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民数记生命读经 · 第3篇

成军（二）

Being Formed into an Army (2)
1读经：民数记二章。在本篇信息中，我们要来看以色列人部署安营的事。
1Scripture Reading: Num. 2 In this message we will consider the matter of the children of Israel encamping in array
肆 部署安营
IV. ENCAMPING IN ARRAY
2在民数记二章，我们看见以色列人部署安营。部署的意思，就是排列某样东西，有优美的安排，以供展示。所有的支派部署安营，都是按优美的次序。在这部署中，有十二支派、利未子孙的三个族系、以及一班特殊的人，包括摩西、亚伦和亚伦的儿子，就是众祭司。
2In Numbers 2 we see that the children of Israel encamped in array. To put something in array is to set out something in a beautiful arrangement for a display. All the tribes encamped in array were in a beautiful order. In this array were the twelve tribes, the three families of the sons of Levi, and an extraordinary group including Moses, Aaron, and the sons of Aaron, the priests
一 以色列人部署安营，豫表神所救赎的人要完成于新耶路撒冷
A. The Children of Israel Encamping in Array Typifying God’s Redeemed People Being Consummated in the New Jerusalem
3以色列人部署安营，豫表神所救赎的人要完成于新耶路撒冷。照著我们的观察以及今天召会外表的光景，似乎没有甚么部署安营。无论是在天主教、国教、公会、和独立团体中，都有许多混乱。在这许多团体中有真信徒，他们是神所拣选的人。然而，在真信徒中间却有许多稗子，就是假信徒；这是马太十三章二十四至三十节、三十六至四十三节的比喻中所启示的。当然，神所编组的军队不包括稗子；惟有历代在基督里的真信徒才算数。这些信徒得救、圣别、更新、变化、并模成基督的形像之后，都要得著荣耀。在这得荣里，人要看见新耶路撒冷的实际，就是神在祂新约的经纶里，在旧造里新造工作的完成。神是用四个时代从旧造中作出祂的新造。至终，神新造的工作要完成为一个实体—新耶路撒冷。在那里我们要看见，神所救赎的人如何部署安营。然而，今天神儿女中间的光景却是一团糟，使我们哀恸哭泣。但我们相信从这哭泣中会出来禧年。首先，在千年国时期会有较小规模的禧年，然后在新天新地里将有完满规模的禧年，直到永远。
3The children of Israel encamping in array typifies God’s redeemed people being consummated in the New Jerusalem. According to our observation and the outward appearance of the situation of the church today, there does not seem to be any encamping in array. In the Catholic church, the state churches, the denominations, and the independent groups, there is much confusion. In all these there are real believers, who are God’s chosen ones. However, among the real ones, there are many tares, many false believers, as revealed in the parable in Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43. Of course, God’s formed army does not include the tares; only the genuine believers in Christ throughout the generations are counted. All these believers, after being saved, sanctified, renewed, transformed, and conformed to the image of Christ, will be glorified. In this glorification will be seen the reality of the New Jerusalem as the consummation of God’s work, in His New Testament economy, of the new creation in the old creation. God will spend four dispensations to work His new creation out of the old creation. Eventually, God’s work of the new creation will consummate in one entity—the New Jerusalem. There we will see God’s redeemed people camping in array. Today, however, the situation among the children of God is a mess that causes us to mourn and weep. But we believe that out of this weeping there will be a jubilee. First, there will be a jubilee on a smaller scale during the millennium. Then there will be a jubilee on a full scale for eternity in the new heaven and new earth.
