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民数记生命读经 · 第24篇

行程（九）

Journeying (9)
1读经：民数记十六章十九至五十节。关于民数记十六章里的严重背叛，我们已经看过背叛者，背叛的因由，和摩西的反应。在本篇信息中，我们要来看神如何审判这背叛。（民十六19～50。）
1Scripture Reading: Num. 16:19-50 Concerning the serious rebellion in chapter sixteen, we have already considered the rebels, the cause of the rebellion, and the reaction of Moses. In this message we will see how God judged this rebellion (16:19-50
四 神的审判
D. God’s Judgment
2不论地上发生甚么事，神的行政仍然立定，祂不仅管治祂的家—召会，也管治全世界。从我们对历史的研读，并对当前世界局势的观察，我们确定一切都在神的行政之下。所以我们必须相信，包括审判在内，一切都在祂以下，都在于祂，也都在祂的手中。
2No matter what is happening on earth, God’s government still stands, not only over His house, the church, but also over the entire world. From our study of history and from our observation of the present situation of the world, we are assured that everything is under God’s government. We must believe, therefore, that everything, including judgment, is under Him, up to Him, and in His hand
3在民数记十六章，神的审判有三重：从地而来，从天而来，也从百姓自己里面而来。地开了口，把一些背叛者吞下去；有火从天而来，烧灭了背叛者中其他许多人；又有病菌从其余背叛者里面发出，产生疫病击杀他们。
3In chapter sixteen of Numbers, God’s judgment is threefold, coming from the earth, from heaven, and from within the people themselves. The earth opened up to swallow certain of the rebellious ones, fire came from heaven to consume many others among the rebels, and germs from within others of the rebellious ones produced a plague that killed them
１ 可拉聚集全会众，在会幕门口攻击摩西和亚伦
1. Korah Gathering All the Assembly against Moses and Aaron
4可拉不仅聚集他的同伙，更聚集全会众在会幕门口攻击摩西、亚伦。（民十六19上。）这迫使神出来，在祂的荣耀里向全会众显现。（民十六19下。）神这样的显现是非常重大的事。
4Korah gathered all the assembly, not just his company or party, against Moses and Aaron at the entrance of the tent of meeting (v. 19a). This forced God to come out and appear in His glory to all the assembly (v. 19b). God’s appearing in such away was a very significant event
２ 耶和华对摩西和亚伦说话
2. Jehovah Speaking to Moses and Aaron
5耶和华对摩西、亚伦说话，要他们从这会众分别出来，祂好在转眼之间灭绝他们。（民十六20～21。）摩西和亚伦俯伏著说，『神，万人之灵的神阿，一人犯罪，你就要向全会众发怒么？』（民十六22。）摩西和亚伦称神为『万人之灵的神。』万人，直译，一切肉体。会众都是肉体所组成的人，但他们都有灵。神不是人肉体的神，乃是人灵的神。
5Jehovah spoke to Moses and Aaron, telling them to separate themselves from among this assembly that He may consume the assembly in a moment (vv. 20-21). Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces and said, ‘‘O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will You be angry with all the assembly?’’ (v. 22). Moses and Aaron addressed God as ‘‘the God of the spirits of all flesh.’’ The assembly was a composition of flesh, but all those in the assembly had a spirit. God is the God not of the flesh of people but of their spirit.
３ 可拉、大坍、亚比兰，同著妻子、儿子和小孩，并一切属他们的人和财物，都被地吞下去，活活的下到阴间
3. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, Together with Their Wives, Their Sons, and Their Little Ones, and All the Men That Belonged to Korah and All Their Goods, Being Swallowed by the Earth and Going Down Alive into Sheol
6可拉、大坍和亚比兰，没有因他们所作的害怕。他们同著妻子、儿子和小孩，都出来站在帐棚门口。（民十六27。）他们的帐棚靠在一起，这事实指明他们非常亲密。他们属于不同支派，可拉属于利未支派，大坍和亚比兰属于流便支派；但他们却很亲近。当地开口的时候，他们都在同一个地方。可拉、大坍、亚比兰，同著妻子、儿子和小孩，并一切属他们的人和财物，都被地吞下去，活活的下到阴间。（民十六28～33。）阴间是保存死人的魂与灵的地方。可拉和其他的人活活的下到阴间。他们直接下到那里，不需要先经过死。阴间就像暂时的监牢，火湖才是至终的监狱。这些灭亡的人进入了暂时的监牢，等候火湖里至终的监禁。他们无须经过肉身的死就到了那里。这是耶和华所创作的一件新事。（民十六～30。）我们可以说，这是在消极一面一件大的神迹。神藉此用地审判背叛的人。活人受这样的惩罚，这可能是惟一的一次。
6Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were not afraid because of what they had done. They, together with their wives, their sons, and their little ones, came out and stood at the entrance of their tents (v. 27). The fact that their tents were close together indicates that they were very intimate. They belonged to different tribes—Korah, to the tribe of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, to the tribe of Reuben—but they were quite close. When the earth opened up, they were all in the same place. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, together with their wives, their sons, and their little ones, and all the men who belonged to Korah and all their goods, were swallowed by the earth and sent down alive into Sheol (vv. 28-33). Sheol is a Hebrew word equivalent to the Greek word Hades. Sheol, or Hades, is the place where the souls and the spirits of the dead are kept. Korah and the others went down to Sheol alive. They went there directly; they did not need to die first. Hades is like a temporary jail, and the lake of fire is the final prison. These perished ones entered into the temporary jail to wait for the final imprisonment in the lake of fire. They went there without dying physically. This was something new that Jehovah created (vv. 29-30). We may say that it was a 29 great miracle in a negative sense. In this way God used the earth to judge the rebellious ones. Probably this is the only time that living people were punished in such a way.
