民数记生命读经 · 第29篇

行程（十四）

Journeying (14)

1读经：民数记20:2-13,24;27:12-14;1Cor.10:4,6。

1Scripture Reading: Num. 20:2-13, 24; 27:12-14; 1 Cor. 10:4, 6

捌进一步的失败

VIII. FURTHER FAILURES

2在民数记二十和二十一章，以色列人又进一步的失败。在本篇信息中，我们要来看二十章所记载的失败；这章传达了神圣启示中一些美妙的点。

2In chapters twenty and twenty-one of Numbers, the children of Israel had further failures. In this message we will consider the failure recorded in chapter twenty, a chapter which conveys some marvelous points of the divine revelation

一为水争闹

A. Contending for Water

3在二十章二至十三节，我们看见百姓为水争闹。以色列人行走在旷野，缺水是很大的难处。百姓的数目超过二百万，他们的牲畜也很多。要为这许多百姓和牲口找水喝，是个严重的问题。因著没有水给会众喝，百姓『就聚集攻击摩西、亚伦。』（民二十2。）

3In 20:2-13 we see that the people were contending for water. While the children of Israel were journeying in the wilderness, the shortage of water was a great problem. The people numbered more than two million, and they had a great many cattle. Finding water for all these people and their cattle was a serious problem. Because there was no water for the assembly, the people ‘‘gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron’’ (v. 2

１百姓用恶语向摩西争闹

1. The People Contending with Moses with Evil Words

4百姓为水争闹，（民二十2～13，）就用恶语攻击摩西和亚伦。『百姓向摩西争闹说，我们的弟兄死在耶和华面前，我们巴不得那时与他们同死。你们为何把耶和华的会众领到这旷野，使我们和牲口都死在这里？你们为何逼著我们出埃及，把我们领到这坏地方？这地方不好撒种，也不好长无花果、葡萄、和石榴，又没有水喝。』（民二十3～。）这些争闹的人宁愿在十六章时就死在神的审判之下，总比活在没有水的旷野好。他们这里的说话很有口才，我希奇他们说话这么有口才，为甚么不用来祷告？他们不该向摩西争闹，而该祷告。

4In their contending for water (20:2-13), the people contended against Moses with evil words. ‘‘The people contended with Moses, and spoke, saying, If only we had perished when our brothers perished before Jehovah! And why have you brought the congregation of Jehovah into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for seed, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates; and there is no water to drink’’ (vv. 3-5). These contending ones wished they had died5 under God’s judgment in chapter sixteen rather than live in the wilderness without water. Their speaking here was eloquent. I wonder why they were eloquent in speaking but not in praying. Instead of contending with Moses, they should have prayed.

２摩西、亚伦离开会众，来到会幕门口，俯伏在地

2. Moses and Aaron Leaving the Congregation, Going to the Entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and Falling on Their Faces

5『摩西、亚伦从会众面前来到会幕门口，俯伏在地。』（民二十6上。）摩西和亚伦无法应付这局面，就到神那里去。他们没有说甚么，只是俯伏在地，『耶和华的荣光向他们显现。』（民二十6下。）３耶和华吩咐摩西拿著杖，

5‘‘Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the congregation to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces’’ (v. 6a). Having no way to deal with the situation, Moses and Aaron went to God. They did not utter anything but simply fell on their faces, and ‘‘the glory of Jehovah appeared to them’’ (v. 6b). 3. Jehovah Commanding Moses to Take the Rod

同著亚伦，在百姓面前吩咐磐石出水

and Speak to the Rock with Aaron before the People That the Rock Might Yield Its Water

6『耶和华对摩西说，你拿著杖，和你的哥哥亚伦招聚会众，在他们眼前吩咐磐石出水；你要为他们从磐石引出水来，好给会众和他们的牲口喝。』（民二十7～8。）磐石豫表基督，（林前十4下，）水豫表那灵。（林前十4上。）

6Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, Take the rod, and gather the assembly, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes that it may yield its water; and you shall bring water out of the rock for them; so you shall give the assembly and their cattle water to drink’’ (vv. 7-8). The rock typifies Christ (1 Cor. 10:4b), and the water typifies the Spirit (1 Cor. 10:4a

４摩西拿著杖，说百姓是背叛的人；他用杖击打磐石两下，就有许多水流出来

4. Moses Taking the Rod, Calling the People Rebels, and Striking the Rock with His Rod Twice, and Water Coming Out Abundantly

