舊約中的教會和以色列TheChurch and Israel in the Old Testament

作者：Iain Duguid  譯者：駱鴻銘

https://tabletalkmagazine.com/article/2012/10/the-church-and-israel-in-the-old-testament/

https://www.facebook.com/peddrluo/posts/10157052578989653

起初，上帝創造了亞當和夏娃成為一個敬拜的群體：祂要作他們的上帝，他們要作祂的子民。然而，人的墮落徹底破壞了彼此之間以及與上帝的團契相交，這種分裂在下一代當中，當該隱謀殺他的兄弟時進一步加深了。由該隱的世系所開展的遠離上帝的軌跡，最終成了在巴別（創十一）之假冒的崇拜群體。與此同時，由一群真正的敬拜者所組成的世系，從塞特一直延伸到亞伯蘭（亞伯拉罕）——上帝應許他，要使他成為一個大國，並透過他祝福地上的萬民（創十二1～3）。

In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve to be a worshipping community: He would be their God and they would be His people. The fall, however, shattered their fellowship with one another as well as with God, a division that was deepened even further in the next generation when Cain murdered his brother. The trajectory away from God begun by Cain’s line ended with a counterfeit worshipping community in Babel (Gen. 11). At the same time, a line of true worshippers ran through Seth to Abram—Abraham—whom God promised to make a great nation and through whom He promised to bless all nations of the earth (Gen. 12:1–3).

上帝應許亞伯拉罕的孫兒雅各，祂要使他的十二個兒子成為一個和諧的「萬民組成的群體（community of nations）」（創廿八3；和合本作：萬族），敬拜上帝，這個群體要其新名「以色列」而聞名。重要的是，這裏用於「群體」的希伯來文是qāhāl，其中舊約的希臘文譯本經常被譯為ekklēsia，「教會」。「崇拜群體」的這個目標，在以色列百姓出埃及之後、來到西奈山時達成了。在那裏，上帝宣佈以色列民是祂寶貴的產業，一個祭司的國度、聖潔的國度（出十九5～6）。耶和華應許要住在他們中間，作他們的上帝（出廿九45）。但是百姓在承諾與耶和華立約後不久，立刻就離棄了祂。當摩西在山頂接受耶和華的指示時，百姓卻在山腳下製造假神。從一開始就很清楚，「聖潔的國民」沒有能力堅守它的呼召。

God promised Abraham’s grandson Jacob that He would make his twelve sons into a harmonious worshipping “community of nations” (Gen. 28:3) that would be known by his new name, “Israel.” Significantly, the Hebrew word used here for “community” is qāhāl, which the Greek translation of the Old Testament often renders as ekklēsia, “church.” This goal of a worshipping community was reached after the exodus from Egypt when the people came to Mount Sinai. There God declared the Israelites to be His treasured possession, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Ex. 19:5–6). The Lord promised to dwell among them as their God (Ex. 29:45). But the people had no sooner committed themselves to this covenant relationship with the Lord than they abandoned Him. While Moses was at the top of the mountain receiving instruction from the Lord, the people were at the bottom fashioning false gods. It was clear from the outset that the “holy nation” had no power to live up to its calling.

眾先知向我們展示了以色列其餘的歷史：儘管上帝是信實的，但他們卻是敗壞和叛逆的兒女（賽一2），也是淫婦（何一～三）。這種不忠的傳統同樣屬於北國和南國：以色列和猶大是來自同一家族的兩個乖謬的姐妹（結十六、廿三），她們都將面對毀滅和被擄的懲罰（結四4～6）。耶和華不能住在這樣一群不聖潔的民中間。祂撇棄了祂在耶路撒冷所揀選的居所，讓祂的百姓接受他們巴比倫敵人的憐憫（結八～十一）。

The prophets unfold for us the rest of Israel’s history: in spite of God’s faithfulness to them, they were corrupt and rebellious children (Isa. 1:2) and an adulterous wife (Hos. 1–3). This heritage of unfaithfulness belonged equally to the northern and southern kingdoms: Israel and Judah were two twisted sisters from the same family (Ezek. 16; 23) who would each face the punishment of destruction and exile (Ezek. 4:4–6). The Lord could not dwell in the midst of such an unholy people. He abandoned His chosen dwelling place in Jerusalem, leaving His people at the mercy of their Babylonian enemies (Ezek. 8–11).

然而，被擄以色列民的毀滅，不會是故事的結尾。因為耶和華已經將祂的名字附加在以色列身上，因此以色列必須得到復興，以免祂的聖名在列國中被褻瀆（結廿14）。在西奈山所作的應許必須被應驗（耶卅三20～21），因此以色列和猶大這兩個國家會被耶和華恢復成為一個單一的、重新聯合的身體，由以色列所有支派組成（耶卅一1），接受一位君王的統治（結卅七16～22）。最重要的應許是將以色列民會有一個屬靈的轉變，成為一群新的百姓，在一個新約（耶卅一31～33）之下，他們反應遲鈍的心會被上帝的靈澆灌而成為新心（結卅六22～28）。新以色列民將成為耶和華的僕人，成為外邦人的光，為萬民帶來醫治（賽四二6、10）。然而，以賽亞書四十～四十八章所描述的新以色列，仍然是一個不斷掙扎和軟弱的人，他們需要不斷的勸勉，以追求順服；也需要鼓勵，以信靠相信上帝對他們的慈愛。為了成全上帝的旨意，需要另一個更好的以色列人，一個願意代替以色列民的僕人，祂要做以色列無法做的事，履行她的呼召，把光帶給萬民（賽四九6）。

Yet the destruction of Israel in the exile could not be the end of the story. Because the Lord had attached His name to Israel, the nation would have to be restored lest His holy name be profaned among the nations (Ezek. 20:14). The promises made at Mount Sinai had to be fulfilled (Jer. 33:20–21), so the two nations of Israel and Judah would be restored by the Lord into a single, reunited body made up of all of the clans of Israel (Jer. 31:1) under a single king (Ezek. 37:16–22). The most important promise was the spiritual transformation of Israel into a new people whose unresponsive hearts would be changed into new hearts under a new covenant (Jer. 31:31–33) by an outpouring of God’s Spirit (Ezek. 36:22–28). The new Israel would become the Lord’s servant, a light for the Gentiles, bringing healing to all nations (Isa. 42:6, 10). However, the new Israel depicted in Isaiah 40–48 continued to be a struggling and weak people who needed constant exhortation to pursue obedience as well as encouragement to trust in God’s faithful love for them. To fulfill God’s purposes, another, better Israel would be required, a servant who would take Israel’s place, doing what Israel was unable to do, fulfilling her calling to bring light to the nations (Isa. 49:6).

