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希伯来书生命读经 · 第19篇

存留之安息日的安息（二）

THE REMAINING SABBATH REST (2)
1在前一篇信息我们看过安息日之安息的真义，看见那不仅是指工作完成后的安息，更是指满足。倘若你的心愿没有得著满足，你就无法有安息。最好的、真正的安息，乃是你的心愿得著了满足。我们来看安息日的安息这件事时，必须知道神的心愿是甚么。圣经从开头到末了都给我们看见，神照著祂永远计画的心意，乃是要得著人作祂的彰显和代表。为这缘故，神照著祂的形像造人，并赐他们管治权，以管理一切。（创一26。）当人在地上彰显神并代表祂，神才会心满意足。当我们在神的心意中得著满足时，即使我们劳苦作工，也能得享安息。圣经中第一次题到人，就说到神的形像和管治权，这指明神命定人有祂的形像以彰显祂，有祂的管治权以代表祂。换句话说，神命定人有祂的形像和权柄，以彰显祂并代表祂，在地上建立一个国度，就是一个神圣的范围，归神管理。这在创世记一章清楚的描绘出来。经过许多世纪，在神创造、救赎、变化、荣化的工作之后，在圣经末了我们看见一座城有神显出来的样子。神坐在宝座上，显出来的样子好像碧玉，（启四2～3，）而整座新耶路撒冷城显出来也好像碧玉，（二一11，18上，）表征神要在那城里并透过全城，完满的彰显出来。你看见那座城，你就看见了神。在新耶路撒冷那里，神要得著完满的彰显。不仅如此，在城当中有神的宝座，（二二1，3，）说明在那里也有神的掌权。在新耶路撒冷，神的形像得以彰显，神的权柄得以通行。因此，在将来的永远里，新耶路撒冷乃是神在新地上完全的彰显和掌权。那将是神真正的安息日之安息。那时，因为神的心意已经完全得著满足，所以祂完全安息了。祂将得著祂所要得著的。这是安息日之安息的真正意义。
1In the last message we saw the real meaning of the Sabbath rest, seeing that it is not merely a rest after the completion of work but that it means satisfaction. If your desire has not been satisfied, you cannot have rest. The best rest, the real rest, is the satisfaction of our heart’s desire. When we consider this matter of the Sabbath rest, we must learn what is God’she art’s desire. From the beginning of the Bible to the end, we can see that God’s desire according to His eternal plan is to have Himself expressed and represented by man. It was for this reason that He created man in His own image and gave him dominion over all things (Gen. 1:26). When man is on the earth expressing God and representing Him, God’s desire is satisfied. When we are satisfied in our God’s desire, we are resting even as we are laboring and working. When the Bible first mentions man, it speaks of God’sim age and dominion, indicating that man was destined to express God with His image and to represent God with His dominion. In other words, man has been destined by God to express Him and represent Him in His image and with His authority to set up a kingdom, a divine realm, for God’s rule on earth. This is clearly pictured in Genesis 1. When we come to the end of the Bible, after centuries of God’s work of creation, redemption, transformation, and glorification, we see a city with God’s appearance. God sitting upon the throne has the appearance of jasper (Rev. 4:2-3), and the entire city of New Jerusalem also has the appearance of jasper (Rev. 21:11, 18a), signifying that God will be fully expressed in and through that city. When you look at that city, you will see God. There, in the New Jerusalem, God will be fully expressed. Moreover, in the center of the city is the throne of God (Rev. 22:1, 3), showing that God’s dominion also is there. In the New Jerusalem God’sim age will be expressed and His authority will be exercised. Therefore, in eternity future on the new earth, the New Jerusalem will be God’s complete expression and dominion. That will be the true Sabbath rest to God. At that time, God will be fully at rest because His heart’s desire will have been completely satisfied. He will have obtained what He desired to have. This is the real meaning of the Sabbath rest
玖 各时代之安息日的安息
IX. THE SABBATH REST IN VARIOUS AGES
一 以色列民是神安息日的安息
A. Israel as God’s Sabbath Rest
2根据以上对安息日之安息的认识，我们可以从圣经中看出安息日的安息有几个不同的时代或时期。第一，在旧约时代，以色列人乃是神的安息。他们当时在地上，彰显神并代表神。虽然圣经记载了以色列人许多消极的事，但是无论如何，他们的确彰显并代表了神。我们不能只看以色列人历史上黑的一面，也要看白的一面。当我还是个年轻基督徒的时候，我所听到以色列人的事，几乎都是消极的。篇篇信息都是警告我们，不要像以色列人的样子。因此，我有了深刻的印象，认为民数记是全圣经中最糟的一卷。多年以后，我才发现民数记是一卷荣耀的书。虽然这卷书中有黑的一面，但更有白的一面。譬如，巴兰受雇去咒诅以色列人，结果怎样？神主宰的处理这事，叫巴兰口里所说的，不是咒诅而是祝福。巴兰说，『祂未见雅各中有罪孽，也未见以色列中有奸恶…。』（民二三21。）又说，『雅各阿，你的帐棚何等华美；以色列阿，你的帐幕何其华丽。』（二四5。）旧约圣经启示，神的选民以色列人成了神的安息。以色列人得了美地，而那美地成了『以马内利之地』。（赛八8。）以马内利的意思就是『神与我们同在』。迦南地称为神与人同在之地，神在那地能与人同在。神乃是藉著以色列人得了那地，于是以色列人成了神的安息。
