目录
一、介绍
二、简介
默示
可靠性
设计性
背景
有效利用
相互作用
目的
三、文学结构
黑暗混乱世界
理想世界
六日创造秩序
四、原本意义
黑暗混乱世界
理想世界
六日创造秩序
从埃及得拯救
进占迦南
五、现今应用
国度的奠基
国度的延续
国度的成全
六、总结
一、介绍
几年前，我开车经过一个火车出事的现场，看见列车出轨，车轮深陷在泥土中动弹不得。一旦火车出轨，脱离了既定的行车轨道，后果必然是一团混乱。
在万物开始的时候，神为他所造的万物铺设了一条道路，使他们可以跟随前行，这条道路要引导他一切的创造通往一个伟大的结局。但是一次又一次，人类在跟随神为他的创造所预备的道路上失败了，我们使世界出了轨，造成一个大混乱的局面。
在这一系列课程中，我们要来学习神在世界历史的起头为他的创造所铺陈的这条道路——在基督徒中，我们称之为创造的谕令。我们要探讨创世记1至11章，即所谓的太古史。从这段《圣经》中，我们看见神为摩西带领下的以色列人陈设一条奇妙大道，使他们跟随而行。而这条道路也正是今天属神的百姓所应该跟随的。
第一课的题目定为：一个完美的世界。因为我们要从摩西在创世记1：1至2：3的描述来看神如何创造一个使他自己大大喜悦的，完美而井然有序的世界。
从这一课中，我们要看见这个理想的世界就是神期盼或预示在摩西的时代要赐给以色列民的。同时，神也要在历世历代中带领所有属他的百姓经历同样的结局。它不但告诉我们起初的情况，更指示我们现今的生活应该如何，以及在世代结束的时候，这世界必然达到的光景。
本课程分为四个部份：第一，我们要为创世记1至11章这段有关太古史的经文作个概要。第二，我们要缩小范围，从创世记1：1至2：3来看它的文学结构。第三，要从创世记这段经文的结构来探讨它的原意。第四，要看创世记1：1至2：3在现今的应用。让我们从创世记1至11章太古史的概要开始。
我们研究创世记1至11章的方法有一点不寻常，所以让我先解释一下我们的基本策略。至少有三个主要的观念是我们研读这段经文的指标。第一，这些章节的默示；第二，这些章节的文学背景；第三，这些章节的写作目的。首先，我们坚信全部《圣经》都是神的默示这一信念，包括创世记1至11章。
根据我们福音派对默示的理解，创世记中这段经文有两个重要的特质：一）它的可信性，二）它是有目的的设计。
我们要特别严词强调这段经文的历史是绝对可信的，因为它是出于神的默示。在研读这段《圣经》的时候，许多历史性的事件呈现在我们面前，其中有些事件虽然尚未有完满的解释，但基于神的默示，就足以认定它历史事实的可信性。
摩西的用意是要他的原读者接受创世记的经文是真实的历史记载，就象处理全本《圣经》一样，我们必须小心解释这段经文，免得误解它历史的层面。无论如何，很显然《圣经》其它的作者，甚至耶稣自己，都相信创世记1至11章的故事都是可信的历史事实。本课程就是建立在这个信念上：相信这段经文是远古的时代确实发生过的事件一个真实可靠的记录。
在确认这段太古史是可信的同时，我们也必须记得，神启示摩西照着他特定的设计来选择安排经文的内容。
让我们从这个角度来思考：创世记1至11章涵盖从创世到大约公元前2000-1800年间的亚伯拉罕时代的这段历史。我们都可以同意，对于这段时期的世界大事，摩西所遗漏的，远远超过他在短短十一章的经文所记载的。
要了解创世记1至11章，我们必须考虑这段经文选择性的记载和它的编排方式。如果我们留心注意摩西如何刻意的编排设计这段太古史，许多重要的问题就能迎刃而解。比如：为什么神启示摩西记下这么少的资料？为什么神指示摩西对选取的材料作如此的编排？
要了解摩西写作的方式，我们必须先探讨当时文学传统的背景。
古代近东的文学对于我们研讨的目的是很重要的。首先，因为一）其它太古记事的文献在当时广泛的成为摩西可使用的资料，其次，是因为二）摩西确实曾受这些太古文献的影响。
考古学的研究证实摩西并非第一位写作世界起源的人。神向摩西赐下他的启示，为了确保他的记录真实无误。但是当摩西写作的时候，有关太古史的许多神话和史诗已经大量充斥盛行在近东的各方各族中间。
其中有些古代的文献是广为人知的。比如，许多人都听说过《以努玛•以利施》或称巴比伦的创造故事；《吉加墨史诗》的第十一泥版，或是巴比伦的洪水故事；等等。埃及和迦南也有各种不同版本的远古文献。以上这些和许多其它古代世界的文献都有关于宇宙起源和它早期历史的记述。
不但如此，许多这些古代近东的文献在摩西年轻的时代就已经普遍流行。摩西在埃及的皇宫受教育，他的著作反应出他熟知古代世界文学。当摩西著手写作神所默示的，有关太古时期真实记事的时候，他清楚知道在古代近东另有其它的文学传统。
既然知道其它这些远古近东的记事是摩西可以使用的资料，接下来我们要问另一个问题：这些神话和异教的史诗与摩西有什么相互影响？
我们要从这一系列课程中来看摩西如何消极的和积极的回应其它太古传统的记述。
从一方面说，摩西写作太古史是以真实来对抗虚假的记载。我们要记得摩西所带领的这批以色列人因为各种异教的影响，很容易受迷惑而相信这个世界的造成是众神祗争战打斗的结果。他们或是完全背弃列祖的真道，或是把真道和外邦信仰相混杂。从许多方面来看，摩西记录这段太古史是为了教导神的百姓认识历史事件的真相。他着力籍着建立耶和华神的信仰来抗拒异邦虚假的宗教。
在同时，摩西也积极地利用当时的文学传统来达成他消极抗拒虚假神话的目的。他刻意仿效当时的以色列可以理解的、古代近东通行的写作方式来传达神的真理。虽然摩西的著作和几种重要的文献有许多相同点，但根据最新的考古研究发现，它特别与其中的一种文学传统有极为惊人的雷同。
有一份在1969年发表的重要文件，标题是《亚楚哈西斯：巴比伦洪水的故事》。我们不知道这份文件的年代可以追溯到多久远，但是，有一点对我们很重要，就是它把从前的断简残篇串成一个完整的故事。
亚楚哈西斯史诗包含一个基本的三段式结构：从人类的创造开始，紧接着人类创造之后是早期人类历史的记录，特别著重由于人类的状况而导致世界的败坏。最后，藉着洪水的审判除去败坏，引进一个新世界的秩序。
比较创世记和《亚楚哈西斯史诗》之后，得出一个有力的结论，就是：摩西刻意采用这种整全的结构来编写他的记事，咋看之下，创世记1至11章像是零零散散篇章的选集，从一个主题到另一个主题，没有什么连贯性，但是只要稍微对照一下它和亚楚哈西斯多处平行的文体，就可以看出摩西的太古史是根据一个整全的结构编写而成的一个完整的故事。
就象亚楚哈西斯史诗一样，摩西的记事也分成三个主要的段落：理想的世界（创世记1：1至2：3）；因人类犯罪而造成的堕落的世界（创世记2：4至6：8）；以及洪水与新秩序（创世记6：9至11：9）。
现在我们要问第三个问题：摩西为什么要写创世记1至11章？他要向他的以色列读者传达什么信息？
我们可以确定最基本的原因是摩西要教导以色列民有关过去的历史事实，要他们知道在世界历史的起头，神到底做了些什么事。正如其它民族的神话用来说服人接受那些神话的观点，摩西也必须设法让以色列人信服他们信仰的历史性。
但是经过仔细的观察，我们发现摩西太古记事的背后还另有一个目的。具体而言，他写作的目的是要影响以色列人，使他们能学习顺服神的旨意。虽然对于初次读到创世记1至11章的人来说，这个外加的目的并不明显，可是在明白其它的太古文献也具有相同的目的时，摩西的用意就更加清楚了。
要理解太古记事的目的以前，我们需要先认清一点：许多古代近东的文明相信宇宙是由一种超自然的宇宙智慧或能力所造成的。在理想的状态下，宇宙照着这种智慧或神圣秩序运转。团体中的每个人，从君王到奴仆都有责任尽其所能去顺应这个神圣秩序。
这和太古的神话和史诗有什么关系呢？这些以色列周围的文明古国写作太古史最主要的目的是解释宇宙的智慧，并顺应他们自己的需要。他们的传统以太古世界作为支持当前的宗教与社会制度的证据。这些文献的作者通常是祭司，他们指出当前的一切生活方式都是众神祗早已安排妥当，世界原本应该有的模式。有些时候，他们特别注重一些宗教上的事务，比如神殿、祭司和礼仪。那一位神偏好那一所神殿？那些祭司家族应当服事？另一些时候，他们关心更大的社会结构，象政治权力和法律，谁该被立为王？为何某些人生而为奴？简单的说，异邦文明的太古传统不只是用来教导过去的历史，而是要藉着众神明在起初预定的事来支持当前宗教和社会秩序的合法性。因此他们的神话要求人民必须顺应众神明的创世谕令，就是他们为宇宙所设定的结构。
从这些课程中我们要来看，摩西写创世纪1至11章的目的是为了支持当时的宗教和社会秩序，指出他们的根源是来自耶和华为他们设立的太古路经。在摩西带领以色列人从埃及到应许地途中，许多反对他的人认为他误导了以色列的儿女。在应付这些反对势力的时候，太古的历史就被用来证明摩西为以色列民所立的政策和目标是真正出于神为宇宙的设计。抗拒摩西的做法就是抗拒神的谕旨。
从理想的创造（创世记1：1至2：3）这段记事，摩西叫以色列人看见他们面向迦南的行程，正是朝着神的理想世界前进的方向。从世界的败坏（创世记2：4至6：8），摩西指出因着神对罪恶的咒诅，埃及成为一个败坏和困苦的地方。最后，在创世记6：9至11：9关于洪水和随后的新秩序的这段记事中，摩西向以色列人表明要领他们进入新秩序的福气中，正如在他之前的挪亚将新秩序和祝福带给世界一样。这些太古的历史事实充分证实了摩西对以色列的异象。如果他能让以色列人信服这些真理，那么以色列中那些忠心的人就会转离埃及，而认定迦南是他们神圣的产业。
对创世记1至11章记载的太古史有了一个整体的认识之后，现在让我们来看创世记第一个段落的细节：创世记1：1至2：3所描述的神的理想世界。
每当福音派基督徒提到《圣经》开卷第一章，马上就会想到各种解经上的争议。神是用日常的六日造天地吗？创世记一章的一日是一段很长的时期或时代吗？或只不过是用一种诗歌体，非历史的颂赞来描写神的创造活动？在福音派圈子里所有这些立场都被采纳。但我个人认为创世记第一章教导我们：神是用我们日常所理解的六日创造了世界，虽然不是所有笃信《圣经》的基督徒都持有这种观点。
无论如何，在这些课程中，我们探讨创世记开头的经文不是针对这些历史性的问题，而是注重它文学上的问题。我们更有兴趣知道摩西如何写，以及为何要写这一章。这段经文的文学结构如何？这些结构怎样帮助我们明白摩西写作的目的？
首先我们要注意这段经文有三个主要的阶段：就是开始，中段和结尾。
摩西的创造记事以1：1至2开始，我们可以以黑暗混乱的世界作为这段经文内容的概要。1：3至31构成中间这段的内容，包含所谓的六日创造，或称六日创造秩序。最后，2：1至3是安息日，或是我们所谓的理想的世界。
在本课中，我们将探讨这种结构里所有的三部分内容：首先是黑暗混乱的世界；其次，我们将研讨涉及理想世界的第三部分；最后，我们将探讨六日创造秩序。让我们先看第一章1至2节，黑暗混乱的世界。
从创世记一章的第一段，我们看见在笼罩全地的混乱与神的灵之间存在一个很重要的戏剧性的张力。
1：1至2用第一节作为开场的标题，接着在第二节描述世界起初的光景。听听摩西在1：2怎么说：
地是空虚混沌，渊面黑暗，神的灵运行在水面上。（创世记第1章2节）这节经文引介出一个戏剧性张力，贯穿全章的经文，张力的一端：世界是空虚混沌的或是希伯来文תֹהוּ וָבֹהו（tóhuvavóhu）。这个希伯来文出现在《圣经》中的次数太少，我们无法准确地明白它的意思。但有许多学者认为它是一个不适合人居住的，不利于人类生活的世界，就如沙漠或旷野，不利于人类生活一样。所以，在经文一开始，我们就看见有一个不适合人居住的、黑暗、原始、混乱的深渊笼罩着全地。
这戏剧性张力的第二个要素也出现在1：2。摩西说：神的灵运行在水面上。这里用的是希伯来字מְרַחֶפֶת（maʁaħéfet），是飞翔其上或盘旋其上的意思。
所以在经文的开头，我们看到极富戏剧性的画面。一边是地上的混乱，另一边是神的灵运行在混乱之上。事实上，神已经预备要开始行动，除去笼罩全地的混乱。这个起始的戏剧性张力引发出几个问题：神的灵要做什么事？这混乱会起什么变化？
先有了经文开头这个戏剧性张力的概念，我们现在要从摩西的创造记事最后一段：创世记2：1至3的理想世界来看这个张力如何获得解决。
这段经文的结构很简单。2：1开始有一个概要性的陈述说：神完成了他的创造之工。然后在2：2至3的结论说：神就安息了。创世记2：2至3这么说：
到第七日，神造物的工已经完毕，就在第七日歇了他一切的工，安息了。神赐福给第七日，定为圣日，因为在这日神歇了他一切创造的工，就安息了。（创世记第2章2-3节）当摩西描述神进入安息，特别赐福这个日子，使它分别为圣的时候，他就是在宣告混乱与神运行的灵之间的紧张关系已经解除了。神已经制服了黑暗，掌管了混乱的深渊，而且对这个他所造井然有序的理想世界感到心满意足。创造的故事就在此结束，在这个喜乐和平的异象中呈现一个完美和谐的宇宙。
看过摩西创造记事的开始和结局。现在让我们看中间部分，这段经文描述混乱的世界与神运行的灵之间的紧张关系是如何获得解决的。
这段经文教导我们，神制服混乱，照着创世记1：3至31所记奇妙的六日计划创造了世界。当我们读到摩西一再使用「神说」这个词来引介每一个事件的情节时，这一段落的中心主题就显明出来了。因为神是这些事件的主角，他权能的话语是这些经文的中心。
神的话一出口就造成一个壮丽的，井然有序的世界。不象许多异教神话里的神祗，以色列的神创造世界不需要经过一番争战打斗。他的话一说出，世界立刻就形成它应有的秩序。不但如此，神话语所造成的秩序也展示了他权能的智慧。神照着他看为最好的为这个世界设立了秩序。
许多解经家都注意到，神的六日创造秩序可以分成各为三日的两组：第一到三日和第四到六日。两组之间的关系，有许多相异点，却也有多重的关联。
了解这些模式的一个有利的途经是回顾创世记1：2对地的描述。记得摩西说：地是תֹהוּ וָבֹהו多数英译为无定形，空无一物（中译和合本作空虚混沌）。这些用字可以用来解释两组各三日的意义。
神用前三日来处理无定形的问题。也就是说，神为他的创造定形状，分界限；在他的创造中界定范围或领域。在另一边，神用后三日来处理混乱世界中空无一物的问题。神解决的办法是藉着他的创造活物充满各个领域。
在前三日中，第一天，神划分白昼和黑夜的领域。甚至未有太阳之前，神就叫光照入黑暗混乱的世界。
在第二天，神分开地以上的水和地以下的水，象撑开圆顶帐幕一样分出界限。神这一个行动就造出今天我们所谓的地球上的大气层，使地上的水和天空的水分开来。
在第三天，神分开旱地和海水的领域。将海洋集中在一些地区，使陆地显露出来。植物菜蔬开始在地上生长。就这样，在前三日，神在这没有定形的世界定出形状。他界定光和暗的领域，用大气分开天上的水和地上的水，并叫旱地显露出来。
根据摩西的记载，神在前三日内创造界定了领域，解决地无定形的问题之后，他就在后三日著手处理地空无一物的问题，造出生物使他们居住在这些领域中。
在第四天，神把日、月星辰安置在天上，填满了他在第一天所分别出来，光和暗的领域。他用这些满布天空的星体来管理分别日夜。
在第五天，神造了天上的飞鸟和海里的鱼，使这些活物分别充满他第二天所造、分成空中和地下的水域。
