Salvation’s Announcer and Agent

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hebrews 2:1-10.  Let’s go!

Hebrews 2:1-4 (NIV) 
1  We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 
2  For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 
3  how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 
4  God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

On verses 1-4:   Here the writer of Hebrews starts to compare two messages.  The first message is the message of the old covenant, a message that was “spoken by angels” (v2; see also Galatians 3:19) to Moses.  The message of the old covenant is all about God’s law.  The essence of the old covenant message is: “Obey God’s law and be blessed.  Disobey God’s law and die.”   The old covenant message was binding on the Israelites.  Those who disobeyed the law of Moses were punished (v2).

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務要認識耶和華

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何西阿書6:3  我們務要認識耶和華，竭力追求認識祂。祂出現確如晨光，祂必臨到我們像甘雨，像滋潤田地的春雨。

閱讀經文:  何西阿書 6:1-11

1來吧，我們歸向耶和華！他撕裂我們，也必醫治；他打傷我們，也必纏裹。 2 過兩天他必使我們甦醒，第三天他必使我們興起，我們就在他面前得以存活。 3 我們務要認識耶和華，竭力追求認識他。他出現確如晨光，他必臨到我們像甘雨(winter rains)，像滋潤田地的春雨。

今天神給我們的提醒是：“務要認識耶和華，竭力追求認識祂。祂出現確如晨光，祂必臨到我們像甘雨，像滋潤田地的春雨”。何等美好的鼓勵。“甘雨”在此有時被譯為冬雨。有人形容夏雨急促，冬雨肅殺，但其實因為冬雨徐徐，又多又長，有時以雪的形態出現，最能滲入深層，滋潤根部。冬雨經常可以補足地下水，使乾季時的井不會枯竭。所以有人說瑞雪兆豐年是有原因的。

迦南地是一個非常少雨的地區，春雨前是冬雨，冬雨前是秋雨。該地從六月開始就不下雨，持續四到五個月的乾旱，土地經過幾個月的乾旱，已被太陽曬得變硬。秋雨的來臨，把土地變軟，才能耕犁、下種。冬雨進入土地的深層，春雨接著使土地肥沃，確保農作物的收成。

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祂在等待

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何西阿書 5:15  我要回到原處，等他們自覺有罪，尋求我面。他們在急難的時候，必切切尋求我。

閱讀經文:  何西阿書 5:1-15

1「眾祭司啊，要聽我的話！以色列家啊，要留心聽！王家啊，要側耳而聽！審判要臨到你們，因你們在米斯巴如網羅，在他泊山如鋪張的網。 2 這些悖逆的人肆行殺戮，罪孽極深，我卻斥責他們眾人。 3 以法蓮為我所知，以色列不能向我隱藏。以法蓮哪，現在你行淫了，以色列被玷汙了。

在這一章裡，神用了三重的呼召：眾祭司、以色列家、王家，加起來就是全部的以色列人的意思。神要審判全部的以色列人，因為他們不只自己拜偶像，也引誘猶大去拜偶像。米斯巴在約旦河的東邊，他泊山在約旦河的西邊，都在猶大的邊境，這兩個地方都設有邱壇和偶像。他們好像打鳥和捕魚的人，張著網羅捕捉猶大人一起去犯罪；也可以說使猶大百姓陷入罪網之中。

以法蓮是約瑟的次子，後來成了以色列一支強大的支派，聖經裡往往用以法蓮來代表以色列。在這裡以法蓮和以色列都是指以色列人。有一句話極為重要，為何他們不能歸向神？因為他們所行的使他們不能歸向神，因有淫心在他們裡面，他們也不認識耶和華(v.4)。

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Jesus Is…

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Hi GAMErs!

