迦拿娶親筵席

/in , /by

約翰福音2:1-12

第三日，在加利利的迦拿有娶親的筵席，耶穌的母親在那裡。 2 耶穌和他的門徒也被請去赴席。 3 酒用盡了，耶穌的母親對他說：「他們沒有酒了。」 4 耶穌說：「母親[a]，我與你有什麼相干？我的時候還沒有到。」 5 他母親對用人說：「他告訴你們什麼，你們就做什麼。」 6 照猶太人潔淨的規矩，有六口石缸擺在那裡，每口可以盛兩三桶水。 7 耶穌對用人說：「把缸倒滿了水。」他們就倒滿了，直到缸口。

迦拿娶親筵席是耶穌行蹤中難得一見的場景，沒人生病、眼瞎、垂死、被鬼附…，耶穌也沒有教訓人。

婚筵是個歡樂的場合，卻面臨酒用盡了的窘境，耶穌母親尋求耶穌協助；耶穌回應說祂的時候還沒有到（指的是救贖的工作：受死、復活、得榮耀），但接著卻將猶太人潔淨用的水變成好酒，讓婚筵的喜樂延續且可以滿足。（約翰福音2:1-12）

使徒約翰在約翰福音裡，藉著描述耶穌多處行蹤來表明耶穌就是神子，祂就是「我是」（神的名字，出埃及記3:14）。約翰特別述明這是耶穌所行的頭一件神蹟，我們也許會訝異這神蹟似乎和救贖完全無關，耶穌所行的神蹟應該是讓人病得醫治、瞎眼得看見、瘸腿得行走、罪得赦免或是死人得復活，但耶穌在這裡卻是讓婚筵的喜樂延續且可以滿足。

Read more

耶和華伊利格摩拉(Jehovah El Gemolah)

/in , /by

出埃及記 31:12-17

12 耶和華曉諭摩西說： 13 「你要吩咐以色列人說：『你們務要守我的安息日，因為這是你我之間世世代代的證據，使你們知道我耶和華是叫你們成為聖的。 14 所以你們要守安息日，以為聖日。凡干犯這日的，必要把他治死；凡在這日做工的，必從民中剪除。 15 六日要做工，但第七日是安息聖日，是向耶和華守為聖的。凡在安息日做工的，必要把他治死。 16 故此，以色列人要世世代代守安息日為永遠的約。 17 這是我和以色列人永遠的證據，因為六日之內耶和華造天地，第七日便安息舒暢。』」

以色列人出埃及，曠野中神賜下嗎哪供應他們所需，出埃及記16: 11-30記載收取嗎哪食用的規矩是(1)多收的也沒有餘，少收的也沒有缺，各人按著自己的飯量收取；(2)每天所收的，不許任何人留到隔天早晨；(3)但是第六天，他們收了雙倍的食物，因為第七天乃是安息日，那一天必沒有了。

以色列人守安息日的規矩就始於上述經文的第23節，摩西對他們說：「耶和華這樣說：『明天是聖安息日，是向耶和華守的聖安息日。你們要烤的就烤了，要煮的就煮了，所剩下的都留到早晨。』」

延續到出埃及記31:12-17，耶和華曉諭摩西說：「你要吩咐以色列人說：『你們務要守我的安息日；因為這是你我之間世世代代的證據，使你們知道我─耶和華是叫你們成為聖的(Jehovah Mekoddishkem)。…』…因為六日之內耶和華造天地，第七日便安息舒暢。」

Read more

Jesus, The Exalted King

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 22:44-51.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

Remember that God has 2 purposes in these verses.  The first purpose of these verses is to recount history, to tell of what God had already done in David’s life, how God delivered David from his enemies and made him the head of nations.  But there is a second purpose.  It’s record prophecy and tells of what God would do in the future in and through the life of Jesus Christ.  Let’s go!

2 Samuel 22:44-46 (NIV)
44  “You have delivered me from the attacks of my people; you have preserved me as the head of nations. People I did not know are subject to me,
45  and foreigners come cringing to me; as soon as they hear me, they obey me.
46  They all lose heart; they come trembling from their strongholds.

On verses 44-46:  God allowed David to suffer much at the hands of his enemies, but ultimately God exalted David as king and head over nations.  

Read more

Jesus Is Your Strength

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 22:31-43.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Samuel 22:31-37 (NIV)
31  “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
32  For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?
33  It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.

On verses 31-37:  In verses 1 to 7 we learned that the Lord is our rock.
In verses 8 to 20 we learned that He is our rescuer.
In verses 21 to 28 we learned that He is our righteousness.
In verse 29 we learned that He is our light.

Read more

耶和華瑪喀底肯(Jehovah Mekoddishkem)

/in , /by

出埃及記 31:12-17

12 耶和華曉諭摩西說： 13 「你要吩咐以色列人說：『你們務要守我的安息日，因為這是你我之間世世代代的證據，使你們知道我耶和華是叫你們成為聖的。 14 所以你們要守安息日，以為聖日。凡干犯這日的，必要把他治死；凡在這日做工的，必從民中剪除。 15 六日要做工，但第七日是安息聖日，是向耶和華守為聖的。凡在安息日做工的，必要把他治死。 16 故此，以色列人要世世代代守安息日為永遠的約。 17 這是我和以色列人永遠的證據，因為六日之內耶和華造天地，第七日便安息舒暢。』」

以色列人出埃及，曠野中神賜下嗎哪供應他們所需，出埃及記16: 11-30記載收取嗎哪食用的規矩是(1)多收的也沒有餘，少收的也沒有缺，各人按著自己的飯量收取；(2)每天所收的，不許任何人留到隔天早晨；(3)但是第六天，他們收了雙倍的食物，因為第七天乃是安息日，那一天必沒有了。

