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民数记生命读经 · 第33篇

争战（二）

Fighting (2)
1读经：民数记22:1-40，彼得后书，犹大书11。肆巴勒和巴兰的扰害民数记二十二至二十五章说到巴勒和巴兰的扰害。在本篇信息中，我们要来看巴勒的恶意。（民二二1～40。）
1Scripture Reading: Num. 22:1-40; 2 Pet. 2:15-16; Jude 11 2:15-16 IV. THE HARASSMENT BY BALAK AND BALAAM Chapters twenty-two through twenty-five of Numbers deal with the harassment by Balak and Balaam. In this message we will consider the matter of Balak’s evil intention (22:1-40).
一 巴勒的恶意
A. Balak’s Evil Intention
2在民数记二十二章，仇敌不只改变争战的方法，也改变争战的形式。在出埃及记，撒但首先用埃及的军队阻挠以色列人。当他们过红海时，埃及人就在他们背后。之后，在旷野里，神的子民与亚玛力人争战。（出十七8～16。）我们在前篇信息看见，以色列人也与亚拉得王、亚摩利王和巴珊王争战，并战胜他21-们，毁灭他们的城邑，得了他们的地。（民二一1～3，21～35。）以色列人战胜了这三王之后，就豫备好要过约但河，进入美地。这时，仇敌改变了抵挡以色列人的方式。
2In Numbers 22 the enemy changed not only his way of fighting but also his mode of fighting. At first, in Exodus, Satan used the Egyptian army to frustrate the children of Israel. When they were about to cross the Red Sea, the Egyptians were right behind them. Later, in the wilderness, God’sp eople had to fight against Amalek (Exo. 17:8-16). As we saw in the last message, the Israelites also fought and defeated the kings of Arad, the Amorites, and Bashan, destroying their cities and taking possession of their land (Num. 21:1-3, 35). After defeating these three kings, the children of Israel were ready to cross the Jordan and enter into the good land. The enemy, therefore, changed his mode of fighting against Israel.
１ 摩押王巴勒与米甸人联合，打发他们的长老去引诱巴兰来，为他们咒诅以色列人
1. Balak, the King of Moab, Joining with Midian, and They Sending Their Elders to Induce Balaam to Come and Curse Israel for Them
3『西拨的儿子巴勒，看见以色列人向亚摩利人所行的一切事。摩押人因为以色列民众多，就极其惧怕，因著他们苦恼。』（民二二2～3。）摩押王巴勒因以色列人和他们的胜利惧怕。他害怕以色列人来击败他，占领他的领土。『摩押人对米甸的长老说，现在这会众要把我们四围所有的全都餂尽，像牛餂尽田间的草一样。』（民二二4上。）巴勒似乎是说，『这强盛的民要吞吃我和我的地。我能作甚么去抵挡他们？』巴勒看见他无法在军事或政治一面击败以色列人，就决定采取宗教的路。
3Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab was very afraid of the people, because they were many; and Moab was distressed because of the sons of Israel’’ (vv. 2-3). Balak, the king of Moab, was terrified by the children of Israel and their victories. He was afraid that they would defeat him and take over his territory. ‘‘Moab said to the elders of Midian, This congregation will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field’’ (v. 4a). Balak seemed to be saying, ‘‘This mighty people will devour me and my land. What can I do to fight against them?’’ Realizing that he could not defeat Israel militarily or politically, Balak decided to take the religious way
4民数记二十二章指明，宗教的路与摩押和米甸都有关联。摩押是罗得和19:30-其中一个女儿乱伦所生的儿子。（创十九30～38。）因此，摩押代表肉体情欲的果子。米甸与以实玛利人很近；以实玛利代表肉体，与代表从那灵生的以撒相对。毫无疑问，米甸也表征肉体。巴兰与摩押人和米甸人很有来往，因此巴勒用他们去引诱巴兰来咒诅以色列人。这四者－巴勒、摩押、米甸和巴兰－成了一。
4As Numbers 22 indicates, the religious way is linked to both Moab and Midian. Moab was a son born of Lot and one of his daughters through incest (Gen. 38). Hence, Moab represents the fruit of fleshly lust. Midian was very close to the children of Ishmael, who represents the flesh, in contrast to Isaac, who represents that which is born of the Spirit. Midian, no doubt, also signifies the flesh. Balaam had much to do with Moab and Midian, for Balak used them to induce Balaam to come and curse Israel. These four—Balak, Moab, Midian, and Balaam—became one.
