晨興餧養
賽二八5『到那日，萬軍之耶和華必作祂餘剩之民的榮冠華冕。』
詩二七4『有一件事，我曾求耶和華，我仍要尋求；就是一生一世住在耶和華的殿中，瞻仰祂的榮美，在祂的殿裏求問。』
在〔以賽亞二十八章五節〕裏，基督被啓示爲榮冠和華冕。我們需要來看冠（crown）和冕（diadem）的不同。我們可能以爲這二者是相同的，但這二者在五節裏不是同位語，原文在二者之間有連接詞—榮冠『和』華冕。這是以賽亞奇妙的寫作。冠像帽子或頭巾，而冕乃是冠上最華美榮耀的部分，就是頭帶。一般的說，冠表徵榮耀，但它的華美乃是在滿了珠寶和寶石的冕上。冕是榮冠的華美。
在神一切對付之後的復興時代裏，基督對於神選民以色列的餘民而言，將是榮冠和華冕。祂要作祂選民的榮耀。榮耀和華美是兩項不同的東西。有些東西可能非常榮耀，卻不是那麼華美。基督對祂的選民是榮耀的，也是華美的（以賽亞書生命讀經，三七六頁）。
信息選讀
我們必須記住，恩典時代是要來復興時代的小影和豫嘗。今天我們享受基督作我們冠冕的豫嘗。很可惜，許多基督徒並不以告訴人自己是基督徒爲榮耀。有些基督徒可能很榮耀的談到別的人或事，但他們說到基督時，卻可能覺得羞慚。這是不對的。當我們談到基督，或告訴人我們是基督徒時，我們應當想到基督是我們的冠冕，是我們的榮耀和華美。
五十年前，當日本侵畧中國時，我被日軍監禁過，我曾這樣經歷過基督。他們一面羞辱我，審判我，拷問我。另一面他們尊敬我，敬重我，因爲我行事爲人像一個基督徒。保羅在腓立比書裏說，當他在羅馬坐監時，他所專切期待並盼望的，就是沒有一事會叫他羞愧，他只要顯大基督（一20）。保羅顯大基督到一個地步，甚至在該撒家中的一些人也成了在基督裏的信徒（四22）。在保羅的經歷中，他有基督作冠冕。我們應當以身爲基督徒爲榮。當我們失敗時我們覺得羞慚，但是當我們悔改並重新接受分賜的基督時，我們就感覺榮耀（以賽亞書生命讀經，三七六至三七七頁）。
斑點和皺紋不影響召會的功用，卻非常減損召會的美麗。男人所求於新婦的，首先不是能力，乃是美麗。召會作基督的新婦，也必須是美麗的。…我們也許正確的盡功用，並照着心思的靈有超越的日常生活，但是由於我們的斑點和皺紋，就使我們在主的眼中仍然不彀美麗。保羅從以弗所一章至四章說了許多關於召會的事後，就在五章往前說到召會作新婦。在這一章裏，他一點沒有題到召會的創造、召會的長大或召會的日常生活等，而是說到召會的美麗。當基督把召會獻給自己時，召會不是強壯的男子，乃是美麗的新婦。基督是宇宙的男子。祂這位宇宙的男子，需要召會作祂的新婦，與祂匹配。召會要成爲基督的新婦，就必須是美麗的，除去了一切的斑點和皺紋（以弗所書生命讀經，九六二頁）。
參讀：以賽亞書生命讀經，第四十三篇；活力排，第八篇。
WEEK 4 — DAY 2
Morning Nourishment
Isa. 28:5 In that day Jehovah of hosts will become a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of His people.
Psa. 27:4 One thing I have asked from Jehovah; that do I seek: To dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of Jehovah, and to inquire in His temple.
In Isaiah 28:5 Christ is revealed as a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty. We need to consider the difference between a crown and a diadem. We may think that these are the same, but these items are not in apposition in verse 5. There is a conjunction between them—a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty. This is Isaiah’s marvelous writing. A crown is like a hat or turban, whereas the diadem is the most beautiful, glorious part of the crown. It is the headband. Generally speaking, a crown signifies glory, but its beauty is in its diadem, which may be full of jewels and precious stones. The diadem is the beauty of the glorious crown.
Christ will be a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of Israel, God’s chosen people, in the age of restoration after all the dealings of God. He will be His chosen people’s glorification. Glory and beauty are two distinct things. Something may be very glorious but not that beautiful. Christ will be both glory and beauty to His elect people. (Life-study of Isaiah, pp. 300-301)
Today’s Reading
We need to remember that the age of grace is a miniature and a foretaste of the coming age of restoration. Today we enjoy a foretaste of Christ as our crown and diadem. Regretfully, many do not feel glorious to tell people that they are Christians. Some Christians may talk about other persons or things in a glorious way, but when they come to the subject of Christ, they may feel shameful. This is not right. When we talk about Christ and when we tell people that we are Christians, we should consider that Christ is our crown and diadem, our glory and beauty.
I experienced Christ in this way about fifty years ago when Japan invaded China and I was imprisoned by the Japanese army. On the one hand, they shamed me, judged me, and tortured me. On the other hand, they respected and regarded me because I behaved as a Christian. Paul said in the book of Philippians, while he was imprisoned in Rome, that he had the earnest expectation and hope not to be put to shame but to magnify Christ (1:20). Paul magnified Christ to such an extent that even some in Caesar’s household became believers in Christ (4:22). In Paul’s experience, he had Christ as a crown with a diadem. We should feel glorious that we are Christians. When we are defeated, we feel ashamed, but when we repent and receive the
dispensing Christ in a fresh way, we feel glorious. (Life-study of Isaiah, p. 301)
The spots and wrinkles do not affect the function of the church. However, they very much detract from the beauty of the church. What a man looks for in a bride is not first ability; it is beauty. The church as Christ’s bride must also be beautiful…We may function properly and have an excellent daily living according to the spirit of the mind but still not be beautiful in the eyes of the Lord because of our spots and wrinkles. After saying so much about the church in Ephesians chapters 1 through 4, Paul goes on in chapter 5 to speak about the church as the bride. In this chapter he says nothing concerning the creation of the church, the growth of the church, or the daily
living of the church. Instead, he speaks of the beauty of the church. When Christ presents the church to Himself, the church will not be a strong man; she will be a beautiful bride. Christ is the universal man. As this universal man, He needs the church to be His bride to match Him. In order to be the bride of Christ, the church must become beautiful and have all the spots and wrinkles removed. (Life-study of Ephesians, pp. 776-777)
Further Reading: Life-study of Isaiah, msg. 43; CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 5, “The Vital Groups,” ch. 8
