2024-05-22 周三 神拯救人也是为着得着家(一)

经文:我要住在以色列人中间,作他们的神。他们必知道我是耶和华他们的神,是将他们从埃及地领出来的,为要住在他们中间。我是耶和华他们的神。(出二九45-46,另译)

神拯救祂的子民,也是为着在地上能得着一个居所

在旧约和新约中,无论是希伯来文或希腊文,殿、家、和房子这三个字都是相连的。就是在我们中文里这些字也都是相连相关的。一个家常是一所房子,而伟大的人像君王所住的就是殿。殿就是家,家也就是一所房子,一所建筑物。全本圣经给我们看见,神在宇宙中乃是要得着一个家,得着一所建筑物。而神头一次在圣经中把祂这个心意启示出来,却是在一个流离失所无家可归的人(雅各)身上,这真是一件很奇妙的事。

从这里往下去,神要在地上建造一个家的这件事就越过越清楚,越过越具体了。后来神给雅各许多子孙,雅各的这些子孙就叫作雅各家,也叫作以色列家。以后以色列人下了埃及,神把他们拯救出来,神就说,我要住在他们中间,作他们的神。这给我们看见,神拯救祂的子民,也是为着使祂在地上能得着一个居所,一个家。

帐幕是神人的调和,就是神的家

等到以色列人走到旷野,神就叫他们支搭帐幕,好与他们同住。支搭帐幕最重要的东西就是竖板,那板是用金子包着的。木头在预表上,是指着人性说的,精金在预表上,是指着神性说的;而精金包着木头,含意就是说,神性和人性二者相调为一。这个神人调和,就是一种的建筑。在会幕里不光竖板说出这个意思来,其他像法柜、桌子、幕幔等等,以及整个的帐幕也都给我们看见神人二性调在一起的故事。这个调和就是一个建筑,而这一个建筑就是神的家。

帐幕是表征,神要住在以色列人的中间

神这样住在以色列人的帐幕中,不过是一个表征,是一个表号。实在说来,神并不是以一个帐幕来作祂的居所,乃是以那班以色列人来作祂的住处。神并不住在帐幕里,神乃是住在以色列人的中间。神真实的心意乃是要把祂自己调在以色列人中,也要将以色列人调在祂里面,而以他们这一班人来作祂的居所。

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God’s Salvation Is Also For Gaining His Household (1) – Exo. 29:45-46

God Saves His People So That He May Have a Dwelling place on Earth

In the Old and New Testaments, regardless in Hebrew or Greek, the following three words: temple, home and house are all related. Even in Chinese, these words are all also related. A home is a house, and a place where great men like kings live is a temple. A temple is a home, and a home is a house or a building. The entire Bible shows us that God wants to have a home and a building in the universe. The first time God revealed His intention in the Bible was in a homeless man (Jacob). This is truly a wonderful thing.

From here on, it becomes clearer and much more concrete that God wants to build a home on earth. Later, God gave Jacob many offspring, and these descendants of Jacob were called the house of Jacob and the house of Israel. After Israel went down to Egypt, God rescued them out of that place, and God said, “I will live among them and be their God.” This illustrates that God saves His people so that He may have a dwelling place, i.e., a home, on earth.

The Tabernacle Is the Mingling of God and Man, A House of God

When Israel went into the wilderness, God told them to build a tabernacle so that he could live with them. The most important thing to build the tabernacle was the vertical boards, which were covered with gold. The wood in type refers to humanity, and the fine gold in type refers to divinity. The fact that wood is covered with fine gold means that divinity and humanity are mingled into one. This mingling of God and man is a kind of building. In the tabernacle, not only do the vertical boards express this meaning, but other items, such as the ark, the table and the curtain, etc., including the entire tabernacle also show us the story of the two natures of God and man being mingled together. This mingling is a building, and this building is the house of God.

The Tabernacle Is a Type that God Dwells Among Israel

God’s dwelling in the tabernacle of Israel was nothing more than a type and a sign. As a matter of fact, God did not use a tabernacle as His dwelling place, but Israel as His dwelling place. God did not live in the tabernacle, yet He lived among Israel. God’s true desire is to blend Himself into Israel, and to mingle Israel into Him to be His dwelling place.