耶穌與在東門發火焰的劍Jesusand the Flaming Sword at the East Gate

作者：Nicholas T. Batzig   譯者: 駱鴻銘

http://feedingonchrist.com/jesus-and-the-flaming-sword-at-the-east-gate/

http://www.crtsbooks.net/blog/post/2015/03/16/%E8%80%B6%E7%A9%8C%E8%88%87%E5%9C%A8%E6%9D%B1%E9%96%80%E7%99%BC%E7%81%AB%E7%84%B0%E7%9A%84%E5%8A%8D.aspx

關於記錄在聖經裡的上帝偉大的工作，其細節完全不是隨意編造的。從最早記錄在救贖歷史裡的啟示開始，耶和華在救贖歷史的範圍裡、就埋下了許多將來要作為「定時炸彈」的細節。在一個細節被深深扎在讀者心中之後，當我們在閱讀這個榮耀的救贖啟示展開的書頁時，就必定會觸發另一個相關的定時炸彈。這些定時炸彈中最早的幾個之一，是被放置在伊甸園東邊入口的，在基路伯手中的發火焰的劍。正如之前幾個帖子所提到的，伊甸園是上帝與持有祂形象的人共同居住的花園-聖殿。就最完整和最真實的意義來說，它是上帝在地上的居所。當亞當和夏娃悖逆上帝，其中的一個後果就是他們從伊甸園被放逐出去（創三20-24）。墮落的意思是，這個世界的花園-聖殿必須被潔淨。聖經其餘的部分就是在教導我們，人如何能再次獲得進入這個天上聖殿的通道，好住在上帝的同在之中。當然，這只有在我們的罪被歸到基督身上，而且祂身體的殿，藉著在十字架上落在祂身上的流血審判得到潔淨後，才會發生。（關於被釘十字架是聖殿被潔淨，請看這裡，這裡，和這裡。）有趣的是，關於這把發火焰的劍的聖經神學，以及救贖歷史裡提到的東邊，會幫助我們更明白要回到上帝身邊所必須發生的事。以下是一些有關發火焰的劍，以及這個東邊的門，在上帝為人類打開回到祂的同在中的道路，並且永遠與祂同住的工作中，其意義的聖經神學發展。

There is absolutely nothing arbitrary about the details pertaining to the great works of God recorded in Scripture. From the earliest recorded revelation in the history of redemption, the Lord gave tiny details that were meant to serve as “time-bombs” planted into the field of redemptive history. After one detail was firmly fixed in the mind of the reader, it was meant to trigger other related time bombs as we read through the pages of the unfolding of this glorious redemptive revelation. One of the earliest of these time bombs was the allusion to the flaming sword in the hand of the cherubim placed at the East gate of Eden. As has been noted in previous posts here, Eden was the Garden-Temple where God dwelt with His image bearers. It was, in the fullest and truest sense, the dwelling place of God on earth. When Adam and Eve rebelled against God, one of the consequences was that they were exiled from the Garden (Genesis 3:20-24). The fall meant that the Garden-Temple of this world had to be cleansed. The rest of the Scriptures are teaching us how man will again be given access to enter into the Heavenly Temple to dwell in the presence of God. This, of course, will only happen definitely when our sin was imputed to Christ and the Temple of His body was cleansed through the blood judgment that fell on Him at the cross. (For a fuller development of the crucifixion being Temple cleansing see this, this and this). Interestingly, the biblical-theology of the flaming sword and references to the east in redemptive history help us better understand how the way back to God must occur. Here are some of the biblical-theological developments regarding the significance of the flaming sword and the East Gate in God’s work of opening the way for man to come back into His presence to dwell with him forever:

發火焰的公義之劍

The Flaming Sword of Justice

亞當和夏娃犯罪之後，上帝「在伊甸園的東邊安設基路伯和四面轉動發火焰的劍，要把守生命樹的道路」。這把劍是代表所有亞當的後裔，當他們企圖藉著他們自己的努力，尋找一條歸回上帝、歸回生命之路時，將要落在他們身上的上帝的公義。愛德華滋（Jonathan Edwards）闡釋了這點。他寫道：

After Adam and Eve sinned, God “placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” The sword represented the justice of God that would fall on any of Adam’s descendants who sought to find their way back to God and to life by their own efforts. Jonathan Edwards expounded on this when he wrote:

因此，當他們企圖要靠自己得著永生，是多麼地虛空和危險的事。有許多人，不顧上帝公義和伸冤的怒氣所發動的四面轉動的發火焰的劍，努力想要尋找一條來到生命樹面前的道路。許多人很勇敢，想要靠他們自己的名，靠他們自己的公義。對那些靠基督的名前來的人而言，劍已經不復存在；但是對那些靠自己的名前來的，一把發火焰的劍仍然在等候著他們。（註1）

Hence how vain and dangerous are their attempts that are attempting to get eternal life themselves. There are many that, notwithstanding the flaming sword of God’s justice and vindictive wrath that turns every [way], are endeavoring to find out ways to come at the tree of life. Many are bold to come in their own names and in their own righteousness. [There is] no sword for them that come in Christ’s name, but a flaming sword still for them that come in their own names.1

在摩西之歌裡，我們再次學到上帝的公義之劍。這次，它提到了上帝會如何對待那些恨祂和反對祂的人。就在帶領他們前進，去得迦南地為業之際，耶和華告訴以色列人：「我憑我的永生起誓：我若磨我閃亮的刀，手掌審判之權，就必報復我的敵人，報應恨我的人。」（申三十二40-41）

In Moses’ song, we learn again of the sword of the Lord’s justice. This time, it is in reference to what the Lord will do to those who hate and oppose Him. Just before leading them forward to take possession of the Land, the Lord told Israel, “As I live forever, If I whet My glittering sword, and My hand takes hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to My enemies, and repay those who hate Me” (Deut. 32:40-41).

羅伯森（O. Palmer Robertson）根據後來在漸進啟示的展開裡所提到的，解釋這裡提及的「耶和華的刀」的象徵性意義。他寫到：

O. Palmer Robertson explains the symbolic significance of this reference to “the sword of the Lord” in light of subsequent references to it in the unfolding of progressive revelation when he writes:

受到了盟約誓言的約束，耶和華必須用祂的劍來擊殺所有的惡人。當約書亞正在盤算他如何進攻耶利哥城之際，耶和華的這把刀，在耶和華軍隊的元帥手中已經預備好了（書五13）。這把刀也成為基甸喊叫攻打米甸人的戰役的主要特色（士七20）。在約翰啟示錄的天啟異象中，那位名為上帝之道的，揮舞著兩刄的劍，攻擊列國（啟一16，二12、16，十九15、21）。這把末世性的劍，和彌賽亞君王的「鐵杖」結合在一起，成為制服列國的工具（啟十九15；參：詩二9）。（註2）

Bound by the oath of the covenant, the Lord must employ his sword to slay all the wicked. This sword of the Lord appears readied in the hand of the captain of the Lord’s host as Joshua contemplates his attack on Jericho (Josh. 5:13). It became the central feature of Gideon’s battle cry against the Midianites (Judg. 7:20). In the apocalyptic visions of the Revelation of John, the one whose name is the Word of God brandishes a sharp double-edged sword that strikes the nations (Rev. 1:16; 2:12, 16; 19:15, 21). This eschatological sword joins the “iron scepter” of the messianic king as an instrument for subduing the nations (Rev. 19:15; cf. Ps. 2:9).2

