申命记生命读经 · 第11篇

神的选择－敬拜神的确定立场

God’s Choice— The Definite Ground for the Worship of God

1读经：申命记十二章一至三十二节。在本篇信息中，我要进一步说到摩西嘱咐以色列人关于敬拜神的方式。

1Scripture Reading: Deut. 12:1-32 In this message I would like to give a further word on Moses’ charge to the children of Israel concerning the way to worship God

接受神的选择

TAKING GOD’S CHOICE

2五章一节至十一章三十二节的律法重申是相当一般的，但十二章一至三十二节的话却非常明确。这一章强调一个要求，就是要接受神所选择的敬拜中心。圣经一再告诉我们，要来到『那和华你们神所选择的地方。』（申十二５，11，14，18，21，26。）我们不该有任何偏好，乃要接受神的选择，就是独一的立场，敬拜神的正确地方。

2The rehearsal of the law in 5:1—11:32 is rather general, but in 12:1-32 it is very definite. This chapter emphasizes the requirement that we take God’s choice in the matter of a worship center. Again and again we are told to come to “the place which Jehovah your God will choose” (vv. 5, 11, 14, 18, 21, 26). We should not have any preferences but take God’s choice, which is the unique ground, the proper place for the worship of God

保守神子民的一

KEEPING THE ONENESS OF GOD’SP EOPLE

3摩西为甚么在十二章，这么确定的说到来到神选择的地方这要求？摩西在这事上很确定，因为这关系到保守神子民的一。倘若没有这样一个确定的立场来敬拜神，以色列人就要分裂了。假定十二支派都有自由来选择敬拜的地方，各支派必会在自己境内选择一处地方。这样，自然就会有十二个分裂。这就是以色列人在关于敬拜神的地方上，被严格禁止有自己选择的原因。摩西一再的告诉他们，他们必须来到神所选择的地方，在那里敬拜祂。『但耶和华你们的神从你们各支派中，选择一处立为祂名的地方，那就是祂的居所，你们当往那里去寻求。你们要将燔祭、平安祭、十分取一之物、和手中的举祭、并许愿祭、甘心祭、以及牛群羊群中头生的，都带到那里。』（申十二５～６。）以色列人必须来到神所选择的地方，即使那地方对许多支派来说，路途是漫长、艰难。一年三次，以色列人要带同自己一家到神所选择的地方。不仅如此，他们要将十分取一之物和供物，包括牲口，都带来。按照旧约的记载，以色列人中间的一，就是藉著来到神所选择的敬拜中心这行动，而得以保守的。

3Why was Moses so definite in chapter twelve about the requirement to come to the place of God’s choice? Moses was definite in this matter because it was related to the keeping of the oneness of God’sp eople. If there had not been such a definite ground for the worship of God, the children of Israel would have been divided. Suppose each of the twelve tribes had had the freedom to choose a place of worship. Surely each tribe would have chosen a place within its own territory, and spontaneously there would have been twelve divisions. This was the reason that the children of Israel were strictly forbidden from making their own choice concerning the place for the worship of God. Moses told them repeatedly that they had to come to the place which God had chosen and worship Him there. “Unto the place which Jehovah your God will choose out of all your tribes to put His name, unto His habitation, shall you seek, and there shall you go. And there you shall bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices and your tithes and the heave offering of your hand and your vows and your freewill offerings and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock” (vv. 5-6). The children of Israel had to come to the place which God had chosen, even though, for many of the tribes, the journey was long and difficult. Three times a year the Israelites had to come with their families to the place of God’s choice. Furthermore, they had to bring their tithes and offerings, including livestock. According to the record in the Old Testament, the unity among the children of Israel was preserved by the act of coming to the worship center chosen by God.

