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When You Prey Instead of Pray

2023-08-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 18:1-13.  Let’s go!

Judges 18:1 (NIV)
1  In those days Israel had no king. And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking a place of their own where they might settle, because they had not yet come into an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.

On verse 1:  Although the Danites were allotted land as their inheritance (Joshua 19:40-48), the Danites had not taken over that land.  They were slow to take over the inheritance that God had allotted to them, so they end up searching for other land instead.   Likewise, when we are slow to take possession of all that God has for us, we will end up looking for and settling for something else.

他们就知道我是耶和华

2023-08-25 in , /by

以西结书 6:7 被杀的人必倒在你们中间，你们就知道我是耶和华。

阅读经文: 以西结书 6:1-14

1 耶和华的话临到我说： 2 「人子啊，你要面向以色列的众山说预言， 3 说：『以色列的众山哪，要听主耶和华的话！主耶和华对大山、小冈、水沟、山谷如此说：我必使刀剑临到你们，也必毁灭你们的丘坛。 4 你们的祭坛必然荒凉，你们的日像必被打碎，我要使你们被杀的人倒在你们的偶像面前。 5 我也要将以色列人的尸首放在他们的偶像面前，将你们的骸骨抛散在你们祭坛的四围。

在〈以西结书〉里，他用了“他们就知道我是耶和华”这句话大约65次，“至高主宰耶和华”217次，这也成了〈以西结书〉的主题，关乎神的荣耀的一本书。在〈罗马书〉里，保罗让我们知道，我们都亏欠（缺）了神的荣耀，意思是神造我们是按着祂荣耀的形像，可是我们没有能力在生活和生命里彰显出神的荣耀。以西结之所以会如此注重神的荣耀，是因为他亲眼见到神是何等荣耀的神，人若不认识耶和华，怎能专心跟随祂？

以西结所传的信息分成两部份，第一部份是谴责以色列人的罪恶，并宣告神对罪恶的刑罚；第二部份是安慰在绝望中被掳的子民，宣告神的安慰和应许。在这章里是属于第一部份的信息。因为神说，神把信息给以西结，他才可以开口说话，不然神使他的舌头贴于上膛，他是说不了话的（结3:26）。

The Dangers of DIY Religion

2023-08-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 17:1-13.  Let’s go!

Judges 17:1-6 (NIV)
1  Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim
2  said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse–I have that silver with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “The LORD bless you, my son!”
3  When he returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I solemnly consecrate my silver to the LORD for my son to make a carved image and a cast idol. I will give it back to you.”
4  So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into the image and the idol. And they were put in Micah’s house.
5  Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some idols and installed one of his sons as his priest.
6  In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.

On verses 1-6:  Verses 1-5 describe a man called Micah and his mother and how spiritually confused they were.  Here Micah’s mother says that she is consecrating silver to the LORD by making idols with the silver? (v3)  Apparently at this time in Israel’s history, spiritual confusion and religious syncretism were rampant throughout Israel (v6) and the worship of the LORD as the LORD had commanded has all but disappeared.

God’s Mercy Over Our Mistakes

2023-08-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 16:18-31.  Let’s go!

Judges 16:18-20 (NIV)
18  When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, “Come back once more; he has told me everything.” So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands.
19  Having put him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him.
20  Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had left him.

On verses 18-20:  Verse 19 says “his strength left him” and verse 20 says “the LORD had left him”. In many ways verses 19 and 20 are talking about the same thing.  After Samson had ignored God for so long, finally God, who was the source of Samson’s strength, removed His hand of protection from Samson’s life.

剃发须的预言

2023-08-24 in , /by

以西结书 5:1 人子啊，你要拿一把快刀当做剃头刀，用这刀剃你的头发和你的胡须，用天平将须发平分。

阅读经文: 以西结书 5:1-17

1 「人子啊，你要拿一把快刀当做剃头刀，用这刀剃你的头发和你的胡须，用天平将须发平分。 2 围困城的日子满了，你要将三分之一在城中用火焚烧，将三分之一在城的四围用刀砍碎，将三分之一任风吹散，我也要拔刀追赶。 3 你要从其中取几根包在衣襟里， 4 再从这几根中取些扔在火中焚烧，从里面必有火出来烧入以色列全家。」