5当摩押和米甸的长老来到巴兰那里，巴兰对他们说，『你们今夜住在这里，我必将耶和华告诉我的话，回报你们。』（民二二8上。）巴兰说他要告诉神，看神怎么说。巴兰似乎很属灵。至少，他很宗教。然而，巴兰的确错了。他知道巴勒想要叫他咒诅神的子民以色列人。（民二二6。）巴兰若是对神忠信，他会说，『巴勒，只要你计画毁灭以色列人，我就无能为力。我爱神，而以色列人乃是神的子民。』但巴兰虽然知道巴勒的恶意是要败坏神的子民，却告诉使者说，他要问神，看他可不可以与他们去。这是何等荒谬！今天我们可能作一些事，就像巴兰所作的那么荒谬。例如，假使有人题议你去参加某种属世的娱乐，你告诉那人要把这事带到主面前，看看主同不同意你参加。原则上这样在主面前的考虑，就像巴兰在民数记二十二章所作的一样。
5When the elders of Moab and Midian came to Balaam, he said to them, ‘‘Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as Jehovah speaks to me’’ (Num. 22:8a). Balaam was saying that he would speak to God and see what God would say. Balaam seemed to be quite spiritual. At the least, he was quite religious. Balaam, however, was definitely wrong. He knew that Balak wanted him to curse God’sp eople, the children of Israel (v. 6). If Balaam had been faithful to God, he would have said, ‘‘Balak, as long as you are planning to destroy Israel, I can have nothing to do with you. I love God, and the children of Israel are God’sp eople.’’ But even though Balaam knew that Balak’s evil intention was to damage God’sp eople, Balaam nevertheless told the messengers that he would ask God whether he should go with them or not. How ridiculous! We today may do something that is just as ridiculous as what Balaam did. For example, suppose someone suggests that you participate in a certain kind of worldly entertainment, and you tell that person that you would like to consider the matter before the Lord and see whether or not the Lord would agree with such participation. In principle, this kind of considering before the Lord would be the same as Balaam’sin Numbers 22
6我们再举一个例子，就是我们的发饰。主喜悦你的发饰么？假如一位姊妹想把她的头发弄得很属世，她知道主不喜欢这发饰，但她却想为此祷告一下。她的考虑与巴兰的考虑性质一样。我们有很多时候，知道作某一件事不是出于主的，却仍寻求主在这事上的带领。虽然我们知道事情是错的，却要问主我们该不该作。这就引到自欺。在民数记二十二章，巴兰实际上就是自欺。
6Let us take as another illustration the way we style our hair. Is the Lord happy with your hair style? Suppose a sister wants to style her hair in a very worldly way. She knows that the Lord does not agree with this style, but she tries to pray about it anyway. Her consideration is the same in nature as Balaam’s. There may be many occasions when we know that doing a particular thing is not of the Lord, yet we still try to seek the Lord’s leading in the matter. Although we know that the thing is wrong, we may ask the Lord whether we should do it or not. This can lead to self-deception. In Numbers 22 Balaam was actually engaging in self-deception
２ 神阻止巴兰去
2. God Stopping Balaam from Going
7在二十二章九至十四节，神阻止巴兰去。神对他说，『你不可同他们去，也不可咒诅那民，因为那民是蒙福的。』（民二二12。）于是巴兰告诉巴勒的臣仆说，耶和华不容他与他们同去。
7In 22:9-14 God stopped Balaam from going. God said to him, ‘‘You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed’’ (v. 12). Balaam then told the officers of Balak that the Lord would not allow him to go with them.
３ 巴勒又差遣臣仆，比先前的更多、更尊贵，以引诱巴兰
3. Balak Again Sending Officers, More in Number and More Honorable Than the Former, to Induce Balaam
8巴勒真是邪恶。当臣仆告诉他巴兰拒绝同他们来时，巴勒又再差遣臣仆去，比先前的更多、更尊贵，以引诱巴兰来。（民二二14～15。）这些臣仆可能带著巴勒的礼物来见巴兰。他们代表巴勒对巴兰说话，请巴兰为巴勒咒诅以色列人。『但巴兰回答巴勒的臣仆说，巴勒就是将他满屋的金银都给我，我也不能越过耶和华我神的话，作多或作少。现在请你们今夜也在这里留宿，我好知道耶和华还要对我说甚么。』（民二二18～19。）巴兰若是忠信的，就会告诉巴勒的臣仆说，耶和华不容他与他们同去。但他却告诉他们，他要再到耶和华面前寻求祂的带领。这也是巴兰的自欺。
8Balak was really devilish. When the officers told him that Balaam had refused to come with them, Balak again sent officers, more in number and more honorable than they, to induce Balaam to come (vv. 14-15). These officers might have come to Balaam with presents from Balak. They spoke to Balaam on Balak’s behalf, urging Balaam to curse the children of Israel for Balak. ‘‘Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of Jehovah my God, to do less or more. Now, therefore, stay here tonight also, that I may know what more Jehovah will speak to me’’ (vv. 18-19). If Balaam had been faithful, he would have told Balak’s officers that the Lord would not let him go with them. Instead, he told them that he would go to the Lord again and seek His leading. This also was a matter of Balaam’s self-deception
４ 神让巴兰去，巴兰就去了
4. God Allowing Balaam to Go, and Balaam Going
920-神让巴兰去，巴兰也去了。（民二二20～21，彼后二15，犹11。）当夜神临到巴兰那里，对他说，『这些人若来召你，你就起来同他们去；你只要作我所告诉你的。』（民二二20。）于是，巴兰和摩押的首
9God allowed Balaam to go, and Balaam went (vv. 21; 2 Pet. 2:15; Jude 11). God came to Balaam at night and said to him, ‘‘If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only what I tell you, that shall you do’’ (Num. 22:20). Balaam, therefore, went with the rulers of Moab (v. 21).
