米迦造偶像

/in , /by

〈士師記〉   17:6  那時以色列中沒有王，各人任意而行。

閱讀經文：〈士師記〉  17:1-13

雖然〈士師記〉  裡參孫是最後一個士師，但是真正最後的一個士師是撒母耳。在〈士師記〉  裡最後幾章都是描寫以色列中沒有王，各人任意而行的幾個例子，讓我們明白在一個心中沒有王的社會裡，會產生的奇怪現象和許多悲劇。

第一個例子說到有一個叫做米迦的人的家中所發生的事情。有一天，米迦的母親丟了一千一百舍客勒銀子，米母（簡稱）非常生氣，可能大罵小偷無恥無道，又咒詛他絕子絕孫的。假如你丟了那麼多錢，你會怎樣罵小偷，你想得到的，她可能都罵出來了。

沒想到偷她錢的小偷聽到了，這個小偷天天聽她咒詛，越聽越不是滋味，更深怕那咒詛在自己身上應驗。於是他自首了。迦母沒想到偷錢的是自己的兒子，立刻改口：「我兒啊，願耶和華賜福於你！」那時她多麼希望能收回那些咒詛的話啊！怎能讓那些咒詛落到至愛的兒子身上呢？只好求神賜福，希望可以蓋過那些咒詛。別人偷錢該死，自己兒子偷錢罵兩聲也夠了。這就是人的標準，別人做錯事，就要下十八層地獄，若是自己人，陪個不是就可以了。

為了消除自己的咒詛，米母就想為兒子雕個神像，她以為這樣可以討耶和華神的高興。她雖然知道耶和華神，對於律法卻一無所知。以為雕像當作神來拜，就是在敬拜耶和華了，卻沒想到她的作法正好與神的教導相悖，她做了神最討厭的事。我們會不會這樣呢？有時憑著一股熱心，要為神做這個做那個，卻沒想到反而得罪神。

Read more

Serve with Excellence

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 24:15-33.  Let’s go!

Genesis 24:15-17 (NIV)
15  Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.
16  The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
17  The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”

On verses 15-17:  Just as God brought Rebekah to Abraham’s servant even before Abraham’s servant finished praying, God knows your need even before you express it.  So why ask God if He already knows what we need?  Even though He already knows what we need, we ask God because asking is part of growing in our relationship with God, learning to rely on Him and experiencing the power of faith.  Faith is like a muscle that grows with use.  So use your faith muscles and ask God for what you need.

Read more

When Looking For That Special Someone

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 24:1-14.  Let’s go!

Genesis 24:1-4 (NIV)
1  Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.
2  He said to the chief servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh.
3  I want you to swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living,
4  but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac.”

On verses 1-4:  Even in Abraham’s old age, Abraham still had goals to accomplish and things he wanted to get done.  A top priority for Abraham was finding a good wife for his son Isaac, as per the traditions of his culture where parents would arrange the marriage for their child.  Since Abraham could not do this himself in his old age, he delegated this responsibility to his chief servant and placed him under a strict oath to go back to Abraham’s home country and find for Isaac a wife that met Abraham’s criteria.

Read more

參孫的結局

/in , /by

〈士師記〉 16:28 參孫求告耶和華說：「主耶和華啊，求你眷念我！神啊，求你賜我這一次的力量，使我在非利士人身上報那剜我雙眼的仇！」

閱讀經文：〈士師記〉 16:1-31

在這一章的經文裡，我們看不到「耶和華的靈感動參孫」這句話了。有的人質疑，參孫身為士師，竟然去找妓女，而且愛上妓女，難道也是出於神的旨意嗎？〈士師記〉的作者在寫書時，一點不含糊，在這些事上，完全沒有神的靈在作工的跡象，參孫被情慾所操縱了。參孫出生時的身份是拿細耳人，但是他破壞了所有拿細耳人的規矩，這就是參孫失敗的真正原因。

拿細耳人的律例有三個方面：1.禁戒各種酒類，以及酒作的醋、葡萄、葡萄乾，乃至葡萄樹上結的，自核至皮所作的各種物品。2. 不可剃去頭髮，任由髮綹長長。3.不可靠近人或動物的屍體，甚至是親人的屍體。這也是為何當參孫拿死獅體內的蜂蜜給父母吃時，不告訴他們是從哪裡取得的。因為他的父母一定告誡過他，不可以碰任何死屍。他若說了，父母可能不吃，他還要挨罵。當他在非利士人之地擺設婚宴時，又豈能滴酒不沾？三方面的禁忌，他破了兩方面，在最後一項，他能把持得住嗎？

失去了妻子的參孫心情上可能十分沮喪，但是他跑去找非利士的妓女時，作者再沒有寫耶和華的靈感動他。因此，我們知道這是參孫自己的選擇，他放縱自己的情慾。可能有的人覺得參孫在出世之前，神已經揀選他，賜恩給他，他就應該是一個循規蹈矩的人。但是出生在教授家庭的孩子就一定知書達禮嗎？那也不竟然。只能說，神揀選了參孫，但是神賜給每一個人的自由意志，參孫也有。神揀選人，但是神不強迫人，可是人要為自己的選擇負責。神知道一切，祂知道我們做每一個選擇的後果會如何。我們不能把什麼責任都推給神，正如孩子不能把失敗的責任都歸咎於父母。

Read more

What Death Can’t Separate

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 23:1-20.  Let’s go!

