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希伯来书生命读经 · 第62篇

发芽的杖（二）

THE BUDDING ROD (2)
1在上一篇信息里我们曾指出，很少基督徒注意到希伯来九章四节里发芽的杖。其原因乃在于发芽的杖是关乎经历的事。我们虽然明白帐幕的豫表，但除非我们有足彀的经历，就不能领会帐幕的真正意义。说到关于帐幕的经历，许多学派的基督教教师在他们的著作和信息中，主要只说到祭坛。但是从祭坛往前到圣所，就没有多少人摸著其中真实的经历。因此，至圣所约柜里的三样物件，多少年来一直是个奥秘。甚至少有人题到这些物件。你曾听过一篇信息，讲到藏在约柜里面隐藏的吗哪、发芽的杖、和两块法版么？这个缺欠，完全是因为经历不彀的缘故。
1As we pointed out in the last message, few Christians have paid attention to the budding rod in Hebrews 9:4. The reason for this is that the budding rod is a matter of experience. Although we may understand the types of the tabernacle, we cannot know the true significance of the tabernacle until we have had the necessary experiences. As far as the experience of the tabernacle is concerned, the writings and messages of the various Christian teachers mainly speak of the altar. But once we go on from the altar to the Holy Place, we find that not many have touched the real experiences there. Thus, throughout the years, the three items in the ark in the Holy of Holies have remained a mystery. Few have even talked about them. Have you ever heard a message on the hidden manna, the budding rod, and the two tables of the law contained in the ark? This shortage is altogether due to the lack of experience
与神子民的建造
AND THE BUILDING UP OF GOD’SP EOPLE
2发芽的杖与神子民的建造有关。我们若只有希伯来九章四节，就无法看明这事。但我们若回头看旧约第一次题到发芽的杖，就能看见，牠与神子民的建造极有关联。在前一篇信息里我们曾指出，神要完成祂的定旨，就必须得著一班人，成为一个团体的单位。在旧约，这班人是以色列人。他们约有几百万人，要被建造成为一。根据以色列历史的记载，他们被当作是一个单位。圣经不是说，他们是个别得救的；不，他们乃是团体的蒙了拯救。他们乃是团体的人，一同过了逾越节；他们也是作为一个单位，一同过了红海。摩西不是一个人单独过红海，几天后亚伦再跟著过去。甚至当他们在旷野飘流时，他们乃是一个团体的人，而不是一群个别的人，各人走自己的路。再者，在他们中间有帐幕，就是神惟一的居所。并不是在摩西的后院里有神的一个帐幕，在亚伦的后院又有另一个。他们中间只有一个帐幕，作神惟一的居所，乃是神子民建造的中心。我们已经看过，要将这么多的人建造起来，就必须有领导。发芽的杖与这领导有关，并且是为著神子民的建造。
2The budding rod is related to the building up of God’sp eople. If we only had Hebrews 9:4, we could not see this. But if we consider the first mention of the budding rod in the Old Testament, we shall see that it is fully related to the building up of God’sp eople. In the previous message we pointed out that for the fulfillment of His purpose God had to have a people as a corporate unit. In the Old Testament, this people was the children of Israel. They were at least a few million in number and had to be built up as one. According to the record of the history of Israel, they were treated as one unit. The Bible does not say that they were saved individually. No, they were all saved corporately. They held the Passover all together as a corporate people and they all crossed the Red Sea as one unit. Moses did not cross the Red Sea alone, with Aaron following him a few days later. Even as they were wandering in the wilderness, they were a corporate people, not a group of individuals with everyone taking his own way. Moreover, among them was the tabernacle, God’s unique dwelling place. There was not one tabernacle of God in Moses’ backyard and another one in Aaron’s yard. There was just one tabernacle which, as God’s unique dwelling place, was the center for the building up of God’sp eople. As we have seen, in order for so many to be built up together, there was the need of the leadership. The budding rod is related to this leadership and is for the building up of God’sp eople.