7摩西从耶和华面前拿了杖去；他和亚伦就招聚会众到磐石前。（民二十9～10上。）然后摩西对百姓说，『你们这背叛的人，听哪：我们岂要从这磐石中为你们引出水来么？』（民二十10下。）说了这话，『摩西举手，用杖击打了磐石两下，就有许多水流出来，会众和他们的牲口都喝了。』（民二十11。）摩西的话和行动都错了。毫无疑问，他对以色列人动了怒，甚至发了脾气。甚么时候我们动了怒而且失去自制，我们就很容易犯错。在这些时候，我们就像摩西，可能说错话，或作错事。

7Moses took the rod from before Jehovah, and he and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock (Num. 20:9-10a). Then Moses said to the people, ‘‘Hear now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?’’ (v. 10b). Having said this, ‘‘Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his rod twice; and water came forth abundantly, and the assembly drank, and their cattle’’ (v. 11). Moses was wrong both in word and in deed. No doubt, he was angry with the children of Israel, and he even might have lost his temper. Whenever we are angry and do not control ourselves, it is easy for us to make mistakes. At such times we, like Moses, may speak wrongly or act wrongly

8圣经告诉我们，摩西『极其谦和，胜过世上的众人。』（民十二3。）摩西是真正属神的人，他在神面前俯伏于地，不说一句话。他的确从神学了功课。然而，这样一个谦和的人却向以色列人动了怒。神告诉他拿杖吩咐磐石出水。摩西可以招聚会众到磐石面前说，『赞美主！祂是美善且有恩典的。祂的确照顾我们。你们需要水，祂就供应你们水。我们只需要吩咐磐石，水就会流出来。』摩西若这样说话，事情会何等美好！然而，摩西在怒中对百姓说，『你们这背叛的人。』摩西不敢对神说甚么，但他从神面前去百姓那里的时候，却对他们动怒说话；然后他用杖击打磐石两下。他一下也不需要击打磐石，何况两下。在出埃及十七章那里，磐石已经被击打过了，神没有吩咐摩西再击打；神只是要摩西吩咐磐石。虽然摩西是神忠信的仆人，但在民数记二十章，他犯了一个错误，使他失去进入美地的权利。

8The Bible tells us that Moses was ‘‘very meek, more than all men who were on the face of the earth’’ (12:3). A real man of God, Moses fell on his face before God, not saying anything. He had truly learned of God. Nevertheless, such a meek person became angry at the children of Israel. God had told him to take the rod and speak to the rock that it may yield its water. Moses could have gathered the congregation together before the rock and said, ‘‘Praise the Lord! He is good and He is gracious. He surely takes care of us. You need water, and He will supply water. We only need to speak to the rock, and the water will flow forth.’’ How wonderful it would have been if Moses had spoken in this way! However, in his anger Moses said to the people, ‘‘You rebels.’’ Moses did not dare to say anything to God, but when he came from the presence of God to the people, he spoke angrily to them. Then he struck the rock twice with his rod. It was not necessary for him to strike the rock once, much less twice. The rock had already been struck in Exodus 17, and God did not tell Moses to strike it again. Rather, God told Moses simply to speak to the rock. Although Moses was a faithful servant of God, in Numbers 20 he made a mistake which caused him to lose his right to enter into the promised good land.

５神用吗哪和水供应以色列人，应付他们正当的需要，并不惩罚他们；却用鹌鹑满足他们肉体的情欲，作为惩罚

5. God Supplying the Israelites with Manna and Water to Meet Their Proper Need, without Any Punishment, but Supplying Them with Quails to Satisfy Their Lusting after the Flesh, as a Punishment

9在出埃及十六章十四至十八节和十七章五至六节，神用吗哪和水供11应以色列人，应付他们正当的需要，并不惩罚他们。但在民数记十一章，祂却用鹌鹑满足他们肉体的情欲，作为惩罚。（民十一4，18～20，31～34。）在出埃及记十六和十七章，神没有对百姓生气。当他们需要食物，祂就降下吗哪，因为食物是必需品。照样，当他们需要另一项必需品—水，祂也乐意从已被击打的磐石供应他们活水。然而，在民数记十一章，百姓是在追求肉体的情欲；因这不是必需品，祂就向他们发怒，并在怒中用鹌鹑供应他们，作为惩罚。你能区别这两种情形么？当以色列人为著必需品麻烦神时，神并没有被得罪，但当他们起贪欲时，神就被得罪了。在民数记二十章，百姓争闹是因著缺水。因为水是必需品，所以神没有对他们生气。实际上，供应他们水乃是祂的责任。

