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希伯来书生命读经 · 第17篇

完成神定旨的美地

The Good Land for the Fulfillment of God’s Purpose
1我很强的觉得需要有一篇信息，专一的说到美地是为著完成神的定旨。美地这件事，叫许多读经的人和圣经教师感到困惑。基督教的书籍中，有许多说到美地。你若读这些书，便发现所有读经的人和圣经教师，都认为美地不仅是指巴勒斯坦的一块地而已。在圣经中，美地是更深之事的象征、表号。即使最低浅的讲法也认为，美地象征基督徒经过约但死河后，所要到达的地方；这样的讲法也是遵循同一个原则，认为美地不仅是指巴勒斯坦的一块地，乃是表征一些属灵的、神圣的、和属天的东西。一个人要彻底了解美地的属灵意义，不是一件容易的事。我已经查考这事许多年。我从年轻的时候起，就对美地的真正意义感到兴趣。然而很遗憾的，在这方面，我这个青年信徒并没有得到甚么帮助。现今在本篇信息中，我要尽我所能的，把主所给我们看到美地的真正意义告诉你们。
1I feel strongly that we need to have a message on the good land for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. This matter of the good land has been a great puzzle to most Bible readers and Bible teachers. Many Christian books speak about the good land. If you read these books, you will realize that all the readers and teachers of the Bible have the feeling that the good land is not merely a tract of land in Palestine. In the Bible, the good land is a symbol, a figure, of something further. Even the lowest interpretation of the good land as a symbol—that it is the region Christians enter after crossing the Jordan River of death—follows the principle that the good land is not merely a tract of land in Palestine but rather signifies something spiritual, holy, and heavenly. It is very difficult for anyone to understand thoroughly the spiritual significance of the good land. I have been studying this matter for years. Ever since my youth, I have been interested in the true significance of this good land. I am sorry to say that as a young Christian I did not receive much help in this regard. But now in this message I shall try my best to present to you what the Lord has shown us concerning the real significance of this good land
神正确的子民
THE PROPER PEOPLE OF GOD
2在圣经里，地通常表征神正确的子民。相对的，海乃是表征被撒但所败坏、玷污和破坏的世界。换句话说，地通常表征神的子民，海表征属世界的人，就是被撒但玷污、败坏、破坏、并霸占的人。
2In the Bible, the land or earth always signifies the proper people of God. The sea, on the contrary, signifies the world that has been corrupted, polluted, and ruined by Satan. In other words, the land always signifies the people of God, and the sea signifies the worldly people, the people who have been polluted, corrupted, ruined, and usurped by Satan
基督的豫表
A FIGURE OF CHRIST
3其次，地在圣经中也是基督的表号和象征。基督就是美地。在创世记生命读经里我们曾指出，创世记一章九节所说，在第三天从死水里露出来的旱地，乃是在第三天从死里复活之基督们也看见，一切的生命，无论是植物、是动物、或是人的生命，都是出于地；甚至人也是用那复活之地的尘土造的。从医学上来看，我们身体的成分和土壤所含有的成分，是相同的。土壤和我们的身体都有铜、铁、硫等元素。所以人是出于地，而地是基督的表号。这表征基督是各种生命的源头。基督乃是美地，是出自死水，在四围环绕的死水中高高的露出来之地，由迦南地所描绘。我们往下还会来看，迦南地是一块高地，四面有水环绕；这地就是基督的一幅图画。
3Secondly, in the Bible the land is a figure, a symbol, of Christ. Christ is the good land. When we studied Genesis 1:9 in our Life-study of Genesis, we pointed out that the land which came out of the death water on the third day was a type of the resurrected Christ who came out of the life, including the vegetable, animal, and human life, came out of the land. Even man was made from the dust of that resurrected land. Medically speaking, our physical body contains the same elements as the earth. In both the earth and our bodies we have such elements as copper, iron, and sulfur. So mankind came from the land, and the land is a figure of Christ. This signifies that Christ is the source of all kinds of life. Christ as the good land, the land that came out of death water, the land that was elevated above and surrounded by the death water, was depicted by the land of Canaan. As we shall see, the land of Canaan is an elevated land surrounded by water. This land is a picture of Christ.
