【读圣经学英语】香坛

经文

出埃及記三十七章25~29节

37:25    他用皂荚木作香坛，是四方的，长一肘，宽一肘，高二肘；坛的四角与坛接连一块。
And he made the altar of incense of acacia wood; a cubit was its length, and a cubit its width, square, and two cubits its height; its horns were of one piece with it.
37:26    又用纯金，把坛的上面与坛的四围，并坛的四角包裹；又在坛的四围镶上金牙边。
And he overlaid it with pure gold, its top and its sides around it and its horns; and he made a rim of gold around it.
37:27    作两个金环，安在金牙边以下，在坛相对的两边，可以穿杠，用以抬坛。
And he made for it two golden rings under its rim, on its two sides, on its opposite sides, as holders for poles with which to carry it.
37:28    用皂荚木作两根杠，用金包裹。
And he made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
37:29    又按调制香品者之法，作圣膏油和纯净馨香的香。
And he made the holy anointing oil and the pure fragrant incense, the work of a perfumer.

亮光

神所渴望的乃是在香坛那里的祷告。我们已经指出，这样的祷告是代求的祷告。每当我们在香坛那里开口祷告的时候，我们的祷告不是为着自己，而是为着神永远的计画，为着祂的恢复，为着祂的行动，并为着祂所有的教会。我们的祷告会说出我们在那里，以及我们是谁。

在这些信息里，我们说到一些与祷告生活有关更深的点。我们都必须实行这些真理。如果我们晓得我们无须形式地祷告，无须献上天然、宗教的祷告；这会帮助我们祷告得更多。反之，当我们到达目的地─香坛─的时候，我们就会成为代求的人；我们会终日为着别人和主的权益而代求。这样的祷告乃是神所要的馨香之气。这种祷告能完成神的旨意，满足神的愿望，并使神心喜悦。我们这样祷告，就晓得我们是真与主是一了。我们藉着代求的祷告，就能在香坛那里与祂是一。

Enlightenment:

What God desires is the prayer at the incense altar. As we have pointed out, this kind of prayer is intercessory prayer. Whenever we open our mouths to pray at the incense altar, our prayers will not be for ourselves. Instead, our prayers will be for God’s eternal plan, for His recovery, for His move, and for all His churches. Our prayer will indicate where we are and who we are.

In these messages we have covered certain deeper points related to the prayer life. We all need to put these truths into practice. This may help us to pray more if we realize that we do not need to pray in a formal way; we do not need to offer natural, religious prayers. On the contrary, when we arrive at our destination, the incense altar, we shall become intercessors. All day long we shall intercede for others and for the Lord’s interests. This kind of prayer is a fragrant incense to God. This prayer fulfills God’s purpose, satisfies His hunger, and delights His heart. As we pray in this way, we know that we are truly one with the Lord. By our prayers of intercession we are one with Him at the incense altar.