The Persistent Purpose of God - Part 11 — T. Austin-Sparks

The Great Altar as a Type of the Cross

In verses 13 to 27, we have the Great Altar and its service. 在十三到二十七節 ,我們看見那個大的祭壇和那裡的四份。. We will not read the whole section, but just the first verses of that section. 我們不能前段讀讀 ,我們只看前面的記載。. And these are the measures of the altar by cubits.

The cubit is a cubit and a hand breadth. The bottom shall be a cubit, the breadth a cubit, the border thereof by the edge thereof round about a span, and this shall be the base of the altar. 以下兩祭壇是一軸為主, 這軸是一軸連一盞, 第一座高一軸 ,邊款一軸, 四位七點高一盞, 這是壇的座。.

Then we are given more particulars about the measurement and the ministry. 然後下面就是詳細的告訴我們那個壇的尺寸和在哪裡的四份。. We all understand that the altar in the Old Testament is always a type of the cross. 我們都知道在舊約裏的祭壇總是四字架的一個裕廊。.

This altar is the place of the whole burnt offering. 這個祭壇就是一切遣飯祭的地方。. This corresponds to Hebrews chapter 11,. 這就和希伯來第十一章相符合。. Where the Lord Jesus is likened to the whole burnt offering. 在那裏是把主耶穌彼得一個飯祭。.

The Centrality and Universality of the Cross

So we are going this morning to think about the centrality and the universality of the cross. 所以今天早晨我們需要來看四架的中心性和它的普及性。. Now we have seen that the whole area of the temple was square. 我們已經看見那個聖殿的面積是方的。.

If we draw diagonal lines from each corner,. 若是我們畫兩條的直線, those lines meet at the place where the great altar was. 那兩條直線呢 ,打岔的地方就是祭壇所在的那個中心點。. The central place in the whole area was the altar. 在整個聖殿的面積的中心點就是祭壇的所在地。.

You will recognize that this is different from the tabernacle in the wilderness. 要看見這個和在曠野裏的帳幕有不同。. The core of the tabernacle was not square. 帳幕的那個外院不是方的。. And the altar of first offering was right at the gate.

那個帳幕裏面的祭壇呢 ,是在那個外院的外門口那裏。. But in this temple, the altar is right in the center of a square. 可是一座一座的這個聖殿呢 ,那個祭壇就在那個四方的面積當中。. It is important to realize that all the lines meet in the altar. 所有的那兩個線線呢 ,就是在祭壇那裏打岔的。.

And all the lines go out from the altar. 並且都是從祭壇那裏出去的。. The central place of everything is the altar. 一切事情的中心點就是那個祭壇。. This represents the temple. And I would like you to know that this is not drawn to scale.

Probably my temple is bigger than the actual temple was. 它這個聖殿 ,他說話的也許比那個詩句的更大一點。. But I only put it there to show you the position. 它在這裏給大家看那個櫃子。. The actual temple was there. 那個詩句的聖殿是在那裏。. This is the whole temple area.

那是整個聖殿的那個面積。. And the central place of all is the altar. 那一切面積的中心點就是那個聖殿。. The altar governed everything. 這個聖殿 ,我說不是那個聖殿 ,那個祭壇。. 祭壇就支配管制一切。. It governed everything as to the house. 它是管制那個殿的一切事情。. That is all that was actually in the temple was governed by the altar.

一切詩句都在殿裏 ,都是由這個祭壇來支配。. It governed all that was immediately around the house. 也支配一切那個聖殿周圍的事。. If you had a plan of this whole house. 若是我們有一張這個聖殿全部的圖畫。. With the different courts and the whole area. 要畫出那些不同的院子來 ,整個是佔的地方。.

You would see that all the chambers of the priests were around the house. 你們看見那些祭士們所住的那些個房間都在這個周圍。. And the places where the offerings were prepared were all around. 也有一些地方是預備祭物的那些房間也都在周圍。. Everything was gathered around the house.

這一切地方都是圍繞著那個聖殿的。. But everything in the house and in the whole area was governed by the altar. 一切關乎聖殿的事 ,還有聖殿周圍的一切事 ,都是由這個祭壇來支配。. And then all the ministry of the house was governed by the altar. 一切在那個聖殿中的侍奉工作 ,也都是由這個祭壇來支配。.

We could say that there was no ministry that was not related to the altar. 我們可以說 ,若不和那個祭壇有關聯 ,就沒有什麼侍奉的工作。. And then beyond the house and beyond the immediate area, right out to the whole land, everything was governed by the altar.

