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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扫罗越权献祭

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〈撒母耳记上 〉13:14 现在你的王位必不长久。耶和华已经寻着一个合他心意的人，立他做百姓的君，因为你没有遵守耶和华所吩咐你的。

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记上 〉13:1-23 

从扫罗作王开始，我们就看到以色列人政教分离了。国王管政治，祭司管宗教。撒母耳从士师的位置上退下来了，扫罗却不知天高地厚地去献祭司的火祭，这就是问题的开始。以后也有君王想去献祭，便受到神的惩罚。好像亚撒利雅王（又叫乌西雅），因为想要去献祭烧香，祭司劝阻不肯听，神便让他长大痲疯，直到死日（王下15）。可见神非常看重祭司的职责，不是每个人都可以做的。直到彼得告诉信徒：“唯有你们是被拣选的族类，是有君尊的祭司”，所以我们可以借着主耶稣的名，直接向神献上生命的祭、感谢的祭，等等。何等的福份！

“扫罗登基年四十岁”，这句话有颇多争议，有的人说原文里没有四十这个记数，是根据后人的臆测加上去的。不过，我们都不是解经家，所以就看人和事吧。有兴趣的人可以自行去研究。在扫罗第二年做王时，以色列人和非利士人又生冲突，这次非利士人来势汹汹，聚集了三万辆车（这个数目有学者认为是误抄，可能是三千，因为比兵马数目超越太多），六千兵马，还有像海边的沙一般多的步兵，仿佛要来生吞活剥以色列人，不把他们灭掉势不甘心。以色列人这下急了，往山洞、丛林、石穴、隐密处和坑中去躲藏起来，有些还跑过约旦河，逃到迦得和基列地。

扫罗作王后已经和亚扪人交战过，神使他大获全胜，现在第二波考验又到了，这次的战势比上次更加紧急。面对非利士人的装备，以色列人就好像非洲人对美国人一样，什么都没有。以色列全地没有一个铁匠，因为非利士人不给以色列人制造刀枪，以色列人要磨锄、犁、斧、铲，就下到非利士人那里去磨，但有锉可以锉铲、犁、三齿叉、斧子并赶牛锥。全以色列的军队中，只有扫罗和他儿子约拿单有刀枪。其他人都只能拿着棍子吧。两边的军备何等悬殊，扫罗的心里怎能不紧张？

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撒母耳退休感言

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〈撒母耳记上〉 12:23 至于我，断不停止为你们祷告，以致得罪耶和华。我必以善道正路指教你们。

阅读经文:〈撒母耳记上〉 12:1-25 

那天，正是割小麦（wheat）的时候，撒母耳召聚了以色列人来，情况有点感伤。因为第一个以色列王已经上位，撒母耳要从士师的位置上退下来了。在神和人的面前，他都要做一个交代。他要说些什么呢？假如你是撒母耳，你会对以色列人说什么？对了，第一部份是自白。他要百姓在神面前为他作见证，当他在位时，他可曾夺过谁的牛，抢过谁的驴，欺负过谁，虐待过谁，从谁手里受过贿赂；若有，他必偿还。这是撒母耳的心态，非常坦然。

我们每个人也都有从神交给我们的工作上退下来的时候，我们敢不敢像撒母耳那样，在神和人面前，看看自己有没有什么过失，以求弥补，然后荣耀地下台。一个在人前事奉的人，尤其困难，因为要面对很多的人际关系，可能会有一些敌人控告我们。可见撒母耳非常洁身自爱，因此神也一直与他同在，让他所说的话，一句都不落空。“你们在我手里没有找著什么”，在神和人面前没有得罪任何人，占过任何便宜，所有出席者都同意这点。让撒母耳可以安心退休。

第二部份，他讲到耶和华神和以色列人列祖的公义；神的信实，以色列人的悖逆；神总是帮助他们，他们总是忘记神。他们又想学外邦人，拥立人为王，而忘记耶和华神是他们的王。所以神对撒母耳说，“他们不是厌弃你，乃是厌弃我，不要我做他们的王”（撒上8:7）。好啦，现在神满足他们的愿望了，但是有一件事他们必须知道，王和以色列人若不听神的话，神的手必攻击他们。因为不管怎样，他们还是神从万人中拣选出来的子民。因着和亚伯拉罕、以撒和雅各立的约，神永远不会放弃他们。

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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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扫罗在吉甲立国

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〈撒母耳记上〉 11:14 撒母耳对百姓说：「我们要往吉甲去，在那里立国。」

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记上〉 11:1-15

基列雅比，这个名字听起来耳熟吗？还记不记得在〈士师记〉里，当以色列人要和便雅悯人作战时，曾在主前立誓，若不出来一起作战的，便要把他们杀死。结果查出雅比人没有出来应战，因此便把他们的男人和已婚妇女都杀掉，抢走了他们四百个处女，给剩下的便雅悯人为妻，以留后代。扫罗是便雅悯人，因此他很有可能也是便雅悯人和雅比人联姻的后代之一。雅比人遇到麻烦了，扫罗会如何？以前他只是一个小老百姓，现在他是以色列王了，虽然还要赶牛耕地，究竟会有何不同？