2Based upon this understanding of the Sabbath rest, we can see in the Bible different ages or periods in the Sabbath rest. Firstly, the children of Israel in the Old Testament age were God’s Sabbath. The children of Israel expressed God and represented Him on earth. Although there are many negative stories concerning the children of Israel in the Bible, they did, nonetheless, express and represent God. We should not only look at the black side of the history of the children of Israel but also at the white side. When I was a young Christian, almost everything that I heard about the children of Israel was negative. In message after message we were warned not to be like Israel. As a result of this, I received the deep impression that the book of Numbers was the worst book in the Bible. Many years later I learned that the book of Numbers was glorious. Although there is the black side in this book, there is also the white side. For example, what happened when Baalam was hired to curse Israel? God sovereignly took care of this matter, and out of Baalam’s mouth came blessings instead of cursings. Baalam said, “He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel” (Num. 23:21), and, “How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! (Num. 24:5). The Old Testament reveals that Israel, God’s chosen people, became God’s rest, His Sabbath. Israel secured the good land, and that good land became “the land of Emmanuel” (Isa. 8:8). The word Emmanuel means “God with us.” The land of Canaan was called the land of God with man, the land where God was able to be with man. Since God secured that land through the children of Israel, the children of Israel became His Sabbath.
3至终以色列人为神建造了圣殿，耶和华看得见的荣耀就充满了殿。（王上八11。）在那日，神不仅从天而降，祂那看得见的荣耀更充满了殿。这事比神创造地更为宝贵。倘若神只创造了地，而没有得著地，并在其上建造圣殿作祂的居所，那么这地有何用处？在圣殿建造起来之后，神才能说，『如今我在地上得著了居所。』以色列人当日所得的地，不仅成为以马内利之地，就是神与人同在之地，更成了后来建造神居所的所在地。神的彰显是在殿中，这殿乃是以色列人作神在地上居所的象征。当圣殿建造起来，耶和华的荣耀充满了殿，神就得了安息。难道你不相信，以色列人也得了安息么？是的，他们都与神同享安息；那是他们的安息日。当他们与神同享安息时，他们就真正守了安息日。那是安息日之安息的第一个阶段。
3Eventually the children of Israel built the temple for God, and the shekinah glory of the Lord filled it (1 Kings 8:11). On that day, God not only came down from heaven, but His shekinah glory filled the temple. That was more precious than God’s creation of the earth. If God could only create the earth but not gain it and build His temple, His habitation, on it, then what was the use of the earth? After the temple was built, God could say, “Now I have a habitation on earth.” The land secured by the children of Israel not only became the land of Emmanuel, the land of God with man, but also the site where God’s habitation was built. God’sex press i on was there in the temple, which was a symbol of Israel as God’s habitation on earth. When the temple had been built and was filled with God’s glory, God rested. Do you not believe that the children of Israel were also at rest? Yes, they all rested with God; that was a Sabbath to them. As all of them rested with God, they surely kept the Sabbath. That was the first stage of the Sabbath rest.
二 耶稣是神安息日的安息
B. Jesus as God’s Sabbath Rest
4神在祂的经纶里，总是逐渐的行动。首先，神造了亚当，然后祂逐渐的得著了亚伯、以挪士、以诺、挪亚、亚伯拉罕和他的后裔，以后又得著了以色列民。但神并没有停在那里。经过这些逐渐的发展后，第二个人耶稣来了。当主耶稣受浸时，神欢喜并且满意的说，『这是我的爱子，我所喜悦的。』（太三。）当神说祂喜悦祂的儿子，意思就是说，神满意了。那时，主耶稣就是神安息日的安息。不仅神因祂得了安息，许多跟从祂的人也因祂得了安息。主耶稣是神和跟从祂者的安息日之安息。神与跟从主耶稣的人都因祂得了安息。
4In His economy, God always acts in a gradual way. Firstly, God had Adam and then, gradually, He had Abel, Enosh, Enoch, Noah, Abraham with his descendants, and then the children of Israel. But that was not the end. After this gradual development, Jesus, the second man, came. When the Lord Jesus was baptized, God was happy and satisfied, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17). When God said that He was pleased with His Son, it meant that He was satisfied. At 17 that time, the Lord Jesus was the Sabbath rest to God. Not only did God rest in Him, but so many of those who followed Him also rested in the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus was the Sabbath rest to God and His followers. Both God and His followers rested in Him.