5 主耶和华如此说：「这就是耶路撒冷。我曾将她安置在列邦之中，列国都在她的四围。 6 她行恶违背我的典章过于列国，干犯我的律例过于四围的列邦，因为她弃掉我的典章，至于我的律例，她并没有遵行。

在利未记的21章第5节，神对摩西说，要告诉亚伦那些作祭司的子孙，不可剃头，也不可修他们的胡须must not shave their heads or trim their beards 。以西结出生于祭司家族，应该也是个祭司，深知祭司的规矩。但是在经过前面的经历后，以西结不再抗议任何他觉得有违背律法的事。究竟，律法是神订的，所以神要他做任何事，都有祂的道理。

神用以西结的头发和胡须代表犹大子民。祂还要以西结用天平将须发平分，分成四种战争中的遭遇。当巴比伦人攻进城时，也就是围困城的日子满了之时。那时耶路撒冷里，有三分之一的人在城中会被火焚烧，死亡。有三分之一在城的困围被刀砍碎，指有的人逃亡出城，就被在城外的士兵杀死了。另外三分之一任风吹散，神也要拔刀追赶。这里指的是否西底家和其家人、侍从，他们急急逃亡，在耶利哥平原被追上。西底家的众子都被杀死，他的眼睛也被挖出来，又用铜炼把他锁住带往巴比伦。

做以色列和犹大家的预兆

2023-08-23 in , /by

以西结书 4:1 人子啊，你要拿一块砖，摆在你面前，将一座耶路撒冷城画在其上。

阅读经文: 以西结书 4:1-17

1 「人子啊，你要拿一块砖，摆在你面前，将一座耶路撒冷城画在其上。 2 又围困这城，造台筑垒，安营攻击，在四围安设撞锤攻城。 3 又要拿个铁鏊，放在你和城的中间作为铁墙。你要对面攻击这城，使城被困。这样，好做以色列家的预兆。

读了以西结第四章，使我想起保罗对哥林多的信徒说：“我想神把我们使徒明明列在末后，好像定死罪的囚犯；因为我们成了一台戏，给世人和天使观看。(林前4:9)”假如保罗想到以西结及以前的先知也是成了一台戏，给世人和天使观看时，他可能会感觉好一点，因为神让他在一个人生的舞台上有当主角的机会。不是定罪的死囚，而是舞台上的主角，成为众人眼目的聚焦点。

想想神要以赛亚露身赤脚行走三年，作为对埃及和古实的预兆（赛20:3）；耶利米缚绳负轭在列国的使者面前宣告神的信息，何西阿娶妓女为妻，神要祂的仆人在实际生活中演译出神的信息。因为人可以听而不闻，但是看到有悖常规的事就会一传十，十传百。神是如此不遗余力地希望世人能明白将来要发生的事，以致能有所警惕和预备。这就是祂交给守望之人的工作。

Was Samson’s Strength In His Hair?

2023-08-23 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 16:1-17.  Let’s go!

Judges 16:1-3 (NIV)
1  One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her.
2  The people of Gaza were told, “Samson is here!” So they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. They made no move during the night, saying, “At dawn we’ll kill him.”
3  But Samson lay there only until the middle of the night. Then he got up and took hold of the doors of the city gate, together with the two posts, and tore them loose, bar and all. He lifted them to his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron.

On verses 1-3:  It’s a sad situation when a person as obviously talented as Samson has no heart for God or God’s purposes, is so calloused to the immorality of his actions and thinks he can get away with anything just by his own strength and intimidation.  Such a leader will not last. They never do.  Samson picking up and destroying Gaza’s city gates was not so much impressive as it was reflective of Samson’s own moral self-destruction and the lack of boundaries in Samson’s own life.  As Proverbs 25:28 says, “Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.”