9In Exodus 16:14-18 and 17:5-6, God supplied the Israelites with manna and water to meet their proper need, without any punishment. But in Numbers He supplied them with quails to satisfy their lusting after the flesh, as a punishment (vv. 4, 18-20, 31-34). In Exodus 16 and 17 God was not angry with the people. When they needed food, He sent manna, for food is a necessity. Likewise, when they needed water, another necessity, He gladly supplied them with living water from the smitten rock. However, in Numbers 11 the people were lusting after the flesh. Because this was not a matter of necessity, He was angry with them and, in His anger and as a judgment, He supplied them with quails. Can you differentiate these two kinds of situations? When the children of Israel caused God trouble concerning necessities, He was not offended, but when they lusted, He was offended. In Numbers 20 the people contended because they did not have water. Because water was a necessity, God was not angry with them. Actually, it was His responsibility to supply them with water.

６摩西向以色列人动怒，错误的击打了磐石两下，没有尊神为圣

6. Moses Failing to Sanctify God in Being Angry with the People of Israel and in Wrongly Striking the Rock Twice

10摩西向以色列人动怒，错误的击打了磐石两下，没有尊神为圣。他动怒，就是没有在神对祂子民的圣别性情上正确的代表神；他击打磐石两下，就是在神行动上错误的代表神。因此，他和他哥哥就受神惩罚，不得进入美地。（民二十12～13，24，二七12～14。）

10Moses failed to sanctify God in being angry with the people of Israel and in wrongly striking the rock twice. In being angry, he did not represent God rightly in His holy nature toward His people. In striking the rock twice, he represented God wrongly in God’s action. Hence, he and his brother were punished by God by not being allowed to enter into the good land (20:12-13, 24; 27:12-14).

11在民数记二十章，神没有向百姓动怒，但摩西却动了怒。他到神那里，向祂申诉，却不敢说甚么。在这事上，摩西是对的，因为我们生气的时候不该祷告。关于这事，我们需1要记得，以利亚在王上十九章十四节如何祷告。以利亚在祷告中说，『我为耶和华万军之神大发热心，因为以色列人背弃了你的约，毁坏了你的坛，用刀杀了你的申言者，只剩下我一个人，他们还要寻索我的命。』保罗论到这祷告，说以利亚是向神控告以色列人。（罗十一。）以利亚的申诉实际上就是控告神的百姓。从摩西在民数记二十章的事例，以及以利亚在王上十九章的事例，我们学知每逢我们向神祷告到神的子民时，我们要很小心。『耶和华对摩西、亚伦说，因为你们不信我，不在以色列人眼前尊我为圣，所以你们必不得领这会众进入我所赐他们的地。』（民二十12。）神责怪摩西和亚伦不信祂，也不在百姓面前尊祂为圣。神没有动怒，摩西却动了怒，所以摩西没有正确的代表神。摩西在怒中可能以为这次神要消灭百姓了。然而，神晓得民数记二十章里的难处，是由于百姓口渴。就如母亲不对口渴而哭的小孩生气，反会顾惜小孩；照样，神也不向祂口渴的百姓动怒，反而负责用水供应他们。

11In Numbers 20 God was not angry with the people, but Moses was angry with them. He went to God and appealed to Him, but he did not dare to say anything. In this matter Moses was right, for we should not pray when we are angry. Concerning this, we need to remember how Elijah prayed in Kings 19:14. In his prayer Elijah said, ‘‘I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.’’ Referring to this prayer, Paul said that Elijah was pleading with God against Israel (Rom. 11:2). Elijah’s p leading2 was actually his accusing the people. From the case of Moses in Numbers 20 and the case of Elijah in 1 Kings 19, we learn that we should be careful whenever we pray to God concerning His people. ‘‘Jehovah said to Moses and Aaron, Because you did not believe in Me, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them’’ (20:12). God blamed Moses and Aaron for not believing in Him and for not sanctifying Him before the people. Because he was angry when God was not angry, Moses did not rightly represent God. In his anger, Moses might have thought that the time had come for God to consume the people. God, however, realized that the problem in Numbers 20 was caused by the people’s thirst. Just as a mother is not angry with a child who cries because of thirst but instead cherishes the child, so God was not angry with His thirsty people but rather assumed the responsibility of supplying them with water.

