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圣殿的水流

2023-10-11 in , /by

以西结书 47:1  祂带我回到殿门，见殿的门槛下有水往东流出（原来殿面朝东）。这水从槛下，由殿的右边，在祭坛的南边往下流。

阅读经文:  以西结书47:1-23

1他带我回到殿门，见殿的门槛下有水往东流出（原来殿面朝东）。这水从槛下，由殿的右边，在祭坛的南边往下流。 2 他带我出北门，又领我从外边转到朝东的外门，见水从右边流出。3 他手拿准绳往东出去的时候，量了一千肘，使我趟过水，水到踝子骨。 4 他又量了一千肘，使我趟过水，水就到膝。再量了一千肘，使我趟过水，水便到腰。 5 又量了一千肘，水便成了河，使我不能趟过，因为水势涨起，成为可洑的水，不可趟的河。

本章中1-12节引入一个新的境界，生命的水流由圣殿流出，象征神的福分，是以色列信仰的观念。诗篇46:4节说：「有一道河，这河的分汊，使神的城欢喜。这城就是至高者居住的圣所。」以西结在此处强调以色列民族的复兴，是乐园失而复得了。对于被掳的百姓来说，是他们梦寐以求的盼望。

归纳而言，圣殿在度量中似乎极为独特，不容人们接近。但是圣所有水流出，表明神仍然愿意给予人无限的福分，带来生命与医治的大能，使一切都能变化与更新；死海可谓巴勒斯坦地理环境中最危害的因素，却因神的大能而使海水变为甘甜，万物得以滋长繁茂，这是神何等的救赎与恩典。

The Questions Only Jesus Is Qualified To Answer

2023-10-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Ecclesiastes 6:1-12.  In case you’re wondering, since I believe that Qohelet, known as the “Teacher” and the main speaker in Ecclesiastes, is best identified as King Solomon, I will refer to him interchangeably as Qohelet or Solomon. 

Ecclesiastes 6:1-6 (NIV)
1  I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on men:
2  God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.
3  A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.
4  It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded.
5  Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man–
6  even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?
 
On verses 1-6:  Here once again Qohelet speaks about how meaningless and sad it is when a person has wealth but is not able to enjoy it.  Likewise, God has given you wealth in many different ways, whether you’re aware of it or not.  The question is: do you realize how wealthy you are and do you actually enjoy your wealth? A life well-lived is one where you take stock of the wealth God has given you, use it for God’s purposes, and are able to enjoy life yourself. 

每早晨预备

2023-10-10 in , /by

以西结书 46:13  每日你要预备无残疾、一岁的羊羔一只，献于耶和华为燔祭，要每早晨预备。

阅读经文:  以西结书46:1-25

1『你们拈阄分地为业，要献上一份给耶和华为圣供地，长二万五千肘，宽一万肘。这份以内，四围都为圣地。 2 其中有作为圣所之地，长五百肘，宽五百肘，四面见方。四围再有五十肘，为郊野之地。 3 要以肘为度量地，长二万五千肘，宽一万肘。其中有圣所，是至圣的。 4 这是全地的一份圣地，要归于供圣所职事的祭司，就是亲近侍奉耶和华的，作为他们房屋之地与圣所之圣地。 5 又有一份，长二万五千肘，宽一万肘，要归于在殿中供职的利未人，作为二十间房屋之业。

本章分别对于敬拜的礼仪与君王的产业继承，以及祭司厨房设置作规范。13-15节分别都提到「每早晨预备」一词，可见这是很重要的短句。圣殿的早祭是十分被看重的。祭司在黎明时吹角，宣布早晨的来临。耶路撒冷合城的人都应该儆醒预备，因为这是献早祭的时候。在被掳之前，这常献的祭是每日必作的。此处似乎只集中在早祭，晚祭并没有提到。

月朔是每月的，安息日是每周的，而早祭是每日的，在这时段时间上，王与人民必须时时警觉耶和华的同在，并应虔心的敬拜。

Enjoying Your Life Takes Skill and God’s Grace

2023-10-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Ecclesiastes 5:8-20.  In case you’re wondering, since I believe that Qohelet, known as the “Teacher” and the main speaker in Ecclesiastes, is best identified as King Solomon, I will refer to him interchangeably as Qohelet or Solomon. 

Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 (NIV)
8  If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.
9  The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

On verses 8-9:  Having seen it all, Qohelet presumes, both in his country and other countries, Qohelet tells his listeners not to be surprised when they see oppression and injustice, which he believes are commonplace. 

What does it mean to “let your words be few”?

2023-10-09 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Ecclesiastes 5:1-7.  In case you’re wondering, since I believe that Qohelet, known as the “Teacher” and the main speaker in Ecclesiastes, is best identified as King Solomon, I will refer to him interchangeably as Qohelet or Solomon. 

Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 (NIV)
1  Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
2  Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.
3  As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words.
 
On verses 1-3:  Here Qohelet gives some advice on how to worship God in church: “go near to listen” (v1) and “do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God” (v2); rather, “let your words be few”.  Does this mean that the quieter you are in church, the more spiritual you are?  No, Qohelet’s talking about the attitude of your heart.  When you go to worship God, go with a humble heart that’s eager to listen and learn, rather than to boast about yourself or make promises you can’t keep. 

公义君王的规范

2023-10-09 in , /by

以西结书  45:9b  以色列的王啊，你们应当知足，要除掉强暴和抢夺的事，施行公平和公义，不再勒索我的民。

阅读经文:  以西结书45:1-25

1『你们拈阄分地为业，要献上一份给耶和华为圣供地，长二万五千肘，宽一万肘。这份以内，四围都为圣地。 2 其中有作为圣所之地，长五百肘，宽五百肘，四面见方。四围再有五十肘，为郊野之地。 3 要以肘为度量地，长二万五千肘，宽一万肘。其中有圣所，是至圣的。 4 这是全地的一份圣地，要归于供圣所职事的祭司，就是亲近侍奉耶和华的，作为他们房屋之地与圣所之圣地。 5 又有一份，长二万五千肘，宽一万肘，要归于在殿中供职的利未人，作为二十间房屋之业。

在先知以西结预言即将结束的45-48章中，解释了王国时期以色列土地的划分原则。部分归给神，部分归给君王，部分归给十二支派所属。最早分配应许之地是在征服迦南地的时候，当时由约书亚和大祭司以利撒，还有十二支派的首领们一起在神面前拈阄决定分地(民34:16-29; 书13-22)。到了所罗门王朝时期，他将以色列全地分成十二个分封地，每个分封地必须负责王家一个月的生活开支(王上4:7-19)。但是这些领土的界线并没有改变。

耶和华为祭司的产业

2023-10-08 in , /by

以西结书  44:28  祭司必有产业，我是他们的产业。不可在以色列中给他们基业，我是他们的基业。

阅读经文:  以西结书44:1-31

1他又带我回到圣地朝东的外门，那门关闭了。 2 耶和华对我说：「这门必须关闭，不可敞开，谁也不可由其中进入。因为耶和华以色列的神已经由其中进入，所以必须关闭。

3 「至于王，他必按王的位分坐在其内，在耶和华面前吃饼。他必由这门的廊而入，也必由此而出。」

4 他又带我由北门来到殿前。我观看，见耶和华的荣光充满耶和华的殿，我就俯伏在地。 5 耶和华对我说：「人子啊，我对你所说耶和华殿中的一切典章、法则，你要放在心上，用眼看，用耳听，并要留心殿宇和圣地一切出入之处。

延续43章神的荣光再现之后，本章一开始就指出东门关闭了。「这门必须关闭」(2节)，理由是神从朝东的外门进入圣殿(结43:1-2)，此门已成为圣洁，同时也表示神不会再离开，所以此门不再使用。东门现称为「金门」，是耶路撒冷目前最古老的一座城门。迄今仍然关闭，可能与此传统有关。根据犹太人传统，至圣者的同在，总是通过这座门显现，当弥赛亚来临时将再次开门进入。

圣经三次告诉我们，撒督的后裔可作为祭司(结40:46; 43:19; 44:15)。撒督是亚伦第三个儿子以利亚撒的子孙(代上6:1-8; 50-53)，他曾在大卫王的统治时期与亚比亚他同作祭司(撒下8:17; 代上15:11)。然而，亚比亚他后来背叛大卫，投入王位继承者亚多尼雅的阵营(王上1)，因此导致后裔永不能作祭司的代价，在祭司以利和他的儿子身上被应验(王上2:26-27)。

Serve God’s Purpose in Your Generation

2023-10-08 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Ecclesiastes 4:1-16.  In case you’re wondering, since I believe that Qohelet, known as the “Teacher” and the main speaker in Ecclesiastes, is best identified as King Solomon, I will refer to him interchangeably as Qohelet or Solomon. 

