Entries by meiling

詩篇七十篇

2019-10-16 in /by

大衛的紀念詩，交於伶長。
1 神啊，求祢快快搭救我！耶和華啊，求祢速速幫助我！
2 願那些尋索我命的抱愧蒙羞，願那些喜悅我遭害的退後受辱。
3 願那些對我說「啊哈！啊哈！」的，因羞愧退後。
4 願一切尋求祢的因祢高興歡喜，願那些喜愛祢救恩的常說：「當尊神為大！」
5 但我是困苦窮乏的，神啊，求祢速速到我這裡來！祢是幫助我的，搭救我的，耶和華啊，求祢不要耽延！

這首詩為何稱為記念詩呢？當你讀完它時，可能覺得它更像一首求救詩或請願詩。從希伯來文和英文的翻譯 lehazkir (להזכיר),這個字本身就是記念 remind或提及mention之意，但也因為其內容，所以有的英文聖經的翻譯也用A petition(請願)。

大衛做王，他的生活有兩個方面，一是對外公開的，一是對內私人的。我們的生活又何嘗不是這樣？大家表面上都很好，開開心心的，好像臉書的世界，許多人把各種節日或旅遊的相片放上去，有的人就因而被迷惑了，以為別人的日子都過得鮮亮有趣，只有自己什麼都沒有。事實上，他們不會把旅行或生活裡所碰到的糟糕透頂的經歷告訴別人。

大衛做王似乎很榮耀，可是他要面對的攻擊也是多得不得了。他一當王，非利士人就來攻擊；他善意地想安慰死了父親的亞捫，結果使者去了卻慘遭羞辱；除了軍事還有政治。現在我們看新聞，哪個當政者不是天天被批評被攻擊？在表面看他是個榮耀的君王，但是他的內心卻充滿了掙扎和恐懼。

Who is Melchizedek?

2019-10-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

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

Hebrews 7:3 (NIV) 
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. 

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 (v18).  In addition to being a king, Melchizedek is also called “priest of God Most High” (v18) and blesses Abram (v19).  Did you notice the parallels between Melchizedek and Jesus Christ?  For example:

Melchizedek is simultaneously a king and a priest, just like Jesus.  In fact the first mention of “priest” in the Bible is with reference to Melchizedek.  Similarly, it can be said that Jesus the eternal Son of God was and is the first ever priest. 

詩篇六十九篇

2019-10-15 in /by

大衛的詩，交於伶長。調用百合花。

1 神啊，求祢救我！因為眾水要淹沒我。
2 我陷在深淤泥中，沒有立腳之地；我到了深水中，大水漫過我身。
3 我因呼求困乏，喉嚨發乾；我因等候神，眼睛失明。
4 無故恨我的，比我頭髮還多；無理與我為仇，要把我剪除的，甚為強盛；我沒有搶奪的，要叫我償還。
5 神啊，我的愚昧祢原知道，我的罪愆不能隱瞞。
6 萬軍的主耶和華啊，求祢叫那等候祢的不要因我蒙羞。以色列的神啊，求祢叫那尋求祢的不要因我受辱。
7 因我為祢的緣故受了辱罵，滿面羞愧。
8 我的弟兄看我為外路人，我的同胞看我為外邦人。
9 因我為祢的殿心裡焦急，如同火燒，並且辱罵祢人的辱罵都落在我身上。
10 我哭泣，以禁食刻苦我心，這倒算為我的羞辱。……

這篇“彌賽亞詩篇”裡有很多在新約被引用的經文，這些經文都直接指向主耶穌在十字架上的經歷。當大衛在苦難中時，他向神發聲求援，但是聖靈卻使他說出許多預言，論及彌賽亞要受到的迫害。在1-6節裡，大衛形容他的苦難有可能來自他的愚昧或罪愆，他深陷淤泥中，沒有立腳之地；又到了深水中，大水漫過他身。前者指站都站不住，後者指已經没頂，快沒命了。他曾呼救，直到喉嚨發乾，因為等候神，眼睛失明。這是一場在黑暗裡的爭戰，看不見任何亮光。