最后，在第六天，神在旱地上造动物和人。这些受造物就居住充满了他在第三天吩咐从海中露出的旱地上。
摩西使神所有的创造各按其所，归于各自的领域和居所。换句话说，神用六天的时间，从黑暗混乱的世界中造出一个光辉灿烂的秩序。他的工作真是奇妙，甚至有六次说：
神看着是好的。（创世记第1章4，10，12，18，21，25节）在他造了人在旱地上以后，又说：
神看着一切所造的都「甚好」（创世记第1章31节）。摩西很清楚的表明，神对自己所作的工极其满意。
所以，我们看见创世记1：1至2：3有一个有目的的、复杂精密的结构。经文从一个混乱的世界，神正要预备有所行动开始。接下来的六天中，神用话语从混乱的世界造出秩序，结果，在第七天，神对他所造有理想秩序的世界感到心满意足，就进入享受他的安息。
看过创世记1：1至2：3大致的文学结构以后，让我们接下来讨论这段经文的原意。
我们看到摩西的太古史从整体来说，是借用神为起初的世界所设立的秩序来印证以色列出埃及和征服迦南的经历。但是这个主要的目的如何藉创世记1：1至2：3这段特别的记述表明出来？摩西如何联系他在以色列人中的工作和创造故事之间的关系？
让我们再一次来看创世记1：1至2：3中间三个主要的段落，从其中探讨摩西如何处理这段经文。首先看第一段：黑暗混乱的世界，然后接到最后一段：理想秩序的世界。最后，再回到中间的一段：神创造的经过。先看1：2，黑暗混乱的世界。
黑暗混乱世界
以我们的目的来说，创世记这两节经文最重要的特色是第二节所引入的戏剧性张力和相关的叙述。从摩西如何描述混乱世界与圣灵之间戏剧性的张力看来，他的目的很明显的，不只是记载神的创造，也是在描述以色列的出埃及。
我们记得摩西在创世记1：2，一方面说到：地是无定形的（תֹהוּ）；另一方面又说：神的灵在运行（מְרַחֶפֶת）。
如果我们看看摩西另外一段暗示创世记这个戏剧性画面的经文，这一幕情景的意义就会鲜明地浮现出来。摩西在申命记32：10至12使用创世记1：2的语言，为了特别突显以色列的出埃及和创世记之间的关联。听听这几节经文怎么说：
耶和华遇见他在旷野荒凉野兽吼叫之地，就环绕他，看顾他，保护他，如同保护眼中的瞳人。又如鹰搅动巢窝，在雏鹰以上两翅扇展，接取雏鹰，背在两翼之上。这样，耶和华独自引导他，并无外邦神与他同在。（申命记第32章10-12节）这几节经文很重要，因为除了创世记1：2之外，在摩西其余的著作中，这是使用空虚和运行这样用语的唯一一处经文。
在第10节，译为荒凉这个希伯来字תֹהוּ与创世记1：2的空虚是同一个字。还有，在第11节，译为两翅扇展的希伯来字מְרַחֶפֶת就是创世记1：2所说神的灵在水面上运行这个字。
摩西在申命记32章同时采用这两个字，为了显明它和创世记1：2有具体的关联。但究竟如何用这两个字来联系两处的经文？荒凉和两翅扇展在申命记32：10至12是什么意思？
首先，摩西用荒凉这两个字形容埃及。32：10说：
耶和华遇见他在旷野荒凉野兽吼叫之地。（申命记第32章10节）接着，摩西用两翅扇展形容神与以色列的同在。可能指的是神引导以色列民进应许地所用的云柱火柱。32：11说：
保护他，如同保护眼中的瞳人。又如鹰搅动巢窝，在雏鹰以上两翅扇展。（申命记第32章10-11节）从许多方面看，我们可以用申命记32：10至12作为摩西自己的作品：创世记1：2的注解。从这个角度我们得以透视摩西写作创世记1章的目的。
申命记32章帮助我们看见，摩西把神的创造之工和以色列从埃及蒙拯救的过程当作一个平行的处境。摩西在叙述神的创造和以色列得救时，都涉及从一个混乱不适合人居住的世界被救赎出来的过程。神在那原本混乱的世界之上运行，正如他在拯救以色列人出埃及的过程中行事一样。
从创造和出埃及的平行经文中，我们看出摩西描述黑暗混乱的世界不仅要告诉以色列有关神的创造，也要用神的造物之工作为原型、模式或典范，来解释神在摩西的日子在以色列民族中正在运行的事。摩西藉着描述神起初的造物之工向他的读者说明：跟随他离开埃及非但不是一个错误的决定，反而，从创造的记事证明他们从埃及被救赎出来是出于神大能的作为。神藉着拯救以色列人从埃及的混乱中出来，正在重造世界的秩序，正如他起初所行。神如今在以色列民中行事，就象起初他在创造之上运行一样。离开埃及非但不是错误的决定，反而是神亲自在做事，要把合他心意的秩序带回这世界。简单地说，以色列人从埃及蒙拯救无疑是一次重新创造的工作。
意识到创世记一章的开始和以色列人的经历是平行的经文，让我们来看最后一段创世记2：1至3：井然有序的理想世界，进一步证实这个观点。
我们记得创造故事的结局是神进入他的安息。创世记2：2和3节，安息这个字希伯来文是שָׁבַת（ʃavát）。这个字的使用又是另外一处联系创造故事和以色列出埃及的例子。
摩西和以色列人都明白שָׁבַת这个字最主要的意思是纪念安息日，就是根据摩西的律法神所赐给他们享受的。事实上，在出埃及记20章所记十诫的条例中，摩西已经向以色列人说明守安息日的原因是纪念神在创世记2章所作成的事。
当纪念安息日，守为圣日……因为六日之内，耶和华造天、地、海和其中的万物，第七日便安息。（出埃及记第20章8-11）当以色列人从创世记中听到神在第七日安息，很自然会联想到创世记的记载与他们守安息日和十诫之间的关系。
虽然以色列人在旷野也可以有限度的守安息日，但是他们必须知道只有等到进入应许地之后才能更完备的纪念安息的节期。以色列人每逢七日要守安息日（如出埃及记20：8至11所记）；遇有其它圣会或节期也要守安息。还有，如利未记25章所记，每逢第七年要守安息年，使田地休耕一年；也要在第五十年时纪念禧年，免除人一切债务，各家要归回自己的地业。根据摩西的律法，要向神谨守全备的安息日敬拜，远比他们在旷野漂流中所能行的复杂得多。
由于以色列人只有在进入迦南地以后才能享受完全的安息，所以摩西常称迦南为安息地或安息的所在。他使用两个与שָׁבַת相关的希伯来字נוּחַ（núaħ）或מְנוּחָה（menúħa）。在好几处地方，摩西描述应许地是以色列人安息的所在，是他们最终可以照摩西律法的要求敬拜守节的地方。比如：在申命记12：10至11有这样的话说：
但你们过了约旦河，得以住在耶和华你们神使你们承受为业之地，又使你们太平，不被四围的一切仇敌扰乱，安然居住。那时要将我所吩咐你们的燔祭，平安祭，十分取一之物，和手中的举祭，并向耶和华许愿献的一切美祭，都奉到耶和华你们神所选择要立为他名的居所。（申命记第12章10-11节）从这段经文，我们看见要事奉敬拜神，向他谨守全备的安息节期，只有在以色列人进入安息地之后才能达成。
对摩西而言，安息的意义不仅是个人或家庭把一天分别出来，安静的敬拜神，安息是摩西的异象中最中心的层面，是一个在安息地的居所，是神设立他的名，使人在那里敬拜他、颂赞他的一个特别的地方。因为这个缘故，在诗篇95：11，神论到那些被禁戒、不能进入迦南地的人说：
所以我在怒中起誓，说，他们断不可进入我的安息。（诗篇第95篇11节）正因为安息与全民得以在所应许地全面的敬拜神两者之间有如此密切的关系，所以摩西就以神进入他的安息来结束他的创造记事。他要以色列人明白，既然神运行使地从混乱进入安息，他也必要行事使以色列人从埃及的混乱中出来，进入他的应许地得着安息。而摩西正在带领他们前往迦南地————安息之地方。抗拒摩西的人不是抗拒人手的筹划，而是抗拒神为引导他的百姓进入他为宇宙所设立的理想境界所作的努力。离开埃及，进入应许地是达到神完美创造计划的必经之途。
既然明白神如何以混乱开始，以安息结束的创造过程来说明他透过摩西引导以色列人的真正心意。我们现在要回到创世记1：3至31，六日的创造秩序，大略地看一下中间这一段落中的一些要素。摩西如何联系六日创造和他的事工？
六日创造和以色列的出埃及之间有许多相互的关联。我们只看其中的两处。第一，与从埃及得救的关系。第二，进占应许地的目标。
首先，在创世记第一章，神创造世界的大能同样地施展在他拯救以色列人出埃及的过程中。在画面的一边，神倒转了创世记一章的创造秩序，降灾难在埃及人身上。在创世之初，神使水中充满了活物；在埃及却叫水变成血，使水里的鱼都死了。起初，神命定人要管理全地的活物；在埃及却使青蛙、虱子、苍蝇和蝗虫为患，遍满埃及人的住处。在创造时神吩咐光和暗分开；相反的，他却叫黑暗在日间笼罩埃及全地。起初地长出植物菜蔬；相对的，却用冰雹、火、蝗虫毁坏埃及地的一切作物。起初神使万物生长繁衍；相对的，神却叫埃及人和他们的牲畜大量的消灭死亡。在这些和许多其它的事上咒诅临到埃及，取代了创世记第一章神在六日中所设立的秩序。在这些灾难期间，埃及实实在在退化成原始混乱的光景。也就在那个期间，摩西召集以色列人离开那称为空虚、荒凉的旷野。
如果以色列人以为埃及的生活是美好的，他们需要仔细考查一下摩西的创造记事。以色列人在埃及的经验与埃及人对自己的地的认知有一个绝然不同的对比。埃及人相信自己是住在众神祝福的地方。而显然有些以色列人也如此认为。但是摩西清楚的表明埃及已经变成一个与神所造理想的世界完全相反的地方。
这个与埃及的对比是极其明显的，然而，这六日的创造与以色列的出埃及却有一个积极的关联。当埃及人眼看自己的地退化到原始的混乱中的时候，以色列人却看见神为他们创造了一个有利的世界，与他在六日创造时所做的相似。神供应他们生命所需的活水。使他们免除青蛙蝗虫的灾害。在埃及人遭受黑暗之灾的时候，使他们享有光明。以色列人的地里有出产。他们的牲畜受到保护；以色列人在埃及地生养众多。
除此以外，神施展他那使人惊奇，在一切创造之上掌权的大能，在以色列人面前使红海分开，干地现出，正如他在第三日创造所作的一样。神为以色列人在大自然中行神迹奇事，并不是没有先例的。在许多方面都能使他们一再回想起创世记第一章，神在起初的几天中创造万物的作为。
创世记一章中神如何创造天地与他如何拯救以色列人出埃及两者之间多重的关联，使摩西的读者可以确认神在他们中间的作为与他的创造工作是互为平行的。在他们出埃及的过程中，神重新塑造了世界，正如他起初所行的。
不但可以从得救出埃及的过程回顾六日创造的经过，也可以从神起初所设立的秩序前瞻在迦南地的生活方式。
当以色列人抵达应许地的时候，周围的自然界会是一个井然有序、丰饶喜乐的地方。因此，神称迦南为流奶与蜜之地。除此以外，在应许地的以色列人将站在一个拥有神形象的地位上，如同神在第六日所设立的。
特别注意创世记1：28神向人说的话：
「要生养众多，遍满地面，治理这地。也要管理海里的鱼，空中的鸟，和地上各样行动的活物。」（创世记第1章28节）虽然以色列人在埃及也曾经历某些祝福，但神要使以色列人承受更大的福气的地方却在迦南地。在摩西的带领下，以色列人正向应许地前行，为要成就神赐给他们、在创造中理想的地位。听听神要赐给迦南地那些忠心的以色列人什么应许。利未记26：9上说：
我要眷顾你们，使你们生养众多，也要与你们坚定所立的约。（利未记第26章9节）这里很明显是引用创世记1：28。神在创世记1：28说：「要生养众多」。而在利未记26：9说他要使他们在那地上生养众多。
迦南地要像神起初所造那奇妙的世界一样，成为一个自然和谐的地方，使拥有神形象的人承担他在地上原本应有的角色。
我们只约略地点到六日创造与摩西时代以色列人的经历的几处关联。从这些例子中看出摩西记述神用六日创造天地的目的，不只是记录创世之初一切事件的过程。他采用这样的方式来描述六日创造为的是帮助他的以色列读者明白他们正在经历的这些过程。神以他大能的作为创造自然，使宇宙从混乱归于安息。他也正在为以色列人重新创造一个世界，把他们从埃及的混乱带进迦南的安息。
当这些忠心的以色列人听到摩西向他们述说创造的经过时会有什么反应，我们只能凭着想象去推测。他们应该可以了解这一切眼前发生的事都不是出于偶然。神正在世上运行，要救赎他们出埃及，带领他们进迦南，正如他起初所行，要在宇宙中设立一个理想的秩序。以色列的救赎是一次重新的创造。他们必须跟随摩西去经历这伟大的再造过程。
明白创世记1：1至2：3的原意以后，我们要进入最后一个主题：创造记事在现今的应用。在应用此段经文的时候，我们必须严谨的遵循新约对这段经文的主题进一步的解释。
新约的作者十分倚赖创世记一章为他们提供有关神创造世界的记事。他们对摩西记载的可靠性深信不疑。然而，与此同为重要的是，新约作者对本课程所提出，摩西写作的中心目的有更进一步的阐释。
正如摩西以创造作为以色列蒙救赎出埃及的原始典范，新约也把创世记1：1至2：3当作一个原始典范，来描述一次更伟大的救赎————在基督里的救赎。根据新约的教导，在旧约的时代，以色列所见的一切拯救和审判的经历，都指向未来一个伟大终级的日子。那时神要透过他的儿子耶稣带来拯救和审判。这个信念引导新约的作者，在解释摩西的创造记事上，以基督作为特别的中心。以色列人透过创造的亮光看他们出埃及，新约的作者也透过创造的亮光看基督。
每当我们探讨新约中有关基督救赎的教导时，必须常常记得，根据新约作者的理解，基督并不是突然间把救赎一次就带进这世界。相反的，他们相信基督是以他国度的三个彼此衔接的阶段带来伟大的救赎和审判。
首先，当基督第一次到地上来的时候，他作成极大的拯救他百姓的工作。我们可以将基督第一次来到世上这一阶段称为国度的奠基。新约《圣经》把基督的出生、受难、复活、升天，以及五旬节和使徒们主要的传道事工看为基督伟大救赎计划的开始。
其次，新约作者们都明白基督的国度在他离地升天之后仍然在继续进行。在这个阶段，神救赎的恩典透过福音的宣讲广传到全世界。整个教会的历史，从使徒以后直到基督再来，构成了基督救赎计划的延续。
再其次，新约教导我们，救赎大工要在国度成全的时候达到完满的地步。当基督在荣耀中再来的时候，他要得胜一切邪恶势力，在基督里死了的人都要复活，我们也要与他一同掌权作王。救赎计划从基督第一次来到地上开始，今天仍然继续，直到他再来的时候，一切大工就完全成就了。
要了解新约作者如何解释摩西的创造记事，这基督国度的三个阶段扮演了很重要的角色。因此我们要分别来看每一个阶段。新约作者仿效摩西为以色列民的著作，将创世记中的创造记事应用在基督救赎的三阶段：国度的奠基，延续、和成全。让我们首先来看新约如何描写创世记第一章与国度的奠基之间的关系。
新约如何透过创造记事的镜头来解释基督国度的奠基呢？新约有多处描写基督第一次到世界上来的情形，就好像神在重新创造宇宙。先来思想约翰福音开始的几节经文。约翰福音1：1至3说：
太初有道，道与神同在，道就是神。这道太初与神同在。万物是藉着他造的。凡被造的，没有一样不是藉着他造的。（约翰福音第1章1-3节）
注意，约翰福音一开始就说：「太初」。我们都知道这是出自摩西写创世记1：1的第一句话：
起初神创造天地。（创世记第1章1节）从一开始约翰就用创世记中创造记事的架构来引导他的读者。他接着说到基督就是三位一体中创造万物的那一位。他是神的道，在创造时他的话一说出，世界就被造成。
虽然这一节的开头很明显是出于创造的故事，但是继续往下读约翰福音第一章，我们就发现约翰很巧妙地从创世记转接到另一组与创造记事平行的事件。听听他在接下来的几节怎么说。约翰福音1：4至5：