3可拉属于利未支派，与摩西、亚伦同属一个支派，就自认应当与摩西、亚伦平等。可拉也许这样说过：『摩西、亚伦，你们是利未人，我也是。我和你们都是一样。』附和可拉的，还有大坍和亚比兰，是雅各长子流便的后裔。大坍和亚比兰可能认为他们既是第一个支派，所以他们也该作领头的人。这三个人就挑拨起一次大背叛。民数记十六章二节说，可拉、大坍、亚比兰『并以色列会中的二百五十个首领，就是有名望选入会中的人，在摩西面前一同起来』。照民数记十六章所说，几乎以色列全会众都起来攻击摩西和亚伦。这次背叛，毫无疑问是仇敌的工作，为要毁坏神子民中间的建造。这必然拦阻以色列人往前达到神的目标。我题说这事是要说明，发芽的杖是与神子民的建造有关。许多基督徒读希伯来九章，并没有注意到发芽的杖，因为在他们中间没有神子民的建造。我要问那些多年作基督徒的人一个问题：你曾否听过一篇信息告诉你，神今天所要的是祂子民的建造？今天的基督教里没有这样的事。因为多数基督徒并不注意建造这件事，所以他们对发芽的杖没有兴趣。很多人谈到属灵、恩赐、好行为、说方言，但有谁关心神子民的建造？神的子民若不被建造起来，神就无法完成祂的定旨。神所要的，是要得著一班人被建造成一个惟一的单位。基督是头，祂需要一个身体，而不是要一些散开的肢体。神也需要一个家，而不是一堆石头。这就是神今天所要的。我们若不是为著这个，就没有地位，也不彀资格，来明白发芽的杖的意义。你若对神永远的定旨没有兴趣，仍然追求世界，那么本篇信息中所讲的一切，对你都不过是空谈而已。愿主怜悯我们，使我们看见祂今天所寻求的，乃是建造。问题不是我们多么属灵，多么好，多么有恩赐；问题乃是我们是否与神子民真实的建造在一起。今天有太多的宗教，太多人的观念，太少神圣的启示。我们若要明白发芽的杖的意义，就必须有属天、神圣的异象，看见神今天所要的乃是祂子民的建造。神不在意祂有多少子民，乃在意这些子民有否建造在一起。我们在这里若是为著神永远的定旨，就必须看见神所需要的乃是建造。
3Korah, who belonged to the tribe of Levi, the same tribe to which Moses and Aaron belonged, considered himself to be equal to Moses and Aaron. Korah might have said, “Moses and Aaron, you are children of Levi. I am, too. I am the same as you are.” Along with Korah, there were Dathan and Abiram, descendants of Reuben, the first son of Jacob. Dathan and Abiram probably thought that because their tribe was the first, they also should be among the leaders. These three men stirred up a great rebellion. According to Numbers 16:2, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram “ro se up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown.” As Numbers 16 indicates, nearly the whole congregation of Israel rebelled against Moses and Aaron. Undoubtedly, that rebellion was the work of the enemy to destroy the building among God’sp eople. It surely hindered the children of Israel from going on to reach God’s goal. I mention this to show that the budding rod is related to the building up of God’sp eople. When many Christians read Hebrews 9, they pay no attention to the budding rod because among them there is not the building up of God’s people. I would like to address a question to those who have been Christians for many years: have you ever heard a message telling you that what God needs today is the building up of His people? There is no such thing in today’s Christianity. Because most Christians do not pay attention to this matter of the building, they are not interested in the budding rod. Many today talk about spirituality, gifts, behavior, and speaking in tongues, but who is concerned about the building up of God’sp eople? Without the building up of His people, there is no way for God to fulfill His purpose. God wants a people that is built up as a unique unit. As the Head, Christ needs the Body, not many separate members. And God needs a house, not a pile of stones. This is what God is after today. If we are not for this, we have neither the standing nor the qualifications to understand the significance of the budding rod. If you have no interest in God’s eternal purpose but are still for the world, everything in this message will merely be vain talk as far as you are concerned. May the Lord be merciful to us that we may see that what He is seeking today is the building. It is not a question of how spiritual we are, nor how good we are, nor how gifted we are; it is a question of whether or not we have been truly built up with God’sp eople. Today there is too much religion, too much of the human concept, and too little divine revelation. If we would understand the significance of the budding rod, we must have a heavenly, divine vision that God’s need today is for the building up of His people. What matters to God is not how many people He has, but whether or not they have been built up. If we are here for God’s eternal purpose, then we must see that God’s need is for the building.
