English第十一课 神试验亚伯拉罕-创22章
INTRODUCTION 简介
For so many years God had been promising a son to Abraham and Sarah. God had even promised that from that son would come descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. Even more, one of those descendants would be the one through whom God would bless every family on earth.
神应许亚伯拉罕和撒拉，会赐给他们一个儿子，已经过去了很多年。神甚至应许说，他们从这个儿子会得到数不清的后裔，就像天上的星星那么多。而且，神会借着其中一个后裔，来祝福世上的每一个家庭。
For 25 years, as Abraham got older and older, God held back the fulfillment of that promise as He trained Abraham in faith. Then when Abraham had a son through Hagar, Sarah’s handmaid, God told Abraham to send Ishmael away – he was not the long-awaited son.
二十五年过去了，亚伯拉罕越来越老，神依然没有成就这个应许，因为他是在训练亚伯拉罕的信心。然后亚伯拉罕通过撒拉的使女夏甲得了一个儿子，神让亚伯拉罕把以实玛利送走——因为他不是他们长久以来盼望的儿子。
Finally, God blessed Abraham and Sarah with a son, Isaac. Abraham was 100 years old at that time.
最终，神赐给亚伯拉罕和撒拉一个儿子，就是以撒。那时候亚伯拉罕已经100岁了。
Oh, how Abraham loved and treasured that son! This was the child that he had waited so long for. This was his only son by his wife Sarah. This was the boy through whom God would give Abraham descendants as numerous as the stars of the heavens. This was the boy through whom God would send the Savior of the world someday. Oh, how Abraham loved that boy who was growing up in his house.
啊，亚伯拉罕是多么地喜爱和宝贝这个儿子呀！这是他那么久以来一直盼望的孩子。这是他的妻子撒拉唯一个儿子。通过这个男孩，神会赐给亚伯拉罕数不清的后裔，就像天上的星那么多。也是通过这个男孩，有一天神会差派世界的救主。哦，亚伯拉罕多么地爱这个在家里渐渐长大的男孩呀！
Then came that terrible night when God tested Abraham.
然后，一个可怕的夜晚降临，神要试验亚伯拉罕。
READ GENESIS 22:1–5 阅读创22:1-5
This account begins with the phrase “some time later” which would indicate that Isaac had grown from a child to an older boy or even a young man. He was now old enough and strong enough to carry the wood for a burnt offering. Then came the test.
经文以“这些事以后”开始， 表示以撒可能已经成长为大男孩甚或是年轻人。他那时候已经足够大足够强壮，能够背起献燔祭需要的木头。 
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What was the purpose of this test? Give your opinion on these choices.
这次试验的目的是什么？请就以下选择给出你的见解。
a) For God: So that God could find out if Abraham loved Him more than he loved Isaac.
对神来说：这样神就能知道亚伯拉罕爱他是不是超过爱以撒。
b) For Abraham: to become more convinced that he could trust God to keep his promises.
对亚伯拉罕来说：他能够更加确信，他可以信靠神会成就他的应许。
The mountain to which God led Abraham was called “Moriah.” Moriah is the name of the mountain on which the first temple was built by Solomon. 2 Chronicles 3:1 says, “Then Solomon began to build the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David. It was on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, the place provided by David.” Today there is a Muslim mosque (built in 691 AD) called “the Dome of the Rock” on that very site.
神让亚伯拉罕去的那座山叫摩利亚山。摩利亚山就是所罗门所建的第一圣殿所在的山。代下3:1说“所罗门就在耶路撒冷，耶和华向他父大卫显现的摩利亚山上，就是耶布斯人阿珥楠的禾场上，大卫所指定的地方预备好了，开工建造耶和华的殿。”今天在山上这个位置的是穆斯林清真寺（建于691年），被称为“岩石圆顶寺”。
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When Abraham told his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you” what was he thinking? See Hebrews 11:17–19 for insight.
亚伯拉罕告诉他的仆人说，“你们和驴在此等候，我与童子往那里去拜一拜，就回到你们这里来”。说这话的时候，他心里是怎么想的？参考来11:17-19。
But, we wonder, why did it have to be this way? Why such a severe test for an old man who had already shown his faith many times? Why couldn’t God have said: “Abraham, build me a church to prove your devotion” or “Abraham, sacrifice all of your sheep to prove that you love me.” Wasn’t this above and beyond the call of duty?
