The Breastplate— the Central and Ultimate Point of the Priesthood
读经∶出二八15～30
壹 按照出埃及二十八章十五至三十节，决断的胸牌乃是祭司衣服的中心物件，也是祭司体系中心和终极的点：─引用经文
I. According to Exodus 28:15-30, the breastplate of judgment is the central item of the priestly garments and the central and ultimate point of the priesthood:
一 决断的胸牌主要的目的是神的引导；神的子民根据由胸牌的实际所得着神的引导来行事。
A. The main purpose of the breastplate of judgment was for God's leading; God's people act according to God's leading obtained through the reality of the breastplate.
二 胸牌预表召会，我们若不认识召会，也就不认识什么是神的引导；事实上，神的引导和召会乃是一。
B. The breastplate typifies the church, and if we do not know the church, we do not know what God's leading is; actually, God's leading and the church are one.
三 神借着召会、凭着召会、并同着召会，启示我们该作什么；召会就是神的引导，因为召会担负着神圣的字母，借此神使人认识祂的引导─21节，参诗七三2～3、16～17、22～28。
C. God reveals what we should do through the church, by the church, and with the church; the church is God's leading, for the church bears the divine alphabet by which God makes known His leading—v. 21; cf. Psa. 73:2-3, 16-17, 22-28.
四 胸牌带在亚伦胸前（心上），在耶和华面前作记念，表征全召会作为一个建造在一起的实体，带在基督爱的心上，在神面前作记念，成为可喜悦的记念─出二八29。
D. The breastplate being borne upon Aaron's heart for a memorial before Jehovah signifies the entire church as one built-up entity being borne upon Christ's loving heart for a memorial, a pleasing remembrance, before God—Exo. 28:29.
贰 胸牌上的十二块宝石，其上刻有以色列十二支派的名字，表征所有蒙神救赎并变化的人，建造在一起，成为一个实体─17～21节：
II. The twelve precious stones on the breastplate, on which the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were engraved, signify all the redeemed and transformed people of God built together to become one entity—vv. 17-21:
一 十二块宝石镶嵌在金框内（17～20），象征圣徒作为变化过的宝石，在基督的神圣性情里建造在一起，成为一个实体，就是召会作基督的身体（林前三10～12上，弗一22～23）。─引用经文
A. The twelve precious stones set in gold (vv. 17-20) symbolize the saints as transformed precious stones built together in the divine nature of Christ to become one entity, the church as Christ's Body (1 Cor. 3:10-12a; Eph. 1:22-23).
二 作为召会的组成分子，由尘土所造的信徒（创二7）必须借着那灵的工作（林后三3、18），在他们的人性里凭着神圣的性情并以神圣的性情变化成为宝石，为着神永远的建造（太十六18，约一42，彼前二5，启二一18～21）；基督徒的生活乃是变化的生活，神天天都在设法变化我们（罗十二2～3，林后四16）。─引用经文
B. As components of the church, the believers, who were created from dust (Gen. 2:7), must be transformed in their human nature by and with the divine nature through the working of the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:3, 18) to become precious stones for God's eternal building (Matt. 16:18; John 1:42; 1 Pet. 2:5; Rev. 21:18-21); the Christian life is a life of transformation—daily God is seeking to transform us (Rom. 12:2-3; 2 Cor. 4:16).
三 十二这数字由四（受造之物）乘三（在复活里的三一神）所组成，表征三一神与祂的造物（人）调和，为着完满、完备的执行神的行政，直到永远─参启二一12～13。
C. The number twelve, composed of four (the creatures) times three (the Triune God in resurrection), signifies the mingling of the Triune God with His creature, man, for the complete and perfect carrying out of God's administration eternally—cf. Rev. 21:12-13.
四 宝石排列成四行，每行三块，指明信徒不仅被变化，也与三一神调和。
D. That the stones were arranged in four rows with three stones in each row indicates that the believers are not only transformed but also mingled with the Triune God.
五 宝石镶嵌在金框内（出二八20），表征变化且调和的信徒，乃是建造在基督神圣的性情里，成为一个实体（彼后一4）。─引用经文
E. The setting of the stones in gold (Exo. 28:20) signifies that the transformed and mingled believers are built in the divine nature of Christ into one entity (2 Pet. 1:4).