4我们来看帐幕。在祭坛那里并没有建造。我们在祭坛那里所看见的，只有为著救赎的祭牲。这虽然很好，但那不是神的目标。这是起头，而不是终点。我们已经看过，帐幕的经历开始于祭坛，终结于约柜。在约柜里面有三样物件，就是隐藏的吗哪、发芽的杖、和两块法版。在祭坛那里，我们看不见有关建造的东西。在洗濯盆那里也没有建造。虽然在洗濯盆那里，赐生命之灵的洗涤是为著建造，但那不是建造的本身。我们从洗濯盆来到陈设饼桌子，桌子上有丰富的食物给我们吃。但吃不该只是为著吃，必须也是为著建造。新约中，『隐藏的吗哪』这辞只用过一次，就是在启示录二章十七节：『得胜的，我必将那隐藏的吗哪赐给他，并赐他一块白石。』这节指明，吃隐藏的吗哪会使我们变化，成为一块白石。吃隐藏的吗哪，将我们变化成蒙悦纳的石头，而这种变化乃是为著神的建造。至终，就如三章十二节所指明，吃的人要被建造成为神的殿。藉此我们看见，吃是为著建造。但是在陈设饼桌子这里，我们仍然看不到建造。因此，我们不能停在这里，必须继续往前，直到达到目的。我们从陈设饼的桌子到达灯台，从灯台又到达香坛。在这两个站也都看不到建造。然后我们进入至圣所，摸著约柜，在柜里找到发芽的杖。为甚么在祭坛那里找不到发芽的杖？因为如果杖在祭坛那里，你就永远不会有约柜的经历。但你若进入至圣所，经历约柜，你就会发现，在约柜里有一项基本的东西，就是发芽的杖。接著，我们必须知道发芽的杖的意义─牠是与神的建造有关的。你若寻求主，就必须知道，神的目的是要带你进到至圣所的约柜内，发芽的杖那里。
4Consider the tabernacle. There is no building at the altar. What we see at the altar is the sacrifice for redemption. Although this is wonderful, it is not God’s goal. It is the beginning, not the end. As we have seen already, the experience of the tabernacle starts with the altar and consummates with the ark. Within the ark there are three items—the hidden manna, the budding rod, and the tables of the law. At the altar we see nothing regarding the building. Neither do we have the building at the laver. The washing of the life-giving Spirit at the laver is for the building, but it is not the building itself. From the laver we proceed to the showbread table, where there is much food for us to eat. But eating should not simply be for eating; it also must be for the building. The term hidden manna is used only once in the New Testament. It is found in Revelation 2:17 which says, “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone.” This verse indicates that eating the hidden manna transforms us into a white stone. Eating the hidden manna transforms us into an acceptable stone, and this transformation is for God’s building. Eventually, as Revelation 3:12 indicates, the eating ones are built into God’stem ple. By this we see that eating is for the building. At the showbread table, however, we still do not see the building. Hence, we must not stop here but continue on to our destination. From the showbread table we go to the lampstand and from there to the incense altar. At neither of these two stations do we see the building. Then we enter into the Holy of Holies, touch the ark, and find within it the budding rod. Why was the budding rod not found at the altar? If it were at the altar, you could never have any experience of the ark. If you enter into the Holy of Holies and experience the ark, you will discover that in the ark is a basic item—the budding rod. Following this, we must learn the significance of the budding rod—that it is related to God’s building. If you are seeking the Lord, you must realize that God’s goal is to bring you to the budding rod within the ark in the Holy of Holies
5我们看过，发芽的杖表征，基督这位复活的主，该是我们的生命、生活、和我们里面复活的生命；而这生命该发芽、开花、并结出熟杏。你里面的基督发芽了么？不要照著道理说是，要照著经历回答。你的基督是否发芽、开花、结了熟杏，就是复活的果子？
5As we have seen, the budding rod signifies that Christ, the resurrected One, should be our life, our living, and the resurrection life within us, and that this life should bud, blossom, and bear almonds. Is the Christ within you budding? Do not say yes doctrinally, but answer according to your experience. Is your Christ budding, blossoming, and bearing almonds, the fruit of resurrection?