儘管有這些提到耶和華要在祂的仇敵身上執行祂審判的地方，在先知文學裡有一個重要的地方，提到上帝公義的劍會落在彌賽亞身上，好拯救上帝的百姓。既然我們都配得上帝的審判，我們找到一處經文，說到基督所要扮演的代替性角色，為我們擔當上帝的審判——被丟在「刀劍」這個圖像之下——就是很合適的。在撒迦利亞書十三章7裡，我們讀到：

While in all of these places to the Lord executing His judgment on His enemies, there is one significant place in the prophetic literature in which the sword of God’s justice will fall on the Messiah for the salvation of God’s people. Since we all deserve the judgment of God it is only fitting that we would find a passage that speaks of the substitutionary role that Christ would play in taking the judgment of God for us–thrown under the figure of the “sword.” In Zechariah 13:7 we read:

萬軍之耶和華說：

刀劍哪，應當興起，

攻擊我的牧人和我的同伴。

擊打牧人，羊就分散；

 Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd,

Against the Man who is My Companion,

Says the Lord of hosts.

Strike the Shepherd,

And the sheep will be scattered;

耶穌在祂被賣、帶來祂的受難的時刻，明確地把這個預言指給祂的門徒看。當大祭司前來捉拿祂，耶穌告訴祂的門徒：「今夜，你們為我的緣故都要跌倒。因為經上記著說：我要擊打牧人，羊就分散了。」（太廿六31）耶和華的刀劍要落在祂的牧人/同伴身上的預言，是祂的怒氣要在十字架上傾倒在基督身上的預言。耶穌通過了上帝公義的發火焰的劍（亞十三7），這是在花園-聖殿的東邊入口，由基路伯和發火焰的劍所代表的（創三24）。它們各自在救贖歷史裡佔有一席之地，幫助我們填補上帝應許要做的事的這幅圖畫。上帝的兒子投身於這場對抗撒但、罪、死亡的戰爭中——擔當上帝審判的發火焰的劍的怒氣——好為我們打開歸回到上帝的同在的道路。

Jesus explicitly pointed His disciples to this prophecy at the hour of his betrayal leading to His sufferings. When the chief priests came to take him, Jesus told his disciples, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered’ (Matthew 26:31). The prediction of the LORD’s sword falling on His Shepherd/Companion is a prediction of His wrath being poured out on Christ at the cross. Jesus passes through the flaming sword of God’s justice (Zech. 13:7) which was itself represented by the cherubim standing with flaming swords at the east entrance to the Garden-Temple (Gen. 3:24). Each of them takes their place in redemptive history to aid us in filling in the picture of what God was promising to do. The Son of God entered into the battle against Satan, sin and death–bearing the wrath of the flaming sword of God’s judgment–in order to open the way back to the presence of God for us.

愛德華滋提到透過福音的鏡片來閱讀創世記三章22-24節的意義。他寫到：

Jonathan Edwards noted the significance of reading Genesis 3:22-24 through the lens of the Gospel when he wrote:

基督保證要帶領我們回到生命樹，而且祂走在我們前面。基督自己被那發火焰的劍所擊殺；而這把劍，在擊殺了以我們的名出現的、具有無窮價值的上帝的兒子之後，讓這件事上得到了完全的執行。當它讓基督的血流出，就完成了它所有的工作，在這之後，它就被撤去了。而基督從死裡復活，祂自己是一位神而人者，就走在我們前面；而既然這把劍已經被撤去，已經完成它的工作，在擊殺了基督之後，在那裡就沒有工作要做了。如今已經沒有刀劍了，對那些在基督裡的人來說，通往永生的道路已經開通，沒有障礙了。（註3）

Christ undertook to lead us to the tree of life, and he went before us. Christ himself was slain by that flaming [sword]; and this sword, having slain the Son of God appearing in our name, who was a person of infinite worthiness, that sword did full execution in that. And when it had shed the blood of Christ, it had done all its work, and so after that was removed. And Christ arising from the dead, being a divine person himself, went before us; and now the sword is removed, having done its execution, already having nothing more to do there, having slain Christ. There is no sword now, and the way is open and clear to eternal life for those that are in Christ.3

安·可貞（Ann Cousins）精彩地捕捉到撒迦利亞的預言。在她所作的詩歌裡，她這樣寫到：

Ann Cousins captured so well what Zechariah was prophesying when she penned the words of her hymn, “O Christ What Burdens Bowed Thy Head:”

耶和華吩咐刀劍興起，

喔基督，它興起是為攻擊你；

你的血滅此火刃，

你的心是它刀鞘；

都是為我，使我平安；

為我平息此刃。

Jehovah bade His sword awake;

O Christ, it woke ’gainst Thee!

Thy blood the flaming blade must slake;

Thine heart its sheath must be;

All for my sake, my peace to make;

Now sleeps that sword for me.

（譯按：這首詩歌錄於聖徒詩歌73—哦，主，甚麼使你頭垂？O CHRIST, WHAT BURDENS BOWED THY HEAD；中文詩歌沒有選譯這段，筆者自譯）

伊甸園東

East of Eden

這裡提到東邊，和亞當夏娃被驅逐到花園-聖殿的東邊這個事實，也有聖經神學上的關聯。在這個聖經主題的發展中，我們在以色列歷史裡，有關他們在征服應許地的支派戰爭中與會幕的關係裡，發現到這些暗示。在數點各支派的人數之後，耶和華告訴摩西和亞倫，按照耶和華所決定的各支派的位置，讓各支派紮營在會幕四周。從各支派來的勇士，分別駐紮在會幕的北邊，南邊，西邊和東邊。上帝自己會住在祂百姓中間。這也是一幅基督要降臨和同在的圖畫。當耶穌降臨時，福音書作者經常記錄到祂「在他們中間」。即使當祂被釘十字架時，祂也是被掛在兩個強盜當中。使徒約翰這樣說到：「耶穌在中間」（約十九18）。約翰也在啟示錄裡告訴我們，基督（羔羊）位在天上的中央，坐在上帝的寶座上。所有得贖之人圍繞著寶座，向祂唱讚美歌。基督的會幕住在祂百姓當中。

There is also a biblical-theological correlation between the reference to the East and the fact that Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden-Temple, “east of Eden.” In the development of this theme in Scripture, we find allusive allusions in the history of Israel with relation to the Tabernacle their tribal warfare in conquering the land. After numbering each of the tribes, the Lord told Moses and Aaron to set the tribes around the Tabernacle of meeting, according to each of their respective places determined by the Lord. The men of war from each tribe would position themselves north, south, west and east of the Tabernacle. God Himself would dwell in the midst of His people. This too was a picture of the coming and presence of Christ. When Jesus came the Gospel writers frequently record that He was “in the midst.” Even when He was crucified, He was placed between two thieves. The apostle John puts it this way: “and Jesus in the center.” John also tells us, in Revelation, that Christ (the Lamb) is the center of heaven, as He sits on the throne of God. All the redeemed surround the throne and sing His praises. The Tabernacling Christ dwells in the midst of His people.

