米迦造偶像

/in , /by

〈士师记〉   17:6  那时以色列中没有王，各人任意而行。

阅读经文：〈士师记〉  17:1-13

虽然〈士师记〉  里参孙是最后一个士师，但是真正最后的一个士师是撒母耳。在〈士师记〉  里最后几章都是描写以色列中没有王，各人任意而行的几个例子，让我们明白在一个心中没有王的社会里，会产生的奇怪现象和许多悲剧。

第一个例子说到有一个叫做米迦的人的家中所发生的事情。有一天，米迦的母亲丢了一千一百舍客勒银子，米母（简称）非常生气，可能大骂小偷无耻无道，又咒诅他绝子绝孙的。假如你丢了那么多钱，你会怎样骂小偷，你想得到的，她可能都骂出来了。

没想到偷她钱的小偷听到了，这个小偷天天听她咒诅，越听越不是滋味，更深怕那咒诅在自己身上应验。于是他自首了。迦母没想到偷钱的是自己的儿子，立刻改口：「我儿啊，愿耶和华赐福于你！」那时她多么希望能收回那些咒诅的话啊！怎能让那些咒诅落到至爱的儿子身上呢？只好求神赐福，希望可以盖过那些咒诅。别人偷钱该死，自己儿子偷钱骂两声也够了。这就是人的标准，别人做错事，就要下十八层地狱，若是自己人，陪个不是就可以了。

为了消除自己的咒诅，米母就想为儿子雕个神像，她以为这样可以讨耶和华神的高兴。她虽然知道耶和华神，对于律法却一无所知。以为雕像当作神来拜，就是在敬拜耶和华了，却没想到她的作法正好与神的教导相悖，她做了神最讨厌的事。我们会不会这样呢？有时凭著一股热心，要为神做这个做那个，却没想到反而得罪神。

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

参孙的结局

/in , /by

〈士师记〉 16:28 参孙求告耶和华说：「主耶和华啊，求你眷念我！神啊，求你赐我这一次的力量，使我在非利士人身上报那剜我双眼的仇！」

阅读经文：〈士师记〉 16:1-31

在这一章的经文里，我们看不到「耶和华的灵感动参孙」这句话了。有的人质疑，参孙身为士师，竟然去找妓女，而且爱上妓女，难道也是出于神的旨意吗？〈士师记〉的作者在写书时，一点不含糊，在这些事上，完全没有神的灵在作工的迹象，参孙被情欲所操纵了。参孙出生时的身份是拿细耳人，但是他破坏了所有拿细耳人的规矩，这就是参孙失败的真正原因。

拿细耳人的律例有三个方面：1.禁戒各种酒类，以及酒作的醋、葡萄、葡萄干，乃至葡萄树上结的，自核至皮所作的各种物品。2. 不可剃去头发，任由发绺长长。3.不可靠近人或动物的尸体，甚至是亲人的尸体。这也是为何当参孙拿死狮体内的蜂蜜给父母吃时，不告诉他们是从哪里取得的。因为他的父母一定告诫过他，不可以碰任何死尸。他若说了，父母可能不吃，他还要挨骂。当他在非利士人之地摆设婚宴时，又岂能滴酒不沾？三方面的禁忌，他破了两方面，在最后一项，他能把持得住吗？

失去了妻子的参孙心情上可能十分沮丧，但是他跑去找非利士的妓女时，作者再没有写耶和华的灵感动他。因此，我们知道这是参孙自己的选择，他放纵自己的情欲。可能有的人觉得参孙在出世之前，神已经拣选他，赐恩给他，他就应该是一个循规蹈矩的人。但是出生在教授家庭的孩子就一定知书达礼吗？那也不竟然。只能说，神拣选了参孙，但是神赐给每一个人的自由意志，参孙也有。神拣选人，但是神不强迫人，可是人要为自己的选择负责。神知道一切，祂知道我们做每一个选择的后果会如何。我们不能把什么责任都推给神，正如孩子不能把失败的责任都归咎于父母。

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：给别迦摩教会

/in , /by

别迦摩教会，是代表教会第三个时代（311-1590年）。此时代是政教联合时代。在罗马王君士坦丁，教皇贵勾利第一时，教会与世界联合，因此教会一天天的腐败堕落。

名义──「别迦摩」原文是「联婚」之意。教会本来与基督定婚，是已献给基督之童女，等基督来时可结婚，但现在教会在基督再来前已与世界结婚，如一个女人有两个丈夫，这是教会反常之现象，可见教会之罪恶腐败，与世界联合，何等危险。像船是在水上，但船现在却沉下去，教会与世界联合，就是如船沉下去。这证明是撒但之诡计，牠的诡计更加利害，在士每拿教会时，撒但想藉武力，使教会消沉，但逼害之结果，教会反而兴旺。但现在他变更计划，使人喜欢教会。撒但的笑容比怒目更可怕，参孙不怕战场上之战争，只失败在一个女人手中，在一个女人膝上睡觉，结果失败。