生命在他里头。这生命就是人的光。光照在黑暗里，黑暗却不接受光。（约翰福音第第1章4-5节）在这里，约翰继续描述创世记一章的主题，特别强调这光是神在创造的第一天就带进那黑暗混乱的世界里。约翰不单把耶稣比拟为创世记一章所说的光，他更进一步指出基督的道成肉身，就像光照亮这个因罪而在黑暗里的世界。藉着从创造转接到基督的来临。约翰向我们说明基督照亮罪恶黑暗的世界就是神运行除去了世界的混乱，正如他在太初所行的。
类似的主题在哥林多后书4：6。保罗解释这个荣耀的事工说：
那吩咐光从黑暗里照出来的神，已经照在我们心里，叫我们得知神荣耀的光，显在耶稣基督的面上。（哥林多后书第4章6节）在这里，保罗直接引用创世记一章的话说：神「吩咐光从黑暗里照出来」。首先，他的重点是起初创造时光的出现，然后他把焦点转到一段与创造故事平行的重要经文。当这神荣耀的光显明在耶稣基督的面上的时候，神也使他的光照在我们心里。
基督国度的奠基就是基督的面显明在世上的时刻。因此，使徒认为对基督国度的奠基最好是透过它与神原初创造工作的典范之间的关系来理解。神在起初吩咐光照出来时所展现的荣耀，也同样在基督第一次来到这黑暗时代时显明了出来。
从这两段经文中，我们找到一个解释摩西创造记事的要素。基督的信徒们在创世记第一章看到有一幅前瞻性的图画，描写神在基督第一次降世时所作的事，就是国度的奠基。
很多时候，你我一样要面对那些跟随摩西的以色列人所遭遇的试探。神在基督第一次降世的时候行过奇妙的大事，正如当初他在拯救以色列人出埃及的时候所行的。只是我们常常不能领会两千年前神在基督身上所成就的是何等伟大的工作。从一个人类无知和自利的观点来看，基督的生平事迹毫不显眼。常被当成那个时代中一些微不足道的小事一般轻易的忽略过去。如果我们也流于以这种心态看待基督，我们真的必须好好回想新约中的观点。基督在世上的显现是神最后一次重造世界的开始。是神要把世界从混乱黑暗的罪恶与死亡中拯救出来的工作。耶稣的第一次降临是神救赎过程的开始；他要引导他的创造进入一个奇妙的，生命涌流不息的地方，使他和他的形象永远居住在荣耀中。他是我们信心所倚赖的根基，也唯独他是我们的根基。
到目前为止，我们已经讨论过新约用创造的故事解释基督第一次降世的意义。现在我们要看新约如何解释国度的延续，这段基督两次降临之间的时期，也是一个重造的过程。
有一段很熟悉的经文描述这个观点。哥林多后书5：17说
若有人在基督里，他就是新造的人，旧事以过，都变成新的了。（哥林多后书第5章17节）英王钦定《圣经》译本将这节经文译成：若有人在基督里，他就成为一个新的受造物；这是一个不当的翻译，因为它无法表达保罗引述创世记一章创造记事的用意。κτίσις（ktísis）这个希腊字应该译为创造（如许多现代英译本所译），而非创造物（那是另一个希腊字）。事实上，这里可以翻译成有一次新创造。似乎在保罗的观念中，当一个人用信心接受基督，他就成为一个新境界，新世界，或新创造的成员。
根据这个观点，我们看到在国度的延续期间，无论男女，当他们相信接受基督的时候就经历了一次新创造，同样的我们也可以从创世记的创造记事清楚的理解那发生在每一位听见、相信并跟随基督的信徒身上的事。当我们成为神新创造的一部分，我们也就开始享受神所造理想世界中一切奇妙的经历。
正因为这个原因，保罗又从另一个方面描述个人得救的经过与摩西创造记事的关系。歌罗西书3章9b至10这样说：
因你们已经脱去旧人和旧人的行为，穿上新人。这新人在知识上渐渐更新，正如造他主的形象。（歌罗西书第3章9-10节）在这段经文中，使徒用创世记一章的词句来描述发生在信徒身上的事。我们被更新，正如造他主的形象。当然，保罗引述的是创世记1：27。在那里摩西说神的理想世界中，亚当和夏娃是照着神的形象被造的。在基督国度的延续这阶段中，我们在不断地被更新。这过程是一生的工作，要使我们恢复当初我们的始祖满有神形象的地位。
这两段经文（哥林多后书5：17和歌罗西书3：10）说明新约以摩西的创造记事为标准来解释国度的奠基和延续这两个阶段基督的工作。
当然，新约作者也把摩西创造故事的主题应用在最后一个阶段。他们看基督的第一次降临是新创造的开始，国度的延续是信徒个人享受生命中新创造的影响的一段时期。最后，他们也把创造的主题应用在基督工作的最后一个阶段————国度的成全。
在新约《圣经》中至少有两段突出的相关经文。第一段在希伯来书4：4至11，用摩西创造记事的词句描述基督的再来。
论到第七日，有一处说：到第七日，神就歇了他一切的工……这样看来，必另有一安息日的安息，为神的子民存留。因为那进入安息的，乃是歇了自己的工，正如神歇了他的工一样。所以我们务必竭力进入那安息。（希伯来书第4章4-11节）正如摩西用神在《创世纪》二章的安息日，来激励以色列进入迦南——安息地，希伯来的作者看到神的安息日，正是当基督再来时，我们将经历那终极救赎的理想境界。神起初就理想的命定世界的秩序、并进入安息的喜悦，以同样的方式，当基督荣耀再来时，祂必将命定的世界秩序、并把最终安息的喜乐带给他的子民。当我们渴望那日时，这里告诉我们要尽一切的努力，进入那基督再来时临到的安息。
最后，有一段很伟大的经文用摩西的创造记事确认基督的再来，就是启示录21：1。听听约翰如何将创造的主题应用在基督的再来。
我又看见一个新天新地。因为先前的天地已经过去了，海也不再有了。（启示录第21章1节）约翰说到「一个新天新地」。这个词就是回应创世记1：1说的神创造天地。并且约翰说在这个新世界海也不再有了。我们回想神在创世记1：9界定海水的领域，使它不得越过所定的疆界，好叫旱地成为人类安居的所在。当基督再来以后，这个新天地中咸海水被完全从地上除去，取而代之的是供应生命的活水。基督的工作与创世记一章中的六日创造相似，但是在基督里，神更进一步把理想的秩序带到最终的成全。整个宇宙被重造成为一个新天新地，一个神要与他百姓一同享受的新世界。
很可惜，基督徒常常使他们永恒的盼望与创造脱节。我们以为永恒是一个属灵世界的天堂。但是新约《圣经》说得很清楚：我们最终的结局是回到神在创造第七天所命定的安息。我们的永生是在新天新地中。这是摩西时代以色列人的盼望，也是我们今天的盼望。
如果我们遵循新约的教导，就不该把创世记第一章仅仅当作一些远古事件的记录来研读，更应该看它是一幅图画，用来描绘神在基督第一次降临时所作现今仍然在我们的生活中运行，并且在将来有一天，当基督再来的时候必定要成全的工作。
在基督国度的三个阶段中，神在世界上和我们的生命中运行，对抗因罪恶和死亡所带来的混乱。在国度的奠基、延续和成全的过程中引导世界走向它理想的结局————就是神为他的子民所预备的一个奇妙的新创造。
在这个课程中，我们探讨了四个主要的观念：创世记1至11章全面的目的，创世记1：1至2：3的结构与原意；以及新约如何把创造记事的主题应用在基督和我们的生活上。透过这样的探讨显明出这许多摩西的创造记事与今日的关联，确实令人惊讶不已。
今天，我们身为基督徒需要明白如何将摩西写作创世记原本的目的，应用在我们基督徒的生活上。就像当初听到创世记头几章经文的以色列人一样，我们这在罪恶世界中跟随基督的人也常有灰心失望的时候。然而摩西勉励他的读者，要他们相信自己正面向神的理想世界前行，我们这些行走在神奇妙道路上的人也应该受到激励，知道这道路要引导我们前往在基督里的理想世界。
The Primeval History: A Perfect World
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INTRODUCTION
A few years ago, I was driving my car and I came across a train that had jumped its tracks. And of course it just sat there going nowhere. When a train derails off the path it was made to follow, it simply sits there and it's one big mess.
一、介绍
几年前，我开车经过一个火车出事的现场，看见列车出轨，车轮深陷在泥土中动弹不得。一旦火车出轨，脱离了既定的行车轨道，后果必然是一团混乱。
Well, in the beginning of time, God laid a track, or a path, for his creation to follow and this path led toward a grand and glorious destiny for God's creation. But time and again, human beings have failed to follow God's path for his creation. We have derailed the world and ended up with one big mess.
在万物开始的时候，神为他所造的万物铺设了一条道路，使他们可以跟随前行，这条道路要引导他一切的创造通往一个伟大的结局。但是一次又一次，人类在跟随神为他的创造所预备的道路上失败了，我们使世界出了轨，造成一个大混乱的局面。
In this series of lessons, we will be learning about the path that God laid down for his creation in the earliest years of world history — what we often call in Christian circles "creation ordinances." And we will be exploring Genesis 1–11, often known as The Primeval History. These chapters of the Bible will help us see the amazing path God wanted the people of Israel to follow under the leadership of Moses. And they will also show us the path his people should follow even today.
在这一系列课程中，我们要来学习神在世界历史的起头为他的创造所铺陈的这条道路——在基督徒中，我们称之为创造的谕令。我们要探讨创世记1至11章，即所谓的太古史。从这段《圣经》中，我们看见神为摩西带领下的以色列人陈设一条奇妙大道，使他们跟随而行。而这条道路也正是今天属神的百姓所应该跟随的。
We have entitled our first lesson, "A Perfect World" because we will focus our attention on Genesis 1:1–2:3, the passage where Moses first described how God shaped the world into a perfect order that greatly pleased him.
第一课的题目定为：一个完美的世界。因为我们要从摩西在创世记1：1至2：3的描述来看神如何创造一个使他自己大大喜悦的，完美而井然有序的世界。
As we will see, this ideal world anticipated or foreshadowed the destiny toward which God took Israel in the days of Moses — the same destiny toward which God takes all his people throughout history. It not only shows us how things were in the beginning, but also how life should be now, and how our world will certainly be at the end of our age.
从这一课中，我们要看见这个理想的世界就是神期盼或预示在摩西的时代要赐给以色列民的。同时，神也要在历世历代中带领所有属他的百姓经历同样的结局。它不但告诉我们起初的情况，更指示我们现今的生活应该如何，以及在世代结束的时候，这世界必然达到的光景。
This lesson divides into four parts. First, we will present an overview of the primeval history of Genesis 1–11. Second, we will narrow our focus to Genesis 1:1–2:3, looking first at its literary structure. Third, we will investigate the original meaning of this portion of Genesis in the light of its structure. And fourth, we will look for the proper modern applications of this passage. Let's begin with an overview of the entire primeval history of Genesis 1–11.
本课程分为四个部份：第一，我们要为创世记1至11章这段有关太古史的经文作个概要。第二，我们要缩小范围，从创世记1：1至2：3来看它的文学结构。第三，要从创世记这段经文的结构来探讨它的原意。第四，要看创世记1：1至2：3在现今的应用。让我们从创世记1至11章太古史的概要开始。
OVERVIEW
Our approach to Genesis 1–11 may seem a bit unusual at first. So, we should explain our basic strategy. At least three main ideas will guide our study of this part of the Bible: first, the inspiration of these chapters; second, the literary background behind these chapters; and third, the purpose for which these chapters were written. In the first place, we are firmly committed to the divine inspiration of all of Scripture, including Genesis 1–11.
