Lesson Thirty-five  The Pillar of Cloud and the Pillar of Fire 云柱与火柱

¹⁷ When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt." ¹⁸ So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle. ¹⁹ Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He had said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place." ²⁰ After leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. ²¹ By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. ²² Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

lead them on the road, 带领他们行路，（没有带领他们走非利士地）

face war, 面临战争，face作动词用，面对：Face reality and tackle each hurdle to changing your life one step and one day at a time. 你得面对现实，采取行动，一天一步地来解决你生命中的难题。

change one’s mind 改变主意，相反的说法是make up one's mind

lead the people around, 带领他们包了一个圈

the desert road towards the Red Sea, 通向红海的旷野路

armed for battle, 这里是个分词结果，修饰went，表示，他们走路的同时，时刻都准备着战斗。

swear an oath, 起誓，另一个起誓的说法：vow

camp 营地，安营，summer camp 夏令营

had made, had said, 过去完成时

edge 边缘，

ahead of 在  前面  The Spirit is with us now, but also ahead of us. 圣灵此刻就与我们同在，同时也在前面带领我们。

by day, or by night, 在白天，或在夜晚

neither….. nor 没有。。。也没有 God is neither here nor there, God is in your heart. 神既不在这里，也不在那里，神在你心里。

in front of 与 ahead of 的意思差不多，在什么的前面。

leave  离开，God is hoping for us to never leave Him again. 神希望我们再也不要离开他。

这一段甚为经典。云柱火柱一直是神带领我们前进的象征。在旷野行走很容易迷路，但有神指引，就没有什么可怕的了。所以大卫说：耶和华是我的亮光，是我的拯救。我还怕谁呢？耶和华是我性命的保障（保障或作力量），我还惧谁呢？诗篇27:1  

有意思的是，神似乎在带领他们走弯路，而事实是因为神已经知道，这些奴性十足的以色列人，遇见困难就想着要回到从前的状态去。每一位为神所用的人，都要经过一段属灵的历程，我们属灵的生命没有什么捷径可走。

约瑟的生命非同一般。他已经做到了宰相，但是他知道，梁园虽好，不是久恋之家。他坚信，终有一天，他的后代会要回到神的允许之地。

中国的基督徒要做好准备，我们要达到允许之地或许需要几代人的努力。

法老容百姓去的时候、非利士地的道路虽近、　神却不领他们从那里走、因为　神说、恐怕百姓遇见打仗后悔、就回埃及去。 13:18所以　神领百姓绕道而行、走红海旷野的路．以色列人出埃及地、都带着兵器上去。 13:19摩西把约瑟的骸骨一同带去、因为约瑟曾叫以色列人严严的起誓、对他们说、　神必眷顾你们、你们要把我的骸骨从这里一同带上去。 13:20他们从疏割起行、在旷野边的以倘安营。 13:21日间耶和华在云柱中领他们的路、夜间在火柱中光照他们、使他们日夜都可以行走． 13:22日间云柱、夜间火柱、总不离开百姓的面前。出埃及记13:17-22