10领一同去了。（民二十21。）
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11巴兰可能以耶和华对他所说的话为根基，说他与巴勒的臣仆去，是遵行神的旨意。实际上，巴兰是寻求自己的意思，不是寻求神的意思。因为他想要与巴勒的臣仆同去，神就吩咐他去。我们今天的情形可能也很相似。倘若我们想要作某件事，甚至坚持要作，主至终可能就让我们作。
11Balaam might have taken the Lord’sword to him as the basis for saying that in going with Balak’s officers he was doing God’s will. Actually, Balaam was pursuing his own will, not God’s will. Because he desired to go with Balak’s officers, God told him to go. Our situation today may be similar. If we want to do a certain thing and even insist on doing it, the Lord may eventually allow us to do it
５ 神因著巴兰去，就向他发怒；耶和华的使者站在路上敌挡他，用他所骑的驴向他说话
5. God’sAng er Burning against Balaam because He Went, and the Angel of Jehovah Standing in the Way as His Adversary and Using the Ass He Rode On to Speak to Him
12『神因著巴兰去，就发怒；耶和华的使者站在路上敌挡他。』（民二二22上。）巴兰所骑的驴看见耶和华的使者，就贴靠著墙。（民二二25。）驴再看见耶和华的使者，就卧在巴兰底下。（民二二27。）至终，因为巴兰用杖打驴，神就开了驴的口，叫驴对巴兰说话。（民二二28～30。）这真是个神迹。然后『耶和华开了巴兰的眼目，他就看见耶和华的使者站在路上，手里有拔出来的刀；巴兰便低头俯伏在地。』（民二二31。）在英文的经文里，耶和华的使者是大写的，指明这位使者就是基督。在旧约，『耶和华的使者』乃指基督。例如，摩西蒙神呼召时，是直接为耶和华的使者，为基督所召。（出三2，4。）我们仔细读民数记二十二章，会看见这里耶和华的使者就是神自己。主亲自来对付这位贪心的申言者。
12‘‘God’s anger burned because he went; and the Angel of Jehovah took His stand in the way as his adversary’’ (v. 22a). When the ass on which Balaam was riding saw the Angel of Jehovah, she pushed against the wall (v. 25). When she saw the Angel of Jehovah again, she lay down under Balaam (v. 27). Eventually, because Balaam was striking the ass with his staff, God opened the mouth of the ass, and she spoke to Balaam (vv. 28-30). This was a genuine miracle. Then ‘‘Jehovah unveiled the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Angel of Jehovah standing in the road and His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face’’ (v. 31). Notice that in our text the Angel of the Lord is capitalized to indicate that this angel is Christ. In the Old Testament the expression ‘‘the Angel of Jehovah’’ refers to Christ. For example, when Moses was called by God, he was called directly by the Angel of Jehovah, directly by Christ (Exo. 3:2, 4). If we read Numbers 22 carefully, we will see that the Angel of Jehovah here is the very God Himself. The Lord Himself was dealing with this greedy prophet.