二、简介
我们研究创世记1至11章的方法有一点不寻常，所以让我先解释一下我们的基本策略。至少有三个主要的观念是我们研读这段经文的指标。第一，这些章节的默示；第二，这些章节的文学背景；第三，这些章节的写作目的。首先，我们坚信全部《圣经》都是神的默示这一信念，包括创世记1至11章。
Inspiration
Our evangelical understanding of inspiration reminds us of two very important features about this part of the book of Genesis: first, its reliability and second, its intentional design.
默示
根据我们福音派对默示的理解，创世记中这段经文有两个重要的特质：一）它的可信性，二）它是有目的的设计。
Reliability
We affirm in the strongest terms that this part of the Bible is completely reliable because it is divinely inspired. Now, many historical issues come to the foreground when we study this part of the Bible, and some of these issues have not been fully resolved. But for our purposes it will suffice to say that divine inspiration implies historical reliability.
可靠性
我们要特别严词强调这段经文的历史是绝对可信的，因为它是出于神的默示。在研读这段《圣经》的时候，许多历史性的事件呈现在我们面前，其中有些事件虽然尚未有完满的解释，但基于神的默示，就足以认定它历史事实的可信性。
Moses intended his original readers to receive this portion of Genesis as historically true. Now, just as with all Scripture, we have to interpret these passages carefully so that we do not misunderstand their historical dimensions. Nevertheless, it is clear that other biblical writers, and even Jesus himself, believed that the stories of Genesis 1–11 were trustworthy history. These lessons will build on the belief that these chapters are true and reliable records of what actually happened in ancient times.
摩西的用意是要他的原读者接受创世记的经文是真实的历史记载，就象处理全本《圣经》一样，我们必须小心解释这段经文，免得误解它历史的层面。无论如何，很显然《圣经》其它的作者，甚至耶稣自己，都相信创世记1至11章的故事都是可信的历史事实。本课程就是建立在这个信念上：相信这段经文是远古的时代确实发生过的事件一个真实可靠的记录。
While we believe that the primeval history is reliable, we must always remember that God inspired Moses to select and arrange the content of these chapters according to a particular design.
在确认这段太古史是可信的同时，我们也必须记得，神启示摩西照着他特定的设计来选择安排经文的内容。
Design
Think about it this way. Genesis 1–11 covers the whole history of the world from creation to the days of Abraham, who lived around 2000-1800 B.C. Now we would all agree that Moses left out many more world events from that period of time than he included in these eleven short chapters.
设计性
让我们从这个角度来思考：创世记1至11章涵盖从创世到大约公元前2000-1800年间的亚伯拉罕时代的这段历史。我们都可以同意，对于这段时期的世界大事，摩西所遗漏的，远远超过他在短短十一章的经文所记载的。
So to understand Genesis 1–11 we must take note of this selectivity as well as of the arrangement of these chapters. As we notice how Moses intentionally designed this primeval history, we will be able to answer some very important questions. Why did God inspire Moses to include this little information? And why did God have Moses arrange these chosen materials as he did?
要了解创世记1至11章，我们必须考虑这段经文选择性的记载和它的编排方式。如果我们留心注意摩西如何刻意的编排设计这段太古史，许多重要的问题就能迎刃而解。比如：为什么神启示摩西记下这么少的资料？为什么神指示摩西对选取的材料作如此的编排？
To understand why Moses wrote as he did, we must first look into the background of the literary traditions that existed in his day.
要了解摩西写作的方式，我们必须先探讨当时文学传统的背景。
Background
The literature of the ancient Near East is very important to our purposes first because other primeval accounts were widely available to Moses; and second, because Moses actually interacted with other primeval accounts.
背景
古代近东的文学对于我们研讨的目的是很重要的。首先，因为一）其它太古记事的文献在当时广泛的成为摩西可使用的资料，其次，是因为二）摩西确实曾受这些太古文献的影响。
Availability
Archaeological research has demonstrated that Moses was not the first person to write about the world's origins. To be sure, God inspired Moses, so that his account is true. But Moses wrote in a day when many nations and groups in the Near East had already written many myths and epics about primeval history.
有效利用
考古学的研究证实摩西并非第一位写作世界起源的人。神向摩西赐下他的启示，为了确保他的记录真实无误。但是当摩西写作的时候，有关太古史的许多神话和史诗已经大量充斥盛行在近东的各方各族中间。
Some of these ancient texts are well known. Many people have heard of things like the Enuma Elish, or the Babylonian creation story, or "Tablet Eleven" of the Gilgamesh Epic, or the Babylonian flood story. An assortment of primeval accounts were written in Egypt and Canaan as well. These and many other documents from the ancient world dealt with the origins and early history of the universe.
其中有些古代的文献是广为人知的。比如，许多人都听说过《以努玛•以利施》或称巴比伦的创造故事；《吉加墨史诗》的第十一泥版，或是巴比伦的洪水故事；等等。埃及和迦南也有各种不同版本的远古文献。以上这些和许多其它古代世界的文献都有关于宇宙起源和它早期历史的记述。
And not only that, but many of these ancient Near Eastern documents were actually available to Moses in his youth. Moses was educated in the royal courts of Egypt, and his writings indicate that he knew the literature of the ancient world. As Moses wrote his own divinely-inspired and true account of the primeval period, he was quite aware of other literary traditions in the ancient Near East.
不但如此，许多这些古代近东的文献在摩西年轻的时代就已经普遍流行。摩西在埃及的皇宫受教育，他的著作反应出他熟知古代世界文学。当摩西著手写作神所默示的，有关太古时期真实记事的时候，他清楚知道在古代近东另有其它的文学传统。
Knowing that other primeval accounts were available to Moses, we are now in a position to ask another question: How did Moses interact with the myths and epics of other cultures?
既然知道其它这些远古近东的记事是摩西可以使用的资料，接下来我们要问另一个问题：这些神话和异教的史诗与摩西有什么相互影响？
Interaction
As we will see throughout this series of lessons, Moses interacted with other primeval traditions both negatively and positively.
相互作用
我们要从这一系列课程中来看摩西如何消极的和积极的回应其它太古传统的记述。
On the one hand, Moses wrote his history of the early times to counter falsehood with truth. We must always remember that the Israelites Moses led had been subjected to all kinds of pagan influence. They were tempted to believe that the world resulted from the efforts and struggles of many gods. They either rejected the true faith of their patriarchs, or they mixed this truth with the religious beliefs of other nations. In many respects, Moses wrote his account of the primeval times to teach the people of God the way things actually happened. He sought to establish the truth of Yahwism against the falsehoods of other religions.
从一方面说，摩西写作太古史是以真实来对抗虚假的记载。我们要记得摩西所带领的这批以色列人因为各种异教的影响，很容易受迷惑而相信这个世界的造成是众神祗争战打斗的结果。他们或是完全背弃列祖的真道，或是把真道和外邦信仰相混杂。从许多方面来看，摩西记录这段太古史是为了教导神的百姓认识历史事件的真相。他着力籍着建立耶和华神的信仰来抗拒异邦虚假的宗教。
At the same time, Moses accomplished this negative purpose of refuting false myths by interacting positively with the literary traditions of his time. His writings purposefully resembled other ancient near eastern writings so that he could communicate God's truth in ways that Israel could understand. Although there are many similarities between Moses' account and several important texts, recent archaeological research has pointed to a dramatic similarity with one particular literary tradition.
在同时，摩西也积极地利用当时的文学传统来达成他消极抗拒虚假神话的目的。他刻意仿效当时的以色列可以理解的、古代近东通行的写作方式来传达神的真理。虽然摩西的著作和几种重要的文献有许多相同点，但根据最新的考古研究发现，它特别与其中的一种文学传统有极为惊人的雷同。
In 1969 an important document was published under the title Atrahasis: The Babylonian Story of the Flood. Now we cannot be sure of how far back the tradition of this document reaches, but it is important to us because it brings together in one story many pieces which previously had been known only separately.
有一份在1969年发表的重要文件，标题是《亚楚哈西斯：巴比伦洪水的故事》。我们不知道这份文件的年代可以追溯到多久远，但是，有一点对我们很重要，就是它把从前的断简残篇串成一个完整的故事。
The Atrahasis Epic follows a basic threefold structure: It begins with the creation of humanity. The creation of humanity is followed by a record of early human history, which focuses especially on the corruption of the world due to the human race. And then finally, this corruption is rectified by a flood of judgment and a new world order.
亚楚哈西斯史诗包含一个基本的三段式结构：从人类的创造开始，紧接着人类创造之后是早期人类历史的记录，特别著重由于人类的状况而导致世界的败坏。最后，藉着洪水的审判除去败坏，引进一个新世界的秩序。
Comparing Genesis with Atrahasis strongly supports the idea that Moses' formed his record with an intentional overarching structure. At first glance, Genesis 1 through 11 may seem to be a loose collection of passages that move from one topic to another without much continuity, but simply noticing the broad literary parallels with Atrahasis helps us to see that Moses' primeval history holds together as a single story line with an overarching structure.
比较创世记和《亚楚哈西斯史诗》之后，得出一个有力的结论，就是：摩西刻意采用这种整全的结构来编写他的记事，咋看之下，创世记1至11章像是零零散散篇章的选集，从一个主题到另一个主题，没有什么连贯性，但是只要稍微对照一下它和亚楚哈西斯多处平行的文体，就可以看出摩西的太古史是根据一个整全的结构编写而成的一个完整的故事。
Genesis 1–11 divides into three parts: first the ideal creation in 1:1–2:3; second the corruption of world due to human sin in Genesis 2:4–6:8; and then finally the flood and new order in Genesis 6:9–11:9.
就象亚楚哈西斯史诗一样，摩西的记事也分成三个主要的段落：理想的世界（创世记1：1至2：3）；因人类犯罪而造成的堕落的世界（创世记2：4至6：8）；以及洪水与新秩序（创世记6：9至11：9）。
Now we are in position to ask a third question: Why did Moses write Genesis 1–11? What did he intend to convey to his Israelite readers?
现在我们要问第三个问题：摩西为什么要写创世记1至11章？他要向他的以色列读者传达什么信息？
Purpose
On a very basic level, we can be sure that Moses wanted to teach Israel the truth about the past. He wanted them to know what their God had done in the early years of world history. Just as the myths of other nations were intended to convince people of the perspectives of those myths, Moses sought to convince Israel of the historical truths of their faith.
目的
我们可以确定最基本的原因是摩西要教导以色列民有关过去的历史事实，要他们知道在世界历史的起头，神到底做了些什么事。正如其它民族的神话用来说服人接受那些神话的观点，摩西也必须设法让以色列人信服他们信仰的历史性。
But upon closer examination we are going to see an additional purpose behind Moses' primeval history. Specifically, he also wrote in order to influence Israel to conform themselves to God's will. Now, this additional purpose is not readily apparent to everyone who reads Genesis 1–11, but it becomes clearer once we realize that other primeval accounts shared this same purpose as well.
但是经过仔细的观察，我们发现摩西太古记事的背后还另有一个目的。具体而言，他写作的目的是要影响以色列人，使他们能学习顺服神的旨意。虽然对于初次读到创世记1至11章的人来说，这个外加的目的并不明显，可是在明白其它的太古文献也具有相同的目的时，摩西的用意就更加清楚了。
Before we can understand the purpose of primeval accounts, we have to realize that many ancient Near Eastern cultures believed that the universe was structured or patterned according to a supernatural cosmic wisdom. In its ideal state, the universe operated according to this wisdom or divine order. And it was the responsibility of every person in society, from the emperor to the slave, to conform as much as possible to this divine order.
要理解太古记事的目的以前，我们需要先认清一点：许多古代近东的文明相信宇宙是由一种超自然的宇宙智慧或能力所造成的。在理想的状态下，宇宙照着这种智慧或神圣秩序运转。团体中的每个人，从君王到奴仆都有责任尽其所能去顺应这个神圣秩序。
Now what does this have to do with primeval myths and epics in the ancient near east? The cultures around Israel had primeval accounts which spoke about the events near the beginning of time. They did this in order to explain the structures which the god's had erected in the world in ancient times. Their traditions regarding the primeval times were not merely concerned with early world history. They wrote their primeval accounts to justify their current religious and social programs. The writers of these texts, who were often priests, pointed to the ways the gods had originally arranged the world in order to show how things were supposed to be in their own day. At times they focused on specifically religious matters, such as temples, and priests and rituals. Which temple was favored by the gods and which priestly family was to serve? At other times, they were concerned with broader social structures, such as political power and laws. Who was to be king? Why were some people slaves? Their myths called the people to conform to the creation ordinances of the gods, the structures they had set for the universe.
这和太古的神话和史诗有什么关系呢？这些以色列周围的文明古国写作太古史最主要的目的是解释宇宙的智慧，并顺应他们自己的需要。他们的传统以太古世界作为支持当前的宗教与社会制度的证据。这些文献的作者通常是祭司，他们指出当前的一切生活方式都是众神祗早已安排妥当，世界原本应该有的模式。有些时候，他们特别注重一些宗教上的事务，比如神殿、祭司和礼仪。那一位神偏好那一所神殿？那些祭司家族应当服事？另一些时候，他们关心更大的社会结构，象政治权力和法律，谁该被立为王？为何某些人生而为奴？简单的说，异邦文明的太古传统不只是用来教导过去的历史，而是要藉着众神明在起初预定的事来支持当前宗教和社会秩序的合法性。因此他们的神话要求人民必须顺应众神明的创世谕令，就是他们为宇宙所设定的结构。
As we will see in these lessons, Moses wrote Genesis 1–11 for very similar reasons. On the one hand, Moses wrote his primeval history with an explicit focus on the ways Yahweh had created and ordered the world in ancient times. From creation to the tower of Babel, Moses told Israel about the way things happened long ago. Yet he did not do this simply out of historical interest. As Moses led the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, he faced many opponents who believed that he had actually misled the children of Israel. In response to this opposition, the primeval history demonstrated that Moses' policies and goals for Israel were true to God's design for the universe. As a result, to resist Moses' program was to resist the ordinances of God.
从这些课程中我们要来看，摩西写创世纪1至11章的目的是为了支持当时的宗教和社会秩序，指出他们的根源是来自耶和华为他们设立的太古路经。在摩西带领以色列人从埃及到应许地途中，许多反对他的人认为他误导了以色列的儿女。在应付这些反对势力的时候，太古的历史就被用来证明摩西为以色列民所立的政策和目标是真正出于神为宇宙的设计。抗拒摩西的做法就是抗拒神的谕旨。
In his record of the ideal creation in Genesis 1:1–2:3, Moses showed that Israel was actually moving toward God's ideal by going toward Canaan. In his record of the world's corruption in 2:4–6:8, Moses showed that Egypt was a place of corruption and hardship which resulted from God's curse on sin. Finally, in his record of the flood and the resulting new order in Genesis 6:9–11:9, Moses showed Israel that he was bringing them into a new order with many blessings, just as Noah before him had brought new order and blessings to the world. These primeval facts fully justified Moses' vision for Israel's future. If he could convince Israel of these truths, then the faithful among Israel would turn away from Egypt and take the land of Canaan as their divine inheritance.