不过，我们好奇为什么一定要是这种方式呢？为什么要让一个多次展现信心的老人经受这么残酷的考验？神为什么不能说“亚伯拉罕，给我建一个殿来展现你的忠诚”或者“亚伯拉罕，献上你所有的羊来彰显你对我的爱”？难道这不是远远超过了当尽的职分吗？
No, it had to be this way. The test had to come for Abraham’s sake, to settle the issue in his heart. There was only one thing that could be a true rival to Abraham’s love for God – his dearly loved son. God wanted to provide an even stronger faith in the father of believers. God had given Abraham the gift of faith, and He knew the exact amount of heat to apply so the dross would be eliminated and the gold come forth, shining and pure.
不是的，定当如此。这个试验肯定会临到亚伯拉罕，以此来解决他心里的问题。只有一样东西能够拦阻他对神的爱——那就是他亲爱的儿子。神希望在众信徒之父的心中种下更强的信心。神给了亚伯拉罕信心的恩赐，他知道该用多高的温度来去除渣滓，从而得到闪光纯净的金子。
READ GENESIS 22:6–19 阅读创22:6-19
The journey from Beersheba to Moriah was about 80 kilometers and took them 3 days on foot. When it says that Abraham “carried the fire” this probably meant that Abraham carried a pot with burning coals that could be used to start the fire of the offering.
从别示巴到摩利亚大概80公里，步行需要大约三天。经文说亚伯拉罕“拿着火”，很有可能是指亚伯拉罕拿着一个烧着煤的罐子，用来点燃燔祭的木柴。
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When Isaac asked his father, “Where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” How did God actually fulfill this prophecy?
以撒问父亲，“燔祭的羔羊在哪里呢？”亚伯拉罕回答说：“我儿，神必自己预备做燔祭的羔羊。”神如何应验了这一预言？
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What was God’s plan in asking Abraham to sacrifice his son?
神让亚伯拉罕献上自己的儿子，他的计划是什么？
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In verse 12 God said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy, do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Does God want us to fear him? What does it mean to fear God? (see Psalm 33:8 and Proverbs 8:13)
在第12节，神说：“你不可在这童子身上下手。一点不可害他。现在我知道你是敬畏神的了。因为你没有将你的儿子，就是你独生的儿子，留下不给我。”神想要我们惧怕他吗？敬畏神是什么意思？（见诗33:8及箴8:13）
In verse 14 we read that “Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.” These words of Abraham show that he recognized that the ram in the thicket was placed there by God. The Lord had saved Abraham’s son by provided a substitute for him on that mountain.
在第14节，经文说“亚伯拉罕给那地方起名叫耶和华以勒（意思就是耶和华必预备），直到今日人还说，在耶和华的山上必有预备。”亚伯拉罕这话表明，他知道稠密小树当中的公羊是神所预备的。在那座山上，耶和华使用一只羊代替了亚伯拉罕的儿子，从而拯救了他。
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We could also say that on a mountain God has provided a substitute that has saved us. What substitute did God provide to save us from death?
我们也可以说，在一座山上，神用什么代替我们从而拯救了我们。神使用什么来代替我们拯救我们脱离死亡？
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In verses 16-18 God repeats his promises to bless Abraham and make of him a great nation. But this time God adds these phrases: “because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son … because you have obeyed me.” Does this mean that Abraham had earned God’s blessings? Do we have to earn God’s blessings? Write down your thoughts on this and be prepared to share them with the class.
在第16-18节当中，神重申祝福亚伯拉罕的应许，要使他成为大国。不过这一次神增加了一句：“你既行了这事，不留下你的儿子，就是你独生的儿子……因为你听从了我的话”。这是不是指亚伯拉罕赢得了神的祝福？我们需要赢得神的祝福吗？请写下你对此的想法，并且预备在班上分享。
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What lesson is God teaching us through this test of Abraham?
通过试验亚伯拉罕，神教导我们什么功课？
READ GENESIS 22:20–24 阅读创22:20-24
It had been about 50 years since Abraham had left his relatives back in Haran. What was happening back there? Abraham received the new of the birth of many nephews and nieces. Eight nephews were born to Abraham’s brother Nahor.
亚伯拉罕离开哈兰的亲人大概已经有50年了。哈兰那边发生了什么事？亚伯拉罕得到消息，他有了很多侄子侄女。拿鹤给他生了八个侄子。
The significance of this section is the name that occurs in verse 23. Rebekah, the daughter of one of Abraham’s nephews, would become the wife of Isaac one day. This section was written to explain her background. God had planned for her to play an important role in the history of God’s people.
这一段最重要的在第22节当中出现的名字。利百加，是亚伯拉罕侄子的女儿，有一天会成为以撒的妻子。这一段是来解释她的出身。神已经计划，在神子民的历史当中，她会是一个举足轻重的人物。