4诗篇一三三篇说到这样的保守一。这篇是上行诗（诗一二○～一三四）的一首，上行诗是以色列人登锡安山去敬拜神时所唱的歌。他们登山时，就唱著：『看哪，弟兄在一里同居，是何等的善，何等的美。』（诗一三三１，另译。）这一好比『那贵重的油，浇在亚伦的头上，流到胡须，又流到他的衣襟。』（诗一三三２。）这一又好比『黑门的甘露，降在锡安山。（诗一三三３。）在诗篇一三三篇，我们看见一幅神子民的一的美丽图画，这一是藉著他们来到神所选择敬拜祂的地方，得以保守。

4This keeping of the unity is spoken of in Psalm 133. This psalm is one of the songs of ascent (Psa. 120—134), songs that were sung by the children of Israel as they ascended Mount Zion to worship God. As they were making the ascent, they sang, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (133:1). This oneness is likened to “the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments” (v. 2). This oneness is also likened to “the dew of Hermon” which “descended upon the mountains of Zion” (v. 3). In Psalm 133 we have a beautiful picture of the oneness of God’sp eople, the oneness they were to keep by coming to worship God at the place of His choice

神在我们灵里的居所

THE HABITATION OF GOD IN OUR SPIRIT

5在申命记十二章的豫表中，以色列人必须来到地理上一个特别的地点。这就是说，在旧约中，所选择的立场乃是实在、物质的地方。有人听见这话时可能问说，『我们如何将这豫表应用到今天的光景中？难道所有信徒都要一年三次聚在一个地方么？』我们回答这些问题时，需要看见申命记十二章之豫表的应验，不是在地理上的地方，乃是在我们的灵里。我们2:22将以弗所二章二十二节与约翰四章二十一至二十三节放在一起，就能证明了这点。保罗在以弗所二章二十二节说，我们乃是『同被建造，成为神在灵里的居所。』在约翰四章，主耶稣回答撒玛利亚妇人关于敬拜神正确之地点的问题。祂说，『时候将到，那时你们敬拜父，不在这山上，也不在耶路撒冷。…时候将到，如今就是了，那真正拜父的，要在灵…里敬拜祂。』（约四21，23。）这清楚指明今天敬拜神的正确立场乃在我们的灵里。神的居所，神居住的所在，乃在我们的灵里。我们只要在我们的灵里，就是在敬拜神的正确地方。

5In the type in Deuteronomy 12, the children of Israel were required to come to a particular geographical location. This means that in the Old Testament the chosen ground was an actual physical place. When some hear this, they may ask, “How are we to apply this type to our situation today? Are all the believers supposed to gather in a certain place three times a year?” In answering these questions, we need to realize that the fulfillment of the type in Deuteronomy 12 is not a matter of a geographical place—it is a matter of our spirit. This is proved by putting Ephesians together with John 4:21-23. In Ephesians 2:22 Paul said that we are “being built together into a dwelling place of God in spirit.” In John 4 the Lord Jesus responded to the question of the Samaritan woman concerning the proper place for the worship of God. He said to her, “An hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem shall you worship the Father …. An hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit…” (vv. 21, 23). This indicates clearly that the proper ground for the worship of God today is in our spirit. God’s habitation, His dwelling place, is in our spirit. As long as we are in our spirit, we are in the right place for the worship of God.

在主耶稣的名里，在我们的灵里，并带著十字架而聚集

MEETING IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS IN OUR SPIRIT, AND WITH THE CROSS

6有人可能说，敬拜神的地方既在我们的灵里，为甚么我们还要强调地方召会？为著便利和实行的缘故，我们在所住的各城聚集。表面看我们在地理上是分开的，因为我们分别在地上的各城聚集。实际上，我们仍在一里，我们不是分开的，因为我们无论在那里，都是在主的名里，在我们的灵里，并带著十字架而聚集。所以，不管我们在那里，我们都是在同一处地方聚集。

6Some may wonder why we emphasize the local church since the place for the worship of God is our spirit. For convenience and practicality, we meet in the different cities where we live. Apparently we are divided by geography, for we meet in separate cities all over the world. Actually we remain in the oneness and are not divided, for wherever we may be, we meet in the Lord’s name, in the spirit, and with the cross. Therefore, no matter where we may be, we all meet in the same place.

