晨興聖言-挪亞、但以理和約伯...(W4-5)
第四週 • 週五
晨興餧養
啟二二14 那些洗淨自己袍子的有福了,可得權柄到生命樹那裏,也能從門進城。
約十四6 耶穌說,我就是道路、實際、生命;若不藉着我,沒有人能到父那裏去。
啟示錄二十二章二節說,『在河這邊與那邊有生命樹。』一棵生命樹長在河的兩岸,表徵生命樹是一種藤蔓,沿着生命水的流伸展、蔓延,給神的子民接受並享受。這樹實現了神原初的心意(創二9),直到永遠。因着人的墮落,生命樹向人封閉了(三22~24);但藉着基督的救贖,又向信徒開啟了(來十19~20)。今天,享受基督作生命樹是信徒共同的分(約六35、57);在千年國,得勝的信徒要享受基督這生命樹作他們時代的賞賜(啟二7);最終,在新天新地裏,所有蒙神救贖的人都要享受基督這生命樹作永遠的分(二二14、19)(啟示錄生命讀經,八六七至八六八頁)。
信息選讀
生命樹是基督作我們生命的供應。首先基督是神的羔羊,為着我們的救贖(約一29);然後祂是生命樹,為作我們生命的供應(六35)。基督的救贖是為着將祂自己分賜到我們裏面,作生命的供應。
生命樹長在生命河兩岸。它不是向上長,乃是蔓延像一種藤蔓,所以人能沿着生命水流享用它。基督這生命樹,乃是沿着生命水,就是那靈的流,作為便利取用的生命供應。那裏有那靈的流,那裏就有基督生命的供應。這全在於神聖的性情,並以神聖的性情作我們聖別的道路,如街道所象徵的。
我花了多年纔領會啟示錄二十二章一、二節所說的三樣東西:街道、河與生命樹。河在街道當中,所以街道自然就成了河的兩岸。生命樹像一種藤蔓長在河的兩岸。…街道、河與樹,都互相關聯。你經由珍珠門進了城,走在純金的街道之後,立刻就有了湧流的河;沿着這活水的流有生命樹。這幅圖畫非常清楚。
現在讓我們將這幅圖畫應用到我們日常的生活裏。假定一位姊妹去百貨公司買東西,在她進店以前,那作裏面街道的神聖性情就開始規律她。沒有話,只有內裏的規律。這位姊妹進了店,拿起一樣東西。裏面的規律說,『放下』,但她為自己找理由,對自己說,這次買了沒有關係,下不為例。然而從那時刻起,裏面的流停止了。這位姊妹回家後,發覺無法禱告了。…這是消極的例證,說出我們不跟隨裏面神聖性情的規律會發生甚麼事。
假定裏面的規律告訴這位姊妹不要買那樣東西,她〔乃是〕說,『阿們,主,阿們。』她立刻會發覺自己走在純金的街道上,同時,她會覺得裏面的流得了加強。她也會覺得裏面的流帶給她豐富的生命供應。這就是享受生命樹。…當她離去的時候,甚至會想歌唱或呼喊阿利路亞。這就是行走在純金的街道上,取用湧流的河並享受生命樹一切豐富的意義。
啟示錄二十二章二節也說,生命樹生產十二樣果子,每月都結出果子。生命樹的果子要作神贖民的食物,直到永遠;這些果子始終是新鮮的,每月都結,每年結十二樣果子(啟示錄生命讀經,八六八至八七○頁)。
參讀:啟示錄生命讀經,第六十五篇。
WEEK 4 — DAY 5
Morning Nourishment
Rev.
22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes that they may have right
to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the way and the reality and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.
Revelation
22:2 says, “On this side and on that side of the river was the tree of
life.” That the one tree of life grows on the two sides of the river
signifies that the tree of life is a vine that spreads and proceeds
along the flow of the water of life for God’s people to receive and
enjoy. This tree fulfills for eternity what God intended from the
beginning (Gen. 2:9). The tree of life was closed to man because of his
fall (3:22-24), but it was opened to the believers through the
redemption of Christ (Heb. 10:19-20). Today the enjoyment of Christ
as the tree of life is the believers’ common portion (John 6:35, 57). In
the millennial kingdom the enjoyment of Christ as the tree of life will
be a dispensational reward to the overcoming believers (Rev. 2:7).
Eventually, in the new heaven and new earth for eternity, the enjoyment
of Christ as the tree of life will be the eternal portion of all of
God’s redeemed (22:14, 19). (Life-study of Revelation, pp. 727-728)
Today’s Reading
The
tree of life is Christ as our life supply. First, Christ was the Lamb
of God for our redemption (John 1:29) and then the tree of life for our
life supply (6:35). Christ’s redemption is for imparting Himself into us
as the life supply.
The tree of life grows on the two sides of the river of life. It does not go up but spreads like a vine. Hence, it is available along the flow of the water of life. Christ as the tree of life is the life supply available along the flow of the Spirit as the water of life. Where the Spirit flows, there the life supply of Christ is found. This is all in and with the divine nature as our holy way, signified by the street.
It took me years to understand three things mentioned in Revelation 22:1- 2: the street, the river, and the tree of life. In the midst of the street is the river; hence, the street spontaneously becomes the two banks of the river. The tree of life grows as a vine on the banks of the river…The street, the river, and the tree are all interrelated. After you enter through the pearl gate and get on the golden street, you immediately have the flowing river. Along the flow of the living water is the tree of life. This picture is very clear.
Let us now apply this picture to our daily living. Suppose a certain sister goes shopping in a department store. Even before she enters the store, the divine nature as the inner street begins to regulate her. There is no word, just an inward regulating. The sister enters the store and picks up a certain item. The inward regulating says, “Drop it,” but she excuses herself, telling herself that it is all right to buy that article this time and that she will not do it again. However, from that moment, the inner flow stops. After the sister comes home, she finds that she is not able to pray…This is a negative illustration of what happens when we do not follow the inward regulation of the divine nature.
Suppose when the inward regulation tells this sister not to buy that particular article, she [instead] says, “Amen, Lord, Amen.” Immediately, she will find herself walking on the golden street. At the same time, she will sense that the inner flow is intensified and strengthened. She will also sense that the inner flow brings her the rich supply of life. This is the enjoyment of the tree of life…As she leaves the store, she may even feel like singing or shouting Hallelujah. This is what it means to walk on the golden street, to partake of the flowing river, and to enjoy all the riches of the tree of life.
Revelation 22:2 also says that the tree of life produces twelve fruits, yielding its fruit each month. The fruits of the tree of life will be the food of God’s redeemed for eternity. They will be continually fresh, produced every month, twelve fruits yearly. (Life-study of Revelation, pp. 728-730)
Further Reading: Life-study of Revelation, msg. 65
留言
張貼留言