总题:马太福音中所启示包罗万有的基督
THE ALL-INCLUSIVE CHRIST AS REVEALED IN MATTHEW
第一篇 作为活星之属天基督当前、即时、活的异象
The Up-to-date, Instant, and Living Vision of the Heavenly Christ as the Living Star
读经:太二1~12,民二四17,创一14~19,但十二3,启一16、20,二1、28,三1,二二16,彼后一19,创二二17,犹12~13
Scripture Reading: Matt. 2:1-12; Num. 24:17; Gen. 1:14-19; Dan. 12:3; Rev. 1:16, 20; 2:1, 28; 3:1; 22:16; 2 Pet. 1:19; Gen. 22:17; Jude 12-13
壹 耶稣生在伯利恒之后,有星象家从东方来到耶路撒冷,说,“那生为犹太人之王的在哪里?因为祂的星出现的时候,我们看见了,就前来拜祂”(太二2);这是应验民数记二十四章十七节的话,说,“必有一星从雅各而出”;这星是指基督:
I. After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star at its rising and have come to worship Him" (Matt. 2:2); this was the fulfillment of Numbers 24:17, which says, "There shall come forth a Star out of Jacob"; this Star refers to Christ:
一 星象家不是说,他们看见了“一个星”或“那星”,乃是说,他们看见了“祂的星”;这星乃是属天的基督。
A. The magi did not say, "We saw a star," or "We saw the star," but "We saw His star"; the Star is the heavenly Christ.
二 马太二章二节所说到的星向这些博学者显现;这星没有向任何以色列人显现;犹太人有论到基督的圣经,并且知道祂要生在何处(4~6),但星象家看见了基督的星。
B. The star spoken of in Matthew 2:2 was shown to these learned men; it did not appear to any of the people of Israel; whereas the Jews had the Scriptures concerning Christ and knew where He would be born (vv. 4-6), the magi saw the star of Christ.
三 犹太人有关于基督将生于何处字句的知识(弥五2),但这些来自东方的博学者接受了关于祂活的异象;至终那星引他们到基督所在的地方(太二1~12)。
C. The Jews had the knowledge in letters concerning where Christ was to be born (Micah 5:2), but these learned men from the east received a living vision of Him; eventually, the star led them to the place where Christ was (Matt. 2:1-12).
四 基督是真日头(玛四2),但严格说来,祂在这黑夜的世代并非出现如日头;祂乃是发光如星(启二28);星是在黑夜里发光,但这指明白昼将到(罗十三11~14)。
D. Christ is the real Sun (Mal. 4:2), but strictly speaking, He does not appear as the sun during the age of night; rather, He shines as a star (Rev. 2:28); a star shines at night, but it indicates that day is coming (Rom. 13:11-14).
五 基督第一次来时,公开出现如星,但祂第二次来时,对儆醒等候祂来的得胜者将是晨星(启二28,二二16);对所有其余的人,基督后来要出现如日头(玛四2,参太十三43)。
E. When Christ came the first time, He appeared openly as a star, but when He comes the second time, He will be the morning star (Rev. 2:28; 22:16) to His overcomers, who watch for His coming; to all others Christ will later appear as the sun (Mal. 4:2; cf. Matt. 13:43).
贰 马太二章一至十二节启示,寻得基督是一件活的事,而不仅仅是圣经道理知识的事:
II. Matthew 2:1-12 reveals that to find Christ is a living matter; it is not a matter of mere doctrinal knowledge of the Bible:
一 这星的显现远离圣地的圣殿,远离犹太的宗教中心,远离祭司、经学家、法利赛人,远离所有守宗教的人;反之,在外邦人之地,却有一颗星显明了一些有关基督的事。
A. The star appeared far away from the temple in the Holy Land, from the Jewish religious center, from the priests, the scribes, the Pharisees, and from all the religious ones; instead, there was a star showing something of Christ in a heathen land.
二 单单手持圣经,念弥迦书五章二节说基督将生在伯利恒,那是不灵的;我们也许有圣经,但可能失去了属天的星。
B. Merely to hold the Bible in our hand and read Micah 5:2, saying that Christ will be born in Bethlehem, does not work; we may have the Bible, but we may miss the heavenly star.
