民十35~36　　约柜往前行的时候，摩西就说，耶和华啊，求你兴起，愿你的仇敌四散；愿恨你的人从你面前逃跑。约柜停住的时候，他就说，耶和华啊，求你回到以色列的千万人中。

　　约柜是用包金的皂荚木作的，预表基督是行动并作工之神的具体化身。约柜放在会幕的最里面一间，就是至圣所里，因此乃是会幕的中心。在约柜的盖上，神来与祂的百姓接触。在那里，神的公义得了平息，神与人彼此能有平安与和谐。约柜也是神说话的地方，在那里神向人说话。…约柜极受犹太人的尊重，因为他们认为约柜就是神的同在。到约柜那里，就是到神那里。（撒母耳记生命读经，一七九至一八○页。）

　　Num. 10:35-36 And when the Ark set out, Moses said, Rise up, O Jehovah, and let Your enemies be scattered; and let those who hate You flee before You. And when it came to rest, he said, Return, O Jehovah, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.

　　The Ark, which was made of acacia wood covered with gold, was a type of Christ as the embodiment of the moving and working God. The Ark was placed in the inner chamber of the tabernacle, the Holy of Holies, and thus became the center of the tabernacle. On the lid of the Ark God came to contact His people. There God’s righteousness was appeased, and God and man could have peace and harmony with each other. This was also God’s oracle, where God spoke to man. The Ark was respected to the uttermost by the Jewish people because they considered that the Ark was God’s presence. To go to the Ark was to go to God. (Life-study of 1 & 2 Samuel, p. 146)

　　神的约柜被以色列人的长老所僭用；他们从神经纶的线上堕落。（撒上四1~8。）这些长老为着与非利士人争战，迷信的僭用约柜。因着以色列人被非利士人击败，以色列的长老提议，把神的约柜从示罗的帐幕接出来，和他们一同争战。以色列的长老说，“我们不如将耶和华的约柜从示罗接到我们这里来，好进入我们中间，救我们脱离仇敌的手。”（3下。）约柜到了营中，百姓非常喜乐，“全以色列就大声欢呼。”（5。）他们信靠神所命定的制度，却不直接信靠神。他们应当向神悔改，承认他们的失败，并求问神要他们作什么。他们把神的约柜从帐幕接出来以前，应当先求问神，像约书亚在耶利哥所作的一样。（书六2~4。）长老们知道耶利哥的历史；但因着他们堕落了，对神的渴望和神永远的经纶完全无心，所以他们的情形和在耶利哥时完全不同。

　　约柜是预表作神具体化身的基督，也表征基督是三一神与祂的子民同在，为着完成神的经纶，在地上建立祂的国度。把约柜接出来，就是把神的同在接出来。当以色列人从西乃山开始同着约柜往前行时，摩西向神祷告说，“耶和华啊，求你兴起，愿你的仇敌四散。”（民十35。）约柜领头往前行。约柜的行动乃是神在地上行动的图画。

　　在撒上四章，以色列的长老事实上是在僭用神。那时神无意行动。以色列人没有想到神的经纶，也不关心神的经纶；他们把约柜接出来，指明他们是为着自己的安全、平安、安息、和好处僭用神。他们僭用神，甚至强迫神与他们一同出去。

　　今天有许多基督徒僭用神，为着自己的亨通、健康和家庭祷告，却根本不顾神的经纶。我们求神医治时，必须完全联于祂的经纶。你若生了病，不可以僭用神的方式祷告求医治。相反的，你应该从灵的深处说，“主啊，我在地上，不是为着我的健康、我的亨通、我的儿女、或我的工作，我在这里乃是为着你的经纶。你仍要我活在地上，为着你的经纶么？我看见了你的经纶，我领悟你需要拿细耳人；我有心为着你作拿细耳人。作为由神而生，有神生命和性情的人，我求问你：主啊，你心里对我的计划是什么？”神若要你继续为着祂的经纶活在地上，你就会借着医生的手或其他的方式得医治。这里的点乃是：我们不该僭用神，乃该照着神的心，且为着祂的经纶祷告、生活并为人。（撒母耳记生命读经，二八至二九页。）

　　参读：撒母耳记生命读经，第三至四、二十二篇。

　　The Ark of God was usurped by the elders of the people of Israel, who were degraded from the line of God’s economy (1 Sam. 4:1-8). The elders usurped the Ark in their superstition for their fighting against the Philistines. Because the children of Israel had been defeated by the Philistines, the elders of Israel proposed that the people take the Ark of God from the tabernacle in Shiloh into battle with them. The elders said, “Let us take for ourselves the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah from Shiloh that it may come into our midst, and thus save us from the hand of our enemies” (v. 3b). When the Ark came into the camp, the people were glad and “all Israel shouted with a great shout” (v. 5). They trusted in the system ordained by God, but they did not trust in God directly. They should have repented to God of their failure and inquired of Him as to what He wanted them to do. Before bringing the Ark of God out of the tabernacle, they should have checked with God as Joshua did at Jericho (Josh. 6:2-4). The elders knew the history of Jericho, but because they had become degraded, not having any heart for God’s desire or His eternal economy, their situation was absolutely different.

　　The Ark was a type of Christ as the embodiment of God. It also signified Christ as the presence of the Triune God to be with His people for the carrying out of His economy to establish His kingdom on earth. To bring out the Ark was just to bring out the presence of God. When the children of Israel began to move with the Ark from Mount Sinai, Moses offered a prayer to God, saying, “Rise up, O Jehovah, and let Your enemies be scattered” (Num. 10:35). The Ark took the lead to travel onward. The move of the Ark was a picture of God’s move on the earth.

　　In 1 Samuel 4 the elders of Israel were actually usurping God. At that time, God did not intend to move. The children of Israel had no thought of or concern for God’s economy, and their bringing out the Ark indicated that they were usurping God for their safety, peace, rest, and profit. They were usurping God, even forcing Him, to go out with them.

　　Today many Christians usurp God by praying for their prosperity, health, or family without any consideration of God’s economy. When we ask God for His healing, we must be fully related to His economy. If you are ill, you should not pray for healing in the way of usurping God. On the contrary, from the depths of your spirit you should say, “Lord, I am not here on earth for my health, my prosperity, my children, or my work. I am here for Your economy. Do You still want me to live on earth for Your economy? I have seen Your economy, I realize that You need Nazarites, and I have a heart to be a Nazarite for You. As one who has been born of God and who has the life and nature of God, I ask You what is on Your heart concerning me.” If God intends that you continue living on earth for His economy, you will be healed, either through a physician or through some other way. The point here is that, instead of usurping God, we must pray, live, and be persons according to God’s heart and for His economy. (Life-study of 1 & 2 Samuel, pp. 21-23)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of 1 & 2 Samuel, msgs. 3-4, 22