12按照民数记二十章神对祂子民的看法，他们没有甚么错。这与二十三、二十四章的情形相似。巴勒雇巴兰去咒诅以色列人，但结果没有咒诅，却有祝福。巴兰无法咒诅神所没有咒诅的，（民二三8，）他说，『祂在雅各中未见罪孽；在以色列中未见祸患。』（民二三21。）在二十四章五节，巴兰接著说，『雅各阿，你的帐棚何等华美，以色列阿，你的居所何等华丽！』按照摩西在二十章的看法，神的子民中间有许多祸患和罪孽，但在神看来，却没有祸患或罪孽。这就是说，摩西虽然常常与神是一，但在这时刻，他与神之间却有很大的差异。

12According to God’s view of His people in Numbers 2 0, there was nothing wrong with them. The situation was similar to that in chapters twenty-three and twenty-four. Balak hired Balaam to curse Israel, but instead of cursing there was blessing. Unable to curse him whom God has not cursed (23:8), Balaam said, ‘‘He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob; / Nor has He seen trouble in Israel’’ (v. 21). In 24:5 Balaam went on to say, ‘‘How fair are your tents, O Jacob, / Your dwelling places, O Israel!’’ According to Moses’ view in chapter twenty, there was much trouble and iniquity among God’sp eople, but in God’s view there was neither trouble nor iniquity. This means that although Moses was usually one with God, in this instance there was a great discrepancy between him and God.

13摩西在对付水的事上作错了。他是神的代表，他有地位代表神，但在这里他向百姓错误的代表了神。在这时神并没有生气。祂告诉摩西吩咐磐石出水，这事实指明了这点。但摩西生气了，无法容忍这局面。他招聚了会众，向他们动怒说，『你们这背叛的人，听哪。』摩西这样对百姓说话，就错误的代表了神。他错误的说话使神变得凡俗，就是没有尊神为圣，没有使祂从一切别的神分别出来。所以，神在十二节对摩西似乎说，『摩西，你没有正确的代表我。你使百姓对我有了错误的印象。你在怒中给他们一个印象，以为我对他们动怒，其实我并没有动怒。你没有尊我为圣。你没有彰显我是那特别、与一切别的神分别出来的一位。你没有向百姓陈明，我是那满了怜悯和恩典的神。』摩西所代表的神没有动怒，所以，祂的代表摩西也不该动怒。在十节，摩西称百姓是背叛的人。在二十四节，神对摩西、亚伦说，『在米利巴水，你们违背了我所说的话。』这里神好像说，『你们没有顺从我。你们没有作我吩咐你们的事，反而作了别的事。百姓没有辱骂我，他们没有错。他们只是需要水而已，惟有我才能供应他们水。百姓口渴并没有犯错，他们没有背叛我。你们定罪他们是背叛的人，但你们才是违背我话的人。』在出埃及三十二章，摩西正确的代表了神。百姓拜金牛犊，得罪神到极点，神对摩西说，『我看这百姓真是硬著颈项的百姓。你且由著我，我要向他们发烈怒，将他们灭绝，使你的后裔成为大国。』（出三二～10。）摩西听见这话，就向神祷告说，『耶和华阿，你为甚么向你的百姓发烈怒呢？这百姓是你用大力和大能的手，从埃及地领出来的；为甚么使埃及人议论说，祂领他们出去，是要降祸与他们，把他们杀在山中，将他们从地上除灭；求你转意，不发你的烈怒，后悔，不降祸与你的百姓。』（出三二11～12。）看起来摩西是违背神的话，但实际上他的祷告使神的心喜悦。这里他正确的代表了神；但在民数记二十章，他忘记尊神为圣，就错误的代表了神。

13In his dealing with the matter of water, Moses was wrong. He was God’s representative and had the position to represent God, but here he represented God to the people in a wrong way. At this juncture, God was not angry. This is indicated by the fact that He told Moses to speak to the rock that water might flow out of it. But Moses was offended and could not tolerate the situation. Having gathered the congregation and being angry with the people, he said, ‘‘Hear now, you rebels.’’ By speaking to the people in this way, Moses wrongly represented God. His mistaken speaking made God common; that is, it did not sanctify God, did not make Him separate from all other gods. Therefore, in His word to Moses in verse 12, God seemed to be saying, ‘‘Moses, you did not rightly represent Me. You gave the people a wrong impression concerning Me. In your anger you gave them the impression that I was angry with them when I was not angry. You did not sanctify Me. You did not express Me as the One who is particular and separate from all other gods. You did not present Me to the people as a God who is full of mercy and grace.’’ The God whom Moses represented was not angry; therefore, Moses, His representative, should not have been angry either. In verse 10 Moses called the people rebels. In verse 24 God said to Moses and Aaron, ‘‘You rebelled against My word at the waters of Meribah.’’ Here God seemed to be saying, ‘‘You did not obey Me. Instead of doing what I told you to do, you did something else. The people were not reviling Me. There was nothing wrong with them. They simply needed water, and only I can provide water for them. The people were not at fault for being thirsty, and they were not rebelling against Me. You condemned them as rebels, but you are the ones who rebelled against My word.’’ In Exodus 32 Moses represented God rightly. The people’s worshipping the golden calf offended God to the uttermost, and He said to Moses, ‘‘I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation’’ (vv. 9-10). When 9 Moses heard this, he prayed to God, saying, ‘‘Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people’’ (vv. 11-12). Seemingly Moses was rebelling against God’sword; actually his prayer was pleasing to God’she art. Here he rightly represented God, but in Numbers 20 he forgot about sanctifying God and wrongly represented Him.

