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Two Crowds You Should Not Let Influence You Too Much

2023-12-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hosea 7:1-16.  Let’s go!

Hosea 7:1-2 (NIV)
1  “Whenever I would restore the fortunes of my people, whenever I would heal Israel, the sins of Ephraim are exposed and the crimes of Samaria revealed. They practice deceit, thieves break into houses, bandits rob in the streets;
2  but they do not realize that I remember all their evil deeds. Their sins engulf them; they are always before me.
 
On verses 1-2: These verses describe how every time God would restore and heal Israel, Israel (also known as Ephraim) would take God’s mercy for granted and go back to its same old sins again.  Examples of those sins include deceit, thievery, robbery (v1), lying (v3), adultery (v4), and one more sin we will describe below.   

公理颠倒的世界

2023-12-29 in , /by

哈巴谷书 1:3a  祢为何使我看见罪孽？祢为何看着奸恶而不理呢？

读经文: 哈巴谷书 1:1-17

1先知哈巴谷所得的默示。

2 他说：耶和华啊，我呼求你，你不应允，要到几时呢？我因强暴哀求你，你还不拯救。 3 你为何使我看见罪孽？你为何看着奸恶而不理呢？毁灭和强暴在我面前，又起了争端和相斗的事。 4 因此律法放松，公理也不显明。恶人围困义人，所以公理显然颠倒。

〈哈巴谷书〉列在〈那鸿书〉之后，这两卷小先知书的性质很相似，都说到神对祂子民的仇敌之审判。〈那鸿书〉预言亚述的结局，〈哈巴谷书〉预言迦勒底（巴比伦）的结局。本书中对作者的交代甚少，但是从本书的最后一节说：“这歌交于伶长，用丝弦的乐器”，可以猜测他可能是个祭司或利未人，在圣殿里以音乐服侍，并且住在犹大，因为圣殿在耶路撒冷。从本章第一节可以知道，他本身也有先知的职份。

哈巴谷此名含有“拥抱”的意义，“拥抱”同时也包含“抓住”，像雅各一样，紧紧地抓住神的使者，不给祝福就不让离开；哈巴谷则是紧紧地抓住神，要神解答他的疑问。人很有限，很多问题得不到解答，有的答案还引人入歧途，迷失方向。所以能抓住神问问题的人最有福，因为神的答案才能满足人心的饥渴，使人寻到人生的方向。

尼尼微荒凉了！

2023-12-28 in , /by

那鸿书 3:18  亚述王啊，你的牧人睡觉，你的贵胄安歇，你的人民散在山间无人招聚。

读经文: 那鸿书 3:1-19

1祸哉，这流人血的城！充满谎诈和强暴，抢夺的事总不止息。 2 鞭声响亮，车轮轰轰，马匹踢跳，车辆奔腾， 3 马兵争先，刀剑发光，枪矛闪烁，被杀的甚多，尸首成了大堆，尸骸无数，人碰著而跌倒； 4 都因那美貌的妓女多有淫行，惯行邪术，藉淫行诱惑列国，用邪术诱惑多族。

在先知那鸿预言后大约八年，亚述的命定就来到了无法挽回的地步。主前681年，希西家年间，西拿基立王从耶路撒冷几乎是空身败退，含羞回国后被他叛逆的儿子刺杀；他儿子以撒哈顿继位（Esarhaddon）（以赛亚书37:36-38），从叛徒手中夺回了尼尼微城，迁都至迦拉城，并另建宫殿。

以撒哈顿王虽居住在迦拉城，他的儿子亚述尼帕（Assurbanipal），却在尼尼微城，他在那里接受教育，包括体能及军事训练。此人对亚述的古文化发生兴趣，成为一位出色的古物研究家，熟悉亚甲和苏默文。亚述尼帕继位作王，在宫中建立当时最大图书馆，收藏有关亚述的书籍和文献。

Press On To Know the Lord

2023-12-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hosea 6:1-11.  Let’s go!