以色列人守安息日的規矩就始於上述經文的第23節，摩西對他們說：「耶和華這樣說：『明天是聖安息日，是向耶和華守的聖安息日。你們要烤的就烤了，要煮的就煮了，所剩下的都留到早晨。』」

延續到出埃及記31:12-17，耶和華曉諭摩西說：「你要吩咐以色列人說：『你們務要守我的安息日；因為這是你我之間世世代代的證據，使你們知道我─耶和華是叫你們成為聖的(Jehovah Mekoddishkem)。…』…因為六日之內耶和華造天地，第七日便安息舒暢。」

Read more

耶和華何西努(Jehovah Osenu)

/in , /by

詩篇95:1-7 

來啊，我們要向耶和華歌唱，向拯救我們的磐石歡呼！
2 我們要來感謝祂，用詩歌向祂歡呼！
3 因耶和華為大神，為大王，超乎萬神之上。
4 地的深處在祂手中，山的高峰也屬祂。
5 海洋屬祂，是祂造的，旱地也是祂手造成的。
6 來啊，我們要屈身敬拜，在造我們的耶和華面前跪下！
7 因為祂是我們的神，我們是祂草場的羊，是祂手下的民。

第6節中「造我們的耶和華」的原文為「耶和華何西努」，亦即「耶和華是造我們的」，祂是造我們的神，我們為祂所造。

詩篇95:8-11接續在第7節後段所提到，惟願你們今天聽祂的話：
你們不可硬著心，像當日在米利巴，就是在曠野的瑪撒。
那時，你們的祖宗試我探我，並且觀看我的作為。
四十年之久，我厭煩那世代，說：這是心裡迷糊的百姓，竟不曉得我的作為！
所以，我在怒中起誓，說：他們斷不可進入我的安息！

詩人提醒以色列百姓要聽神的話，才能進入祂的「安息」。詩篇第95篇很特別的藉著「聽神的話」，將「被創造者」和「進入祂的安息」連結在一起。

Read more

Have a Can Do Attitude in the Lord

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 22:21-30.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Samuel 22:21-28 (NIV)
21  “The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
22  For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not done evil by turning from my God.
23  All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees.
24  I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.

On verses 21-28:  How could David, a guy who committed murder, adultery, was a habitual liar for seasons of his life, and a far from perfect husband and father, say what he says in verses 21-28 — things like…

…”I have kept the ways of the Lord; I am not guilty of turning from my God” (v22)
…”I have not turned away from his decrees” (v23),

Read more

The Lord Is Here To Rescue You

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 22:1-20.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

2 Samuel 22:1-20 (NIV)

David sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. 2 He said:

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
3     my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,  my shield  and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior— from violent people you save me.

On verses 8-20:  I believe there are two levels on which we can look at these verses.

Level one:  In these verses we see how David saw the Lord, as a mighty force who shakes heaven and earth when He speaks or moves (v8-16).  Yet as mighty as He is, this same God is also full of compassion, a hero who rescues David from his enemies (v18).  He is a friend who comes to David’s support when he is being overpowered (v19).  He is a God who rescues David because He delights in David (v20).

Read more

耶和華撒巴俄(Jehovah Sabaoth)

/in , /by

詩篇20:7   有人靠車，有人靠馬，但我們要提到耶和華我們神的名。

撒迦利亞書 4:6  他對我說：「這是耶和華指示所羅巴伯的。萬軍之耶和華說：不是倚靠勢力，不是倚靠才能，乃是倚靠我的靈方能成事。」

「耶和華撒巴俄」的意思是萬軍之耶和華，「撒巴俄」原文是軍隊、戰爭、戰事之意，用於神的稱呼，以示祂是爭戰之神。萬軍之耶和華也可說是統領天軍的神，因為天使都是神所統管的。

「萬軍之耶和華」首次出現在撒母耳記上1:3，描述以利加拿（哈拿的丈夫，撒母耳的父親）每年從本城上到示羅，敬拜祭祀萬軍之耶和華。這稱呼接續出現於聖經有245處，全部在舊約，集中在先知書有224處之多，特別出現在哈該書（14處）、撒迦利亞書（53處）和瑪拉基書（24處）。

先知書比較多處稱呼「萬軍之耶和華」是因為當時以色列民正處於受異族侵略統治、或被擄掠至外邦的時候，先知提醒以色列民要離開惡道惡行，回轉歸向神，同時宣告「萬軍之耶和華」必再安慰錫安，揀選耶路撒冷。

詩篇第84篇中，詩人談到「萬軍之耶和華」，他羨慕渴想神的院宇，他的心腸、肉體向神歡呼！祂的居所何等可愛！在祭壇那裡，麻雀找著房屋，燕子找著菢雛之窩。他倚靠神有力量，心中想往錫安大道，力上加力，行走到錫安朝見神。

Read more

In Christ You Are A Giant Killer

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 21:15-22.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Samuel 21:15-22 (NIV)
15  Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted.
16  And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels and who was armed with a new [sword], said he would kill David.
17  But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished.”

n verses 15-22:  For decades David was known as Israel’s giant killer.  He was the only one who could defeat the Philistine giant Goliath.  Yet in a battle against the Philistines decades later, David is almost killed by a giant of a man called Ishbi-Benob (v15-16).

From that time forward, David would no longer go out to fight with Israel’s armies.  Yet in David’s place a number of David’s men would rise up and become giant killers in their own right.  These brave warriors would defeat various descendants of Rapha, men who were known for being much larger, like giants.

Read more