這個僕人「以色列」藉著耶穌基督的位格取了肉身。從祂出生的那一刻起，祂就重演了以色列的歷史，祂下到埃及，以便祂可以成為上帝從埃及召出來的真正的兒子（太二15，引用何十一11）。正如以色列人渡過紅海一樣，耶穌也經過洗禮之水（太三），然後被帶到曠野，在那裏祂成功地面對以色列民未能忍受的同樣試探（太四）。在祂傳道的一開始，耶穌就大聲朗誦以賽亞書六十一章1～2節，宣告聖經在祂的聽眾面前已經應驗了（路四18～19）：祂自己就是上帝應許的僕人，上帝的靈在祂身上。作為新以色列人，耶穌完全滿足了律法的要求。耶利米預言的新約是藉著祂的血所立的（路廿二20）。耶穌應驗了上帝對人的聖潔的原始計劃，從而親自體現了眾先知所尋找的新以色列。

This servant “Israel” took flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. From the moment of His birth, He reenacted Israel’s history, going down to Egypt so that He could be the true son whom God called out of Egypt (Matt. 2:15, quoting Hos. 11:1). Just as Israel passed through the Red Sea, Jesus passed through the waters of baptism (Matt. 3) before being led out into the wilderness, where He successfully faced the same temptations that Israel had failed to endure (Matt. 4). At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus read aloud Isaiah 61:1–2, declaring that the Scripture had been fulfilled in His hearers’ presence (Luke 4:18–19): He was Himself the promised Servant upon whom God’s Spirit rested. As the new Israel, Jesus perfectly fulfilled the demands of the law. The new covenant that Jeremiah anticipated was established in His blood (Luke 22:20). Jesus fulfilled God’s original design for human holiness, thereby personally embodying the new Israel for which the prophets looked.

既然耶穌基督自己就是新以色列人，那些憑著信心與祂聯合的人，也被併入到上帝的以色列民裏（加六16）。祂是真葡萄樹，以色列經典的舊約形象，我們是祂的枝子（約十五）。因為基督是上帝家的活石，那些與祂聯合的人在那房裏也成為活石（彼前二4～5），並且可以用舊約中描述以色列的相同術語來描述：在基督裏，我們是「被揀選的族類，君尊的祭司，聖潔的國民」（彼前二9～10）。

Since Jesus Christ is Himself the new Israel, all those united to Him by faith are also incorporated into the Israel of God (Gal. 6:16). He is the true vine, the classic Old Testament image for Israel, and we are His branches (John 15). Because Christ is the living cornerstone of God’s house, those who are joined to Him become living stones in that house (1 Peter 2:4–5) and can be described by the same terminology that described Israel in the Old Testament: in Christ, we are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9–10).

因此，作為新約的一部分，以色列不是亞伯拉罕血緣的後裔，而是分享了亞伯拉罕的悔改和信心（路三8）。上帝的新百姓包括猶太人和外邦人（加三28），因為他們都被嫁接到新的橄欖樹、基督/以色列身上（羅十一17～24）。這並不是說，上帝已經忘記了祂對亞伯拉罕血緣後裔的應許（羅十一1）。當然不是。但並非所有從以色列生的，都是新以色列的一部分（羅九6）。眾先知所應許的以色列的復興，是當福音傳到耶路撒冷、猶太（南國）、撒瑪利亞（北國）和地極之後完成的，上帝的光要藉此傳給外邦人（徒一8）。

Being part of this new covenant Israel is, thus, not a matter of physical descent from Abraham, but rather sharing Abraham’s repentance and faith (Luke 3:8). The new people of God includes Jews and Gentiles together (Gal 3:28), as both are grafted into the new olive tree, Christ/ Israel (Rom. 11:17–24). That does not mean that God has forgotten His promises to those physically descended from Abraham (Rom. 11:1). Certainly not. But not everyone who is descended physically from Israel is part of the new Israel (Rom. 9:6). The restoration of Israel promised in the prophets is accomplished as the gospel is preached to Jerusalem and Judea (the southern kingdom), Samaria (the northern kingdom), and to the ends of the earth, thereby finally bringing God’s light to the Gentiles (Acts 1:8).

在啟示錄中，約翰聽到神的百姓被描述為是由十四萬四千人組成的群體，由以色列的十二個支派構成（啟七4～8）。然而，當他再次觀望時，他發現同一群百姓是來自萬族萬民，沒有人能數得過來（啟七9～12）。耶和華的新婦，用於舊約中的以色列的形象，就是教會，有一天會永遠不再被她的罪所玷污，而是為了她的丈夫裝飾整齊（啟廿一2）。在那一日，上帝對以色列最初的目的和計劃——有一群屬祂自己的統一的、聖潔的子民——最終將在基督與祂教會的婚姻中得到應驗。

In the book of Revelation, John heard God’s people described as a group of 144,000 made up of the twelve tribes of Israel (Rev. 7:4–8). Yet when he looked again, he discovered that the same group was an innumerable crowd from every tribe and nation (Rev. 7:9–12). The Lord’s bride, the image used in the Old Testament for Israel, is the church and will one day be defiled by her sin no longer but beautifully adorned for her husband (Rev. 21:2). In that day, God’s original purpose and plan for Israel—to have a united, holy people belonging to Himself—will finally be fulfilled in the marriage of Christ and His church.