豫表神所拣选的人
A TYPE OF THE CHOSEN ONES OF GOD
4在圣经里，地的土壤表征我们这班蒙神拣选的人。神拣选我们作祂将自己种在我们里面的土壤，好使祂在我们里面生长。（太十三3，23。）我们是神的土壤，最终要成为祂的耕地、祂的农场，长出基督。（林前三9。）
4In the Bible, the soil of the earth typifies us, the chosen ones of God. God has chosen us to be the soil into which He sows Himself in order that He Himself may grow in us (Matt. 13:3, 23). We are God’ss oil. Eventually, we become His field and His farm to grow Christ (1 Cor. 3:9). This matter is quite weighty and meaningful
5这是非常重大而有意义的事。
5
地、基督和人
THE LAND, CHRIST, AND HUMANITY
6地是从死水中复活出来的，神就用这地上的尘土造人。（创二7。）所以人是出于地，且命定要彰显神。人的身体是用复活之地上的尘土造的，但人的自己却是照著神的形像造的，1:26-目的为要彰显神。（二7，一26～。）这土造的人不仅是照著神的形像造的，为要彰显神，他也受托有神的权柄，可以施行神的管治权，并在地上形成神的国。所以神的彰显和神的国，完全与地有关联。人不仅从这复活之地而出，并且要活在这地上彰显神并代表祂，好形成神的彰显，神的国度。这个彰显同著国度，就是神的目标，也是我们所要进入的。这短短的一段话，连贯了地、基督和人。地、基督和人三者合在一起，就是神的彰显，也是神的国度，是神的荣耀和权柄所在的地方。这也是我们要进入的范围，是我们要达到的领域。在此有我们的安息和满足。在此神也得著完满的彰显，并得著居住之处，就是祂的居所。
6God took some dust from the land that was resurrected out of the death water and used it to make man (Gen. 2:7). Thus man was made out of the land and was destined to express God. Man’s body was made with the dust of the resurrected land, but man himself was made in the image of God for the purpose of expressing God (Gen. 2:7; 28). Not only was the dusty man made in God’s image 28 to express God, but he was also committed with God’s authority to exercise God’s dominion and to form God’skin gdom on earth. So God’sex press i on and kingdom are fully related to the earth. Man came from the resurrected land, the resurrected earth, and lived on this earth to express God and to represent Him, to form an expression of God and a kingdom of God. This expression with the kingdom is God’s goal, and we must enter into it. This short word combines the land, Christ, and humanity. The land, Christ, and humanity combined together are the expression of God and the kingdom of God where God’s glory and authority are. This is the sphere into which we all must enter. It is the realm that we all must reach. Here is our rest and satisfaction. Here God is fully expressed and has a dwelling place, His habitation.
7启示录二十一章一节说，『我又看见一个新天新地；因为第一个天和第一个地已经过去了，海也不再有了。』这里我们看见，旧天旧地都要过去，要来的是一个新天新地。在这新天新地里有新耶路撒冷，其中有神在基督里作活水涌流，这活水乃是象征涌流的那灵。你读启示录二十一章，就看见地、基督、和所有蒙神拣选、重生、圣别并荣化之人的图画。地、基督和我们合起来，就是神的彰显同神的国度。这就是我们的美地，是我们要竭力进入之地。我们乃是在这里，得著安息和满足。
7Reve lation 21:1 says, “I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” Here we see that the old heaven and the old earth will pass away and that there will be a new heaven and a new earth. In this new heaven and new earth will be the New Jerusalem, and within the New Jerusalem God in Christ flows as the living water which symbolizes the flowing Spirit. If you look at Revelation 21, you will see a picture of the land, Christ, and all of God’s chosen, regenerated, sanctified, and glorified people. This combination of the land, Christ, and us will be God’sex press i on with God’skin gdom. This is our good land, the land that we all must strive to enter into. It is here that we have rest and satisfaction.
