九月十五日
经文: 与祂相近的百姓。（诗篇一四八：14）
旧约要求和人之间保持距离。当上帝向祂的仆人摩西显现时，祂说：「不要近前来，当把你脚上的鞋脱下来。」（出3：5）当祂在西奈山上向那些分别出来、属祂的选民彰显祂自己时，起初的命令有一条就是：「要在山的四围定界限。」（出19：23）无论是在会幕或在圣殿向上帝敬拜，保持距离的想法常是重要的。惟有祭司才敢进入至圣所。至于最内部的处所，即至圣所，一年只能进入一次，且只有大祭司才得进入。在早期的岁月中，上帝似乎要教导人明白祂极厌恶罪。即使在祂接近他们时，祂仍要使人感到在圣洁的上帝和污秽的罪人之间有一重隔阂。等到福音临到人类时，我们才获得新的邀请。「来」这个字代替了「去」。接近代替了距离。从前远离上帝的人，藉着耶稣基督的血得以亲近了（参阅弗2：13）。道成肉身的上帝没有被火墙所围绕。「凡劳苦担重担的人，可以到我这里来，我就使你们得安息。」（太11：28）当上帝以肉身显于人间时，祂发出以上可喜的宣告。藉着耶稣，人可以安全地，享有特权来亲近上帝！你曾否有此经历？你若经历过，你是否活在这大能里？这种亲近是奇妙的，然而我们必须进入更亲近的处所。正如经上所说：「上帝的帐幕在人间。他要与人同住。」（启21：3）
Evening, September 15
Scripture: “A people near unto him.”(Psalm 148:14)
The dispensation of the old covenant was that of distance. When God appeared even to his servant Moses, he said, “Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet”; and when he manifested himself upon Mount Sinai, to his own chosen and separated people, one of the first commands was, “Thou shalt set bounds about the mount.” Both in the sacred worship of the tabernacle and the temple, the thought of distance was always prominent. The mass of the people did not even enter the outer court. Into the inner court none but the priests might dare to intrude; while into the innermost place, or the holy of holies, the high priest entered but once in the year. It was as if the Lord in those early ages would teach man that sin was so utterly loathsome to him, that he must treat men as lepers put without the camp; and when he came nearest to them, he yet made them feel the width of the separation between a holy God and an impure sinner. When the gospel came, we were placed on quite another footing. The word “Go” was exchanged for “Come”; distance was made to give place to nearness, and we who aforetime were afar off, were made nigh by the blood of Jesus Christ. Incarnate Deity has no wall of fire about it. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” is the joyful proclamation of God as he appears in human flesh. Not now does he teach the leper his leprosy by setting him at a distance, but by himself suffering the penalty of his defilement. What a state of safety and privilege is this nearness to God through Jesus! Do you know it by experience? If you know it, are you living in the power of it? Marvellous is this nearness, yet it is to be followed by a dispensation of greater nearness still, when it shall be said, “The tabernacle of God is with men, and he doth dwell among them.” Hasten it, O Lord.
