Spiritual Principles, Life Lessons, and Holy Warnings Seen in the History of David
壹 在大卫的历史里(撒上十六1~撒下二四25),我们需要看见神的主宰以及大卫学十字架的功课:
I. In the history of David (1 Sam. 16:1—2 Sam. 24:25), we need to see God's sovereignty and David's learning the lessons of the cross:
一 在神主宰的权柄下,大卫在信靠神击败歌利亚的事上受试验并蒙称许─撒上十七1~58:
A. Under God's sovereignty David was tested and approved in his trusting God and defeating Goliath—1 Sam. 17:1-58:
1 大卫作牧人的经历训练他信靠主,所以当听见歌利亚的骂阵,他能对扫罗说,“你仆人为父亲放羊,有时来了狮子或熊,从群中衔一只羊羔去。我就追赶它,击打它,将羊羔从它口中救出来。它起来要害我,我就揪着它的胡子,将它打死。……耶和华救我脱离狮子和熊的爪,也必救我脱离这非利士人的手”─34~37节。
1. David's experience as a shepherd had trained him to trust in the Lord, so when he heard Goliath's defiance, he could say to Saul, "Your servant has been tending his father's sheep; and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I would go out after it and strike it and deliver the lamb from its mouth. And when it rose up against me, I would seize it by its beard and strike it and kill it…Jehovah, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine"—vv. 34-37.
2 大卫对歌利亚说,“耶和华施行拯救,不是用刀用枪,因为争战的胜败在于耶和华。祂必将你们交在我们手里”(47);然后大卫出去与歌利亚战斗(40~48),用机弦甩石,打进歌利亚的额内,用歌利亚的刀割了他的头,将他杀死(49~54)。─引用经文
2. David told Goliath that "it is not by sword or spear that Jehovah saves, for the battle is Jehovah's and He will deliver you into our hand" (v. 47); David went forth to fight against Goliath (vv. 40-48) and killed him by slinging a stone into Goliath's forehead and beheading him with his own sword (vv. 49-54).
3 大卫胜过歌利亚,乃是神拣选并膏大卫的有力印证;从大卫的经历,我们需要领悟,今天因着我们追求基督,我们环境中的每一面,都完全是在神主宰的手下─太十29~31,诗三一14~15上,三九9,罗八28~29,赛四五15。
3. David's victory over Goliath was a strong confirmation to God's choosing and anointing of him; from David's experience, we need to realize that because we are pursuing Christ today, every aspect of our environment is absolutely under God's sovereign hand—Matt. 10:29-31; Psa. 31:14-15a; 39:9; Rom. 8:28-29; Isa. 45:15.
二 在神主宰的权柄下,大卫被选为侍候当时的王扫罗的人;因着这二人被摆在一起,扫罗被暴露为反对神意愿的人,大卫却显为合乎神心的人─撒上十八6~11上:
B. David, under God's sovereignty, was selected to be an attendant of Saul, the present king; by these two being put together, Saul was exposed as being a person who was opposite to God's will, and David was manifested to be a man according to God's heart—1 Sam. 18:6-11a:
1 大卫在他与扫罗的关系上受试验;这意思是说,大卫一直被放在十字架上;扫罗无论差遣大卫作什么,大卫都作事精明,所以扫罗就立他作战士长;一次大卫击打了非利士人回来,妇女们从以色列各城里出来,唱和说,“扫罗杀死千千,大卫杀死万万”─5~7节。
1. For David to be tested in his relationship with Saul meant that David was continually put on the cross; on every mission that Saul sent him, David acted prudently, so Saul set him over the men of battle; once when David returned from striking the Philistines, the women came out of all the towns of Israel, and they sang to one another—"Saul has struck down his thousands; ? But David, his ten thousands"—vv. 5-7.
2 这个称赞没有摸着大卫,却摸着了扫罗;所罗门说,“人的称赞……试炼人”(箴二七21);扫罗发怒,并且嫉妒大卫,表明他这人全然在肉体里,完全为着自己;从那天起,扫罗定意要杀大卫,大卫无处藏身;扫罗从嫉妒大卫,到图谋如何杀他,又不破坏自己的名誉─撒上十八10~二十42。
2. This praise did not affect David, but it affected Saul; Solomon said, "A man is tried by the praise given him" (Prov. 27:21); Saul became very angry and envious of David, showing that he was a person fully in the flesh and absolutely for himself; from that day on, Saul decided to kill David, and David had no place to hide; Saul went from being envious of David to plotting how he might kill him without damaging his own name—1 Sam. 18:10—20:42.
