A Better Hope Through Jesus

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hebrews 7:11-19.  Let’s go!

Hebrews 7:11-19 (NIV)
11  If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come–one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?
12  For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law.

On verses 11-19:  Moses was the one who wrote down and introduced the Jewish law to govern the people of Israel.  These laws are found in the first five books of the Old Testament, also known as the Pentateuch, and are sometimes called the law of Moses, or simply “the law”.  The law of Moses stipulated that Israel’s priests, beginning with the first high priest Aaron, must come from the tribe of Levi. 

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從危機到轉機

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約珥書2:32 a   到那時候，凡求告耶和華名的，就必得救。

閱讀經文: 約珥書2:1-32

1「你們要在錫安吹角，在我聖山吹出大聲！國中的居民都要發顫，因為耶和華的日子將到，已經臨近。 2 那日是黑暗、幽冥、密雲、烏黑的日子。好像晨光鋪滿山嶺，有一隊蝗蟲又大又強，從來沒有這樣的，以後直到萬代也必沒有。 3 牠們前面如火燒滅，後面如火焰燒盡。未到以前，地如伊甸園，過去以後，成了荒涼的曠野，沒有一樣能躲避牠們的。

十二先知書中有六位先知提到“耶和華的日子”。西番雅說：“耶和華的大日子臨近了，臨近了，飛快而來”，阿摩司說“耶和華的日子會是黑暗的日子，所以他們應當預備面對他們的上帝了”，俄巴底亞警告：“耶和華打擊列國的日子臨近了” ，瑪拉基則警告。“耶和華可畏的大日子”很快就會來到。這便是約珥書的主題。

但是約珥雖然提到“耶和華的日子”已經臨近，那日是黑暗、幽冥、密雲、烏黑的日子，卻是光明前的黑暗，是帶著希望的黑暗。那黑暗是難以想像的。好像晨光鋪滿山嶺（原文的標點符號有問題），是指一隊又大又強的蝗蟲來臨，在牠們來臨之前，地如伊甸園；牠們過去之後，成了荒涼的曠野。有如野火焚燒，吞噬一切。

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耶和華的日子臨近了！

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約珥書1:15  哀哉，耶和華的日子臨近了！這日來到，好像毀滅從全能者來到。

閱讀經文: 約珥書 1:1-20

1耶和華的話臨到毗土珥的兒子約珥。

2 老年人哪，當聽我的話！國中的居民哪，都要側耳而聽！在你們的日子，或你們列祖的日子，曾有這樣的事嗎？ 3 你們要將這事傳於子，子傳於孫，孫傳於後代。 4 剪蟲剩下的，蝗蟲來吃；蝗蟲剩下的，蝻子來吃；蝻子剩下的，螞蚱來吃。

在張文亮教授〈有誰知道蝗蟲的飛航路線？〉一文裡，對蝗蟲有極為精闢的介紹：“早期的中國，認為對農作物最大的蟲害，是蝗蟲成群前來，因為是「最大」的蟲害，所以在虫字邊加上「皇」字。早期的希臘人，看蝗蟲善於跳躍，故稱其locust，locust這字有跳躍的意思。蝗蟲移動的主要方式是跳躍，但是在六月，在乾旱、炎熱的地方，熱氣自地表上騰，蝗蟲張翅一躍，可以躍入上騰的熱氣之中，甚至能夠上騰到2000公尺以上的高空，隨著風向遷移。加上蝗蟲在空中也能飛翔，其飛行的速度每小時約4.4公里。隨著風速，在歐洲，能夠一天之內由北非的摩洛哥到西歐的葡萄牙，或由沙烏地阿拉伯橫越亞丁灣到衣索匹亞或蘇丹。

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Who is Melchizedek?

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hebrews 7:1-10.  Let’s go!

Hebrews 7:1-4 (NIV)
1  This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,
2  and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.”
3  Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.
4  Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!

On verses 1-4:  A few times already the writer of Hebrews has mentioned Melchizedek, saying that Jesus is a priest “in the order of Melchizedek” (for example, Hebrews 5:10; 6:20).  Now who is Melchizedek?  Melchizedek is a mysterious figure who is first mentioned in Genesis 14 where Abram has just returned from victoriously battling a number of kings.  All of a sudden, Melchizedek king of Salem appears, bringing bread and wine (Genesis 14:18).  In addition to being a king, Melchizedek is also called “priest of God Most High” (Genesis 14:18) and blesses Abram (Genesis 14:19).  

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神是孤兒的父

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何西阿書 14:4  我必醫治他們背道的病，甘心愛他們，因為我的怒氣向他們轉消。

閱讀經文: 何西阿書 14:1-9

1以色列啊，你要歸向耶和華你的神！你是因自己的罪孽跌倒了。 2 當歸向耶和華，用言語禱告他說：「求你除淨罪孽，悅納善行，這樣，我們就把嘴唇的祭代替牛犢獻上。 3 我們不向亞述求救，不騎埃及的馬，也不再對我們手所造的說『你是我們的神』，因為孤兒在你耶和華那裡得蒙憐憫。」

這是何西阿先知書的最後一章，通常最後一章都有特別的屬靈位置，就是神用先知這個器皿。從第一章何西阿娶淫婦為妻，之後發生了許多的故事，到了這一章就講完了。

一、先知對人的呼籲 (14:1-3) 

「以色列啊，你要歸向耶和華——你的神；你是因為自己的罪孽跌倒了。」(14:1)「罪孽」就是上一章講的「造假神」，因為他居高位就去拜巴力，而且高傲、忘記神、拒絕神，拒絕耶和華來管理他，最後就悖逆神，結果被神審判了。所以這一章一開始先知就說：「你是因為自己的罪孽跌倒了。」「你當歸向耶和華，用言語禱告他說：求你除凈罪孽，悅納善行；這樣我們就把嘴唇的祭代替牛犢獻上。」(14:2) 人被神審判，但又不知道如何回應神，先知就告訴人：你要禱告啊，你告訴神，「神啊，我有罪，你可不可以赦免我的罪？」這樣就可以把嘴唇的祭代替牛犢獻上。這裡很有新約《希伯來書》13章15節的啟示。

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You Can Trust Who God Is and What God Says

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hebrews 6:13-20.  Let’s go!