Hosea 6:1-2 (NIV)
1 “Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.
2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.

On verses 1-2:  In chapter 5 Hosea had prophesied that God would punish the nation of Israel for their sins, and now in chapter 6, Hosea urges the nation of Israel to return to the LORD.  He says “He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.”  Why would you go to the very person who has torn you to pieces for healing; why would you go to the very person who injured you to be restored?  You would only do so if you believed that somehow that person (1) had a good purpose in bringing the injury; and (2) is able to heal you.  So here we see Hosea’s faith in both the goodness of God’s heart and the ability of God’s healing, restoring power.  Hosea urges the people to come back to God, believing that God had a good purpose in allowing their punishment and was just, fair and wise in executing that punishment.  He urges the people to come back to God, believing that God is fully able to restore and revive them.  

See the Gospel in Hosea

2023-12-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hosea 5:1-15.  Let’s go!

Hosea 5:1-7 (NIV)
1  “Hear this, you priests! Pay attention, you Israelites! Listen, O royal house! This judgment is against you: You have been a snare at Mizpah, a net spread out on Tabor.
2  The rebels are deep in slaughter. I will discipline all of them.
3  I know all about Ephraim; Israel is not hidden from me. Ephraim, you have now turned to prostitution; Israel is corrupt.
4  “Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. A spirit of prostitution is in their heart; they do not acknowledge the LORD.

On verses 1-7:  Hosea brings a message from the LORD to the priests and all of Israel (v1).  Calling Israel by the nickname Ephraim, the message is that Israel’s sins and corruption are not hidden from God (v3).  Because of their deeds and their failure to acknowledge God, Israel cannot return to God (v4).  The Israelites have in them “a spirit of prostitution” (v4), the LORD says. 

尼尼微的命定

2023-12-27 in , /by

那鸿书 2:10  尼尼微现在空虚荒凉，人心消化，双膝相碰，腰都疼痛，脸都变色。

读经文: 那鸿书 2:1-13

1尼尼微啊，那打碎邦国的上来攻击你，你要看守保障，谨防道路，使腰强壮，大大勉力。 2 耶和华复兴雅各的荣华，好像以色列的荣华一样，因为使地空虚的已经使雅各和以色列空虚，将他们的葡萄枝毁坏了。 3 他勇士的盾牌是红的，精兵都穿朱红衣服。在他预备争战的日子，战车上的钢铁闪烁如火，柏木把的枪也抡起来了。

在耶稣复活之后，有个出名的，有关以马忤斯的故事。这件事发生在耶稣复活那天的傍晚，有两个耶稣的门徒，从耶路撒冷朝着以马忤斯而去，这地方离耶路撒冷约有25里路，他们在谈论耶稣受害和复活一事时，耶稣靠近他们，参与了他们的谈话，并引经据典地向他们解释。在一起要吃晚餐时，他们才认出那是耶稣。耶稣随即不见了。他们则心里火热地回去告诉其余的门徒，他们见到了复活的主。

当这几位门徒行走时，他们浑然不知主正与他们同行。就好像我们当中也有许多人，在生活里也浑然不觉主的同在。何况是尼尼微人？他们当年只听到约拿的一句话就悔改，虽然知道有神在鉴察，可是日子一久，这样的警告之威力就逐渐消失了。我们对神的话语是否也有这样的感觉？

Don’t Be So Quick To Judge

2023-12-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hosea 4:1-19.  Let’s go!

Hosea 4:1-3 (NIV)
1  Hear the word of the LORD, you Israelites, because the LORD has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: “There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land.
2  There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.
3  Because of this the land mourns, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are dying.
 
On verses 1-3:  Hosea speaks of rampant sin in the land (v1-2).  As a result, the land and all who live in it – not only people but animals as well – suffer (v3).  This suggests that sin has this way of not just separating human beings from God, but also of bringing destruction and death to all of creation.