要得地位的野心
THE AMBITION FOR POSITION
6最近一位弟兄作见证说，他被安排在一个事奉小组里；当他听到他被编入那个小组时，就想知道他在组里是排在第一，或是排在末后。当他知道他不是头一个时，就相当的失望。这个见证给我看见，甚至在我们中间，还有要得地位的野心。每个人都喜欢作头。在我们中间，不仅有地位的野心，也有升级的野心。在召会的事奉中，排在第二的总是努力要擢升到第一位。不仅如此，那些排第一的也恐惧，惟恐失去他们带头的地位。当我听见这些后，我里面有话说，『你以为在主恢复中的众圣徒，都那么属灵，不计较地位和升迁么？你以为他们单单爱主，而没有其他的野心么？你太属灵了！这里没有这种属灵的光景。』在我们中间，仍然有得地位和升级的野心。
6Recently, a brother gave a testimony about being assigned to a service group. When he heard that he had been put on that service group, he wondered whether his position in that group would be the first or last. When he learned that he was not number one, he was somewhat disappointed. That testimony revealed to me that even among us there is the ambition for position. Everyone likes to be number one. Not only is there the ambition for position among us, but also the ambition for promotion. In the church service, the second one is endeavoring to be promoted to the position of number one. Furthermore, those who are first are afraid of losing their leading position. When I learned of this, something within me said, “Do you believe that all the saints in the Lord’s recovery are so spiritual that they don’t care for position or promotion? Do you think that they just love the Lord and have no ambition for anything? You are too spiritual. There is not such a spiritual condition here.” The ambition for position and promotion is found among us
神审判了背叛
GOD’S JUDGMENT ON REBELLION
7但是有野心并不能成就甚么，不过在消极方面带来神在我们身上的审判。我们在前一篇信息曾指出，我们不要把摩西、可拉、大坍和亚比兰当作个别的人，他们乃是一个团体人的各部分。照样，你也不该把自己当作只是和摩西一样。虽然我不知道你是不是摩西，但我的确知道，可拉、大坍、亚比兰都在你里面。我们里面都有这些背叛的元素，因为这是与生俱来的。我们生下来就是可拉，但因著神的怜悯和恩典，真正的摩西成分也正作到我们里面。若没有神的怜悯和恩典，我们只是可拉。假如在民数记十六章，可拉、大坍和亚比兰没有露出来，可能也就不出甚么事情。但他们野心太大，似乎说，『摩西、亚伦阿，只有你们能带头么？我们岂不也是首领么？』为这缘故，神的审判就来到，地开了口，把可拉、大坍和亚比兰都吞下去，（31～33，）并且『又有火从耶和华那里出来，烧灭了那献香的二百五十个人』。（35。）
7Being ambitious, however, does not work, except in the negative sense of working out God’s judgment upon us. In the last message we pointed out that we should not consider Moses, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram as separate individuals but as parts of a corporate people. Likewise, you should not consider yourself only to be like Moses. Although I do not know whether or not you are Moses, I am quite sure that Korah, Dathan, and Abiram are within you. We all have these rebellious elements within us, for we were born with them. We all were born Korahs. But by God’s mercy and grace, the real Moses element is being wrought into us. Without His mercy and grace, we would only be Korah. If in Numbers 16 Korah, Dathan, and Abiram had been dormant, probably nothing would have happened. But they were very ambitious and seemed to say, “Moses and Aaron, are you the only leaders? Are we not leaders also?” Because of this, God’s judgment was brought in. The earth swallowed up Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Num. 16:31-33), and “there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense” (Num. 16:35
两个记号
TWO SIGNS