3 当扫罗企图杀大卫时,大卫没有抵抗或作什么来为自己报复;他只是躲避;报复和抵抗都是肉体的事;那些行肉体之事的人无分于神的国─十八11,参罗十二19,弗四26,加五21、24。
3. When Saul attempted to kill him, David did not fight or do anything to avenge himself; he only fled; avenging and fighting back are matters of the flesh, and those who practice the things of the flesh have no share in the kingdom of God—18:11; cf. Rom. 12:19; Eph. 4:26; Gal. 5:21, 24.
4 大卫是从心里认识神的权柄的人;在撒母耳记上我们看见,扫罗在旷野追杀大卫;大卫有机会杀扫罗,但大卫敬畏神,不敢推翻神所安排的神圣等次─十八6~二六25。
4. David was one who knew God's authority from his heart; in 1 Samuel we see Saul chasing David in the wilderness in order to kill him; David had the opportunity to kill Saul, but he feared God and did not dare to overthrow the divine order arranged by God—18:6—26:25.
5 大卫若背叛扫罗,就会对百姓成为背叛神所命定、设立之王的先例;大卫的态度乃是拒绝自己,服在神的权柄之下。
5. If David had rebelled against Saul, he would have been to the people an example of rebellion against the God-ordained, appointed king; David's attitude was that of denying the self and submitting to God's authority.
6 扫罗不顺从神,被神弃绝,这是扫罗和神之间的事;大卫服从神的受膏者,这是大卫向神负责的事─二四4~6,二六9、11,撒下一9~16。
6. Saul had been disobedient to God and was rejected by God, but this was something between Saul and God; as for David, he submitted to God's anointed, and this was his responsibility before God—24:4-6; 26:9, 11; 2 Sam. 1:9-16.
7 如果有人愿意付代价经历十字架的破碎,活在十字架下,认识并对付天然的生命和个性,治死肉体,在神面前否认己,他们就必定会认识神的权柄,并且能带进神的权柄─这是基本的原则。
7. If some will pay the price to experience the breaking of the cross by living under the cross, know and deal with their natural life and disposition, put to death the flesh, and deny themselves before God, they will certainly know God's authority and be able to bring in God's authority—this is a basic principle.
8 按照新约的领会,大卫在任何情况下,每天都背十字架;腓立比三章十节指明,我们背十字架的力量,乃是基督复活的大能;基督已经进到我们里面,活在我们里面,在我们里面背十字架─参歌二8~9、14。
8. According to the realization of the New Testament, David bore the cross every day under any kind of situation; Philippians 3:10 indicates that the strength for us to bear the cross is the power of Christ's resurrection; Christ has come into us to live in us and to bear the cross within us—cf. S. S. 2:8-9, 14.
9 大卫学十字架的功课时,也享受了神借着约拿单和米甲的供备;若没有他们,大卫就无法逃离扫罗─撒上二十1~42,十九11~18。
9. As David was learning the lessons of the cross, he enjoyed God's provision with Jonathan and Michal; without them, David would not have had a way to escape from Saul—1 Sam. 20:1-42; 19:11-18.
10 在神的主宰之下,大卫学了十字架的功课,至终他不是输家,乃是赢家;不是受苦者,乃是享受者─腓一19,三8~9,林后四7、16~18,参二12~14。
10. Under God's sovereignty, David took the lessons of the cross, and eventually, he was not a loser but a gainer and a winner, not a sufferer but an enjoyer—Phil. 1:19; 3:8-9; 2 Cor. 4:7, 16-18; cf. 2:12-14.
11 大卫的生命表征破碎的生命:外面之人的破碎乃是我们天然个性─我们的己─的破碎;圣灵管治的目的,就是叫我们作一个被破碎的人;神把我们摆在完全无能为力、毫无办法的地位上,使祂有自由的路将祂自己连同祂一切追测不尽的丰富作到我们里面─一8~9,四16~18,十二9~10,何六1~3,罗八28~29,参约十二3。
11. David's life signifies a life of brokenness; the breaking of the outer man is the breaking of our natural disposition, our self; the goal of the discipline of the Holy Spirit is for us to be a broken man; God puts us in a place of total inability and helplessness so that He can have the free way to work Himself with all His unsearchable riches into us—1:8-9; 4:16-18; 12:9-10; Hosea 6:1-3; Rom. 8:28-29; cf. John 12:3.
