes out of the recovery by life and consummates the book. Thus, Ezekiel begins with the appearance of the glory of the Lord and ends with the holy building of God. This indicates that God’s goal is the building
特别的引言
AN EXTRAORDINARY INTRODUCTION
14圣经每卷书的开始都是独特的。譬如，创世记这样开始：『起初神创造天地。』马太福音和约翰福音的开始也非常不同。马太一章一节说，『耶稣基督，大卫的子孙，亚伯拉罕子孙的家谱。』约翰一章一节说，『太初有话，话与神同在，话就是神。』以西结书的开始也非常特殊。以西结书的头三节是本书特殊、特有、特别的引言。
14Every book of the Bible begins in a unique way. For instance, Genesis begins in this way: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Matthew and John begin in a very different way. Matthew 1:1 says, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The book of Ezekiel also begins in a very peculiar way. The first three verses of Ezekiel are a special, specific, extraordinary introduction to the book
15以西结一章一至三节说，『当三十年四月初五日，以西结在迦巴鲁河边，被掳的人中，天就开了，得见神的异象。正是约雅斤王被掳去第五年四月初五日，在迦勒底人之地，迦巴鲁河边，耶和华的话特特临到布西的儿子祭司以西结；耶和华的灵降在他身上。』在这引言里包含四件主要的事。第一，这是一卷异象的书，这些引言的经文给我们看见，以西结开始看见异象的年月日。第二，这些经文给我们看见，他看见异象的地点。第三，这里有关于看见异象之人的话。第四，这引言里说出看见异象的情景。
15Ezekiel 1:1-3 says, “Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity, the word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him.” In this introduction four main things are covered. First, this is a book of vision, and these introductory verses show us the year, the month, and the day that Ezekiel began to see the visions. Second, these verses show us the place where he saw the visions. Third, here we have a word concerning the man, the person, who saw the visions. Fourth, in this introduction we see the conditions for seeing the visions
异象的日期
THE DATE OF THE VISIONS
16关于以西结书的引言，我们需要看的第一件事是日期，有年月日。
16Regarding the introduction to Ezekiel, the first thing we need to consider is the date, with the year, the month, and the day
三十年
the thirtieth year
17那年是三十年。这是指以西结的年龄。当时以西结三十岁。照著民数记四章二至三节和代上二十三章三节，祭司，利未人，是从三十岁开始事奉主。主耶稣也是在三十岁神法定的年龄开始尽职事奉神。（路三２３。）以西结是到了三十岁的祭司，有资格开始他祭司的职事。这里有个原则：要领悟属灵的事物并看见属天的异象，我们需要在生命里成熟。三十岁表征成熟。祭司到了三十岁的时候，就被视为成熟的。所以，三十年这辞指明，以西结当时三十岁，是成熟的。这指明我们若要看见以西结书里的异象，就必须有生命里的成熟。今天基督徒很难领会本书，因为他们多半缺少在神圣生命里的成熟。按属灵说，很少基督徒到达了三十岁，因此他们很难领会本书里的异象。在以西结四十至四十八章，本书专讲神建造的一段，三十这数字用于三种事物。在四十六章二十二节，神殿的外院子有四拐角的院子，每院宽三十肘。这四拐角的院子是祭司豫备供物给人吃喝享受的地方。照著四十章十七节，殿的外院有三十间屋子。人聚集敬拜神，可以在这三十间屋子里享受丰富的供物。四十一章六节说到又有三十间旁屋。这些旁屋在三面围绕殿，每面有三层，每层有三十间。所有这些旁屋指明殿的丰满。我们将这些经文放在一起，就能看见三十这数字与豫备基督、供应基督给别人、享受基督的丰富、并彰显基督之丰满有关。因此，在圣经里，三十这数字表征在生命里成熟，为别人豫备基督，自己享受基督，并彰显基督一切的丰满。以西结看见本书里所记载的异象时，是三十岁。他是成熟的人，能豫备基督，并供应基督给别人享受，也能自己享受基督的丰富，并彰显基督一切的丰满。
17The year was the thirtieth year. This refers to Ezekiel’sa ge. At that time Ezekiel was thirty years of age. According to Numbers 4:2-3 and 1 Chronicles 23:3 a priest, a Levite, started to serve the Lord at the age of thirty. The Lord Jesus also began to serve God in His ministry at the divinely legal age of thirty (Luke 3:23). As a priest who had reached the age of thirty, Ezekiel was qualified to start his priestly ministry. Here we have the principle that to realize spiritual things and to see heavenly visions, we need the maturity in life. The age of thirty signifies maturity. By the time the priests reached the age of thirty, they were regarded as mature. Therefore, the phrase in the thirtieth year indicates that Ezekiel, being thirty years of age, was mature. This indicates that if we would see the visions in the book of Ezekiel, we must have the maturity in life. Christians today have difficulty