六 在神永远的计划中，照着祂永远的眼光来看，带在基督心上（出二八29）并握在祂关爱之度量中（16下，参约十28）的召会，乃是三一神与蒙救赎的人这样的调和。─引用经文
F. In God's eternal plan and according to His eternal view, the church, borne on Christ's heart (Exo. 28:29) and held in the span of His loving care (v. 16b; cf. John 10:28), is such a mingling of the Triune God with redeemed humanity.
叁 十二支派的名字刻在宝石上，相当于将基督写在信徒心里，使他们成为基督的活信，有基督为其内容─林后三3：
III. The engraving of the names of the twelve tribes on the precious stones corresponds to the inscribing of Christ into the believers' hearts, making them living letters of Christ, with Christ as the content—2 Cor. 3:3:
一 基督借着信徒对祂的经历，并借着新约职事的书写，写到信徒里面─2～6节。
A. Christ is inscribed into the believers through their experience of Him and by the inscribing of the New Testament ministry—vv. 2-6.
二 刻在十二块石头上的字母，预表基督是属天的字母─参启二二13上。
B. The letters engraved on the twelve stones typify Christ as the letters in the heavenly alphabet—cf. Rev. 22:13a.
三 如果我们没有被变化，也不是透亮的，没有刻着活神的灵连同基督作内容，而仅仅是晦暗无光的石头，没有什么字母刻到我们里面来，神就不可能借着我们来说话。
C. If we are not transformed and transparent and if we have not been inscribed with the Spirit of the living God along with Christ as the content but are merely opaque stones without any letters inscribed into us, it will be impossible for God to speak through us.
肆 乌陵和土明放在胸牌里，胸牌就不仅作为记念，也成为决断的胸牌─出二八30：
IV. After the Urim and the Thummim were put into the breastplate, it became not only a memorial but also a breastplate of judgment—Exo. 28:30:
一 “乌陵”意思是“光，照明物”─30节：
A. Urim means "lights," "illuminators"—v. 30:
1 乌陵是一种照明物，安在胸牌里面十二块宝石底下，能装油以供燃烧，而用以燃烧这油的火是来自祭坛。
1. The Urim was an illuminator inserted into the breastplate under the twelve stones; it had the capacity to contain oil for burning, and the fire used to burn the oil came from the altar.
2 乌陵有十二个照明物，每一个照亮胸牌上十二块透明宝石中的一块，使宝石能发出光来（David Baron，巴伦）。
2. The Urim had twelve illuminators, one to illuminate each of the twelve transparent precious stones on the breastplate so that they could shine with light (David Baron).
3 乌陵预表基督作为光，照明者（约八12，路一78～79），借着那灵（油）和十字架（来自祭坛的火）而照耀。─引用经文
3. The Urim typifies Christ as lights, illuminators (John 8:12; Luke 1:78-79), shining through the Spirit (the oil) and the cross (the fire from the altar).
二 “土明”意思是“成全者，完成者”─出二八30：
B. Thummim means "perfecters," "completers"—Exo. 28:30:
1 胸牌十二块宝石上的名字，仅包含希伯来文二十二个字母中的十八个；其余的四个字母安在土明上，使土明成为成全者和完成者（David Baron，巴伦）。
1. The names on the twelve stones of the breastplate contained only eighteen of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet; the remaining four letters were put on the Thummim, making it the perfecter and completer (David Baron).
2 借着乌陵照亮个别的宝石，也借着胸牌上的一些宝石变暗了，全部二十二个字母就可用来拼出单字和句子。
2. By the shining of the Urim on the individual precious stones and by the darkening of the stones, the full alphabet of twenty-two letters could be used to spell out words and sentences.
3 土明预表基督是成全者和完成者（来十二2）；所以祂是属灵的字母，为着书写，也为着完成（参启二二13上）。─引用经文
3. The Thummim typifies Christ as the perfecter and completer (Heb. 12:2); thus, He is the spiritual alphabet for both inscribing and completing (cf. Rev. 22:13a).
4 乌陵和土明一起预表基督是神的见证人，神的见证（三14），是神对祂子民说话的凭借（来一2）。─引用经文
4. Together, the Urim and the Thummim typify Christ as God's witness, God's testimony (3:14), as the means for God to speak to His people (Heb. 1:2).