Dr. Iain Duguid is professor of Old Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and founding pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Glenside, Pa. He is author of Is Jesus in the Old Testament?

教会与旧约的以色列 TheChurch and Israel in the Old Testament

作者：Iain Duguid  翻譯:  駱鴻銘

http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/the-church-and-israel-in-the-old-testament/

http://www.crtsbooks.net/blog/post/2013/07/08/%E6%95%99%E6%9C%83%E8%88%87%E8%88%8A%E7%B4%84%E7%9A%84%E4%BB%A5%E8%89%B2%E5%88%97.aspx

起初，神创造亚当和夏娃，让他们成为一个敬拜的团体：祂要做他们的神，他们要做祂的子民。然而，他们彼此之间以及与上帝的团契交通被人类犯罪堕落所粉碎；该隐杀了他的兄弟，使得他们当中的裂痕在下一代中也越来越深。这条由该隐的谱系所开启的背离上帝的轨迹，终结于敬拜偶像的巴别社群（创十一章）。与此同时，一条由真正的敬拜者所组成的谱系，从塞特开始，一路延伸至亚伯兰（亚伯拉罕）。上帝应许亚伯拉罕，他必成为大国，并且应许，地上的万族，都要因他得福（创十二1-3）。

In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve to be a worshipping community: He would be their God and they would be His people. The fall, however, shattered their fellowship with one another as well as with God, a division that was deepened even further in the next generation when Cain murdered his brother. The trajectory away from God begun by Cain’s line ended with a counterfeit worshipping community in Babel (Gen. 11). At the same time, a line of true worshippers ran through Seth to Abram—Abraham—whom God promised to make a great nation and through whom He promised to bless all nations of the earth (Gen. 12:1–3).

上帝应许亚伯拉罕的孙子雅各，祂会塑造他的十二个儿子，使他们成为一个和谐敬拜的「多族」（新译本译为「大族」。字面直译是：万国的社群，community of nations, ESV译为company of peoples），而这个群体会有一个新的名字：「以色列」。很有意义的是，这里用来表示「社群」的希伯来字是qāhāl，旧约的希腊文译本通常译为ekklēsia，也就是「教会」。当以色列百姓离开埃及，来到西乃山，这个敬拜社群的目的就达成了。上帝在西乃山宣告，以色列人是祂所珍贵的产业，一个祭司的国度，圣洁的国民（出十九5-6）。上主应许，祂要住在以色列人当中，作他们的神（出廿九45）。但是以色列百姓在委身于这个圣约的关系之后，过没有多久，就离弃了上主。当摩西还在西乃山山顶领受从上主而来的命令时，在山脚下的以色列百姓，就为自己造了偶像。从一开始就很清楚，这个「圣洁的国度」完全没有能力活出他们的呼召。

God promised Abraham’s grandson Jacob that He would make his twelve sons into a harmonious worshipping “community of nations” (Gen. 28:3) that would be known by his new name, “Israel.” Significantly, the Hebrew word used here for “community” is qāhāl, which the Greek translation of the Old Testament often renders as ekklēsia, “church.” This goal of a worshipping community was reached after the exodus from Egypt when the people came to Mount Sinai. There God declared the Israelites to be His treasured possession, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Ex. 19:5–6). The Lord promised to dwell among them as their God (Ex. 29:45). But the people had no sooner committed themselves to this covenant relationship with the Lord than they abandoned Him. While Moses was at the top of the mountain receiving instruction from the Lord, the people were at the bottom fashioning false gods. It was clear from the outset that the “holy nation” had no power to live up to its calling.

先知为我们展现了以色列其余的历史：虽然上帝对他们是信实的，他们却是败坏而悖逆的儿女（赛一2），一个淫乱的妻子（何一～三章）。这个不忠的传统是由北国和南国所均分共享的：以色列和犹大是来自同一个家庭的一对乖僻的姐妹（结十六、廿三章），他们都要面对灭亡和被掳的惩罚（结四4-6）。上主无法住在此等不洁的民当中。祂离弃了祂所拣选的位于耶路撒冷的居所，把祂的百姓交在巴比伦敌人的手中（结八～十一）。

The prophets unfold for us the rest of Israel’s history: in spite of God’s faithfulness to them, they were corrupt and rebellious children (Isa. 1:2) and an adulterous wife (Hos. 1–3). This heritage of unfaithfulness belonged equally to the northern and southern kingdoms: Israel and Judah were two twisted sisters from the same family (Ezek. 16; 23) who would each face the punishment of destruction and exile (Ezek. 4:4–6). The Lord could not dwell in the midst of such an unholy people. He abandoned His chosen dwelling place in Jerusalem, leaving His people at the mercy of their Babylonian enemies (Ezek. 8–11).

不过，以色列在被掳中被毁，并不是这个故事的结局。因为上主已经把自己的名和以色列绑在一起，祂必要恢复这个国家，以免祂的圣名在列国当中被亵渎（结廿14）。在西乃山所作的应许必要得着应验（耶三三20-21），因此，上主会恢复以色列和犹大这两个国家，使它们重新合为一体，由以色列各支派所组成（耶三一1），由一个王来治理（结三七16-22）。而最重要的应许是以色列会有一个属灵的转变，在新约之下，靠着上帝浇灌祂的圣灵（结三六22-28），上帝会使他们成为一群新的百姓。他们原本冷漠无情的心会被改变，成为一个新的心（耶三一31-33）。这个新以色列会成为上帝的仆人，外邦人的光，为列国带来医治（赛四二6，10）。然而，这个字以赛亚书四十～四十八章所描绘的新以色列仍然是一群有挣扎和软弱的百姓，他们需要不断的劝诫，去追求顺服，也需要鼓励，信靠上帝对他们的信实的爱。要成就上帝的目的，需要另一个、更好的以色列。这个仆人会取代以色列的地位，完成旧以色列所无法成就的，成全她把光带到列国的呼召（赛四九6）。