三 召会作为基督的扩大，乃是神安息日的安息
C. The Church, the Enlargement of Christ, as God’s Sabbath Rest
5召会乃是基督的扩大和扩展。若基督是神的安息，召会岂不更该扩大的作神的安息么？若以色列人是神的安息，召会就必定更是神的安息。若在肉体里的主耶稣是神的安息，作为基督身体的召会就必定是神更大的安息。我听见有人说，我们来到主耶稣这里就可以得安息，但我从未听见人说，当我们来到召会中，也必得著安息。今天我要向你宣报这个佳音：召会乃是你的安息。最叫你得享安息的地方，乃是你的家。召会是你的家么？若召会是你的家，召会必定也是你的安息。召会岂不是神的家么？召会既是神的家，（提前三15，）召会今天就必定是神的安息。
5The Church is the enlargement and the expansion of Christ. If Christ was God’s Sabbath, then how much more extensive should the church be as His Sabbath? If Israel was God’s Sabbath, then the church must be even more of a Sabbath to Him. If the Lord Jesus in the flesh was God’s Sabbath, then the church, the Body of Christ, must be an even greater Sabbath to God. Although I have heard that when we come to the Lord Jesus we have rest, I have never heard that we also may have rest when we come to the church. Today I want to announce to you the glad tidings that the church is your rest. No place is as restful as your own home. Is not the church your home? If the church is your home, then the church must certainly be your rest. Is not the church God’sho use? Since the church is God’sho use (1 Tim. 3:15), then the church must be God’s rest today
6在今世召会时代中，基督是我们的安息。但你知道召会是基督的扩大么？若基督是我们的安息，那么作为基督之扩大的召会又如何？若个人的基督是我们的安息，那么团体的基督又如何？我们怎可忘记扩大的基督，忽略团体的基督？不仅个人的基督是我们的安息，团体的基督也是我们的安息。不仅头是我们安息日的安息，身体也是我们安息日的安息。最近主加给我负担，说，『你必须去告诉我的子民，召会是他们今日的安息！』
6In this age, the age of the church, Christ is our rest. But do you not realize that the church is the enlargement of Christ? If Christ is our rest, then what about the church as the enlargement of Christ? If the individual Christ is our rest, then what about the corporate Christ? How can we forget the enlarged Christ or neglect the corporate Christ? Not only is the individual Christ our rest but also the corporate Christ. Not only the Head but also the Body is our Sabbath rest. Recently the Lord burdened me, saying, “You must go and tell My people that the church is their rest today
7在这些日子里，我再也清楚不过的看见，召会乃是今天安息日的安息。
7Never have I seen so clearly as in these days that the church is today’s Sabbath rest.
1 因为召会是新人
1. Because the Church Is the New Man
8现在我们要来看，为甚么召会是今天安息日的安息。首先，根据创世记一至二章，神要得著安息日的安息，就必须得著彰显和代表。换句话说，神的安息乃在于一个有祂形像和祂权柄的人。当第一个人，就是旧人，被造出来，神立即就得著安息，因为祂得著一个人能彰显祂并代表祂。在新人被创造之后，神岂不也得著安息？召会就是新人。（弗二15，四24。）倘若一个旧人被造之后，神能有安息，那么新人被造以后，必定叫神得享更大的安息。今天我们不是在旧人被造的时代，乃是在新人造好的新时代。神有了新的安息日，因为祂得著一个新人来彰显祂并代表祂。根据圣经，在人被造之后第一次题到安息日之安息所定的原则，在新人被造之后，必定有一个更新更好的安息日。今天我们就在这新安息日里。
8Let us now consider the reasons why the church today is the Sabbath rest. Firstly, according to Genesis 1 and 2, in order for God to have His Sabbath rest, He must have His expression and representation. In other words, God’s Sabbath needs a man in His own image with His dominion. Immediately after the creation of the first man, the old man, God had a Sabbath because God had secured a man to express and represent Him. Should God not also have a rest after the creation of the new man? The church is the new man (Eph. 2:15; 4:24). If God enjoyed a Sabbath rest after the creation of the old man, He must have a greater rest after the creation of the new man. We are not in the age of the creation of the old man but in the new age, after the creation of the new man. God has a new Sabbath because He has secured a new man to express and represent Him. According to the principle established by the first mention of the Sabbath rest after the creation of man, there must be a new and better Sabbath after the creation of the new man. We are in this new Sabbath today
2 因为神在召会里得了安息
2. Because God Rests in the Church