14摩西在民数记二十章的经历，对我们今天在召会生活中是很重要的功课。我们需要学知，特别当我们在召会中被圣徒得罪时，不该到神面前控告祂的百姓。我们若在祷告中控告神的百姓，很容易会得罪神。就如作母亲的，听到自己的小孩被人控告并批评，就会不高兴；照样，当我们控告并批评神的百姓时，神也会不高兴。当你就著神子民的事到主面前时，你应当小心。你可能以为圣徒不好，就在神面前控告他们，这的确会得罪神。民数记二十章启示一件要紧的事，就是神的性情是圣的。圣就是不一样，有分别。神是圣别的一位，祂与一切的假神不一样。假神很容易向人生气，但真神不是这样。神没有那种性情。祂的性情乃是满了怜悯、恩典、爱和同情。祂的百姓为缺水引起争闹，祂没有因而被得罪。即使祂必须惩罚祂的百姓，也是宽容的惩罚。例如，可拉被地吞灭，但可拉的一个后裔却成为圣人和诗人。这指明神的审判是有宽容的。

14The experience of Moses in Numbers 20 is an important lesson for us in the church life today. We need to learn that, especially when we have been offended by the saints in the church, we should not go to God for the purpose of accusing His people. If in our prayers we accuse God’sp eople, we will offend Him. As a mother is offended when her child is accused and criticized, so God is offended when we accuse and criticize His people. Be careful when you go to the Lord concerning His people. You may think that the saints are not very good and accuse them before God. This will surely offend Him. A crucial matter revealed in Numbers 20 is that God’s nature is holy. To be holy is to be different, to be separate. As the holy One, God is different from all the false gods. The false gods are easily angry with people, but not the true God. God does not have that kind of nature. In His nature He is full of mercy, grace, love, and sympathy. He is not offended with His people when the lack of water causes them to contend. Even if He must punish His people, He punishes them sparingly. For example, Korah was devoured, swallowed up, by the earth, but a descendant of Korah became a holy man and a psalmist. This indicates that God is sparing in His judgment

15我们不可以让人对我们所事奉的神，有错误的印象。为免给人这样错误的印象，每当我们被当地的一些圣徒激怒时，我们该要小心。我们不该对他们生气，或到神那里申诉他们的不是。我们若申诉圣徒的不是，神也许觉得我们是在控告他们，我们没有尊祂为圣。我们说到那些得罪我们的人时，不该急促；我们若要代表神，就需要学习常常尊重祂圣别的性情。这就是尊祂为圣。我们对神的子民所说并所作的一切，必须完全按照祂圣别的性情。不然，我们的话语和行动就会违背祂而得罪祂。

15We must not give people the wrong impression concerning the God whom we serve. In order to avoid giving such a wrong impression, we should be careful whenever we are offended by some of the saints in our locality. We should not be angry with them or go to God to plead against them. If we plead against the saints, God may feel that we are accusing them and that we are not sanctifying Him. We should not be hasty in speaking about those who offend us. Rather, in representing God, we need to learn always to regard His holy nature. This is to sanctify Him. All that we say and do concerning God’sp eople must be absolutely according to His holy nature. Otherwise, in our words and deeds we will rebel against Him and offend Him

16神有祂内在的性情，也有祂外在的行政，就是祂的经纶，祂行事的方法。神告诉摩西，要他吩咐磐石出水，这话乃是按照神的行政，且是为著祂的经纶。因此，当摩西在怒中错误的行事时，他就破坏了神经纶的法则。这该警告我们，不要留在我们的怒气里，而要操练保罗在以弗所四章二十六节的话：『不可含怒到日落。』

16Inwardly God has His nature, and outwardly He has His administration, His economy, His way of action. God’s word to Moses about speaking to the rock that it may flow out water was a word according to God’s ad ministration and for His economy. Thus, when Moses, in anger, acted wrongly, he broke the principles of God’secon o my. This should be a warning to us not to hold on to our anger but to practice Paul’sword in Ephesians 4:26: ‘‘Do not let the sun go down on your indignation.’’

