第49章 约书亚的遗嘱
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第49章 约书亚的遗嘱
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Chap. 49 - The Last Words of Joshua
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征讨的战事结束了之后，约书亚就退隐到亭拿西拉他宁静的家乡里。“耶和华使以色列人安静，不与四围的一切仇敌争战，已经多日，约书亚……就把以色列众人的长老、族长、审判官并官长，都召了来。”（书23:24）[1]{PP 521.1}
§4
The wars and conquest ended, Joshua had withdrawn to the peaceful retirement of his home at Timnath-serah. And it came to pass, a long time after that the Lord had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua . . . called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers.{PP 521.1}[1]
§5
自百姓在他们的地业上安居以来，已经过了好几年了，在他们中间，已经可以看出那过去使以色列人遭受刑罚的同样邪恶。约书亚感觉自己年老力衰，知道自己的工作不久必须结束，所以他念及百姓的前途，不禁忧心如焚。当百姓又聚集在他们年老的领袖身边时，他向他们发出一番胜于父子之情的训词说：“耶和华你们的上帝，因你们的缘故，向那些国所行的一切事，你们亲眼看见了；因那为你们争战的，是耶和华你们的上帝。”迦南人虽然已被制伏，但他们仍占有应许给以色列人之地的一大部分；所以约书亚劝勉他的百姓不可贪图安逸，而忘记了耶和华吩咐他们全然驱逐这些拜偶像的国家的命令。[2]{PP 521.2}
§6
Some years had passed since the people had settled in their possessions, and already could be seen cropping out the same evils that had heretofore brought judgments upon Israel. As Joshua felt the infirmities of age stealing upon him, and realized that his work must soon close, he was filled with anxiety for the future of his people. It was with more than a fathers interest that he addressed them, as they gathered once more about their aged chief. Ye have seen, he said, all that the Lord your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the Lord your God is He that hath fought for you. Although the Canaanites had been subdued, they still possessed a considerable portion of the land promised to Israel, and Joshua exhorted his people not to settle down at ease and forget the Lords command to utterly dispossess these idolatrous nations.{PP 521.2}[2]
§7
大体说来，百姓对于完成赶逐异族人的工作是相当迟缓。这时，各支派已经散在各自的地业上，他们的军队已经解散，大家都认为重新作战是一件艰难而不一定能成功的事。但是约书亚对他们说：“耶和华你们的上帝必将他们从你们面前赶出去，使他们离开你们；你们就必得他们的地为业，正如耶和华你们的上帝所应许的。所以你们要大大壮胆，谨守遵行写在摩西律法书上的一切话；不可偏离左右。”[3]{PP 521.3}
§8
The people in general were slow to complete the work of driving out the heathen. The tribes had dispersed to their possessions, the army had disbanded, and it was looked upon as a difficult and doubtful undertaking to renew the war. But Joshua declared: The Lord your God, He shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the Lord your God hath promised unto you. Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left. {PP 521.3}[3]
§9
约书亚请百姓自己作见证，在他们每次履行条件的时候，上帝都已信实地实现了他向他们所发的应许。他说：“你们是一心一意的知道耶和华你们上帝所应许赐福与你们的话，没有一句落空，都应验在你们身上了。”他又告诉他们耶和华怎样履行了他的应许，他也必怎样遂行他所警告的灾祸。“耶和华你们上帝所应许的一切福气，怎样临到你们身上，耶和华也必照样使各样祸患临到你们身上，……你们若违背耶和华你们上帝吩咐你们所守的约，……耶和华的怒气，必向你们发作，使你们在他所赐的美地上，速速灭亡。”[4]{PP 522.1}
§10
Joshua appealed to the people themselves as witnesses that, so far as they had complied with the conditions, God had faithfully fulfilled His promises to them. Ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, he said, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof. He declared to them that as the Lord had fulfilled His promises, so He would fulfill His threatenings. It shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the Lord your God promised you; so shall the Lord bring upon you all evil things. . . . When ye have transgressed the covenant of the Lord, . . . then shall the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which He hath given unto you.{PP 522.1}[4]
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撒但以似是而非的理论欺骗许多人说，上帝对他子民的爱非常之大，他必能原谅他们中间的罪；撒但又诡称，上帝所说威吓的话，不过是要在他道德政权中达到某种目标，是决不至真正实现的。殊不知上帝在对待他所造之物的一切举措上，曾一贯地显明罪的本质来维护正义，显明罪的必然结果，乃是祸患与死亡。他从来没有，而且永远不会，无条件的赦免罪恶。因为这样的赦免，只能说上帝已经废止了那作为他政权之基础的正义原则。这必要使那未曾堕落的宇宙大为惊异恐慌。上帝已经信实地指明罪的结果，如果这些警告是不可靠的话，那么，我们怎能确信他的应许必要实现呢？那取消公义的所谓“慈爱”并不是慈爱，乃是懦弱。[5]{PP 522.2}
§12