神永远的定旨
GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE
8从神的圣言完整的启示中，我们看见神在已过的永远里就计画要使祂自己得著彰显。神永远的定旨乃是要藉著一个由许多人所组成的团体实体，实际的、具体的把祂自己彰显出来。这是神永远的定旨。为著要成就这永远的定旨，神创造了诸天和地。
8From the whole revelation of God’s divine Word, we can see that in eternity past God planned to express Himself. This is God’s eternal purpose: to express Himself in a practical and real way through a corporate entity composed of many human beings. This is God’s eternal purpose. In order to accomplish this purpose, God created the heavens and the earth
9神的仇敌撒但插进来破坏了神的创造，特别破坏了地。所以神用水审判了地。（创一2。）整个地都淹没在审判的水之下，也就是被死亡所笼罩。以后，神进来使死水所淹没之地升起，就在第三日叫死水淹没的地重新露出来。这一点，很多圣经学者都同意，乃是复活基督的一幅图画。第三日从水里露出来的地，乃是豫表复活的基督，一切的生命都由祂而出。神照著自己的形像从这地造出人来，使人彰显祂并代表祂。那时，在亚当身上我们可以看见地，因为他是用地上的尘土造的。我们也能看见基督，因为他是照著基督的形像造的。创世记一章二十六节说，人是照著神的形像造的，而歌罗西一章十五节说，基督是那不能看见之神的像。因此，人是照著基督的形像造的，有基督的形像。若是你见到亚当，你就见到基督的形像。所以在亚当这个人身上，有地上的尘土，也有基督的形像。因此，在亚当身上，我们看见地、基督和人，而这三者合起来就是神的彰显，神的国度。这是神想要得著之事的缩影。
9Satan, God’se ne my, intervened and damaged God’s creation, especially the earth. So the earth was judged with water by God (Gen. 1:2). The whole earth was under the judging water, which was a kind of death covering the land. Then God came in and raised up the land that had been covered by the death water, raising it out of the death water on the third day. A good number of Bible teachers agree that this is a picture of the resurrected Christ. The land that was raised out of the water on the third day was a type of the resurrected Christ from whom all life has come into being. Out of this land God made man in His own image to express and represent Him. In Adam at that time we could see the land because Adam was made with the dust of the ground. We could also see Christ because Adam was made in the image of Christ. Genesis 1:26 says that man was made in the image of God, and Colossians 1:15 says that Christ is the image of the invisible God. Therefore, man was made in the image of Christ and bore the image of Christ. If you could have seen Adam, you would have seen the image of Christ. So with Adam, a man, there were the dust of the land and the image of Christ. Hence, in Adam we see three things: the land, Christ, and man. These three things are combined to be God’sex press i on and God’skin gdom. That was a miniature of what God intended to obtain
人与地的关系
The Relationship Between Man and the Earth
10撒但知道神的中心思想，就进来破坏人。当主耶稣成为肉体，（约一，）祂就是来成为尘土。祂来联于人，意思就是来联于地。亚当被破坏以后，人最终成了肉体；（创六3；）神就来审判了肉体。当神审判肉体时，也审判了地，因为肉体（就是人类）与地是不能分开的。（12～13。）照著神的观念看来，人总是与地有关联的。人受审判时，地也就受了审判；地受审判时，人也就受了审判。神总是把这二者摆在一起对待。藉著洪水，神审判了肉体和地。
10Satan, knowing God’s central thought, came in to damage man. When the Lord Jesus became flesh (John 1:14), He came to become dust. When He came to join with man, 14 it meant that He came to join with the earth. After Adam had been damaged, man eventually became flesh (Gen. 6:3), and God came in to judge that flesh. When God judged the flesh, He also judged the earth, for the flesh, that is, mankind, cannot be separated from the earth (Gen. 6:12-13). In God’ss ight and according to God’s concept, man is always related to the earth. When man is judged, the earth is judged, and when the earth is judged, man is judged. God always treats these two things together. By the flood, God judged the flesh and the earth.