在曠野漂流時，當各支派被安排在會幕四周，猶大被吩咐要駐紮在會幕的東邊（民二3）。在朝向恢復伊甸園和上帝的同在的墊腳石中，東邊（或東門）代表回去的道路（創二8，三24）。當亞當和夏娃犯了罪，他們被逐出花園。有兩個基路伯，帶著發火焰的劍被安設在伊甸園東邊（創三24），把守回到上帝居所之路。基督，猶大支派的獅子，是再次打開這條路的那位。祂是通往上帝同在的唯一道路，因為祂就是上帝的同在。每當舊約提到聖殿東邊的門，總的來說都會提到猶大的位置。

When the tribes were positioned about the Tabernacle during Israel’s wilderness wandering, Judah was commanded to camp on the east side when the Tabernacle. In the stepping stones toward the restoration of Eden and the presence of God, the east side (or East Gate) represents the way back (see Gen.28; and 3:24). When Adam and Eve sinned, they were cast out of the Garden. Two cherubim with flaming swords were placed at the East of Eden (Gen. 3:24), guarding the way back to the dwelling place of God.  Christ, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, is the One who opens that way up again. He is the way to the presence of God, because He is the presence of God. Whenever the east gate of the Temple is mentioned in the Old Testament, it is generally mentioned with reference to Judah’s place.

在民數記二章3節，我們首先發現到上帝首次給了有關猶大支派的指示，並且給了這個支派在戰爭中的一個特殊地位：「在東邊，向日出之地，照著軍隊安營的是猶大營的纛。有亞米拿達的兒子拿順作猶大人的首領。」為了叫以色列確保回到上帝同在的道路，他們必須履行征服的使命，並確立上帝在耶路撒冷的居所（即會幕和聖殿）。為了達到這個目標，猶大是首先出戰的（士一1-3）。這是基督，猶大支派的獅子，征服上帝的敵人，確保屬靈產業的一幅圖畫。

In Numbers 2:3 we discover that God gave instruction concerning Judah first, and gave the tribe a special placement for the battle: “On the east side, toward the rising of the sun, those of the standard of the forces with Judah shall camp according to their armies; and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be the leader of the children of Judah.” In order for Israel to secure back to the presence of God, they have to fulfill the conquest and establish the dwelling place of God (i.e. the Tabernacle and then the Temple) in Jerusalem. To this end, Judah is the first to go to battle (Judges 1:1-3). This was a picture of the conquest of God’s enemies and the securing of the spiritual inheritance by Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

此外，會幕也是朝向東邊，日出之地。祭壇是會幕裡第一件神聖的陳設，這是因為要進入上帝的同在，沒有獻祭是不可能的。當祭司為了早晨的獻祭要進到會幕時，日頭應該已經照在祭壇上，祭物要被獻給上帝。這似乎有兩個理由：首先是日頭會照在打開回到上帝同在的道路的那物之上；其次，日頭本身是公義的太陽的一個預表，聖經說它的出現，「其翅膀有醫治之能」（瑪四2）。這就是為什麼會幕要面朝東邊可能的理由。

Additionally, the Tabernacle also faced toward the east, the place to the rising of the sun. The alter was the first piece of sacred furniture in the Tabernacle and it was so because the way into the presence of God was not possible without the sacrifice. When the priest came into the Tabernacle for the morning sacrifice, the sun would have shone on the alter on which the sacrifice was being offered to God. There seems to be two reasons for this: The first is that the sun would shine on the very thing that opened the way back to the presence of God; and second, the sun was itself a type of the Sun of Righteousness who is said to “rise with healing in His wings” (Malachi 4:2). This is probably the reason for the Tabernacle facing toward the east.

正如上帝把基路伯放在伊甸園的東門，基路伯也被繡在掛在會幕和聖殿裡，擋住進入至聖所的道路的幔子上（出廿六31）。這是要提醒他們，進入至聖所的道路還沒有完全顯明。每當以色列人讀到關於基路伯被繡在聖所的幔子上，他們就應該要記得被安設在花園-聖殿的入口，那帶著發火焰的劍的基路伯，擋住了進入上帝同在的道路。

Just as God placed cherubim at the east gate to the Garden of Eden, so cherubim were sown into the veil that hung in the Tabernacle and Temple blocking the way into the Most Holy Place (Exodus 26:31). This was a reminder that they way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest. Whenever the Israelites read about the cherubim sown into the veil of the Temple, they should have remembered the cherubim with the flaming sword place at the entrance to the Garden-Temple, blocking the way back to the blessed presence of God

在舊約的先知文學裡，主要的復原暗示，也和會幕的東邊，和聖殿的「東門」有關。在以西結有關新聖殿的預言裡（結四十～四十八章），東門是這個末世性的上帝居所最突出的焦點。這門平時必須關閉，只有君王可以進入（結四十六1-8）。君王（明顯是指彌賽亞，見但九25）要帶著燔祭進入（結四十六12）。祭物一旦獻上，我們就發現到，「殿的門檻下有水往東流出（原來殿面朝東）；這水從檻下，由殿的右邊，在祭壇的南邊往下流。」（結四十七1）這水是象徵性地代表聖靈，是在整本第四福音書裡，我們的主所熟悉的（約四10，七37-39，十九34）。猶大在整個舊約中都在「東邊」，預表著救贖主，以及祂為我們打開的、通向上帝同在的道路（來六19-20）。

One of the principle restorative allusions in the OT prophetic literature also has to do with the east side of the Tabernacle and “East Gate” of the Temple. In Ezekiel’s prophecy of the New Temple (Ez. 40-48)  the “east Gate” is the prominent focus of the the eschatological dwelling place of God. It is the gate that is shut so that no one but the Prince can enter in (Ez. 46:1-8). The Prince (i.e. a clear reference to the Messiah, see Dan. 9:25) enters with the burnt offering (Ez. 46:12). Once the sacrifice was offered we find that “there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar” (Ez. 47:1). The water is a symbolic representation of the Holy Spirit, as our Lord intimates throughout the fourth Gospel (John 4:10; 7:37-39; 19:34). Judah being at the “east” throughout the OT typifies the Redeemer and His work opening the way into the presence of God (Heb. 6:19-20) for us.

第二個亞當，耶穌基督，為祂的百姓通過了上帝怒氣的發火焰的劍。當祂身體的幔子（來十10）在十字架上被審判而撕開，聖殿的幔子就從上到下被撕成兩半。祂步出墳墓，進入新生，在那裡，祂的門徒遇見天使，手中不是拿著發火焰的劍，而是說著：「祂不在這裡，照祂所說的，已經復活了。」（太廿八6）耶穌已經為所有信祂的人開了一條又新又活的，回到上帝同在的路（來十19-20）。

The second Adam, Jesus Christ, passed through the flaming sword of God’s wrath for His people. The veil was torn in two from top to bottom when the veil of His flesh (Heb. 10:10) was torn apart in judgment on the cross. He the stepped out of the tomb to newness of life where His disciples were met by Angels, not holding a flaming sword, but saying, “He is not here. He is risen, and He said.” Jesus has made a new and living way back into the presence of God for all who will believe in Him (Hebrews 10:19-20).

