God’s Covenant with Abram  || 神和亚伯兰的盟约

Article #15 the series: You Are God’s Masterpiece: The Genesis Notes. 

你是神的杰作:《创世记手记》系列第十五

Vision From God
从 神来的异象

At this point in the story of Abram, he has just gotten back from a victorious battle, but maybe he is wondering what his next steps are. He had to forcefully rescue his nephew, Lot. What will happen next? Is he feeling alone in this foreign land? Is he uncertain of his future? Is he fearful? At this critical moment the Word of God comes to Abram in a vision. God gives Abram some important messages.

在亚伯兰的故事中说道，他刚刚大胜归来，也许还在想接下来该怎么做。他被迫使用武力营救了自己的侄子罗得，接下来会发生什么呢？他在异乡是否会感到孤独？对未来是否充满了不确定呢? 他害怕了吗？在这个关键时刻， 神借着异象对亚伯兰说话了，给了亚伯兰一些重要的信息。

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
Genesis 15:1 NIV

 

这事以后，耶和华在异象中有话对亚伯兰说：“亚伯兰，你不要惧怕！我是你的盾牌，必大大的赏赐你。”
创世纪 15:1 和合本

Safety and Supply
安全和供应

After this big battle and rescue the first thing the Lord says to Abram is, “Do not be afraid, Abram.” Apparently Abram was feeling afraid otherwise God would not have said this. And God assures him on two points. First God will be his shield to protect him. Abram just fought a battle and is very aware of how important his shield is. Now God is saying He will be Abram’s shield. Secondly, God says He will be Abram’s reward. Remember Abram turned down all of the reward from the battle saving Lot. The King of Sodom offered the reward to Abram and he refused to accept. Now God is letting him know He will provide for Abram everything he needs.

这次大战和营救行动之后， 神对亚伯兰说的第一句话是: “亚伯兰，不要惧怕”。显然亚伯兰是害怕了，不然 神不会这么说。并且 神向他保证了两点。第一， 神会做他的盾牌保护他。亚伯兰刚打完仗回来，他非常清楚他的盾牌有多重要。现在 神说衪会做亚伯兰的盾牌。第二， 神说会大大赏赐亚伯兰。要知道-亚伯兰拒绝了在救援罗得之战中所能得到的一切奖赏。所多玛王要奖赏他，他拒绝领受。现在 神告诉亚伯兰衪会供应亚伯兰的一切所需所求。

God Is Our Shield
神是我们的盾牌

The Bible says that God is your shield as well.
圣经上说神也是你的盾牌

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 18:2 NIV

耶和华是我的岩石，我的山寨，我的救主，我的 神，我的磐石，我所投靠的。他是我的盾牌，是拯救我的角，是我的高台。
诗篇 18:2 和合本

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him.
Psalm 28:7 NIV

耶和华是我的力量，是我的盾牌，我心里倚靠他，就得帮助；所以我心中欢乐。我必用诗歌颂赞他！
诗篇 28：7 和合本

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Ephesians 6:16 NIV

此外，又拿着信德当作藤牌，可以灭尽那恶者一切的火箭。
以弗所书 6:16 和合本

But Abram Said #1
亚伯兰却说 #1

After this wonderful assurance from God seemingly Abram desires something more from the Lord. We see that Abram was not only fearful, he also seemed to losing hope for his future. So in a very humble way Abram approaches God. He reminds God it does not matter what he personally receives, because it will be passed down to his children, but he has no children. God had promised him descendants, but as of yet there are none. Only a servant Eliezer. Abram is looking ahead and sees no descendants, no children to pass on his great blessings. No future. Maybe he is losing hope.