三 那星就是活的启示,活的异象,不是老旧且死的圣经道理知识,不是弥迦书五章二节死的知识;今日我们所需要的不是单单圣经的知识,而是属天的异象,当前、即时的异象,活的异象,人的观念永远没法教导的异象。
C. The star is the living revelation, the living vision, not the old and dead doctrinal knowledge of the Scriptures, not the dead knowledge of Micah 5:2; what we need today is not merely Bible knowledge but the heavenly vision, the up-to-date, instant vision, the living vision, the vision that human concepts can never teach.
四 即或我们有了圣经的知识,我们还需要即时、当前的活星引导我们,去到耶稣所在的那一条街,那一家屋子。
D. Even if we have the knowledge of the Scriptures, we still need the instant, up-to-date, living star to lead us to the very street and the very house where Jesus is.
五 星象家接受了活的异象后,受自己属人观念的误引,去了犹太国的京城耶路撒冷,以为犹太人的王就在那里;他们这误引使许多孩童被杀—太二16。
E. After receiving the living vision, the magi were misled by their human concept and went to Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish nation, where its king was presumed to be; their being misled caused many young boys to be killed—Matt. 2:16.
六 他们到达耶路撒冷,查问犹太人的王当生在何处,圣经说,“希律王听见了,就惊慌不安,全耶路撒冷也同他一样”—3节:
F. When they arrived in Jerusalem and inquired concerning where the King of the Jews was to be born, the Scripture says that "when Herod the king heard this, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him"—v. 3:
1 他们听见这信息,应当欢喜,却反而惊慌不安;这没有别的,乃因他们并没有真要救主—参箴四23。
1. When they heard this news, they should have rejoiced; instead, they were troubled; this is for no other reason than that they were not genuinely seeking the Savior—cf. Prov. 4:23.
2 一个信主的人,如果他里面的感情、感觉没有受主作为爱的影响,则他尚不能配作基督徒—提后四8,可十二30,林前二9。
2. If one who believes in the Lord is not affected by the Lord as love in his inward emotions, he is not worthy to be called a Christian—2 Tim. 4:8; Mark 12:30; 1 Cor. 2:9.
3 基督徒盼望主来,盼望被提,当以此为鉴—提后四8,多二13,启二28,二二20,太二四40~44,二五8~13。
3. A Christian who expects the Lord to come or who expects to be raptured should take this as a warning—2 Tim. 4:8; Titus 2:13; Rev. 2:28; 22:20; Matt. 24:40-44; 25:8-13.
七 当星象家受了圣经的改正(二4~6),往伯利恒去(8~9),那星就再向他们显现,引他们到基督所在的地方,“他们看见那星,就极其欢乐”(10):
G. After the magi were corrected by the Scriptures (2:4-6), they went to Bethlehem (vv. 8-9), and the star appeared to them again and led them to the place where Christ was, "and when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy" (v. 10):
1 星象家得了圣经的改正,回到正确的路上,那星就再向他们显现;活的异象总是随着圣经的。
1. When the magi were corrected by the Scriptures and restored to the right track, the star appeared to them again; living vision always accompanies the Scriptures.
2 祭司是教导百姓律法的人(玛二7),经学家是通晓圣经的人(拉七6);祭司和经学家都具备基督出生的知识(太二5~6),但他们没有看见异象,也无心寻求基督,不像东方来的星象家那样。
2. The priests were those who taught people the law (Mal. 2:7), and the scribes were those who knew the Scriptures (Ezra 7:6); both the priests and the scribes had knowledge concerning the birth of Christ (Matt. 2:5-6), but unlike the magi from the east, they did not see the vision, nor did they have the heart to seek after Christ.
3 不论我们多“合乎圣经”,我们若失去主的同在,我们就完全错了;在新约里寻得并跟随主的路,乃是不断停留在祂隐密的同在中—约五39~40,赛四五15,出三三11、14,参林后五16。
3. Regardless of how "scriptural" we are, if we lose the presence of the Lord, we are absolutely wrong; the New Testament way to find and follow the Lord is to continually stay in His hidden presence—John 5:39-40; Isa. 45:15; Exo. 33:11, 14; cf. 2 Cor. 5:16.
4 储存一些圣经知识是容易的事,但我们若要有活的引导,就必须活在与主亲密的关系里;我们必须与祂是一—太二10~14。
4. It is easy to accumulate scriptural knowledge, but if we would have living guidance, we must live in an intimate relationship with the Lord; we must be one with Him—Matt. 2:10-14.