11洪水以后，方舟停在亚拉腊山上的日子，正是主耶稣从死里复活的同一月同一日─第十七日。主是在当月十四日逾越节那天被钉在十字架上，三日后祂从死里复活。方舟从死水中复起，也是在当月十七日。根据创世记的记载，这是一年中的七月；以后在逾越节的时候，根据犹太人的圣历，改为正月。换句话说，主耶稣复活和方舟从死水中复起，是在同月同日。挪亚和其他七个人出了方舟以后，就生活在新地上。这些复活的人生活在新地上，而新地又一次豫表复活的基督。挪亚和其他七个复活的人生活在新地上，表征他们活在基督里。今天我们都活在基督里。好景不常，撒但又来败坏、玷污了人类。创世记十章启示，撒但利用宁录的父亲古实，来建造巴别。撒但败坏、玷污古实和宁录，就是再一次败坏了人类。在神看来，被玷污的人类与迦勒底地是一。在神眼中，人总是与地相联的。你读圣经所记载以色列人的历史，就会看见神总是将以色列人和地摆在一起。有些经节是指著地，也是指著人，因为神总是把二者看为一个。（赛一7～，27。）假如说美国人败坏了，就是说美国败坏了。一地的人被玷污了，在神看来，那地也就被玷污了。人和地是不能分开的。
11After the flood, the ark landed on Mt. Ararat on exactly the same day of the month as the Lord Jesus was resurrected from the dead—the seventeenth day. The Lord was crucified on the fourteenth day of the month, the day of the Passover, and three days later He was resurrected. The ark was resurrected from the death water on the seventeenth day of the month. According to the record of Genesis, this was on the seventh month of the year, which was changed at the time of the Passover to be the first month of the year, according to the Jewish sacred calendar. In other words, the Lord Jesus was resurrected on the same day and in the same month as the ark was resurrected from the death water. When Noah and the seven others came out of the ark, they lived on the new earth. The resurrected people lived on the new earth, and, once again, that new earth typified the resurrected Christ. That Noah and the other seven resurrected people lived on the new earth signified that they lived in Christ. Now we all are living in Christ today. This pleasant situation did not last very long, for Satan came in to corrupt and pollute mankind again. As Genesis 10 reveals, Satan utilized Nimrod’s father, Cush, to build Babel. Satan’s corrupting and polluting of Cush and Nimrod meant that Satan had once again corrupted mankind. In the eyes of God, that polluted mankind became one with the land of Chaldea. In the eyes of God, mankind is always related to the land. If you read the history of Israel according to the record of the Bible, you will see that God always put Israel and the land together as one. Some verses refer to both the land and the people because God always reckons the two as one (Isa. 1:7-9, 27). If the people in the U. S. A. are corrupt, it means9 that the U.S.A. is corrupt. When the people on the land are polluted, it means that, in the eyes of God, the land also is polluted. We cannot separate the people from the land.
升高的地
an elevated land
12在巴别的时候，人与迦勒底地成为一。神进来，从败坏的迦勒底地呼召亚伯拉罕出来；这意思是说，神把他从败坏的人类中呼召出来。神要带他离开那地，进入一块升高之地，就是迦南美地。迦南地是一块升高之地。就地理形势来说，迦南是一块被水环绕之地，有地中海，死海和约但河四面围著。这表征这地是出于死水，也是高过死水的。这地表征基督同神正确的子民。在神看来，美地、基督、和祂正确的子民就是一个。
12At the time of Babel, man became one with the land of Chaldea. God came in and called Abraham out of that corrupted Chaldea, meaning that He called him out of the corrupted mankind. God brought Abraham out of that land into an elevated land, the good land of Canaan. The land of Canaan is an elevated land. According to geography, the land of Canaan is surrounded by water, by the Mediterranean Sea, the Dead Sea, and the Jordan River. This signifies that it is a land that comes out of the death water and is elevated above it. This is the land that signifies Christ with God’s proper people. In God’se yes, He always considers the good land, Christ, and His proper people as one.
