第26章 凡火
§1
第26章 凡火
§2
Chap.26 Strange Fire
§3
亚伦的儿子拿答和亚比户担任祭司的圣职，却随便喝酒。他们按照平时的习惯，来到上帝面前供职。到上帝面前烧香的祭司必须使用上帝所点着昼夜燃烧，永不熄灭的火。上帝已就各部分的崇祀如何进行，给出了清楚的指示，好使凡与祂的神圣崇拜有关的事都与祂神圣的品格相符。违背有关上帝神圣侍奉明确指示的任何行为都会受到死刑的惩罚。{Con 80.1}[1]
§4
Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, who ministered in the holy office of priesthood, partook freely of wine and, as was their usual custom, went in to minister before the Lord. The priests who burned incense before the Lord were required to use the fire of God’s kindling, which burned day and night and was never extinguished. God gave explicit directions how every part of His service should be conducted, that all connected with His sacred worship might be in accordance with His holy character. And any deviation from the express directions of God in connection with His holy service was punishable with death.?{Con 80.1}[1]
§5
祭牲若不用盐或圣火调和，就不蒙上帝悦纳。这代表上帝与人之间的交通唯独藉着耶稣基督才能开通。放到香炉里的圣火是一直保持燃烧的。当上帝的子民在外面恳切祷告时，由圣火点燃的香就要与他们的祈祷一同升到上帝面前。这香是基督中保工作的象征。{Con 80.2}[2]
§6
No sacrifice would be acceptable to God which was not salted or seasoned with divine fire, which represented the communication between God and man that was opened through Jesus Christ alone. The holy fire which was to be put upon the censer was kept burning perpetually. And while the people of God were without, earnestly praying, the incense kindled by the holy fire was to?arise before God mingled with their prayers. This incense was an emblem of the mediation of Christ.?{Con 80.2}[2]
§7
亚伦的两个儿子取了上帝所不接纳的凡火，并藉着把凡火献在上帝面前而侮辱无穷的上帝。上帝就用火烧灭了他们，因为他们断然藐视祂明确的指示。他们的所作所为就象该隐的祭物，根本没有象征神圣的救主。亚伦的这两个儿子若是能完全控制自己的理性，原本会看清凡火与圣火之间的区别。但食欲的放纵降低了他们的能力，蒙蔽了他们的理智，使他们丧失了辨识力。他们完全明白这预表性礼节的神圣性质，以及他们所承担在上帝面前神圣侍奉的职责是多么严肃可畏。{Con 81.1}[3]
§8
Aaron’s sons took the common fire, which God did not accept, and they offered insult to the infinite God by presenting this strange fire before Him. God consumed them by fire for their positive disregard of His express directions. All their works were as the offering of Cain. There was no divine Saviour represented. Had these sons of Aaron been in full command of their reasoning faculties they would have discerned the difference between the common and sacred fire. The gratification of appetite debased their faculties and so beclouded their intellect that their power of discernment was gone. They fully understood the holy character of the typical service, and the awful solemnity and responsibility assumed of presenting themselves before God to minister in sacred service.?{Con 81.1}[3]
§9
有人可能要问，亚伦两个儿子既因醉酒而麻痹了理智，以致看不清圣火与凡火的区别，怎么还要他们负责呢？当他们把酒杯放在自己嘴边时，他们就要对酒后的一切行为负责。放纵食欲使那两个祭司赔上了自己的性命。上帝曾明令禁止饮酒，因为酒的影响会蒙蔽人的理智。{Con 81.2}[4]
§10
Some may inquire, How could the sons of Aaron have been accountable when their intellects were so far paralyzed by intoxication that they were not able to discern the difference between sacred and common fire? It was when they put the cup to their lips that they made themselves responsible for all their acts committed while under the influence of wine. The indulgence of appetite cost those priests their lives. God expressly forbade the use of wine that would have an influence to becloud the intellect.?{Con 81.2}[4]
§11