守望的人

2023-08-22 in , /by

以西结书 3:17人子啊，我立你做以色列家守望的人，所以你要听我口中的话，替我警戒他们。

阅读经文: 以西结书 3:16-27

16 过了七日，耶和华的话临到我说： 17 「人子啊，我立你做以色列家守望的人，所以你要听我口中的话，替我警戒他们。 18 我何时指著恶人说他必要死，你若不警戒他，也不劝诫他，使他离开恶行，拯救他的性命，这恶人必死在罪孽之中，我却要向你讨他丧命的罪。 19 倘若你警戒恶人，他仍不转离罪恶，也不离开恶行，他必死在罪孽之中，你却救自己脱离了罪。

神呼召以西结做守望的人，守望是何意思？在古代城门上都有守望的人，一天廿四小时巡逻，注意有没有外患来袭。但是神要以西结守望以色列家，不是外患。守望以色列家的义人和恶人，希望他们离开罪孽，持守神的道路；要警戒他们，使他们离开恶行。不管他们听不听，只要以西结执行任务，他就救自己脱离了罪。这给我们一个很大的提醒，我们也要如此守望身边的人。不容易啊？谁喜欢做这种不讨好的差事呢？神要以西结怎样执行呢? 一是要听神口中的话，不要用自己的标准去警戒别人。这个非常重要，以神口中的话为准则。

神立以西结做以色列家守望的人，他一个人怎么看得了以色列家那么多人？他只有一双眼睛，肯定忙不过来，看上两天有可能就晕倒了。当然不是这样“看”法。在这里，神的意思是替祂去警戒以色列民。神列了四方面：

我何时指著恶人说他必要死，你若不警戒他，也不劝诫他，使他离开恶行，拯救他的性命，这恶人必死在罪孽之中，我却要向你讨他丧命的罪。
倘若你警戒恶人，他仍不转离罪恶，也不离开恶行，他必死在罪孽之中，你却救自己脱离了罪。

God’s Incredible Patience and Mercy

2023-08-22 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 15:1-20.  Let’s go!

Judges 15:1-3 (NIV)
1  Later on, at the time of wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat and went to visit his wife. He said, “I’m going to my wife’s room.” But her father would not let him go in.
2  “I was so sure you thoroughly hated her,” he said, “that I gave her to your friend. Isn’t her younger sister more attractive? Take her instead.”
3  Samson said to them, “This time I have a right to get even with the Philistines; I will really harm them.”

On verses 1-3:  Samson’s sense of justice is warped.  First, he thinks that he can abandon his bride on their wedding day and can come back a season later to pick her up again without much issue.  Then, when the bride’s father tells Samson that he gave her away to someone else, Samson treats this as a reason to exact revenge on all the Philistines generally.  But whose fault was it that Samson lost his wife?  No one but Samson’s alone.  When a person lives with themselves at the centre, their sense of what is just and right will be warped.

神圣的呼召

2023-08-21 in , /by

以西结书 3:5 你奉差遣不是往那说话深奥、言语难懂的民那里去，乃是往以色列家去。

阅读经文: 以西结书 3:4-15

4 祂对我说：「人子啊，你往以色列家那里去，将我的话对他们讲说。 5 你奉差遣不是往那说话深奥、言语难懂的民那里去，乃是往以色列家去。 6 不是往那说话深奥、言语难懂的多国去，他们的话语是你不懂得的，我若差你往他们那里去，他们必听从你。 7 以色列家却不肯听从你，因为他们不肯听从我，原来以色列全家是额坚心硬的人。 8 看哪，我使你的脸硬过他们的脸，使你的额硬过他们的额。 9 我使你的额像金钢钻，比火石更硬。他们虽是悖逆之家，你不要怕他们，也不要因他们的脸色惊惶。」

神在每一个人的生命中都有特别的计划，即使是失去自由，成为被掳之人，神也可以照样使用他。保罗在狱中可以传福音，以西结虽然被掳，也可以传神的话语。因为神的信息充满生命和能力，是无法阻挡的。所以现在虽然有很多地方不能公开传福音，在公共场合、机构，甚至学校，都有严格限制，但是我们不必丧志，因为神的智慧超越一切，神的话语也不能被拘禁。

神差遣以西结去传神的话语，以西结的对象是以色列被掳之民。神特别说明：不是往那说话深奥、言语难懂的多国，而是向自己人传福音。从六四之后，这个现象就在世界各地出现了。我们不用回到中国，也不用去别的地方，神就把同胞送到我们居住的附近，工作的地方，学习的场所。到处都有中国人，你想传福音，不用走很远，只要在身边，就会碰到言语相通的人。神把中国的门打开了，让我们知道我们奉差遣向自己人传神的话语。不用学英语，不用学西班牙语，或法语什么的，就用自己的语言。