贰 大卫顾到神在地上的居所,就是神约柜的居所─撒下六1~七29,诗一三二1~18:
II. David cared for God's habitation on earth, the habitation of the Ark of God—2 Sam. 6:1—7:29; Psa. 132:1-18:
一 虽然神不要大卫建殿,他还是为殿的建造预备了建造的人、基地和材料;神也借着祂的灵将圣殿的样式启示给大卫;大卫离世前就把这样式指示他的儿子所罗门;因此,大卫尽了他的职分,与神同工,为着完成圣殿的建造─撒下八11,王上七51,代上二二14~16,二九1~5,二八11~19,徒十三22、36。
A. Although God did not want David to build the temple, he prepared the builder, the site, and the materials for the building of the temple; God also revealed to David by His Spirit the pattern of the temple, and before David died, he gave this pattern to Solomon his son; thus, David fulfilled his ministry and co-worked with God for the completion of the building of the temple—2 Sam. 8:11; 1 Kings 7:51; 1 Chron. 22:14-16; 29:1-5; 28:11-19; Acts 13:22, 36.
二 大卫发热心要为神建造圣殿(撒下七1~3),但神拒绝了大卫的好意;神差遣申言者拿单,对大卫说,“你要建造殿宇给我居住么?”─5节:
B. David was zealous to build a temple for God (2 Sam. 7:1-3), but God rejected David's good intention; God sent Nathan the prophet to David to ask, "Is it you who will build Me a house for Me to dwell in?"—v. 5:
1 这给我们看见,我们在召会中一切的工作和事奉,必须起意于神,必须按照祂的愿望;由人所起意或起头的一切,无论多么为着神,都是没有基督同在的宗教活动。
1. This shows that all our work and service in the church must be initiated by God and must be according to His desire; anything that is initiated or started by man, regardless of how much it is for God, is a religious activity devoid of the presence of Christ.
2 我们要事奉神的那个心,祂悦纳;但我们要为祂作什么的定规,神不悦纳;神对大卫说,“你要……么?”神不要我们替祂定规什么。
2. Our heart to serve God is acceptable, but our decision to do something for Him is not acceptable; God said to David, "Is it you…?"; God does not want us to decide anything on His behalf.
三 因着大卫是敬畏神并与神合作的人,神借着拿单告诉他要停下建造殿的定意时,他没有反抗;大卫把他要完成建造殿的愿望停了下来,这行动乃是大事;和受恩(M. E. Barber)教士说过一句话:“凡不能为神的缘故不作工的,都不能为神的缘故作工”(认识生命与召会,二四三页)─路十38~42。
C. Because David was one who feared God and cooperated with God, he did not react when God told him through Nathan to stop in his determination to be the one who would build the temple; the act of David's stopping to carry out his desire to build the temple is a great matter; Sister M. E. Barber said, "Whoever cannot stop working for the sake of God cannot work for the sake of God" (The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1953, vol. 1, "Knowing Life and the Church," p. 283)—Luke 10:38-42.
四 大卫那次的停下,在宇宙中树立了一个双重的见证:第一,宇宙中的事,只能出于神,不能出于人;第二,不是在乎人为神作什么,乃是在乎神为人作什么─撒下七11~14上、18、25。
D. David's stopping established a twofold testimony in the universe: first, all the work in the universe should come from God, not from man; second, all that matters is what God does for man, not what man does for God—2 Sam. 7:11-14a, 18, 25.
五 我们要从深处学得,神只要我们与祂配合,祂不需要我们为祂作什么;我们要停下我们的一切主张、定规、看法,让祂说话,让祂进来,让祂发号施令─太十七5。
E. We must learn deep within that God wants only our cooperation; He does not need us to do anything for Him; we must stop all our opinions, decisions, and ideas; we need to let Him speak, let Him come in, and let Him command—Matt. 17:5.
叁 圣经记载神对大卫惩罚的审判,今天对我们乃是警戒(林前十11);神不仅满有慈爱怜悯,也是公正可畏的;神赦免大卫,但祂也照着祂行政的公义,管教并惩治大卫(撒下十二10~14):─引用经文
III. The account of God's punishing judgment on David is written as a warning to us today (1 Cor. 10:11); God is not only loving and merciful, but He is also just and fearsome; God forgave David, but He also disciplined and chastised David according to His governmental righteousness (2 Sam. 12:10-14):
一 以色列的一切仇敌被征服,大卫被高举作以色列的王之后,他在安宁的环境中犯了大罪─奸淫和杀人;这指明每当我们在安宁的环境中享安逸,很容易被引诱放纵肉体─十一1~27,彼前四1与注4。
A. After all the enemies of Israel were subdued and David was exalted as the king of Israel, David committed great sins while he was in a peaceful situation—adultery and murder; this indicates that whenever we are at ease in a peaceful situation, it is easy for us to be seduced to indulge our flesh—11:1-27; 1 Pet. 4:1 and footnote 4.