註：

 1. Edwards, J. (1999). East of Eden. In M. Valeri & H. S. Stout (Eds.), Sermons and Discourses, 1730–1733 (Vol. 17, p. 346). New Haven; London: Yale University Press. For a further doctrinal and pastoral treatment of the flaming sword see Jonathan Edwards’ sermon “East of Eden.”)

2. O. Palmer Robertson TNICOT: The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdman’s, 1990) p. 253

3. Edwards, J. (1999). East of Eden. In M. Valeri & H. S. Stout (Eds.), Sermons and Discourses, 1730–1733 (Vol. 17, p. 347). New Haven; London: Yale University Press.

舊約、新約聖經中的聖靈TheSpirit in the Old and New Testament

作者：Nicholas T. Batzig  譯者：駱鴻銘

http://feedingonchrist.com/the-spirit-of-the-old-and-new-testament/

http://www.crtsbooks.net/blog/post/2016/04/11/The_Spirit_in_the_Old_and_New_Testament.aspx

有一個重大問題一直困擾著教會歷史上的神學家們，那就是與聖靈在新約聖經時期的工作相比，聖靈在舊約聖經時期的角色究竟是什麼。聖經很清楚地教導說，聖靈在這兩個時期都使救恩在信徒的生命中發揮果效；然而，聖經似乎也暗示，祂在這兩個時期運行的方式有著重大的差異。在嘗試回答這個問題的答案中，有一些答案會讓部分神學家主張說，在一些特定的時刻，即舊約聖經時期，聖靈只賜給了先知、祭司、君王，使他們能完成特殊的工作。此外，有些人主張在這兩個救贖工作的時期，聖靈的運行是不連貫的，這是因為聖靈在舊約聖經時期似乎在信徒身上是來來去去的，對比於新約聖經時期，聖靈永遠與信徒同在。然而，這些解釋無論從表面上看來如何順理成章，卻無法通過整本聖經或整個救贖歷史的本質的檢驗。所以，究竟聖經是如何交代聖靈在這兩個時期在救贖歷史上和人類經驗上的連貫性，及其間斷性呢？

One of the great questions that has plagued theologians throughout church history is that which concerns the role of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament by way of contrast with His work in the New Testament. The Scriptures clearly teach that Spirit effects salvation in the lives of believers in both eras; however, it also seems to suggest that there is a significant difference in the way in which He worked in both eras. Some of the attempts to answer the questions have led theologians to suggest that the Holy Spirit was only given to Prophets, Priests and Kings, for a special work at special times, in the Old Testament era. Additionally, some have suggested that the discontinuity between the Spirit’s work in the two economies subsists in the way in which the Holy Spirit seems to have come and gone from believers in the Old Testament in contrast with abiding with believers in the New. However palatable these explanations may appear to be on the surface, neither stand the scrutiny of Scripture or the nature of redemptive history on the whole. So what exactly does the Scripture teach about the redemptive-historical and experiential continuity and discontinuity of the Spirit’s work in both eras?

傅格森（Sinclair Ferguson）在他關於聖靈的講座（威斯敏斯特神學院講座系列，共37講）中——通過解經、聖經神學、系統神學——解釋了新、舊約聖經中有關聖靈工作的教導。傅格森提出了以下的觀察：

In his 37 part Westminster Theological Seminary series on the Holy Spirit, Sinclair Ferguson explained–by means of exegetical, systematic and biblical-theological categories–the essential biblical teaching of the work of the Spirit in the Old and New Testament. Ferguson made the following observations:

  1. 上帝在新、舊約聖經工作的形式和豐富的內容是由聖靈塑造的。聖靈在祂外在的工作（opera ad extra）上（即，三一神外在的活動），塑造了上帝在時間中所有工作的外形，並賦予其果效。對聖經中所描繪的上帝的主要工作來說——即創造和救贖大工——都是如此。上帝乃是靠著聖靈的大能、藉著聖子，創造了諸世界。同樣，也藉著聖子使新創造得以實現。這在新、舊約聖經中都可以見到。

1. The Holy Spirit Gives Form and Fullness to the Work of God in the Old and New Testament. In the opera ad extra (i.e. the external activity of the Trinity), the Holy Spirit gives shape and efficacy to all of God’s work in time. This is so with regard to all the major activities of God described in Scripture–namely, in the work of creation and redemption. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that the Father creates the worlds through the Son. Likewise, it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that the Father brings about the new creation through the Son. This is seen in both the Old and New Testaments.

 2. 相對來說，聖靈的同在和職事在舊約聖經中是隱藏的。奧古斯丁曾解釋道：「原本隱藏在舊約（聖經是）中的，在新約裏被啟明出來」。大體來說，這適用於三位一體的真理。然而，對聖靈和基督來說，更是如此。聖靈的身分及其職事的豐富，都是在舊約聖經中逐漸啟示出來的，且越來越精彩。正如我們論到聖子時——呼應希伯來書第一章的話——可以說，上帝透過先知多次多方地曉諭列祖，我們對聖靈的身分和職事，也可以說完全同樣的話。

2. The Presence and Ministry of the Spirit is Relatively Hidden in the Old Testament. Augustine once explained, “What lies hidden in the Old is revealed in the New.” This is true of the Trinity in general. However, it is no less true of the Spirit than it is of Christ. The revelation of both the personal identity and the fulness of the ministry of the Holy Spirit takes place within the Old Testament progressively and cumulatively. Just as we can say–echoing the words of Hebrews 1–of the Son that God has revealed Himself in many fragmentary ways to the fathers by the prophets, so we can say exactly the same thing about the identity and ministry of the Holy Spirit.

聖靈的啟示和聖子的啟示，其漸進展開的過程是等量齊觀的。以賽亞書六十三章9-14節為我們提供了聖靈在出埃及時的工作一系列的參考資料。以賽亞在第六十三章所說的，是緊跟著這個事實的，即他已經領受了上帝有關彌賽亞和耶和華僕人職事的啟示。只有在這個真理的光照下，我們才能明白聖靈在先前啟示裏的工作是何等的豐富。

The unfolding of the revelation of the Spirit is commensurate with the unfolding of the revelation of the Son. Isaiah 63:9-14 provides us with a series of references to the work of the Spirit in the Exodus. What Isaiah says in chapter 63 is riding on the heals of the fact that he had received the revelation of God about the Messianic ministry and the Servant of the Lord. It is only in the light of this truth that we come to see the riches of how the Spirit was at work in previous revelation.

  3. 聖靈在五旬節時降臨，是末日已經到來的有形記號。末世的權能顯明在聖靈在五旬節的降臨上。舊約聖經預言一個復興的時代。約珥書第二章在這方面具體說明了聖靈的工作。聖靈在五旬節時降臨，是末日已經來臨的有形記號，也說明末世的權能已經被釋放出來了。五旬節開啟了末日，彌賽亞時代已經入侵到了今世。

3. The Coming of the Spirit on Pentecost is the Visible Sign that the Last Days Have Come. The powers of the age to come have been manifested in the coming of the Spirit on Pentecost. The Old Testament predicts an era of restoration. Joel 2 specifically speaks of the work of the Spirit in this regard. The coming of the Spirit on Pentecost is the visible sign that the last days have now come and that the powers of the world to come have now been released. What Pentecost inaugurates is the invasion of the last days, the Messianic age, into the present day.