Genesis 23:1-2 (NIV)
1  Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old.
2  She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.

On verses 1-2:  For some reason the first time a person in the Bible is recorded as weeping, it’s in a situation where Abraham lost his wife Sarah.  The two had been together for many decades.  Together they had moved to and lived in many different places, experienced so many ups and downs, trusted in God’s promises and saw God work powerfully in their lives.  Other than the presence of God, there was no one whose presence was more constant in Abraham’s life than Sarah’s.  And now Abraham and Sarah were saying goodbye.  No doubt even in their old age, this was a very difficult thing to do.

To me in part it’s a reminder that God sees us as His bride.  Because He never wanted to lose us to death, He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins, so that we could be with Him forever.

Read more

第三封信：給別迦摩教會

/in , /by

別迦摩教會，是代表教會第三個時代（311-1590年）。此時代是政教聯合時代。在羅馬王君士坦丁，教皇貴勾利第一時，教會與世界聯合，因此教會一天天的腐敗墮落。

名義──「別迦摩」原文是「聯婚」之意。教會本來與基督定婚，是已獻給基督之童女，等基督來時可結婚，但現在教會在基督再來前已與世界結婚，如一個女人有兩個丈夫，這是教會反常之現象，可見教會之罪惡腐敗，與世界聯合，何等危險。像船是在水上，但船現在卻沉下去，教會與世界聯合，就是如船沉下去。這證明是撒但之詭計，牠的詭計更加利害，在士每拿教會時，撒但想藉武力，使教會消沉，但逼害之結果，教會反而興旺。但現在他變更計劃，使人喜歡教會。撒但的笑容比怒目更可怕，參孫不怕戰場上之戰爭，只失敗在一個女人手中，在一個女人膝上睡覺，結果失敗。

「別迦摩」另一名義是「高樓」之意，教會與世界聯婚之後，得崇高地位，照人看來，是何等幸福。本來他應與未婚夫耶穌一樣被世界厭棄逼迫，但現在竟得崇高地位，叫人羨慕，他們這樣顛倒是非。本來學生不能高過先生，現在教會之實況，是學生高過先生，僕人不能高過主人，但他們之實況是僕人高過主人，家人與家主應該一同受辱罵，現在家人倒受稱讚。主降生在馬槽，死在十架上，現在教會有高地位，與主之情形大不相同，教會與主之目的大不同，實在可惜。

一、主的自稱：「兩刃利劍。」對別迦摩教會情形很相合。

1.兩刃利劍刺開一切隱密處。「神的道是活潑的，是有功效的，比一切兩刃的劍更快，甚至魂與靈，骨節與骨髓，都能刺入剖開，連心中的思念和主意，都能辨明。」（來四12）一切都是赤露敞開，從主對別迦摩教會的自稱，可知主對他的表示，他們屬靈之光景，敞開祂的話如利劍，把他們之原形，完全顯出。若明白羅馬歷史和教會遺傳的，都知道自從戴奧革利庭，和加勒利阿死後，君士坦丁、馬生特亞，兩人爭奪王位。

Read more

The Lamb Who Suffered For Me

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 22:13-24.  Let’s go!

Genesis 22:13-14 (NIV)
13  Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.
14  So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”

On verses 13-14: Instead of making Abraham sacrifice his only son Isaac, God provides a substitutionary sacrifice for Isaac.  Just as Abraham predicted in verse 8, God Himself provides a lamb for the offering.  It’s a ram caught by its horns in a thicket, which some scholars say was a thornbush.  Now consider this: a ram is a male adult lamb.  “Horns” in the Bible are often seen as a symbol for one’s destiny.  “Thorns” in the Bible often represent suffering.  Just as God provided an adult male lamb who destiny was to suffer  on a mountain in place of Isaac, so Jesus was the male adult lamb whose destiny was to suffer and die in our place on a hill called Calvary.  On the day Jesus was sacrificed, they even placed a crown of thorns on Jesus’ head so that, like the ram, Jesus’ head is caught in thorns.  I love how the Old Testament points us to Jesus.  Truly the Lord is our provider, as verse 14 says, for on the mountain God provided us with His sacrificial lamb to atone for our sins.