understanding this book because most of them lack the maturity in the divine life. Spiritually speaking, not many Christians have reached the age of thirty, and thus it is hard for them to understand the visions in this book. In Ezekiel 40 through 48, the portion of this book that is devoted to God’s building, the number thirty is used for three kinds of things. The outer court of God’stem ple in 46:22 has four corner courts, each of which has a breadth of thirty cubits. These four corner courts are the places for the priests to prepare the offerings for the people to eat and enjoy. According to 40:17 the outer court of the temple has thirty chambers. When the people come together to worship God, they may enjoy the rich offerings in these thirty chambers. Ezekiel 41:6 mentions another thirty side chambers. These are around the temple on three sides, in each of the three stories. In every story there are thirty side chambers. All these side chambers indicate the fullness of the temple. When we put these verses together, we can see that thirty is a number related to preparing Christ, ministering Christ to others, enjoying the riches of Christ, and expressing the fullness of Christ. Hence, in the Bible the number thirty signifies the maturity in life to prepare Christ for others, to enjoy Christ ourselves, and to express Christ in all His fullness. When Ezekiel saw the visions recorded in this book, he was thirty years of age. He was a mature person, able to prepare Christ and to minister Christ for others’ enjoyment and able also to enjoy the riches of Christ himself and to express Christ in all His fullness.
18三十这数字不但对以西结有意义，对今天在基督里的信徒也很有意义。就如以西结必须成熟，好作祭司事奉，看见异象，豫备基督作供物给别人享受，自己也享受基督的丰富，并且彰显基督的丰满；照样，我们也需要在属灵的生命里成熟，使我们能看见关于基督和祂身体的异象，豫备基督给别人享受，自己也享受基督一切的丰富，成为基督的丰满作祂的彰显。在以西结书里，三十这数字的形成有两种方式：五乘六，和三乘十；主要是由三乘十所构成。在圣经里，十这数字是人完整的数字，由两个五所组成。例如，马太二十五章里的十个童女；五个童女是精明的，五个是愚拙的。这里十个童女分为两组的五。十条诫命，有五条诫命在一块法版上，还有五条诫命在另一块法版上。所以，十条诫命也分为两组的五。五这数字表征我们因著加上神而能担负的责任。四是受造之物的数字，一是创造者的数字。受造之物加上创造者，受造之物就能担负责任。二这数字是见证、联合、和平衡的数字。主耶稣差遣门徒出去时，是两个两个的差遣他们。由两个五所组成的十这数字，表征我们受造之物有神加给我们，使我们能担负责任；这指明我们蒙恩，以见证、联合、和平衡的方式，在神面前担负责任。正如后面各章所表明的，这责任有三层，表征神格的三个身位－父、子、灵。三是三一神的数字，三十表征神三重的性情在人里面。所以三十是重要的数字，表征人同著在他里面的三一神完全担负责任。由这一切我们能看见，在以西结书里，三十这数字指明受造之物加上三一神，使受造之物能在三一神里面担负责任。这是我们所需要的生命成熟，好豫备基督给别人享受，自己完满的享受基督，并且彰显基督作祂的丰满。惟有藉著这样的成熟，我们才能看见以西结书的异象。
18The number thirty was not only significant for Ezekiel but is also significant for us as believers in Christ today. Just as Ezekiel had to be mature in order to serve as a priest, to see the visions, to prepare Christ as the offerings for others’ enjoyment, to enjoy the riches of Christ, and to express the fullness of Christ, so we also need to be matured in our spiritual life so that we can see the visions concerning Christ and His Body, prepare Christ for others’ enjoyment, and enjoy all the riches of Christ to become the fullness of Christ as His expression. In the book of Ezekiel the number thirty is formed in two ways: five multiplied by six and three multiplied by ten. Mainly it is constituted of three times ten. In the Bible the number ten, which is the complete number of a man, is composed of two fives, of five times two. Consider, for example, the ten virgins in Matthew 25. Five virgins were wise and five were foolish. Here we see that the ten virgins were divided into two groups of five. With the Ten Commandments, there were