4全本圣经六十六卷给我们看见一件事—神的经纶。首先，神的经纶是作出旧造。然后，神从旧造中用四个时代产生新造。今天，这新造是完成为召会；到千年国里，这新造要完成为规模较小的新耶路撒冷；到新天新地里，这要完成为规模完整的新耶路撒冷。圣经中所启示神经纶之图画的完成，乃是新耶路撒冷。当神给我们看见一幅图画时，祂不在意一切消极的事物，祂只在意祂所看见的。马太十三章里，在宝贵的东西中间有消极的东西—稗子、酵和大树。神在祂的经纶里不在意这些，只在意麦子（植物生命），这麦子要在性质上变化成金子、珍珠和宝石（矿物）。这一切宝贵的东西都要完成于新耶路撒冷。在新耶路撒冷里，我们看不见稗子、酵或大树；反之，我们看见金子、珍珠和宝石。我们必须承认，目前我们还有一些酵和大树的成分。大树的成分就是渴望伟大，要好看的外表。我们承认有酵和大树的成分与我们在一起，甚至在我们里面。然而，我们可以欢乐的有把握，我们也有金子、珍珠和宝石，并且这些宝贝的东西正在成长、扩增。我们对自己以及对召会有这样的把握。当我们看看自己的召会和工作，我们也许会因著我们中间乱糟糟的光景所造成的损害而忧伤；但是马太十三章给我们看见，这是无可避免的。有一天，我们会从马太十三章一路走到启示录二十一、二十二章，在那里我们要看见由金子、珍珠和宝石所构成的新耶路撒冷。
4The entire Bible of sixty-six books shows us one thing— God’secon o my. God’secon o my is, first, to work out the old creation. Then out of the old creation, God uses four dispensations to bring forth the new creation. Today, this new creation consummates in the church; in the millennium it will consummate in the New Jerusalem on a smaller scale; and in the new heaven and new earth it will consummate in the New Jerusalem on a full scale. The consummation of the picture of God’s economy revealed in the Bible is the New Jerusalem. When God shows us a picture, He does not care for all the negative things. He cares only for what He sees. In Matthew 13 there are negative things—the tares, the leaven, and the big tree—among the precious things. God in His economy does not care for these but for the wheat (the plant life), which will be transformed in nature to become gold, pearls, and precious stones (minerals). All these precious things will consummate in the New Jerusalem. In the New Jerusalem we will not see tares, leaven, or the big tree; instead, we will see gold, pearls, and precious stones. We must admit that, at present, we still have some leaven and some of the element of the big tree. To have the element of the big tree is to desire to be great and have a nice facade. We confess that leaven and the element of the big tree are with us, even within us. Nevertheless, we may have the joyous assurance that we also have gold, pearls, and precious stones and that these are growing and increasing. We may have such an assurance concerning ourselves and also concerning the church. When we look at our church and our work, we may be grieved by the damage caused by the messy situation among us. Matthew 13 shows us that this is unavoidable. One day we will go from Matthew 13 all the way to Revelation 21 and 22, where we see the New Jerusalem constituted of gold, pearls, and precious stones.
5在当前的召会生活中，长老也许头痛过于欢乐。然而，他们不该抛弃召会，却该往前，直到脱出马太十三章，达到新耶路撒冷。首先，我们要在千年国里达到新耶路撒冷；千年国仍是在旧造中，却是在复兴的时代。我们若在今生对主忠信，就会在千年国里，在新天新地之前有分于新耶路撒冷。但我们若失败，神会相当严厉的对付我们一千年。千年国里的新耶路撒冷（启三12）只是对得胜圣徒的奖赏，新天新地里的新耶路撒冷才是所有蒙救赎者共同的分，直到永远。在新天新地里，所有神所救赎的人将得著成全和完全。因此，在新耶路撒冷里不会有灰尘，只有金子、珍珠和宝石，直到永远。
5In the present church life the elders may have more headaches than joy. However, they should not cast the church aside but should go on until they get out of Matthew 13 and reach the New Jerusalem. First, we will reach the New Jerusalem in the millennial kingdom, which will still be in the old creation but will be in a revived dispensation. If we are faithful to the Lord in this life, we will be there in the millennial kingdom to participate in the New Jerusalem before the new heaven and new earth. However, if we are defeated, God will deal with us quite severely for a thousand years. The New Jerusalem in the millennial kingdom (Rev. 3:12) will be a prize only to the overcoming saints, whereas the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and new earth will be the common portion of all the redeemed for eternity. In the new heaven and new earth all God’s redeemed people will be perfected and completed. Thus, for eternity in the New Jerusalem there will be no dust but rather gold, pearls, and precious stones.
