Entries by

4 Reasons Why Jesus’ New Covenant is Better than Moses’ Old Covenant

2023-11-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hebrews 8:1-13.  Let’s go!

Hebrews 8:1-5 (NIV)
1  The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,
2  and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man.
3  Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer.
4  If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.
5  They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”

On verses 1-5:  Here the writer of Hebrews notes that the location where Jesus now serves as our high priest is in heaven (v1-2), while priests who are appointed by the law of Moses serve on earth (v4).  The sanctuary and tabernacle where these earthly priests would serve are an imperfect “copy and shadow of what is in heaven”, while the heavenly sanctuary where Jesus serves is the real thing, “the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not man” (v2).  

一个蒙召的牧羊人

2023-11-27 in , /by

阿摩司书1:2 他说：耶和华必从锡安吼叫，从耶路撒冷发声，牧人的草场要悲哀，迦密的山顶要枯干。

阅读经文: 阿摩司书1:1-5

1当犹大王乌西雅、以色列王约阿施的儿子耶罗波安在位的时候，大地震前二年，提哥亚牧人中的阿摩司得默示论以色列。

2 他说：耶和华必从锡安吼叫，从耶路撒冷发声，牧人的草场要悲哀，迦密的山顶要枯干。

阿摩司是一个蒙召的牧羊人。牧羊人在犹太人的社会中是属于下层阶级的工作者。但是我们看到，当神要使用人时，不管什么身份，不管什么地位，祂都可以使用。祂使用大学者如以赛亚，新鲜出炉的祭司以西结，年轻的耶利米；鲁莽的彼得，火爆的约翰，没有信心的多马，还有饱学之士的保罗，等等。

更有意思的是， 圣经里有许多神的仆人，神都让他们先去牧羊，再为神作工。例如摩西、雅各、大卫。我相信从牧羊的工作里，可以明白神对人的心意。阿摩司是犹大南国的一个牧羊人，住在耶路撒冷以南的提哥亚村，他不仅牧羊，有时也修理桑树。

Jesus, Priest Like No Other

2023-11-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hebrews 7:20-28.  Let’s go!

Hebrews 7:20-21 (NIV)
20  And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath,
21  but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever.'”

On verses 20-21:  In a court of law, before a witness takes the stand, the witness makes a solemn promise, swearing to tell the truth.  This is called an oath.  The oath is meant to show that the person speaking is completely serious and sincere about the words he or she is about to speak and that those who hear can count on what he or she is saying. Likewise, when God spoke words to appoint Jesus as a priest, God swore an oath to show how serious and sincere He was about the pronouncement He was making. 

耶路撒冷必成为圣

2023-11-26 in , /by

约珥书 3:20   但犹大必存到永远，耶路撒冷必存到万代。

阅读经文: 约珥书3:1-21

1「到那日，我使犹大和耶路撒冷被掳之人归回的时候， 2 我要聚集万民，带他们下到约沙法谷Judgment Valley，在那里施行审判。因为他们将我的百姓，就是我的产业以色列，分散在列国中，又分取我的地土， 3 且为我的百姓，将童子换妓女，卖童女买酒喝。 4 推罗、西顿和非利士四境的人哪，你们与我何干？你们要报复我吗？若报复我，我必使报应速速归到你们的头上。

〈约珥书〉很短，才三章。好像刚刚开始，就要结束了。但是它虽然很短，作者也不知是谁，却是很重要的书卷，因为它的内容包括了从主前606年到千年国的人类历史的预言。在第一章里我们看到有四种蝗虫起来侵害犹大。假如我们还记得〈但以理书〉里，尼布甲尼撒王梦到的大像，从金头到银胸银臂，再到铜腰腹，以及铁腿泥脚，还有那块非人手凿出来的石头；以及神让但以理看到的四个大兽异象，从有翅膀的狮子，到口齿内衔著三根肋骨的熊；又有一兽如豹，背上有鸟的四个翅膀，还有四个头；还有一只有大铁牙的怪兽。这些异象都是在说两约之间历史变迁的四个时代。

A Better Hope Through Jesus

2023-11-24 in /by

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. 

从危机到转机

2023-11-24 in , /by

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。

耶和华的日子临近了！

2023-11-23 in , /by

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。

Who is Melchizedek?

2023-11-23 in /by

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).  

神是孤儿的父

2023-11-22 in , /by

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。

You Can Trust Who God Is and What God Says

2023-11-22 in /by

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).