God of Many Generations

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 35:1-15.  Let’s go!

Genesis 35:1 (NIV)
1  Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”

On verse 1:  Keep in mind what happened right before this chapter.  To Jacob’s dismay, Jacob’s sons have massacred a city, kidnapped all the women and children in that city, and taken the wealth of the city as their own.  Jacob is now fearing for his life and the lives of his children and grandchildren (Genesis 34:30).  It’s an incredibly stressful and fearful time for Jacob.  It’s in this context that God tells Jacob to go back to Bethel, to the place where Jacob first encountered God (in Genesis 28:19) many years before and build an altar there.  God reminds Jacob of who God is, how God appeared to Jacob the last time Jacob was fleeing for his life when he ran from his brother Esau (v1). 

What can we learn from this?  When you’re stressed and fearing what will happen in the future, go back – at least in your mind – to the times in your past when God delivered you from similarly stressful and fearful times.  Remember that the same God who delivered you then is faithful to deliver you again now. 

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掃羅越權獻祭

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〈撒母耳記上 〉13:14 現在你的王位必不長久。耶和華已經尋著一個合他心意的人，立他做百姓的君，因為你沒有遵守耶和華所吩咐你的。

閱讀經文：〈撒母耳記上 〉13:1-23 

從掃羅作王開始，我們就看到以色列人政教分離了。國王管政治，祭司管宗教。撒母耳從士師的位置上退下來了，掃羅卻不知天高地厚地去獻祭司的火祭，這就是問題的開始。以後也有君王想去獻祭，便受到神的懲罰。好像亞撒利雅王（又叫烏西雅），因為想要去獻祭燒香，祭司勸阻不肯聽，神便讓他長大痲瘋，直到死日（王下15）。可見神非常看重祭司的職責，不是每個人都可以做的。直到彼得告訴信徒：“唯有你們是被揀選的族類，是有君尊的祭司”，所以我們可以藉著主耶穌的名，直接向神獻上生命的祭、感謝的祭，等等。何等的福份！

“掃羅登基年四十歲”，這句話有頗多爭議，有的人說原文裡沒有四十這個記數，是根據後人的臆測加上去的。不過，我們都不是解經家，所以就看人和事吧。有興趣的人可以自行去研究。在掃羅第二年做王時，以色列人和非利士人又生衝突，這次非利士人來勢洶洶，聚集了三萬輛車（這個數目有學者認為是誤抄，可能是三千，因為比兵馬數目超越太多），六千兵馬，還有像海邊的沙一般多的步兵，彷彿要來生吞活剝以色列人，不把他們滅掉勢不甘心。以色列人這下急了，往山洞、叢林、石穴、隱密處和坑中去躲藏起來，有些還跑過約旦河，逃到迦得和基列地。

掃羅作王後已經和亞捫人交戰過，神使他大獲全勝，現在第二波考驗又到了，這次的戰勢比上次更加緊急。面對非利士人的裝備，以色列人就好像非洲人對美國人一樣，什麼都沒有。以色列全地沒有一個鐵匠，因為非利士人不給以色列人製造刀槍，以色列人要磨鋤、犁、斧、鏟，就下到非利士人那裡去磨，但有銼可以銼鏟、犁、三齒叉、斧子並趕牛錐。全以色列的軍隊中，只有掃羅和他兒子約拿單有刀槍。其他人都只能拿著棍子吧。兩邊的軍備何等懸殊，掃羅的心裡怎能不緊張？

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撒母耳退休感言

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〈撒母耳記上〉 12:23 至於我，斷不停止為你們禱告，以致得罪耶和華。我必以善道正路指教你們。

閱讀經文:〈撒母耳記上〉 12:1-25 

那天，正是割小麥（wheat）的時候，撒母耳召聚了以色列人來，情況有點感傷。因為第一個以色列王已經上位，撒母耳要從士師的位置上退下來了。在神和人的面前，他都要做一個交代。他要說些什麼呢？假如你是撒母耳，你會對以色列人說什麼？對了，第一部份是自白。他要百姓在神面前為他作見證，當他在位時，他可曾奪過誰的牛，搶過誰的驢，欺負過誰，虐待過誰，從誰手裡受過賄賂；若有，他必償還。這是撒母耳的心態，非常坦然。

我們每個人也都有從神交給我們的工作上退下來的時候，我們敢不敢像撒母耳那樣，在神和人面前，看看自己有沒有什麼過失，以求彌補，然後榮耀地下台。一個在人前事奉的人，尤其困難，因為要面對很多的人際關係，可能會有一些敵人控告我們。可見撒母耳非常潔身自愛，因此神也一直與他同在，讓他所說的話，一句都不落空。“你們在我手裡沒有找著什麼”，在神和人面前沒有得罪任何人，佔過任何便宜，所有出席者都同意這點。讓撒母耳可以安心退休。

第二部份，他講到耶和華神和以色列人列祖的公義；神的信實，以色列人的悖逆；神總是幫助他們，他們總是忘記神。他們又想學外邦人，擁立人為王，而忘記耶和華神是他們的王。所以神對撒母耳說，“他們不是厭棄你，乃是厭棄我，不要我做他們的王”（撒上8:7）。好啦，現在神滿足他們的願望了，但是有一件事他們必須知道，王和以色列人若不聽神的話，神的手必攻擊他們。因為不管怎樣，他們還是神從萬人中揀選出來的子民。因著和亞伯拉罕、以撒和雅各立的約，神永遠不會放棄他們。

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What Rage Can Do and Why We Must Get Rid of It

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 34:18-31.  Let’s go! 