「别迦摩」另一名义是「高楼」之意，教会与世界联婚之后，得崇高地位，照人看来，是何等幸福。本来他应与未婚夫耶稣一样被世界厌弃逼迫，但现在竟得崇高地位，叫人羡慕，他们这样颠倒是非。本来学生不能高过先生，现在教会之实况，是学生高过先生，仆人不能高过主人，但他们之实况是仆人高过主人，家人与家主应该一同受辱骂，现在家人倒受称赞。主降生在马槽，死在十架上，现在教会有高地位，与主之情形大不相同，教会与主之目的大不同，实在可惜。

一、主的自称：「两刃利剑。」对别迦摩教会情形很相合。

1.两刃利剑刺开一切隐密处。「神的道是活泼的，是有功效的，比一切两刃的剑更快，甚至魂与灵，骨节与骨髓，都能刺入剖开，连心中的思念和主意，都能辨明。」（来四12）一切都是赤露敞开，从主对别迦摩教会的自称，可知主对他的表示，他们属灵之光景，敞开祂的话如利剑，把他们之原形，完全显出。若明白罗马历史和教会遗传的，都知道自从戴奥革利庭，和加勒利阿死后，君士坦丁、马生特亚，两人争夺王位。

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

隐哈歌利

/in , /by

〈士师记〉 15:19 神就使利希的洼处裂开，有水从其中涌出来，参孙喝了精神复原。因此那泉名叫隐哈歌利，那泉直到今日还在利希。

阅读经文：〈士师记〉15:1-20

从参孙处理事情的方法，你会发现他和其他的士师不一样。其他的士师在神呼召他们之后，就登高一呼，大家就来跟随他，一起打战。但是参孙不同，参孙好像都是为了自己的事情在忙，为了自己的事复仇。神就是这样使用他，让他一人去打击非利士人。使非利士人不敢侵犯以色列人，因为参孙会报仇，而且杀戳绝不留情。神给参孙有超人的神力，他就像是现代美国电影中的超人，凡事一脚踢，都不需要别人帮忙。

当参孙发现他的岳父竟把他的妻子给了他的陪伴（或说：他的伴郎），他生气极了。他觉得自己有足够的理由去杀害非利士人。他活捉了三百只狐狸。狐狸有很灵敏的听觉和嗅觉，牠有修长的腿，最快可以一小时跑五十公里。所以要捉到三百只狐狸，又不让牠们逃走，不是很容易的事。除了力气之外，还要有十分敏捷的身手和智慧才行。参孙将狐狸尾巴一对一对地捆上，将火把捆在两条尾巴中间， 点着火把，就放狐狸进入非利士人己收割好站着的禾稼，将堆集的禾捆和未割的禾稼，并橄榄园尽都烧了。

非利士人问清楚原委后，也用火烧死参孙的妻和她的父亲。参孙知道之后，就再去杀非利士人。从非利士人和以色列人的对话里，我们可以稍微明白，为何在此时，神只用参孙一人去救以色列人脱离非利士人的手。因为非利士人认为那些事都是参孙做的，所以他们不会对以色列人进行报复，以色列人的生活就不致受到影响。

Read more

不按规矩出牌的参孙

/in , /by

〈士师记 〉14:6 a耶和华的灵大大感动参孙，他虽然手无器械，却将狮子撕裂，如同撕裂山羊羔一样。

阅读经文：〈士师记〉  14:1-20 

以色列人的新士师诞生了，可能没有太多人知道，他就是神所指定，要为以色列人制服非利士人的领袖。神祝福参孙，让他成长顺利。但是直到玛哈尼坦，神的灵才感动他。这是参孙人生的一个转折点。在这之前，他和其他小孩一样，无忧无虑地成长，看到非利士人来，可能就躲得远远地。对于非利士人拥有的东西，可能也有点羡慕。就像二战时期，华人的小孩看到洋人的一切都感到十分好奇。那时但的支派尚未找到他们要定居的地方，他们渴望像其他支派一样也能安定下来。

玛哈尼坦的意思就是「但的军营」或是「但部族的营」。在他成长时期的某一天，他去玛哈尼坦参观，当他在但的营中走动时，神的灵感动他。我们不知道他是否看到营里的残败不堪，或是军人的士气不高昂，或是众人在非利士人的高姿态之下，觉得很没有希望。但是在这里，神的灵感动他要为以色列人做些事情。神的灵开始准备他将来要做以色列人的士师和领导者的心思意念。玛哈尼坦在琐拉和以实陶中间，这两城相距才三公里。神曾经在什么地方感动你，让你看到事奉的方向吗？

但是出人意外的，被神感动之后的参孙，竟爱上了一个非利士人的女子。他的父母感到很妻惨，作为以色列人是不可以和异族通婚的，更何况是拿细耳人。一个已经属神的人，怎么可以做出神所不允许的事呢？他的父母一定觉得自己的教育太失败了。多少时候，当儿女的决定和父母的想法相悖时，父母的心真是很难接受这样的状况。有的儿女在成长后决定离开教会，更使父母觉得自己彻底失败。但是接下来的这句话「这事是出于耶和华」，使我们明白掌管儿女的是耶和华神，只要我们尽力教导他们，他们的决定就不在我们能管的范围之内了。有的人需要绕一圈才能明白神的爱，像林语堂一样年轻时还会讲道，却直到晚年才悔改信主，有什么办法？

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