8审判了背叛之后，神吩咐把那二百五十个被烧之人的铜香炉，锤成片子，用以包坛，『给以色列人作记号。』（36～40。）祭坛上的这些铜片，成为神审判背叛的记号。在此我们看见，祭坛不仅是救赎我们的地方，也是审判我们的地方。在祭坛那里，我们天然的元素受了审判，而那审判留作记号，作记念，并指明我们天然的生命和天然的元素，必须受审判，被焚烧。民数记十六至十七章里有两个记号，一个在祭坛那里，另一个在约柜里面。祭坛那里的记号，是天然元素的审判，（十六38，）约柜里面的记号，是复活生命的复活。（十七10。）在十七章，神要摩西取十二根枯杖，每支派取一根，放在祂的面前一夜。每一根杖都是一根死的木头，表征十二支派的首领都不过是死的木头。第二天早上，十二根杖中有一根发了芽，开了花，并结出熟杏。这根杖不是靠自己活，乃是靠复活的生命而活。这指明我们天然的元素必须先受审判并焚烧。我们对地位和升迁的野心必须烧光。我们每逢进到帐幕时，必须先来到祭坛这里，看这个神审判我们天然元素的记号。我们的罪和我们的天然成分，都必须在铜祭坛这里受过审判。经过祭坛的审判之后，我们才往前来到洗濯盆，到陈设饼桌子、灯台、香坛这里，然后进前来到至圣所的约柜。在约柜这里，我们可以看见发芽的杖，这是第二个记号。头一个记号，祭坛上的铜片，表征我们天然的元素必须受审判和焚烧。这个消极的元素不能在神的建造上有分。在神的建造里，一切天然的东西都没有地位。你若要有分于领导，你天然里的可拉、大坍和亚比兰就必须受审判并被烧掉，并且那个审判还要给你留下记号来题醒你。无论甚么时候你来事奉神，就看见祭坛上的记号。我们若要有分于对神的事奉，就必须知道，我们天然的元素必须受审判。不管你想作第一，或是作末后，你都必须先在祭坛上受审判并被焚烧。在神的建造里，第一件事乃是神的审判。
8After this judgment upon rebellion, God commanded that the brass censers of the two hundred and fifty men who were consumed by fire be made into plates for the covering of the altar as a “sign unto the children of Israel” (Num. 16:36-40). These brass plates on the altar became a sign of God’s judgment on rebellion. In this we see that the altar is not only a place for our redemption but also a place for our judgment. At the altar the natural element in us is judged, and that judgment remains as a sign, a memorial, and an indicator that our natural life and our natural element must be judged and burned. In Numbers 16 and 17 there are two signs, one at the altar and the other in the ark. The sign at the altar is the judgment of the natural element (Num. 16:38), and the sign in the ark is the resurrection of the resurrected life (Num. 17:10). In Numbers 17 God told Moses to bring twelve dead rods, one for each of the twelve tribes, and to place them in His presence for a night. That each rod was a dead stick signified that the leaders of the twelve tribes were nothing but dead wood. The next morning one of the twelve rods budded, blossomed, and yielded almonds. This rod did not live by itself but by the resurrection life. This indicated that firstly our natural element must be judged and burned. Our ambition for position and promotion must be burned. Whenever we come into the tabernacle, we must firstly come to the altar and see there a sign of God’s judgment upon our natural element. Both our sin and our natural element must be judged at the altar of brass. After experiencing this judgment at the altar, we may proceed to the laver, the showbread table, the lampstand, the incense altar, and then come forward to the ark in the Holy of Holies. Here in the ark we can see the budding rod. This is the second sign. The first sign, the brass plates on the altar, signifies that our natural element must be judged and burned. This negative element has no share in God’s building. In God’s building there is no room for anything natural. If you want to participate in the leadership, your natural Korah, Dathan, and Abiram must be judged and burned, and that judgment must remain as a reminder to you. Whenever you come into God’s service, you then will see that reminder on the altar. If we would participate in God’s service, we must realize that our natural element must be judged. Whether you desire to be the first or the last, you still must be judged and burned on the altar. The first thing in God’s building is His judgment.