THE ULTIMATE CONSUMMATION
进入美地的终极完成
OF ENTERING INTO THE GOOD LAND
13亚伯拉罕进了迦南美地。后来他的子孙堕落到美地以外，神就带领他们，从他们堕落之处回到美地。以色列人进入美地，终极所完成的是甚么？乃是圣殿。一面说，圣殿是神的彰显；另一面说，圣殿也是神的国，神的行政和管理。有了圣殿，我们就在那地看见神的彰显和神的国。有了圣殿，神和祂的子民就在那地得著安息和满足。美地就是正确的地加上正确的人，还有神的居所建造起来，在宇宙中彰显祂，并为祂掌权。这就是美地。
13Abraham entered into the good land of Canaan. When his descendants fell away from that good land, God brought them out of their fallen place and restored them to the good land. What was the ultimate consummation of the entering into the good land by the children of Israel? It was the temple. On the one hand, the temple was God’sex press i on, and, on the other hand, it was God’skin gdom, government, and administration. There, with the temple, we can see God’sex press i on and God’skin gdom. There, with the temple, God and all His people were able to rest and be satisfied. The good land is a combination of the proper earth and the proper people with God’s dwelling place built up to express God and to exercise His authority in the universe. This is the good land
14在旧约我们看到美地的缩影：就是一块高出四面死水的地，其中有神的居所。在那地有神的彰显和管理。这是旧约里的缩影。这幅图画的实现乃是在新约。最终，在新约里神要得著新地。祂不仅得著一块地，乃是得著整个新地，就是经过复活，高升超过一切死亡的地。在这新地上，不再有海，不再有死亡，也不再有黑夜。（启二一1，4，25。）海、死亡、黑夜都要永远消失，只有洁净、清明的干地，以及一道明亮的河贯穿其中；新耶路撒冷就在那里。那将是神永远的居所、彰显和管理。在那里神得著完满的彰显，祂的权柄得著完全的执行；那将是美地的实现。我们的美地在那里？就在这新地上。
14In the Old Testament we see a miniature of the good land: an elevated land surrounded by death water and filled with God’s dwelling place. There in that land were God’sex press i on and administration. This is the miniature in the Old Testament. The fulfillment of this figure is found in the New Testament. Ultimately, in the New Testament, God will have a new earth. He will not just have a tract of land but a whole new earth, an earth resurrected and elevated above all death. In this new earth there will be no more sea, no more death, and no more night (Rev. 21:1, 4, 25). All sea, death, and night will be gone forever, and there will be a clean, clear, dry land with a pure river flowing through it. The New Jerusalem will be there. That will be God’s eternal habitation, expression, and administration. There God will be fully expressed and His authority will be completely exercised. That will be the fulfillment of the good land. Where is our good land? It is there on the new earth
新耶路撒冷的豫尝
A FORETASTE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
15赞美主，今天的召会生活就是新地同新耶路撒冷的豫尝。今天的召会生活，乃是在新地上。安那翰可能旧了，但我们却在升高的新地上。这是要来之新耶路撒冷的豫尝。我们今天岂不是在新耶路撒冷？我们是在新耶路撒冷。我们虽然尚未全享新耶路撒冷，却豫尝了新耶路撒冷，召会生活就是这个豫尝。这就是我们今天的美地。犹太人所有的，不过是美地的豫表，豫像，在新耶路撒冷才有美地的实现和全享。我们今天在召会生活中所有的虽是实际，却不完满。我们是在实际里，不在豫表里，但这个实际只是豫尝。就性质来说，豫尝和全享是一样的。所以，在豫尝里，我们乃是在新耶路撒冷里，我们也是在新地上。
15Praise the Lord that the church life today is a foretaste of the new land with the New Jerusalem. The church life today is on the new land. Anaheim may be old, but we are on new, elevated land. This is a foretaste of the coming New Jerusalem. Are we not in the New Jerusalem today? We are. We are not in the full taste New Jerusalem, but we are in the foretaste New Jerusalem, the church life. This is our good land today. What the Jewish people had was only a type, a prefigure, of the good land. In the New Jerusalem there will be the fulfillment and the full taste of the good land. What we have in the church life today is real, but it is not yet full. We are in the reality, not in the type, but this reality is just the foretaste. In nature, the foretaste is exactly the same as the full taste. So, in foretaste, we are in the New Jerusalem and we are on the new earth