5 星象家看见了基督,并且敬拜祂;然后他们在梦中受神警示,不要回去见希律,就从“别的路”回本地去了(12);我们一旦看见了基督,就绝不走原路,就是遇不见基督之宗教的路,我们一定会走别的路。
5. The magi saw Christ, and they worshipped Him; then they were warned by God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, so they departed into their own country "by another way" (v. 12); once we have seen Christ, we never take the same way, the way of religion apart from Christ, but we will always take another way.
叁 基督忠信的跟从者是照耀的活星,他们跟随基督这照耀的活星,成为祂的复制—但十二3,参创二二17:
III. Christ's faithful followers are shining and living stars, those who follow Christ as the shining and living star to be His duplication—Dan. 12:3; cf. Gen. 22:17:
一 基督是神经纶的中心与普及,众活星跟随基督那属天、活泼、当前和即时的异象—徒二六16~18,西一17下、18下。
A. The living stars follow the heavenly, living, up-to-date, and instant vision of Christ as the centrality and universality of God's economy—Acts 26:16-18; Col. 1:17b, 18b.
二 众活星乃是祝福神子民的人;我们越为着神的子民赞美主,并在信心里正面地说到他们,就越将自己摆在神的祝福之下—民二四9,创十二2~3,二二17。
B. The living stars are those who bless God's people; the more we praise the Lord for God's people and speak well of them in faith, the more we put ourselves under God's blessing—Num. 24:9; Gen. 12:2-3; 22:17.
三 众活星留意经上申言者的话,“如同留意照在暗处的灯”,使基督这晨星日复一日在他们心里出现;我们若留意圣经的话,会叫我们在基督作晨星实际显出前,就得着祂在我们心里出现,照耀在我们今天所处之背道的黑暗中—彼后一19,约六63,启二28,二二16,提后四8:
C. The living stars give heed to the prophetic word of the Scriptures "as to a lamp shining in a dark place" so that Christ as the morning star rises in their hearts day by day; if we give heed to the word in the Bible, we will have His rising in our hearts to shine in the darkness of apostasy where we are today, before His actual appearing as the morning star—2 Pet. 1:19; John 6:63; Rev. 2:28; 22:16; 2 Tim. 4:8:
1 按晨星的原则,基督徒应当清早起来,因为清晨是遇见主(与神有交通、赞美歌颂、祷读圣经同职事的话并向主祷告)最好的时候—歌七12,诗五1~3,五七8~9,五九16~17,六三1~8,九十14,九二1~2,一〇八2~3,一四三8,出十六21。
1. In the principle of the morning star, a Christian should rise up early because the early morning is the best time to meet the Lord (to fellowship with God, to praise and sing, to pray-read the Bible with the ministry, and to pray to the Lord)—S. S. 7:12; Psa. 5:1-3; 57:8-9; 59:16-17; 63:1-8; 90:14; 92:1-2; 108:2-3; 143:8; Exo. 16:21.
2 主会隐密地把祂自己当作晨星,赐给那些爱祂而儆醒等候祂的人,叫他们尝到祂久离再临之同在的新鲜—帖前五6,启二28,三2~3,十六15。
2. The Lord will secretly give Himself as the morning star to those who love Him and who watch and wait for Him so that they may taste the freshness of His presence at His coming back after a long absence—1 Thes. 5:6; Rev. 2:28; 3:2-3; 16:15.
四 众活星享受并被七倍加强的灵充满,使他们为着神的建造加强的活并加强的亮—三1,四5,五6。
D. The living stars enjoy and are filled with the sevenfold intensified Spirit to make them intensely living and intensely shining for God's building—3:1; 4:5; 5:6.
五 众活星乃是众召会的使者,他们享受并经历是灵的基督作神的使者,并作从神来的新鲜信息,使他们能将新鲜并现今的基督分赐到神的子民里面,为着耶稣的见证—一16、20,二1,玛三1~3。
E. The living stars are the messengers of the churches, those who enjoy and experience the pneumatic Christ as the Messenger of God and as the fresh message from God so that they can dispense the fresh and present Christ into the people of God for the testimony of Jesus—1:16, 20; 2:1; Mal. 3:1-3.