9其次，申命记十二章九节清楚的给我们看见，迦南地之所以是以色列人的安息，因为那是神的安息。那地之所以是神的安息，因为神能在那里得著居所，并能在那里立祂的名。（5，。）一个人的名就是他自己。所以神说祂要在那里立祂的名，意思就是说，祂自己也要在那里。当神说祂的名要在那里，意思似乎是说，『我的名就是我自己。我的名住在那里，就是我住在那里。我要定居在那里，安家在那里。那地方是我的居所，而我的居所就是我的安息。』召会岂不是神今天的居所么？岂不是神的家么？以弗所二章二十二节说，神的居所是在我们的灵里。十五节题到新人，而二十二节说到神的居所。新人和居所都该有安息日的安息。召会岂不是新人么？只要召会是新人，我们就有安息。召会岂不是神的居所么？只要召会是神的居所，我们也就有神的安息。3因为召会是神今天的国
9Secondly, in Deuteronomy 12:9 we are told clearly that the land of Canaan was a rest to Israel because it was a rest to God. The land was God’s rest because there He could have His habitation and there He could put His name (Deut. 12:5, 11). The name is just the person himself. When God said that He would put His name 11 there, it meant that He would put Himself there. When God said that His name would be there, it seemed that He was saying, “My name is just Myself. For My name to dwell there means that I shall dwell there. I shall set Myself there and make My habitation there. That place will be My dwelling place, and My dwelling place is My rest.” Is not the church God’s habitation today? Is it not God’sho use? Ephesians 2:22 says that God’s habitation is in our spirit. Ephesians 2:15 mentions the new man and Ephesians 2:22 speaks of God’s habitation. For both the new man and the habitation there should be the Sabbath rest. Is not the church the new man? As long as the church is the new man, we have the Sabbath. Is not the church God’s habitation? As long as the church is the habitation of God, we also have God’s rest. 3. Because the Church is the Kingdom of God Today
10神的居所若要彰显祂，就需要运用神的权柄。在创世记一章二十六节，管治权是在形像之后，也是与形像并行。这意思是说，神的国是随著神的彰显而有的。没有国度作护卫和保障，神的彰显就难以存在。甚么地方有神的彰显，甚么地方总是有神的国。今天召会岂不是神的国么？是的，召会的确就是神今天的国。
10In order to have God’s habitation for His expression, there is the need of the exercise of God’s authority. In Genesis 1:26 dominion follows image and goes along with it. This means that God’skin gdom goes along with His expression. Without the kingdom as a safeguard and protection, it would be difficult for the expression of God to exist. Where the expression of God is, there is always the kingdom of God. Is the church not the kingdom of God today? Yes, the church is surely the kingdom of God today.
11约翰三章五节说，『我实实在在的告诉你，人若不是从水和灵生的，就不能进神的国。』这处经节给我们看见，重生把我们带进神的国。但是有人竟然说，神的国今天并不在这里。他们认为马太十三章以后，神的国被悬起来了。根据这个观念，主耶稣把神的国传给犹太人，但被他们拒绝，所以神的国就悬起来了。但如果真是这样，约翰三章五节说重生叫我们进神的国，那怎么解释？你重生了么？我们既已重生，现在就必定是在神的国里。约翰三章告诉我们，我们已经重生，进了神的国。一只动物一生出来，立刻就在动物的国里。一个人一生出来，必然也在人类的国里。照样，我们既是从神而生，当然也就生到神的国里。你有神的生命么？我们既然有了神的生命，怎么能说我们不在神的国里？我们不该受那种错误观念的影响，而认为神的国今天不在这里，以为我们还要等候神的国。我虽然不能说，神的国在各面的意义上已经完满的来到，但我能说神的国已经来到。马太六章十节虽然要我们祷告说，『愿你的国来临，』但十六章十八至十九节也指明，当召会建造起来时，国度就来到了。主耶稣在十八节说，『我要把我的召会建造…，』在十九节就说，『我要把诸天之国的钥匙给你。』这指明『召会』与『国』这两个辞是交互使用的，证明召会就是国度，国度也就是召会。彼得用钥匙开启国度的时候，也就是召会被建造的时候。虽然整卷马太福音是说到国度的，但在十六章和十八章都说到召会。十八章十五至十七节告诉我们，若是一位弟兄发生了难处，而不听我们，就应该『告诉召会』，他也应该听召会。他若『不听召会』，召会就把他当作外邦人和税吏。说完了这话，主立即接著说，召会有权柄捆绑，也有权柄释放。因此我们看见，召会生活就是国度的实际。
11John 3:5 says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (Recovery Version). In this verse we see that regeneration brings us into the kingdom of God. Yet some say that the kingdom of God is not present today. Some hold the concept that after Matthew 13 the kingdom of God was suspended. According to this concept, after the Lord Jesus presented the kingdom to the Jewish people and they rejected it, the kingdom was suspended. But if this is true, where shall we put John 3:5, which says that regeneration brings us into the kingdom? Have you not been reborn? Since we have been reborn, we must be now in the kingdom of God. John 3 tells us that we have been reborn into the kingdom of God. When an animal is born, it immediately enters into the animal kingdom. When a man is born, he is certainly born into the human kingdom. We have been born of