创世记结晶读经(43): 生命水的河_2

出十七6『我必在何烈的磐石那里，站在你面前；你要击打磐石，就必有水从磐石流出来，使百姓可以喝。摩西就在以色列的长老眼前这样行了。』

林前十4『也都喝了一样的灵水；所喝的是出於随行的灵磐石，那磐石就是基督。』

    创世记里的每一样事物都是种子。种子的生长是在新约，而收割是在启示录。…涌流之江河的种子是撒在创世记二章，此后圣经的各卷是这种子的生长，到启示录就有收成了。我们需要整本圣经来明白创世记二章这一幅图画的真正意义。神在他的儿子耶稣基督里，在食物的形态里，对我们是生命。如果我们将他契进来，我们不只得着满足，而且这生命在我们里面还要成为滋润的江河。这河要在我们里面成为急流，重生我们，变化我们，使我们馨香，并多结果子。借这涌流，我们要变成金子、珍珠和宝石，为着建造神的居所，就是新耶路撒冷。…这是神达成他永远目的的路。

    保罗在林前十章四节继续说，『也都喝了一样的灵水；所喝的是出於随行的灵磐石，那磐石就是基督。』基督这灵磐石随着信徒，为要给他们灵水。四节的灵水是指流自裂开磐石的活水（出十七6），豫表那流自钉死十架而复活之基督的灵，作我们包罗万有的水。基督在他的钉死里，作为活的灵磐石被神律法的权柄击打，好叫生命的水在复活里能从他流出来，并流进他所救赎的人里面给他们喝。从被击打的磐石所流出来的生命水，象征那灵。我们都该喝一样的灵水，不该喝这包罗万有之灵以外的任何东西。

    为着神的选民被击打、裂开、流出活水的磐石，乃是物质的磐石；但使徒称之为灵磐石，因它豫表那被神击打、裂开，流出生命的水（十九34），以解信徒乾渴的基督。因此使徒说，那磐石就是基督〔林前十4〕。它既是表征基督的灵磐石，就能随着以色列人。这指明作真磐石的基督，乃是随着他的信徒（新约总论第十册，一七○至一七一页）。

    这磐石实在是我们的一切。借着成为肉体，基督来到地上作磐石。在所命定之地─加略山，他被钉十字架，受了神的律法及其权能和权柄所击打。他的肋旁被裂开，并且流出活水来。这活水就是那灵，是三一神的终极流出。…这水解我们的乾渴，完全满足我们。

    这水是奥秘的，在於它是从磐石流出来的，而这磐石随着百姓经过旷野的行程。当然，这样的磐石不可能是天然的或是物质的。一块实在的、物质的磐石如何能随着百姓一同旅行？保罗说磐石随着百姓，这事实指明这是活的磐石。因此，这磐石是属灵且奥秘的。当我们来看在复活里生命的水，我们必须对被击打磐石所流出之水属灵和奥秘的方面留下印象。

    从磐石流出的水乃是在复活里生命的水。复活是指一个东西摆在死里又活过来；也是指经过死所长出的生命。

    生命的水是在复活里，所以是得胜且胜利的。这水超越每一件消极的事物。当我们喝这水时，我们就成了在复活里并属於复活的人。

参读：出埃及记生命读经，第四十至四十二篇。

Exo. 17:6 "I will be standing before you there upon the rock in Horeb;and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it so that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel."

1 Cor. 10:4 "And all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank of a spiritual rock which followed them, and the rock was Christ."

    Everything found in the book of Genesis is a seed, the growth of the seed is in the New Testament, and the harvest is in the book of Revelation. The seed of the flowing river is sown in Genesis 2, the growth occurs in the following books of the Bible, and the harvest is in the book of Revelation. We need the whole Bible to give us the true meaning of the picture in Genesis 2. God in His Son Jesus Christ is life to us in the form of food. If we take Him in, we not only have satisfaction, but this life will become a watering river within us. This water will be a torrent flowing within us to regenerate us, transform us, and to make us sweet and fruitful. By this flow we will become gold, pearl, and precious stones for the building of God's habitation, the New Jerusalem....This is God's way to fulfill His eternal purpose. (Life-study of Genesis, p. 146)

    In 1 Corinthians 10:4 Paul goes on to say, “All drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank of a spiritual rock which followed them, and the rock was Christ.” As the spiritual rock, Christ follows the believers to give them the spiritual drink. The spiritual drink in verse 4 refers to the living water that flowed out of the cleft rock (Exo. 17:6), typifying the Spirit, who flowed out of the crucified and resurrected Christ, as our all-inclusive drink (John 7:37-39; 1 Cor. 12:13). In His crucifixion Christ, as the living, spiritual rock, was smitten by the authority of God's law in order that the water of life in resurrection could flow out of Him into His redeemed people for them to drink. The water of life flowing out of the smitten rock signifies the Spirit (John 7:37-39). We should all drink the same spiritual drink and should not drink anything other than the all-inclusive Spirit.

    The rock that was smitten and cleft to flow out the living water for God's chosen people was a physical rock. Yet the apostle called it a spiritual rock because it typified Christ, who was smitten and cleft by God to flow out the water of life (John 19:34) to satisfy the thirst of His believers. Hence, the apostle said that the rock was Christ. Since it was a spiritual rock  signifying Christ, it was able to follow the children of Israel. This indicates that Christ as the real rock is following His believers. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 3154-3155)

    This rock is truly everything to us. Through incarnation, Christ came to earth as the rock. At Calvary, the appointed place, He was crucified, smitten by God's law with its power and authority. His side was cleft, and living water flowed forth. This living water is the Spirit, the ultimate issue of the Triune God....This water quenches our thirst and fully satisfies our being.

    The water is mysterious in that it flowed out of a rock which followed the people in their journey through the wilderness. Surely such a rock could not have been physical or material. How could a literal, physical rock travel with the people? The fact that Paul says that the rock followed the people indicates that it was a living rock. Hence, this rock was spiritual and mysterious. As we consider the matter of the water of life in resurrection, we must be impressed with the spiritual and mysterious aspects of the water from the smitten rock.

    The water which came out of the rock is the water of life in resurrection. Resurrection denotes something which has been put to death and which is alive again. It also denotes life which springs forth out of something that has passed through death.

    Because the water of life is in resurrection, it is victorious and triumphant. It transcends every negative thing. When we drink this water, we become people in resurrection and of resurrection. (Life-study of Exodus, pp. 474, 488, 491)

    Further Reading: Life-study of Exodus, msgs. 40-42

- 未完待续