Today we begin the book of Hebrews.  It contains one of the Bible’s most beautiful, thoughtful and thorough presentations of who Jesus is and what He has done.   Here is some background on the book of Hebrews that you may find helpful:

 –  The book of Hebrews is known as the only truly anonymous book in the New Testament, as the author does not reveal his identity.  Some have suggested that the apostle Paul wrote this book, although many scholars believe this is unlikely.  For reasons that we won’t get into now, it seems that a strong argument can be made that Luke, the one who wrote both the Gospel of Luke and Acts, was the one who authored this book.  Whoever the author was, it is clear that the author knew Paul’s disciple Timothy well (see 13:23).   
 –  Many scholars agree that Hebrews was written in approximately 69 AD before the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed.  Otherwise, the author would likely have mentioned this event when talking about how the old sacrificial system of the Jews had been replaced by a new system ushered by the blood of Jesus.  

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風把他們裹在翅膀裡

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何西阿書4:3  因此這地悲哀，其上的民、田野的獸、空中的鳥必都衰微，海中的魚也必消滅。

閱讀經文:  何西阿書 4:1-19

1以色列人哪，你們當聽耶和華的話！耶和華與這地的居民爭辯：「因這地上無誠實，無良善，無人認識神， 2 但起假誓，不踐前言，殺害，偷盜，姦淫，行強暴，殺人流血接連不斷， 3 因此這地悲哀，其上的民、田野的獸、空中的鳥必都衰微，海中的魚也必消滅。

假如你對一個人失望透頂，你會如何？倘若對方是個朋友，你很可能離他遠遠的；倘若是你的配偶，你可能計劃和對方離婚；但是倘若那是你的兒子或女兒，你怎麼辦？有個新聞，說日本國內有超過50萬的“繭居族”，關在家裡、拒絕與社會接觸，靠著父母養或領救濟金過生活，而這些長年不工作的繭居族，如今慢慢進入中年，他們年邁的父母親開始擔心，應該要存多少錢留給孩子，才能讓他們“一輩子不出門”也能活下去。

父母的心就是自己再苦，也要幫助孩子活下去。神又何嚐不是如此，雖然看到以色列人的罪，卻還是千方百計地要喚醒他們。而我發現以色列人的罪其實也是整個世界居民的罪。尤其是在第三節，講到因為第1-2節的罪，“因此這地悲哀，其上的民、田野的獸、空中的鳥必都衰微，海中的魚也必消滅”。當我讀到這節經文時，心裡嚇了一跳，因為有誰會想到因為人的罪過，以致田野的獸、空中的鳥必都衰微，海中的魚也必消滅？

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Characteristics of a Great Friend

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Hi GAMErs!

Today we are looking at 3 John, a very short letter most likely written by the apostle John to his friend Gaius.  Today’s passage is 3 John 1:1-13.  Let’s go!

3 John 1:1 (NIV) 
1  The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

On verse 1:  In this short letter John refers to Gaius as his “dear friend” four times.   Notice how affectionate John is in his words to Gaius.  Through this letter we learn several lessons on what it means to be a great friend who points others to Jesus.  We find the first one here:  if you want to be a great friend, speak affectionate words that let the other person know how much they mean to you.

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Truth is a Person

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Hi GAMErs!

Today we’re looking at one of the shortest books in the Bible: it’s 2 John, a letter which is widely believed to be written by the apostle John and written around the same time as 1 John (many scholars say about early 60s AD).   Let’s go!
 
2 John 1:1 (NIV) 
1  The elder, To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth–and not I only, but also all who know the truth–

On verse 1:  Who is this “chosen lady” that John is writing to?  Many scholars believe that this chosen lady was not an individual but a church community.  This is supported by the fact that there are no proper names given for this chosen lady, John refers to this lady not just in the singular but also in the plural, and the church is called the “bride of Christ” in the New Testament.  Similarly, “your chosen sister” (v13) is probably referring to another church community from which John is writing his letter. 

Since this was a time of heavy persecution of Christians, “chosen lady” and “your chosen sister” may have been secret code words to keep this letter from being detected by persecutors of Christians. 