9虽然你可能爱主，又关心祂的见证，但在你里面仍有可拉、大坍和亚比兰的元素。许多时候，主可能对你说，『这种天然的元素必须受审判。你爱我，又关心我的见证，这固然是很好，但你天然的元素必须经过对付和定罪。』这样的事即使不是月月有，最少每六个月就要有一次。你经历这个越多，你祭坛上的铜就越显得光亮，成为一个记号，题醒你天然的人必须受审判。为著这两个记号，我们要说阿利路亚！一个记号是在祭坛那里，另一个记号是在约柜里面。约柜里有发芽的杖，表征在我们灵里复活的基督。这根发芽的杖就是权柄。
9Although you may love the Lord and care for His testimony, within you there are the elements of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. At times, the Lord may say to you, This natural element must be judged. You love Me and you care for My testimony—that is wonderful. But your natural element must be dealt with and condemned.” If this does not happen every month, it may happen at least every six months. The more you experience this, the brighter will shine the brass on the altar as a reminder that your natural man must be judged. Hallelujah, for these two signs! One sign is at the altar, and the other is in the ark. In the ark is the budding rod signifying the resurrected Christ in our spirit. This budding rod is the authority
10假定有两位怀著雄心的弟兄，彼此争著要作头，但只有一位是经历过民数记十六章，受过审判和对付。祭坛上的铜题醒他说，神的审判在他身上。因著这次的经历，他就有了发芽的杖。事实上，发芽的杖乃是出自铜祭坛。照样，复活的生命是出自神对我们天然生命的审判。但那位与他争竞的弟兄，天然的人没有受过对付。这位经历过祭坛的审判以及约柜里发芽的杖的弟兄，可能较微小，又不彀聪明，因此那位没有受过对付的弟兄会说，『我不是比他更能干么？我的确比他能干。但无论我作甚么都是死。这是一根枯死的木头所产生的结果。我不过是根枯死的杖，但是这位弟兄，虽然不像我那么聪明、能干，却能发芽、开花，结出熟杏。』你若将事情带到那位天然的弟兄跟前，其结果常常是死亡，因为他是一根死木，不能作出甚么，只会杀死别人。但你若将事情带到另一位弟兄跟前，他有发芽的杖，所以结果就是发芽、开花、结出熟杏。一个发死的人若和他在一起，不久就会活过来。最后，那位天然的弟兄只能说，『我不明白，为甚么在召会生活中，每一件事临到我就变成死的，而每一件事临到这位弟兄就变成活的。神真不公平。』但神实在是非常公平的。
10Suppose that two ambitious brothers are struggling against one another for the leadership, and that only one of them has passed through the experience of Numbers 16 and has been judged and dealt with. The brass on the altar reminds him of God’s judgment upon him. As the issue of this experience, he has the budding rod. In a very real sense, the budding rod comes out of the brass altar. In like manner, the resurrection life comes out of the judgment of God upon our natural life. The brother who is struggling against him, however, has not had his natural man dealt with. The brother who has experienced both the judgment of the altar and the budding rod in the ark may be small and rather unintelligent, and the brother who has not been dealt with may say, “Am I not more capable than he? Surely I am. But whatever I do results in death. It is the issue of a rod of dead wood. I’m just a dead stick, but this brother who is less skillful and intelligent than I am, buds, blossoms, and bears almonds.” If you bring a case to the natural brother, the issue will always be death, for he is a dead rod and can do nothing but kill. But if you bring a case to the brother with the budding rod, the issue will be buds, blossoms, and fruit. If a deadened person stays with him for a while, he will become alive. As a result, the natural brother will say, “I can’t understand why everything that comes to me in the church life becomes dead and everything that comes to this brother becomes so living. God is not fair.” But God is more than fair.
11召会事奉中没有争竞在召会事奉中，不该有争竞，因为争竞永远不能成事。你越争著要作第一，就连作最末后的也不配。你越想争取带头，就越停留在发死的光景中。这不是争竞的问题，乃是要受过审判，把自己、天然的生命、和天然的元素烧掉。然后在祭坛那里就有记号，题醒我们天然的生命应当受对付而除去。我们成百的人能作见证，甚么时候我们与别人争竞，我们反被杀死。甚么时候我们说，『为甚么神用他而不用我？』我们就完了。你越这样说，神就越不用你。你越争竞，就越不彀资格。已过这么多年来，在主的子民中间，我没有看到一次例外。我们都需要说，『在我里面没有良善，我充满了必须在铜祭坛上受审判的可拉、大坍、亚比兰、以及许多天然的东西。』谁愿意接受审判，谁就立即被带入至圣所，得著发芽的杖，就是复活的生命。你若是一个这样的人，无论甚么情形临到你，甚至在死的环境中，你也能带进生命。
11NO COMPETITION IN THE CHURCH SERVICE There should be no competition in the church service. Competition never works. The more you compete to be the first, the less you are qualified even to be the last. The more you compete, the more you will remain in your dead condition. It is not a matter of competition; it is a matter of being judged and of having the self, the natural life, and the natural element burned. Then at the altar there will be a reminder that our natural life must be dealt with and eliminated. Hundreds of us can testify that whenever we competed with others, we were killed. Whenever we say, “Why does God use him and not me?” we are finished. The more you say this, the less God will use you. The more competitive you are, the less qualified you will be. During the past years I have not seen an exception to this among the Lord’s children. We all need to say, “There’s nothing good in me. I’m filled with Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and with so many natural things that must be judged on the brass altar.” Whoever is willing to be judged will immediately be brought into the Holy of Holies and have the budding rod, the resurrection life. When you are such a person, whatever comes to you, even if it is a dead situation, will issue in life.