  4. 五旬節是一個記號，標記出聖靈恩賜要賜給萬民的先知預言已經得著應驗。和摩西時期的聖約施行相比，聖靈如今沒有分別地澆灌在萬民身上，聖靈在新盟約中的施行，其最特殊之處是聖靈的澆灌是普世性的。聖靈的職事沒有地理或種族的限制。使徒行傳第二章必須從上帝要倒轉巴別塔這個角度來理解。既然基督已經作為祂子民的代表，升到天上與上帝同在，變亂口音和列國之間的隔閡就不再有了，相反的，語言和列國都在耶穌基督合一的福音裏得到了統一。耶穌藉著祂的復活，已經從父神那裏領受了所應許的聖靈。彼得帶我們到五旬節的舞台後方，從基督論的角度向我們解釋。詩篇第二篇的應許，即父神應許聖子，若聖子求聖父，聖父就會把列國賜給祂作基業，這在五旬節時得到了應驗。基督的工作不是在升天時就完成了。祂已經從父神領受了所應許的聖靈。而祂從父神所領受的聖靈，就是祂澆灌在凡有血氣的人身上的聖靈。五旬節所發生的事，就是一個新人類（a new humanity）的創造——得榮耀的基督靠著聖靈，將生命之氣吹入到這個新人類當中。

4. Pentecost marks the fulfillment of the prophesied universal gift and distribution of the Spirit. By contrast with the Mosaic administration, the Spirit is now poured out on all people without distinction. What is distinctive of the New Covenant administration of the Spirit is the universality of the pouring out of the Spirit. There is no geographical or ethnic restriction with regard to the ministry of the Spirit. Acts 2 is meant to be understood as the divine reversal of Babel. Since Christ has ascended as the representative of His people into the presence of God there is not now the confusing of tongues and the separating of the nations, but the unifying of tongues and the unifying of the nations in the unity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The resurrected Jesus has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit. Peter takes us behind the scenes of Pentecost and explains it Christologically for us. The promise of Psalm 2–the Father promising the Son that if the Son will ask of Him, He will give Him the nations for His inheritance–is being fulfilled at Pentecost. The work of Christ did not finish at the ascension. He has received from the Father, the Holy Spirit who was promised. And, it is the Spirit He has received from the Father, who He has poured out on all flesh. What is taking place at Pentecost is the creation of a new humanity–by the glorified Christ breathing life into the new humanity by the Spirit.

耶利米書三十一章關於新盟約應許，其核心是：在新盟約中，我們不需要任何人教導我們，所有的人都要認識主。約翰在約翰壹書第二章27節重新提到這點。當然，這不是說我們在新盟約的教會中不再需要教師了。約翰不可能是指上帝賜給祂子民的獨特恩賜（弗四11），相反，祂是重提耶利米書三十一章的應許，說新盟誓約的應許在基督裏應驗了，這是聖靈所賜的，好叫上帝所有的子民可以說預言，即所有上帝的子民在耶穌基督裏可以有直接認識上帝的管道。相對的，在舊盟約裏，上帝的知識都要透過媒介。舊約時代的治理有許多的中保，而在新約聖經當中，只有一個中保，那就是耶穌基督。在福音裏，耶穌基督會直接光照我們的悟性。

The core promise of the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31 is that, in the New Covenant, we won’t “need anyone to teach” us–we will all know the Lord. John picks up on this in 1 John 2:27. This, of course, doesn’t mean that we don’t need teachers in the New Covenant church. John cannot be referring to the distinctive gifts God gives His people (Eph. 4:11). Rather, he is picking up the promise of Jeremiah 31 and saying that the New Covenant promise is fulfilled in Christ and given by the Spirit so that all God’s people, in this sense, prophecy—i.e. that all of God’s people have access to the immediate knowledge of God in Jesus Christ. Whereas, in the Old Testament the knowledge of God was always mediated. In the Old economy, there were many mediators. In the New Testament, there is only one mediator, Jesus Christ. In the Gospel, our understanding is immediately illuminated by Jesus Christ.

  5. 五旬節的聖靈恩賜是外在的記號，說明摩西之約的治理，其獨特卻暫時的特色已經被廢除了。聖靈是榮耀的靈。聖靈是從上帝的榮耀那裏臨到我們的；要帶我們到上帝的榮耀那裏；並且在我們裏面運行，祂就是上帝的榮耀。在伊甸園，人的任務是展現並反射上帝的榮耀。將上帝的榮耀從伊甸園擴展到全地，預示著上帝的榮耀會在亞當身上得到擴展，並擴展到全宇宙。

5. The Gift of the Spirit at Pentecost is the External Sign of the Abrogation of the Distinctive but Temporary Features of the Mosaic Covenantal Economy. The Spirit is the Spirit of Glory. The Spirit is the One who comes to us from the glory of God, brings us to the glory of God and works within us, nothing less than the glory of God. In Eden, man’s task was to express and reflect the glory of God. That expansion of Divine glory from Eden to the whole earth is anticipatory of the manifestation of the expansion of Divine glory in Adam and throughout the whole cosmos.

五旬節的聖靈恩賜是說明一個事實，即摩西時期的治理，其暫時性的特點，如今已經完成了它們的功用，在基督裏已經達到高峰，已經被廢棄了。當早期教會試圖要理解這點在新盟約時代要如何生效，使徒必須努力解答這點。舊盟約的治理，其界限已經被打破了。舊約聖經書頁裏所預期的聖靈的工作，有一種很清楚的「尚未」的特性。我們在聖靈降在七十個先知身上這件事上可以看到這點（民十一24-30）。摩西關於上帝的靈降在那七十個人身上所說的話（「惟願耶和華的百姓都受感說話！願耶和華的把祂的靈降在他們身上」，到了新盟約時代才得著了應驗。舊盟約的界限在新盟約裏，才被聖靈打破了。摩西明白，在舊約的治理裏，他所期待的無法實現。但如今，摩西所盼望的，而在摩西時期的施行中所無法實現的，基督都靠著聖靈完成了。

The gift of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost is indicative of the fact that the distinctive temporary features of the Mosaic economy have now fulfilled their function, having been consummated in Christ, and having been rendered obsolete. The Apostles had to grapple with this as the early church tries to get a handle with how this all works out in the New Covenant era. The boundaries of the Old Covenant economy are broken.There is a clear not-yet-ness to the work of the Spirit that is being anticipated in the pages of the Old Testament. We see this in the Spirit coming down on the 70 prophets (Num. 11:24-30). What Moses says about God’s Spirit coming down on the 70 (“I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them”) is only fulfilled in the New Covenant era. The boundaries of the Old Covenant are broken by the Spirit in the New. Moses realized that, in the Old economy, what he aspired to could not deliver. But now, what Moses longed for and could not deliver under the Mosaic administration, Christ now does by the Spirit.