得到 神如此美好的保证后，亚伯兰似乎还想从 神那里得到更多。我们看到亚伯兰不仅惧怕，而且对未来也失去了盼望。因此亚伯兰谦卑地在神面前，提醒神，他个人获得什么都不重要，因为这一切都将传给他的子孙，可他并没有孩子！神应许他会有自己的后代，但是直到那时连一个都没有，只有一个仆人以利以谢。亚伯兰正在预测未来，看到自己后继无人去继承神如此大的祝福。看不到未来，也许他开始失去盼望了。

But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Genesis‬ 15:2-5‬ NIV

 

亚伯兰说：“主耶和华啊，我既无子，你还赐我什么呢？并且要承受我家业的是大马士革人以利以谢。”亚伯兰又说：“你没有给我儿子，那生在我家中的人就是我的后嗣。”耶和华又有话对他说：“这人必不成为你的后嗣，你本身所生的才成为你的后嗣。”于是领他走到外边，说：“你向天观看，数算众星，能数得过来吗？”又对他说：“你的后裔将要如此。”
创世记 15:2-5‬‬ 和合本

God kindly responds to Abram’s concern for the future. God tells Abram once again he will have descendants. This conversation takes place at night outside and God tells Abram to look up and count the stars. This is how many descendants he will have. And here we have an amazing verse which will be repeated over and over throughout the Bible.

神仁慈地回应了亚伯兰对未来的忧虑，再次告诉他将来会有自己的后代。这段对话发生在夜晚的户外， 神让亚伯兰抬头数点天上的星星-他的后代会像星星那样繁多！这就是我们在圣经上被反复引用的名言。

Abram believed the Lord; and He credited it to him as righteousness.
Genesis 15:6 NIV

 

亚伯兰信耶和华，耶和华就以此为他的义。
创世记 15:6 和合本

When we cannot see in the natural realm God’s promises to us coming to pass, we need hope to keep going. What are some ways God has filled you with hope as you have waited for His promises in your life?

当我们在自然世界无法亲眼看到 神的应许实现时，我们需要心怀盼望。当你等候 神在你生命中的应许时，神有哪些方式让你内心充满盼望呢？

God’s Word gave Abram the hope he needed to go on. And because he believed God despite the things he saw (total lack of children) in the natural realm, God called Abram righteous.

神的话语给了亚伯兰继续前进的盼望。尽管他在自然世界看到了一些事情（完全没有孩子），他依然相信神， 神称亚伯兰为义。

“Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact his body was as good as dead – since he was about a hundred years old – and Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised. This is why ‘it was credited to him as righteousness.’ The words ‘it was credited to him’ were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness – for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”
Romans 4:18-25 NIV

 

他在无可指望的时候，因信仍有指望，就得以作多国的父，正如先前所说：“你的后裔将要如此。”他将近百岁的时候，虽然想到自己的身体如同已死，撒拉的生育已经断绝，他的信心还是不软弱。并且仰望 神的应许，总没有因不信，心里起疑惑，反倒因信，心里得坚固，将荣耀归给 神。且满心相信神所应许的必能作成。所以这就“算为他的义”。“算为他义”的这句话，不是单为他写的，也是为我们将来得算为义之人写的，就是我们这信神使我们的主耶稣从死里复活的人。耶稣被交给人，是为我们的过犯；复活，是为叫我们称义（或作“耶稣是为我们的过犯交付了；是为我们称义复活了”）
罗马书 4:18-25 和合本

We can also have faith and hope like Abram did when we believe in God who raised Jesus from the dead.

当我们相信 神使耶稣从死里复活时，我们也可以拥有亚伯兰那样的信心！

But Abram Said #2
亚伯兰却说 #2

After Abram believed God for the first promise (descendants) God spoke to Abram about the second promise: land. God said He would give the land to Abram and Abram would take possession. Abram wanted some assurance of this second promise. Abram replied, “How can I know I will gain possession of the land?”