二 各人按自己的旗帜，在他们父亲族系的旗号那里
B. Every Man by His Own Standard, with the Ensigns of Their Fathers’ Houses
6『以色列人要各按自己的旗帜，在他们父亲族系的旗号那里。』（民二2上。）各人按自己的旗帜，在他们父亲族系的旗号那里安营，这表征他们被排列，不照各人喜好的选择，乃照神的命定与安排。倘若一个以色列人生在流便族系，他就必须在流便支派那里，在流便的旗号下安营。他不能在犹大或别的支派那里安营。今天我们就需要学习不要照自己的喜好，乃照神的命定与安排。
6The sons of Israel shall encamp each by his own standard, with the ensigns of their fathers’ houses’’ (Num. 2:2a). Every man encamping by his own standard, with the ensigns of their fathers’ houses signifies that they were arranged without their choice according to their preference but according to God’so rd i nation and arrangement. If an Israelite were born in the house of Reuben, he had to camp with the tribe of Reuben and be under the ensign of Reuben. He could not camp with Judah or some other tribe. We today need to learn not to have our own preferences but to be according to God’so rd i nation and arrangement
三 对著会幕—以神的见证为惟一的目标
C. Facing the Tent of Meeting— with the Testimony of God as the Unique Goal
7所有的以色列人都『对著会幕』安营，（民二2中，）以神的见证为他们惟一的中心与目标。帐幕里的约柜是神的见证，而神的见证是约柜里所包含的律法。（出二五16。）律法是神的描绘，豫表基督是神的见证，彰显神的所是。因此，帐幕里的约柜，既是神具体化身之基督的豫表，就是神子民的中心；他们为著神的见证而争战前行。为著神的见证，帐幕称为见证的帐幕；为著神子民的聚集，帐幕称为会幕。
7All the children of Israel were encamped ‘‘facing the tent of meeting’’ (v. 2b), with the testimony of God as their unique center and goal. The ark within the tabernacle was the testimony of God, and the testimony of God was the law contained within the ark (Exo. 25:16). The law is a portrait of God, typifying Christ as the testimony of God, expressing what God is. Hence, the ark within the tabernacle, as a type of Christ, the embodiment of God, was the center of God’sp eople, who were journeying in fighting for His testimony. For the testimony of God, the tabernacle was called the tabernacle of the testimony; for the meeting of God’sp eople, it was called the tent of meeting
四 在会幕四围
D. Around the Tent of Meeting
8以色列人在会幕四围安营。（民二2下。）这是为著护卫见证的帐幕。
8The children of Israel were encamped around the tent of meeting (Num. 2:2c). This was for the protection of the tabernacle of the testimony
五 在四边
E. On Four Sides
9以色列人在帐幕四边安营。每边有一营，由三个支派所组成。（民二3～16，18～31。）１在东、南、西、北的营
9The children of Israel were encamped on all four sides of the tabernacle. On each side was one camp, composed of three tribes (vv. 3-16, 18-31). 1. The Camps on the East, South, West, and North
10在东边朝日出方向的，是犹大的营旗，由犹大、以萨迦、西布伦的军队所组成；他们要作第一队出发。（民二3～9。）在南边的，是流便的营旗，由流便、西缅、迦得的军队所组成；他们要作第二队出发。（民二10～16。）在西边的，是以法莲的营旗，由以法莲、玛拿西、便雅悯的军队所组成；他们要作第三队出发。（民二18～24。）在北边的，是但的营旗，由但、亚设、拿弗他利的军队所组成；他们要作末队出发。（民二25～31。）
10On the east side, toward the sunrising, was the standard of the camp of Judah, composed of the armies of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; these were to set out first (vv. 3-9). On the south side was the standard of the camp of Reuben, composed of the armies of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad; these were to set out second (vv. 10-16). On the west side was the standard of the camp of Ephraim, composed of the armies of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin; these were to set out third (vv. 18-24). On the north side was the standard of the camp of Dan, composed of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali; these were to set out last (vv. 25-31
２ 四营的次序
2. The Sequence of the Four Camps
11四营的次序不是照出生，乃是照属灵的情形。流便虽是长子，（创二九31～32，）却因犯了淫乱，失去了长子名分。（创四九3～4，代上五1～2。）犹大虽是第四个出生，（创二九31～35，）却是第一个出发，因为他在十二个兄弟中间是得胜的狮子，（创四九8～9，）豫表基督是得胜的战士，犹大支派中的狮子，（启五5，）击败神仇敌的一位。约瑟的儿子以法莲，由于约瑟成了第三个。在诸营中间，但在末后；但也是最坏的，因为他是『蛇，』（创四九17，）后来首先背叛神的国，设立第二个敬拜中心。（王上十二26～30。）（关于以色列十二支派的属灵情形与福分，详见创世
11The sequence of the four camps was not according to birth but according to spiritual condition. Although Reuben was the firstborn (Gen. 29:31-32), because he committed fornication he lost the birthright (Gen. 49:3-4; 1 Chron. 5:1-2). Judah was born fourth (Gen. 29:31-35), but he set out first because he was an overcoming lion among the twelve brothers (Gen. 49:8-9), typifying Christ as the overcoming fighter, the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5), the One who defeated God’se ne my. Ephraim, the son of Joseph, was third because of Joseph. Among the camps, Dan was the last. Dan was also the worst, for he was a ‘‘serpent’’ (Gen 49:17), and he was the first to rebel against God’skin gdom and set up a second worship center (1 Kings 12:26-30). (See Life-study of Genesis, Messages Ninetyeight through One Hundred Seven for more concerning the spiritual condition and blessing