17摩西得罪了神的圣别性情和神圣经纶。他错误的代表神，也破坏了神经纶的法则。因此，虽然他与神亲密，被视为神的朋友，却失去了进入美地的权利。我们被得罪的时候，要小心我们如何说到神的子民，这会帮助我们留在神的国里。论到这事，我要请你们看看马太十八章一至三十五节，我们在那里看见，要保守在神的国里，最好的方法是饶恕别人。我们不该得罪别的圣徒，或使他们绊跌。另一面，当我们被别人得罪或绊跌时，我们应该饶恕人。我们若只知道定罪人，无意饶恕人，我们就有麻烦。在召会生活中，我们需要饶恕人。饶恕就是忘记。假定某对夫妇没有操练彼此饶恕和忘记被得罪的事；他们没有饶恕，只有定罪；没有忘记，只有记得；这样一个婚姻不大可能持久。即使婚姻维持下去，也不会有喜悦和快乐。你若要有快乐的婚姻生活，就需要饶恕你配偶得罪你的地方，并且忘记这些事。召会生活该是饶恕的生活。对于圣经，我们要有好的记忆，但对于别人的过犯，我们不要有好的记忆。这会保守我们在召会生活里。不然，我们对于圣徒会有许多消极的事要说，至终甚至放弃召会生活。为著召会生活并在召会生活里，我们需要一个饶恕人的灵。这样，我们就不会定罪圣徒，反而会忘记他们的过失和冒犯。

17Moses offended both God’sho ly nature and divine economy. He represented God wrongly, and he broke the principles of God’secon o my. Because of this, even though he was intimate with God and may be considered a friend of God, he lost the right to enter into the good land. Being careful about the way we speak concerning God’sp eople when we are offended will help us remain in the kingdom of God. Regarding this, I recommend that you consider Matthew 18:1- 35, where we see that the best way to be kept in God’skin gdom is to forgive others. We should not offend other saints or stumble them. Whenever we are offended or stumbled, we should be forgiving. If we know only to condemn others and have no intention of forgiving them, we will have trouble. In the church life there is the need of forgiveness. To forgive is to forget. Suppose a particular married couple does not have the practice of forgiving and forgetting offenses. Instead of forgiving there is condemning, and instead of forgetting there is remembering. It is not likely that such a marriage will last. Even if the marriage does last, it will lack joy and happiness. If you want to have a joyful married life, you need to forgive the offenses caused by your spouse and forget them. The church life should be a forgiving life. Concerning the Bible we should have a good memory, but concerning others’ wrongdoings we should have a poor memory. This will keep us in the church life. Otherwise, we will have many negative things to say about the saints, and eventually we will forsake the church life. For the church life and in the church life, we need a forgiving spirit. Then instead of condemning the saints, we will forget their mistakes and offenses

18摩西在民数记二十章所犯的大错，包括对神的子民没有积极和美好的感觉。这使他在代表神的事上犯了严重的错误。他没有在神的性情上将圣别的神尊为圣，也没有在神的经纶里持守神的话。我在本篇信息里的负担，就是要指出，我们需要从摩西在百姓为水争闹这事上的失败，学重要的功课。

18The blunder committed by Moses in Numbers 20 consisted in not having a positive and pleasant feeling regarding God’s people. This caused him to make a serious mistake in representing God. He did not sanctify the holy God in His nature, and he did not keep God’sword in His economy. My burden in this message is simply to point out the important lesson we need to learn from Moses’ failure concerning the people’s contending for water.