在那個祭壇之外 ,甚至在那個祭壇是佔的那塊地之外, 一切都是受那個聖殿之外 ,那個聖殿是佔的面具之外 ,一切都是受那個祭壇的支配。. We shall see that when we see that the river which came down through the whole land came by way of the altar. 我們等一等就會看見那一條河流出來的時候 ,流到全地 ,乃是經過祭壇那裡流出去。.

But we turn inside first. 我們先要轉回頭看這個裡面。. Here we have a very important and vital truth. 我們在這裡看見一件非常重要而之生死的真理。. When the cross is in its place with its full measure, everything else will be in order, and everything else will be given its meaning and its value.

當那個祭壇和它的那個持足在正當地位的時候 ,得到地位的時候 ,那麼一切的事就有了它的確實 ,也有了它的意義。. 我怕我不能把這個說得太強太重。. 我們是常常注意這個外面的事。. About the order of the house of the Lord. 注意這個聖殿裡頭那些持續制度的事。. About the ministry of the house of the Lord. 注意那個神聖殿裡的侍奉的事。.

About the people who are related to the house of the Lord. 注意和聖殿有關聯的一般人。. We are always beginning on the outside. 我們總是從外邊開始。. We are trying to set up an order of the house of God. 我們總是想要為著聖殿來立一些個制度。. We are trying to put the people of the house right.

我們總想要把聖殿裡的人攏對了。. We are very much concerned about the ministers and the ministries. 我們相當的關心那些侍奉的人和他們侍奉的工作。. But if the cross was really in its place with its full dimensions, all those things would see to themselves.

若是這個十字架和它的制度完全是得到地位了 ,那麼一切的事就正常了。. The people would be right if the cross was in its place. 若是十字架得到地位 ,侍奉的人就對了。. 若是十字架得到地位 ,那個侍奉定會是活的。. 若是十字架在它的地位上 ,那個聖殿裡的一切的秩序制度就對了。. 就是這樣才能夠有功效。. It will be right at the center in full measure.

Brass, Divine Judgment, and the Natural Man

若是十字架是風風滿滿的在它那個中心的地方, and note that it is a large altar,. 要注意這是一個很大的祭壇, then everything else will come into its right place and into a living relationship. 若是這樣一切的事都對了 ,並且彼此相關聯也是活的。. Although it is not said so here, I think we are right in concluding that this altar was of brass.

雖然這裡沒有這樣說 ,但我們可以有一個結論是對的。. 這個祭壇也是通道的。. The altar in the tabernacle was of brass. 在檜木那裡的祭壇是銅的。. The altar in Solomon's temple was of brass. Solomon 聖殿那裡的祭壇也是銅的。. And I think we can assume that this altar was of brass.

我想我們可以算進這裡的祭壇也是銅的。. We have already met brass. 我們已經說過這個壇銅了。. We have met brass in the man in the gate. 我們看見在門口那裡那個車輛也是銅的。. And we have said that with his reed, he measured everything according to what he was.

我們曾說過他用那個桿量一切 ,照著他自己的性質。. Brass is the type of the righteous judgments of God. 銅就是神的公義、神判的一個表號。. This great altar represents the fullness of the righteous judgments of God. 這個大的祭壇銅祭壇就是說出神那個豐滿的公義的神判。. This altar of brass is measured by the man of brass.

這個銅祭壇是由那個銅的人來量的。. So that this altar represents God's force in judgment. 所以這個祭壇就說出神那個神判的觀念。. In this altar of whole burnt offering, the one unrighteous man is completely removed. 在這個銅祭壇的銅壇這裡那個不義的人完全除掉了。.

That altar of brass sees one man brought to ashes. 在這個銅祭壇這裡看見有一個人已經變成灰了。. The ashes were taken from this altar and emptied onto the ground at the side of the altar. 那些灰就從祭壇上倒下去 ,倒在祭壇裡面。. That is a picture of God's mind about the unrighteous or the natural man.

這就是一幅圖畫給我們看見神是如何對待這個不義的人。. 或者說那個天人日。. He is consumed in the fire of God's judgment. 這個天人日是在神那個公義的神判之下被消滅。. He is reduced to ashes. 給神對付的成為灰了。. And he is poured out on the ground. 並且這個灰也倒到地上去了。. That is God's mind about the natural man.

這是神對於這個天人日的一種觀念。. On the other side it is only the righteous man that can stand here in the presence of this altar. 另一面只有那個義人才能站在這個祭壇的跟前。. Of course those are the two sides of the person and work of the Lord Jesus.

自然這些就是主耶穌祂那個身位和工作的兩面。. On the one side He was made sin for us. 在這一面祂為我們成為罪。. And in that capacity He was wholly consumed and brought to ashes. 在這個範圍裏頭祂完全被消滅而成為灰。. When He cried, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?