亚伯兰相信了 神给他的第一个关于后裔的应许之后， 神紧接着又给了他第二个应许：土地。神说会将这地赐他为产业，亚伯兰想要这第二个应许的一些确据，对 神说：“我怎能知道必得这地为业呢？”

Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. He also said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.” But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?”
Genesis‬ 15:6-8‬ NIV

 

亚伯兰信耶和华，耶和华就以此为他的义。耶和华又对他说：“我是耶和华，曾领你出了迦勒底的吾珥，为要将这地赐你为业。”亚伯兰说：“主耶和华啊，我怎能知道必得这地为业呢？”
创世记 15:6-8‬‬ 和合本

A Signature
一个记号

Abram wanted a sign. This was not a sign like “Prove to me and then I will believe you.” It was more like a sign or a signature guaranteeing something to be done. He wanted a formal agreement with God. In modern times we sign our name or stamp our fingerprint on something as a sign. When I rented my apartment, the landlord wanted me to put my red fingerprint on every single piece of paper as a formal sign of agreement.

亚伯兰想要一个凭据，并非是“证明给我看，然后我才相信你”那样的，更像是一个确保这个应许会成就的证明或签字。他想要一个与 神之间的正式协议。在现代社会，我们会在某样东西上签字或按手印以此为据。当我租这套公寓时，房东要求我在协议的每一张纸上按红手印，作为协议的正式凭据。

Signing the Covenant Agreement
签署盟约式的协议

So now we enter into the signing for the agreement between Abram and God. The custom at the time for two people to sign an agreement or make a covenant – legal and relational agreement – was to make a sacrifice of an animal. The two parties would cut the sacrifice in half and then walk between the sacrifice together as a sign of the covenant. Below is the Hebrew word for covenant.

现在我们来谈一谈亚伯兰和 神之间协议的签订。按照当时的习俗，签署协议或缔结盟约（法定且相关联的协议）的双方，需要献动物为祭。双方会将祭物切成两半，然后一起走到祭物之间，以此作为立约的凭据。以下盟约一词的希伯来语。

Covenant: בְּרִית beryith 盟约： בְּרִית
Beryith，This Hebrew word contains the word for cut – bara.
希伯来语中包含了“切”这个词 –就是 bara。

So the Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half.
Genesis‬ 15:9-10‬ NIV

 

他说：“你为我取一只三年的母牛，一只三年的母山羊，一只三年的公绵羊，一只斑鸠，一只雏鸽。”亚伯兰就取了这些来，每样劈开分成两半，一半对着一半地摆列，只有鸟没有劈开。
创世记 15:9-10 和合本

So God told Abram to get a cow, goat, ram, doves and pigeons. He specifically said to cut the cow, goat and ram, but not the birds. Abram knew exactly what was happening. He was going to make an agreement with God and this meant the two of them walking between the cut animals. This was their normal custom.

为此 神告诉亚伯兰去取一只母牛、一只母山羊、一只公绵羊、一只斑鸠和一只雏鸽，衪特别嘱咐要劈开母牛、山羊和公绵羊，但不包括鸟。亚伯兰非常清楚会发生什么：他要跟 神签一个协议，这意味着他和 神都要走到劈开的祭物中间。这是他们的惯例。

Waiting For God to Show Up
等候 神显现

Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
Genesis‬ 15:11‬ NIV

 

有鸷鸟下来落在那死畜的肉上，亚伯兰就把它吓飞了。
创世记 15:11‬‬ 和合本

So Abram did as he was told and prepared the sacrifice. But then nothing happened. He waited and waited. Vultures came and tried to eat the dead animals and Abram had to shoo them away. What was going on? Why hadn’t God shown up yet?

亚伯兰按照所吩咐的备好了祭物。但接下来却什么也没发生。亚伯兰一直等啊等，鸷鸟飞来要吃死畜，亚伯兰把它们吓飞了。到底发生了什么？神为什么还没现身呢？

Waiting. This can be so incredibly difficult. If I was Abram, I would have been happy to have something to do. Prepare the animals, get everything ready. Once things were prepared, I would have said, “Okay God, I’m ready. Let’s go.” But at this moment God has Abram wait.