从理想的创造（创世记1：1至2：3）这段记事，摩西叫以色列人看见他们面向迦南的行程，正是朝着神的理想世界前进的方向。从世界的败坏（创世记2：4至6：8），摩西指出因着神对罪恶的咒诅，埃及成为一个败坏和困苦的地方。最后，在创世记6：9至11：9关于洪水和随后的新秩序的这段记事中，摩西向以色列人表明要领他们进入新秩序的福气中，正如在他之前的挪亚将新秩序和祝福带给世界一样。这些太古的历史事实充分证实了摩西对以色列的异象。如果他能让以色列人信服这些真理，那么以色列中那些忠心的人就会转离埃及，而认定迦南是他们神圣的产业。
Now that we have introduced our general approach to the primeval history of chapters 1–11, we are in a position to look at the details of the first section of Genesis: God's Ideal World described in Genesis 1:1–2:3.
对创世记1至11章记载的太古史有了一个整体的认识之后，现在让我们来看创世记第一个段落的细节：创世记1：1至2：3所描述的神的理想世界。
LITERARY STRUCTURE
When most Evangelicals think about the opening chapter of the Bible, they think about all the controversies that surround its interpretation. Did God create the world in six ordinary days? Were the "days" of Genesis 1 great ages or epochs? Or is Genesis 1 a somewhat poetic, non-historical celebration of God's creative activity? All of these positions are acceptable within evangelical circles. Although my own view is that Genesis 1 teaches that God made the world as we know it today in six ordinary days, not all Bible-believing Christians hold to this view.
三、文学结构
每当福音派基督徒提到《圣经》开卷第一章，马上就会想到各种解经上的争议。神是用日常的六日造天地吗？创世记一章的一日是一段很长的时期或时代吗？或只不过是用一种诗歌体，非历史的颂赞来描写神的创造活动？在福音派圈子里所有这些立场都被采纳。但我个人认为创世记第一章教导我们：神是用我们日常所理解的六日创造了世界，虽然不是所有笃信《圣经》的基督徒都持有这种观点。
As we approach the opening chapters of Genesis in these lessons, our concern is not so much with historical issues like these. We are more concerned with literary questions. We are more interested in how and why Moses wrote this chapter. What literary structures appear in this passage, and how do these structures help us understand Moses' purpose?
无论如何，在这些课程中，我们探讨创世记开头的经文不是针对这些历史性的问题，而是注重它文学上的问题。我们更有兴趣知道摩西如何写，以及为何要写这一章。这段经文的文学结构如何？这些结构怎样帮助我们明白摩西写作的目的？
We should begin by noting that this passage has three major steps, namely, a beginning, a middle and an ending.
首先我们要注意这段经文有三个主要的阶段：就是开始，中段和结尾。
Moses' creation account begins with 1:1-2. We may summarize the content of these verses as the "dark chaotic world." Chapter 1:3-31 form a middle section of this material, which contains the so-called "six days of creation," or what we will call the "six days of ordering" creation. Finally, 2:1-3 is the Sabbath day, or as we will call it, the "ideal world."
摩西的创造记事以1：1至2开始，我们可以以黑暗混乱的世界作为这段经文内容的概要。1：3至31构成中间这段的内容，包含所谓的六日创造，或称六日创造秩序。最后，2：1至3是安息日，或是我们所谓的理想的世界。
We will explore all three portions of this structure in this lesson, beginning with the dark chaotic world. Second, we will investigate the last section which deals with the ideal world. And finally, we will explore the six days of ordering. Let's look first at the dark chaotic world of 1:1-2.
在本课中，我们将探讨这种结构里所有的三部分内容：首先是黑暗混乱的世界；其次，我们将研讨涉及理想世界的第三部分；最后，我们将探讨六日创造秩序。让我们先看第一章1至2节，黑暗混乱的世界。
Dark Chaotic World
Looking at the first portion of Genesis 1, we see a very important dramatic tension between the chaos covering the earth and the spirit of God.
黑暗混乱世界
从创世记一章的第一段，我们看见在笼罩全地的混乱与神的灵之间存在一个很重要的戏剧性的张力。
The opening of 1:1-2 sets the stage by giving a title in verse 1, and by describing the initial condition of the world in verse 2. Listen to the way Moses put it in 1:2:
1：1至2用第一节作为开场的标题，接着在第二节描述世界起初的光景。听听摩西在1：2怎么说：
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters (Genesis 1:2).
地是空虚混沌，渊面黑暗，神的灵运行在水面上。（创世记第1章2节）
This verse introduces the dramatic tension that flows through this entire chapter. On one side of this tension, the world is "formless and empty," or as it is said in Hebrew, tohu wabohu. This Hebrew expression does not occur frequently enough in the Bible for us to know precisely what it means. But many scholars believe that it meant that the world was uninhabitable, hostile toward human life, much like a desert or wilderness is inhospitable to human life. So, at the beginning of this passage, we see that an uninhabitable, dark, primordial, chaotic deep covered the entire earth.
这节经文引介出一个戏剧性张力，贯穿全章的经文，张力的一端：世界是空虚混沌的或是希伯来文תֹהוּ וָבֹהו（tóhuvavóhu）。这个希伯来文出现在《圣经》中的次数太少，我们无法准确地明白它的意思。但有许多学者认为它是一个不适合人居住的，不利于人类生活的世界，就如沙漠或旷野，不利于人类生活一样。所以，在经文一开始，我们就看见有一个不适合人居住的、黑暗、原始、混乱的深渊笼罩着全地。
The second element in the dramatic tension also appears in 1:2. Moses wrote that "the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." The Hebrew term used here is merachefet which means to "fly above" or to "encircle above."
这戏剧性张力的第二个要素也出现在1：2。摩西说：神的灵运行在水面上。这里用的是希伯来字מְרַחֶפֶת（maʁaħéfet），是飞翔其上或盘旋其上的意思。
So we see a very dramatic picture right at the beginning of this passage. On one side we see chaos on the earth; on the other side we see the Spirit of God hovering above the chaos. In effect, God was ready to move into action to remedy the chaos which covered the earth. This initial dramatic tension raised several questions: What will the Spirit of God do? What will happen to the chaos?
所以在经文的开头，我们看到极富戏剧性的画面。一边是地上的混乱，另一边是神的灵运行在混乱之上。事实上，神已经预备要开始行动，除去笼罩全地的混乱。这个起始的戏剧性张力引发出几个问题：神的灵要做什么事？这混乱会起什么变化？
With this initial dramatic tension of the opening verses in mind, we are in a position to look at the resolution of this tension in the final section of Moses' creation account: the ideal world in Genesis 2:1-3.
先有了经文开头这个戏剧性张力的概念，我们现在要从摩西的创造记事最后一段：创世记2：1至3的理想世界来看这个张力如何获得解决。
Ideal World
This section is structured very simply. It begins in 2:1 with a summary statement that God had finished his creative work, and it concludes in 2:2-3 with God at rest. We read these words in Genesis 2:2-3:
理想世界
这段经文的结构很简单。2：1开始有一个概要性的陈述说：神完成了他的创造之工。然后在2：2至3的结论说：神就安息了。创世记2：2至3这么说：
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy (Genesis 2:2-3).
到第七日，神造物的工已经完毕，就在第七日歇了他一切的工，安息了。神赐福给第七日，定为圣日，因为在这日神歇了他一切创造的工，就安息了。（创世记第2章2-3节）
When Moses described God as entering a state of Sabbath rest, granting a special blessing to that day and making it holy, he declared that the tension between the chaos and God's hovering Spirit had been resolved. God had subdued the darkness, ruled over the chaotic deep, and delighted in his ideally ordered world. The creation story comes to an end with this delightfully peaceful vision of the universe in perfect harmony.
当摩西描述神进入安息，特别赐福这个日子，使它分别为圣的时候，他就是在宣告混乱与神运行的灵之间的紧张关系已经解除了。神已经制服了黑暗，掌管了混乱的深渊，而且对这个他所造井然有序的理想世界感到心满意足。创造的故事就在此结束，在这个喜乐和平的异象中呈现一个完美和谐的宇宙。
Now that we have seen how Moses' creation account begins and ends, we should look at the middle portion of this passage which describes how the tension between the chaotic world and God's hovering Spirit was resolved.
看过摩西创造记事的开始和结局。现在让我们看中间部分，这段经文描述混乱的世界与神运行的灵之间的紧张关系是如何获得解决的。
Six Days of Ordering
This passage teaches that God restrained the chaos by ordering the world according to a wondrous six day plan described in 1:3-31. The central focus of this material becomes clear when we see that Moses repeatedly introduced the actions with the phrase, "And God said." This is because God is the main character of this material, and his powerful word is the focus of these verses.
六日创造秩序
这段经文教导我们，神制服混乱，照着创世记1：3至31所记奇妙的六日计划创造了世界。当我们读到摩西一再使用「神说」这个词来引介每一个事件的情节时，这一段落的中心主题就显明出来了。因为神是这些事件的主角，他权能的话语是这些经文的中心。
God's mere word brought magnificent order to the world. Unlike many of the mythological gods from other cultures, the God of Israel faced no struggles and no battles as he created. He simply spoke, and the world took its proper order. Beyond this, God's spoken word displayed his powerful wisdom. God put the world into the order that seemed best to him.
神的话一出口就造成一个壮丽的，井然有序的世界。不象许多异教神话里的神祗，以色列的神创造世界不需要经过一番争战打斗。他的话一说出，世界立刻就形成它应有的秩序。不但如此，神话语所造成的秩序也展示了他权能的智慧。神照着他看为最好的为这个世界设立了秩序。
Many interpreters have recognized that the days of God's ordering creation fall into two sets of three: days 1-3 and days 4-6. The relationships between these two sets of days have been described in many ways, and there are multiple interconnections.
许多解经家都注意到，神的六日创造秩序可以分成各为三日的两组：第一到三日和第四到六日。两组之间的关系，有许多相异点，却也有多重的关联。
One helpful way to introduce ourselves to these patterns is to draw upon the description of the earth in Genesis 1:2. You will recall that Moses said the earth was formless and empty, tohu wabohu. These terms may be used to explain the significance of the two sets of three days.
了解这些模式的一个有利的途经是回顾创世记1：2对地的描述。记得摩西说：地是תֹהוּ וָבֹהו多数英译为无定形，空无一物（中译和合本作空虚混沌）。这些用字可以用来解释两组各三日的意义。
On one side, during the first three days God dealt with the fact that the earth was "formless." That is to say, he brought form to his creation by separating one area from another and shaping spheres or domains within his creation. On the other side, during the last three days God dealt with the fact that the chaotic world was "empty" or "void." God's solution was to fill up the various domains he had created with inhabitants.
神用前三日来处理无定形的问题。也就是说，神为他的创造定形状，分界限；在他的创造中界定范围或领域。在另一边，神用后三日来处理混乱世界中空无一物的问题。神解决的办法是藉着他的创造活物充满各个领域。
Think about the first three days. On day one God separated the domain of day from the night. Even before there was a sun, God caused light to shine in the darkness of the dark chaotic world.
在前三日中，第一天，神划分白昼和黑夜的领域。甚至未有太阳之前，神就叫光照入黑暗混乱的世界。
On day two, God separated the area of waters below and waters above by stretching a dome or firmament above the earth. This divine action caused what we now call the atmosphere of our planet, separating the water on earth from the moisture in the sky above.
在第二天，神分开地以上的水和地以下的水，象撑开圆顶帐幕一样分出界限。神这一个行动就造出今天我们所谓的地球上的大气层，使地上的水和天空的水分开来。
On day three, God separated the territory of dry land from the seas. The oceans were gathered into regions of the earth, and the land appeared. Vegetation began to grow on the dry land. So it is that on the first three days God brought form to a formless world. He erected the domains of light and darkness, the sky separating waters above and waters below, and the dry land of the earth.
在第三天，神分开旱地和海水的领域。将海洋集中在一些地区，使陆地显露出来。植物菜蔬开始在地上生长。就这样，在前三日，神在这没有定形的世界定出形状。他界定光和暗的领域，用大气分开天上的水和地上的水，并叫旱地显露出来。
According to Moses' record, once God dealt with the formlessness of the earth by creating domains during the first three days, he then dealt with the emptiness of the earth in the last three days by placing inhabitants in these domains.
根据摩西的记载，神在前三日内创造界定了领域，解决地无定形的问题之后，他就在后三日著手处理地空无一物的问题，造出生物使他们居住在这些领域中。
On day four God placed the sun, moon and stars in the heavens to fill up the domains of light and darkness which he had formed on the first day. These heavenly bodies were put in the sky to rule over the day and night and to keep them separate.
在第四天，神把日、月星辰安置在天上，填满了他在第一天所分别出来，光和暗的领域。他用这些满布天空的星体来管理分别日夜。
On the fifth day, God placed birds in the air and sea creatures in the oceans. These inhabitants filled the domains of waters above and below which had been formed on the second day.
在第五天，神造了天上的飞鸟和海里的鱼，使这些活物分别充满他第二天所造、分成空中和地下的水域。
Finally, on the sixth day God placed animals and humanity on the dry land. These inhabitants filled up the domain of the dry land which God had caused to rise out of the sea on the third day.
最后，在第六天，神在旱地上造动物和人。这些受造物就居住充满了他在第三天吩咐从海中露出的旱地上。
Moses gathered the whole of creation into these domains and their inhabitants. In a word, God spent six days bringing a splendid order to the dark chaotic world. His work was so wonderful that six times God said:
摩西使神所有的创造各按其所，归于各自的领域和居所。换句话说，神用六天的时间，从黑暗混乱的世界中造出一个光辉灿烂的秩序。他的工作真是奇妙，甚至有六次说：
It is good (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25).
And after he made humanity to live on the dry land, he said:
神看着是好的。（创世记第1章4，10，12，18，21，25节）
在他造了人在旱地上以后，又说：
It is very good (Genesis 1:31).
Moses made it very clear that God was wonderfully pleased with what he had done.
神看着一切所造的都「甚好」（创世记第1章31节）。
摩西很清楚的表明，神对自己所作的工极其满意。
So we see that Genesis 1:1–2:3 has a very intentional, complex structure. The passage begins with the world in chaos and God about to move upon it. For six days God spoke order into the chaotic world. Consequently, on the seventh day God delighted in the ideal order he had brought to the world, and he enjoyed his Sabbath rest.
所以，我们看见创世记1：1至2：3有一个有目的的、复杂精密的结构。经文从一个混乱的世界，神正要预备有所行动开始。接下来的六天中，神用话语从混乱的世界造出秩序，结果，在第七天，神对他所造有理想秩序的世界感到心满意足，就进入享受他的安息。
Now that we have seen the large literary structure of Genesis 1:1–2:3, we are in a position to see how the original meaning of this passage is conveyed.
看过创世记1：1至2：3大致的文学结构以后，让我们接下来讨论这段经文的原意。
ORIGINAL MEANING
We have already seen that on a large scale Moses' primeval history was intended to validate Israel's exodus and conquest by showing how they were in accordance with the order God had established in the early history of the world. But how did this general purpose show itself in the particular account of 1:1–2:3? How did Moses connect his ministry to Israel with the creation story?