Yet the destruction of Israel in the exile could not be the end of the story. Because the Lord had attached His name to Israel, the nation would have to be restored lest His holy name be profaned among the nations (Ezek. 20:14). The promises made at Mount Sinai had to be fulfilled (Jer. 33:20–21), so the two nations of Israel and Judah would be restored by the Lord into a single, reunited body made up of all of the clans of Israel (Jer. 31:1) under a single king (Ezek. 37:16–22). The most important promise was the spiritual transformation of Israel into a new people whose unresponsive hearts would be changed into new hearts under a new covenant (Jer. 31:31–33) by an outpouring of God’s Spirit (Ezek. 36:22–28). The new Israel would become the Lord’s servant, a light for the Gentiles, bringing healing to all nations (Isa. 42:6, 10). However, the new Israel depicted in Isaiah 40–48 continued to be a struggling and weak people who needed constant exhortation to pursue obedience as well as encouragement to trust in God’s faithful love for them. To fulfill God’s purposes, another, better Israel would be required, a servant who would take Israel’s place, doing what Israel was unable to do, fulfilling her calling to bring light to the nations (Isa. 49:6).

这个仆人「以色列」，在耶稣基督的位格上具体化为人形。从祂出生的一刻起，祂就在「重演」以色列的历史。祂下到埃及，好成为上帝从埃及呼召出来的真正的儿子（太二15，引用何十一1）。正如以色列经过红海，耶稣也通过洗礼的水（太三）。然后，祂在圣灵的引导下，进入旷野，面对以色列曾经经历的、却未能坚忍到底的同样的试探（太四）。在祂传道工作的一开始，耶稣颂读了以赛亚书六十一章1-2节，宣告圣经已经应验在听众的耳中了（路四18-19）：祂就是那位应许的仆人，神的灵在祂身上。作为新以色列，耶稣完美地成全了律法的命令。祂的血设立了耶利米所翘首期盼的「新约」（路廿二20）。耶稣成全了上帝原初为人类的圣洁所作的设计，亲身体现了先知所寻找的新以色列。

This servant “Israel” took flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. From the moment of His birth, He reenacted Israel’s history, going down to Egypt so that He could be the true son whom God called out of Egypt (Matt. 2:15, quoting Hos. 11:1). Just as Israel passed through the Red Sea, Jesus passed through the waters of baptism (Matt. 3) before being led out into the wilderness, where He successfully faced the same temptations that Israel had failed to endure (Matt. 4). At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus read aloud Isaiah 61:1–2, declaring that the Scripture had been fulfilled in His hearers’ presence (Luke 4:18–19): He was Himself the promised Servant upon whom God’s Spirit rested. As the new Israel, Jesus perfectly fulfilled the demands of the law. The new covenant that Jeremiah anticipated was established in His blood (Luke 22:20). Jesus fulfilled God’s original design for human holiness, thereby personally embodying the new Israel for which the prophets looked.

既然耶稣基督自己是新以色列，所有因信与祂联合的人也会被并入这个「神的以色列」（加六16）。祂是真葡萄树（旧约给以色列的典型图像），我们是祂的枝子（约十五）。因为基督是上帝的殿的房角石，与祂联合的人就成为这个殿的活石（彼前二4-5）。我们可以用旧约里形容以色列相同的语词来形容：在基督里，我们是「被拣选的族类，君尊的祭司，圣洁的国度」（彼前二9-10）。

Since Jesus Christ is Himself the new Israel, all those united to Him by faith are also incorporated into the Israel of God (Gal. 6:16). He is the true vine, the classic Old Testament image for Israel, and we are His branches (John 15). Because Christ is the living cornerstone of God’s house, those who are joined to Him become living stones in that house (1 Peter 2:4–5) and can be described by the same terminology that described Israel in the Old Testament: in Christ, we are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9–10).

如此，成为这个新的约的以色列，其要件不是亚伯拉罕肉身的后裔，而是分享亚伯拉罕的悔改与信心的人（路三8）。这群新的上帝的百姓，同时包括了犹太人和外邦人（加三28），都要被嫁接到新的橄榄树——基督/以色列身上（罗十一17-24）。这不是说上帝已经忘了祂对亚伯拉罕肉身的后裔的应许（罗十一1）。断乎不是！但不是所有从以色列生的，都是这个新以色列的一部分（罗九6）。当福音传到耶路撒冷和犹大（南国），撒马利亚（北国），和地极时，先知书里所应许的以色列的恢复，就完成了，而这个被恢复的以色列，最终也会把上帝的光带给外邦人（徒一8）。

Being part of this new covenant Israel is, thus, not a matter of physical descent from Abraham, but rather sharing Abraham’s repentance and faith (Luke 3:8). The new people of God includes Jews and Gentiles together (Gal 3:28), as both are grafted into the new olive tree, Christ/ Israel (Rom. 11:17–24). That does not mean that God has forgotten His promises to those physically descended from Abraham (Rom. 11:1). Certainly not. But not everyone who is descended physically from Israel is part of the new Israel (Rom. 9:6). The restoration of Israel promised in the prophets is accomplished as the gospel is preached to Jerusalem and Judea (the southern kingdom), Samaria (the northern kingdom), and to the ends of the earth, thereby finally bringing God’s light to the Gentiles (Acts 1:8).

在启示录里，约翰听见上帝的百姓被形容为是由以色列十二个支派所组成的、一个有十四万四千人的群体（启七4-8）。不过，当他再次观看，他发现到这同一个有无数人群的群体是从各族、各民而来的（启七9-12）。上主的新妇（旧约给以色列的图像），就是教会，如今不会再被她的罪所玷污，而是装饰整齐，等候丈夫（启廿一2）。到那日，上帝给以色列原始的目的和计划——祂要拥有一群合一的、圣洁的、属祂的百姓——最后会在基督与祂的教会的婚礼中得着应验。

In the book of Revelation, John heard God’s people described as a group of 144,000 made up of the twelve tribes of Israel (Rev. 7:4–8). Yet when he looked again, he discovered that the same group was an innumerable crowd from every tribe and nation (Rev. 7:9–12). The Lord’s bride, the image used in the Old Testament for Israel, is the church and will one day be defiled by her sin no longer but beautifully adorned for her husband (Rev. 21:2). In that day, God’s original purpose and plan for Israel—to have a united, holy people belonging to Himself—will finally be fulfilled in the marriage of Christ and His church.