5 在新约，乌陵和土明的实际乃是调和的灵，就是神揭示的灵（圣灵），内住于我们接受的灵（我们重生之人的灵）─罗八4、14、16，启一10，四2，十七3，二一10。
5. In the New Testament, the reality of the Urim and the Thummim is the mingled spirit—the unveiling Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, indwelling our receiving spirit, our regenerated human spirit—Rom. 8:4, 14, 16; Rev. 1:10; 4:2; 17:3; 21:10.
三 在出埃及二十八章三十节以及申命记三十三章八节和十节，神的决断（典章）指神的律法及律法的判定和决断，与乌陵和土明有关。─引用经文
C. In Exodus 28:30 and in Deuteronomy 33:8 and 10, God's judgments, referring to God's law with its verdicts and judgments, are related to the Urim and the Thummim.
四 出埃及二十八章二十九至三十节里的“决断”一辞指明，神在祂的百姓中间，在凡事上都有一个定规；这个决断导致一些断案，结果就有了神的引导。─引用经文
D. The word judgment in Exodus 28:29-30 indicates that God has a regulation concerning everything among His people; the judgment leads to certain decisions, and as a result, we have God's leading.
五 按照旧约，乌陵和土明加到胸牌上，是神对祂子民说话的凭借，向他们指明祂的引导；因此我们可从说，决断的胸牌乃是“引导的胸牌”─利八8，民二七21，申三三8，书七16～21，撒上二三6、9～12，二八6，拉二63，尼七65。
E. According to the Old Testament, the Urim and the Thummim added to the breastplate were a means for God to speak to His people to indicate to them His leading; thus, we may say that the breastplate of judgment is a "breastplate of leading"—Lev. 8:8; Num. 27:21; Deut. 33:8; Josh. 7:16-21; 1 Sam. 23:6, 9-12; 28:6; Ezra 2:63; Neh. 7:65.
六 神借着胸牌所给的引导，总是与决断有关；神的律法包括祂的决断，而这些决断成了神的引导。
F. God's leading through the breastplate always involved a judgment; God's law includes His judgments, and these judgments become God's leading.
七 在属灵的经历中，我们要知道神的引导，就必须审判凡出于肉体、己、旧人和世界的一切。
G. In spiritual experience, in order to know God's leading we must judge whatever is of the flesh, the self, the old man, and the world.
八 在罗马八章十四节那灵的引导，就是神借胸牌所给之引导的实际，出自该章一至十三节所有的决断，也是这些决断的总和。─引用经文
H. In Romans 8:14 the leading of the Spirit, as the reality of God's leading through the breastplate, issues from, and is the totality of, all the judgments in verses 1 through 13 of that chapter.
九 神乃是借着胸牌说话作为祂的引导，这表征神借着召会使祂的子民认识祂的引导。
I. The fact that God's speaking as His leading was through the breastplate signifies that God makes His leading known to His people through the church.
伍 表明神引导的决断胸牌，就象属天、神圣、属灵的打字机一样，神借着带有乌陵和土明的胸牌来说话的方式，与我们所认为的正好相反：
V. The breastplate of judgment for God's leading was like a heavenly, divine, and spiritual typewriter, and His way of speaking through the breastplate with the Urim and the Thummim is the opposite of what we would expect:
一 神不是借着发亮的宝石来说话，而是借着变暗的宝石来说话；这意思是说，神是借着消极的光景来说话；因为主凭决断胸牌的说话是借着消极的光景，这样的说话就是一种决断。
A. God speaks not through the stones that are shining but through stones that become dark; this means that God speaks through negative situations; because the Lord's speaking by the breastplate of judgment is through negative situations, that speaking is a judgment.
二 按正常的情形来说，胸牌里的十二块宝石都在乌陵的照耀之下；忽然间刻着某个名字的宝石变暗了，这块宝石变暗就是神即时的说话：
B. Normally the twelve stones in the breastplate were under the shining of the Urim; suddenly a piece inscribed with a certain name would become dark; this darkening of a particular stone was God's instant speaking:
1 保罗的书信以及主耶稣给亚西亚七个召会的七封书信（启二～三）都是根据这个原则写的，这些书信不是根据召会里积极的事情写的，而是根据召会消极的光景写的。─引用经文
1. Paul's Epistles and the seven epistles of the Lord Jesus to the seven churches in Asia (Rev. 2—3) were all written according to this principle; they were written according to the negative situation of the churches, not according to the positive things found in the churches.