虽然在旧约圣经里没有注明这件事的背景，但是在死海古卷里找到的撒母耳记却有这段记载：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. 这段英文的大意是：当时的亚扪人迫害以色列人，已经战胜了河东地的鲁本和迦得支派，他们的右眼都被剜了，但是其中有七千人逃到基列雅比。这件事使整个以色列都震惊且吓坏了。大约在一个月后，亚扪人围攻基列雅比，就是要把那些逃掉的人和基列雅比人的眼睛也都剜出来。（资料取自Wikipedia）

雅比人要求亚扪人给他们七日的期限，亚扪人很爽快地答应了，他们胸有成竹，认定以色列里没有人可以来救他们。神的时间就是如此巧妙，扫罗在此时被拣选为王，不找他，还找谁呢？当撒母耳油膏扫罗之后，要他趁时而作，就是有机会时要好好表现一番，使人服他，因为神与他同在。这不就是个机会吗？一个王的主要职责，不就是保护他的百姓吗？

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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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撒母耳膏扫罗为王

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〈撒母耳记上〉 10: 6 耶和华的灵必大大感动你，你就与他们一同受感说话，你要变为新人。

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记上〉 10:1-27

撒母耳按著神的带领，膏扫罗为第一个以色列人的王。在〈申命记〉里，神已经立下选以色列王的规则：“你总要立耶和华你神所拣选的人为王。必从你弟兄中立一人，不可立你弟兄以外的人为王（申17:15）”。可见神早已知道会有这样的一天，以色列人会要求立王。但是扫罗的心中踏实吗？他怎能确定自己不是在作梦？他怎么找驴找到变成以色列人的王了？这事说出去谁会相信？

撒母耳仿佛知道扫罗心中的意念，他列举了扫罗在回家的路上会碰到四批人：一, 他要遇见两个人对他说驴已找到；二, 在他泊的橡树那里会碰到三个人各带着羊、饼和酒，他们会给扫罗两个饼；三, 到了神的山（何烈山），他会看到非利士人的防兵；四, 进城时会碰到一班先知，扫罗会跟着先知们一起受感说话，神要让他成为一个新人。这些人和事就像撒母耳亲眼看到似的，都一一应验了。为了让扫罗明白，这是从神来的拣选，神一连给他四个印证。好让他知道此事不是出于偶然。

神让扫罗变为新人，是什么意思？扫罗本来只是一个无名小卒，现在神把他抬举成以色列中的至高者，他必须有不同的眼光，不同的心性去面对这个新的身份。曾经有一位传道人说他的见证，神给了他一个梦，让他在梦中看到有许多人在海中沉沦呼救。当他醒来之后，神的呼召就成了他一生的目标，他不再是从前那个为自己而活的人，变成了一个为了神而活的传道人。神的灵感动扫罗，让他不再为了像找驴这样的事而活，神给他有一个王的心志，为以色列人而活。

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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：撒狄教会(下)

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2.主责备他们的原因，为甚么责备他们按名是活的，其实是死的？有三个原因：

A.不儆醒──因为不儆醒的缘故，所以造成按名是活的，其实是死的。为甚么他们不儆醒，因为他们不注重主再来。我们查攷《圣经》，主常叫信徒儆醒，就是题到主再来，应儆醒，不可与主分离。

B.不坚固──不是不坚固自己，乃是不坚固别人，即那些剩下将要衰微的人，或说将死的人。他们完全不知道自己有坚强的力量，必须肯帮助别人，尤其是帮助软弱的人。

大卫说：「神阿，求祢为我造清洁的心，使我里面重新有正直的灵。不要丢弃我，使我离开祢的面，不要从我收回祢的圣灵，求祢使我仍得救恩之乐。赐我乐意的灵扶持我，我就把祢的道指教有过犯的人，罪人必归顺祢。」保罗写信给加拉太人说：「弟兄们，若有人偶然被过犯所胜，你们属灵的人，就当用温柔的心把他挽回过来。」各位，你有没有这样做？有没有坚固别人的软弱。

C.不完全──「因我见你的行为，在我神面前，没有一样是完全的。」各位，他们为甚么按名是活的，其实是死的？就是因为他们不完全，太不完全了。谁看见他们不完全呢？不是人看见他们，乃是主亲眼见到的。主看人，不同人看人，人看外貌，主是看内心的。用主眼睛看清楚了撒狄教会，知道他们是不完全的。有甚么不完全呢？乃是他们的行为不完全。各位弟兄姊妹，撒狄教会这种情形，我们现在自己问一下自己，我们的行为是不是不完全？我们的主要我们完全。我们就要完全。虽然信主得救，但不要在糊涂里过日子。

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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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