19我们都需要领悟，召会生活是非常细嫩且敏感的，召会中的每一位弟兄姊妹也同样非常细嫩且敏感。有时我们得罪人，就是因为我们不记得，召会生活和圣徒是细嫩且敏感的。我们也许以为某位弟兄很好，可以被人冒犯。这样一位弟兄多年来都很好，但突然间，因著他是细嫩且敏感的，他可能被人得罪，就对召会生活不再有积极的感觉。这样的事例题醒我们需要学习，常常察觉召会生活中众圣徒是细嫩且敏感的。在民数记二十章，神没有进来称义摩西，反而进来称义祂的子民。这可能叫摩西大为惊讶，他从未想过神会称义他所认为是背叛的人。但这正是神所作的。在这章里，神似乎在说，『摩西，你违背了我的话。我的百姓没有错，你却错了。』我们研读民数记二十章，能学习到在召会生活中，别人与我们争闹时，我们该如何行。百姓对摩西说，『我们在那里可以找到水？你为甚么把我们带出埃及，领我们到这样的地方？这地不好撒种，也不好长无花果，葡萄和石榴。』百姓向摩西这样争闹以后，他应该到主面前说，『主，对于你所爱之子民的需要，我该作甚么？』在这章里，神似乎对摩西说，『你不需要作甚么。拿起你的杖，到磐石那里，吩咐磐石流出水来，叫我的百姓和牲口可以喝。』摩西该照著神的话，简单的吩咐磐石流出水来。今天我们若这样对付神百姓的争闹，召会生活就会是荣耀的。

19We all need to realize that the church life is very tender and touchy and that every brother and sister in the church is likewise very tender and touchy. Sometimes we offend others because we do not remember that the church life and the saints are tender and touchy. We may think that a certain brother is very good and that he could not possibly be offended by anyone. Such a brother may be good for many years, but suddenly, because he is tender and touchy, he may get offended by someone and no longer have a positive feeling about the church life. Cases like this remind us that we need to learn always to be conscious of the tenderness and touchiness of all the saints in the church life. In chapter twenty of Numbers, God did not come in to vindicate Moses; rather, He came in to vindicate His people. This might have been a great surprise to Moses, who probably never expected God to vindicate those whom he considered rebellious. But this is exactly what God did. In this chapter He seemed to be saying, ‘‘Moses, you have rebelled against My word. My people are not wrong—you are wrong.’’ Through our study of chapter twenty of Numbers, we may learn how to behave when others contend with us in the church life. The people were saying to Moses, ‘‘Where can we find water? Why did you bring us out of Egypt and lead us to a place like this? This is not a place for seed, figs, vines, and pomegranates.’’ After the people had contended with Moses in this way, he should have gone to the Lord and said, ‘‘Lord, what should I do concerning the need of Your beloved people?’’ In this chapter it seems that God said to Moses, ‘‘There is no need for you to do anything. Take your rod, go to the rock, and tell the rock to flow forth water so that My people and their cattle may drink.’’ Uttering praises to the Lord, Moses then should have simply spoken to the rock, telling it to flow forth with water. If we deal with the contending of God’sp eople in this way today, the church life will be glorious

20民数记和哥林多前书有明确的联1结。保罗在写哥林多前书时，可能领悟以色列人的历史就是召会生活的豫表。他在林前五章七节说到逾越节，说，『我们的逾越节基督，已经被杀献祭了。』然后他在十章六节说到以色列人在旷野所发生的事：『这些事都是我们的鉴戒。』他在十一节接著说，『这些发生在他们身上的事，都是鉴戒，并且写在经上，正是为警戒我们…。』这清楚指明，我们要从以色列人的旅程学功课。发生在他们身上的事，也可能发生在我们身上。

20There is a definite connection between Numbers and 1 Corinthians. When Paul was writing the Epistle of Corinthians, it is likely that he realized that the history of Israel is a type of the church life. In 1 Corinthians 5:7 he refers to the Passover, saying, ‘‘Our Passover, Christ, has been sacrificed.’’ Then, speaking of the things that happened to the children of Israel in the wilderness, he says in 10:6, ‘‘These things occurred as types of us.’’ In verse 11 he goes on to say, ‘‘These things happened to them as types, and were written for our admonition.’’ This clearly indicates that there are lessons for us to learn from the journeying of the children of Israel. What happened to them may also happen to us.

21我们需要从摩西在民数记二十章的失败学功课。当我们说到神子民的时候，要非常小心。我们也许以为自己对，别人错。然而，神可能不称义我们，却称义我们所定罪的人。在林前四章三至五节，我们看见保罗论到审判并被审判的态度。『至于我被你们察验，或被人审判的日子察验，对我都是极小的事，连我也不察验自己。…但察验我的乃是主。所以在那时以前，甚么都不要论断，直等主来，祂要照出暗中的隐情，也要显明人心的意图，那时各人要从神那里得著称赞。』三节里『人审判的日子，』就是人在其中审判的现今世代，与主的日子（林前三13）相对；主的日子，乃是主在其中审判的要来世代，就是国度时代。如今，在人的日子，人施行审判；但在主的日子，主将施行审判。今天在召会生活中，我们不该定罪人，乃要饶恕人，忘记人的冒犯。不要在你的记忆里，保留一分别人冒犯你的记录。把冒犯记住是危险的，因为这可能使你失去长子的名分，失去你享受基督作美地的权利。在民数记这生命读经里，我的目的不是仅仅在道理上教导圣经。盼望我们都从这论到民数记二十章的话，得著一些亮光和启示，在我们现今、实际的基督徒生活和召会生活上帮助我们。从这章里的豫表，我们可以学到尊重神的性情，并为著祂在祂子民中的行政。我们若学了这功课，就会谨慎，不消极的论到神的子民。