“耶和华晓谕亚伦说：‘你和你儿子进会幕的时候，清酒、浓酒都不可喝，免得你们死亡；这要作你们世世代代永远的定例：使你们可以将圣的、俗的，洁净的、不洁净的，分别出来；又使你们可以将耶和华藉摩西晓谕以色列人的一切律例教训他们’”（利10:8-11）。{Con 81.3}[5]
§12
“And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: and that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; and that ye may?teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.”{Con 81.3}[5]
§13
上帝对于希伯来人饮酒问题的特别禁令在这个时代应当得到重视。但许多在我们国家中担负最重要责任的人，太多情况下却是烟酒的奴隶。{Con 82.1}[6]
§14
The special injunction of God to the Hebrews in reference to the use of intoxicating liquors should be regarded in this dispensation. But many who are holding the highest responsibilities in our country are, in too many cases, liquor-and-tobacco slaves.?{Con 82.1}[6]
§15
我们法庭的陪审员执掌着他们同胞无罪或有罪的裁决，而他们中有许多竟是醉烟酗酒的人。他们就是在这种蒙蔽理智和败坏心灵的烟酒影响之下，对他们同胞的自由和生命进行判决。{Con 82.2}[7]
§16
Jurors in our courts, by whose verdict the innocence or guilt of their fellow men is decided, are many of them liquor-drinkers and tobacco-inebriates. And, while under the influence of these, which becloud the intellect and debase the soul, judgment is given upon the liberty and life of their fellow men.?{Con 82.2}[7]
§17
当社会安全要求最恶劣的罪犯受到自己所违犯之律法的严惩时，不公正的判决在很多时候会使他们免受一切惩罚。{Con 82.3}[8]
§18
Perverted judgment in many cases clears from all punishment the greatest criminals, when the safety of society demands they should receive the full penalty of the law which they have violated.?{Con 82.3}[8]
§19
制定和执行我国政府法律的人，用麻痹理智的卑劣的食欲违犯自身的生命律，这样的人不适于决定他们同胞的命运。唯有那些感到必需保持身、心、灵与自然律相合谐，好让他们始终可以保持智力平衡的人，才适于决定关于执行我国律法的重要问题。这就是上帝向希伯来人颁布法令说担任圣职的人不可饮酒的目的。{Con 82.4}[9]
§20
The men who are legislating, and those who are executing the laws of our government, while they are violating the laws of their being in debasing appetites, which stupefy and paralyze the intellect, are not fitted to decide the destiny of their fellow men. Those only who feel the necessity of keeping soul, body, and spirit in conformity to natural law, to the end that they may preserve the right balance of their mental powers, are fitted to decide important questions in reference to the execution of the law of our land. This was the mind of God by decrees to the Hebrews that wine should not be used by those who ministered in holy office.?{Con 82.4}[9]
§21
这里有上帝最明确的指示，说明了祂禁止人饮酒的原因，就是要使他们的辨别力和洞察力能保持清晰而不糊涂，使他们可以作出正确的判断，始终能辨别洁净与不洁净的。这里还指出了他们应该戒绝任何麻醉品的另一个重要原因：要把上帝吩咐以色列人的一切律例教训他们，就需要充分运用清晰的理智。{Con 82.5}[10]
§22
Here we have the most plain directions of God, and His reasons for prohibiting the use of wine; that their power of discrimination and discernment might be clear, and in no way confused; that their judgment might be?correct, and they be ever able to discern between the clean and unclean. Another reason of weighty importance why they should abstain from anything which would intoxicate is also given. It would require the full use of unclouded reason to present to the children of Israel all the statutes which God had spoken to them.?{Con 82.5}[10]
§23
在上帝看来，任何在饮食上危害智力健康，使心智不能积极活动的行为，都是严重的罪行。那些担任圣职的人更是如此，他们始终应作百姓的榜样，并处于适合于教导他们的状况中。{Con 83.1}[11]
§24
Anything in eating and drinking which disqualifies the mental powers for healthful and active exercise is an aggravating sin in the sight of God. Especially is this the case with those who minister in holy things, who should at all times be examples to the people and be in a condition to properly instruct them.?{Con 83.1}[11]
