五 求问的祷告最尊重神；大卫知道如何祷告，因为他常求问耶和华；（撒上二三2、4，三十8，撒下二1，五19，23；）神借申言者拿单对大卫说话之后，大卫“坐在耶和华面前”，（七18，）并对主说，“照你所说的而行；”（25下；）然后他告诉主，因为祂的说话，“仆人心中才敢向你如此祷告。”（27。） |
E Inquiring prayers honor God; David knew how to pray because he often inquired of Jehovah (1 Sam. 23:2, 4; 30:8; 2 Sam. 2:1; 5:19, 23); after God spoke to David through Nathan the prophet, David "sat before Jehovah" (7:18) and told the Lord, "Do as You have spoken" (v. 25b); he then told the Lord that because of His speaking, "Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You" (v. 27). |
肆 最好的祷告，乃是人和神作朋友的祷告；亚伯拉罕是神的朋友；在创世记十八章，天上的神降卑自己来与亚伯拉罕作朋友： |
Ⅳ The best prayer is to pray to God as a friend; Abraham was the friend of God; in Genesis 18 the God of heaven humbled Himself in order to befriend Abraham: |
一 亚伯拉罕受割礼之后，他的天然力量被了结，他就活在与神亲密的交通里，并成为神的朋友—十三3~4、18，十七1~16，代下二十7，赛四一8，雅二23。 |
A After he was circumcised and his natural strength was terminated, Abraham lived in intimate fellowship with God and became God's friend—13:3-4, 18; 17:1-16; 2 Chron. 20:7; Isa. 41:8; James 2:23. |
二 亚伯拉罕在神面前荣耀的代求，乃是两个朋友之间富有人性、亲密的谈话，是照着神心头愿望的揭示而有的亲密谈话—创十八1~33。 |
B The glorious intercession that Abraham made before God was a human, intimate conversation between two friends, an intimate talk according to the unveiling of God's heart's desire—Gen. 18:1-33. |
三 甚至在成为肉体以前，（约一14，）耶和华作为基督，就在人的形状里带着人的身体，向亚伯拉罕显现，并在人的水平上与他交谈；（创十三18，十八1~22；）当亚伯拉罕享受与神甜美的交通时，他从神得着关于以撒的出生和所多玛毁灭的启示。 |
C Even before the incarnation (John 1:14) Jehovah as Christ appeared to Abraham in a human form, with a human body, and communed with him on a human level (Gen. 13:18; 18:1-22); as Abraham was enjoying sweet fellowship with God, he received a revelation from Him regarding the birth of Isaac and the destruction of Sodom. |
四 以撒的出生与基督来作恩典有关，所多玛的毁灭与神对罪的审判有关；这意即基督必须进来，罪必须出去。 |
D The birth of Isaac is related to the coming of Christ as grace, and the destruction of Sodom is related to God's judgment upon sin; this means that Christ must come in and sin must go out. |
五 神向亚伯拉罕启示祂要毁灭所多玛的心意，因为祂在寻找一个代求者来为罗得代求；（16~22，十九1，参来七25，赛五九16，结二二30；）神想要拯救罗得，好保护经由路得（她是摩押人，是罗得的后裔）而有的基督家谱。（创十九37，得一4，太一5。） |
E God revealed to Abraham His intention to destroy Sodom, because He was seeking an intercessor to intercede for Lot (vv. 16-22; 19:1; cf. Heb. 7:25; Isa. 59:16; Ezek. 22:30); God wanted to save Lot in order to protect Christ's genealogy through Ruth, a Moabitess and a descendant of Lot (Gen. 19:37; Ruth 1:4; Matt. 1:5). |
六 所以，在神与亚伯拉罕亲密的交通中，神没有提起罗得的名字，乃是以奥秘的方式启示祂心头的愿望；正确的代求不是由人发起，乃是由于神的启示；因此，这样的代求发表神的愿望，并完成神的旨意—创十八17、20~23，十九27~29，诗二七4~8，来四16，七25，雅五17。 |
F Thus, in God's intimate fellowship with Abraham, in a mysterious way, without mentioning Lot's name, God revealed His heart's desire; the proper intercession is not initiated by man but by God's revelation; thus, it expresses God's desire and carries out God's will—Gen. 18:17, 20-23; 19:27-29; Psa. 27:4-8; Heb. 4:16; 7:25; James 5:17. |
七 表面上，亚伯拉罕是为所多玛代求；实际上，他是用暗示为罗得代求，（创十四12，十八23，十九1、27~29，）这表明我们该为神那些飘流到世界里的子民代求。 |
G Apparently, Abraham was interceding for Sodom; actually, he was interceding for Lot by implication (Gen. 14:12; 18:23; 19:1, 27-29), showing that we should intercede for God's people who have drifted into the world. |
八 在亚伯拉罕为罗得的代求里，他不是照着神的爱和神的恩向神恳求，乃是照着神义的法则向神挑战；神的义比祂的爱和恩更约束祂—十八23~25，罗一17。 |
