Mutual Exhortation 与大家共勉之

"Flee and Fly, to the Desert"
by Pr Ezekiel Chang in the Southern Region Spiritual Meeting (1Jan09).
这是我从张以西结传道在南区灵恩会（1/11/09）所讲的《逃旷与飞旷》中，深深学习到的教训。

Rev12:6The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
启12：6 妇人逃到旷野，神给她预备地方，养活她1260天。
Rev 12:14 ...so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach.
启12：14 妇人飞到旷野，被养活一载二载半载。（一载=一年）

We are to cultivate our faith so we can fly away from water attack of the dragon. This signifies a process and time frame that take place for our faith to gradually grow and establish. Not something abrupt, but an accumulation day by day.
我们的信仰是要培养到能够自己飞起来逃离龙口水的攻击。
这意味着，我们的信仰是要慢慢来培养建立的…不是一载半载的事… 一天一天的累积的……

The dragon spawed water to overtake the woman from the back, there is absolutely no way to escape. Hence, this exalts us to pray even more fervently so that we are able to gain flight to dodge that attack.
龙的口水是从背后冲来的，防不胜防…所以我们要更加努力祷告，飞起来避开这龙的口水。

Book of Revelation teaches of three mouths
启示录里面有3个口：

• 龙口 = 世界的口 Of the Dragon which signifies the world
  
• 兽口 = 政治社会的口 Of the Beast which signifies the society
  
• 假先知的口 = 宗教的口 Of the False prophets which signifies the religions
  

这些口能够不知不觉的把我们置于死地……
天灾人祸都不可怕，最可怕的是这些口的口水能腐蚀我们的灵魂！
While we are not on guard, these mouths will put us to a sentence of death.
In fact these mouths are more fearful than any calamities of the world.

We are to live a life just as that of the Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years.
A simple life in the wilderness with full dependence on God's leadership. (Deut8:2)
接着我们一起来到以色列人在旷野40年的日子。
旷野的日子就是一个平淡的日子。
（申8：2）神带领以色列人在旷野40年。
除了云柱火柱之外，还有约柜的领导。

约柜就有3样东西3 Things in the Ark：

1. Staff of Aaron - Authority and miracles of God (Numbers17:10)亚伦之杖 ~ 神的权柄 & 神迹。（民17：10）
2. Manna - Grace of God (Exo16:33) 吗哪 ~ 神的恩典 （出16：33）
3. Testimony - Word and Law of God(Exo25:16) 法版 ~ 神的话/神的律法（出25：16）

(Numbers11:4) the Israelites began to murmur against the plain lifestyle.
While in the wilderness, the Israelites had no worry about food and labor as there was manna falling from Heaven everyday. Yet, they grumbled against God even in times of peace like this. Similarly, as we now have a good career and financial support, a healthy body etc, these are all blessings of God. What then is there any dissatisfaction?
（民11：4）以色列人开始埋怨这平淡的日子。在旷野里，以色列人不愁吃，不必劳碌耕田，每天都有吗哪从天而降。可是，以色列人还是不满意！
如今，我们现在有工作，有钱赚，有饭吃，有房住，有健康的身体，能够继续生活，全都是神的恩典。
还有什么不满意的呢?
神赐给你所需要的，甚至足足有余…为什么还不满意？
Jer2:2 records that God favoured His people in the desert.
As the people in the wilderness lived a simple life with a simple heart to rely on God,
just like little children.
Rev5:7-8 states of conditions of a christian life : Scroll prefigured as Bible, Harp as Hymns, and Golden bowls as Prayer.
（耶2：2）在旷野的百姓是神最喜爱的。
在旷野的百姓很单纯天真，凡事依靠神，犹如小婴儿般可爱。

（启5：7-8）书卷，琴，金炉 ~ 圣经，赞美诗，祷告。 这就是我们当有的信仰生活。

回到旷野去敬拜服侍神吧！
Go, Return to the Wilderness to Serve God!

但愿我有翅膀像鸽子，
我就飞去得享安息。
我必远游，
宿在旷野。
我必速速逃到避所，
脱离狂风暴雨。

⁶ I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest-

⁷ I would flee far away
and stay in the desert;
Selah

⁸ I would hurry to my place of shelter,
far from the tempest and storm."

(诗Psa55:6-8)