Read more

隱哈歌利

/in , /by

〈士師記〉 15:19 神就使利希的窪處裂開，有水從其中湧出來，參孫喝了精神復原。因此那泉名叫隱哈歌利，那泉直到今日還在利希。

閱讀經文：〈士師記〉15:1-20

從參孫處理事情的方法，你會發現他和其他的士師不一樣。其他的士師在神呼召他們之後，就登高一呼，大家就來跟隨他，一起打戰。但是參孫不同，參孫好像都是為了自己的事情在忙，為了自己的事復仇。神就是這樣使用他，讓他一人去打擊非利士人。使非利士人不敢侵犯以色列人，因為參孫會報仇，而且殺戳絕不留情。神給參孫有超人的神力，他就像是現代美國電影中的超人，凡事一腳踢，都不需要別人幫忙。

當參孫發現他的岳父竟把他的妻子給了他的陪伴（或說：他的伴郎），他生氣極了。他覺得自己有足夠的理由去殺害非利士人。他活捉了三百隻狐狸。狐狸有很靈敏的聽覺和嗅覺，牠有修長的腿，最快可以一小時跑五十公里。所以要捉到三百隻狐狸，又不讓牠們逃走，不是很容易的事。除了力氣之外，還要有十分敏捷的身手和智慧才行。參孫將狐狸尾巴一對一對地捆上，將火把捆在兩條尾巴中間， 點著火把，就放狐狸進入非利士人己收割好站著的禾稼，將堆集的禾捆和未割的禾稼，並橄欖園盡都燒了。

非利士人問清楚原委後，也用火燒死參孫的妻和她的父親。參孫知道之後，就再去殺非利士人。從非利士人和以色列人的對話裡，我們可以稍微明白，為何在此時，神只用參孫一人去救以色列人脫離非利士人的手。因為非利士人認為那些事都是參孫做的，所以他們不會對以色列人進行報復，以色列人的生活就不致受到影響。

Read more

不按規矩出牌的參孫

/in , /by

〈士師記 〉14:6 a耶和華的靈大大感動參孫，他雖然手無器械，卻將獅子撕裂，如同撕裂山羊羔一樣。

閱讀經文：〈士師記〉  14:1-20 

以色列人的新士師誕生了，可能沒有太多人知道，他就是神所指定，要為以色列人制服非利士人的領袖。神祝福參孫，讓他成長順利。但是直到瑪哈尼坦，神的靈才感動他。這是參孫人生的一個轉折點。在這之前，他和其他小孩一樣，無憂無慮地成長，看到非利士人來，可能就躲得遠遠地。對於非利士人擁有的東西，可能也有點羨慕。就像二戰時期，華人的小孩看到洋人的一切都感到十分好奇。那時但的支派尚未找到他們要定居的地方，他們渴望像其他支派一樣也能安定下來。

瑪哈尼坦的意思就是「但的軍營」或是「但部族的營」。在他成長時期的某一天，他去瑪哈尼坦參觀，當他在但的營中走動時，神的靈感動他。我們不知道他是否看到營裡的殘敗不堪，或是軍人的士氣不高昂，或是眾人在非利士人的高姿態之下，覺得很沒有希望。但是在這裡，神的靈感動他要為以色列人做些事情。神的靈開始準備他將來要做以色列人的士師和領導者的心思意念。瑪哈尼坦在瑣拉和以實陶中間，這兩城相距才三公里。神曾經在什麼地方感動你，讓你看到事奉的方向嗎？

但是出人意外的，被神感動之後的參孫，竟愛上了一個非利士人的女子。他的父母感到很妻慘，作為以色列人是不可以和異族通婚的，更何況是拿細耳人。一個已經屬神的人，怎麼可以做出神所不允許的事呢？他的父母一定覺得自己的教育太失敗了。多少時候，當兒女的決定和父母的想法相悖時，父母的心真是很難接受這樣的狀況。有的兒女在成長後決定離開教會，更使父母覺得自己徹底失敗。但是接下來的這句話「這事是出於耶和華」，使我們明白掌管兒女的是耶和華神，只要我們盡力教導他們，他們的決定就不在我們能管的範圍之內了。有的人需要繞一圈才能明白神的愛，像林語堂一樣年輕時還會講道，卻直到晚年才悔改信主，有什麼辦法？

Read more

When God Puts You to the Test

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 22:1-12.  Let’s go!

Genesis 22:1-12 (NIV)
1  Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.
2  Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”
3  Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about…….

On verses 1-12:  In one of the most shocking and powerful scenes in the Bible, God tells Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac on the altar.  This does not appear to be a spur of the moment, spontaneous event.  It would take Abraham, Isaac and their servant more than a day to travel to the place where God would tell Abraham to conduct the sacrifice (v4).

Why would God tell Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac after promising that Abraham’s line of descendants would be born through Isaac (see Genesis 21:12)?  How could God tell Abraham to sacrifice his only son whom he loves?  

Read more