发芽的杖是神的表白
THE BUDDING ROD BEING GOD’S VINDICATION
12许多基督教团体对我们不高兴，他们说，『你们怎么可以说，你们是召会？难道我们不也是召会么？』是召会或不是召会，不在我们怎样说，乃是看发芽的杖在那里。别人对我们是赞赏或是反对，都无关紧要，要紧的是有没有发芽的杖。若是这里真是在安那翰的召会，是主在橙县的见证，就会发芽、开花、结出熟杏，以复活的生命来滋养别人。无论甚么时候，若有对我们不利的谣言传出来，或有人写些甚么传单攻击我们，我就告诉弟兄们说，这些谣言和传单都毫无作用，根本不必注意。惟一重要的，是我们有没有发芽的杖。发芽的杖就是神的表白。摆在耶和华面前的十二根杖中，只有一根发芽、开花、结出熟杏，这事你怎么说？虽然亚伦的杖发了芽，背叛的人还是不服输，仍然继续发怨言。不要以为发芽的杖显出来的时候，橙县所有的人都信服了。不！我们的杖越发芽，怨言还会越多。我们所需要的，并召会所需要的，就是发芽的杖。一切争竞、升迁、地位、野心，都毫无意义。从今以后，召会的事奉中不可有第一位、第二位、或第几位，没有一个人是第几。我们没有名次，因为我们甚么都不是，我们是无名氏。我们都必须经过审判，然后，也都必须有发芽的杖。
12Many Christian organizations are unhappy with us. They say, “How can you claim to be the church? Are we not the church also?” Being the church is not a matter of what we say; it is a question of where the budding rod is. Whether people appreciate us or oppose us means nothing. The only thing that counts is the budding rod. If this is the church in Anaheim, the Lord’s testimony in Orange County, it will bud, blossom, and yield almonds to nourish others with resurrection life. Whenever some rumors are spread about us or some papers are written against us, I tell the brothers that those rumors and papers mean nothing and that we should forget about them. The only thing that matters is whether or not we have the budding rod. The budding rod is God’s vindication. Of the twelve rods laid up before the Lord, only one budded, blossomed, and yielded almonds. What will you say about this? Although Aaron’sr od budded, the rebellious ones were still not convinced. They continued to murmur. Do not think that when the budding rod appears everyone in Orange County will be convinced. No, the more our rod buds, the more murmuring there will be. What we need, and what the church needs, is the budding rod. Competition, promotion, position, and ambition mean nothing. From now on, in the church service there will be no number one, number two, nor any other number. Everyone is number nothing. We have no number because we are nothing; we are nobody. We all must be judged, and then we all must have the budding rod
13要有权柄，不在于我们能作甚么，乃在于我们发芽多少。你可能作得很多，却不开花。不仅不发芽，还会死去；不仅开不出花，还将别人杀死；不仅没有果子，反倒使每一个接触你的人都发死。这些都证明你没有权柄。然而，你若有发芽的杖，就是一个死了的人接触你，他也会得复兴，成为一个活的人。这就证明你有权柄。权柄不在于我们的干才或技巧。真正的表白是在我们的发芽上，不在我们的作为上。作为算不得数，发芽才是一切。在我们的召会生活、召会事奉中，我们都必须发芽、开花、结出熟杏。这是我们今天的需要。
13Having authority is not a matter of what we can do; it is a matter of how much we bud. You may do a great deal, but there is no blossoming. Instead of budding, you die; instead of blossoming, you kill others; and instead of bearing fruit, you deaden everyone who contacts you. This proves that you do not have the authority. However, if you have the budding rod and a dead one contacts you, he will be revived and become living. This proves that you have the authority. The authority is not in our capability or skill. The real vindication is in our budding, not in our doing. Doing means nothing, but budding means everything. In our church life and in the church service, we all must bud, blossom, and yield almonds. This is our need today.