Genesis 34:18-19 (NIV)
18  Their proposal seemed good to Hamor and his son Shechem.
19  The young man, who was the most honored of all his father’s household, lost no time in doing what they said, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter.

On verses 18-19:  Verse 19 describes Shechem as a young man “who was the most honored of all his father’s household” (v19), which suggests that Shechem was a man of reputable status among his people.  That Shechem would succumb to the temptation to sexually molest Dinah and rape her is a reminder that no matter how high ranking, powerful or well respected a person may be, no one is immune from temptation and anyone can fall into sin if not careful.  But praise God that whenever we are tempted God always provides a way out.  As 1 Corinthians 10:13 says:  “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” 

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掃羅在吉甲立國

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〈撒母耳記上〉 11:14 撒母耳對百姓說：「我們要往吉甲去，在那裡立國。」

閱讀經文：〈撒母耳記上〉 11:1-15

基列雅比，這個名字聽起來耳熟嗎？還記不記得在〈士師記〉裡，當以色列人要和便雅憫人作戰時，曾在主前立誓，若不出來一起作戰的，便要把他們殺死。結果查出雅比人沒有出來應戰，因此便把他們的男人和已婚婦女都殺掉，搶走了他們四百個處女，給剩下的便雅憫人為妻，以留後代。掃羅是便雅憫人，因此他很有可能也是便雅憫人和雅比人聯姻的後代之一。雅比人遇到麻煩了，掃羅會如何？以前他只是一個小老百姓，現在他是以色列王了，雖然還要趕牛耕地，究竟會有何不同？

雖然在舊約聖經裡沒有註明這件事的背景，但是在死海古卷裡找到的撒母耳記卻有這段記載：Nahash, king of the children of Ammon, sorely oppressed the children of Gad and the children of Reuben, and he gouged out a their right eyes and struck terror and dread in Israel. There was not left one among the children of Israel bey[ond the Jordan who]se right eye was not put out by Nahash king of the children of Ammon; except that seven thousand men fled from the children of Ammon and entered Jabesh-Gilead. About a month later Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-Gilead. 這段英文的大意是：當時的亞捫人迫害以色列人，已經戰勝了河東地的魯本和迦得支派，他們的右眼都被剜了，但是其中有七千人逃到基列雅比。這件事使整個以色列都震驚且嚇壞了。大約在一個月後，亞捫人圍攻基列雅比，就是要把那些逃掉的人和基列雅比人的眼睛也都剜出來。（資料取自Wikipedia）

雅比人要求亞捫人給他們七日的期限，亞捫人很爽快地答應了，他們胸有成竹，認定以色列裡沒有人可以來救他們。神的時間就是如此巧妙，掃羅在此時被揀選為王，不找他，還找誰呢？當撒母耳油膏掃羅之後，要他趁時而作，就是有機會時要好好表現一番，使人服他，因為神與他同在。這不就是個機會嗎？一個王的主要職責，不就是保護他的百姓嗎？

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Lust vs. Love

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 34:1-17.  Let’s go!

Genesis 34:1-4 (NIV)
1  Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land.
2  When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and violated her.
3  His heart was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her.
4  And Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Get me this girl as my wife.”

On verses 1-4:  Shechem was in love with Jacob’s daughter Dinah and wanted her more than anything, but he went about it in completely the wrong way, taking her and raping her (v2).  That is what lust does.  Lust says “now”.  Love says “I’ll wait”.  Lust says “me first”.  Love says “you first”.  Lust takes.  Love gives.  Lust violates.  Love protects.  Lust says “I don’t care if it’s wrong. It’s what I feel like doing.”  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth.

Genesis 34:5-12 (NIV)
5  When Jacob heard that his daughter Dinah had been defiled, his sons were in the fields with his livestock; so he kept quiet about it until they came home.
6  Then Shechem’s father Hamor went out to talk with Jacob.
7  Now Jacob’s sons had come in from the fields as soon as they heard what had happened. They were filled with grief and fury, because Shechem had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter–a thing that should not be done.