仇敵比頭髮還多，那時大衛應該還有很多頭髮，仇敵多到像頭髮那樣數算不了；想剪除他的，比他強盛；他沒有搶奪，人卻要他償還。這是個不合理的世界，沒有任何理由可講。主耶穌在最後的晚餐時，就是這樣跟門徒說的：“這要應驗他們律法上所寫的話說：他們無故地恨我。（約15:25）”當時的以色列人、羅馬軍兵真是無緣無故地恨耶穌，要置祂於死地。但是大衛的祈禱不是為了自己，更為了神的榮耀，這就是大衛禱告最高明的地方：“萬軍的主耶和華啊，求祢叫那等候祢的不要因我蒙羞。以色列的神啊，求祢叫那尋求祢的不要因我受辱。”

You Can Trust Who God Is and What God Says

2019-10-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

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

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).  The specific wording can be found in Genesis 22:16-17:

16  …”I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,
17  I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,

In addition to swearing by himself, God did one more thing:  He gave an oath.  By making this oath (promise), God was trying to make it “very clear” to Abraham and his descendants that God was serious about doing what He said He would do (v17).  As verse 16 says, “the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.”

詩篇六十八篇

2019-10-14 in /by

大衛的詩歌，交於伶長。

1 願神興起，使祂的仇敵四散，叫那恨祂的人從祂面前逃跑。
2 他們被驅逐，如煙被風吹散；惡人見神之面而消滅，如蠟被火熔化。
3 唯有義人必然歡喜，在神面前高興快樂。
4 你們當向神唱詩，歌頌他的名，為那坐車行過曠野的修平大路——祂的名是耶和華，要在祂面前歡樂！
5 神在祂的聖所做孤兒的父，做寡婦的申冤者。
6 神叫孤獨的有家，使被囚的出來享福，唯有悖逆的住在乾燥之地。

7 神啊，祢曾在祢百姓前頭出來，在曠野行走。（細拉）

8 那時地見神的面而震動，天也落雨，西奈山見以色列神的面也震動。
9 神啊，祢降下大雨，祢產業以色列疲乏的時候，祢使他堅固。
10 祢的會眾住在其中，神啊，祢的恩惠是為困苦人預備的。……

這首詩歌因為保羅引用了這詩篇裡的第18節：“他升上高天的時候，擄掠了仇敵（弗4:8）”來指證基督，所以被列為“彌賽亞詩篇”之一。有聖經學者認為，這首詩篇的背景是〈歷代志上〉第15章，大衛把約櫃從俄別以東的家運到錫安山時所寫的。它不僅提及離開埃及、西乃山的約和曠野的聖所，更提到“彌賽亞國度”的建立，因而被稱為歷史和預言的剪影。在這首詩歌裡也有神的應許，祂要做孤兒的父，為寡婦申冤，又叫孤獨的有家，被囚的得自由，使人讀了甚感安慰。當鄭果牧師的家人從中國出來與他團圓時，他就曾經提到過神的應許，叫他這個孤獨的終於和家人團聚了。

Is it possible to lose your salvation?

2019-10-14 in /by

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).
The fourth is “the laying on of hands” (v2), probably referring to how every believer is called and commissioned to serve God.