16我们当中很多人，已往都在老宗教的圈子里。有些人曾在天主教，有些人曾在犹太教。当你在那老圈子里，在你的迦勒底里，你感觉是在新耶路撒冷里么？你觉得尝到新耶路撒冷么？新耶路撒冷的滋味，主要的是生命水和生命树。在新耶路撒冷里，我们所尝到的，主要的是生命水给我们喝，生命树给我们吃。自从过召会生活那天起，我们所喝的是何等的享受！在召会生活中，我们喝的生命水，比地上的任何饮料都好。世上没有一种饮料，可以与我们在召会生活中所喝的相比。再者，我们天天享受主耶稣作我们的生命树。谁能像我们这样的喜乐？我们实在豫尝了新耶路撒冷。你在犹太教的时候，曾享受过这种滋味么？你在天主教里点蜡烛、告解的时候，尝过新耶路撒冷的滋味么？你在所谓的更正教各宗派中，坐在教堂里长凳上的时候，能有这种滋味么？你在那些容易发表异议的自由团体中，尝过这样的滋味么？你在何处可以尝到新耶路撒冷？只有在正当的召会生活里。召会生活对我们就是美地。在这美地上，我们有神的居所，有安息，有神的彰显，也有神的权柄、国度和管理。召会生活是我们能得安息之处。我每天都不是劳苦工作，乃是享受安息。我工作的时候，也就享受安息。这就是我不容易筋疲力竭的原因，因为我不是劳苦作工，乃是安息。我每一个细胞、每一滴血，都在安息。哦，这是何等的享受！召会生活是我们真实的安息和享受。我们真是活在美地，就是流奶与蜜之地。奶与蜜是动物生命和植物生命这两种生命的产品。这表征基督丰富的生命。基督的生命一面由动物生命所表征，是为著救赎，另一面由植物生命所表征，是为著重生。我们现今就是在享受美地上所流淌奶与蜜的生命。
16Many of us were in the region of old religion. Some were in Catholicism and others were in Judaism. When you were in that old region, in your Chaldea, did you have the sensation that you were in the New Jerusalem? Did you have the feeling that you were tasting the New Jerusalem? The taste in the New Jerusalem is mainly the living water and the tree of life. In the New Jerusalem our taste will mainly be that of the living water for us to drink and that of the tree of life for us to feed upon. What drinking we have enjoyed since coming into the church life! The water we drink in the church life is much better than any earthly beverage. No drink on earth can compare with what we are drinking in the church life. Moreover, day by day we are enjoying the Lord Jesus as our tree of life. Who can be as pleasant and joyful as we are? We are truly in the foretaste of the New Jerusalem. Did you enjoy this taste when you were in Judaism? Did you have the taste of the New Jerusalem when you were in Catholicism burning candles and making confession to the priests? Did you have it when you were sitting in the pews in the so- called Protestant denominations? Did you have it when you were in the free groups where you found it so easy to be dissenting? Where can you have the taste of the New Jerusalem? Only in the proper church life. To us, the church life is the good land. In this good land we have God’s dwelling place, rest, expression, authority, kingdom, and dominion. The church life is where we all can rest. Day by day I am resting, not working. While I am working, I am enjoying the rest. This is why it is difficult for me to be worn out, to be tired out, because I am resting, not working. Every cell in my body and every drop of my blood is resting. Oh, what an enjoyment this is! The church life is our real rest and enjoyment. We are surely in the good land, in the land flowing with milk and honey. The milk and honey are the produce of two kinds of lives—the animal life and the plant life. This signifies the rich life of Christ. Christ’s life is the animal life for redemption and the plant life for regeneration. We are now enjoying the milk and honey life flowing in the good land