48. 2. Since our life varies depending on our state, “spirit” means the variable attitude we take toward life. For example:

a. Living wisely.

Bezalel was filled with the spirit of wisdom, intelligence, and knowledge. (Exodus 31:3)

You shall speak to all who are wise at heart, everyone whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom. (Exodus 28:3)

Joshua was filled with the spirit of wisdom. (Deuteronomy 34:9)

Nebuchadnezzar said of Daniel that [the spirit of the holy gods was in him]. (Daniel 4:8)

[Belshazzar’s queen said of Daniel that] there was an excellent spirit of knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom in him. (Daniel 5:12)

Those who go astray in spirit will know intelligence. (Isaiah 29:24)

[2] b. Living [under the influence of some particular] inspiration.

Jehovah has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes. (Jeremiah 51:11)

Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. (Haggai 1:14)

I am putting the spirit into the king of Assyria [to cause him] to hear a rumor and return to his own land. (Isaiah 37:7)

Jehovah hardened the spirit of King Sihon. (Deuteronomy 2:30)

What is rising up in your spirit will never happen. (Ezekiel 20:32)

[3] c. Living in a state of freedom.

The four beasts seen by the prophet, which were angel guardians, went wherever the spirit wanted to go. (Ezekiel 1:12, 20)

[4] d. Living in fear, sorrow, or anger.

... so that every heart will melt, all hands will slacken, and every spirit will recoil. (Ezekiel 21:7)

My spirit has fainted within me; my heart is stupefied inside me. (Psalms 142:3; Psalms 143:4)

My spirit is wasting away. (Psalms 143:7)

I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit. (Daniel 7:15)

The spirit of Pharaoh was disturbed. (Genesis 41:8)

Nebuchadnezzar said, “My spirit is troubled.” (Daniel 2:3)

I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit. (Ezekiel 3:14)

[5] e. Living in subjection to various evil mental states.

... who has no guile in his spirit. (Psalms 32:2)

Jehovah has mixed together in their midst a spirit of perversities. (Isaiah 19:14)

[The Lord Jehovih] says, “[Woe] to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit.” (Ezekiel 13:3)

The prophet is foolish; the man of the spirit is insane. (Hosea 9:7)

Keep watch over your spirit, and do not act treacherously. (Malachi 2:16)

A spirit of whoredom has led them astray. (Hosea 4:12)

There is a spirit of whoredom in their midst. (Hosea 5:4)

When a spirit of jealousy has come over him... (Numbers 5:14)

A man who is a wanderer in spirit and speaks lies... (Micah 2:11)

... a generation whose spirit was not constant with God... (Psalms 78:8)

He has poured a spirit of sleepiness over them. (Isaiah 29:10)

Conceive chaff and give birth to stubble. As for your spirit, fire will devour you. (Isaiah 33:11)

[6] f. Living in subjection to hell.

I will make the unclean spirit depart from the land. (Zechariah 13:2)

When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it wanders through dry places, and then recruits seven spirits worse than itself, and they come in and live there. (Matthew 12:43-45)

Babylon has become a refuge for every unclean spirit. (Revelation 18:2)

[7] g. Then there are the hellish spirits by whom we are tormented: Matthew 8:16; 10:1; 12:43-45; Mark 1:23-28; 9:17-29; Luke 4:33, 36; 6:17-18; 7:21; 8:2, 29; 9:39, 42, 55; 11:24-26; 13:11; Revelation 13:15; 16:13-14.

7711. “埃及地必有幽暗” 表真理和良善的完全剥夺. 这从 “幽暗” 的含义清楚可知, “幽暗” 是指真理和良善的完全剥夺. 在圣言中, 各个地方都提到 “黑暗”, 还同时提到 “幽暗”; 在这些地方, “黑暗” 论及虚假, “幽暗” 论及与虚假在一起的邪恶. 不过, 在本节, 用来表达 “幽暗” 的词表示乌黑的黑暗, 这在内义上表示从邪恶涌出的那类虚假. 这类虚假就在那些属于教会, 过着一种违背他们所知道的信仰诫命的邪恶生活的人中间产生. 这些虚假所源于的邪恶反对教会, 反对天堂, 反对主, 因而与良善和真理截然对立. 现在 “幽暗” 就描述了这种状态.

在圣言中, 经上会同时提到 “黑暗” 和 “幽暗”, “黑暗” 表示真理的剥夺, 而 “幽暗 (经上有时译为幽冥)” 表示真理和良善的剥夺, 这一点可从以下经文看出来. 以赛亚书:

公平离我们远, 公义追不上我们. 我们等候光, 看哪, 却只有黑暗; 等候光明, 却行在幽暗中. 我们摸索墙壁, 好像瞎子; 我们摸索, 如同无目之人. 我们晌午绊跌, 如在黄昏一样; 我们在活人中间, 像死人一般. (以赛亚书 59:9-10)

“公平离我们远, 公义追不上我们” 表示既没有真理, 也没有良善的事实; “公平” 论及真理, “公义” 论及良善 (参看2235, 3997节); “等候光” 表示等候真理; “等候光明” 表示等候真理之良善, 因为光明源于良善. “黑暗” 在此是指 “光” 和 “公平” 的对立面, 因而是真理的对立面; “幽暗” 是 “光明” 和 “公义” 的对立面, 因而是良善的对立面; 因此, “黑暗” 表示真理的剥夺, “幽暗” 表示真理和良善的剥夺. 阿摩司书:

耶和华的日子, 不是黑暗没有光明吗? 不是幽暗毫无光辉吗? (阿摩司书 5:20)

此处意思也一样. 约珥书:

耶和华的日子将到, 是一个黑暗, 幽冥的日子, 一个密云, 乌黑的日子. (约珥书 2:1-2)

西番雅书:

耶和华的日子是急难困苦的日子, 是黑暗, 幽冥的日子. (西番雅书 1:15)

“黑暗” 表示真理的剥夺; “幽冥” 表示真理和良善的剥夺; 如果 “幽暗或幽冥” 与 “黑暗” 的意思一样, 那将是一个毫无意义的重复, 这样的重复绝不是圣言的特征. 在圣言中经常会发现两种表达方式用来描述一件事, 一种表达方式涉及真理或虚假; 另一种表达方式涉及良善或邪恶. 在以赛亚书也一样:

祂俯视大地, 看哪, 尽是艰难, 黑暗; 他必因困苦和碰撞的幽暗而昏昧. (以赛亚书 8:22)

“黑暗” 也表示诸如存在于外邦人当中的那种对真理的无知; “幽暗” 表示对良善的无知. 以赛亚书:

到那日, 聋子必听见这书上的话; 瞎子的眼必从幽冥黑暗中得以看见. (以赛亚书 29:18)

又:

你若使困苦的灵魂得满足, 你的光就必在黑暗中升起来, 你的幽暗必变如午日. (以赛亚书 58:10)

“黑暗” 是指虚假 (参看7688节).