香壇TheAltar of Incense

作者: Iain Duguid     譯者: Maria Marta

https://tabletalkmagazine.com/article/2017/12/the-altar-of-incense/

https://plus.google.com/u/0/106695469993489516884/posts/PKRWb2Hdgba

會幕的許多擺設都有一個實用的目的。 燈台為黑暗籠罩的環境提供光線，桌子是擺放陳設餅的地方。香壇的實際用途是燃燒馨香料，使空氣充滿芳香味。雖然這些擺設都是用純金做的，且裝飾豪華，相當於國王的附屬品，但從許多方面來說，它們都是平常的家具。借著日常的祭祀，所有感官都受到服侍：借著燈台、香壇、陳設餅桌的功用發揮，視覺、嗅覺、味覺的需求都得到滿足，耳朵同時還聽到大祭司聖衣上的鈴聲。 整個事件設計成：為了上帝豐富我們多元的感官體驗------非因上帝擁有像我們那樣的感觀，乃因祂確認祂所賜予我們的每種不同感官的長處。 只有最出色的事物才能足夠好的獻給宇宙的創造者。

除了實際用途和吸引感官之外，會幕的擺設還為上帝的百姓提供象征性的作用。燈台上的七盞燈象征上帝的祝福，它們光照著十二個陳設餅，陳設餅本身代表以色列的十二個支派。燈台本身是一種微型火柱，記念上帝在曠野與祂的百姓同在。伴隨著燈台的火柱，香壇上空形成並騰起一根一致的煙柱。

更重要的是，源於熏香本身的煙霧不斷從祭壇上升起，象征上帝百姓的祈禱不斷上升到主的面前。在帳幕裡，只有祭司們才能獻香，因為他們充當百姓和上帝之間的中保，象征性地將他們的禱告帶到致高者的面前。詩篇一四一篇2節表達了這種觀點，大衛向上帝祈禱：「願我的禱告如香陳列在你面前」。記載在歷代志下廿六章16–21節的事件明顯地違反了這種制度，當烏西雅王試圖越過祭司的抗議，進入聖殿燒香，並代表自己獻上。他長出的大痲風取代了他要尋求的尊貴的地位，麻風病使他不潔凈，從此不能再進入聖殿（廿六16–21）。

香壇也和以色列的祭祀儀式有關。當大祭司因自己所犯的罪，需要獻上贖罪祭時，他要以祭牲的血塗抹香壇的四角，並將其餘的血倒在壇腳（利四3–7）。全體會眾作為一個整體的贖罪祭也需要同樣的祭牲，祭牲的血要抹在香壇的四角上，其餘的血都要倒在燔祭壇腳（13 – 18節）。然而，即使定期獻上這些贖罪祭，也不足以對付人們因罪導致並累積起來的汙穢；為了防止土地變得不合適作神聖的居所，大祭司不得不在一年一度的贖罪日進入至聖所。他拿著輕便的香爐進幔子裡，香爐發出保護性的煙雲，讓他在煙雲的遮掩下，安全地取出潔凈祭牲的血，彈向約櫃上的施恩座的上面、和前面（利十六13 – 18節）。

盡管香是會幕和聖殿敬拜的重要組成部分，但新約崇拜不再需要香。在新聖殿，即教會，舊的祭祀儀式已經被它所象征的眾聖徒的祈禱取代，（參閱啟五8；八3–4）。現在我們不再需要祭司作中保，將我們的禱告祈求帶給上帝，因為我們可以奉基督，我們的大祭司的名靠近上帝。祂不僅是我們的辯護者，更為我們的罪作了贖罪祭（約壹二2）。作為我們真正的大祭司，祂已經把自己的血帶到帳幕和聖殿所指向的在天上的原型，並將它應用於天上的施恩座，從而永遠潔凈祂的子民（來九11–14）。這就是我們能藉著基督，新約中保所灑的血，沒有恐懼，沒有香的煙雲遮掩，安全靠近上帝的原因（十二24）。正如希伯來書作者的總結那樣：「因此，我們既然領受了不能震動的國，就應該感恩，照著　神所喜悅的，用虔誠敬畏的心事奉他」（28節）。願我們每日的感恩禱告，像香一般，上升到上帝的面前。

本文原刊於Tabletalk雜誌2017年十二月號  。

The Altar of Incense

by Iain Duguid

Many of the furnishings of the tabernacle had a functional purpose. The lampstand gave light in an otherwise dark enclosure, while the table provided a place on which to put the showbread. Meanwhile, the incense altar served the practical purpose of pleasantly scenting the air. These items were in many respects ordinary pieces of furniture, albeit made out of pure gold and richly ornamented as befitted the furniture of a king. All of the senses were ministered to by the daily priestly ritual: sight, smell, and taste were addressed through the lampstand, the incense altar, and the table of showbread, while hearing was ministered to by the bells on the high priest’s garments. The whole affair was designed as a rich multisensory experience for God—not because He has senses like ours, but as an acknowledgment of the goodness of each of the diverse senses He has given us. Only the very best of everything could possibly be good enough to offer to the Creator of the universe.

In addition to their practical usefulness and sensory attractiveness, the tabernacle furniture also served a multivalent symbolic role for God’s people. The seven lamps on the lampstand symbolized God’s blessing shining out upon the twelves loaves of showbread, which themselves represented the twelve tribes of Israel. The lampstand itself was a kind of miniature pillar of fire, memorializing God’s presence with His people in the wilderness. The incense altar formed a corresponding pillar of smoke to accompany the lampstand’s pillar of fire.