  6. 聖靈的恩賜，將所應許的、但上帝的百姓在舊盟約時代尚未經歷到的應驗，賜給了新約教會。既然基督作為第二個亞當已經升到父神的右邊，聖靈的工作就是要藉著整個宇宙來彰顯上帝的榮耀。既然亞當被造是聖潔的，祂就是為了一個末世性的眼光而被造的。祂被造是要成為一個盼望著那日帶來的人，那時上帝的榮耀會充滿遍地，好像水充滿洋海一般。上帝的榮耀從伊甸園擴展到全地，預示著上帝在亞當身上的榮耀會擴展到全宇宙。基督作為第二個亞當和末世性的人，應驗了、且教導我們第一個亞當所應該作的，和通過祂的順服所應當完成的。

6. The Gift of the Holy Spirit gives the New Covenant church the fulfillment of what was promised but not yet experienced by God’s people in the days of the Old Covenant. The work of the Spirit, now that Christ–as the second Adam–has ascended to the right hand of the Father, is to manifest the glory of God throughout the whole cosmos. As Adam was created holy, he was created with an eschatological vision. He was created as one who was to look forward to the day when the glory of God will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. That expansion of glory from Eden to the whole earth is anticipatory of the Divine glory in Adam and throughout the whole cosmos. What Christ, as the second Adam and eschatological man, fulfills, teaches us what Adam, the first man, was to do and accomplish in his obedience.

所有這些都藉著耶穌完成了，祂擔當了我們虧缺了上帝榮耀所應得的刑罰。祂穿上了因為失去了上帝的榮耀所造成的人性的污點，然後在復活中加以修補。這是新約聖經解釋我們的救贖時所說明的兩個要素。基督的復活是基督的第一個階段，這個新人——末後的亞當和第二個人——進入到為亞當起初被造時所準備的榮耀裏，並親自體現這個榮耀。得榮耀並升天的基督，如今將榮耀的聖靈澆灌著祂普世的教會身上。

All of this is accomplished by Jesus bearing the punishment due to us because of what we have done to the glory of God. But, it is more substantially so because Jesus takes to Himself the marring of humanity that is the consequence of the loss of the glory of God and then repairs it in the resurrection. These are the two elements in which the New Testament works in explaining our redemption. The resurrection of Christ is the first stage of Christ, the new man–the last Adam and second man–entering into and embodying in Himself the glory for which Adam was created. The glorified and ascended Christ now pours out the Spirit of Glory on His church throughout the world.

  7. 五旬節部分的意義是耶和華的日子的到來，那時，律法所應許和期盼的，但是靠律法本身無法實現的，如今藉著基督、靠著聖靈的恩賜就得以實現了。到了主後第一世紀那個時期，在猶太人當中，慶祝五旬節已經與慶祝上帝藉著摩西賜下律法是同樣的意思了。在摩西之約裏所尋求的和所盼望的，有一部分已經應驗了。摩西上到耶和華的山，把律法帶下山；如今，手潔心清的耶穌基督也上到律法的山上，藉著帶來救恩而把律法帶下山——不是定罪的律法；基督同時賜給人能力，可以履行律法的命令。五旬節為保羅在羅馬書八章3-4節的對比提供了內容和形體。律法靠自己有所不能行的，在五旬節那日，藉著聖靈，在上帝的子民當中，在個別的基督徒身上，都得著了應驗和果效。這就是救贖歷史的要素。然而，還有一種實驗性質的發展，是保羅會用成為後嗣這樣的話來反思的，即有一種後嗣，其功能比起家中的奴僕好不到哪裡去，還有一種後嗣是完全得著兒子名分的（弗四1以下）。

7. The significance of Pentecost is, in part, the coming of the day when what the Law promised and anticipated, but could not–within itself–effect, is effect through Christ by the gift of the Spirit. By this period in the first century AD the celebration of Pentecost was imbued with the celebration of the giving of the law through Moses. There are echoes of fulfillment of what is sought for and longed for in the Mosaic. Moses ascends the hill of the Lord and brings down the Law; Now Christ, the one who has clean hands and a pure heart, ascends the hill of the Law and brings down the Law–not that condemns by brings salvation, and Christ’s empowering to fulfill the commands of the Law. It is Pentecost that gives substance and body to the contrast that Paul makes in Romans 8:3-4. What the law could not effect in its own energy, is fulfilled and effected among the people of God, in the individual Christian, through the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. This is the redemptive-historical element. However, there is also an experimental development that Paul will reflect on in terms of being an heir–who is functionally no better than a slave in the house–and an heir that has entered into full sonship (Gal. 4:1 ff.).

  8. 在五旬節時的聖靈澆灌是為了一個目的，就是在萬事得著應驗之後，在基督的子民當中高舉得榮耀的基督。當約翰記錄耶穌說，「信我的人就如經上所說：『從他腹中要流出活水的江河來。』」（約七38），耶穌指的是從得榮耀和升天的聖子而來的聖靈。在這個意義上，我們必須理解耶穌以下的陳述，即「那時還沒有賜下聖靈」，是和這個觀念綁在一起的。除非聖父向聖子所應許的聖靈榮耀了聖子，得榮耀的基督才把聖靈差派下來。

8. The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost serves the purpose of exalting the glorified Christ in His people after the fulfillment of all things. When John records Jesus as saying, “Who believes on Him, as the Scripture has said, out of His heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37) Jesus is referring to the Spirit coming from the glorified and ascended Son. In this sense, we must understand Jesus’ following statement, that “the Holy Spirit was not yet,” ties this idea together. The Holy Spirit could not be sent by the glorified Christ until the Son was glorified by the Spirit promised to the Son by the Father.

這點很顯然是兩個治理時期的救贖歷史轉折。按照約翰福音十四章17節的說法，約翰告訴我們，耶穌會到父神那裏，並從父神那裏差派聖靈。耶穌告訴祂的門徒說，他們已經認識這位聖靈，祂與你們同住，並且在你們裏面。耶穌是在教導一個救贖歷史的事實。祂告訴門徒，他們已經認識聖靈，因為他們已經在耶穌自己的生命中看見聖靈的彰顯。耶穌就是聖靈的承載者。如今，他們會認識這位內住的聖靈，在他們的救主身上，已經看見同一位聖靈無限量的彰顯。

This is, clearly a redemptive historical shift between the two economies. In the words of John 14:17, John tells us that Jesus would go to the Father and would send the Spirit from the Father. Jesus tells His disciples that they already know this Spirit…He lives with you and will be in you. Jesus is teaching a redemptive-historical truth. He tells the disciples that they already know the Spirit because they had seen the manifestations of the Spirit in His own life. Jesus is the bearer of the Spirit. Now, they will know the indwelling of the same Spirit who they have seen manifested without measure in the life of the Savior.

儘管關於上帝藉著祂的聖靈在教會中工作的救贖歷史本質，還有許多可以解釋的，但以上所總結的，已經足以說明上帝在新盟約中要把聖靈澆灌在祂子民身上的永恆計劃是多麼地豐富。在我們基督徒的生活中，再怎麼強調這點也不為過。到頭來，正如我們承認，我們的救恩完全要靠主耶穌基督的工作一般，我們也必須承認，我們基督徒的生活和得榮耀，絕對要仰賴聖靈的運行。願我們的上帝讓我們更明白這些奧秘和榮耀的真理。

While there is so much more to the explanation of the redemptive-historical nature of God’s work in His church by His Spirit, those outlined above serve to show the richness of God’s eternal plan in pouring out His Spirit on His people in the New Covenant. We cannot make too much of this in our Christian life. At the end of the day, just as we confess that everything depends on the work of the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation, so too must we confess that our Christian living and glorification absolutely depend on the work of the Spirit. May our God give us deeper understanding in these mysterious and glorious Divine truths.