Ecclesiastes 4:1-3 (NIV)
1  Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed– and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors– and they have no comforter.
2  And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive.
3  But better than both is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
 
On verses 1-3:  Some who argue that Qohelet can’t be Solomon point to verses like verse 1 and say, “How can Qohelet really be King Solomon when he talks about oppression this way, like a bystander who can’t do anything about it? Surely a king wouldn’t talk this way.”  My response would be two-fold.  First, Qohelet does say that he was king of Israel (see 1:12), so whether one thinks a king would say something like this or not, the fact is Qohelet is saying it. 

耶和华的荣光充满了殿

2023-10-06 in , /by

以西结书  43:7a  他对我说：人子啊，这是我宝座之地，是我脚掌所踏之地。我要在这里住，在以色列人中，直到永远。

阅读经文:  以西结书43:1-27

1以后，他带我到一座门，就是朝东的门。 2 以色列神的荣光从东而来，他的声音如同多水的声音，地就因他的荣耀发光。 3 其状如从前他来灭城的时候我所见的异象，那异象如我在迦巴鲁河边所见的异象，我就俯伏在地。 4 耶和华的荣光从朝东的门照入殿中。 5 灵将我举起，带入内院，不料，耶和华的荣光充满了殿。

6 我听见有一位从殿中对我说话，有一人站在我旁边。 7 他对我说：「人子啊，这是我宝座之地，是我脚掌所踏之地。我要在这里住，在以色列人中，直到永远。以色列家和他们的君王必不再玷污我的圣名，就是行邪淫，在锡安的高处葬埋他们君王的尸首。 8 使他们的门槛挨近我的门槛，他们的门框挨近我的门框，他们与我中间仅隔一墙，并且行可憎的事，玷污了我的圣名，所以我发怒灭绝他们。 9 现在他们当从我面前远除邪淫和他们君王的尸首，我就住在他们中间直到永远。

第43章是继40-42章之后的高潮，因为神的荣耀回到了圣殿。它将本书中沉闷的气氛一扫而光，与书中向少数得以存留下来的百姓发出的所有祝福交相呼应，留下一个光明的结尾。神最终将得荣耀，并永远住在百姓中间。所有真正的信徒都在渴望着这一时刻的到来。

在11章23节里，神的荣耀将要离开耶路撒冷的时候，停在了圣城东部的橄榄山上。这个预言说，神的荣耀要从东边来。

当神的荣耀离开了圣殿，耶路撒冷就遭到了破坏。所以当以西结在异象中看见神的荣耀回来的时候，表示神将重建圣城和圣殿，那种敬畏和欢乐真是无法形容。

Don’t Just Rely on Your Own Observation, but also on God’s Revelation

2023-10-06 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Ecclesiastes 3:14-22.  In case you’re wondering, since I believe that Qohelet, known as the “Teacher” and the main speaker in Ecclesiastes, is best identified as Solomon, I will refer to him interchangeably as Qohelet or Solomon.

Ecclesiastes 3:14-15 (NIV)
14  I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.
15  Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.

On verses 14-15:  These two verses carry with them the same kind of peace, profundity and depth that verses 1 to 13 carry.  In particular verse 14 speaks of the sovereignty of God, how whatever God does endures and you can’t change it.  Verse 15 speaks of how from God’s perspective, since God stands outside of time and space, to God everything is already done.

The last part of verse 15 – “God will call the past to account” – is the toughest to understand.  Does it mean, as some scholars suggest, that God tends to repeat the past, or that God looks to make right what has happened is in the past, or something else?  It’s not entirely clear, though right now I tend to favour the second option.