二 大卫的罪,乃是他放纵眼目情欲和肉体情欲的结果(撒下十一2~3);大卫滥用他王权的势力(4~5),抢夺人,故意犯奸淫。─引用经文
B. David's sin was the issue of his indulging the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh (2 Sam. 11:2-3); David, abusing the power of his kingship (vv. 4-5), committed willful adultery by robbery.
三 大卫犯下了这样的事之后,又装假设法遮盖他的恶行(6~13);然后,他串通约押,谋杀自己忠信的仆人乌利亚,好夺取乌利亚的妻子(14~25,十二9)。─引用经文
C. After committing such an act, David tried to cover his evil deed by means of a pretense (vv. 6-13); then he murdered Uriah, his faithful servant, by conspiring with Joab, so that he could take Uriah's wife (vv. 14-25; 12:9).
四 大卫因着他这一个罪,干犯了十诫的后五条(出二十13~17);大卫的罪大大地侮辱并得罪神,把他过去一切的成就,几乎都抹杀了。─引用经文
D. By his one sin David broke the last five of the Ten Commandments (Exo. 20:13-17); his sin was a great insult and offense to God, and it nearly annulled all his attainments from the past.
五 大卫是合乎神心的人(撒上十三14),使神有路开始君王时代,为祂要来的基督建立神在地上的国,但他在放纵肉体情欲的事上失败了(王上十五5);在这事上大卫是松懈的,牺牲了他自己在对神属灵追求的事上高超的成就;这该成为我们众人的警告。─引用经文
E. David, being a man according to God's heart (1 Sam. 13:14), afforded God the way to begin the age of the kingship for the establishment of His kingdom on earth for His coming Christ, but he failed in the matter of the indulgence of the lust of the flesh (1 Kings 15:5); in this matter David was loose, and he sacrificed his high attainment in his spiritual pursuit of God; this should be a warning to all of us.
六 很可惜的是,大卫在那恶者试诱他的重要时刻,没有极力控制自己的情欲,却沉溺其中,犯了粗鄙的罪,得罪神到极点。
F. How regrettable it was that David, at a crucial time of the evil one's temptation, did not exercise strong control over his lust but indulged in it and committed a gross sin that offended God to the uttermost.
七 神爱大卫,然而大卫因着自己的罪,失去了立场和地位,并且失去了十二支派中的十一个支派(撒下二十1~2);大卫的罪撒下所罗门败坏的种子(十二24),导致神所赐的国分裂(王上十一9~13,十二1~17);也撒下所罗门后裔在君王职分上败坏的种子,至终导致他们失去国家和先祖的圣地,以致圣民被掳,分散到全地,没有平安,直到今时。─引用经文
G. God loved David, but because of his sin David lost his standing and position as well as eleven of the twelve tribes (2 Sam. 20:1-2); David's sin sowed the seed of Solomon's corruption (12:24), which issued in the dividing of the God-given kingdom (1 Kings 11:9-13; 12:1-17), and the seed of the corruption of Solomon's descendants in the kingship, which issued ultimately in the loss of the nation and of the holy land of their fathers, in the captivity of the holy people, and in their being scattered around the globe and having no peace up to the present time.
八 从大卫的历史我们能看见,落在神政治的手下是一件严重的事(撒下十二10~14);大卫很快地与神恢复交通,但是神的管教,一直继续到大卫死后(15下~二十26)。─引用经文
H. We can see from the history of David that falling under God's governmental hand is a serious matter (2 Sam. 12:10-14); David restored his fellowship with God very quickly, but God's discipline continued even after his death (v. 15b—20:26).
九 大卫借着认罪,与神的交通就恢复,如诗篇五十一篇所启示的,但他落在神政治的手下;大卫失败后,他家中发生许多恶事,包括乱伦、谋杀和背叛─撒下十二15下~二十26。
I. Through the confessing of his sins, David's fellowship with God was restored, as revealed in Psalm 51, but he came under God's governmental hand; after his failure many evils, including incest, murder, and rebellion, took place among his family—2 Sam. 12:15b—20:26.