Satan deceives many with the plausible theory that Gods love for His people is so great that He will excuse sin in them; he represents that while the threatenings of Gods word are to serve a certain purpose in His moral government, they are never to be literally fulfilled. But in all His dealings with his creatures God has maintained the principles of righteousness by revealing sin in its true character--by demonstrating that its sure result is misery and death. The unconditional pardon of sin never has been, and never will be. Such pardon would show the abandonment of the principles of righteousness, which are the very foundation of the government of God. It would fill the unfallen universe with consternation. God has faithfully pointed out the results of sin, and if these warnings were not true, how could we be sure that His promises would be fulfilled? That so-called benevolence which would set aside justice is not benevolence but weakness.{PP 522.2}[5]
§13
上帝是赐生命的主。他从起初所设立的一切律法都是使人得生命。但罪恶破坏了上帝所设立的秩序，于是冲突矛盾的现象随之而来。只要罪恶一天存在，痛苦和死亡总是不能避免。唯有仗着救赎主为我们受了罪的咒诅，人才能希望在自己身上逃避罪恶的悲惨结果。[6]{PP 522.3}
§14
God is the life-giver. From the beginning all His laws were ordained to life. But sin broke in upon the order that God had established, and discord followed. So long as sin exists, suffering and death are inevitable. It is only because the Redeemer has borne the curse of sin in our behalf that man can hope to escape, in his own person, its dire results.{PP 522.3}[6]
§15
在约书亚去世之前，以色列人各支派的族长和代表们奉了他的召请，再聚集到示剑来。在迦南全地中，没有任何地点比这里具有更多的胜迹，更能使他们联想到上帝与亚伯拉罕和雅各所立的约，并使他们回忆自己在进入迦南之时所立的神圣誓约。这里有以巴路山和基利心山屹立两旁，为那次的誓约作见证；这时，他们又聚集在他们将要去世的领袖面前，重新订立这约。在两边山上可以看到上帝为他们施行大事的凭据；说明他怎样把那非他们所修治的地土，非他们所建立的城邑，以及非他们所栽种的葡萄园和橄榄园都赐给他们。约书亚再向以色列人讲说他们的历史，重述上帝奇妙的作为，使人人都体验到上帝的慈爱和怜悯，并能“诚心实意的侍奉他。”[7]{PP 522.4}
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Before the death of Joshua the heads and representatives of the tribes, obedient to his summons, again assembled at Shechem. No spot in all the land possessed so many sacred associations, carrying their minds back to Gods covenant with Abraham and Jacob, and recalling also their own solemn vows upon their entrance into Canaan. Here were the mountains Ebal and Gerizim, the silent witnesses of those vows which now, in the presence of their dying leader, they had assembled to renew. On every side were evidences of what God had wrought for them; how He had given them a land for which they did not labor, and cities which they built not, vineyards and oliveyards which they planted not. Joshua reviewed once more the history of Israel, recounting the wonderful works of God, that all might have a sense of His love and mercy and might serve Him in sincerity and in truth.{PP 522.4}[7]
§17
由于约书亚的指示，约柜已从示罗运来。因为这是一次极其严肃的会，他希望这个象征上帝同在的圣物，能使百姓受到深刻的印象。他向以色列人说明了上帝的良善之后，就奉耶和华的圣名，叫他们直言究竟要选择侍奉谁。那时，在民间还有不少私下拜偶像的事，所以约书亚希望能叫他们下决心，从以色列人中除掉这罪。他说：“若是你们以侍奉耶和华为不好，今日就可以选择所要侍奉的。”约书亚希望他们侍奉上帝并不是出于勉强，乃是出于乐意。爱上帝是信仰的真基础。人若是单单因希望得赏赐，或者惧怕受刑罚而侍奉上帝，那是没有什么价值的。在上帝看来，假冒为善和徒具形式的敬拜，并不比公开的离道叛教能使他喜悦呢。[8]{PP 523.1}
§18
By Joshuas direction the ark had been brought from Shiloh. The occasion was one of great solemnity, and this symbol of Gods presence would deepen the impression he wished to make upon the people. After presenting the goodness of God toward Israel, he called upon them, in the name of Jehovah, to choose whom they would serve. The worship of idols was still to some extent secretly practiced, and Joshua endeavored now to bring them to a decision that should banish this sin from Israel. If it seem evil unto you to serve Jehovah, he said, choose you this day whom ye will serve. Joshua desired to lead them to serve God, not by compulsion, but willingly. Love to God is the very foundation of religion. To engage in His service merely from hope of reward or fear of punishment would avail nothing. Open apostasy would not be more offensive to God than hypocrisy and mere formal worship.{PP 523.1}[8]
§19
这位年老的领袖恳切地劝百姓，对他摆在他们面前的问题作通盘的考虑，并决定自己是不是真的要像四围堕落的拜偶像国家一样。如果他们认为侍奉那位能力之源，福惠之本的耶和华不好，他们在那一天就可以选择所要侍奉的，“是你们列祖……所侍奉的上帝，”就是亚伯拉罕蒙召出来所侍奉的上帝呢？或是“你们所住这地的亚摩利人的神？”这最后的几句话，对于以色列人，乃是一个严厉的谴责。亚摩利人的神并没有能力保护敬拜他的人。上帝曾因这些犯罪作恶的国民所行可憎和卑鄙的罪恶而把他们毁灭了，并将他们的美地赐给他的百姓。亚摩利人既因敬拜这些假神而遭毁灭，如今以色列人竟选择要侍奉他们的神，这真是何等愚妄啊！约书亚说：“至于我，和我家，我们必定侍奉耶和华。”那鼓励这位领袖的圣洁热情，这时也鼓舞了百姓的心。他恳切的劝勉引起了百姓毫不犹豫的答应，说“我们断不敢离弃耶和华去侍奉别神。”[9]{PP 523.2}
