The Ark of the Testimony
读经∶出二五10～16
壹 约柜预表作神具体化身的基督（西二9），也表征基督是三一神与祂的子民同在，为着完成祂的经纶，在地上建立祂的国：─引用经文
I. The Ark typifies Christ as the embodiment of God (Col. 2:9); it also signifies Christ as the presence of the Triune God with His people for the carrying out of His economy to establish His kingdom on earth:
一 帐幕中的头一项器物乃是见证的柜，指明我们若没有基督作神的具体化身，就无法有基督的扩大，就是召会，祂的身体─出二五21～22，三八21。
A. The first item of the furniture of the tabernacle is the Ark of the Testimony, indicating that if we do not have Christ as the embodiment of God, we cannot have the enlargement of Christ, which is the church, His Body—Exo. 25:21-22; 38:21.
二 约柜包含律法的版，律法是神的见证，神所是的彰显和启示─二五16，三一18。
B. The Ark contained the tablets of the law as the testimony of God, the expression and revelation of who God is—25:16; 31:18.
三 至圣所里的约柜表征神居所─召会─的中心─弗二21～22。
C. The Ark in the Holy of Holies signifies the center of God's dwelling place, the church—Eph. 2:21-22.
四 约柜表征神的家─召会─的内容─提前三15～16，参撒上四22，启三20。
D. The Ark signifies the contents of the church as the house of God—1 Tim. 3:15-16; cf. 1 Sam. 4:22; Rev. 3:20.
贰 约柜是用皂荚木包金作的，表征是灵的基督作神的具体化身并作神性与人性的调和（神与人的建造），住在我们的灵里，使我们接触神并享受神─提后四22，林后三17，西二9，来九4：
II. The Ark of acacia wood overlaid with gold signifies the pneumatic Christ as the embodiment of God and as the mingling of divinity with humanity, the building of God with man, dwelling in our spirit for us to contact God and enjoy God—2 Tim. 4:22; 2 Cor. 3:17; Col. 2:9; Heb. 9:4:
一 皂荚木表征基督的人性，品质坚刚，标准崇高；基督的人性乃是彰显神的基本实质─出二五10，太三16，四4，八20，九12～13，十一29，十二19～20，十七27，二十28，二七12、14，可一35，六39～40，约六12，七6，参徒十六7。
A. Acacia wood signifies Christ's humanity, strong in character and high in standard, as the basic substance for expressing God—Exo. 25:10; Matt. 3:16; 4:4; 8:20; 9:12-13; 11:29; 12:19-20; 17:27; 20:28; 27:12, 14; Mark 1:35; 6:39-40; John 6:12; 7:6; cf. Acts 16:7.
二 纯金表征基督永远且不变的神性─出二五11。
B. Pure gold signifies Christ's eternal and unchanging divinity—Exo. 25:11.
三 皂荚木里外都包金，表征神圣的性情渗进属人的性情里，并托在属人的性情上，好借着属人的性情得着彰显─11节，启三18上，彼后一4，参启十七4。
C. The acacia wood being overlaid with gold both inside and outside signifies the divine nature penetrating the human nature and resting on the human nature so that it may be expressed through the human nature—v. 11; Rev. 3:18a; 2 Pet. 1:4; cf. Rev. 17:4.
四 约柜的尺寸表征约柜乃是一个见证─出二五10，参创六15～16。
D. The size of the Ark signifies that it is a testimony—Exo. 25:10; cf. Gen. 6:15-16.
五 约柜四围的金牙边，表征神圣性情的荣耀乃是神保守的能力和托住的力量─出二五11，来一3上，腓一20，彼前四14。
E. The rim of gold around the Ark signifies the glory of the divine nature as the divine keeping power and holding strength—Exo. 25:11; Heb. 1:3a; Phil. 1:20; 1 Pet. 4:14.
叁 四个金环和柜旁的两根杠，表征作神见证的基督在地上的行动─徒八1：
III. The four rings of gold and the two poles on the sides of the Ark signify the move on earth of Christ as God's testimony—Acts 8:1:
一 金子铸成的四个环，表征借着十字架的经历，使永远赐生命的灵同基督的神圣性情成为联结的因素和能力─出二五12：
A. The casting of the four rings of gold signifies that the eternal life-giving Spirit with the divine nature of Christ becomes the linking factor and power through the experience of the cross—Exo. 25:12:
1 四这数字表征地的四角，临到所有的人─启七1，五6、9。
1. The number four signifies the four corners of the earth to reach all men—Rev. 7:1; 5:6, 9.
2 约柜每边的两环，表征见证和配搭─参路十1。
2. Two rings on each side signify testimony and coordination—cf. Luke 10:1.
二 用以抬柜的两根杠，表征作神见证之基督的行动─出二五13～15：
B. The two poles for carrying the Ark signify the move of Christ as God's testimony—Exo. 25:13-15:
1 皂荚木作的两根杠用金包裹，表征基督的属人性情是祂作神的见证，其行动的力量，祂的神圣性情是祂行动的彰显─帖前二9，林后二15，提前二2。
1. The poles being made of acacia wood overlaid with gold signify that Christ's human nature is the strength for His move as God's testimony and that His divine nature is the expression of His move—1 Thes. 2:9; 2 Cor. 2:15; 1 Tim. 2:2.