What is more, the smoke from the incense itself, constantly rising from the altar, came to symbolize the prayers of God’s people constantly ascending before the Lord. In the tabernacle, incense could only be offered by the priests, who thus served as mediators between the people and God, symbolically bringing their prayers into the presence of the Most High. This idea is expressed in Psalm 141:2, where David prays to the Lord, “Let my prayer be set before you as incense.” A notable breach in this protocol is recorded in 2 Chronicles, when King Azariah (also known as Uzziah) tried to enter the Holy Place and burn an incense offering on his own behalf, over the protests of the priests. In place of the elevated status he sought, he was struck with leprosy, which made him unclean and therefore unable to enter any part of the temple complex in the future (26:16–21).

The altar of incense was also connected with the sacrificial rituals of Israel. When a sin offering was required because of a failure on the part of the high priest, the blood of the offering was smeared on the horns of the incense altar and poured out at its base (Lev. 4:3–7). A sin offering for the community as a whole required a similar sacrifice, with the blood also being applied to the horns of the incense altar, while the blood was poured out at the less sacred altar of burnt offering (vv. 13–18). However, even these regular sin offerings were not sufficient to deal with the accumulated pollution caused by the people’s sin; in order to prevent the land from becoming unfit for divine habitation, the high priest had to enter the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement. He carried with him a portable incense burner that would provide a protective cloud of smoke, under which he could safely take the blood of purification offerings and apply it to the mercy seat on top of the ark of the covenant (Lev. 16:12–13).

Although incense was an essential part of the worship of the tabernacle and temple, it is no longer required for new covenant worship. In the new temple, the church, the old priestly ritual has been replaced by what it symbolized, the prayers of the saints (see Rev. 5:8; 8:3–4). Now we no longer need priestly mediators to bring our prayers and petitions to God, for we may draw near in the name of Christ, our Great High Priest. He is not merely our advocate, however; He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 2:2). As our true High Priest, He has taken His own blood into the heavenly archetype toward which the tabernacle and temple pointed and applied it to the heavenly mercy seat, thereby cleansing His people forever (Heb. 9:11–14). This is what enables us to approach God without fear, without a protective canopy of incense, safe through the sprinkled blood of Christ, who is the mediator of the new covenant (12:24). As the writer to the Hebrews sums it up, “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe” (v. 28). May our thankful prayers rise daily before God like incense.

Dr. Iain Duguid is professor of Old Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and founding pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church (ARP) in Glenside, Pa. He is author of Is Jesus in the Old Testament?

 成功是什麽意思？WhatDoes It Mean to Succeed?

作者: Iain Duguid   譯者:  Maria Marta  

http://www.ligonier.org/blog/what-does-it-mean-succeed/

https://plus.google.com/u/0/106695469993489516884/posts/113h1eUQDwd

成功是什麽意思？我們通常認為成功意味著達到特定的個人和職業目標：財政豐裕，受同輩尊重，供養穩固的家庭。 我們從獲得榮譽、達到頂峰、受到欽佩、變得富有、備受關注等方面來衡量成功。同時，失敗意味著窮困潦倒或無關緊要；不受歡迎或不討人喜歡；或者是羞辱的對象。甚至在事工方面，我們也常常認為「成功」意味著大型或快速增長的會眾，再加上如優秀牧師或傳道人這樣的聲譽，而「失敗」則意味著小型、或人數減少的群集；或因困難，或在方向問題上存在分歧而不得不離開教會。

當然，不同的人對這種成功定義的不同方面也有不同的評定。 一個人可能物質上擁有一切，但仍然覺得失敗，因為他缺乏名氣-----這對他來說是真正重要的一件事。 另一個人似乎一無所有，但仍感到成功，因為他在其它不同的領域實現了目標。 在教會生活中，有大教會的牧師不感到成功，因為他們羨慕那些牧養甚至更著名教會的牧師的位置，而一些牧養小群羊的牧師在追求愛上帝放置在他們底下的人的過程中，感到心滿意足。「成功」和「失敗」是對我們自己的地位和我們周遭其他人的地位的高度的主觀評價。

然而，人類對成功和失敗的判斷非常糟糕。 一方面，我們經常使用錯誤的衡量標尺。 我們判斷為「成功」的人-----富有、有權勢、有影響力、有吸引力--------但在上帝的國度卻得不到特別的稱讚。 與此同時，那些我們輕視的失敗的人------貧窮、破碎、不足掛齒------往往是那些上帝似乎特別關注的人。 根據耶穌的教導，人可能賺得全世界 -------幾乎超越所有的人類標準------但人生依然失敗，因為在這個過程中你失去了靈魂（太十六26）。耶穌同時亦宣稱人有可能失去所有的財產、關系、地位，然而在真正攸關重要之事上-------在你與上帝的關系中取得成功（可十28-30）。

此外，我們經常過早地作出判斷。 我們以目前的表面跡象為依據進行判斷，我們評估人，好像我們知道他們的故事的結果似的。 而在現實中，這個世界不會交代故事的結局，而是在將要到來的世界才曉得其結局，一些現在在前（「成功」）的人將要在後，而現在被判斷在後（「失敗」）的人將首先進入上帝的國（可十31）。上帝上下翻轉國度的成功標準，有異於現今時代的成功標準。

當然，聖經的智慧並不是簡單的徹底推翻傳統智慧，好讓現在貧賤的人被自動算入成功的行列，而任何有地位、有財富的人都被拋棄。聖經裡當然有明智地運用自己的財富或高職位的人，如約瑟和但以理。 即使在異教徒的環境當中，這些身居政府要職的人都能忠心服事上帝。 同樣，在耶穌被釘十字架之後，亞利馬太的約瑟運用他的財富為耶穌提供墳墓（太廿七57-59）。 但除了財富和地位之外，這些人所擁有的共同之處是，他們運用上帝賜予他們的資源，首先服事上帝和祂的國。

從聖經的角度來說，這的確意味著成功。成功之人的目標乃是先求上帝的國，取代了我們個人的王國的目標----不管它們可能是舒適、認同、金錢等等。任何妨礙成功之人事奉上帝的事物，他們都願意放棄，或者為上帝將這些事物作資源來使用，他是這些資源的一個管家，被吩咐有一天要交賬（參看太廿五14-30）。不管何種管家，成功的管家不是受托負最多資源的人。管家乃是忠心管理付托給他的資源的人（太廿五:21）。