论尼尼微的默示

2023-12-26 in , /by

那鸿书 1:7  耶和华本为善，在患难的日子为人的保障，并且认得那些投靠祂的人。

读经文: 那鸿书 1:1-15

1论尼尼微的默示，就是伊勒歌斯人那鸿所得的默示。

2 耶和华是忌邪施报的神，耶和华施报大有愤怒，向祂的敌人施报，向祂的仇敌怀怒。 3 耶和华不轻易发怒，大有能力，万不以有罪的为无罪。他乘旋风和暴风而来，云彩为他脚下的尘土。 4 他斥责海，使海干了，使一切江河干涸。巴珊和迦密的树林衰残，黎巴嫩的花草也衰残了。

在伊拉克北方靠近土耳其的地区，有个小城叫做伊勒歌斯（Alqosh），居民大多是亚述与迦勒底 (巴比伦)的基督徒。这个城靠在山边，面对广阔的尼尼微平原。在过去的两年中，伊斯兰国(ISIS)席卷伊拉克北方。伊勒歌斯离摩苏尔（Mosul）只有30英里的距离，却抵挡住了伊斯兰国的攻击，没有陷落，成为那一带唯一仍然高举十字架的城镇。

伊勒歌斯有将近3千年悠久的历史，一直是亚述人居住的地方。那里的房子大多都是石头盖的，沿着山坡往上攀附。山的最顶端，有个12米高的十字架。亚述人从第一世纪起，就全民改信基督教，一直至今。更久远的是，它还是旧约先知那鸿的故乡。《那鸿书》第一章记载，先知那鸿是伊勒歌斯人。他的坟墓至今还在城中心的旧犹太人会堂里。

我要仰望耶和华

2023-12-25 in , /by

弥迦书 7:7 至于我，我要仰望耶和华，要等候那救我的神，我的神必应允我。

读经文: 弥迦书  7:1-20

1哀哉！我好像夏天的果子已被收尽，又像摘了葡萄所剩下的，没有一挂可吃的，我心羡慕初熟的无花果。 2 地上虔诚人灭尽，世间没有正直人。各人埋伏要杀人流血，都用网罗猎取弟兄。

3 他们双手作恶，君王徇情面，审判官要贿赂，位分大的吐出恶意，都彼此结联行恶。 4 他们最好的不过是蒺藜，最正直的不过是荆棘篱笆。你守望者说降罚的日子已经来到，他们必扰乱不安。

在列治文有间印度人开的农夫巿场，每到春天就开始营业，一直到每年的12月下旬就关了。那时原本到处都是水果蔬菜的盛况成为一片空旷的地方，十分荒凉。当先知形容以色列(我 ) 好像夏天的果子已被收尽，又像摘了葡萄所剩下的地方，就让我想起冬天里空空如也的农夫巿场，什么也没有。连心里期待会有的初熟的无花果也没有。

先知以此比喻以色列中一个正直公义的人也没有。他们都用网罗猎取弟兄。不是猎取外邦人或敌人，而是猎取自己人。猎取不是个好字眼，表示亏待、恶待、陷害、欺负自己人。因位领导者都联结行恶。在此不免想起当年主耶稣洁净圣殿时，就是因为大祭司和祭司们的允许，所以买卖才能在圣殿的外院中进行，并且用欺骗的手段去赚取利益，和上位者同分。

3 Truths about God’s Love for You

2023-12-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hosea 3:1-5.  Let’s go!

In this passage the LORD tells Hosea to reach out to his unfaithful wife, in effect not only forgiving her but restoring her as his bride.  These verses teach us some powerful truths about who God is and what His love for us is like.

Hosea 3:1 (NIV)
1  The LORD said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.”
 
On verse 1: Here we learn that God’s love for you is unconditional.  We see God’s unconditional love when verse 1 says “the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes” (v1). 
 
God tells the prophet Hosea to love his wife, though she had cheated on him, with that same unconditional love: “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress.  Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites” (v1).  Though we don’t always love God, God always loves us.  That’s the incredible, unconditional love of God for us.