十 神在大卫身上施行严厉的惩罚,因为他所犯的罪太邪恶了;大卫家中这空前罪恶的源头,乃是大卫放纵肉体的情欲;这表明神对爱祂之人的惩治和行政的对付,甚至会影响他们的儿女。
J. God exercised a severe punishment upon David because his sin was very evil; the source of the unprecedented evil in David's family was David's indulgence in the lust of the flesh; this shows that God's chastisement and His governmental dealing with those who love Him may even affect their children.
十一 在我们与基督的关系上,这对我们应当是严肃的警示和警戒;我们的所是、我们的愿望、我们的意图以及我们如何行事为人,都与我们留在基督里,有分于祂一切追测不尽之丰富作我们的享受,有极大的关系;我们若在以上所提的任何事上与神不对了,就会失去基督作我们的享受。
K. This should be a solemn alarm and warning to us in our relationship with Christ; what we are, what we desire, what we intend to do, and how we behave have very much to do with our remaining in Christ and participating in all of His unsearchable riches for our enjoyment; if we are not right with God in any of these matters, we will suffer the loss of Christ as our enjoyment.
十二 包罗万有的基督是我们的居所,我们包罗万有的美地,以及我们所需的一切,作我们的享受,但如果我们与祂的关系不正确,祂就要把我们从祂自己里面吐出去,不再让我们享受祂─利十八25,启三16。L. The all-inclusive Christ as our dwelling place, our all-inclusive good land, and everything we need for our enjoyment will vomit us out of Himself and not allow us to enjoy Him any longer if we are not proper in relation to Him—Lev. 18:25; Rev. 3:16.>
十三 最终,大卫不但变得老迈,并且渐渐衰萎;大卫的一生有美好的开始,如同明亮的日头升起,他的生平同他的事业如日中天;然而,他的放纵情欲(撒下十一1~27)破坏了他的事业,使他辉煌的生平衰萎,如日落黄昏;大卫晚年没有什么辉煌、优越或光彩的事(王上一1~4,参申三四7,创四八14~16,箴四18)。─引用经文
M. Eventually, David not only became old but also was fading away; David's life had a good beginning, like the bright sun rising, and his life with his career became like the sun shining at noon; however, his indulgence in lust (2 Sam. 11:1-27) spoiled his career and caused his bright life to fade like the sunset in the evening; in David's old age there was nothing bright, excellent, or splendid (1 Kings 1:1-4; cf. Deut. 34:7; Gen. 48:14-16; Prov. 4:18).
十四 基督徒的一生,就是在那里学神的政治;我们种的是什么,收的也是什么;我们越是宽大地对待人,神也越宽大地对待我们;我们如果刻薄、严格地对待弟兄,神也要刻薄、严格地对待我们;人生病或碰着困难的时候,是我们该帮助的时候,不是我们该批评的时候─加六7,帖前五14~15,路六36~38,太七1~2:
N. The Christian life is a life of learning God's government; we reap what we sow; the more generous we are to others, the more generous God will be to us; if we are mean and severe to our brothers, God will be mean and severe toward us; when others are sick or in trouble, it is the time for us to help them, not the time for us to criticize them—Gal. 6:7; 1 Thes. 5:14-15; Luke 6:36-38; Matt. 7:1-2:
1 我们要学习作一个宽大赦免人的人;我们若严厉对待人,神也要严厉对待我们;我们该避免批评、定罪或随便说人;我们批评人,随便说人,我们所批评所说的事,常常会成为对我们自己的审判─六15,十八23~25。
1. We must learn to be generous and forgiving persons; if we are severe toward others, God will be severe toward us; we should avoid criticizing, condemning, or speaking about others in a light way; our criticism and careless comments about others often become a judgment upon ourselves—6:15; 18:23-35.
2 有许多弟兄今天跌倒得不像样,没有别的,就是因为他们从前批评别人太厉害;他们今天许多的软弱,都是他们从前批评人的。
2. There are many brothers who have fallen miserably today for one reason only—they have criticized others too severely in the past, and many of their weaknesses today are the very weaknesses that they criticized in the past.
3 我们蒙召是要祝福别人,所以我们这些蒙福的人该一直祝福别人,好叫我们承受福分;我们所给别人的祝福,自己也要承受─彼前三8~11,太十13,参民六22~27。
3. We have been called to bless others, so we, as a blessed people, should always bless others that we may inherit blessing; what we bless others with, we will inherit ourselves—1 Pet. 3:8-11; Matt. 10:13; cf. Num. 6:22-27.