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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从危机到转机

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约珥书2:32 a   到那时候，凡求告耶和华名的，就必得救。

阅读经文: 约珥书2:1-32

1「你们要在锡安吹角，在我圣山吹出大声！国中的居民都要发颤，因为耶和华的日子将到，已经临近。 2 那日是黑暗、幽冥、密云、乌黑的日子。好像晨光铺满山岭，有一队蝗虫又大又强，从来没有这样的，以后直到万代也必没有。 3 牠们前面如火烧灭，后面如火焰烧尽。未到以前，地如伊甸园，过去以后，成了荒凉的旷野，没有一样能躲避牠们的。

十二先知书中有六位先知提到“耶和华的日子”。西番雅说：“耶和华的大日子临近了，临近了，飞快而来”，阿摩司说“耶和华的日子会是黑暗的日子，所以他们应当预备面对他们的上帝了”，俄巴底亚警告：“耶和华打击列国的日子临近了” ，玛拉基则警告。“耶和华可畏的大日子”很快就会来到。这便是约珥书的主题。

但是约珥虽然提到“耶和华的日子”已经临近，那日是黑暗、幽冥、密云、乌黑的日子，却是光明前的黑暗，是带着希望的黑暗。那黑暗是难以想像的。好像晨光铺满山岭（原文的标点符号有问题），是指一队又大又强的蝗虫来临，在牠们来临之前，地如伊甸园；牠们过去之后，成了荒凉的旷野。有如野火焚烧，吞噬一切。

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耶和华的日子临近了！

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约珥书1:15  哀哉，耶和华的日子临近了！这日来到，好像毁灭从全能者来到。

阅读经文: 约珥书 1:1-20

1耶和华的话临到毗土珥的儿子约珥。

2 老年人哪，当听我的话！国中的居民哪，都要侧耳而听！在你们的日子，或你们列祖的日子，曾有这样的事吗？ 3 你们要将这事传于子，子传于孙，孙传于后代。 4 剪虫剩下的，蝗虫来吃；蝗虫剩下的，蝻子来吃；蝻子剩下的，蚂蚱来吃。

在张文亮教授〈有谁知道蝗虫的飞航路线？〉一文里，对蝗虫有极为精辟的介绍：“早期的中国，认为对农作物最大的虫害，是蝗虫成群前来，因为是「最大」的虫害，所以在虫字边加上「皇」字。早期的希腊人，看蝗虫善于跳跃，故称其locust，locust这字有跳跃的意思。蝗虫移动的主要方式是跳跃，但是在六月，在干旱、炎热的地方，热气自地表上腾，蝗虫张翅一跃，可以跃入上腾的热气之中，甚至能够上腾到2000公尺以上的高空，随着风向迁移。加上蝗虫在空中也能飞翔，其飞行的速度每小时约4.4公里。随着风速，在欧洲，能够一天之内由北非的摩洛哥到西欧的葡萄牙，或由沙乌地阿拉伯横越亚丁湾到衣索匹亚或苏丹。

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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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神是孤儿的父

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何西阿书 14:4  我必医治他们背道的病，甘心爱他们，因为我的怒气向他们转消。

阅读经文: 何西阿书 14:1-9

1以色列啊，你要归向耶和华你的神！你是因自己的罪孽跌倒了。 2 当归向耶和华，用言语祷告他说：「求你除净罪孽，悦纳善行，这样，我们就把嘴唇的祭代替牛犊献上。 3 我们不向亚述求救，不骑埃及的马，也不再对我们手所造的说『你是我们的神』，因为孤儿在你耶和华那里得蒙怜悯。」

这是何西阿先知书的最后一章，通常最后一章都有特别的属灵位置，就是神用先知这个器皿。从第一章何西阿娶淫妇为妻，之后发生了许多的故事，到了这一章就讲完了。

一、先知对人的呼吁 (14:1-3) 

「以色列啊，你要归向耶和华——你的神；你是因为自己的罪孽跌倒了。」(14:1)「罪孽」就是上一章讲的「造假神」，因为他居高位就去拜巴力，而且高傲、忘记神、拒绝神，拒绝耶和华来管理他，最后就悖逆神，结果被神审判了。所以这一章一开始先知就说：「你是因为自己的罪孽跌倒了。」「你当归向耶和华，用言语祷告他说：求你除净罪孽，悦纳善行；这样我们就把嘴唇的祭代替牛犊献上。」(14:2) 人被神审判，但又不知道如何回应神，先知就告诉人：你要祷告啊，你告诉神，「神啊，我有罪，你可不可以赦免我的罪？」这样就可以把嘴唇的祭代替牛犊献上。这里很有新约《希伯来书》13章15节的启示。

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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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可悲的逆转

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何西阿书13:4  自从你出埃及地以来，我就是耶和华你的神。在我以外，你不可认识别神，除我以外并没有救主。

阅读经文:  何西阿书 13:1-16

1从前以法莲说话，人都战兢，他在以色列中居处高位，但他在侍奉巴力的事上犯罪就死了。 2 现今他们罪上加罪，用银子为自己铸造偶像，就是照自己的聪明制造，都是匠人的工作。有人论说：「献祭的人可以向牛犊亲嘴。」 3 因此，他们必如早晨的云雾，又如速散的甘露，像场上的糠秕被狂风吹去，又像烟气腾于窗外。

一、高位变糠秕(13:1-3)

「从前以法莲说话，人都战兢，他在以色列中居处高位。」(13:1a) 以法莲是一个很特别的支派。摩西带领以色列人过红海，到旷野，摩西是利未支派；然后约书亚带领以色列人进入迦南地，约书亚是以法莲支派；到士师时代，底波拉是以法莲支派的，撒母耳也是以法莲支派的，然后到北国耶罗波安，他也是以法莲支派的，所以以法莲支派在以色列中居很高的位置。但因为他们拜巴力，就带来一个可悲的逆转，他们变成云雾、甘露、糠秕和烟气，这四种比喻都表示他们很短暂、没有份量、稍纵即逝。

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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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审判中的怜悯

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何西阿书12:6 所以你当归向你的神，谨守仁爱、公平，常常等候你的神。

阅读经文:  何西阿书 12:1-14

1「以法莲吃风，且追赶东风，时常增添虚谎和强暴，与亚述立约，把油送到埃及。 2 耶和华与犹大争辩，必照雅各所行的惩罚他，按他所做的报应他。 3 他在腹中抓住哥哥的脚跟，壮年的时候与神较力。 4 与天使较力，并且得胜，哭泣恳求。在伯特利遇见耶和华， 5 耶和华万军之神在那里晓谕我们以色列人，耶和华是他可记念的名。

在这一章里，神用雅各生平的四个故事来阐述神和以色列的关系。雅各离开迦南地去巴旦亚兰的路，也是以色列人将被亚述带离应许之地的路。在雅各出生时，他紧紧抓住以扫的脚跟，因此他被命名为雅各，意思就是抓住。在他的一生中，正彰显出这个名字的特质，也是每一个人心里的欲望，总想抓住这世界的什么，来增加自己心里的安全感。

神说以法莲吃风，且追赶东风。风是无定形的，抓不住，可见其努力的都将化为虚空。这里也形容人的愚昧，竟不知所要抓住的都将变为虚空。他们和亚述立约，把油送到埃及，两只脚踏两只船，以为这样就什么都抓住了，没想到就像雅各一样，什么也抓不住。

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