六 众活星乃是“心中定大志”并“心中设大谋”的人;他们是爱神的人,像星“从其轨道”与神一同争战,抵挡祂的仇敌,使他们“如日头出现,光辉烈烈”,并且成为“在他们父的国里……发光如同太阳”的人—士五15~16、20、31,但十一32,太十三43。
F. The living stars have "great resolutions in heart" and "great searchings of heart"; they are lovers of God who are like the "stars…from their courses" to fight together with God against His enemy so that they may be "like the sun / When it rises in its might" and be those who "shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father"—Judg. 5:15-16, 20, 31; Dan. 11:32; Matt. 13:43.
七 众活星是敬畏耶和华并听从祂仆人声音者,信靠耶和华,好能行在暗中而有亮光—赛五十10~11,诗一三九7~12、23~24:
G. The living stars are those who fear Jehovah and hear the voice of His servant, trusting in Jehovah so that they may have light while walking in darkness—Isa. 50:10-11; Psa. 139:7-12, 23-24:
1 那些为自己造光,并行在自己所造之光里,而不是行在神光中的人,必落在悲惨之中—赛五十11。
1. Those who make light for themselves and walk in their self-made light instead of in God's light will suffer torment—Isa. 50:11.
2 这对我们该是警告,叫我们行在神所赐的光中,不行在我们为自己所造的光中;“来吧,我们在耶和华的光中行走”—二5。
2. This should be a warning to us so that we may walk in the light given by God, not in the light we make for ourselves; "Come and let us walk in the light of Jehovah"—2:5.
八 众活星是由神在第四日的恢复并进一步的创造里所设立的星作预表,星是借着照耀来管理;哪里有照耀,哪里就有管理,为着生命的长大—创一14~19:
H. The living stars are typified by the stars that were established on the fourth day of God's restoration with His further creation, in which they rule by their shining; where there is shining, there is ruling for the growth of life—Gen. 1:14-19:
1 主耶稣在变化山上的照耀,乃是国度在大能里的来临;这照耀实际上乃是三一神管治的同在—太十七1~8,可九1~8。
1. The shining forth of the Lord Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration was the coming of the kingdom in power; this shining forth is actually the ruling presence of the Triune God—Matt. 17:1-8; Mark 9:1-8.
2 神的国作为神的管治,神的掌权,同其一切的祝福和享受,就是主耶稣的照耀,也是主耶稣借着照耀在我们身上而有的扩展。
2. The kingdom of God as the ruling of God, the reigning of God, with all its blessings and enjoyment is the shining of the Lord Jesus and the spreading of the Lord Jesus by shining over us.
3 国度乃是主耶稣这实际的照耀;每当祂照耀在我们身上,并且我们也在那照耀之下,我们就在国度里,受我们里面神的管治和掌权,为着我们生命的长大。
3. The kingdom is the shining of the reality of the Lord Jesus; whenever He is shining over us and we are under that shining, we are in the kingdom under God's ruling and reigning within us for our growth of life.
I. On the negative side, there are some who are "wandering stars"—Jude 12-13:
1 流荡之星的隐喻,指明这些反复无常的教师、背道者,未稳固地定在属天启示不变之真理上,反倒在神像星一样的子民中流荡。
1. The metaphor of wandering stars indicates that the erratic teachers, the apostates, were not solidly fixed in the unchanging truths of the heavenly revelation but were wandering about among God's starlike people.
2 反复无常的背道者,今天是流荡的星,至终要被禁入那为他们永远存留的黑暗幽冥里。
2. The erratic apostates are wandering stars today, but they will eventually be imprisoned in the gloom of darkness, which has been kept for them for eternity.
3 众地方召会不是神经纶的目标,而只是达到基督身体之实际这目标的手续,无论谁不教导这事,就与现今世代神职事的需要不符;无论谁要使我们离开众召会为着基督身体之实际的相调,就是流荡的星;真正的星乃是使多人归义的,他们并不领人走迷,而是使人转上正路。
3. Anyone who does not teach that the local churches are not the goal of God's economy but the procedure to reach the goal of the reality of the Body of Christ does not match the need of the ministry of God in the present age; anyone who keeps us from the blending of the churches for the reality of the Body of Christ is a wandering star; the true stars are those who turn many to righteousness, those who do not lead people astray but turn them to the right way.