2 杠穿在金环内，用以抬柜，表征基督的行动乃是借着人在神圣性情联结的能力里，在他们的身体上背负神的见证─腓一20～21：
2. The poles being put into the golden rings for carrying the Ark signify that the move of Christ is by men bearing God's testimony in their bodies in the uniting power of the divine nature—Phil. 1:20-21:
a 今天我们必须谨慎，用正确的方式背负神的见证─撒上六7～8，撒下六3～7。
a. We must be careful to use the proper means to bear God's testimony today—1 Sam. 6:7-8; 2 Sam. 6:3-7.
b 背负约柜正确的路乃是与主耶稣有直接的联结，我们与祂之间不该有任何距离─徒一8，林后四10～12。
b. The proper way to bear the Ark is have a direct connection with the Lord Jesus, without any distance between us and Him—Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 4:10-12.
3 两根杠要常在柜的环内，表征我们是预备好的，为着那作神见证之基督的行动─太四18～22，启十四4，参路十七32。
3. The two poles staying in the rings of the Ark signify our readiness for the move of Christ as God's testimony—Matt. 4:18-22; Rev. 14:4; cf. Luke 17:32.
肆 “第二幔子后，还有一层帐幕，叫作至圣所，有……四面包金的约柜，柜里有盛吗哪的金罐和亚伦发过芽的杖、并两块约版”─来九3～4：
IV. "After the second veil, a tabernacle, which is called the Holy of Holies, having…the Ark of the Covenant covered about everywhere with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna and Aaron's rod that budded and the tablets of the covenant"—Heb. 9:3-4:
一 隐藏的吗哪就是当我们与神之间，没有一点间隔时，我们在祂面前所享受的那分基督；当我们与主之间没有一点距离，我们就能最亲密、最隐藏地享受基督；这就是享受隐藏的吗哪，就是基督隐藏的那一分─出十六31～36：
A. The hidden manna is the portion of Christ that we enjoy in the presence of God when there is no distance between us and Him; when there is no distance between us and the Lord, weenjoy Christ in the most intimate and hidden way; this is the enjoyment of the hidden manna, the hidden portion of Christ—Exo. 16:31-36:
1 要胜过别迦摩召会的情形，就要把自己从今天基督教一般的实行中分别出来，只留在神面前，直接地事奉祂，而不是事奉别的；在这里我们能对基督有所享受，是所有远离神面的人无法尝到的─启二17。
1. To overcome the condition of the church in Pergamos is to separate ourselves from the general practice of today's Christianity and to remain in the presence of God ministering directly to Him, not to anything else; here we enjoy something of Christ that all those who are far off from His presence cannot taste—Rev. 2:17.
2 我们若要享受隐藏的吗哪，我们与神之间就必须没有距离；我们与主之间一切的间隔，都必须除去。
2. If we want to enjoy the hidden manna, there must be no distance between us and God; all the distance between us and the Lord must be eliminated.
3 当我们事奉主并享受祂作隐藏的吗哪，就与主有直接的交通，并认识祂的心意和目的；我们在主的同在中，祂才能把祂和祂的心意，以及祂所要我们作的一切托给我们。
3. When we are ministering to the Lord and enjoying Him as the hidden manna, we have direct fellowship with Him and know His heart and His intention; it is in the presence of the Lord that we can be charged with Him, with His intention, and with all He wants us to do.
4 当我们事奉主，就有神的托付，因为我们在祂面前，晓得自己与神之间没有距离─结四四15～18。
4. When we are ministering to the Lord, we will have God's commitment because we are in His presence, realizing that there is no distance between us and God—Ezek. 44:15-18.
二 发芽的杖表征基督这位复活者，该是我们的生命、生活和我们里面复活的生命，并且这生命该发芽、开花、并结出熟果─民十七8：
B. 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 fruit to maturity—Num. 17:8:
1 在民数记十六章所记载以色列人的背叛之后，神吩咐十二个首领按着以色列十二支派，共取十二根杖，放在会幕内见证柜前；神说，“我拣选的那人，他的杖必发芽”─十七5。
1. After the children of Israel rebelled, as recorded in Numbers 16, God commanded the twelve leaders to take twelve rods according to the twelve tribes of Israel and put them in the Tent of the Testimony before the Ark; then He said, "The rod of the man whom I choose shall bud"—17:5.