６ 巴兰知道去是错的，但耶和华的使者容他去，吩咐他只要说耶和华的使者
6. Balaam Knowing That It Was Wrong to Go, and the Angel of Jehovah Allowing Him to Go and Charging Him to Speak Only
13对他所说的话
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14巴兰虽然知道真实的光景，看见耶和华的使者站在路上在他面前，但他没有回去，反而继续往前。巴兰知道去是错的。他对耶和华的使者说，『我有罪了；我不知道你站在路上抵挡我；你若不喜欢我去，我就回去。』（民二二34。）耶和华的使者容他去，但是对他说，『只是你要说我对你说的话。（民二二35。）
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15７ 巴勒在摩押的京城迎接巴兰
15What the Angel of Jehovah Would Speak to Him
16巴兰来到了，巴勒就在摩押的京城迎接巴兰。（民二二36～40。）我们在后面的信息将要看见，巴勒得不到他所要的。虽然巴兰是贪心的申言者，他仍受神的支配。
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17民数记二十二章关于巴兰的记载，包含我们今天众人都要学的功课。这里的功课乃是：我们已定意想要作某件事时，就不该来寻求主的旨意。你若有特别的想望，却仍想寻求神的旨意，结果就是自欺。我们需要学习不带著任何别的想望，来寻求主的旨意。这就是说，我们该单一的寻求神，说，『主，我在这里寻求你的旨意，我惟一的想望是认识你的旨意，并行你的旨意。』我们的光景若是这样，至终必会知道主的旨意。然而，我们若寻求主的旨意，实际上却倾向要行自己想要作的，就可能是自欺，就如巴兰欺骗自己一样。
17Although Balaam came to know the real situation, seeing that the Angel of Jehovah was standing in the road in front of him, he did not go back. Instead, he kept on going. Balaam knew that it was wrong to go. He said to the Angel of Jehovah, ‘‘I have sinned, for I did not know that You stood against me in the road. Now therefore, if it is evil in Your sight, I will go back again’’ (v. 34). However, the Angel of Jehovah allowed him to go but said to him, ‘‘Only the word which I will speak to you, that shall you speak’’ (v. 35
见证
18弟兄：我们基督徒生活中的每一步都要争战，因为仇敌想要阻挠神的子民进入美地，进入对包罗万有之基督的享受。神的子民进入迦南以前，必须打败三王，他们是撒但所霸占，作守门者，阻挠神行动的。这三王被击败以后，撒但就用巴勒来抵挡以色列人。巴勒很邪恶，显示于他雇请申言者巴兰来咒诅以色列。彼后二章十五节说，巴兰『贪爱不义之工价，』犹大书十一节也说到『为工价向著巴兰的错谬直闯。』巴勒的恶意是引诱巴兰咒诅以色列。这指明黑暗的国有时不直接的攻击我们，而是间接的攻击我们。巴勒不用军事或政治的方法抵挡以色列，却诡诈的用宗教的方法，雇请一位申言者。赞美主，巴勒这恶意没有成功！主来暴露巴勒的意图，将局面从咒诅转为祝福，好叫祂的子民能继续向著美地前进。
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19弟兄：在民数记二十一、二十二章，我们看见撒但如何攻击召会，就是以色列所豫表的。首先，在
197. Balak Welcoming Balaam at the Capital of Moab
20二十一章，仇敌直接攻击神的子民。但在二十二章，他尝试用非常诡诈的方法攻击他们。这诡诈的攻击包括了四组人：表征肉体情欲之果子的摩押；表征肉体的米甸人；代表宗教的巴兰；代表邪恶权势的巴勒。撒但用这四组人攻击召会、圣徒和职事。然而，耶和华的使者进来，清理这局面，使召会能往前。
20When Balaam appeared, Balak welcomed him at the capital of Moab (vv. 36-40). As we will see in the following messages, Balak did not get what he wanted, but God gained what He wanted. Although Balaam was a greedy prophet, he was still under God’s control
21弟兄：在民数记二十二章，仇敌改变策略，从公开的攻击，变为宗教的攻击。巴勒，连同摩押和米甸，雇请一位申言者来咒诅以色列。当摩押和米甸人的长老手里带著『占卜费』去见巴兰时，巴兰请他们留宿一晚，看耶和华怎么对他说。他知道他们要他咒诅神的子民，但他没有告诉他们这是错的，他不会这样作。巴兰不只一次求问耶和华，每次他这样作的时候，他都妥协并欺骗自己。我们必须承认，至少在小事上，我们也像巴兰一样，作了同样的事。我们可能有一个肉体的意愿去作某件事，却到主面前去问祂，我们可不可以作。主可能容许我们作所要作的，但实际上我们是自欺，并且给仇敌留地步。
21The record concerning Balaam in Numbers 22 contains a valuable lesson that we all need to learn today. The lesson here is that we should not seek the Lord’s will as long as we have the desire to do certain things. If we have a particular desire, yet still want to seek God’s will, the result may be self- deception. We need to learn to seek the Lord’s will without having any other desire. This means that we should be able to pray in simplicity, ‘‘Lord, I am here seeking Your will. My only desire is to know Your will and do it.’’ If this is our situation, we will eventually know the Lord’s will. However, if we seek the Lord’s will but are actually inclined to carry out our own desires, we may deceive ourselves, even as Balaam deceived himself.