21The lesson we need to learn from Moses’ failure in Numbers 20 is that we should be very careful when we speak about God’sp eople. We may think that we are right and that others are wrong. However, God may come in not to vindicate us but to vindicate the ones we condemn. In 1 Corinthians 4:3-5 we see Paul’s attitude regarding judging and being judged. ‘‘To me it is a very small thing that I should be examined by you or by man’s day; nor do I even examine myself .He who examines me is the Lord. Therefore do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord comes, who shall both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the hearts, and then there will be praise to each one from God.’’ ‘‘Man’s day’’ in verse 3 is the present age in which man judges, in contrast to the Lord’s day (1 Cor. 3:13), which will be the coming age, the kingdom age, in which the Lord will judge. Now, in the day of man, man exercises judgment, but in the day of the Lord, the Lord will exercise judgment. In the church life today, we should not condemn others but forgive them and forget their offenses. Do not keep a record in your memory of others’ offenses. Remembering offenses is risky, for it may cause you to lose your birthright, to lose your right to the enjoyment of Christ as the good land. My aim in this Life-study of Numbers is not to teach the Bible merely in a doctrinal way. I hope that from this word on Numbers 20 we all will receive some light and revelation which will help us in our present, practical Christian life and church life. From the type in this chapter, we may learn to have regard for God’s nature and for His administration among His people. If we learn this lesson, we will be careful about speaking in a negative way concerning God’sp eople

见证

22弟兄：我珍赏神看祂的子民与我们看他们不同。祂的看法是按照祂的性情。祂是满有爱和恩典的神，以怜悯对待祂的子民。即使祂子民的光景是黑暗的，祂仍积极的看他们是祂的子民。神看我们的时候，如同母亲充满爱意的看她的小孩。祂有一颗爱的心、顾惜的心。每逢我们把自己与一位圣徒可能有的难处带到主面前时，我们都需要对这有清明的看见。我们需要记得，每当我们摸著祂的子民，就是摸著祂眼中的瞳人。我们说到神的子民时，需要非常小心。

23弟兄：神有圣别的性情，凡祂所作的都是按照祂的性情。祂渴望将祂自己分赐到祂所有的选民里面。祂想要以自己𫗪养我们，保养我们。这是祂对我们的目的。我们若错误的代表祂，给人一种印象，以为祂不是柔爱、怜悯、常常豫备好要将自己分赐到我们的里面，这是非常严重的。赞美主，祂的经纶乃是将祂自己作到我们里面，好从我们对基督之丰富的享受，产生基督团体的彰显。

24姊妹：最近有一篇对全时间者所释放的话，说到要把初信者当作婴孩来对待。这对我是极大的帮助，就是看见我们对他们的态度该是柔爱且宽恕的。我们该遮盖他们，而不是计算他们的冒犯。我们能有这样的态度，是因神正将祂自己同祂的性情，分赐到我们里面。因著神的性情与我们的有别，祂对祂子民的看法就与我们不一样。我看见我们绝不该犯一个错误，以为神的性情与我们的一样。何等感谢神，我是神所重生的，现今我有分于神圣的性情！我们越按照神圣的性情活著，就越能正确的代表主。

25弟兄：我读民数记二十章时，常常想神为甚么对摩西所说并所作的这么严厉。现在我看见摩西行事与神的性情和经纶相悖。我的确需要顾到神的性情和经纶，就是祂作事的方法。神渴望𫗪养祂的子民。我们需要按照祂圣别的性情和神圣的方法，顾到神子民的𫗪养。

26姊妹：感谢主给我启示，召会生活该是饶恕人的生活。对于圣经我们该有好的记忆，但在饶恕人的事上，我们不需要有好的记忆。我们心里若对别人的冒犯存有记录，那么召会的见证就会失去，召会生活也就了了。我祷告，靠著主的怜悯，我们可以是一班享受神圣生命的人，使我们在召会生活中真能饶恕圣徒。