It was the cry of the ashes. 當祂在那裏喚說 ,我的神 ,我的神 ,你為什麼避棄我 ?那就是那個灰的呼喊。. He had been brought to ashes and poured out on the ground. 祂在那裏已經被變成灰又倒在地上了。. But then there was the other side of the cross. 還有這個死者的另一面。.

He knew no sin. 在這裏祂是不知道罪的。. In Himself there was no unrighteousness. 在祂是沒有不義。. And therefore He can go through the altar. 所以祂能經過這個祭壇。. He can live after the fire. 經過火 ,祂還能活著。. Thou will not suffer Thy holy one to see corruption.

祢不讓祢的聖者見邪惡害。. Because in Himself there was no sin, He could not be holder of death. 祂因為自己是沒有罪的 ,所以就不能被死去盡。. His own nature could overcome all the righteous judgments of God. 祂那個性格完全勝過了神公義的審判。. This is the meaning of the great altar.

這就是這個大的祭壇的意義。. One man is brought to an end. 有一個人了解了。. And another man stands in his place. 另一個人還在他的地位上站得住。. Everything has been judged at the altar. 在祭壇這裡一切都受到審判。. Everything is judged in the cross. 一切都在十字架這裡受了審判。.

We have been judged in the cross of the Lord Jesus. 我們是在主耶穌的十字架上受了審判。. 就我們自己來說 ,我們已經了解了。. 所有天人的東西都在主耶穌十字架那裡受了審判而了解了。. 這是很重要的一件事 ,能記牢著的。. 任何的事都有可能。. 這就是我說過的。. 如果十字架得到地位 ,什麼事都對了。. 那個建也要對。. 那這個時候教會就對了。. 那個指示要對。.

那個次序要對。. 你不必用功去帶出一個指示。. 那是從十字架的工作裡自然產生出一個對的次序來。. I do hope that you are writing that in your mind. You may meet disorders in the house of God. You may meet the natural man in the house of God. 你可能在神的殿裡 ,神的家裡碰到這個天然的人。.

你可能在神的殿裡碰到一尊光影 ,完全錯誤。. 那你怎樣對付這些事? 你只能藉著十字架的原則來對付這一切。. You cannot deal with the people themselves. You cannot deal with the things themselves. But if only you can bring the cross into that situation, you have solved the whole problem.

The Cross as the Answer to Sunday School Disorder

I remember many years ago, I was speaking in America. 我是在美國那裡講到。. 是人請我對一個哲學的教師們講。. 我們要知道在美國 ,這個哲學不光是對小孩子。. Sunday school means adults just as much as little children. And this was one of the biggest Sunday schools in America.

It was in one of the most famous churches in America. They had everything that you could think of. 他們有他們 ,他們有我們所能想到的一切。. Right in the center of the great Sunday school building, there was a pond and a fountain and goldfish.

Up at the back of the great building was a wonderful pipe organ. 有很大的一個電動的風琴。. 還有一個就是那個反音的。. 還有一個鈴鐺在那個風琴上。. 我可能說很多很多的事 ,描寫這個很好的哲學。. The principal asked me to go out to lunch with him. This was before I was to speak to all the teachers.

At the lunch table, he told me a very terrible story. He said, Mr. Sparks, I want your help. I have a great problem in this Sunday school. I cannot get my teachers to study the Bible and teach the Bible.

They bring anything along to the Sunday school and read it to the classes. Any book that has anything of religion in it, they bring that and read that as they like. Any book that has anything of religion in it, they bring that and read that as they like.

They are worldly people. They will not come to a prayer meeting. And I cannot do anything with them. I dare not say anything or they would resign. What am I to do? Will you please give me the solution to my problem?

I said yes, I think I've got the solution. So I took my Bible. And I opened it at Romans 6. Now everybody here knows Romans 6. And I went through Romans 6 with him. And I said, what you need to do is to speak to these teachers about their identification with Christ in death and burial and resurrection.

In other words, you must make them see the meaning of the cross. And I spoke to him about the meaning of union with Christ. That is the real meaning of the cross. And as I spoke to him about that, I saw the light coming into his face.

He said, Mr. Spock, you have solved my problem. You have put your finger on the key to the whole situation. I myself have never seen that before. Therefore in my teacher training classes, I have never said anything like that.

I believe if I go back to my teacher training classes with that message, it may solve my problem. Well, I went to the teachers that afternoon. You can be sure that I felt the Lord had given me my message.

And I spoke to them about the cross. I was very surprised to see how abstract it was. How attentive they were. They all opened their eyes and followed every word that I said. They had never seen it before.

I do not know what permanent effect it had upon them. I never heard of what happened afterward. I had to go away. But there is no doubt about it that the cross made an impression that day. And at least one man saw that it would solve all the problems if only they realized it.