３ 四营各有三支军队，产生十二这数字
3. Four Camps of Three Armies Each Yielding the Number Twelve
12四营各有三支军队，产生十二这数字。这数字由三乘四所组成，表征三一神（三）与祂的受造之物（四）调和，形成永远并完全之行政的单位。十二这数字是神完全并完整之行政的数字。例如，十二使徒是为著神的行政。
12Four camps of three armies each yields the number twelve. This number, composed of three multiplied by four, signifies the Triune God (three) mingled with His creatures (four), forming a unit of eternal and perfect government. The number twelve is the number of God’s perfect and complete government. The twelve Apostles, for example, are for God’s government
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13F. The Tent of Meeting with the Camp of the Levites,
六会幕同著利未营，要在四营中间出发，是在诸营当中
Which Was to Set Out in the Middle, Being in the Midst of the Camps
14会幕同著利未营，要在四营中间出发，是在诸营当中。（民二17。）利未人要在三边围著帐幕安营：革顺人在西边，（民三23，）哥辖人在南边，（民三29，）米拉利子孙在北边，（民三35，）留下东边给摩西、亚伦和亚伦的两个儿子。（民三38。）我们越思想以色列人在帐幕四围部署安营的图画，就越必须为著神的计画、神的主宰、和神创造的能力敬拜祂。藉著神创造的能力，雅各有十二个儿子，每个儿子成为一个支派。有一个支派，利未，被分别出来成为祭司（利未人），但约瑟的两个儿子补上空缺。利未生了三个儿子，占著帐幕的三边，留下一边给摩西、亚伦、和亚伦的儿子。
14In the midst of the camps was the tent of meeting, with the camp of the Levites, which was to set out in the middle of the four camps (Num. 2:17). The Levites were encamped around the tabernacle on three sides: on the west the Gershonites (3:23), on the south the Kohathites (3:29), and on the north the sons of Merari (3:35), leaving the east side for Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’st wo sons (3:38). The more we consider the picture of the children of Israel encamping in array around the tabernacle, the more we must adore God for His plan, His sovereignty, and His creating ability. By God’s creating ability, Jacob had twelve sons, each of whom became a tribe. One tribe, Levi, was set aside to become the priests (Levites), but Joseph’st wo sons filled the gap. Levi begot three sons, who occupied three sides of the tabernacle, leaving one side for Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’ss ons
15这些细节在新约里所陈明的，还不如在旧约里所陈明的那样清楚。这就是我们需要旧约图画的原因。在旧约里有许多图画，但是很少基督徒知道将牠们应用到新约里所记载的。我们若细读启示录二十一、二十二章，会发现这两章里有些东西指向旧约。若是没有旧约的图画，我们就很难明白新约里所记关于新耶路撒冷的启示。我们查考民数记的这些事，不是为著别人，乃是为著自己，这叫我们思想今天的光景。我们该寻求主的怜悯，问祂：『主，我是麦子，还是稗子？主，在我里面有酵么？』主会从灵里回答我们，暴露我们的闲话、批评、闲聊、空谈、和背后说人；这一切都是酵。然后我们也需要问主：『主，我的工作仍在某些方面与大树有关联么？』祂也许说，『是的，你喜欢外表，喜欢显扬你所作过的。』我们也该问主，我们有没有金子、珍珠和宝石？祂也许回答说，我们的确有一些金子，也有一些珍珠和宝石的成分，但数量和亮度都相当缺欠。既然这是我们的光景，我们该怎么办？我们该在主面前谦卑自己，并且接受祂的对付。
15These details are not presented as clearly in the New Testament as they are in the Old Testament. This is why we need the pictures in the Old Testament. Although there are many pictures in the Old Testament, few Christians know how to apply them to what is recorded in the New Testament. If we read Revelation 21 and 22 carefully, we will find in these chapters certain reminders referring us to the Old Testament. Without the pictures in the Old Testament, it is difficult to understand the revelation concerning the New Jerusalem given in the New Testament. We need to look into these matters in Numbers, not for others but for ourselves, considering our situation today. We should seek the Lord’s mercy and ask Him, ‘‘Lord, am I a wheat or a tare? Lord, is there leaven within me?’’ The Lord may answer from within our spirit by exposing our idle words, our criticizing, gossiping, vain talking, and backbiting, all of which are leaven. Then we also need to ask the Lord, ‘‘Lord, is my work still related in some way to the big tree?’’ He may say, ‘‘Yes, you like to have a facade, to make a display of what you have done.’’ We should also ask the Lord whether we have gold, pearls, and precious stones. He may reply that we do have some gold and also some of the element of pearls and precious stones, but the amount and the brightness are quite deficient. Since this is our situation, what should we do? We should humble ourselves before the Lord and receive His dealings
16我们要正确的读民数记，就需要在主面前谦卑自己，让祂解开祂的话。然后我们就会蒙光照，并且受祂对付。
16In order to read the book of Numbers properly, we need to humble ourselves before the Lord and allow Him to open His word. Then we will be enlightened and dealt with by Him