因此，受托管理一間大房子的人應該問這間房子如何能作上帝國度的資源，也許用作舉辦教會活動的地方，也許用作到問宣教士的住處。一個擁有商業恩賜的人應當明智地運用他的恩賜來經商，從而使他的客戶、社區，和他自己得益。 能言的人也應以造就人的方式來運用其說話的恩賜：對那些蒙呼召作傳道的人來說，這可能意味著傳講信息；但是對一個掙紮的年輕母親或失落的少年來說，這可能是（聽到）一句合時的安慰溫暖的說話。有許多事奉上帝國度的方法，沒有引起我們周遭許多人的注意，盡管如此，但仍算是成功。

「不易引起我們注意」的成功的一個特征，就是在上帝的話語中紮根建基。根據詩篇第一篇，這是成功（「有福」）的人的關鍵記號。 這些人喜愛上帝的話語，晝夜思考，思考上帝律法的智慧和福音的榮美（詩一2）。 他們也明智處理律法和福音的關系（第1節）。 這些人像一棵樹，栽在溪水旁，按時候結果子（第3節）。 他們將經受住最後的考驗，即審判之日（5-6節）。 這並非意味著在這個時代總是很容易認出這樣的人。 詩篇七十三篇的作者幾乎被惡人現有的繁榮絆倒，惡人似乎興往，而敬虔人卻在爭紮（參看第2-4節）。連他也需要培養長遠的眼光，來理解這兩組人的極終命運（17-20節）。

當然，我們當中沒有一個人能夠真正達到這樣的成功標準。 我們當中哪一個人真正晝夜喜愛上帝的話語？ 大多數時候，我們都很容易在價值和重要性小得多的事上分心，不管它們是互聯網、書籍、電影，還是電視。我們當中哪一個人真正忠心運用賦予給我們的恩賜，不管它們是我們的時間、我們的才幹，還是我們的金錢？ 我們消除對別人做好事的機會，同時又過多的將它們花費在我們自己身上和我們自己的安逸上。 按照上帝話語的標準來判斷，我們都是失敗、不盈利的仆人，值得丟在黑暗裡（太25:30）。

然而上帝國度之榮美在於進入不需要成功的門票。上帝國度之門對這些人是敞開的：失敗者和浪子；那些將他們的資源（其實他們的資源一直是上帝的資源）浪費在筵席和放縱生活上的人-------或者，他們在某些情況下，吝嗇愛財，將可以豐富地祝福其他人的物資貯藏起來。以下的信息我們來說是好消息，因為我們的心非先求上帝的國，反而常常愛惜地上的物資------會生銹、有缺陷、易變壞------而不具有永恒的價值。 我們追求個人的名譽和讚賞，卻忽視上帝要我們在生命和財產上榮耀祂的要求。

因此，我們迫切需要耶穌基督代表我們获取成功。按照這世界的常規邏輯，這不像成功：耶穌離開天堂的榮耀，誕生在文明世界邊緣一個閉塞群落的馬槽裡。耶穌指導一小群門徒，他們經常起爭論，他們中間誰是最大，他們還沒領悟到耶穌最簡單的教導。 最後，門徒都離棄耶穌，逃跑了，在某些時候，還否認他們曾見過祂。 最後耶穌被死在十字架釘上，一種對罪犯施行的最可恥和最鄙視的懲罰。這不是那種被世人視為「成功」的概要。

然而，在這一切當中，耶穌尋求祂父的國高於祂自己的利益，祂為那些屬於祂的人舍棄自己的生命。祂的心珍視上帝的話語，喜愛與父上帝團契交通。 在受苦的盡頭，祂將祂的靈魂交在祂父的手裏，確信祂付出的代價會成就父上帝的目標。 三天以後，祂被勝利地高舉，祂升到天上，在那裡祂的名超乎萬名之上。 有一天，萬膝都將跪拜在祂面前，承認祂是成功的真正標準。

因此，所有與基督聯合的人永遠與祂的榮耀相連。我們成功的標準不能用我們地上的成就來定義; 這標準已由我們在基督裡這一事實來定義。 正是這一事實使我們得以自由，从而促使我們奉獻我們自己和我們所有的一切來服事基督的國度。 也正因這一事實，使我們從過去、現在、將來的壓迫着我們的罪中釋放出來，背起我們的十字架，跟從祂。 無論我「成功」還是「失敗」-------無論以什麽標準來恒量------最終都算不了什麽。最重要的是基督為我，代替我取得了成功這事實。 我唯一的希望和誇口并非以我的忠心為基礎，而是以這個事實為基礎：無論我富有還是貧窮，突出還是模糊，軟弱還是堅強，我忠信的救主愛我，為我舍己。 這是我-----或任何其他人------任何時候都需要的全部成功。

本文原刊於Tabletalk雜誌。

What Does It Mean to Succeed?

FROM Iain Duguid

What does it mean to succeed? We typically think success involves reaching particular personal and professional goals—prospering financially, being respected by peers, raising a solid family, and so on. We measure success in terms of receiving honor, reaching the top, being admired, getting rich, or being noticed. Meanwhile, failure means being poor or insignificant, being unpopular or disliked, or being the object of shame. Even in ministry, we often rate “success” as a large or rapidly growing congregation, combined with a reputation as a fine pastor or preacher, while “failure” means a small or shrinking flock or having to leave a church because of difficulties or differences over direction.

Different aspects of this definition of success are rated differently by different people, of course. One person may have everything financially yet still feel like a failure because he lacks popularity, the one thing that really matters to him. Another may seem to have nothing and yet feel successful because he has achieved his goals in a different arena. In church life, there are pastors of large churches who don’t feel successful because they envy the situations of those whose churches are even more prominent, while some of those who shepherd small flocks feel content in seeking to love well those whom God has placed under them. “Success” and “failure” are highly subjective evaluations of our own status and that of others around us.