４ 有火从耶和华出来，烧灭了献香的那二百五十人
4. Fire Coming Forth from Jehovah and Consuming the Two Hundred Fifty Men Offering the Incense
7地吞灭了可拉、大坍、和亚比兰这几个家以后，跟从可拉的二百五十个人还在那里。他们是从全会众中选出来有名望的人。藉此，我们能看到背叛是颇为普遍，可说是一般性的。就在那三个首领活活的被地吞灭的时候，有火从耶和华出来，烧灭了献香的那二百五十人。（民十六35。）这是神审判的第二面。
7After the earth had swallowed the families of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, there were still two hundred fifty followers of Korah. They were well-known leaders selected from the entire congregation. By this we can see that the rebellion was quite popular, even universal. Immediately after the three leaders were swallowed up alive by the earth, fire came forth from Jehovah and consumed the two hundred fifty men while they were offering incense (v. 35). This was the second aspect of God’s judgment
５ 那二百五十人的香炉是圣别的，要锤成片，包在祭坛上
5. The Censers of the Two Hundred Fifty Men Being Holy and Being Made into Hammered Plates as a Covering for the Altar
8那些犯罪、害了自己性命的二百五十人所用的香炉，要锤成片，包在祭坛上给以色列人作记号，题醒他们，免得那不是亚伦子孙的外人近前来，在耶和华面前烧香，就成了和可拉并他一伙的人一样。（民十六36～40。）神在审判中烧灭了那二百五十人。然后他们的香炉被锤成片，包在祭坛上。当百姓来祭坛献祭的时候，就记起那次背叛，以及神在可拉和他一伙人身上的审判。
8The censers of the two hundred fifty men who had sinned against their souls, that is, against themselves, were made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, as a sign to the sons of Israel and a reminder to them, so that no one who was a stranger, who was not of the descendants of Aaron, would draw near to burn incense before Jehovah, lest he become as Korah and as his company (vv. 36-40). The two hundred fifty men were burned by God in His judgment. Then their censers were hammered into plates to cover the altar. When the people came to offer at the altar, they were reminded of the rebellion and of God’s judgment on Korah and his company
６ 暴露以色列百姓顽梗的背叛天性
6. The Exposure of the Unsubdued Rebellious Nature of the People of Israel
9我们也许以为经过这两重审判，所有的以色列人都会安静且服从。然而，他们的光景却不是这样。他们背叛的天性仍在里面，并且暴露出来。在四十一至五十节那里，暴露了以色列人顽梗的背叛天性。
9We may think that, after this twofold judgment, all the children of Israel would be calmed down and subdued. That, however, was not their situation. Their rebellious nature remained in them, and it was exposed. In verses 41 through 50 we have the exposure of the unsubdued rebellious nature of the children of Israel
ａ次日以色列全会众都向摩西、亚伦发怨言
a. On the Next Day All the Assembly of the Sons of Israel Murmuring against Moses and Aaron
10百姓向摩西和亚伦发怨言，证明他们背叛的天性还没有被征服。『次日以色列全会众都向摩西、亚伦发怨言，说，你们杀了耶和华的百姓了。』（民十六41。）我简直无法相信他们会这样的向摩西、亚伦发怨言。
10The murmuring of the people against Moses and Aaron proves that their rebellious nature had not been subdued. ‘‘On the next day all the assembly of the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, You have killed the people of Jehovah’’ (v. 41). I find it incredible that they could murmur against Moses and Aaron in such a way
ｂ神的干豫
b. God’s Intervening
11神立即干豫。祂的荣耀在遮盖会幕的云彩中显现出来。（民十六。）祂告诉摩西，祂要在转眼之间灭绝会众。（民十六43～45上。）祂在忿怒之下，打发疫病杀灭他们。（民十六46下。）那疫病的细菌可
11God intervened immediately. His glory appeared in the cloud that covered the tent of meeting (v. 42). He told Moses that He would consume the assembly 42 in a moment (vv. 43-45a), and He sent the plague to kill them under His wrath (v. 46b). The germs of the plague were probably in them already.