等待，这会是极其困难的事情！如果我是亚伯兰，我会很乐意去做一些事情：准备献祭的动物，将一切准备妥当。做完之后，我可能会说：“好了， 神，我准备好了，咱们开始吧！” 但就在这时， 神却让亚伯兰等着。

God often calls us to action – like calling Abram to prepare the sacrifice – and at the same time God calls us to wait on Him. This can seem frustrating at times. We love to serve God and feel excited when God has called us to a specific job. But often there is also a time of waiting for the Lord to do His part in His perfect time. In the Christian life there is a constant balance of doing things with God and waiting for God. As we wait, we learn to submit control to God. We learn we cannot do everything on our own. We learn by faith we must keep our eyes on God and let go of our desire to control everything.

神经常叫我们有所行动 （就像呼召亚伯兰准备祭牲），同时， 神也让我们等候他，这有时好象让人很沮丧。我们都热爱侍奉 神，当被 神呼召去做一些特定的工作时会感觉很兴奋。但常常也有时候要等候主在衪所定的完美时间做衪要做的事情。在基督徒生活中，与 神同工和等候 神之间常常会有一个平衡。等候的时候，我们学习将主权交给神，也会明白我们不能靠自己去做所有的事，学会凭着信心必须定睛仰望主，放下想要掌控一切的私欲。

Abram Sleeps
亚伯兰睡着了

As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. Then the Lord said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. You, however, will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.” When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates— the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”
Genesis‬ 15:12-21‬ NIV

 

日头正落的时候，亚伯兰沉沉地睡了，忽然有惊人的大黑暗落在他身上。耶和华对亚伯兰说：“你要的确知道，你的后裔必寄居别人的地，又服侍那地的人，那地的人要苦待他们四百年。并且他们所要服侍的那国，我要惩罚，后来他们必带着许多财物从那里出来。但你要享大寿数，平平安安地归到你列祖那里，被人埋葬。到了第四代，他们必回到此地，因为亚摩利人的罪孽还没有满盈。”日落天黑，不料有冒烟的炉，并烧着的火把，从那些肉块中经过。当那日，耶和华与亚伯兰立约，说：“我已赐给你的后裔，从埃及河直到幼发拉底大河之地，就是基尼人、基尼洗人、甲摩尼人、赫人、比利洗人、利乏音人、亚摩利人、迦南人、革迦撒人、耶布斯人之地。”
创世记15:12-21‬‬ 和合本

While Abram is waiting he actually falls asleep. He doesn’t sleep because he is bored or tired. God puts him in a deep sleep. It was so dark that it was frightening. At this very deep and dark moment God appears.

亚伯兰等着等着竟然睡着了，只因实在太无聊或太累了。神使他沉沉入睡，突然有惊人的大黑暗落在他身上。就在那至深至暗的时刻， 神显现了！

This is when Abram and God are supposed to walk together through the cut animals. Does Abram walk with God? No. He is asleep. At the moment where the two parties are supposed to walk through the sacrifice together Abram is unable for he is in a deep sleep. So God – who is represented by two items (a smoking firepot and a blazing torch) – walks through Himself.

亚伯兰和 神本应该一起走到被劈开的动物之间。可亚伯兰有跟 神一起走吗？没有！他睡着了！就在双方本应一起走到祭物那里的时候，亚伯兰却没能做到，因为他沉沉地睡着了。因此 神选了两样代表性的东西：冒烟的炉和烧着的火把，祂自己从祭物的肉块之间经过。

God Takes Responsibility
神会承担责任

In this moment God takes up both sides of the agreement Himself.

此时， 神亲自承担起双方的责任。

Let’s imagine if Abram was wide awake. It would look like this: Abram and God walk through the cut animals and they make the agreement. God says, “I promise to give you descendants and land, and I will never leave you. What do you promise, Abram?” And Abram says, “I promise to always obey Your laws and serve You faithfully.” In this scenario if one of the two people failed to do what he promised the deal would be off. Meaning if Abram failed and disobeyed God or did not serve Him the covenant would be broken.