Yet, human beings are remarkably poor judges of success and failure. On the one hand, we often use the wrong measuring sticks. The people whom we judge as “success”—the rich, the powerful, the influential, and the attractive—receive no special adulation in God’s kingdom. Meanwhile, those we look down on as failures—the poor, the broken, and the unimportant people—are often those for whom it seems God has a special concern. According to Jesus, it is possible to gain the whole world—to succeed against almost every human yardstick—and still fail at life because you lose your soul in the process (Matt. 16:26). At the same time, Jesus declares that it is possible to lose all your possessions, relationships, and status, and yet succeed in what really matters—in your relationship with God (Mark 10:28–30).

In addition, we often make premature judgments. We judge on the basis of present appearances, evaluating people as if we knew the outcome of their story. In reality, the end of the story will not be told in this world but in the world to come, where some who are now first (“successful”) will be last, while others who are now judged to be last (“failures”) will be first in God’s kingdom (Mark 10:31). The measures of success in God’s upside-down kingdom are not the same as those of this present age.

Of course, biblical wisdom does not simply turn conventional wisdom on its head so that now the poor and lowly are automatically counted successful while anyone with wealth or rank is dismissed out of hand. There are certainly people in the Bible who used their wealth or high position wisely, such as Joseph or Daniel. Even in a pagan environment, these men served the Lord faithfully at the highest level of government. Likewise, Joseph of Arimathea used his wealth to provide a tomb for Jesus after His crucifixion (Matt. 27:57–59). But more than wealth or position, what these men had in common was that they served the Lord and His kingdom first, with the resources He had given them.

This is surely what it means to succeed from a biblical perspective. In place of serving the goals of our own personal kingdoms, whatever they might be—comfort, approval, money, and so on—the successful person puts first God’s kingdom. He is willing to give up any of these things if they get in the way of serving God, or to use them for God as resources over which he is a steward who will one day be called to account (see Matt. 25:14–30). The successful steward is not the one who is entrusted with the most resources, of whatever kind. It is the steward who is faithful with the resources with which he has been entrusted (Matt. 25:21).

Thus, the person who has been entrusted with a large house should be asking how that house can be a resource for the kingdom, perhaps by hosting church events or housing visiting missionaries. The person with business gifts should use them wisely to build a business that benefits his customers and the community as well as himself. The person who can speak should do so in ways that build people up: this may include preaching, for those called to that work, but it can also be a kind word in season to a struggling young mother or a lost teenager. There are many ways to serve God’s kingdom that evade the notice of many around us but nonetheless constitute success.

One aspect of success that easily evades our attention is being rooted and grounded in the Word of God. This, according to Psalm 1, is a key mark of successful (“blessed”) people. These people delight in God’s Word, meditating on it day and night, pondering the wisdom of God’s laws as well as the beauty of the gospel (Ps. 1:2). They will also be wise in their relationships (v. 1). These individuals flourish like a well-watered tree, with green leaves and abundant fruit in season (v. 3). These people will stand in the ultimate test, the day of judgment (vv. 5–6). That doesn’t mean that such people are always easy to spot in this present age. The writer of Psalm 73 almost stumbled over the present prosperity of the wicked, who seemed to be flourishing while godly people struggled (see vv. 2–4). He, too, needed to develop a long-term perspective that perceived the ultimate destiny of the two groups (vv. 17–20).

Of course, none of us can truly measure up to such a standard of success. Which of us truly delights in God’s Word day and night? Most of the time, we are easily distracted by things of much lesser value and significance, whether the Internet, books, movies, or television. Which of us is truly faithful with the gifts we have been given, whether our time, our talents, or our treasure? We fritter away opportunities to do good to others, while spending inordinate amounts of these things on ourselves and our own ease. Judged by the standard of God’s Word, we are all found to be failures, unprofitable servants, deserving of being cast into the outer darkness (Matt. 25:30).

Yet the beauty of God’s kingdom is that success is not required for entry. The doorway is wide open to failures and prodigals, to those who have squandered their resources (which were really God’s resources all along) on feasting and riotous living—or, in some cases, on the miserly hoarding of things with which we could have richly blessed others. This is good news for us, for instead of seeking first God’s kingdom, our hearts have so often treasured earthly things—things that will rust, dent, and spoil—instead of the things that are of eternal value. We have pursued personal reputation and acclaim while ignoring the claims of God’s glory on our lives and our possessions.

For that reason, we desperately need the success that Jesus Christ accomplished on our behalf. It didn’t look like success by the regular logic of this world. He left the halls of heavenly glory and was born in a stable in a backwater community on the edge of the civilized world. He mentored a tiny group of disciples who constantly bickered among themselves as to who was the greatest while failing to grasp His simplest teachings. At the end, they all abandoned Jesus and fled, in some cases denying that they had ever met Him. Then He was crucified on a cross, the punishment reserved for the most heinous and despised criminals. This is not the kind of résumé that the world counts as “success.”

In all of this, however, Jesus sought His Father’s kingdom above His own interests, laying down His life for those who were His. He treasured God’s Word in His heart and delighted in His fellowship with the Father. At the end of His suffering, He commended His spirit into His Father’s hands, confident that the price He paid would accomplish His goals. After three days, He was raised triumphantly, and He ascended into heaven, where His name is now exalted above every name. One day, every knee will bow before Him and acknowledge that He is the true measure of success.

As a result, all those who are united to Christ are linked forever to His glory. The measure of our success cannot be defined by what we accomplish here on earth; it has already been defined by the fact that we are in Christ. It is this that frees us to spend ourselves and everything we have in service to Christ’s kingdom. And it is this that also frees us from crushing guilt over our past and present failures to take up our cross and follow after Him. Whether I “succeed” or “fail”—by whatever standard—ultimately counts for nothing. What counts is the fact that Christ has succeeded for me, in my place. My only hope and boast rest not in my faithfulness but in the fact that whether I am rich or poor, prominent or obscure, weak or strong, my faithful Savior has loved me and given Himself for me. That is all the success I—or anyone else—will ever need.

This post was originally published in Tabletalk magazine.