挪亚之约与救赎历史FourPoints about the Noahic Covenant and Redemptive History

作者：Nicholas T. Batzig   翻译: 骆鸿铭

http://feedingonchrist.com/four-points-about-the-noahic-covenant-and-redemptive-history/

http://peddrluo.blog.163.com/blog/static/194801312201241910851264

 The Noahic Covenant was the first covenantal administration after God’s initial covenant promise to redeem and restore humanity (Gen. 3:15). It is also the first time that the word ? (Berith) is used in the canon. What has not been frequently observed, however, is the way in which the Noahic Covenant falls squarely in the realm of redemptive history. Consider the following ways in which Noah and the Noahic Covenant plays a part in redemptive-history:上帝在创世记3：15做出了最早的圣约应许：祂要救赎人类，恢复（restore）他们。挪亚之约是在这个圣约的应许之后，上帝所作的第一个圣约的安排（covenantal adminstration）。在挪亚之约中，圣经第一次使用了“约”（berith）这个字。不过，不常有人注意到的是挪亚之约如何适当地嵌合到救赎历史当中。让我们用下面的方式来思考挪亚和挪亚之约在救赎历史中所扮演的角色：

1) The Redemptive Role of Noah as a Type of Christ: Noah was a type of Christ. He was a typical second Adam, a typical redeemer, and a typical rest giver. Noah was given very similar instructions as Adam with regard to being fruitful and multiplying, filling the earth and subduing it. He was not the second Adam, but was a type of the second Adam. Jesus is the second and last (eschatological) Adam who redeems His people and fulfills the creation mandates. Noah was a typical redeemer. 1) 挪亚救赎角色是基督的预表（type）：挪亚是基督的预表。他是第二个亚当的预表（a typical second Adam），救赎者的预表（a typical redeemer），赐下安息者的预表（a typical rest giver）。神给挪亚的吩咐和亚当非常类似，要生养众多，遍满地面，并治理大地（参：创1：28；9：1）。挪亚不是第二个亚当，而是那第二个亚当的预表。耶稣是第二个亚当和末后（末世性）的亚当；祂救赎祂的百姓，并且完成了神在伊甸园中给亚当的创造使命。挪亚是救赎者的预表。

Everyone with Noah on the Ark was saved. Everyone in Christ is saved. Noah was not “the Redeemer.” He was a typical redeemer, providing typical redemption for all those who descended from him. Jesus came to redeem all those He represented spiritually. Noah was a typical rest-giver. Noah’s name meant ‘Rest.’ His father had named him ‘Rest,’ saying, “This one will give us rest from the ground which the Lord had cursed.” Noah only gives typical rest, as the remainder of the Bible bears witness to the ongoing need for redemptive rest.

 所有在方舟上和挪亚同在的人都得了拯救。所有在基督里的人也得了拯救。挪亚不是“那位唯一的救赎者”（the Redeemer）。他是救赎者的一个预表，为所有从祂而出的人提供了一个救赎的预表。挪亚是赐下安息者的预表。他的名字意思是“安息”。他的父亲给他起名叫“安息”时说：“这个儿子必为我们的操作和手中的劳苦安慰我们（give us rest）；这操作劳苦是因为耶和华咒诅地”。（创5：29）挪亚只能给我们预表性的安息，这提醒我们，圣经见证了我们所不断需要的救赎安息。

Jesus is the One who finally and fully gives rest to the people of God and to the creation that was brought under the curse at the fall. He is the One who said, “Come unto Me and I will give you rest for your souls.” He is the One who takes the curse on Himself when He wears the crown of thorns–the symbol of the curse on the ground.

耶稣是最终并完全地把安息赐给神的百姓和被造界的那位。祂是那位说“到我这里来，我就使你们得安息”（太11：28）的人。祂担当了神的咒诅——戴着长满荆棘的皇冠，而荆棘是神对地的咒诅的象征。

2) The Redemptive Foreshadowing of the New Creation: The book of Revelation tells us that the “new heavens and the new earth” will be the new Temple where God dwells fully and permanently with the redeemed. Noah and all of creation were together in the Ark, as in a typical temple. This was foreshadowing the new creation-temple. Interestingly, the Ark and Solomon’s Temple had three levels. It seems that the biblical data substantiates that the Ark was a Temple where God dwelt with His creation.

2) 新造的救赎预示：启示录告诉我们，“新天新地”会是那新的圣殿，是神完全并永远与得赎之人居住之处。挪亚在方舟上和所有的生物同在，方舟有如预表性的圣殿。那是在预示新造的圣殿。有趣的是，方舟和所罗门的圣殿都有三层。圣经的资料似乎支持这样的看法，就是方舟是神与祂所造的万物同住的圣殿。

Noah also lead the way into a typical new creation when he and his family stepped off of the Ark and into a world that has been typically cleansed of pollution. Jesus brought about the new creation through His death and resurrection. Noah knew that the flood had not really made “all things new,” because he sacrificed when he stepped off of the Ark. The flood waters could never cleanse the evil out of the heart of man. God had destroyed the earth with a flood because “every intent of the thoughts of man’s heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5).

 挪亚也带领我们进入一个预表性的新造当中。挪亚和他的家人步出方舟，进入一个罪污（在预表的层面上）已经被清除的世界。耶稣借着祂的死与复活实现了这个新造。挪亚知道洪水没有让“一切都更新”（启21：5），因为当他步出方舟时仍然向上帝献祭。洪水绝对无法清除人心里的邪恶。上帝用洪水除灭大地，是因为“人在地上罪恶很大，终日所思想的尽都是恶。”（创6：5）

God promised never to destroy the earth with a flood again because “the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Gen. 8:21). The reason for the latter declaration was that the flood was never meant to deal with man’s real problem–the sinful pollution of his heart. Noah’s sons would populate the earth with depraved sinners. Only the blood of Jesus could cleanse the hearts of sinners. The cleansed world onto which Noah and his family stepped when the waters receded was a type of the “new heavens and the new earth in which righteousness dwells.” 上帝应许不再用洪水毁坏这地，因为“人从小时心里怀着恶念”（创8：21）。之所以作出这样的宣告是因为洪水从来没有要处理人真正的问题——他内心的罪污。挪亚的儿子们会生出败坏的罪人来，遍满地面。只有耶稣的血能清除罪人的心。洪水消退后，挪亚和他的家庭步出方舟所进入的、已经被除净的世界，只是“新天新地，有义居在其中”（彼后3：13）的预表。

3) The Redemptive Purpose of Animals: Noah was commanded to take seven clean and two unclean of every animal into the Ark. The clean/unclean distinction was relavent in redemptive history for several reasons. First, it would be used in Israel’s sacrificial system. Because Jesus is likened to “a Lamb without blemish and without spot,” Israel would be commanded in the OT to offer spotless (clean) lambs to God. All of Israel’s sacrifices were to be clean. The cleanness was symbolic of the sinlessness of Jesus. When he stepped off of the Ark, the very first thing that Noah did was offer a sacrifice to God. The sacrificial system stretched back to Adam and Eve and was carried forward in redemptive history until Christ was sacrificed.