我们想象一下，假如亚伯兰十分清醒的话，情况就会如此：亚伯兰和 神一起走到劈开的祭物之间，订立约定。神说：“我应许赐给你后裔和土地，永不离弃你。亚伯兰，你的应许是什么呢？”亚伯兰说：“我承诺永远遵行你的律法，忠诚地侍奉你。”在这个场景中，双方中任一方没有履行承诺，这个约就会被废弃，也意味着只要亚伯兰没有做到，没有顺服或服侍 神，这个约定就会解除。

But this is not what happened. God made the agreement Himself. God took Abram’s place in the agreement process. He knew Abram was not able. God offered Abram this free gift of the covenant. Abram could not do anything here. He couldn’t promise to be a good person or say the correct comments. God had done everything. The only thing Abram had to do was believe. The way to a covenant relationship with God was to just believe Him and allow God to do the covenant-making work. One-hundred percent on God’s shoulders.

但事情并非如此！神亲自订立了这个协议，在签订的过程中神代替了亚伯兰。他知道亚伯兰无法做到。神将这个盟约作为免费礼物送给了他，实际上亚伯兰也确实做不了什么，他无法承诺做一个好人或说正确的话， 神把一切事都做了。亚伯兰唯一要做的就是相信。通往与 神建立盟约关系的唯一道路就是信靠 神，让 神来订立盟约。全然放在神的肩上。

Christ Takes the Responsibility
基督会承担责任

And this is what God did when Christ died on the cross. We had broken God’s laws and should be punished. But God said, “I will take your place in the agreement process. I will send my own Son, Jesus, to stand in your place and die for you. You cannot do it yourself. It is a free gift. But you must believe. One-hundred percent on God’s shoulders.”

这是基督被钉死在十字架上时， 神所做的事。我们破坏了 神的律法，本应受惩罚，但 神却说：“我会在协议的过程中代替你，我会差遣我的儿子耶稣来代替你们，为你们受死。你们自己无法担当。这是免费的礼物。而你必须要相信。全然放在神的肩上。

Abram’s Future
亚伯兰的未来

And in that moment all of Abram’s life flashed before his eyes. When God made the covenant, He made prophetic promises for Abram and his family that God would keep for all time.

在那一刻，亚伯兰的整个一生全部呈现在他眼前。神立约的时候，对亚伯兰和他家人预言了应许，就是神必会守约直到永远。

God’s Covenant With You
神与你的盟约

Just as God made the covenant with Abram and gave him promises God has done this for us, as well. Instead of sacrificing animals God sacrificed Jesus Christ. Instead of marking a page with red fingerprints God signed with His own blood. On the night He was betrayed Jesus shared the Passover meal with His disciples. At the meal He told His disciples He was entering into a new covenant.

正如 神与亚伯兰立约且给他应许，同样，神也为你成就了这些，不过不是以献牲祭的方式，乃是以耶稣基督为祭。也没有在纸上按红手指印，乃是以衪自己的血来作凭据。在耶稣被卖的那一夜，他和门徒共享了逾越节的晚餐。席间，他告诉门徒他将另立新约。

“In the same way, after the supper Hetook the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which ispoured out for you.’”
Luke 22:20 NIV

饭后也照样拿起杯来，说：‘这杯是用我血所立的新约，是为你们流出来的‘。
路加福音 22:20 和合本

God’s covenant with us is based on the death of Christ on the cross. The covenant is not based on our good works or personal righteousness. He has done it all for us and our response is to believe. And just like God’s plan for Abram’s life, God also has a plan for your life. Do you believe God’s plan for you is good? Are there promises in God’s Word for you?

神与我们所立的约是基于基督被钉死在十字架上，而不是基于我们的好行为或个人的义行。衪已为我们完成了一切，我们的回应就是相信。正如 神对亚伯兰的生命有一个计划，衪对你的生命也有一个计划。你相信 神对你生命的计划是美好的吗？透过 神的话语，衪对你有怎样的应许呢？