God; therefore, we have been born into God’skin gdom. Do you not have the divine life? Since we have the divine life, how can we say that we are not in the kingdom of God? We should not be influenced by the concept that the kingdom of God is not here and that we must wait for it. Although I do not say that the kingdom of God has come in every sense or in a full way, I do say that the kingdom has come already. While Matthew 6:10 says that we should pray, “Thy kingdom come,” Matthew 16:18- 19 indicates that the kingdom comes when the church is built. In Matthew 16:18 the Lord Jesus said, “I will build my church,” and in the next verse He said, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” This indicates that the words church and kingdom are used inter-changeably, proving that the church is the kingdom and that the kingdom is also the church. When Peter used the keys to open the kingdom, that was the time when the church was built. Although the whole book of Matthew is on the kingdom, it speaks of the church in both chapters sixteen and eighteen. In Matthew 18:15-17 we are told that if a brother with whom we have a problem will not listen to us, we should “tell it unto the church” and that he should “hear the church.” If that brother neglects to hear the church, the church will look upon him as a publican or as a heathen man. Immediately after saying this, the Lord speaks of the church having the authority to bind and loose. We see by this that the church life is the reality of the kingdom
12新约其他各卷书，也启示今天的召会生活就是国度。在罗马书这卷说到召会生活，而不是说到国度的书里，我们看见神的国就是召会生活。罗马十四章十七节说，『神的国…乃在于公义、和平、并圣灵中的喜乐。』今天的召会生活，就是神的国。以弗所书也给我们看见，召会今天就是神的国。二章十五节说到新人，二十二节说到神在我们灵里的居所，三章二十一节说到召会；到了五章五节，就把召会说成神的国。因此，新人就是居所，居所就是召会，而召会就是国度，所以召会今天就是神的国。希伯来十二章二十八节说，我们领受了不能震动的国。我们不是在等候这国，我们早已经开始领受这国了。我们在启示录也看到同样的事。许多基督徒有一个观念，以为国度是将来的事，现在还没有来到，但是使徒约翰在一章九节说，『我约翰，就是你们的弟兄，和你们在耶稣的患难、国度、忍耐里一同有分的。』这一节清楚的指明，约翰早已在国度里了。那时，对约翰而言，国度是甚么？照以下十至十三节来看，国度就是召会。所以今天的召会就是国度，神的权柄在其中得以施行并得著代表。神能彀掌权的地方，就有安息。所以召会既是神今天的国，就是神的安息日之安息。因为召会有神的形像，又是神的国，所以召会也就是神的安息日之安息。
12Other New Testament books also reveal that the church life today is the kingdom. InRo mans, a book that is on the church life, not on the kingdom, we see that the kingdom of God is the church life. Romans 14:17 says, “The kingdom of God is...righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” The church life today is the kingdom of God. The book of Ephesians also shows us that the church is the kingdom of God today. Ephesians 2:15 speaks of the new man, Ephesians 2:22 speaks of the habitation of God in our spirit, and Ephesians 3:21 speaks of the church. The church as the kingdom of God is found in Ephesians 5:5. Thus, the new man is the habitation, the habitation is the church, and the church is the kingdom. Hence, the church today is the kingdom of God. Hebrews 12:28 says that we are receiving this unshakable kingdom. We are not just waiting for it; we have already begun to receive it. We see the same thing in the book of Revelation. Although many Christians hold the concept that the kingdom has not yet come but that it will come in the future, in Revelation 1:9 the Apostle John says, “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ.” This verse indicates that John was in the kingdom already. What was the kingdom for him at that time? According to the following verses (1 0-1 3), it was the church. Therefore, the church today is the kingdom where God’s authority is exercised and represented. Where God has His dominion, there is rest. So the church, being the kingdom of God today, is God’s Sabbath rest. Since the church has God’s image and is God’s kingdom, it is a Sabbath rest for God.