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以敬畏的心歸向耶和華

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何西阿書3:5  後來以色列人必歸回，尋求他們的神耶和華和他們的王大衛。在末後的日子，必以敬畏的心歸向耶和華，領受祂的恩惠。

閱讀經文:  何西阿書 3:1-5

1耶和華對我說：「你再去愛一個淫婦，就是她情人所愛的；好像以色列人，雖然偏向別神，喜愛葡萄餅，耶和華還是愛他們。」 2 我便用銀子十五舍客勒，大麥一賀梅珥半，買她歸我。 3 我對她說：「你當多日為我獨居，不可行淫，不可歸別人為妻，我向你也必這樣。」 4 以色列人也必多日獨居，無君王，無首領，無祭祀，無柱像，無以弗得，無家中的神像。

你有沒有想過，當我們讀〈但以理書〉時，為何心裡有一種歡悅；但是讀〈何西阿〉書時，心裡卻感到厭煩和沉悶？其實，不止〈何西阿書〉，好像〈耶利米書〉、部份〈以西結書〉和〈以賽亞書〉，都會有一種想逃避的感覺？我自己稍微分析了一下，〈但以理書〉和其他先知書最大的不同，在於其中沒有很長的指責和訓誨，並且但以理和朋友在驚心動魄的考驗之後，總是有極為奇妙的神蹟出現，那就是我們最喜歡的部份。

但是在其他的先知書，我們看到的大多是神對以色列人和列國的責備，先知的生活也總是有點悽慘。神要他們去做的事，大都是我們一般難以接受的。但以理雖然生活在外邦人中間，但是他保守自己的聖潔，也因他保守自己，神也保守他，祝福他。其他先知們也是生活在不聖潔的人群之中，雖然是本國人，神的選民之中，卻是被神認為污穢而不聖潔之民。

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祢是我的神

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何西阿書2:21  耶和華說：那日我必應允，我必應允天，天必應允地。

閱讀經文:  何西阿書 2:1-23

1「你們要稱你們的弟兄為阿米，稱你們的姐妹為路哈瑪。2 「你們要與你們的母親大大爭辯，因為她不是我的妻子，我也不是她的丈夫。叫她除掉臉上的淫像和胸間的淫態， 3 免得我剝她的衣服，使她赤體，與才生的時候一樣，使她如曠野，如乾旱之地，因渴而死。 4 我必不憐憫她的兒女，因為他們是從淫亂而生的。 5 他們的母親行了淫亂，懷他們的母做了可羞恥的事，因為她說：『我要隨從所愛的，我的餅、水、羊毛、麻、油、酒都是他們給的。』

在這一章的上半段裡，先知為何要兒女與母親爭辯？有何原因使他如此憤慨地提及他的妻子？在這段裡的母親和兒女代表的是誰？在這一段經文裡，有哪些事暗示歌蔑已經又有淫亂之舉？荊棘和築牆又有什麼特別的意義呢？

從這段經文裡，先知似乎正處在一種非常的痛苦中，不能找他人傾訴，只能和兒女們訴苦。希望兒女在他們妻間做審判者，還給他一個公道。在這裡的母親和兒女顯然代表以色列人，因為他們在屬靈上的不專一，或者說是離棄神，而導致關係的破裂。神的口氣是如此的痛苦，以致於祂要說：“因為她不是我的妻子，我也不是她的丈夫”，就像在說：我們乾脆離婚罷了，我不要再做你的丈夫，你也不要做我的妻子。

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Confident Because of Jesus

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 John 5:13-21.  Let’s go! 
 
1 John 5:13-15 (NIV) 
13  I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 
14  This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 
15  And if we know that he hears us–whatever we ask–we know that we have what we asked of him.

On verses 13-15:  John writes so that his readers would have confidence in their salvation (v13) and confidence that God hears their prayers (v14-15).  As those who believe in the name of the Son of God, we can have the same confidence as well. 

On verses 16-17:  In addition to being confident that we have eternal life and being confident that God hears our prayers, we can be confident that when we pray for others who confess their sins to us, God uses our prayers to restore and strengthen them.  The sole exception is when a person commits the “sin that leads to death” (v16).

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