five commandments on one tablet and another five commandments on a second tablet. The Ten Commandments, therefore, were also divided into two groups of five. The number five signifies the responsibility we can bear by having God added to us. Four is the number of the creature, and one is the number of the Creator. When the Creator is added to the creature, the creature is able to bear responsibility. The number two is the number of testimony, union, and balance. When the Lord Jesus sent out the disciples, He sent them two by two. The number ten, composed of two fives, signifies that as creatures we have God added to us so that we may be able to bear responsibility. It indicates that we are graced to bear responsibility before God in the way of testimony, union, and balance. As shown in the following chapters, this responsibility is in three layers, or stories, signifying the three persons of the Godhead—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. Three is the number of the Triune God, and thirty signifies God’st hree fold nature being in man. Thirty is therefore an important number signifying man with the Triune God in him bearing responsibility in a complete way. From all this we can see that in Ezekiel the number thirty indicates that the creatures have the Triune God added to them so that they can bear the responsibility in the Triune God. This is the maturity in life that we need to prepare Christ for others’ enjoyment, to enjoy Christ in a full way ourselves, and to express Christ as His fullness. Only by having this kind of maturity will we be able to see the visions of the book of Ezekiel.
第五年
the fifth year
19以西结接著说到第五年。三十年是从他出生那年算起，而第五年是从被掳那年算起。为甚么异象在被掳第五年进来，不在更早的年间？异象没有更早来临，因为百姓没有豫备好，不到三十岁的以西结，自己也没有豫备好。这指明看见以西结书里所记载的异象，需要我们把自己豫备好。
19Ezekiel goes on to speak of the fifth year. Whereas the thirtieth year was counted from the year of his birth, the fifth year was counted from the year of captivity. Why did the visions come in the fifth year of captivity and not in an earlier year? The visions did not come earlier because the people were not ready and Ezekiel himself, being under the age of thirty, also was not ready. This indicates that seeing the visions recorded in Ezekiel requires that we make ourselves ready
20既然以西结看见异象时是三十岁，在被掳那年他只有二十五岁。民数记四章二至三节告诉我们，祭司三十岁开始尽职，但八章二十四节说，利未人从二十五岁开始事奉。这里的差距，原因是祭司需要作学徒五年。他们不能立刻进入祭司的事奉。反而，他们需要受训练和管教五年。在被掳的开始，以西结学习作祭司，是学习者。他还没有为要看见异象所需的成熟。这指明在属灵的事上，我们需要成熟。由于缺少成熟，我们中间有些人就看不见主在本书里所要向我们显示的异象。我们年轻时，看不见某些属灵的事。因此，我们需要仰望主给我们在生命里的成熟，使我们能看见、接受、得著、并领受一切属灵的事。异象在第五年进来，这事实指明不但以西结豫备好了，百姓也豫备好了。五这数字表征人蒙神恩典，向神负起责任。即使神的百姓被掳，他们仍然从神得著一些恩典，所以时候到了，他们就能在神面前负责任。『约雅斤王被掳去第五年，』指明以色列人向神负责任的时候到了。被掳开始的时候，以西结开始学习作祭司。甚至在被掳中，神也给他恩典，使他学习作祭司。在第五年的时候，以西结和百姓都豫备好了。一面，到了三十岁的以西结能正式在神面前尽职作祭司。另一面，百姓现在能担负他们的责任，神也能进来对他们说到这事。
20Since Ezekiel was thirty when he saw the visions, in the year of captivity he was only twenty-five. Numbers 4:2-3 tells us that the priests began their ministry at the age of thirty, but Numbers 8:24 says that the Levites began to serve at the age of twenty-five. The reason for the difference here is that the priests needed five years of apprenticeship. They could not come into the priestly service immediately. Rather, they needed to be trained and disciplined for five years. At the beginning of the captivity, Ezekiel was an apprentice priest, a learner. He did not yet have the maturity required