拾在希伯来书中，神的家是存留之安息日的安息
X. THE HOUSE OF GOD AS THE REMAINING SABBATH REST IN HEBREWS
13现在我们要来看希伯来三章六至七节：『但基督为儿子，治理神的家；我们若将因盼望而有的胆量和夸耀坚守到底，便是祂的家了。所以，正如圣灵所说的，『你们今日若听祂的声音。』』六节说，我们是神的家，而神的儿子现今在治理并照顾神的家。我们若要享受基督，就7必须在这家里，并成为这家的一部分。七节用『所以』开始，指明是接著上一节的。用『所以』这个辞把这两节连接起来，说明我们必须顾到神的家，否则就会失去那安息日，不能进入安息。四章七节是三章七节的延续：『神就再指定一个日子，就是过了这么长的时间，在大卫书上所说的今日，正如祂前面所说的：『你们今日若听见祂的声音，就不可硬著心。』』八至九节继续说，『若是约书亚已经使他们得了安息，此后神就不会题起别的日子了。这样，必有一安息日的安息，为神的子民存留。』把这些经节全摆在一起，我们就会看见，今天安息日的安息就是神的家。如果我们不留在神的家里，我们就会失去安息日的安息。著者似乎是对希伯来信徒说，『你们的祖宗在旷野没有听从神的话；所以后来在诗篇里，那灵为你们另定了一日，使你们可以进入安息。你们今天需要进入的安息是甚么？就是由神的儿子基督所治理的神的家。』三章七节的『所以』是很重要的。若没有这个辞，我们就无法看见，今天安息日的安息就是在神的儿子治理、照顾之下的神的家。
13At this point we need to read Hebrews 3:6-7: “But Christ, as a Son over His house, Whose house we are, if we hold fast the boldness and the boast of hope firm to the end. Wherefore, even as the Holy Spirit says, Today if you hear His voice.” Verse 6 says that we are the house of God and that the Son of God is now over the house taking care of it. If we would enjoy Christ, we need to be in the house and be a part of the house. Verse begins with the word “wherefore,” indicating that it is the continuation of the foregoing verse. The use of the word wherefore to connect verses 6 and 7 means that we must take care of the house of God or else we shall miss the Sabbath and not enter into rest. Hebrews 4:7, being a continuation of 3:7, says, “He again designates a certain day, Today, saying in David after so long a time, as He has said before, Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” Verses 8 and 9 continue, saying, “For if Joshua had brought them into rest, He would not have spoken concerning another day after these things. There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God.” If we put all of these verses together, we shall see that today the Sabbath rest is the house of God. If we do not remain in the house of God, we shall miss the Sabbath rest. The writer seemed to be saying to the Hebrew believers, “Your fathers in the wilderness did not listen to the word of God. So, after that, in the Psalms, the Spirit set up another day for you to enter into rest. What is the rest that you need to enter today? It is the house of God under Christ, the Son of God.” The “wherefore” in 3:7 is very important. If we did not have this word here, we would be unable to see that the Sabbath rest today is the house of God under the care of the Son of God.
14虽然成千成万的基督徒得救了，但很多人仍留在旷野，没有进入美地。今天的美地是甚么？美地就是一种光景，其中有神的居所和神的国。这就是召会生活。召会是神的家、神的居所、以及神的国。因此，召会就是今天的美地。我们若不在其中，就会失去今天的安息日之安息。多年来，我不明白希伯来四章所说安息日的安息，对所听见的许多不同讲解都不满意。但现在我们看见，召会就是今天安息日的安息，对此我极其满意心安。神儿子所治理、照顾之神的家，乃是我们的安息、我们的家、我们的家乡、我们的以马内利地，也是流奶与蜜的美地。主耶稣在马太十一章二十八至三十节说，我们这些劳苦担重担的人，可以到祂这里来，祂就是我们的安息，而在十二章八节主说，祂是安息日的主。这位是我们安息的基督，是安息日之主的基督，到底在那里？祂乃是在召会里。我们若要享受祂作安息，就必须在召会里。启示录清楚的说到，基督这位包罗万有者，现今行走在金灯台中间，也就是行走在众召会中间。祂不仅行走在众召会中间，启示录二、三章又告诉我们，祂也是向众召会说话的那灵。你若要摸著祂，享受祂，有分于祂作安息，就必须在召会里。召会是我们今天安息日的安息。你若将这观念应用到以赛亚书中所有说到安息日的经节，就会懂得其中深厚的意义。我们今天如何守安息日？乃是藉著过召会生活。哦，我们何等需要过召会生活！我们是真正守安息日的人；我们天天在守安息日。我们今天所享受的是何等的安息日！这是何等的安息！
14Although thousands of Christians have been saved, so many of them remain in the wilderness; they have never entered into the good land. What is today’s good land? It is a situation in which there is God’s habitation with God’s kingdom. This is the church life. The church is God’sho use, God’s habitation, and God’skin gdom. Thus, the church is today’s good land. If we miss this, we miss today’s Sabbath rest. For years I wondered about the Sabbath rest in Hebrews 4, being dissatisfied with all the interpretations of it that I heard. But now, seeing that the church is today’s Sabbath rest, I am fully satisfied and at rest about this matter. The