§25
虽然他们有这惊人的范例摆在面前，一些自称为基督徒的人却用被烟酒气味污染的呼吸玷污上帝的殿。痰盂里有时充满了吐出来的烟沫和咀嚼过的烟草块。这些容器里不断产生恶臭，污染空气。自称为基督徒的人跪拜上帝，竟敢用他们被烟草污秽了的口向祂祷告，而他们近乎瘫痪的神经因为过度使用这种强效的麻醉品而颤抖。这就是他们向一位圣洁厌恶罪恶的上帝所献的祈祷。神圣讲台上的传道人，口与唇既是污秽的，竟敢将上帝的圣言放到自己污秽的口里。他们以为上帝不在意他们有罪的放纵。“因为断定罪名不立刻施刑，所以世人满心作恶”（传8:11）。这样污秽自己的人将他们的服侍连同烟酒的香一起献上；上帝必不从他们手中接受祭物，就象祂不从用凡火献香的亚伦儿子手中接受祭物一样。{Con 83.2}[12]
§26
Notwithstanding they have this striking example before them, some professed Christians will desecrate the house of God with breaths polluted with the fumes of liquor and tobacco. And the spittoons are sometimes filled with the ejected spittle and quids of tobacco. The effluvia is constantly arising from these receptacles, polluting the atmosphere. Men professing to be Christians bow to worship God, and dare to pray to Him, with their lips stained by tobacco, while their half-paralyzed nerves tremble from the exhausting use of this powerful narcotic. And this is the devotion they offer to a holy and sin-hating God. Ministers in the sacred desk, with mouth and lips defiled, dare to take the sacred word of God in their polluted lips. They think God does not notice their sinful indulgence. “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” God will no more receive a sacrifice from the hands of those who thus pollute themselves, and offer with their service the incense of tobacco and liquor, than He would receive the offering of the sons of Aaron, who offered incense with strange fire.?{Con 83.2}[12]
§27
上帝并没有改变。祂的要求，是和摩西的时代一样明确无误的。可是在今日崇拜的圣所里，伴随着赞美歌声，祈祷和讲台上讲道的，不只是凡火，还有污秽。讲述真理不是带着上帝那里来的圣洁恩膏，而是带着烟草和白兰地的味儿。这真是凡火！在烟草的臭味中，把圣经的圣洁真理传述给百姓，又把祷告献给上帝！这种气味撒但最喜欢！这是一种可怕的欺骗！在上帝面前真是罪重！是对那位住在人所不能靠近之光中的上帝的严重侮辱！{Con 84.1}[13]
§28
God has not changed. He is as particular and exact in His requirements now as He was in the days of Moses. But in the sanctuaries of worship in our day, with the songs of praise, the prayers, and the teaching from the pulpit, there is not merely strange fire but positive defilement. Instead of truth being preached with holy unction from God, it is sometimes spoken under the influence of tobacco and brandy. Strange fire indeed! Bible truth and Bible holiness are presented to the people, and prayers are offered to God, mingled with the stench of tobacco! Such incense is most acceptable to Satan! A terrible deception is this! What an offense in the sight of God! What an insult to Him who is holy, dwelling in light unapproachable!?{Con 84.1}[13]
§29
自称为基督徒者若能使自己的心智保持健康的活力，就会看出这种崇拜的矛盾性。他们象拿答和亚比户那样，麻木不仁，圣俗不分。他们把神圣的事物降格到与他们染上烟味的呼吸，麻木的脑筋，放纵食欲情欲而污染了的心灵那样的水平。自称为基督徒的人又吃又喝，吞云吐雾，贪食醉酒，满足食欲，同时又在谈论什么象基督那样得胜。{Con 84.2}[14]
§30
If the faculties of the mind were in healthful vigor professed Christians would discern the inconsistency of such worship. Like Nadab and Abihu, their sensibilities are so blunted that they make no difference between the sacred and common. Holy and sacred things are brought down upon a level with their tobacconized breaths, benumbed brains, and their polluted souls, defiled through indulgence of appetite and passion. Professed Christians eat and drink, smoke and chew tobacco, and become gluttons and drunkards, to gratify appetite, and still talk of overcoming as Christ overcame!?{Con 84.2}[14]