7最近在安那翰召会的祷告聚会中，有来自好几个不同国家的圣徒。可以说，这是国际性的祷告聚会。没有人说到祷告的题目，或该如何祷告。然而，我们都同心合意的祷告。我们能有这样的一，因为我们虽然在地理上是分隔的，但我们都在相同的地方聚会，就是在主的名里，在我们的灵里，并带著十字架。今天大多数基督徒的光景与此大大不同。他们不是在一里聚集，而是在不同的公会里聚集。各公会的基督徒即使聚在一起，他们也很难一起祷告。各人可能用自己所属之公会的腔调祷告。基督里的信徒若要成为一，就必须放弃一切属公会的事物，单单在主耶稣的名里，在我们的灵里并带著十字架聚在一起。这就是一，这就是敬拜神的正确立埸。许多基督徒因著自己的喜好而分裂了。他们虽然住在同一个城市，却不聚在一起，因为他们想要有自己的喜好。在主的恢复里，我们不在意自己的喜好，乃在意主的同在。主耶稣在马太十八章二十节说，『因为无论在那里，有两三个人被聚集到我的名里，那里就有我在他们中间。』无论我们在那里，在安那翰或台北，在伦敦或东京，我们都该被聚集到主的名里，都该在我们的灵里并带著十字架而聚会。我们若都这样作，虽然我们是在不同的城市，却是在同一处地方聚会。这一处地方就是独一之一的立场。

7Recently, in the prayer meeting of the church in Anaheim, there were saints present from a number of different countries. We may say that we had an international prayer meeting. Nobody gave a word about the subject of our prayer or about how we should pray. Nevertheless, we prayed in one accord. We could be one in such a way because, in spite of geographical separation, we all meet in the same place—in the Lord’s name, in our spirit, and with the cross. The situation with most Christians today is very different from this. They meet not in oneness but in many different denominations. Even if Christians from various denominations meet together, they may have difficulty praying together. Each may pray in his own denominational tone. If the believers in Christ are to be one, they must give up all denominational things and simply come together in the name of the Lord Jesus, in the spirit, and with the cross. This is the oneness, and this is the proper ground for the worship of God. Many Christians are divided by their preferences. Even though they may live in the same city, they will not meet together because they want to have their own preference. In the Lord’s recovery, we care not for our preference but for the Lord’s presence. In Matthew 18:20 the Lord Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst.” Wherever we may be, in Anaheim or Taipei, in London or Tokyo, we should be gathered into the Lord’s name, and we should meet in our spirit and with the cross. If we all do this, we all will meet in the same place, although we meet in different localities. This one place is the ground of the unique oneness

8在主的恢复里，我们有一个名和一位灵。我们都在耶稣基督的名里聚集，也都在调和的灵里，在那有圣灵内住之人的灵里聚集。我们在这灵里聚集，不在自己的观念、想望、喜好或选择里聚集。不仅如此，在我们的聚会中，我们不离开十字架；这十字架乃是帐幕前的祭坛所豫表的。在召会的入口有十字架；我们要作为召会而聚集，就必须经历十字架。肉体、己和天然的人无法在召会中，必须被钉十字架。所以，我们的聚会乃是在主耶稣的名里，在调和的灵里并带著十字架。这是我们聚集的地方，在这里我们有一，就是我们在主独一的名里所要竭力保守的一。

8In the Lord’s recovery, we have one name and one Spirit. We all meet in the name of Jesus Christ, and we all meet in the mingled spirit—in the regenerated human spirit indwelt by the Holy Spirit. We gather together in this spirit, not in our concept, desire, preference, or choice. Furthermore, in our meeting we should not leave the cross, which is typified by the altar in front of the tabernacle. At the entrance of the church there is the cross, and in order to meet as the church we must experience the cross. The flesh, the self, and the natural man cannot be in the church; they must be crucified. Therefore, we meet in the name of the Lord Jesus, in the mingled spirit, and with the cross. This is the place where we meet, and here we have the oneness which we endeavor to keep in the unique name of the Lord.