2 保罗照着他对哥林多消极的光景所读出来的，写了哥林多前书；虽然他的著作是基于消极的事情，但在这封书信里，他却把积极的东西─基督的丰富─服事给召会─参一9。
2. Paul wrote 1 Corinthians according to his reading of the negative situation at Corinth, but although his writing was based on the negative things, in this Epistle he ministered positive things—the riches of Christ—to the church—cf. 1:9.
3 哥林多的圣徒成了保罗写信时所用的属灵字母；同样的，在一个地方召会里，领头的人必须读出圣徒真实的情况和光景，来寻求主的引导。
3. The saints in Corinth became the letters used by Paul in the spiritual typesetting of his Epistle; in the same way, in a local church the leading ones need to seek the Lord's guidance by reading the actual situation and condition of the saints.
4 今天基督徒中间的难处乃是因着有太多的黑暗，神就无法来暴露黑暗；要显明黑暗，首先必须有光的照耀；神是借着在光的照耀中一些变为消极的事来说话─参弗五8～9。
4. The problem among Christians today is that because there is so much darkness, there is no way for God to expose darkness; in order for the darkness to be made known, there must first be the shining of the light; God speaks through things that become negative in the midst of the shining of the light—cf. Eph. 5:8-9.
5 我们这样来读消极的光景，就晓得神的引导，神的决断；然后在我们所在的地方，我们就会晓得神要我们作什么，这时我们就该跟随祂的引导。
5. By reading the negative situations in this way, we come to know God's leading, His judgment; then in our locality we shall know what God wants us to do, and we should then follow His leading.
三 我们作为召会若要成为决断的胸牌，就必须履行一些条件：
C. If we as the church would be the breastplate of judgment, we must fulfill certain requirements:
1 我们需要被变化而透亮；然后作为属灵字母的基督，必须清楚而明确的铭刻到我们里面─林后三3、18，参代上二八19。
1. We need to be transformed and transparent; then Christ as the spiritual alphabet must be inscribed into us clearly and definitely—2 Cor. 3:3, 18; cf. 1 Chron. 28:19.
2 宝石若未刻着字母，神就无法借着胸牌来说话；照样，神所救赎的子民若不刻着基督，神也无法借着他们来说话─来八10。
2. Just as God could not speak through the breastplate unless the stones had been inscribed with letters, so God cannot speak through His redeemed people unless they have been inscribed with Christ—Heb. 8:10.
3 因着缺少变化、不够透亮、没有铭刻和光照，我们就需要祷告，使我们成为透亮的，有更多的基督刻到我们里面，并经历更多的光照─启二二1，二一11，诗一一九130，赛二5，弗五8～9，诗八九15，约壹一7。
3. Because there is a shortage of transformation, transparency, inscribing, and enlightening, we need to pray that we may become transparent, have more of Christ inscribed into us, and experience more enlightening—Rev. 22:1; 21:11; Psa. 119:130; Isa. 2:5; Eph. 5:8-9; Psa. 89:15; 1 John 1:7.
4 基督是属灵的字母，为着铭刻，也为着完成，指明祂是取之不尽，用之不竭的；我们虽然享受祂的铭刻，但我们还需要更多属于祂的东西好得着完全─参来六1，腓三10、13～14。
4. The fact that Christ is the spiritual alphabet for both inscription and completion indicates that He is inexhaustible; although we may enjoy His inscription, there is still something more of Him that we need for completion—cf. Heb. 6:1; Phil. 3:10, 13-14.
四 胸牌就是身体生活的建造，这就成了我们知道神对祂子民旨意的凭借；然后我们才能接受主的判断，知道我们该作什么或不该作什么；我们就会认识主的道路；全召会也才能按主的判断往前去。
D. The breastplate is the building up of the Body life and the means for us to know God's will concerning His people; then we will receive the Lord's judgment of what we have to do or what we must not do; we will know the Lord's way, and the whole church will go on according to the judgment given by the Lord.
五 我们需要祷告，使每一个地方召会都照着出埃及二十八章里的图画，成为一个胸牌。─引用经文
E. We need to pray that every local church would become a breastplate according to the picture in Exodus 28.