house of God under the care of the Son of God is our rest, home, homeland, land of Emmanuel, and good land flowing with milk and honey. In Matthew 11:28-30 the Lord Jesus said that if we were heavy laden and would come to Him, He would be our rest, and in Matthew 12:8 He said that He was the Lord of the Sabbath. Where is this Christ who is our rest and who is the Lord of the Sabbath? He is in the church. If we would take Christ as our rest, we must be in the church. The book of Revelation mentions clearly that this Christ, the all-inclusive One, is now walking in the midst of the lampstands, that is, among the churches. Not only is He walking among the churches, but, as Revelation 2 and 3 reveal, He is the Spirit speaking to the churches. If you want to touch Him, enjoy Him, and partake of Him as your rest, you need to be in the church. The church is our Sabbath today. If you apply this concept to all of the verses in Isaiah concerning the Sabbath, you will see how meaningful it is. How do we keep the Sabbath today? By having the church life. Oh, how we need to have the church life! We are the real Sabbath keepers; we keep the Sabbath day by day. What a Sabbath we are enjoying today! What a rest this is!
15希伯来书只简略的说到召会，但说得非常有力。二章十二节说，『我要向我的弟兄宣告你的名，在召会中我要歌颂你。』召会乃是神的长子能向祂的弟兄宣告父的名，并歌颂父的地方。这不是一件小事。我们许多人都能见证，我们进入召会生活以前，多年我们在所在的地方，既不知道神的长子向我们宣告父的名，也不知道祂在我们中间歌颂父。已往你也许参加过很多所谓基督教的礼拜，但你曾否感到，神的长子在你所在的地方，在你们中间赞美父？但今天的召会聚会又是如何？在一次又一次的聚会中，我们的确感觉到，主一直把父的生命，把父的实际启示给我们。每次我们聚在一起，都觉得主喜悦我们，都觉得神的儿子在赞美父。这就是安息日的安息。在二章，我们看见神的儿子在召会里赞美父；在三章我们看见，神的儿子周全的照管神的家。这召会，这家，就是安息日的安息。著者在二、三章说完了这两件事之后，就在四章说到存留的安息日之安息，嘱咐我们要『竭力进入那安息』。（11。）这里所说的安息日（美地）是甚么？就是召会生活，也是神的家；在召会中，有神的儿子在赞美父，在神的家里，有神的儿子在照顾。前面我们已经说过，三章七节开头的『所以』，把三章里神的家与四章的安息连接起来；这有力的证明，召会生活就是今天安息日的安息。我们都必须竭力进入其中，并且一旦进入之后，就永远不要离开。
15In the book of Hebrews the church is mentioned briefly but strongly. Hebrews 2:12 says, “I will declare Your name to My brothers; in the midst of the church I will sing hymns of praise unto You.” The church is the place where the Firstborn Son of God can declare the Father to His brothers and sing praises to the Father. This is not a small thing. Many of us can testify that for years where we were before we came into the church life we did not have the realization that the Son of God was declaring the Father to us or singing praises to the Father in our midst. Although you might have attended many so- called Christian services, have you ever had the sense that where you were the Son of God was praising the Father in your midst? But how about today in the church meetings? Meeting after meeting, we do have the sense that the Lord is revealing the life, the reality, of the Father. Every time we meet together we have the sense that the Lord is happy with us, that the Son of God is praising the Father. This is the Sabbath rest. In Hebrews 2 we have the church wherein the Son of God praises the Father, and in chapter three we have the house of God of which the Son of God takes excellent care. This church, this house, is the Sabbath rest. After mentioning these two matters in chapters two and three, the writer of Hebrews speaks of the remaining Sabbath rest in chapter four, telling us that we need to be “diligent to enter into that rest” (v. 11). What is the Sabbath, the good land, mentioned here? It is the church life, the house of God, the church in which the Son of God praises the Father, and the house of God taken care of by the Son of God. The “wherefore” at the beginning of 3:7, connecting, as we have seen, the house of God in chapter three with the Sabbath rest in chapter four, is a strong proof that the church life is today’s Sabbath rest. We all must endeavor to enter into it, and once we have entered into it, we should never leave it