H In Abraham's intercession for Lot, he did not beg God according to His love and grace; he challenged God according to His righteous way; God's righteousness binds Him much more than His love and grace do—18:23-25; Rom. 1:17. |
九 代求乃是照着神里面的心意与神亲密的谈话；为此我们必须学习逗留在神面前—创十八25~32。 |
I Intercession is an intimate conversation with God according to the inward intention of His heart; for this we must learn to linger in the presence of God—Gen. 18:25-32. |
十 亚伯拉罕的代求不是结束于亚伯拉罕的说话，乃是结束于神的说话；这表明真正的代求是神在我们的说话里说话—33节，约十五7，罗八26~27。 |
J Abraham's intercession did not terminate with Abraham's speaking but with God's, showing that genuine intercession is God's speaking in our speaking—v. 33; John 15:7; Rom. 8:26-27. |
十一 在我们与神亲密的交通里，我们得着启示，一切不可能对基督都成为可能—创十八10~15，二一1~8，路十八27。 |
K In our intimate fellowship with God, we receive the revelation that all the impossibilities become possibilities with Christ—Gen. 18:10-15; 21:1-8; Luke 18:27. |
伍 在我们祷告的第一面，我们进入与神的交通中，神就会把祂工作的负担涂抹在我们里面，把神的心意启示给我们；然后我们祷告的第二面是求问主，就着主的旨意和工作的负担祈求主；这样我们就与神配合，与神同工，完成祷告的目的—赛六二6~7，四五11，结二二30，但九2~4，撒上十二23，林前三9，林后六1上。 |
Ⅴ During the first aspect of our prayer, we enter into fellowship with God, who then anoints us with His burden for the work and reveals His intention to us; the second aspect of our prayer is then to inquire of the Lord by petitioning Him concerning His will and His burden for the work; then we carry out the purpose of prayer by coordinating with God to co-work with God—Isa. 62:6-7; 45:11; Ezek. 22:30; Dan. 9:2-4; 1 Sam. 12:23; 1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor. 6:1a. |
晨兴喂养
雅二23 …亚伯拉罕信神，…他又得称为神的朋友。 创十八14 耶和华岂有难成的事吗？到了约定的日期，明年这时候，我必回到你这里，撒拉必生一个儿子。 17 耶和华说，我所要作的事，岂可瞒着亚伯拉罕吗？ 求问…不是你的意思给神知道了，乃是神的意思给你知道了。当神把祂在某某弟兄身上的目的，给你知道之后，你当再问：“主啊，你要我去和他交通吗？”这是神在里面的涂抹，好像是你在问，却是神给你的感觉。…好的祷告全是求问；求问的祷告最尊重神。 大卫是一个最会祷告的人，他常常求问耶和华。（撒上三十8，撒下五19、23，诗二七4。）你若这样根据感觉，一步步地求问，那就是最好的祷告。当你这样求问的时候，很容易就摸着神的引导，你就可以照着那引导去作。（交通与神人调和，九至一○页。） |
James 2:23 …”Abraham believed God…”; and he was called the friend of God. Gen. 18:14 Is anything too marvelous for Jehovah? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. 17 And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? When we pray by inquiring, we do not make our desire known to God; instead, God’s desire is made known to us. When the responsible brother senses God’s purpose concerning the young saints, he should inquire further, “Lord, do You want me to fellowship with them?” This is the anointing within him. It seems as if it is the brother who is inquiring, but it is God who is working in him….Good prayers are inquiring prayers because they honor God. David knew how to pray. He often inquired of Jehovah (1 Sam. 30:8; 2 Sam. 5:19, 23; Psa. 27:4). The best prayer is to inquire of the Lord step by step, according to the sense within. By inquiring in this way, we can easily receive God’s leading, and we can work according to the leading. (CWWL, 1961-1962, vol. 3, “Fellowshipping with the Lord for the Mingling of God with Man,” p. 344) |
信息选读