3) 动物的救赎目的：神吩咐挪亚带七对洁净的畜类，和一对不洁净的畜类进入方舟。这个洁净/不洁净的区分和救赎历史是相关的。这有几个理由。首先，这会用在以色列的献祭系统里。因为耶稣是那“无瑕疵、无玷污的羔羊”（彼前1；19），神在旧约中吩咐以色列人要把无污点（洁净）的羔羊献给神。以色列人的所有献祭都必须是洁净的，那是耶稣无罪的象征。当他步出方舟，挪亚所作的第一件事就是献祭给神。这个可以追溯到亚当和夏娃的献祭系统在救赎历史中被继续执行，直到基督被献为祭为止。

In addition to the preparation for the sacrificial system in Israel,the clean and unclean animals would, in time, become illustrative of the two groups of mankind–Jews and Gentiles. These two classifications represented spiritually clean and unclean groups of humanity in redemptive history until Christ came. The Scriptures expressly teach this in the account of Peter’s vision of the unclean animals brought down from heaven in the sheet for him to eat. (Acts 10:9-11:18). 除了在以色列中，为献祭系统作预备之外，洁净和不洁净的动物也用来描述人类的两个族群——犹太人和外邦人。这两种分类代表着基督来临之前，在救赎历史中，属灵洁净和不洁净的人类族群。在圣经所记载的彼得的异梦中，鲜明地教导了这点。神吩咐彼得要吃那从天降下的大布里所包含的不洁净的动物。（参见徒10：9～11：18）

The final thing to note about the animals in the Ark is in regard to food. Before the flood it appears that man was only permitted to eat vegetation. After the flood, God told Noah that he and his descendants could eat meat (only without the blood). What was the reason for this shift? 最后一件有关方舟中动物的事，和食物有关。在洪水之前，神似乎只容许人吃植物。在洪水之后，上帝告诉挪亚，他和他的后裔可以吃肉（只是不可以带血）。这种转变的理由是什么呢？The eating of meat would not serve as a precursor to the eating of the sacramental and ceremonial redemptive meals, such as the Passover. There were no vegetarians in the Old Covenant church because God was foreshadowing the spiritual eating of the flesh and blood of His Son in the sacrifices. 享受盛宴不是要作为享用作为圣礼和仪式性的救赎性圣餐的前兆（precursor），例如逾越节的晚餐。旧约教会没有吃素的人，因为上帝已经在献祭当中预示要在属灵上吃喝祂儿子的肉和血。

If man had not been allowed to eat meat, then the eating of the sacrificial meals–symbolizing the spiritual eating of the flesh of the Son of God by faith–would have been an unintelligible concept. God was preparing His people for what would come as the history of redemption unfolded.如果神不允许人吃肉，那么享用献祭的盛宴——象征靠信心在属灵上吃喝神的儿子的肉——就是个让人无法理解的概念。上帝是在预备祂的百姓，迎接即将要在救赎历史中展开的事。

4) The Redemptive Nature of the Death Penalty: The death penalty is clearly established in the Noahic Covenant. Again, this falls in the realm of redemptive history. If murderers were not put to death (a punishment fitting the crime in accord with the justice of God) then mankind would have a very difficult time “being fruitful and multiplying.” Human extermination was restrained via the death penalty. This served the redemptive purposes of God.

4) 死刑的救赎本质。挪亚之约中很清楚地确立了死刑（创9：5-7）。再次，这和救赎历史是相符的。如果没有治死杀人者（此刑罚符合神的公义），那么，人类在“生养众多”的事情上就会遭遇到很大的困难。透过死刑，人类的灭绝才会受到限制。这会满足神的救赎旨意。

Interestingly, this would also safeguard the coming of the Redeemer. In His human nature, Jesus may rightly be said to be in the loins of Noah. Each generation of Israel hoped that God would fulfill the promise of the Seed-Redeemer (Gen. 3:15). Unless God had protected His people–through whom the Seed would come–from mass murder, His promise would have failed. This is the purpose of the book of Esther.

有趣的是，这也保证了救赎者的到来。以祂的人性本质来说，耶稣可以被正确地称为从挪亚的身（腰）中生的。每一代以色列人都盼望神会成全那位后裔-救赎者的应许（创3：15）。除非神保护祂的百姓——那后裔会从他们而生——免受集体谋杀之害，祂的应许就会失败。这正是以斯帖记的目的所在。

Had God allowed Hamen to exterminate the Israelites, the promise of the Redeemer would have failed. The same is true with regard to the animals that might shorten the population. God’s plan was the redeem a people “out of every tongue and tribe and nation and language” through the Redeemer, Jesus Christ.如果上帝容许哈曼灭绝以色列人，救赎者的应许就会失败。有关那些会减少牲口数量的动物也是一样。上帝的计划是透过那救赎者，耶稣基督，从“各族、各方、各民、各国”中救赎一群百姓。

In addition, God would save His people by Himself undergoing the death penalty. Though He did nothing deserving of death, He stood in the place of His people who did. If there were no death penalty, we would not be saved. Jesus died the death of a murderer, adulterer and every other death deserving criminal so that we might be redeemed.此外，上帝也会透过祂自己承受死亡的刑罚来拯救祂的百姓。虽然祂没有作过任何配受死亡的事，祂却代替祂的百姓而死，是他们作了配受死刑的事。如果没有死亡的刑罚，我们就无法得救。耶稣为杀人者，奸淫者和所有配受死刑的罪犯而死，好让我们可以得救赎。

In short, God was preserving the world to be the stage in which redemption would occur. Had God not promised to preserve the fallen world, He would have been untrue to His promise to redeem a people (Gen. 3:15).

总之，上帝保存这个世界作为舞台，好让救赎可以发生。如果上帝没有应许要保存这个堕落的世界，救赎一群百姓的应许（创3：15）就不是真的。

All of the features surrounding the covenant itself were aspects of redemptive history, which makes the Noahic Covenant more important than most have realized. Every time we see the rainbow we should remember God’s covenant faithfulness in sending the Redeemer to save a people for Himself.

围绕圣约本身的所有特征都是救赎历史的各个面向，这会让摩西之约比大多数人看起来要更为重要。每当我们看到彩虹，我们应该记得上帝在圣约中的信实，祂差派那救赎主，为自己救赎一群百姓。

Just as God had placed a rainbow in the sky to show His steadfast covenant fidelity, so there is a rainbow around the throne of Jesus Christ in glory (Rev. 4:3). We, like Noah, are beneficiaries of the mercy established in the Noahic Covenant in Jesus Christ.正如上帝在天空中放置了彩虹来显明祂圣约的信实，同样，也有彩虹围绕着耶稣基督荣耀的宝座（启4：3）。我们和挪亚一样，是在耶稣基督里，在挪亚之约中所确立的怜悯的受益者。