詩篇六十七篇

2019-10-13 in /by

一篇詩歌，交於伶長。用絲弦的樂器。

1 願神憐憫我們，賜福於我們，用臉光照我們，（細拉）
2 好叫世界得知祢的道路，萬國得知祢的救恩。
3 神啊，願列邦稱讚祢，願萬民都稱讚祢！
4 願萬國都快樂歡呼，因為祢必按公正審判萬民，引導世上的萬國。（細拉）
5 神啊，願列邦稱讚祢，願萬民都稱讚祢！
6 地已經出了土產，神，就是我們的神，要賜福於我們。
7 神要賜福於我們，地的四極都要敬畏祂。

縱橫影壇25年，曾經五度入圍奧斯卡演技獎的李奧納多‧狄卡皮歐，終於在2016年，第88屆奧斯卡金像獎時，因為“神鬼獵人”（The Revenant）的傑出演技而奪到小金人。“神鬼獵人”原預計在加拿大拍攝，卻因為氣候不夠寒冷，必須到阿根廷南部拍攝部份場景。李奧納多的得獎感言除了感謝之外，更著重在環保的呼籲，他說：“我們只有一個地球，不該把她視為理所當然，如同我不把今晚的成就視為理所當然。”

當我們從出生就享受著神所賜的一切時，我們很難不把神的恩典視為理所當然，予取予求，毫無顧忌。但是藉著這詩篇，讓我們知道所有的恩典都是來自神的賜予。這詩篇裡一共有六個“願”，“願”代表了在禱告裡的期望。1-3節是在〈民數記〉的第六章24-26節裡，神曉喻摩西教導亞倫和其後裔，對以色列人的祝福：“願耶和華賜福給你，保護你！願耶和華使祂的臉光照你，賜恩給你！ 願耶和華向你仰臉，賜你平安！”因此又稱大祭司的祝禱。

Jesus our Perfect High Priest

2019-10-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Hebrews 5:1-14.  Jesus our Perfect High Priest (Plus, 4 clues that you are still a spiritual infant) Let’s go!

Hebrews 5:1-4 (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.  He says that the high priest:

is selected from among his own people (v1a)
is 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)

詩篇六十六篇

2019-10-11 in /by

一篇詩歌，交於伶長。

1 全地都當向神歡呼！
2 歌頌他名的榮耀，用讚美的言語將祂的榮耀發明！
3 當對神說：「祢的作為何等可畏！因祢的大能，仇敵要投降祢。
4 全地要敬拜祢，歌頌祢，要歌頌祢的名。」（細拉）
5 你們來看神所行的，祂向世人所做之事是可畏的。
6 祂將海變成乾地，眾民步行過河，我們在那裡因祂歡喜。
7 祂用權能治理萬民直到永遠，祂的眼睛鑒察列邦，悖逆的人不可自高。（細拉）
8 萬民哪，你們當稱頌我們的神，使人得聽讚美祂的聲音。
9 祂使我們的性命存活，也不叫我們的腳搖動。
10 神啊，你曾試驗我們，熬煉我們如熬煉銀子一樣。……

有一幅以色列的圖畫很可以說明神的恩典是等信實。在〈以西結書〉36章10-11節，那是猶太人亡國，被擄到巴比倫的時候，神已經預言：“我必使以色列全家的人數在你上面增多，城邑有人居住，荒場再被建造。我必使人和牲畜在你上面加增，他們必生養眾多。我要使你照舊有人居住，並要賜福於你比先前更多，你就知道我是耶和華。”比較一下現在的以色列和以色列建國之前的巴勒斯坦，我們就可以明白為何詩人要如此地讚美神。

Approach God with Confidence Because You Have the Perfect Representative

2019-10-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Hebrews 4:12-16.  These verses are worth memorizing.  They contain some powerful truths that we need to store up in our hearts.   Let’s go!

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) 
12  For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

On verse 12:  Though the Scriptures (the logos “word of God”) were written thousands of years ago, they are incredibly relevant, applicable and helpful for us today.  Case in point: just before this, in verses 1 to 11 the writer of Hebrews gave a powerful sermon on Psalm 95 to communicate the powerful and relevant truth that trusting in Jesus’ finished work on the cross allows us to enter God’s rest.   What can we learn from this?  God actively uses the Scriptures to speak into our current situations.  God’s Word truly is living and active.