在创世记十八章，神要亚伯拉罕向祂祷告，就先来作他的朋友。神不是把亚伯拉罕提到天上荣耀的圣所里，乃是亲自降卑来到亚伯拉罕所住那卑微的帐棚里。祂来，一点没有耀武扬威，没有带着什么威严。…神来到亚伯拉罕这里，完全像个平常的客人一样。…这完全像一个人在朋友家里作客的光景。（祷告的意义与目的，一八页。） 亚伯拉罕享受与神这样甜美的交通，那时他就从神领受关于以撒出生和所多玛毁灭的启示。…以撒的出生与基督有关，所多玛的毁灭与神对罪的审判有关。…基督必须进来，罪必须出去。…祂要在我们的家庭生活、职业生活、甚至基督徒生活、和召会生活中产生基督，并且毁除“所多玛”。…在积极一面，我们更多看见了基督，就说，“我看见了基督的一些新事物。我真是恨恶自己没有更多凭祂而活。”这就是关于以撒出生，在我们生活中把基督生出来的启示。但在消极一面，我们看见自己的罪，就说，“主啊，赦免我。在我里面还有这么多的自私、恼恨和嫉妒。我有这么多的失败、缺欠、甚至罪恶的事。主，我审判这些事物，我要它们被毁除。” 在十四节主说，“耶和华岂有太奇妙（或美妙）的事吗？”（直译。）在我们眼中，每次对基督的经历都是奇妙的；那是主美妙的作为。撒拉如何能生以撒？就人说是不可能的。这事若是发生在我们身上，在我们眼中必会看为美妙且奇妙的事。基督徒的经历总是这样，因为基督徒的生活乃是不可能的生活。何等奇妙，一切的不可能对基督都成为可能！我们能作别人所不能作的，我们能成为别人所不能成为的，因为基督在我们对祂的经历中乃是奇妙且美妙的。 神临到亚伯拉罕，乃是因为祂在寻找代求的人。神在天上的宝座上，已经定意要对邪恶的所多玛城执行审判。但神绝不会忘记，祂的一个子民罗得在那城里。罗得甚至不晓得，他必须从所多玛被救出来。神怎么办呢？祂必须找到一个人为罗得代求。…神临到亚伯拉罕，目的是要找到一个代求的人。…神有祂神圣的原则，其中一个乃是：若没有代求，祂就不能拯救任何人。每一个基督徒得救，都是因着代求而成就的。（创世记生命读经，八一五至八一七、八二一至八二二页。） 参读：创世记生命读经，第五十至五十一篇。 |
In Genesis 18 God wanted Abraham to pray to Him, so He came to be Abraham’s friend. God did not lift Abraham up to the heavenly sanctuary of glory; instead, He humbled Himself and went to the lowly tent in which Abraham dwelt. God did not flaunt His prestige, majesty, or power….God came to Abraham as an ordinary visitor….This situation was altogether like that of a person visiting in a friend’s home. (CWWL, 1956, vol. 3, “The Meaning and Purpose of Prayer,” p. 232) As Abraham was enjoying such sweet fellowship with God, he received revelation from Him regarding the birth of Isaac and the destruction of Sodom….The birth of Isaac is related to Christ, and the destruction of Sodom is related to God’s judgment upon sin….Christ must come in and sin must go out…. [God] intends to produce Christ and to destroy the “Sodom” in our home life, work life, and even in our Christian and church life…. Positively we see more of Christ and say, “I have seen something new of Christ. How I hate that I have not lived more by Him.” This is the revelation regarding the birth of Isaac, the revelation that Christ will be brought forth in your life. But negatively we see our sins and say, “O Lord, forgive me. There is still so much selfishness, hatred, and jealousy in me. I have so many failures, shortcomings, and even sinful things. Lord, I judge these things and want them destroyed.” In Genesis 18:14 the Lord said, “Is anything too marvelous [or, wonderful] for Jehovah?”… Every experience of Christ is marvelous in our eyes; it is a wonderful doing of the Lord. How could Sarah have brought forth Isaac? It was humanly impossible. If that had happened to us, it would have been a wonderful and marvelous thing in our eyes. Christian experiences are always like this because the Christian life is a life of impossibilities. How marvelous it is that all the impossibilities become possibilities with Christ! We can do what other people cannot do and we can be what others cannot be because Christ is marvelous and wonderful in our experience of Him. God came to Abraham because He was seeking an intercessor. On His throne in heaven, God had decided to execute His judgment on the wicked city of Sodom. But God would never forget that one of His people, Lot, was in that city. Lot did not even realize that he had to be rescued from Sodom. What could God do? He had to find someone to intercede for Lot….God came to Abraham for the purpose of finding an intercessor…. God has His divine principles. One of them is that without intercession He cannot save anyone. The salvation of every Christian has been accomplished through intercession. (Life-study of Genesis, pp. 673, 675, 678) Further Reading: Life-study of Genesis, msgs. 50-51 |