原本意义
我们看到摩西的太古史从整体来说，是借用神为起初的世界所设立的秩序来印证以色列出埃及和征服迦南的经历。但是这个主要的目的如何藉创世记1：1至2：3这段特别的记述表明出来？摩西如何联系他在以色列人中的工作和创造故事之间的关系？
We will explore how Moses did this by looking once again at the three main parts of Genesis 1:1–2:3. First, we will look at the dark chaotic world. Then we will move to the last section of the ideally ordered world. And finally we will return to the middle portion of the passage where God ordered the world. Let's look first at 1:1-2, the dark chaotic world.
让我们再一次来看创世记1：1至2：3中间三个主要的段落，从其中探讨摩西如何处理这段经文。首先看第一段：黑暗混乱的世界，然后接到最后一段：理想秩序的世界。最后，再回到中间的一段：神创造的经过。先看1：2，黑暗混乱的世界。
Dark Chaotic World
For our purposes, the most important feature of the first two verses of Genesis is the dramatic tension introduced in verse 2. The manner in which Moses described the dramatic tension between the chaotic world and the Holy Spirit made it clear that he was not only writing about creation, but also writing about Israel's exodus.
黑暗混乱世界
以我们的目的来说，创世记这两节经文最重要的特色是第二节所引入的戏剧性张力和相关的叙述。从摩西如何描述混乱世界与圣灵之间戏剧性的张力看来，他的目的很明显的，不只是记载神的创造，也是在描述以色列的出埃及。
On the one hand, you will recall that in Genesis 1:2 Moses described the earth as "formless" or tohu. On the other hand, he described the Spirit of God as "hovering," or in Hebrew merachefet.
我们记得摩西在创世记1：2，一方面说到：地是无定形的（תֹהוּ）；另一方面又说：神的灵在运行（מְרַחֶפֶת）。
The significance of this scene becomes clear when we look at a passage in which Moses alluded to this dramatic portrait from Genesis. In Deuteronomy 32:10-12 Moses used the terminology of Genesis 1:2 to draw special attention to a connection between Israel's exodus and the creation account. Listen to what he said in these verses:
如果我们看看摩西另外一段暗示创世记这个戏剧性画面的经文，这一幕情景的意义就会鲜明地浮现出来。摩西在申命记32：10至12使用创世记1：2的语言，为了特别突显以色列的出埃及和创世记之间的关联。听听这几节经文怎么说：
In a desert land [the Lord] found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions. The Lord alone led him; no foreign god was with him (Deuteronomy 32:10-12).
These verses are important because they are the only other place where Moses used the terms "formless" and "hovering" in all of his writings.
耶和华遇见他在旷野荒凉野兽吼叫之地，就环绕他，看顾他，保护他，如同保护眼中的瞳人。又如鹰搅动巢窝，在雏鹰以上两翅扇展，接取雏鹰，背在两翼之上。这样，耶和华独自引导他，并无外邦神与他同在。（申命记第32章10-12节）
这几节经文很重要，因为除了创世记1：2之外，在摩西其余的著作中，这是使用空虚和运行这样用语的唯一一处经文。
In verse 10 the term here translated "barren" is the Hebrew word tohu which appears in Genesis 1:2 as "formless." Also, in verse 11 the term translated "hovers" is merachefet, the term used in Genesis 1:2 when the Spirit of God "hovers" over the deep.
在第10节，译为荒凉这个希伯来字תֹהוּ与创世记1：2的空虚是同一个字。还有，在第11节，译为两翅扇展的希伯来字מְרַחֶפֶת就是创世记1：2所说神的灵在水面上运行这个字。
Moses put these two terms together in Deuteronomy 32 in order to connect it solidly with Genesis 1:2. But just how did the use of these terms draw this connection? What did the terms "barren" and "hover" mean in Deuteronomy 32?
摩西在申命记32章同时采用这两个字，为了显明它和创世记1：2有具体的关联。但究竟如何用这两个字来联系两处的经文？荒凉和两翅扇展在申命记32：10至12是什么意思？
In the first place, Moses applied the term "barren" to Egypt. In 32:10 we read these words:
首先，摩西用荒凉这两个字形容埃及。32：10说：
In a desert land [the Lord] found him, in a barren and howling waste (Deuteronomy 32:10).
In the second place, Moses used the term "hover" for God's presence with Israel, probably the pillar of smoke and fire, as he led the nation toward the Promised Land. In 32:10-11 we read these words:
耶和华遇见他在旷野荒凉野兽吼叫之地。（申命记第32章10节）
接着，摩西用两翅扇展形容神与以色列的同在。可能指的是神引导以色列民进应许地所用的云柱火柱。32：11说：
He guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young (Deuteronomy 32:10-11).
In many respects, we may treat Deuteronomy 32:10-12 as Moses' commentary on his own work in Genesis 1:2. It gives us insight into his intention as he wrote the first chapter of Genesis.
保护他，如同保护眼中的瞳人。又如鹰搅动巢窝，在雏鹰以上两翅扇展。（申命记第32章10-11节）
从许多方面看，我们可以用申命记32：10至12作为摩西自己的作品：创世记1：2的注解。从这个角度我们得以透视摩西写作创世记1章的目的。
Deuteronomy 32 helps us understand that Moses saw a parallel situation between the creation and Israel's deliverance from Egypt. Moses wrote that both creation and Israel's deliverance from Egypt involved chaotic uninhabitable worlds. He also wrote that God moved into the original chaotic world by hovering much as he hovered over Israel when he delivered them from Egypt.
申命记32章帮助我们看见，摩西把神的创造之工和以色列从埃及蒙拯救的过程当作一个平行的处境。摩西在叙述神的创造和以色列得救时，都涉及从一个混乱不适合人居住的世界被救赎出来的过程。神在那原本混乱的世界之上运行，正如他在拯救以色列人出埃及的过程中行事一样。
From these parallels between creation and the Exodus, we can see that Moses wrote about the dark chaotic world not simply to tell Israel about the creation; he also presented God's work at creation as a prototype, a pattern, or a paradigm which explained what God was doing for the nation of Israel in his day. When Moses wrote about God's original work in creation, he did so to show his readers that they had not made a mistake in following him out of Egypt. Instead, the creation account proved how their deliverance from Egypt was a mighty act of God. God was re-ordering the world by delivering Israel from the chaos of Egypt, like he did in the beginning. God now hovered over Israel like he hovered over the creation in the beginning. Rather than being a mistake; the Exodus from Egypt was God at work bringing his desired order back to the world. In a word, Israel's deliverance from Egypt was nothing less than a re-creation.
从创造和出埃及的平行经文中，我们看出摩西描述黑暗混乱的世界不仅要告诉以色列有关神的创造，也要用神的造物之工作为原型、模式或典范，来解释神在摩西的日子在以色列民族中正在运行的事。摩西藉着描述神起初的造物之工向他的读者说明：跟随他离开埃及非但不是一个错误的决定，反而，从创造的记事证明他们从埃及被救赎出来是出于神大能的作为。神藉着拯救以色列人从埃及的混乱中出来，正在重造世界的秩序，正如他起初所行。神如今在以色列民中行事，就象起初他在创造之上运行一样。离开埃及非但不是错误的决定，反而是神亲自在做事，要把合他心意的秩序带回这世界。简单地说，以色列人从埃及蒙拯救无疑是一次重新创造的工作。
With this parallel between the beginning of Genesis 1 and Israel's exodus experience in mind, we can see this perspective confirmed as we look at the final portion, the ideally ordered world in 2:1-3.
意识到创世记一章的开始和以色列人的经历是平行的经文，让我们来看最后一段创世记2：1至3：井然有序的理想世界，进一步证实这个观点。
Ideal World
You will recall that the creation story ends with God entering his rest. The Hebrew term for "rest" in Genesis 2:2-3 is shabbat or as we say it, "Sabbath." And this terminology connects the creation story to Israel's exodus in yet another way.
理想世界
我们记得创造故事的结局是神进入他的安息。创世记2：2和3节，安息这个字希伯来文是שָׁבַת（ʃavát）。这个字的使用又是另外一处联系创造故事和以色列出埃及的例子。
Moses and the Israelites used the term shabbat primarily to refer to Sabbath observances which they were to enjoy according to the law of Moses. In fact, in the listing of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, Moses explained that Israel was to observe the Sabbath because of what God had done in Genesis 2:
摩西和以色列人都明白שָׁבַת这个字最主要的意思是纪念安息日，就是根据摩西的律法神所赐给他们享受的。事实上，在出埃及记20章所记十诫的条例中，摩西已经向以色列人说明守安息日的原因是纪念神在创世记2章所作成的事。
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy… For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day (Exodus 20:8-11).
当纪念安息日，守为圣日……因为六日之内，耶和华造天、地、海和其中的万物，第七日便安息。（出埃及记第20章8-11）
When Israel heard in Genesis that God rested on the seventh day, they could not help but relate the Genesis account to their own Sabbath observances and to the Ten Commandments.
当以色列人从创世记中听到神在第七日安息，很自然会联想到创世记的记载与他们守安息日和十诫之间的关系。
Although the Israelites kept Sabbath in some measure in the wilderness, it is important to realize that the full extent of Sabbath worship could only take place in the Promised Land. The Israelites were to keep a weekly Sabbath (as we find in Exodus 20:8-11). But they were also to keep other holy days or Sabbaths. For instance, we learn from Leviticus 25 that they were also to observe every seventh year as a Sabbath year by leaving the ground fallow. Israel was also to keep the great year of Jubilee every fiftieth year when all debts were forgiven and all the families were to return to their original land inheritances. In Moses' law, the full worship of God in Sabbath observance was much more complex than anything the Israelites observed as they wandered through the wilderness.
虽然以色列人在旷野也可以有限度的守安息日，但是他们必须知道只有等到进入应许地之后才能更完备的纪念安息的节期。以色列人每逢七日要守安息日（如出埃及记20：8至11所记）；遇有其它圣会或节期也要守安息。还有，如利未记25章所记，每逢第七年要守安息年，使田地休耕一年；也要在第五十年时纪念禧年，免除人一切债务，各家要归回自己的地业。根据摩西的律法，要向神谨守全备的安息日敬拜，远比他们在旷野漂流中所能行的复杂得多。
Because the full observance of Sabbath could only take place as Israel entered the land, Moses often spoke of Canaan as a land of "rest" or the "resting place" using the Hebrew terms nuach or menucha which are often closely associated with shabbat (Sabbath). In a number of places, Moses described the Promised Land as Israel's resting place where the nation would finally observe worship as God's law required. For instance, in Deuteronomy 12:10-11 we read these words:
由于以色列人只有在进入迦南地以后才能享受完全的安息，所以摩西常称迦南为安息地或安息的所在。他使用两个与שָׁבַת相关的希伯来字נוּחַ（núaħ）或מְנוּחָה（menúħa）。在好几处地方，摩西描述应许地是以色列人安息的所在，是他们最终可以照摩西律法的要求敬拜守节的地方。比如：在申命记12：10至11有这样的话说：
But you will cross the Jordan and settle in the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and he will give you rest from all your enemies around you so that you will live in safety. Then to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name — there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice possessions you have vowed to the Lord (Deuteronomy 12:10-11).
We see in this passage that the full observance of Sabbath, the worship of God, would take place only after Israel had entered the land of rest.
但你们过了约旦河，得以住在耶和华你们神使你们承受为业之地，又使你们太平，不被四围的一切仇敌扰乱，安然居住。那时要将我所吩咐你们的燔祭，平安祭，十分取一之物，和手中的举祭，并向耶和华许愿献的一切美祭，都奉到耶和华你们神所选择要立为他名的居所。（申命记第12章10-11节）
从这段经文，我们看见要事奉敬拜神，向他谨守全备的安息节期，只有在以色列人进入安息地之后才能达成。
For Moses, Sabbath stood for more than individuals and families setting apart a day for quiet worship. Sabbath was a central dimension of Moses' vision of dwelling in the land of rest, worshipping and celebrating at the special place where God placed his Name. This is why in Psalm 95:11 God spoke of those who were forbidden to enter the land of Canaan in this way:
对摩西而言，安息的意义不仅是个人或家庭把一天分别出来，安静的敬拜神，安息是摩西的异象中最中心的层面，是一个在安息地的居所，是神设立他的名，使人在那里敬拜他、颂赞他的一个特别的地方。因为这个缘故，在诗篇95：11，神论到那些被禁戒、不能进入迦南地的人说：
So I declared on oath in my anger, "They shall never enter my rest" (Psalm 95:11).
所以我在怒中起誓，说，他们断不可进入我的安息。（诗篇第95篇11节）
This close connection between Sabbath and the full national worship of God in the Promised Land explains why Moses ended his account of creation with God entering his Sabbath rest. Moses was explaining to the Israelites that just as God had moved the earth from chaos to Sabbath, he was moving Israel from the chaos of Egypt to the goal of Sabbath in the Land of Promise. Moses was leading Israel to the place of rest, the land of Canaan. And those who resisted Moses' program were not merely resisting a human plan. They were actually resisting God's efforts to bring his people into conformity with the ideal structures of the universe. Leaving Egypt and entering the Land of Promise was nothing less than lining up with God's perfect plan for the creation.
正因为安息与全民得以在所应许地全面的敬拜神两者之间有如此密切的关系，所以摩西就以神进入他的安息来结束他的创造记事。他要以色列人明白，既然神运行使地从混乱进入安息，他也必要行事使以色列人从埃及的混乱中出来，进入他的应许地得着安息。而摩西正在带领他们前往迦南地————安息之地方。抗拒摩西的人不是抗拒人手的筹划，而是抗拒神为引导他的百姓进入他为宇宙所设立的理想境界所作的努力。离开埃及，进入应许地是达到神完美创造计划的必经之途。
Now that we have seen how the chaotic beginning and Sabbath end of the creation story explained the true nature of what God was doing for Israel through Moses, we should look briefly at some of the elements of the middle portion of the days of ordering in Genesis 1:3-31. How did Moses link the days of creation to his ministry?
既然明白神如何以混乱开始，以安息结束的创造过程来说明他透过摩西引导以色列人的真正心意。我们现在要回到创世记1：3至31，六日的创造秩序，大略地看一下中间这一段落中的一些要素。摩西如何联系六日创造和他的事工？
Six Days of Ordering
There are many links between the days of creation and Israel's exodus, but we will look at only two of these: first, the connections with the deliverance from Egypt, and second, the goal of possessing the Promised Land.
六日创造秩序
六日创造和以色列的出埃及之间有许多相互的关联。我们只看其中的两处。第一，与从埃及得救的关系。第二，进占应许地的目标。
Deliverance from Egypt
In the first place, in delivering Israel from Egypt, God displayed the same kind of power he demonstrated in the ordering of creation in Genesis 1. On one side of the picture, God reversed the order established at creation by sending plagues on the Egyptians. For example, rather than waters teeming with life as in the beginning, the waters of Egypt became deadly and the fish died when God turned the water into blood. Rather than humans having dominion over the living things as God ordained in the beginning, frogs, gnats, insects and locusts ruled over the Egyptians. The separation of light and darkness at creation was overturned as darkness covered the land of Egypt even during the daytime. And rather than the ground bringing forth vegetation, hail, fire and locusts destroyed all the crops in Egypt. Rather than being fruitful and multiplying, both Egyptian animals and people died in large numbers. In these and many other ways, the curses on Egypt reversed the order God had established in the six days of Genesis 1. During the time of the plagues, the land of Egypt truly regressed toward the primordial chaos. It is no wonder then that Moses summoned Israel to leave that place, calling it a formless, barren wasteland.