for seeing the visions. This indicates that in spiritual things there is the need of maturity. Due to the lack of maturity, some among us cannot see the visions which the Lord intends to show us from this book. We cannot see certain spiritual matters when we are young. Thus, we need to look to the Lord that He would grant us the maturity in life that we may see, accept, receive, and take in all the spiritual things. The fact that the visions came in the fifth year indicates that not only Ezekiel but also the people had been made ready. The number five signifies that man is graced by God to bear responsibility toward God. Even though God’s people were in captivity, they still had some grace from God, so when the time came, they could bear responsibility before God. The “fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity” indicates that the time had come for the people of Israel to bear responsibility toward God. When this captivity began, Ezekiel began learning to be a priest. Even in captivity God gave him grace that he might learn to be a priest. At the time of the fifth year, both Ezekiel and the people were ready. On the one hand, Ezekiel, having reached the age of thirty, could officially minister as a priest before God. On the other hand, the people could now bear their responsibility, and God came in to speak to them concerning it.
21小孩子的父母能对他说到某种责任之前，小孩子必须长到适当的年龄，才能接受这样的说话。在父母能要求小孩子担负某种责任以前，小孩子必须达到某种年龄。这情况与神在以西结书里的说话类似。神没有说话，直到他们被掳的第五年。在以西结达到三十岁以前，神没有给他为神说话的责任。照样，在被掳第五年以前，百姓没有得著彀用的恩典，担负神要对他们所说之事的责任。但到第五年，百姓有彀用的恩典，以西结也有足彀的学习，现在能担负为神说话的责任。因此，在第五年神要以西结负责对以色列人说话，祂也要以色列人负责听祂的话。我们无法对初得救的人说到以西结书里的事，因为他们无法领会这些事。然而，有人到了得救的『第五年』，神也许就要特别对那人说话。同样，我这为神说话的人，无法说到这些事，直到我到了『三十年』。现在我已到了我的『三十年』，别人也到了他们的『第五年』，我就能对他们说到以西结书里的异象，他们也能接受这个说话。说话的人和听话的人都必须向神负责。
21Before a child’spare nts can speak to him about a particular responsibility, the child must be the proper age to receive such a speaking. A child must reach a certain age before his parents can ask him to bear a certain responsibility. The situation is similar with God’s speaking in the book of Ezekiel. God did not speak until the fifth year of their captivity. Before Ezekiel reached the age of thirty, God did not give him the responsibility of speaking for Him. Likewise, before the fifth year of the captivity, the people had not received the sufficient grace to bear the responsibility of what God would speak to them. But by the time of the fifth year, the people had sufficient grace, and Ezekiel had enough learning and could now bear the responsibility of speaking for God. Thus, in the fifth year God wanted Ezekiel to bear the responsibility to speak to the people of Israel and He wanted Israel to bear the responsibility of listening to His words. We cannot speak concerning the things in the book of Ezekiel to those who have just been saved, for they cannot understand them. However, when someone reaches “the fifth year” of his salvation, God may want to speak to that one in a particular way. Likewise, as one who speaks for God, I could not speak of these things until I had reached “the thirtieth year.” Now that I have come to my “thirtieth year” and others have come to their “fifth year,” I am able to speak to them regarding the visions in Ezekiel, and they are able to receive this speaking. Both the one speaking and the ones listening must bear their responsibility toward God