§20
The aged leader urged the people to consider, in all its bearings, what he had set before them, and to decide if they really desired to live as did the degraded idolatrous nations around them. If it seemed evil to them to serve Jehovah, the source of power, the fountain of blessing, let them that day choose whom they would serve--the gods which your fathers served, from whom Abraham was called out, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell. These last words were a keen rebuke to Israel. The gods of the Amorites had not been able to protect their worshipers. Because of their abominable and debasing sins, that wicked nation had been destroyed, and the good land which they once possessed had been given to Gods people. What folly for Israel to choose the deities for whose worship the Amorites had been destroyed! As for me and my house, said Joshua, we will serve Jehovah. The same holy zeal that inspired the leaders heart was communicated to the people. His appeals called forth the unhesitating response, God forbid that we should forsake Jehovah, to serve other gods.{PP 523.2}[9]
§21
约书亚说：“你们不能侍奉耶和华；因为他是圣洁的上帝，……必不赦免你们的过犯罪恶。”百姓应当先觉悟到他们靠自己是全然无力服从上帝的，然后他们才能进行恒久性的改革。他们曾经破坏过上帝的律法，律法就定他们为罪人，而没有为他们打开逃生之路。他们既依靠自己的能力和公义，他们就不可能得到赦罪之恩；他们自己既不能照上帝全备律法的条件行，所以即使他们应许侍奉上帝，也是徒然的。唯有借着信靠基督，他们才能得到赦罪之恩，并得到能力去遵守上帝的律法。他们必须不再靠自己的力量得救，而完全依靠所应许之救主的功劳，才能蒙上帝悦纳。[10]{PP 524.1}
§22
Ye cannot serve the Lord, said Joshua: for He is a holy God; . . . He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. Before there could be any permanent reformation the people must be led to feel their utter inability in themselves to render obedience to God. They had broken His law, it condemned them as transgressors, and it provided no way of escape. While they trusted in their own strength and righteousness, it was impossible for them to secure the pardon of their sins; they could not meet the claims of Gods perfect law, and it was in vain that they pledged themselves to serve God. It was only by faith in Christ that they could secure pardon of sin and receive strength to obey Gods law. They must cease to rely upon their own efforts for salvation, they must trust wholly in the merits of the promised Saviour, if they would be accepted of God.{PP 524.1}[10]
§23
约书亚要他的听众慎重自己的言语。如果他们还没有准备实践，就不要轻易立约。这时，百姓又以深切的热诚再次声明说：“不然，我们定要侍奉耶和华。”他们严肃的承认约书亚为见证人，见证他们已经选择侍奉耶和华，他们重述效忠上帝的应许说：“我们必侍奉耶和华我们的上帝，听从他的话。”[11]{PP 524.2}
§24
Joshua endeavored to lead his hearers to weigh well their words, and refrain from vows which they would be unprepared to fulfill. With deep earnestness they repeated the declaration: Nay; but we will serve the Lord. Solemnly consenting to the witness against themselves that they had chosen Jehovah, they once more reiterated their pledge of loyalty: The Lord our God will we serve, and His voice will we obey.{PP 524.2}[11]
§25
“当日约书亚就与百姓立约，在示剑为他们立定律例典章。”他把这严肃的誓约抄写下来，与律法书一同放在约柜旁边。他又立一块石柱为纪念，说：“看哪，这石头可以向我们作见证；因为是听见了耶和华所吩咐我们的一切话；倘或你们背弃你们的上帝，这石头就可以向你们作见证。于是约书亚打发百姓各归自己的地业去了。”[12]{PP 524.3}
§26
So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. Having written an account of this solemn transaction, he placed it, with the book of the law, in the side of the ark. And he set up a pillar as a memorial, saying, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which He spake unto us; it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God. So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance.{PP 524.3}[12]
§27
约书亚为以色列人所作的工作已经完成。他曾“专心跟从耶和华；”《圣经》上称他为“耶和华的仆人。”当代的记载对他作公众领袖时所表现的高尚人格，和对他服务之重视，有以下的见证：“约书亚在世，和约书亚死后，那些知道耶和华为以色列人所行诸事的长老还在的时候，以色列人侍奉耶和华。”（书24:31）[13]{PP 524.4}
§28
Joshuas work for Israel was done. He had wholly followed the Lord; and in the book of God he is written, The servant of Jehovah. The noblest testimony to his character as a public leader is the history of the generation that had enjoyed his labors: Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua.{PP 524.4}[13]