约十二31 现在这世界受审判，这世界的王要被赶出去。

　　徒二六18 我差你到他们那里去，叫他们的眼睛得开，从黑暗转入光中，从撒但权下转向神，又因信入我，得蒙赦罪，并在一切圣别的人中得着基业。

　　埃及所预表的世界，霸占神为祂定旨所创造并拣选的人（出五6~9）。以色列人被那提供他们生计，给他们享受的这一面世界所奴役。今天许多人，无论是富足或是贫穷，都是金钱的奴隶。他们努力工作赚大钱，然后纵情于世界的宴乐，很快便把他们所有的挥霍净尽。因此今天许多人不事奉神，反倒事奉玛门。……古时以色列人……在埃及谋得好生活，享受世界的丰富；但埃及使他们无法完成神原初呼召他们的定旨。以色列人在埃及强盛起来〔一7〕。……就某种意义说，强盛就是富有。一个国家没有钱就无法强盛。譬如，美国是强盛的国家，是因着经济。

　　以色列人享受埃及所预表之世界的一面。……他们因着被世界的丰富和享受所霸占，就无法完成神创造并拣选他们的定旨。同样的原则，今天所有属世的人都被撒但霸占，结果，他们就不明白神的定旨。我们何等需要感谢主，因祂拯救我们脱离世界的奴役，并释放我们脱离撒但霸占的手！（出埃及记生命读经，一八至一九页）。

　　John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the ruler of this world be cast out.

　　Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.

　　The world typified by Egypt usurps the people whom God created and chose for His purpose (Exo. 5:6-9). The children of Israel were enslaved to that aspect of the world which gave them their livelihood and afforded them their enjoyment. Whether they are rich or poor, many today are slaves to money. They work hard to earn a large amount of money, and then in a short time they spend all they have to indulge in the pleasures of the world. Thus many today do not serve God, but mammon….In Egypt [the ancient Israelites] made a good living and they enjoyed the riches of the world. But Egypt kept them from fulfilling the purpose for which God had originally called them. In Egypt the children of Israel became strong [Exo. 1:7] ….In one sense, to become strong is to become rich. Without money, a nation cannot be strong. For example, the United States is a strong nation because of its economy.

　　The children of Israel enjoyed the aspect of the world typified by Egypt….Because they were occupied by the riches and enjoyment of the world, they were kept from fulfilling the purpose for which God had created and chosen them. In the same principle, all the worldly people today have been usurped by Satan. As a result, they do not know God’s purpose. How we need to thank the Lord for delivering us from slavery in the world and for setting us free from the usurping hand of Satan! (Life-study of Exodus, pp. 16-17)

　　因着以色列人需要维持生计，他们就落在埃及的暴虐下（出一10~11）。今天属世的人也在暴虐下。甚至他们的职业和属世的娱乐，也是他们在撒但暴虐下的记号。他们被迫随从一种潮流，把他们扣留在撒但的暴虐下，使他们脱离神的定旨，以致没有自由作正确的选择。

　　以色列人在法老的奴役之下（8~11、13~14），法老预表这世界的王撒但（约十二31，弗二2）。因着法老是撒但的具体化身，在出埃及记这卷图画的书里，他就是撒但的一幅图画。

　　出埃及一章十三节说，“埃及人严严地使以色列人作工。”有些译本将翻成“严严地”之希伯来字译为“苛刻地”；这辞指明以色列人没有自由，没有权利，也没有安息。不论他们的处境如何，他们必须作奴隶劳苦作工。他们必须照法老的命令去作。……十四节继续说，“使他们因作苦工觉得命苦；无论是和泥，是作砖，是作田间各样的工，在一切的工上都严严地待他们。”法老使以色列人因作苦工觉得命苦。今天，在神眼中，所有的人都在“田间”作工。你也许在医院、工厂或办公室里作工，但事实上你是在“田间”作工，“作砖”并“和泥”砌砖。

　　以色列人在埃及为奴，“为法老建造两座积货城，就是比东和兰塞。”（11）比东的意思是“正直的口”，而兰塞的意思是“标准的雷”。这两个名称指明法老的积货城是为骄傲和夸耀而建造的，正如金字塔一样。我信在法老之下，埃及人建造这两座积货城，是为了夸耀他们的正直、诚实和良善，并宣扬他们文化的标准。……每一个民族和国家都夸耀其优点。不仅如此，每一个国家，无论是已开发或未开发的国家，都以其成就的标准为荣（出埃及记生命读经，一九至二一页）。

　　参读：李文集一九七一年第三册，四二七至四三四页。

　　Because of their need to maintain their livelihood, the children of Israel fell into Egyptian tyranny (Exo. 1:10-11). The worldly people today are also under tyranny. Even their occupation with worldly amusements is a sign that they are under Satan’s tyranny. Forced to follow a course that holds them under Satan’s tyranny and that keeps them from God’s purpose, they have no freedom and do not make the proper choices.

　　The children of Israel were under the enslavement of Pharaoh (1:8-11, 13-14), who typifies Satan, the ruler of the world (John 12:31; Eph. 2:2). Because Pharaoh is the embodiment of Satan, he is a picture of Satan in Exodus, a book of pictures.

　　Exodus 1:13 says, “And the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with harshness.” …Harshness indicates that the children of Israel had no liberty, no rights, and no rest. No matter what their circumstances were, they had to labor as slaves. They had to do what Pharaoh demanded. Verse 14 continues, “And they made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and in brick and in all kinds of labor in the field; all their labor with which they made them serve was with harshness.” Pharaoh made the lives of the Israelites bitter with hard labor. Today, in the eyes of God, all the people are laboring in the “field.” You may work in a hospital, factory, or office, but actually you are laboring in the “field” making “bricks” and cementing them with “mortar.”

　　As slaves in Egypt, the children of Israel “built storage cities for Pharaoh, Pithom and Raamses” (v. 11). Pithom means “mouth of integrity,” and Raamses means “thunder of the standard.” These names indicate that Pharaoh’s treasure cities were built for pride and boastful display, just as the pyramids were. I believe that, under Pharaoh, the Egyptians had these treasure cities built in order to boast of their integrity, honesty, and goodness and also to propagate their cultural standard….Every race and nation boasts of its goodness. Furthermore, every country, developed or undeveloped, is proud of its standard of attainment. (Life-study of Exodus, pp. 17-18)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1971, vol. 3, pp. 332-335