拾 壹对于持异议
XI. A WARNING ABOUT DISSENTING AND
和丢弃安息日之安息的警告
GIVING UP THE SABBATH REST
16巴拿巴是丢弃安息日之安息的例子。他曾把使徒保罗带进他的职事里，也曾作使徒，相当长一段时间与保罗一同作工。（徒九26～27，十一25～26，十三2，十四14。）但后来，巴拿巴持异议而与保罗分开，带著马可走他自己的路，而保罗与西拉同工，在各处建立召会。（十五36～41。）从此之后，使徒行传就不再记载巴拿巴，因为他已经与召会生活那安息日的安息无分了。巴拿巴曾进入安息日的安息，留在其中一段时间，然后因著他的异议而离开。此后，他就失去了安息日的安息，不再在神圣的经纶里了。
16Barnabas is an illustration of a person who gave up the Sabbath rest. Barnabas brought the Apostle Paul into his ministry and for quite a while was an apostle working along with Paul (Acts 9:26-27; 11:25-26; 13:2; 14:14). Eventually, however, Barnabas dissented with Paul and separated from him, taking Mark with him and going on his own way while Paul went with Silas to establish the churches (Acts 15:36-41). From this point onward, there is no further record concerning Barnabas in the book of Acts, for he was through with the Sabbath rest of the church life. Barnabas came into the Sabbath rest and stayed for a time, but then he left it because he was dissenting. After that, he was out of the Sabbath rest and was no longer in the divine economy.
17罗马十六章十七至二十节有一段警告持异议的话。十七节说，『弟兄们，那些造成分立和绊跌之事，违反你们所学之教训的人，我恳求你们要留意，并要避开他们。』这里的绊跌，是指绊跌而离开召会生活。这些造成分立和绊跌之事，都会使我们离开安息日的安息。这种事不仅发生在今天，早在保罗的时候就有了。你若查看今天那些反对召会生活并持异议的人，就会发现他们没有一人有安息。他们没有喜乐，也没有平安，只有嫉妒，因为他们不在安息里，也不在美地上。凡对召会生活持异议、反对的人，就会失去安息日的安息。在十六章十八节，保罗继续说，『因为这样的人不服事我们的主基督，只服事自己的肚腹，且用花言巧语，诱骗那些老实人的心。』那些异议者，都有一种的口味、喜好和欲望，要建立自己的小王国。不要听他们的争论和理由。那些争论和理由的基本因素，乃是他们的欲望。他们深处总有所缺，要寻找某些东西填充，好使自己的愿望满足。这就是这节圣经中所说肚腹的意思。这些异议者用花言巧语，诱骗那些老实人的心。到了二十节，就必定是说到安息日的安息：『平安的神快要将撒但践踏在你们脚下。愿我们主耶稣的恩，与你们同在。』当平安的神一同在，撒但一被践踏，就必然有安息日的安息。主耶稣的恩，也是指安息。我们不该被那些异议者岔开，我们要留在召会里，享受安息日的安息。召会就是神今天的愿望。因此，召会乃是神安息日的安息。
17In Romans 16:17-20 we have a warning about the matter of dissenting. Verse 17 says, “Now I beg you, brothers, keep a watchful eye on those who make divisions and causes of falling contrary to the teaching which you have learned, and turn away from them” (Recovery Version). The causes of falling here refer to a falling away from the church life. Such divisions and causes of falling will keep us away from the Sabbath rest. This kind of thing is not only happening today but also happened during Paul’s days. If you would check with those who are opposing the church life or dissenting with it today, you will find that none of them has rest. They have no joy or peace, only jealousy, because they are not in the Sabbath, not in the good land. Whoever becomes dissenting against the church life and opposes it will miss the Sabbath rest. In Romans 16:18 Paul continues, “For such men do not serve as slaves our Lord Christ, but their own appetites; and by smooth and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple” (Recovery Version). These dissenting ones have a taste, desire, and appetite for their own little kingdom and empire. Do not listen to their arguments or excuses. Their basic factor is their appetite. They are hungry for something, for there is a gap deep within them. They are seeking for something to satisfy their desire. That is the meaning of the word appetite in this verse. These dissenting ones employed smooth and flattering speech, deceiving the hearts of the simple. Then verse 20 certainly refers to the Sabbath rest: “Now the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you” (Recovery Version). When the God of peace is present and Satan is crushed, that surely is the Sabbath rest. The grace of the Lord also points to the rest. We should not be distracted by the dissenting ones but stay with the church to enjoy the Sabbath rest. The church is God’s desire today. Therefore, it is God’s Sabbath rest