CHRISTMAS: THE GLORY OF THE LORD REVEALED 圣诞节：神荣耀的彰显
Author : Bro Ben Quek
In the Old Testament, the first dwelling place of God was Moses’s Tabernacle. Moses’s Tabernacle was a moveable tent that carried many holy items, one of it being the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant was a wooden box overlaid with gold, signifying God’s Presence and Glory. Now, I would like all of us to fix our attention on these two words: tent & box.
In the New Testament, it is written: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, …” (John 1:14, ESV). The expression “dwelt among us” can be literally translated as “tabernacled” or “pitched His tent”. What an interesting, but intentional expression used! John no doubt used this expression because of his Jewish readers; this allusion to the Tabernacle of old would immediately spring to the forefronts of their minds! Just like how the Tabernacle carried the glory, the glory of the LORD is now in our midst in the form of a son of man, the promised Messiah!
And again, in Luke, it is written: “And she gave birth to her firstborn son … and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7, ESV). The manger is a box made of wood or stone, made to feed animals, and there ‘the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head’ . Again, we see an allusion to the Tabernacle of old – the Ark of the Covenant! Just as the Ark signified God’s presence and glory, in the same way the glory of the LORD is here through the Promised Saviour – ‘fullness of God in helpless Babe’ - in a box!
Lastly, the book of Hebrews tells us: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, …” (Hebrews 1:3 HCSB). In Greek, the word for glory means that which is made visible and tangible. How beautiful and powerful is that! The Birth of Christ is the manifestation of the glory & fullness of God Himself (which heaven and the highest heavens cannot contain) amongst us! How we fail to grasp the glory and wonder that is found in Christmas!
Dear ECF, may our hearts not be hardened to this precious and potent truth, that is able to transfix & transform us, as we, with unveiled faces, behold His glory with the eyes of our hearts! Holy Spirit, help us! Let’s not take Christmas as just another holiday, but instead join in with the angels and the saints in singing this refrain to the glorified Christ:
“O come let us adore Him // O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him // Christ the Lord”
文:郭哲愷弟兄
翻译:王佩瑾师母
在旧约里，上帝的第一个居所就是摩西的帐幕。摩西的帐幕是个可移动的帐棚，里边有许多圣物，其中一件便是耶和华的约柜。耶和华的约柜是个裹上精金的木柜，象征着神的同在和荣耀。我想让大家把注意力集中在这两个词上:“帐棚” 及“木柜”。
新约这样说:“道成了肉身，住在我们中间…”（约翰福音1:14）。这“住在我们中间“的表述可以直接翻译成“住在帐幕里”或者“搭帐棚”。这真是一个又有趣又有意识的表达方式！显然的，约翰为了他的犹太读者选择这样的方式去表达；只要读到这，古时的犹太帐幕必定浮现在读者的脑海中！就如帐幕当时如何承载着神的荣耀，这荣耀如今也以人子的形式彰显在我们当中，那就是所应许的弥赛亚！
路加福音里也写到，“（马利亚）就生了头胎的儿子…放在马槽里，因为客店里没有地方。”（路加福音2：7）。马槽是一个用木头或石头做成的箱子，是用来喂养动物的。但就在那里，“年幼的耶稣躺卧着，睡着了”。再一次，我们看见作者又以马槽为典让读者故唤起古时帐幕和约的影像。就如约柜象征着神的同在和荣耀，神的荣耀也透过那在“箱子”里所应许的救主得以彰显！
最后，希伯来书告诉我们：“祂是神荣耀所发的光辉，是神本体的真像，…”（希伯来书1:3）。希腊文的荣耀指的就是那看得见，摸得着的荣耀。那是何等的美，何等的能力呀！耶稣基督的诞生是上帝（那至高无上的天堂都无法容纳）的荣耀及丰盛在我们当中彰显啊！你是否体会到圣诞节的荣耀和奇妙呢？
中国布道会的兄弟姐妹们，但愿我们的心不会对这宝贵且有力的真理变得刚硬。当我们揭开面纱，用心眼来看祂的荣耀时，神会改变我们的心意。圣灵啊，求你帮助我们，不要把圣诞节当成另一个公共假日，而是与众天使和圣徒一起向荣耀的主耶稣高唱：
“起来虔诚同崇拜// 起来虔诚同崇拜
起来虔诚同崇拜// 主基督”