Hebrews 6:13-17 (NIV)
13  When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,
14  saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”
15  And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
16  Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.
17  Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.

On verses 13-17:  As an example of “those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised” (v12), the writer of Hebrews mentions the story of Abraham.  Despite Abraham’s old age and his wife Sarah’s inability to have children, God promises to Abraham and Sarah that “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” (v14)   To show how serious God is about fulfilling that promise, God “swore by himself” (v13) because “there was no one greater for him to swear by” (v13) and people usually swear on something that is greater than themselves (v16).

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Is it possible to lose your salvation?

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hebrews 6:1-12.  Let’s go!

Hebrews 6:1-3 (NIV)
1  Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,
2  instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
3  And God permitting, we will do so. 

On verses 1-3:  Just before this, the writer of Hebrews rebuked his readers for failing to mature spiritually.  As part of telling them to grow up, he mentions six topics that are foundational for every Christian to understand:
The first is “repentance from acts that lead to death” (v1), meaning the importance of turning from our sin (including our tendency to want to earn our salvation by our own good works) and turning to God. 
The second is the importance of faith (v1). 
The third is the importance of baptisms, referring to water baptism and baptism of the Holy Spirit (v2). 

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可悲的逆轉

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何西阿書13:4  自從你出埃及地以來，我就是耶和華你的神。在我以外，你不可認識別神，除我以外並沒有救主。

閱讀經文:  何西阿書 13:1-16

1從前以法蓮說話，人都戰兢，他在以色列中居處高位，但他在侍奉巴力的事上犯罪就死了。 2 現今他們罪上加罪，用銀子為自己鑄造偶像，就是照自己的聰明製造，都是匠人的工作。有人論說：「獻祭的人可以向牛犢親嘴。」 3 因此，他們必如早晨的雲霧，又如速散的甘露，像場上的糠秕被狂風吹去，又像煙氣騰於窗外。

一、高位變糠秕(13:1-3)

「從前以法蓮說話，人都戰兢，他在以色列中居處高位。」(13:1a) 以法蓮是一個很特別的支派。摩西帶領以色列人過紅海，到曠野，摩西是利未支派；然後約書亞帶領以色列人進入迦南地，約書亞是以法蓮支派；到士師時代，底波拉是以法蓮支派的，撒母耳也是以法蓮支派的，然後到北國耶羅波安，他也是以法蓮支派的，所以以法蓮支派在以色列中居很高的位置。但因為他們拜巴力，就帶來一個可悲的逆轉，他們變成雲霧、甘露、糠秕和煙氣，這四種比喻都表示他們很短暫、沒有份量、稍縱即逝。

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Jesus our Perfect High Priest

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hebrews 5:1-14.  Let’s go!

Hebrews 5:1-10 (NIV)
1  Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
2  He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness.
3  This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.
4  No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was.

On verses 1-10:  In verses 1-4 the writer of Hebrews describes how the high priest under Jewish law was appointed and what that high priest did.  The high priest:
–  was selected from among his own people (v1a)
–  was appointed to represent the people in God-related matters and to offer gifts and sacrifices to God for people’s sins, including his own (v1b)
–  dealt gently with sinners because he himself could sympathize with their weaknesses (v2)
–  did not take up the honor of being a high priest on his own initiative, but must be called by God (v4).

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審判中的憐憫

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何西阿書12:6 所以你當歸向你的神，謹守仁愛、公平，常常等候你的神。

閱讀經文:  何西阿書 12:1-14

1「以法蓮吃風，且追趕東風，時常增添虛謊和強暴，與亞述立約，把油送到埃及。 2 耶和華與猶大爭辯，必照雅各所行的懲罰他，按他所做的報應他。 3 他在腹中抓住哥哥的腳跟，壯年的時候與神較力。 4 與天使較力，並且得勝，哭泣懇求。在伯特利遇見耶和華， 5 耶和華萬軍之神在那裡曉諭我們以色列人，耶和華是他可記念的名。

在這一章裡，神用雅各生平的四個故事來闡述神和以色列的關係。雅各離開迦南地去巴旦亞蘭的路，也是以色列人將被亞述帶離應許之地的路。在雅各出生時，他緊緊抓住以掃的腳跟，因此他被命名為雅各，意思就是抓住。在他的一生中，正彰顯出這個名字的特質，也是每一個人心裡的欲望，總想抓住這世界的什麼，來增加自己心裡的安全感。

神說以法蓮吃風，且追趕東風。風是無定形的，抓不住，可見其努力的都將化為虛空。這裡也形容人的愚昧，竟不知所要抓住的都將變為虛空。他們和亞述立約，把油送到埃及，兩隻腳踏兩隻船，以為這樣就什麼都抓住了，沒想到就像雅各一樣，什麼也抓不住。

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