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撒母耳膏掃羅為王

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〈撒母耳記上〉 10: 6 耶和華的靈必大大感動你，你就與他們一同受感說話，你要變為新人。

閱讀經文：〈撒母耳記上〉 10:1-27

撒母耳按著神的帶領，膏掃羅為第一個以色列人的王。在〈申命記〉裡，神已經立下選以色列王的規則：“你總要立耶和華你神所揀選的人為王。必從你弟兄中立一人，不可立你弟兄以外的人為王（申17:15）”。可見神早已知道會有這樣的一天，以色列人會要求立王。但是掃羅的心中踏實嗎？他怎能確定自己不是在作夢？他怎麼找驢找到變成以色列人的王了？這事說出去誰會相信？

撒母耳彷彿知道掃羅心中的意念，他列舉了掃羅在回家的路上會碰到四批人：一, 他要遇見兩個人對他說驢已找到；二, 在他泊的橡樹那裡會碰到三個人各帶著羊、餅和酒，他們會給掃羅兩個餅；三, 到了神的山（何烈山），他會看到非利士人的防兵；四, 進城時會碰到一班先知，掃羅會跟著先知們一起受感說話，神要讓他成為一個新人。這些人和事就像撒母耳親眼看到似的，都一一應驗了。為了讓掃羅明白，這是從神來的揀選，神一連給他四個印證。好讓他知道此事不是出於偶然。

神讓掃羅變為新人，是什麼意思？掃羅本來只是一個無名小卒，現在神把他抬舉成以色列中的至高者，他必須有不同的眼光，不同的心性去面對這個新的身份。曾經有一位傳道人說他的見證，神給了他一個夢，讓他在夢中看到有許多人在海中沉淪呼救。當他醒來之後，神的呼召就成了他一生的目標，他不再是從前那個為自己而活的人，變成了一個為了神而活的傳道人。神的靈感動掃羅，讓他不再為了像找驢這樣的事而活，神給他有一個王的心志，為以色列人而活。

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The Gift That Reunites

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 33:1-20.  Let’s go!

Genesis 33:1-4 (NIV)
1  Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men; so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two maidservants.
2  He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear.
3  He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.
4  But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.

On verses 1-4:  With his wives and children walking behind him, Jacob goes on ahead to meet Esau.  He humbles himself before Esau, bowing down seven times while approaching him.  Esau also responds with passion and humility.  The way Esau responds – how Esau “ran to meet Jacob…threw his arms around his neck and kissed him” – is so similar to Jesus’ parable of the lost son where the father, seeing his son a long way off, “ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20).  It’s an emotional reunion between two estranged brothers who seemingly decide to put their difficult past behind them.

What can we learn from this?  Whereas our pride keeps the conflict going, humility allows us to put aside our differences and to reconcile.

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第五封信：撒狄教會(下)

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2.主責備他們的原因，為甚麼責備他們按名是活的，其實是死的？有三個原因：

A.不儆醒──因為不儆醒的緣故，所以造成按名是活的，其實是死的。為甚麼他們不儆醒，因為他們不注重主再來。我們查攷《聖經》，主常叫信徒儆醒，就是題到主再來，應儆醒，不可與主分離。

B.不堅固──不是不堅固自己，乃是不堅固別人，即那些剩下將要衰微的人，或說將死的人。他們完全不知道自己有堅強的力量，必須肯幫助別人，尤其是幫助軟弱的人。

大衛說：「神阿，求祢為我造清潔的心，使我裏面重新有正直的靈。不要丟棄我，使我離開祢的面，不要從我收回祢的聖靈，求祢使我仍得救恩之樂。賜我樂意的靈扶持我，我就把祢的道指教有過犯的人，罪人必歸順祢。」保羅寫信給加拉太人說：「弟兄們，若有人偶然被過犯所勝，你們屬靈的人，就當用溫柔的心把他挽回過來。」各位，你有沒有這樣做？有沒有堅固別人的軟弱。

C.不完全──「因我見你的行為，在我神面前，沒有一樣是完全的。」各位，他們為甚麼按名是活的，其實是死的？就是因為他們不完全，太不完全了。誰看見他們不完全呢？不是人看見他們，乃是主親眼見到的。主看人，不同人看人，人看外貌，主是看內心的。用主眼睛看清楚了撒狄教會，知道他們是不完全的。有甚麼不完全呢？乃是他們的行為不完全。各位弟兄姊妹，撒狄教會這種情形，我們現在自己問一下自己，我們的行為是不是不完全？我們的主要我們完全。我們就要完全。雖然信主得救，但不要在糊塗裏過日子。

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The Purpose of God’s Gifts + The Lesson of the Limp

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 32:13-32.  Let’s go!

Genesis 32:13-21 (NIV)
13  He spent the night there, and from what he had with him he selected a gift for his brother Esau:
14  two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,
15  thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.
16  He put them in the care of his servants, each herd by itself, and said to his servants, “Go ahead of me, and keep some space between the herds.”……

On verses 13-21:  To hopefully appease Esau’s anger and soften Esau’s heart, Jacob sends a series of lavish gifts to Esau consisting of one herd of animals after another.  The picture of Jacob sending all these gifts to Esau makes me think of the way God sends gift after gift in the form of people and other blessings that God places in our lives.  As John 1:16 says, “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.”  God sends us many gifts so that we would know His heart.  The gifts were always meant to point to the Giver.  Yet our tendency is to focus on the gifts and forget about the Giver.  So the next time you think about the blessings in your life, remember this: God gives us blessings not just for our enjoyment, but even more so that we would know the Giver of those blessings, because knowing the Giver is the greatest blessing of all.

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