If only the cross had its place, all the other problems would be solved. It is like that. We do not start from the outside. We do not start with the people. We do not start with the order of the Lord's house.

We do not start with the ministry. We start with the cross. And if only people see the cross, everything else would put itself right. Everything is judged by the cross. Now I am going to indicate something to you that I shall not be able to follow through.

If Brother Wei would just put his fingers in his ears for a minute, and a few other people, I would tell you that I think this is what the Lord is saying to me for Hong Kong next week. So if you want to hear it all, you must all come to Hong Kong next week.

But I just give you the outline. The letter to the Romans is the message of the cross in its full measure. In that letter to the Romans you see the great measurement of the cross. There the cross comprehends all things.

It brings the whole race in Adam to an end. And it begins an entirely new race in Christ's wisdom. It is very impressive that the first of these letters should put the cross there in its full measurement.

You all know that the letter to the Romans was not the first letter written by Paul. But the Holy Spirit has put it first in the arrangement. I think the Holy Spirit had something to do with the arrangement of the books in the New Testament.

And in his sovereign arrangement of this book, he has put the altar in its fullness right at the beginning. Well of course you have to recall all that you know about the letter to the Romans to see that.

The Cross Applied Across the Pauline Epistles

In the first letter to the Corinthians, the cross is applied to the natural and the carnal man inside the church. The natural and the carnal man has come in where he has no right to be. This unrighteous man has slipped in through the gate.

And so the apostle brings Christ crucified over against the natural and the carnal man. The cross in 1 Corinthians has to do with that man not outside the church as in Romans, but inside the church. The second letter to the Corinthians sets the cross in relation to ministry.

That letter shows us that ministry flows out of a broken and a humbled vessel. I can only say these things and leave the full explanation. The letter to the Galatians. In that letter the cross is brought down upon making Christianity into another legal system and bringing Christ into the church.

The letter to the Galatians shows us how the apostle is in that letter. How strong the apostle is in that letter. But see how he uses the cross. He uses the cross tremendously against that effort to make Christianity into a legal system.

And to bring believers into bondage again. In the letter to the Ephesians. The work of the cross is to put the church on heavenly ground. The cross in Ephesians completely cuts the church off from all earthly ground.

It puts the church outside of time. It puts the church outside of the world. The letter to the Philippians. The cross in Philippians is applied to that which is spoiling the harmony of the Lord's people.

There is a painful dislocation inside the church. There is a spot where things are unhappy. That is because of personal interests and pride. Some people will not let go their personal interests. Some people will not let go their pride.

They have been offended. And they are not going to forgive. So the apostle brings the cross in there over against this discord and dislocation. And he points out that if only the cross were in those lives, everything would be put right.

The letter to the Colossians. This letter shows that the cross delivers from all false spirituality. The cross sets aside all that is mere mysticism. And everything that would make Christ less than he is.

The letters to the Thessalonians. Here the cross is the strength for suffering. And inspiration unto the coming of the Lord. There may not be much said about the cross actually. But the principle of these letters is the principle of the cross.

The people were suffering for Christ's sake. They were suffering the loss of all things. And they had thought that the Lord would have come to deliver them. And the Lord is delaying his coming. So the apostle tells them that their sufferings will issue in the coming of the Lord and glory.

These sufferings are sufferings with Christ. They are sufferings for Christ's sake. It is fellowship in the cross. But the sufferings issued in the glory. The Lord is coming. And then it will be alright.

The cross has a very real message for suffering believers. And then we just conclude this debate with the letter to the Hebrews. In the letter to the Hebrews the cross shows how everything is brought to fullness and to finality.

The Cross as the Key to the Church's Influence

Now all this relates to the house on its inside. It touches conduct. It touches character. It touches order. It touches ministry. If the cross is in its place everything will be affected. Now I have not just given you some bible teaching.

I know that this is true. I could tell you a story out of personal experience. I have seen all these problems solved just by preaching the cross. I have seen a revolution in a church just by preaching the cross.

I have seen the Lord producing His new order just by preaching the cross. The cross is the key to everything. Then what is true on the inside is also true on the outside. It is the cross which affects the whole range of the church's influence.

The river comes by way of the cross. That is the influence that goes out from the sanctuary to the whole land. It is the cross which gives effectiveness to the ministry to the whole world. So the apostles preach everywhere Christ crucified.

The Cross as Defense Against the Enemy

And then we note another thing. The altar was the great defensive against the enemy. If you look in the book of Ezra. In chapter 3 and verse 3. You have this. They set the altar in its place. For fear of the peoples of the land was upon them.

Because fear of the peoples of the land was upon them, they put the altar in its place. The cross is a great defensive. The cross defends us from the enemy.