从埃及得拯救
首先，在创世记第一章，神创造世界的大能同样地施展在他拯救以色列人出埃及的过程中。在画面的一边，神倒转了创世记一章的创造秩序，降灾难在埃及人身上。在创世之初，神使水中充满了活物；在埃及却叫水变成血，使水里的鱼都死了。起初，神命定人要管理全地的活物；在埃及却使青蛙、虱子、苍蝇和蝗虫为患，遍满埃及人的住处。在创造时神吩咐光和暗分开；相反的，他却叫黑暗在日间笼罩埃及全地。起初地长出植物菜蔬；相对的，却用冰雹、火、蝗虫毁坏埃及地的一切作物。起初神使万物生长繁衍；相对的，神却叫埃及人和他们的牲畜大量的消灭死亡。在这些和许多其它的事上咒诅临到埃及，取代了创世记第一章神在六日中所设立的秩序。在这些灾难期间，埃及实实在在退化成原始混乱的光景。也就在那个期间，摩西召集以色列人离开那称为空虚、荒凉的旷野。
Any Israelite who believed that life was good in Egypt had to reckon with Moses' creation account. Their experience in Egypt stood in stark contrast to the way the Egyptians themselves thought about their land. The Egyptians believed it was a land blessed by the gods, and apparently at least some Israelites had believed this as well. But Moses made it clear that Egypt had become the opposite of God's ideally ordered world.
如果以色列人以为埃及的生活是美好的，他们需要仔细考查一下摩西的创造记事。以色列人在埃及的经验与埃及人对自己的地的认知有一个绝然不同的对比。埃及人相信自己是住在众神祝福的地方。而显然有些以色列人也如此认为。但是摩西清楚的表明埃及已经变成一个与神所造理想的世界完全相反的地方。
While this contrast with Egypt is plain enough, the six days of creation also had a positive correspondence to the deliverance from Egypt. While the Egyptians saw their land regress into the primordial chaos, the Israelites saw God ordering the world in their favor in ways that resembled the six days of creation. Their waters remained fresh and life-giving. They were not over run by frogs and locusts. They enjoyed light while the Egyptians suffered in darkness. Israelite fields remained productive. Their animals were protected, and the Israelites multiplied while they were in Egypt.
这个与埃及的对比是极其明显的，然而，这六日的创造与以色列的出埃及却有一个积极的关联。当埃及人眼看自己的地退化到原始的混乱中的时候，以色列人却看见神为他们创造了一个有利的世界，与他在六日创造时所做的相似。神供应他们生命所需的活水。使他们免除青蛙蝗虫的灾害。在埃及人遭受黑暗之灾的时候，使他们享有光明。以色列人的地里有出产。他们的牲畜受到保护；以色列人在埃及地生养众多。
And more than this, in an astounding dramatic display of his control over creation, God held back the Red Sea and caused dry land to appear before the Israelites just as it had appeared on the third day of creation. The natural wonders God performed on Israel's behalf were not unprecedented. In many ways, they recalled the ways God ordered the world in the days of Genesis 1.
除此以外，神施展他那使人惊奇，在一切创造之上掌权的大能，在以色列人面前使红海分开，干地现出，正如他在第三日创造所作的一样。神为以色列人在大自然中行神迹奇事，并不是没有先例的。在许多方面都能使他们一再回想起创世记第一章，神在起初的几天中创造万物的作为。
These correspondences between the way God ordered the earth in Genesis 1 and the way he delivered Israel from Egypt demonstrated to Moses' readers that God's work on their behalf paralleled his work of creation. In their exodus from Egypt, God reshaped the world as he had in the beginning.
创世记一章中神如何创造天地与他如何拯救以色列人出埃及两者之间多重的关联，使摩西的读者可以确认神在他们中间的作为与他的创造工作是互为平行的。在他们出埃及的过程中，神重新塑造了世界，正如他起初所行的。
Not only did the deliverance from Egypt recall the days of creation, but the order which God established in the beginning also anticipated the way life would be in the land of Canaan.
不但可以从得救出埃及的过程回顾六日创造的经过，也可以从神起初所设立的秩序前瞻在迦南地的生活方式。
Possession of Canaan
When Israel reached the Land of Promise, nature would be properly ordered with fertility and joy. This is why God called Canaan a land flowing with milk and honey. In addition to this, in the Promised Land the Israelites would take the proper place of the image of God as it was established in the sixth day.
进占迦南
当以色列人抵达应许地的时候，周围的自然界会是一个井然有序、丰饶喜乐的地方。因此，神称迦南为流奶与蜜之地。除此以外，在应许地的以色列人将站在一个拥有神形象的地位上，如同神在第六日所设立的。
Notice especially that in Genesis 1:28, God told the human race:
特别注意创世记1：28神向人说的话：
Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground (Genesis 1:28).
「要生养众多，遍满地面，治理这地。也要管理海里的鱼，空中的鸟，和地上各样行动的活物。」（创世记第1章28节）
Although Israel had experienced some of this blessing, even in Egypt, it was in the land of Canaan that God would afford Israel this honor in even greater measure. Under Moses' leadership, the Israelites were on their way to the place where they would fulfill this ideal position in the creation. Listen to what God promised would happen to the faithful Israelites in the land of Israel in Leviticus 26:9:
虽然以色列人在埃及也曾经历某些祝福，但神要使以色列人承受更大的福气的地方却在迦南地。在摩西的带领下，以色列人正向应许地前行，为要成就神赐给他们、在创造中理想的地位。听听神要赐给迦南地那些忠心的以色列人什么应许。利未记26：9上说：
I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you (Leviticus 26:9).
我要眷顾你们，使你们生养众多，也要与你们坚定所立的约。（利未记第26章9节）
Here the allusion to Genesis 1:28 is obvious. God said in Genesis 1:28, "Be fruitful and increase in number." In Leviticus 26:9 he said that he would make them fruitful and increase their numbers in the land.
这里很明显是引用创世记1：28。神在创世记1：28说：「要生养众多」。而在利未记26：9说他要使他们在那地上生养众多。
The land of Canaan would be like the wonderful world God ordered in the beginning. Canaan would be a place of natural harmony where the image of God would be able to fulfill its original role in the earth.
迦南地要像神起初所造那奇妙的世界一样，成为一个自然和谐的地方，使拥有神形象的人承担他在地上原本应有的角色。
We have touched only on a few of the ways the six days of creation connect to Israel's experience in the days of Moses. But we see from this sampling that Moses' record of how God ordered the universe in the first six days was not simply a report of what had happened at the beginning of time. He described the six days of creation in ways that helped his Israelite readers to see clearly what was happening in their own lives. Just as God had moved the cosmos from chaos to Sabbath by ordering nature in certain ways, God was taking Israel from the chaos of Egypt to Sabbath rest in Canaan by re-ordering the world on their behalf.
我们只约略地点到六日创造与摩西时代以色列人的经历的几处关联。从这些例子中看出摩西记述神用六日创造天地的目的，不只是记录创世之初一切事件的过程。他采用这样的方式来描述六日创造为的是帮助他的以色列读者明白他们正在经历的这些过程。神以他大能的作为创造自然，使宇宙从混乱归于安息。他也正在为以色列人重新创造一个世界，把他们从埃及的混乱带进迦南的安息。
We can only imagine the reaction of the Israelites when they heard Moses tell them about the creation of the world. They would have realized what was happening to them was no accident. By redeeming them from Egypt and taking them to Canaan, God was moving in the world as he had done in the beginning to bring an ideal order to the universe. Israel's salvation was a re-creation, and they were to follow Moses into greater and greater experiences of that re-creation.
当这些忠心的以色列人听到摩西向他们述说创造的经过时会有什么反应，我们只能凭着想象去推测。他们应该可以了解这一切眼前发生的事都不是出于偶然。神正在世上运行，要救赎他们出埃及，带领他们进迦南，正如他起初所行，要在宇宙中设立一个理想的秩序。以色列的救赎是一次重新的创造。他们必须跟随摩西去经历这伟大的再造过程。
Now that we have seen the original meaning of Genesis 1:1–2:3, we should move to our final topic: the modern application of the creation account. In applying this text, we will closely follow the ways the New Testament elaborated on the themes of this passage.
明白创世记1：1至2：3的原意以后，我们要进入最后一个主题：创造记事在现今的应用。在应用此段经文的时候，我们必须严谨的遵循新约对这段经文的主题进一步的解释。
MODERN APPLICATION
The writers of the New Testament relied heavily on Genesis 1 to tell them about God's creation of the world. They gave every indication that they believed in the reliability of Moses' account. Yet, as important as this fact may be, the New Testament writers also elaborated on Moses' central purpose as we have outlined it here in this lesson.
五、现今应用
新约的作者十分倚赖创世记一章为他们提供有关神创造世界的记事。他们对摩西记载的可靠性深信不疑。然而，与此同为重要的是，新约作者对本课程所提出，摩西写作的中心目的有更进一步的阐释。
Just as Moses saw creation as a prototype of Israel's redemption from Egypt, the New Testament looks at Genesis 1:1–2:3 as a prototype of a much greater redemption: the salvation that comes in Christ. The New Testament teaches that all the experiences of salvation and judgment which Israel saw in the days of the Old Testament anticipated the great and final day when God would bring salvation and judgment through his son, Jesus. This belief led New Testament writers to approach Moses' account of creation with a special focus on Christ. Just as Israel was to see her own exodus in the light of creation, New Testament writers looked at Christ in the light of creation.
正如摩西以创造作为以色列蒙救赎出埃及的原始典范，新约也把创世记1：1至2：3当作一个原始典范，来描述一次更伟大的救赎————在基督里的救赎。根据新约的教导，在旧约的时代，以色列所见的一切拯救和审判的经历，都指向未来一个伟大终级的日子。那时神要透过他的儿子耶稣带来拯救和审判。这个信念引导新约的作者，在解释摩西的创造记事上，以基督作为特别的中心。以色列人透过创造的亮光看他们出埃及，新约的作者也透过创造的亮光看基督。
Whenever we explore the New Testament's teaching on the redemptive work of Christ, we must always remember that New Testament writers realized that Christ did not bring redemption to the world all at once. Instead, they believed that Christ brought great salvation and judgment to the world in three interconnected stages of his kingdom.
每当我们探讨新约中有关基督救赎的教导时，必须常常记得，根据新约作者的理解，基督并不是突然间把救赎一次就带进这世界。相反的，他们相信基督是以他国度的三个彼此衔接的阶段带来伟大的救赎和审判。
In the first place, Christ accomplished much for the salvation of his people when he first came to earth. We may call this period of Christ's first coming, the inauguration of the kingdom. The New Testament looks to Christ's life, death, resurrection, and ascension, as well as to Pentecost and the foundational ministries of the apostles, as the beginning of Christ's great redemption.
首先，当基督第一次到地上来的时候，他作成极大的拯救他百姓的工作。我们可以将基督第一次来到世上这一阶段称为国度的奠基。新约《圣经》把基督的出生、受难、复活、升天，以及五旬节和使徒们主要的传道事工看为基督伟大救赎计划的开始。
In the second place, the New Testament writers understood that Christ's kingdom continues now that he has left this earth. During this time, God's saving grace spreads over the world through the preaching of the gospel. The whole history of the church after the apostles and until the return of Christ comprises the continuation of salvation in Christ.
其次，新约作者们都明白基督的国度在他离地升天之后仍然在继续进行。在这个阶段，神救赎的恩典透过福音的宣讲广传到全世界。整个教会的历史，从使徒以后直到基督再来，构成了基督救赎计划的延续。
In the third place, the New Testament teaches that salvation will come in its fullness at the consummation of the kingdom, when Christ returns in glory. We will see his victory over wickedness, the dead in Christ will rise, and we will reign with him over the world. The salvation begun at Christ's first coming and continuing today will be completed when he returns at the consummation.
再其次，新约教导我们，救赎大工要在国度成全的时候达到完满的地步。当基督在荣耀中再来的时候，他要得胜一切邪恶势力，在基督里死了的人都要复活，我们也要与他一同掌权作王。救赎计划从基督第一次来到地上开始，今天仍然继续，直到他再来的时候，一切大工就完全成就了。
These three stages of Christ's kingdom are so essential for understanding the ways New Testament writers elaborated on Moses' creation that we should look at each of them separately. Following the example of Moses writing to Israel, New Testament writers applied the creation account of Genesis to Christ's salvation in the inauguration, continuation, and consummation of Christ's kingdom. Let's look first at the ways the New Testament relates the first chapter of Genesis to the inauguration of the kingdom.
要了解新约作者如何解释摩西的创造记事，这基督国度的三个阶段扮演了很重要的角色。因此我们要分别来看每一个阶段。新约作者仿效摩西为以色列民的著作，将创世记中的创造记事应用在基督救赎的三阶段：国度的奠基，延续、和成全。让我们首先来看新约如何描写创世记第一章与国度的奠基之间的关系。
Inauguration
How does the New Testament use creation as a lens for interpreting the inauguration of Christ's kingdom? Well, on several occasions the New Testament speaks of the first coming of Christ as God's re-creation, his reshaping of the cosmos. Consider first the opening words of the gospel of John. In John 1:1-3 we read these words:
国度的奠基
新约如何透过创造记事的镜头来解释基督国度的奠基呢？新约有多处描写基督第一次到世界上来的情形，就好像神在重新创造宇宙。先来思想约翰福音开始的几节经文。约翰福音1：1至3说：
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made (John 1:1-3).
太初有道，道与神同在，道就是神。这道太初与神同在。万物是藉着他造的。凡被造的，没有一样不是藉着他造的。（约翰福音第1章1-3节）
Notice that John's gospel starts off, "In the beginning." We all realize that these words come from the opening words of Genesis 1:1 where Moses wrote:
注意，约翰福音一开始就说：「太初」。我们都知道这是出自摩西写创世记1：1的第一句话：
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).
起初神创造天地。（创世记第1章1节）
From the outset, John put his readers in the framework of the creation account in Genesis. Then John went on to say that Christ was the person of the Trinity who made all things. He was the Word of God spoken at creation by whom the world was first made.
从一开始约翰就用创世记中创造记事的架构来引导他的读者。他接着说到基督就是三位一体中创造万物的那一位。他是神的道，在创造时他的话一说出，世界就被造成。
Although these verses begin with a clear reference to the creation story, as we continue to read in John 1, we find that John subtly shifted from Genesis to another set of events that paralleled the creation account. Listen to what he wrote in the next verses, in John 1:4-5:
虽然这一节的开头很明显是出于创造的故事，但是继续往下读约翰福音第一章，我们就发现约翰很巧妙地从创世记转接到另一组与创造记事平行的事件。听听他在接下来的几节怎么说。约翰福音1：4至5：
In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it (John 1:4-5).