4 今日那活星和众活星离我们不远,就在那作基督身体实际彰显的众地方召会里,并且与众地方召会同在(启一11、20);在所有的地方召会中,都有一些活星;我们只要与他们接触,与他们在一起,他们就要引我们到耶稣所在的地方。
4. Today the living Star and the living stars are not far from us—they are in and with the local churches as the practical expressions of the Body of Christ (Rev. 1:11, 20); among all the local churches there are some living stars; we simply need to contact them and keep company with them; they will lead us to the place where Jesus is.
十 愿主怜悯我们,叫我们一直蒙保守在正路上,遇见主,敬拜祂,并向祂献上我们的爱;愿主使我们都像这些星象家,跟随活星去寻得基督并对基督有新的发现,好成为祂的复制,作众活星—参弗五8~9,耶十五16上。
J. May the Lord be merciful to us that we may always be kept in the right way to meet the Lord, to worship Him, and to offer our love to Him; may the Lord make us all like the magi, following the living star to find and make new discoveries of Christ in order to become His duplication as the living stars—cf. Eph. 5:8-9; Jer. 15:16a.
祝福神的子民,好领受神的祝福
BLESSING GOD'S PEOPLE TO RECEIVE GOD'S BLESSING
“那为你祝福的,我必赐福与他;那咒诅你的,我必咒诅他。”—创十二3上
"I will bless those who bless you, / And him who curses you I will curse."—Gen. 12:3a
“凡给你祝福的,愿他蒙福;凡咒诅你的,愿他受咒诅。”—民二四9下
"Blessed is everyone who blesses you, / And cursed is everyone who curses you."—Num. 24:9b
《李常受文集一九七八年第一册》,与服事者的交通,二五八至二五九页:
CWWL, 1978, vol. 1, "Fellowship with the Serving Ones, Volume One," p. 203:
在主眼中,批评聚会乃是邪恶、不洁的。主会对你说,“这是我的身体。你是谁?谁给你权利为我召会的聚会制定标准?”只要你说了一些批评聚会的话,你就是破坏一。假定你对于什么是好聚会有你的看法,但别人不以为然,你会怎么说?我或许不喜欢聚会,但我不敢说什么,因为我知道这会引起分裂。……我是谁,竟敢说我不喜欢聚会?愿主怜悯的光照临到我们,并临到许多亲爱的圣徒。
In the eyes of the Lord it is evil, unclean, to criticize the meetings. The Lord would say to you, "This is My Body. Who are you? Who gave you the right to make a standard for a meeting of My church?" As soon as you say something critical of the meeting, you break the oneness. Suppose others do not like your idea of a good meeting. What would you say? I may not like the meeting, but I dare not say a word because I know this causes division…Who am I to say that I do not like the meeting? May the Lord's merciful shining come to us and to so many dear ones.
《出埃及记生命读经》第七篇,九四至九六页:
Life-study of Exodus, msg. 7, pp. 78-80:
在一九四〇年代初期,在上海一次祷告聚会中所发生的事,帮助我来看神的百姓,像神看他们一样。在那次聚会中,一位老练的同工姊妹,因着召会下沉的光景而受搅扰,就为召会向主呼求。她祷告时,因着召会可怜的光景而叹息、呻吟。当她祷告完之后,倪弟兄向主发出赞美,并感谢祂,说,召会绝不软弱或下沉,乃是一直高昂的。全会众都震撼。然后,倪弟兄帮助我们认识巴兰对以色列人之预言的意义。巴勒雇巴兰去咒诅以色列人,然而巴兰不但没有咒诅神的百姓,反而祝福他们。巴兰代表神,说,“祂未见雅各中有罪孽,也未见以色列中有祸患。”(民二三21)不仅如此,在二十四章五节巴兰说,“雅各阿,你的帐棚何其佳美!以色列阿,你的帐幕何其华丽!”按照这些经节,神未见以色列中有罪孽和祸患。反之,祂只看见美好、佳美和华丽。今天的召会也是这样。
Something happened in a prayer meeting in Shanghai in the early 1940s that helped me to see God's people as He sees them. In that meeting an experienced sister co-worker, troubled by the low state of the church, cried out to the Lord on behalf of the church. As she prayed, she sighed and groaned because of the poor condition of the church. When she finished praying, Brother Nee broke forth in praise to the Lord and gave Him thanks that the church is never weak or low but always high. The congregation was shocked. Then Brother Nee helped us to understand the significance of Balaam's prophecy regarding the children of Israel. Balaam was hired by Balak to curse the children of Israel. But instead of cursing God's people, Balaam blessed them. Speaking on behalf of God, Balaam said, "He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob, / Nor has He seen trouble in Israel" (Num. 23:21). Furthermore, in Numbers 24:5 Balaam said, "How fair are your tents, O Jacob, / Your tabernacles, O Israel!" According to these verses, God did not see iniquity or trouble in Israel. Instead, He saw only goodness, fairness, and beauty. The same is true regarding the church today.