12能早已在他们里面。
12
ｃ藉著摩西、亚伦，为以色列人遮罪
c. The Propitiation for the Sons of Israel through Moses and Aaron
13在这关头，摩西、亚伦采取了紧急行动。摩西、亚伦俯伏在地。（民十六45下。）亚伦从祭坛取火放在他的香炉中，摆上香，很快的拿到会众那里，站在死人活人中间，为他们遮罪。疫病就止住了；然而，已经有一万四千七百人被击杀。这是神从背叛的人里面所行的审判。
13At this juncture, Moses and Aaron did something as an emergency measure. Moses and Aaron fell on their faces (v. 45b). Aaron put fire from the altar in the censer, placed incense on the fire, carried the censer quickly to the assembly, and stood between the dead and the living, to make propitiation for them. Then the plague was stopped. Nevertheless, fourteen thousand seven hundred of the people were killed. This was God’s judgment from within the rebellious people.
14我们读十七章时，会看见其余的百姓仍未服从。神已经行过三重神迹性的审判神用地，又用从天上来的火，且用从他们里面之细菌所发出的疫病，审判了背叛的以色列人。按理，这些审判中的任何一种，都足以征服他们，使他们俯伏在神面前。他们理当被第三种审判所征服。然而，即使在第三种审判之后，百姓仍然发怨言。（民十七13。）他们的光景是何等的可怕！他们在背叛时是那么放胆，不在意下阴间或火湖；他们是冒著生命、甚至冒著魂的危险。他们开头是背叛摩西和亚伦，至终是背叛耶和华神。我们由此看见，堕落人类的背叛天性是何等的乖僻。我们来看神审判的方法，会看见神从三方面执行祂的审判：从地、从天、从背叛者里面。然而，背叛的人却没有因此被征服。实际上，按照圣经的记载，神从未藉著审判征服过人。在千年国一千年的炼净之后，人类仍旧背叛。（启二十7～。）神的审判并不征服人，而是消灭人。读过民数记十六章这样一段圣经，我们许多人可能对神的爱、怜悯、恩慈、和赦免起了疑问。神为甚么赦免了犯罪的以色列人，仍要惩罚他们？要回答这问题，我们需要看见，按照圣经的教训，神的赦免有许多种。一种是藉著惩罚来赦免。神赦免是一回事，祂惩罚又是另一回事。在某种特殊的情况下，神是藉著惩罚来赦免的；因此，这是带著惩罚的赦免。
14By reading chapter seventeen we can see that the remainder of the people still were not subdued. There had been a threefold, miraculous judgment by God. God had judged them by the earth, by fire from heaven, and by the plague that issued from the germs within them. Any one of those judgments should have been sufficient to subdue them and to cause them to fall down before God and worship Him. They certainly should have been subdued by the third judgment. However, even after the third judgment the people still complained (17:13). How terrible was their situation! They were so bold in their rebellion, not caring if they went to Sheol or the lake of fire, that they risked their lives, even their souls. They rebelled against Moses and Aaron, and eventually they rebelled against the very God, Jehovah. From this we see how perverse is the rebellious nature of fallen humankind. If we consider God’sway of judging, we will see that He executes His judgment from three directions: from the earth, from heaven, and from within the rebellious ones. Rebellious people, however, are not subdued by this. Actually, according to the record of the Bible, God never has subdued people by judgment. After the thousand years of purifying in the millennium, the human race will still rebel (Rev. 20:7-9). God’s judgment does not 9 subdue people; rather, it consumes them. After reading a portion such as Numbers 16, some of us may have questions about God’s love, mercy, kindness, and forgiveness. Why did God forgive the sinning Israelites yet still punish them? To answer this question we need to realize that, according to the teaching of the Bible, God’s forgiveness is of different kinds. One kind is forgiveness through punishment. For God to forgive is one thing, and for Him to punish is another. In a particular situation God forgives, but He forgives through punishment; hence, this is a forgiveness with punishment.
15我们需要在神面前有圣别的敬畏。我们该在神面前屈膝、降卑自己并且祷告：『主，怜悯我。惟有你的怜悯能保守我，使我留在你的恩典中。』
15We need to have a holy fear before God. We should bow down and humble ourselves before Him and pray, "Lord, have mercy on me. Only Your mercy can preserve me and keep me in Your grace