提前一18　……我照从前指着你所说的预言，将这嘱咐交托你，叫你凭这些预言，可以打那美好的仗。

　　提后二3~4　你要和我同受苦难，好像基督耶稣的精兵。凡当兵的，不让今生的事务缠身，好叫那招他入伍的人喜悦。

　　整卷民数记都启示，神所拣选并救赎的人需要组成军队，以执行圣别的争战。……神的子民要组成圣别的军队，首先必须照生命里的成熟被数点（一3、18）。……神所拣选并救赎的人，也被建造成为一体（44~46）。我们若想想以色列人在西乃山下的排列是如何整齐，就看见他们已经真实地形成一体了。

　　神的百姓被数点并被建造成为一体之后，就与神一同前行。这就是说，他们与神一同踏上行程。……在以色列人与神一同前行的途中，他们有神的同在，这由日间的云彩，和夜间云中的火所表征（出三三14，四十36~38，民九15~23）。云彩和火都是三一神的彰显。……在这路程中，他们受神自己的引领（民数记生命读经，四四○至四四一页）。

　　1 Tim. 1:18 This charge I commit to you,…according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you might war the good warfare.

　　2 Tim. 2:3-4 Suffer evil with me as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please the one who enlisted him.

　　The book of Numbers as a whole reveals the need of God's chosen and redeemed people to be formed into an army to carry out the holy war. In order to be formed into a holy army, God's people must first be numbered according to maturity in life (Num. 1:3, 18). God's chosen and redeemed people were also built up into one body (1:44-46). If we consider how the children of Israel were in array at the foot of Mount Sinai, we will realize that they had truly been formed into one body.

　　After God's people were numbered and built up into one body, they journeyed with God. In their journey with God, the children of Israel had the presence of God, signified by the cloud in the day and by the fire in the cloud at night (Exo. 33:14; 40:36-38; Num. 9:15-23). The cloud and the fire were both the expression of the Triune God…. In this journey they were led by God Himself. (Life-study of Numbers, pp. 353-354)

　　当以色列人与神一同前行时，有耶和华的使者带领（出三二34）。“耶和华的使者”是旧约里对基督特别的称呼，如在出埃及三章里所启示的。耶和华的使者带领，总是行在以色列军队前面。

　　以色列人在行程中，与耶和华，就是三一神，一同行动、行走并生活。这是今天我们基督徒生活的预表，图画。一天过一天，我们与这位经过过程并分赐的三一神一同行动、行走并生活。

　　神所拣选并救赎的人，经过大而可怕的旷野，有各种的试炼、苦难、神圣的眷顾、供应和管教（申一19，八2~5）。这也是今天我们基督徒生活的一幅图画。有些人说基督徒生活是美妙的。然而，按照预表，基督徒的生活乃是经过大而可怕之旷野的生活。在这旷野里，我们有各种的试炼和苦难，但是也有神圣的眷顾和供应。不仅如此，因为我们就像以色列人一样，常常是“顽皮的孩子”，所以除了神的眷顾和供应之外，还有神的管教。……在经过旷野的行程中，以色列人经过四十二个站口，至终进入神所应许之美地的安息（民三三1~49，书一2）。

　　神所拣选并救赎的人是祭司军队，与神一同并为着神争战。今天我们若要与神一同并为着神争战，首先必须与祂一同行动、行走并生活，也要在旷野中经过许多事。唯有这样，我们才够资格与神一同争战。……以色列人不仅与神一同争战，也为着神争战。今天在召会生活中，我们也该为着神争战。这指明我们的召会生活实际上主要的不是为着自己，乃是为着神。然而，我们对召会生活的感觉也许太主观、太自私。在聚会中也许有人见证说，“在我进入召会生活以前，我无家可归。现今在召会中，就是在家里。哦，何等美好的召会生活！”不错，我们在召会生活中，就是在家里。然而，我们需要看见，召会生活主要的不是为着我们自己，乃是为着神。我们应该能够说，“主，召会生活实际上就是你的生活。你要这样生活，我们也与你一同生活。我们若没有与你一同生活、行动，你就得不到满足。你不想要单独。你已经拣选、救赎并拯救我们，叫我们在你的行动中和你作伴。主，我们的召会生活真是为着你的。”（民数记生命读经，四四二至四四四页）

　　参读：民数记生命读经，第五十篇。

　　As the children of Israel were journeying with God, the Angel of Jehovah took the lead (Exo. 32:34). The title the Angel of Jehovah is a particular title of Christ in the Old Testament, as revealed in Exodus 3. The Angel of Jehovah took the lead, always walking in front of the army of Israel.

　　In their journey the children of Israel were moving, walking, and living with Jehovah, the Triune God. This is a type, a picture, of our living as Christians today. Day by day we are moving, walking, and living together with the processed and dispensing Triune God.

　　God's chosen and redeemed people passed through the great and terrible wilderness with all kinds of trials, sufferings, and divine care, supplies, and discipline (Deut. 1:19; 8:2-5). This also is a picture of our Christian life today. Some say that the Christian life is wonderful. However, according to typology, the Christian life is a life of passing through a great and terrible wilderness. In this wilderness we have all kinds of trials and sufferings, but we also have the divine care and supplies. Moreover, because we, like the children of Israel, are often”naughty children,” in addition to God's care and supplies we also have His discipline. On their journey through the wilderness, the children of Israel passed through forty-two stations to enter into rest in the good land promised by God (Num. 33:1-49; Josh. 1:2).

　　As a priestly army, God's chosen and redeemed people fought together with God and for God. If we would fight together with God and for God today, we must first move, walk, and live with Him and also pass through many things in the wilderness. Only in this way can we be qualified to fight together with God. The children of Israel fought not only with God but also for God. In the church life today, we should also fight for God. This indicates that our church life is actually for God and not mainly for us. However, our feeling concerning the church life may be too subjective and selfish. In the meeting someone may testify, saying,”Before I came into the church life, I was homeless. Now in the church I am at home. Oh, how good is the church life!” Yes, we are at home in the church life. Nevertheless, we need to realize that the church life is not mainly for us but for God. We should be able to say,”Lord, the church life is actually Your life. You want to live this way, and we are living together with You. If we did not live and move with You, You would not have Your satisfaction. You do not want to be alone. You have chosen, redeemed, and saved us to accompany You in Your move. Our church life, Lord, is really for You.” (Life-study of Numbers, pp. 354-355)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Numbers, msg. 50