如何能有发芽的杖
THE WAY TO HAVE THE BUDDING ROD
14现在我们来看一个极重要的点，就是如何能有发芽的杖。发芽的杖是跟著隐藏的吗哪。这就是说，我们若享受隐藏的吗哪，我们就能发芽，因为享受隐藏吗哪的结果，就产生出发芽的杖。你在生命上发芽多少，根据你吃隐藏的吗哪有多少。我们都当运用我们的灵，接触隐藏的基督，享受隐藏在神圣的性情里，那拔尖部分的基督。我们越多享受隐藏的基督，就是神性情里拔尖的部分，我们的杖就越发芽。你不必去争地位，也不必顾别的事物。只要简单的享受隐藏的吗哪，这吗哪会滋养你并使你发芽。你若是发了芽，你就是权柄。只要你发了芽，开了花，结了熟杏，别人就会知道你是权柄。今天在神子民中间的权柄，不在于干才或地位，乃在于发芽、开花、结果。我们需要忘掉已往对于争竞、得地位、得升迁等的关心，而有一个新的开始。我们这些为著主恢复的人，不该注意甚么地位，只要留意享受隐藏的基督这拔尖的分，好让我们即使在黑夜里也能发芽。虽然在深沉的黑夜，我们仍在发芽、开花、结出熟杏来滋养别人。那位发芽、开花、结出熟杏的，必然就是神子民中间的权柄。
14Now we come to a very crucial point—the way to have the budding rod. The budding rod follows the hidden manna. This means that if we enjoy the hidden manna, we shall bud, for the issue of enjoying the hidden manna is the budding rod. How much you will bud with life depends on how much you eat of the hidden manna. We all need to exercise our spirit to contact the hidden Christ and to enjoy the topmost portion of the Christ hidden in the divine nature. The more we enjoy the hidden Christ as the highest portion in the divine nature, the more our rod will bud. There is no need for you to compete for any position, nor to care for anything. Simply enjoy the hidden manna which will nourish you and cause you to bud. As long as you are budding, you are the authority. If you bud, blossom, and yield almonds, others will know that you are the authority. The authority among God’sp eople today is neither capability nor position; it is the budding, the blossoming, and the fruit-bearing. We need to forget our past concern with competition, position, and promotion and have a new start. Among us in the Lord’s recovery, we should not be concerned about position. We should only care for the enjoyment of the top portion of the hidden Christ, that we might be able to bud even during the dark night. Although the night is dark, we are budding, blossoming, and yielding almonds to nourish others. The one who buds, blossoms, and yields almonds is surely the authority among God’sp eople
15从希伯来书中，我们看见必须在祭坛、洗濯盆、陈设饼桌子、灯台、香坛、和至圣所的约柜里，经历基督。在至圣所这里，我们是在神面前享受基督，这享受使我们发芽，但不是靠我们自己的能力，乃是靠复活的生命。这样，神就能运用祂的权柄，来建造祂的子民。我有把握的说，这是神今天在我们中间所作的。祂要使我们都领悟，天然的元素必须受审判，并使我们有分于复活的生命，好让我们能发芽、开花、结出熟杏。
15In the book of Hebrews, we see that we must experience Christ at the altar, at the laver, at the showbread table, at the lampstand, at the incense altar, and at the ark in the Holy of Holies. Here in the Holy of Holies we enjoy Christ in God’s presence. This enjoyment causes us to bud, not with our ability but with the resurrected life. In this way, God can exercise His authority for the building up of His people. I have the full assurance that this is exactly what God is doing among us. He is causing us all to realize the judgment of the natural element and to participate in the resurrected life that we may bud, blossom, and yield almonds.