生命在他里头。这生命就是人的光。光照在黑暗里，黑暗却不接受光。（约翰福音第第1章4-5节）
At this point John continued to draw upon the themes of Genesis 1, especially the theme of the light which God brought to the dark chaotic world on the first day. Yet, instead of simply speaking of Jesus as the light of Genesis, John pointed to the incarnation of Christ as the light shining into the darkness of the world caused by sin. By shifting from creation to the coming of Christ, John revealed that in Christ's shining against the sinful darkness of the world, God moved against the chaos of the world, just as he had done in the beginning.
在这里，约翰继续描述创世记一章的主题，特别强调这光是神在创造的第一天就带进那黑暗混乱的世界里。约翰不单把耶稣比拟为创世记一章所说的光，他更进一步指出基督的道成肉身，就像光照亮这个因罪而在黑暗里的世界。藉着从创造转接到基督的来临。约翰向我们说明基督照亮罪恶黑暗的世界就是神运行除去了世界的混乱，正如他在太初所行的。
A similar motif appears in 2 Corinthians 4:6. There Paul explained the glory of his ministry in this way:
类似的主题在哥林多后书4：6。保罗解释这个荣耀的事工说：
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6).
Here, Paul directly referred to Genesis 1 in the words, "God … said 'let light shine out of darkness.'" He focused first on the original ordering of creation with the appearance of light, but then drew attention to an important parallel to the creation story — God also "made his light shine in our hearts" when "the glory of God" was seen "in the face of Christ."
那吩咐光从黑暗里照出来的神，已经照在我们心里，叫我们得知神荣耀的光，显在耶稣基督的面上。（哥林多后书第4章6节）
在这里，保罗直接引用创世记一章的话说：神「吩咐光从黑暗里照出来」。首先，他的重点是起初创造时光的出现，然后他把焦点转到一段与创造故事平行的重要经文。当这神荣耀的光显明在耶稣基督的面上的时候，神也使他的光照在我们心里。
The apostle said that the inauguration of Christ's kingdom — that time when Christ's face could be seen on earth — was best understood when it was related to the prototype of God's original creative work. The same glory God displayed in the appearance of light in the beginning was also revealed at Christ's first coming into the world of darkness.
基督国度的奠基就是基督的面显明在世上的时刻。因此，使徒认为对基督国度的奠基最好是透过它与神原初创造工作的典范之间的关系来理解。神在起初吩咐光照出来时所展现的荣耀，也同样在基督第一次来到这黑暗时代时显明了出来。
From these two passages we find an essential element in the Christian approach to Moses' creation account. Followers of Christ find in Genesis 1 a portrait, an anticipation, of what God did in the first coming of Christ, the inauguration of the kingdom.
从这两段经文中，我们找到一个解释摩西创造记事的要素。基督的信徒们在创世记第一章看到有一幅前瞻性的图画，描写神在基督第一次降世时所作的事，就是国度的奠基。
In many ways you and I face the kind of temptation that the Israelites following Moses faced. God did something wonderful when Christ first came to this world just as he did when he first delivered Israel from Egypt. Yet, we often fail to see how magnificent God's work in Christ 2,000 years ago actually was. From an uninformed human vantage point, Christ's life does not look very important. It can easily be brushed off as just one of many insignificant events that occurred in those times. When we are tempted to think this way about Christ, we must remember the outlook of the New Testament. Christ's appearance on earth was the beginning of God's final re-ordering of the world. God was delivering the world from the chaotic darkness of sin and death. Jesus' first coming began the process by which God would make his creation a wonderful, eternally life-giving place for him and his image to dwell in glory forever. We are right to place our faith in Christ and in him alone.
很多时候，你我一样要面对那些跟随摩西的以色列人所遭遇的试探。神在基督第一次降世的时候行过奇妙的大事，正如当初他在拯救以色列人出埃及的时候所行的。只是我们常常不能领会两千年前神在基督身上所成就的是何等伟大的工作。从一个人类无知和自利的观点来看，基督的生平事迹毫不显眼。常被当成那个时代中一些微不足道的小事一般轻易的忽略过去。如果我们也流于以这种心态看待基督，我们真的必须好好回想新约中的观点。基督在世上的显现是神最后一次重造世界的开始。是神要把世界从混乱黑暗的罪恶与死亡中拯救出来的工作。耶稣的第一次降临是神救赎过程的开始；他要引导他的创造进入一个奇妙的，生命涌流不息的地方，使他和他的形象永远居住在荣耀中。他是我们信心所倚赖的根基，也唯独他是我们的根基。
So far we have seen that the New Testament uses the creation story to explain the significance of Christ's first coming. Now we may see that the New Testament considers the continuation of the kingdom, the period between the first and second comings of Christ, to be a re-creation as well.
到目前为止，我们已经讨论过新约用创造的故事解释基督第一次降世的意义。现在我们要看新约如何解释国度的延续，这段基督两次降临之间的时期，也是一个重造的过程。
Continuation
One familiar passage which illustrates this outlook is 2 Corinthians 5:17:
国度的延续
有一段很熟悉的经文描述这个观点。哥林多后书5：17说
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17).
若有人在基督里，他就是新造的人，旧事以过，都变成新的了。（哥林多后书第5章17节）
The King James Version translates this verse to say that when a person is in Christ he becomes "a new creature." This translation is unfortunate because it fails to convey Paul's allusion to the creation account of Genesis 1. The Greek expression is ktisis, which is properly translated "creation" (as in most modern translations) not "creature." In fact, this portion of the passage may actually be translated, "There is a new creation." Paul's concept seems to be that when people come to Christ in saving faith, they become part of a new realm, a new world, a new creation.
英王钦定《圣经》译本将这节经文译成：若有人在基督里，他就成为一个新的受造物；这是一个不当的翻译，因为它无法表达保罗引述创世记一章创造记事的用意。κτίσις（ktísis）这个希腊字应该译为创造（如许多现代英译本所译），而非创造物（那是另一个希腊字）。事实上，这里可以翻译成有一次新创造。似乎在保罗的观念中，当一个人用信心接受基督，他就成为一个新境界，新世界，或新创造的成员。
In this light we see that during the continuation of the kingdom men and women experience the new creation when they place their faith in Christ. In this sense, the Genesis account of creation becomes a way of understanding properly what happens to everyone who hears, believes, and follows Christ. As we become part of God's new creation, we begin to enjoy the wonder of God's ideal order for the world.
根据这个观点，我们看到在国度的延续期间，无论男女，当他们相信接受基督的时候就经历了一次新创造，同样的我们也可以从创世记的创造记事清楚的理解那发生在每一位听见、相信并跟随基督的信徒身上的事。当我们成为神新创造的一部分，我们也就开始享受神所造理想世界中一切奇妙的经历。
For this reason, it is not surprising that Paul also described the process of an individual's salvation in another way that drew upon Moses' creation account. In Colossians 3:9-10 we read these words:
正因为这个原因，保罗又从另一个方面描述个人得救的经过与摩西创造记事的关系。歌罗西书3章9b至10这样说：
You have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator (Colossians 3:9-10).
因你们已经脱去旧人和旧人的行为，穿上新人。这新人在知识上渐渐更新，正如造他主的形象。（歌罗西书第3章9-10节）
In this passage, the apostle described what happens to the followers of Christ in terms of Genesis 1. We are "renewed … in the image of [our] Creator." Of course, Paul referred to Genesis 1:27 where Moses said that God's ideal world included Adam and Eve who were created "in the image of God." During the continuation of the kingdom of Christ, we find that we are constantly "being renewed" in a lifelong process of regaining the status that our first parents held as God's images.
在这段经文中，使徒用创世记一章的词句来描述发生在信徒身上的事。我们被更新，正如造他主的形象。当然，保罗引述的是创世记1：27。在那里摩西说神的理想世界中，亚当和夏娃是照着神的形象被造的。在基督国度的延续这阶段中，我们在不断地被更新。这过程是一生的工作，要使我们恢复当初我们的始祖满有神形象的地位。
These two passages demonstrate that the New Testament used Moses' creation account as a standard for understanding Christ's work, not only in the inauguration of the kingdom, but also in its continuation.
这两段经文（哥林多后书5：17和歌罗西书3：10）说明新约以摩西的创造记事为标准来解释国度的奠基和延续这两个阶段基督的工作。
Of course the New Testament writers took the themes of Moses' creation story to one final step. Not only did they look at Christ's first coming as the beginning of a new creation, and to the continuation of the kingdom as a time when individual people enjoy the effects of the new creation in their lives, but they also applied Creation themes to the final stage of Christ's work — the consummation of the kingdom.
当然，新约作者也把摩西创造故事的主题应用在最后一个阶段。他们看基督的第一次降临是新创造的开始，国度的延续是信徒个人享受生命中新创造的影响的一段时期。最后，他们也把创造的主题应用在基督工作的最后一个阶段————国度的成全。
Consummation
At least two passages in the New Testament stand out in this regard. First, Hebrews 4 refers to Christ's return in terms of Moses' creation account:
国度的成全
在新约《圣经》中至少有两段突出的相关经文。第一段在希伯来书4：4至11，用摩西创造记事的词句描述基督的再来。
For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day God rested from all his work."… There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest (Hebrews 4:4-11).
论到第七日，有一处说：到第七日，神就歇了他一切的工……这样看来，必另有一安息日的安息，为神的子民存留。因为那进入安息的，乃是歇了自己的工，正如神歇了他的工一样。所以我们务必竭力进入那安息。（希伯来书第4章4-11节）
Just as Moses used God's Sabbath day in Genesis 2 to spur Israel toward Canaan, the land of rest, the writer of Hebrews saw God's Sabbath day as an ideal prototype of the ultimate redemption we will experience when Christ returns. In the same way that God ideally ordered the world in the beginning and brought about Sabbath joy, when Christ returns in glory he will re-order the world and give his people the joy of the final Sabbath rest. As we long for this day, we are told here that we must "make every effort to enter that rest" which will come when Christ returns.
正如摩西用神在《创世纪》二章的安息日，来激励以色列进入迦南——安息地，希伯来的作者看到神的安息日，正是当基督再来时，我们将经历那终极救赎的理想境界。神起初就理想的命定世界的秩序、并进入安息的喜悦，以同样的方式，当基督荣耀再来时，祂必将命定的世界秩序、并把最终安息的喜乐带给他的子民。当我们渴望那日时，这里告诉我们要尽一切的努力，进入那基督再来时临到的安息。
Finally, one of the most magnificent passages that identifies Christ's second coming in terms of Moses' creation account is Revelation 21:1. Listen to the way John applied creation themes to the return of Christ:
最后，有一段很伟大的经文用摩西的创造记事确认基督的再来，就是启示录21：1。听听约翰如何将创造的主题应用在基督的再来。
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea (Revelation 21:1).
我又看见一个新天新地。因为先前的天地已经过去了，海也不再有了。（启示录第21章1节）
John spoke of "a new heaven and a new earth," and this phrase recalls Genesis 1:1 which records that God created "the heavens and the earth." Moreover, John said that in this new world there would "no longer [be] any sea." You will recall that in Genesis 1:9 God restrained the sea, keeping it within boundaries so that dry land could appear and form a safe habitat for the human race. In the new world, after Christ's return, we'll find that the salt seas will be entirely removed from the earth and replaced with fresh life-giving water. The work of Christ is similar to the days of creation in Genesis 1, but in Christ God will go further, much further in bringing the ideal order to completion. The entire universe will be re-created into new heavens and a new earth, and God and his people will enjoy that new world together.
约翰说到「一个新天新地」。这个词就是回应创世记1：1说的神创造天地。并且约翰说在这个新世界海也不再有了。我们回想神在创世记1：9界定海水的领域，使它不得越过所定的疆界，好叫旱地成为人类安居的所在。当基督再来以后，这个新天地中咸海水被完全从地上除去，取而代之的是供应生命的活水。基督的工作与创世记一章中的六日创造相似，但是在基督里，神更进一步把理想的秩序带到最终的成全。整个宇宙被重造成为一个新天新地，一个神要与他百姓一同享受的新世界。
Unfortunately, Christians often disconnect their eternal hope from the creation. We assume that we will spend eternity in the spiritual world up in heaven. But the New Testament is very clear about this. Our final destiny is a return to the Sabbath ordained in the seventh day of creation. We will spend eternity in the new heavens and new earth. This was the hope of Israel in the days of Moses, and it is our hope even today.
很可惜，基督徒常常使他们永恒的盼望与创造脱节。我们以为永恒是一个属灵世界的天堂。但是新约《圣经》说得很清楚：我们最终的结局是回到神在创造第七天所命定的安息。我们的永生是在新天新地中。这是摩西时代以色列人的盼望，也是我们今天的盼望。
When we follow the guidance of the New Testament, we should approach the opening chapter of Genesis as more than a mere record of what happened long ago. It is also a portrait of what God has done in Christ's first coming, what he is doing now in our lives day by day, and what God will one day bring to completion when Christ returns.
如果我们遵循新约的教导，就不该把创世记第一章仅仅当作一些远古事件的记录来研读，更应该看它是一幅图画，用来描绘神在基督第一次降临时所作现今仍然在我们的生活中运行，并且在将来有一天，当基督再来的时候必定要成全的工作。
In all three stages of Christ's kingdom, God moves against the chaos of sin and death in the world and in our lives. In the inauguration, continuation and consummation of the kingdom, he sets the world on a path to its ideal end — a wonderful new creation for his people.
在基督国度的三个阶段中，神在世界上和我们的生命中运行，对抗因罪恶和死亡所带来的混乱。在国度的奠基、延续和成全的过程中引导世界走向它理想的结局————就是神为他的子民所预备的一个奇妙的新创造。
CONCLUSION
In this lesson we have seen four main ideas: the overarching purpose of Genesis 1–11, the structure and original meaning of Genesis 1:1–2:3, and the ways the New Testament applies the themes of the creation account to Christ and to our lives. The implications of this approach to Moses' creation record for today are astounding to say the least.
六、总结
在这个课程中，我们探讨了四个主要的观念：创世记1至11章全面的目的，创世记1：1至2：3的结构与原意；以及新约如何把创造记事的主题应用在基督和我们的生活上。透过这样的探讨显明出这许多摩西的创造记事与今日的关联，确实令人惊讶不已。
As Christians living today, we need to see how Moses' original purpose in Genesis applies to our lives in Christ. Just like the Israelites who first heard the opening chapters of Genesis, we are easily discouraged as we follow Christ in this sinful world. But as Moses encouraged his readers to believe that they were on God's way toward his ideal world, we should also be encouraged as we walk God's amazing path toward this ideal world in Christ.
今天，我们身为基督徒需要明白如何将摩西写作创世记原本的目的，应用在我们基督徒的生活上。就像当初听到创世记头几章经文的以色列人一样，我们这在罪恶世界中跟随基督的人也常有灰心失望的时候。然而摩西勉励他的读者，要他们相信自己正面向神的理想世界前行，我们这些行走在神奇妙道路上的人也应该受到激励，知道这道路要引导我们前往在基督里的理想世界。