创世记结晶读经(38): 生命树与善恶知识树_4

 

约十五 5『我是葡萄树，你们是枝子；住在我里面的，我也住在他里面，这人就多结果子；因为离了我，你们就不能作甚么。』

创三 5『因为神知道，你们吃的日子眼睛就开了，你们便如神知道善恶。』

 

善恶知识树表征撒但是人死亡的源头（来二14）。这树也表征一切神以外的事物。…就连神所默示的圣经和神所颁赐的律法，都会被撒但利用为知识树而带进死（约五 39~40，林后三 6 下）。

 

生命树叫人倚靠神，而知识树叫人背叛神，向神独立。这两棵树带进两条线─生命线和死亡线，贯穿整本圣经，结束於启示录。死开始於知识树，结束於火湖。生命开始於生命树，结束於新耶路撒冷这座生命水的城。

 

创世记二章所记载的两棵树─生命树和知识树，不仅仅是古老的历史，因为今天这两棵树仍与我们在一起。我们若仔细读圣经，就会发现有两条线贯串整本圣经─生命树的线和知识树的线。我们可简称为生命线和知识线。这两条线开始於创世记，延续於圣经接着的各卷，最后到达终点。…生命线的终点是新耶路撒冷，在那里生命树再次出现。在新耶路撒冷也看到生命水的河，这河流通全城。因此，新耶路撒冷这一座生命水的城，乃是生命树的线终极的完成。知识线要结束於火湖，那是新耶路撒冷鲜明的对比。城是一座生命水的城，湖是一个烧火着火的湖。

 

按照圣经的启示，有两道河从神的宝座流出来，一道是生命水的流，一道是火的流。生命水的流启示在以西结四十七章和启示录二十二章。在以西结书，生命水是从神的殿发出；在启示录二十二章，生命水是从神的宝座流出。在但以理七章九至十节，我们看见另一道流，火河，从神的宝座发出。生命水是为着复苏与滋润，而火河是为着审判。这火河在审判里流过全宇宙。水河从神的宝座流出，要将一切积极的事物流进新耶路撒冷。火河从神的宝座发出，要将一切消极的事物扫进火湖。在圣经的开始有生命线和知识线这两条线的开端，在圣经的末了有两个结果，两个完成─生命水的城以及烧火着火的湖。

 

今天你在那里？你要往那里去？你在那一条线上？…我们这些蒙救赎的人必然是在对的线，就是生命的线上。然而我们的生活和工作，就是我们为神生活并工作的方式，却可能在错的线上。…圣经首先警告人远离知识线，而留在或回到生命线。我们一次得救便永远得救，我们的救恩是永远稳妥的。然而圣经警告我们，关于我们为着主的日常行事为人和工作。在加拉太书，保罗警告我们要凭着灵而行，并为着那灵撒种。…如果我们用金、银、宝石建造召会，那工程就要存留到新耶路撒冷。…另一面，保罗也警告我们，木、草、禾桔只配被烧毁。

 

    参读：创世记生命读经，第十五篇。

 

John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, he bears  much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing."

 

Gen. 3:5 "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God, knowing good and evil."

 

    The tree of the knowledge of good and evil signifies Satan as the source of death to man (Heb. 2:14). It also signifies all things apart from God....Even the Scriptures inspired by God and the law given by God can be utilized by Satan as the tree of knowledge to bring in death (John 5:39-40; 2 Cor. 3:6b).

 

    The tree of life causes man to be dependent on God (John 15:5), whereas the tree of knowledge causes man to rebel against God and to be independent from Him (cf. Gen. 3:5). The two trees issue in two lines─the line of life and the line of death─that run through the entire Bible and end in the book of Revelation. Death begins with the tree of knowledge (Gen. 2:17) and ends with the lake of fire (Rev. 20:10, 14). Life begins with the tree of life and ends in the New Jerusalem, the city of the water of life (22:1-2). (Gen. 2:9, footnote 3)

 

    The record of the two trees in Genesis 2, the tree of life and the tree of knowledge, is not merely ancient history, for these two trees are still with us today. If we read the Bible carefully, we will discover that throughout the Bible we have two lines─the line of the tree of life and the line of the tree of knowledge. We may refer to them in brief as the line of life and the line of knowledge. These two lines began at the book of Genesis and continue through the subsequent books of the Bible until they reach their destination....The destination of the line of life will be the New Jerusalem, where the tree of life appears once again. The river of the water of life is also found in the New Jerusalem, for it flows throughout the entire city. Thus, the New Jerusalem, a city of living water, is the ultimate consummation of the line of the tree of life. The line of knowledge will conclude with the lake of fire, a vivid contrast to the city of New Jerusalem. The city is a city of living water; the lake is a lake of burning fire.

 

    According to the revelation in the Bible, we see two streams proceeding out of the throne of God. One is the stream of living water, and the other is a stream of fire. The stream of living water is revealed in Ezekiel 47 and Revelation 22. In Ezekiel living water issues out of the house of God; in Revelation 22 living water flows out of the throne of God. In Daniel 7:9-10 we see another stream, a stream of fire, flowing out of the throne of God. The living water is for reviving and watering, but the stream of fire is for judging. It courses in judgment throughout the universe. The river of water proceeds out of the throne of God and will flow all positive things into the New Jerusalem. The stream of fire issues out of the throne of God and will sweep all negative things into the lake of fire. In the beginning of the Bible we have the start of two lines, the line of life and the line of knowledge. At the end of the Bible we have two results, two consummations—the city of living water and the lake of burning fire.

 

    Where are you and where are you going? Which line are you on?...As redeemed people we are surely on the right line, the line of life. However, it is possible that our walk and our work—that is, the way we live and work for God—might be on the wrong line....The Bible firstly warns people to stay away from the line of knowledge and remain on or return to the line of life. Once we are saved, we are eternally saved, and our salvation is eternally secure. Nevertheless, the Bible warns us concerning our daily walk and our work for the Lord. In Galatians Paul warns us to walk in the Spirit (5:16) and to sow to the Spirit (6:7-8)...If we build the church with gold, silver, and precious stones, this work will continue unto the New Jerusalem....On the other hand, Paul warns us that the wood, grass, and straw are only useful for burning (1 Cor. 3:12-15). (Life-study of Genesis, pp. 181-183)

 

    Further Reading: Life-study of Genesis, msg. 15

 

- 未完待续

创世记结晶读经(39): 生命树与善恶树_5
创世记结晶读经(37): 生命树与善恶树_3