2 十二根杖都没有叶子、没有根，都是死枯的；若有哪一根能发芽，哪一根就是神所拣选的；在此我们看见复活乃是神拣选的根据，而且事奉的根据乃是在我们天然的生命之外的；因此，发芽的杖表征我们经历复活的基督，使我们蒙神悦纳，在神所赐的职事上有权柄。
2. All twelve rods were leafless, rootless, dry, and dead; whichever one budded was the one chosen by God; here we see that resurrection is the basis of God's selection and that the basis of service is something apart from our natural life; thus, the budding rod signifies our experience of Christ in His resurrection as our acceptance by God for authority in the God-given ministry.
3 一切事奉的原则，乃在于发芽的杖；神把其他的十一根杖都发还众首领，只把亚伦那根发芽的杖留在约柜里，作永远的记念；这意思是说，复活乃是事奉神的永远原则─9～10节：
3. The principle to every service lies in the budding rod; God returned the eleven rods to the leaders but kept Aaron'srod inside the Ark as an eternal memorial; this means that resurrection is an eternal principle in our service to God—vv. 9-10:
a 复活的意思是，一切都是出于神，不是出于我们；复活就是只有神能，我们不能。
a. Resurrection means that everything is of God and not of us; it means that God alone is able and that we are not able.
b 复活的意思是，一切都是神作的，不是我们作的；所有认识复活的人，都是对自己绝望的人；他们知道自己不能。
b. Resurrection means that everything is done by God, not by ourselves; all those who know resurrection have given up hope inthemselves; theyknow thattheycannot make it.
c 天然的力量还存在时，复活的能力就无法彰显；撒拉自己会生时，以撒就不会生出来─创十八10～15，二一1～3、6～7。
c. As long as the natural strength remains, the power of resurrection has no ground for manifestation; as long as Sarah could conceive a child, Isaac would not come—Gen. 18:10-15; 21:1-3, 6-7.
d 凡是我们能的，乃是天然的；我们不能的，才是复活的；人必须到了尽头，才确知自己一无是处─太十九26，可十27，路十八27。
d. What we can do belongs to the natural realm, and what is impossible for us to do belongs to the realm of resurrection; a man must come to the end of himself before he will be convinced of his utter uselessness—Matt. 19:26; Mark 10:27; Luke 18:27.
e 人如果从未感觉自己不行，就永远无法经历神的行；复活就是说，我们不行，一切乃是神作的─林后一8～9，四7。
e. If a man has never realized his own inability, he can never experience God's ability; resurrection means that we cannot make it and that God is the One who has done everything—2 Cor. 1:8-9; 4:7.
三 约版，就是律法的版，表征神圣生命之律，就是神圣生命自发的大能、自动的功用、自有的能力和神圣的性能─耶三一33，来八10，参罗八10、6、11，十12～13：
C. The tablets of the covenant, which are the tablets of the law, signify the law of the divine life, which is the spontaneous power, automatic function, innate ability, and divine capacity of the divine life—Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10; cf. Rom. 8:10, 6, 11; 10:12-13:
1 这生命的律，神圣的性能，能够在我们里面作一切事来完成神的经纶：
1. The law, this divine capacity, of life can do everything in us for the carrying out of God's economy:
a 照着这性能，我们能够认识神，活神，并且在生命和性情上由神构成，使我们成为祂的扩增，祂的扩大，作祂的丰满，使祂得着永远的彰显─弗一22～23，三19～21。
a. According to this capacity, we can know God, live God, and be constituted with God in His life and nature so that we may become His increase, His enlargement, to be His fullness for His eternal expression—Eph. 1:22-23; 3:19-21.
b 不仅如此，内里生命之律的性能也将我们构成基督身体上具有各种功用的众肢体─四11、16。
b. Furthermore, the capacity of the inner law of life constitutes us to be the members of the Body of Christ with all kinds of functions—4:11, 16.
2 当神圣的生命在我们里面长大时，生命的律就发挥功能，使我们成形，将我们模成神长子基督的形像─罗八2、29：
2. While the divine life grows in us, the law of life functions to shape us, to conform us, to the image of Christ as the firstborn Son of God—Rom. 8:2, 29:
a 生命的律首要的不是规律我们不作错事，乃是规律出生命的形状。
a. The law of life does not mainly regulate us from doing wrong; it regulates the shape of life.
b 生命的律发挥功能，主要的不是在消极方面告诉我们不该作什么；反之，当生命长大时，生命的律就在积极方面发挥功能，使我们成形，也就是把我们模成基督的形像。
b. The law of life does not primarily function in the negative sense of telling us what not to do; rather, while life grows, the law of life functions in the positive sense of shaping us, that is, conforming us, to the image of Christ.
c 借着生命之律的功能，我们都要成为神成熟的儿子，神也就要得着祂宇宙的彰显─来六1上。
c. Through the function of the law of life, we all will become the mature sons of God, and God will have His universal expression—Heb. 6:1a.