不要说召会下沉或发死。你越这样说,就越将自己摆在咒诅之下。然而,你若为着召会生活赞美主,称赞召会生活,你就越将自己摆在神的祝福之下。我在召会生活所有的年日中,从未见过一个说召会消极话的人是在神的祝福之下。相反的,所有说召会贫穷、下沉、发死的人,都在咒诅之下。凡说召会积极话的,宣告召会是可爱的,并且召会是神的家的人,都蒙了祝福。这不仅仅是道理,这乃是在许多圣徒的经历中可以得到证实的见证。
Do not say that the church is low or dead. The more you say this, the more you put yourself under a curse. However, if you praise the Lord for the church life and speak well concerning it, you will put yourself under God's blessing. During all the years I have been in the church life, I have not seen one person who spoke negatively about the church who was under God's blessing. On the contrary, all who have said that the church was poor, low, or dead have been under a curse. Those who speak positively about the church, declaring that the church is lovely and that it is God's house, receive the blessing. This is not mere doc-trine; it is a testimony that can be verified by the experiences of many saints.
有时候我对召会感到失望,没有积极的想法,主就在我里面警告我要谨慎。我立刻求主洁净我,并且开始宣告召会是何等美好。即使召会带给我难处,我仍然爱召会。我越这样说积极的话,就越在神的祝福之下。
Sometimes when I am disappointed over the church and do not think positively about it, the Lord within warns me to be careful. Immediately, I ask the Lord to cleanse me, and I begin to declare how wonderful the church is. Even though the church may cause me trouble, I still love the church. The more I speak in this positive way, the more I am under God's blessing.
论到召会,谁的话是正确的?是你的话,还是主的话?在永世里,主的话会显为正确的,因为在永世里,召会将是美妙、荣耀、高超的。仇敌对召会所有的控告都是谎言。说召会贫穷或发死,就是说邪恶的谎言。召会表面的光景是虚假的。说召会冷淡、发死或下沉,乃是谎言。召会是拔高的,并且满了生命。我很感谢倪弟兄对巴兰的预言所说强有力的话。那些话完全改变了我对召会现况的观念。我从接受那些话开始,便一直在完全不同的光中看召会。
Whose word about the church is right, yours or the Lord's? In eternity the Lord's word will prove to be right, for in eternity the church will be marvelous, glorious, and transcendent. All the enemy's accusa-tions regarding the church are lies. To say that the church is poor or dead is to utter a devilish lie. The apparent situation of the church is a lie. It is a lie to say that the church is cold or dead or low. The church is uplifted and very living. I am thankful for Brother Nee's strong word concerning Balaam's prophecy. That word fully changed my concept concerning the present state of the church. From the time I received that word, I have seen the church in a completely different light.
不要看得比主更深。照民数记里巴兰的话,主未见雅各中有罪孽。那么你如何能见到?你比神更智慧或更有洞察力么?圣经宣告主未见以色列中有祸患,你却说你看见了召会中的祸患。你选择要相信哪一个?主的眼光,还是你的?如果在对召会的评估上,我们与主站在一起,我们就要蒙保守,不从祝福中落到咒诅里。愿我们在如何对待召会的事上都能谨慎。
Do not see deeper than the Lord sees. According to Balaam's word in Numbers, the Lord did not see iniquity in Jacob. How, then, can you see it? Are you wiser or more perceptive than God? The Bible declares that the Lord does not see trouble in Israel. But you claim to see trouble in the church. Which do you choose to believe, the Lord's sight or yours? If we stand with the Lord's estimation of the church, we will be kept from falling from the blessing into the curse. May we all take heed how we deal with the church.