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不要惧怕！

2023-08-15 in , /by

耶利米哀歌 3:40   我们当深深考察自己的行为，再归向耶和华。

阅读经文:  3:26-66

26 人仰望耶和华，静默等候祂的救恩，这原是好的。 27 人在幼年负轭，这原是好的。 28 他当独坐无言，因为这是耶和华加在他身上的。 29 他当口贴尘埃，或者有指望。 30 他当由人打他的腮颊，要满受凌辱。 31 因为主必不永远丢弃人。 32 主虽使人忧愁，还要照他诸般的慈爱发怜悯。 33 因他并不甘心使人受苦，使人忧愁。 34 人将世上被囚的踹在脚下， 35 或在至高者面前屈枉人， 36 或在人的讼事上颠倒是非，这都是主看不上的。 37 除非主命定，谁能说成就成呢？ 38 祸福不都出于至高者的口吗？ 39 活人因自己的罪受罚，为何发怨言呢？

当耶利米仰望神的时候，心里的悲伤就被喜乐取代了。人生难免有苦难，我们应该用怎样的心态去理解它呢？他说：“活人因自己的罪受罚，为何发怨言呢？(v.39)”他开始跳出埋怨，灵里有新的领悟。人在苦难中应当仰望耶和华，静默等候祂的救恩。就好像保罗说的：“在盼望中要欢喜，在患难里要忍耐，在祷告上要恒切。（罗12:12）”苦难虽然拿去人外面所拥有的，却拿不走我们心里的力量。所以在苦难中，我们应该一要仰望神，二要静默等候神的拯救。

他用另一个角度去看苦难：“人在幼年负轭，这原是好的＂。信息圣经翻译： It’s a good thing when you’re young to stick it out through the hard times.年轻时吃点苦是有益的。有的人形容这世代的年轻人像草莓族，经不起压力，一压就烂了。以前因为战争，父母大都比较贫穷，因此孩子们都不可能予索予求，很多事要自己做，家里的事也要帮忙，因此抗压性比较高，因为有需要，就不得不忍耐。现在的孩子比较享福，常常到了高中，什么家务事都不会做。连去考联考，都是父母相随，陪读陪煮，的确像温室的花朵。

祢的信实极其广大Great is Thy faithfulness

2023-08-14 in , /by

耶利米哀歌 3:23  每早晨这都是新的，祢的信实极其广大。

阅读经文:  3:1-25

1 我是因耶和华愤怒的杖遭遇困苦的人。 2 他引导我，使我行在黑暗中，不行在光明里。 3 他真是终日再三反手攻击我。 4 他使我的皮肉枯干，他折断我的骨头。 5 他筑垒攻击我，用苦楚和艰难围困我。 6 他使我住在幽暗之处，像死了许久的人一样。 7 他用篱笆围住我，使我不能出去，他使我的铜链沉重。

有一位心理师说：“只有亲身经历过生命骤变后才会明白，没人有资格教导正遭遇巨大苦难的人该怎么想或是怎么做”。当我们读到耶利米的哀歌时，真的感到没有人间的言词可以用来安慰他的痛苦和哀伤。对于在苦难中的人，言语是何等飘渺，不切实际。所以去探望在受苦中的人，不如沉默，免得言词成为他们的负担。

巨大的痛苦中，若能用言语把痛苦稍微抒发，也是医治的开始。所以宁可倾听，不要自以为聪明地给许多意见，免得造成更多伤害。先知明白，这场苦难来自神的击打。“祂引导我，使我行在黑暗中，不行在光明里(v2)”，这句话令人感到徬徨，神会故意把人引导离开光明，进入黑暗吗？在原文里此句亦有“祂驱赶我，使我离开光明，进入黑暗”。当人离开神的道，去拜偶像和假神时，其实是人自己离开光明，进入黑暗。先知感受到自己身不由己，在大形势的逼迫下，失去了神的祝福。

Though Your Family Rejects You, God Receives You

2023-08-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

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

Judges 11:1-3 (NIV)
1  Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior. His father was Gilead; his mother was a prostitute.
2  Gilead’s wife also bore him sons, and when they were grown up, they drove Jephthah away. “You are not going to get any inheritance in our family,” they said, “because you are the son of another woman.”
3  So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where a group of adventurers gathered around him and followed him.
 
On verses 1-3:  Jephthah was born out of wedlock when his father Gilead committed adultery with a prostitute.  Because of his background, Jephthah was rejected by his half-brothers and driven away from the family.  Still verse 1 calls Jephthah “a mighty warrior”.  What can we learn from this? 

 –  Like Jephthah, you might come from an unusual background.  You may have been rejected or abandoned by others.  But God will never leave you or forsake you.  He has plans to use your life for His glory, including your background.

God Made You To Grow, Not Just To Be Rescued

2023-08-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 10:1-18.  Let’s go!

Judges 10:1-5 (NIV)
1  After the time of Abimelech a man of Issachar, Tola son of Puah, the son of Dodo, rose to save Israel. He lived in Shamir, in the hill country of Ephraim.
2  He led Israel twenty-three years; then he died, and was buried in Shamir.
3  He was followed by Jair of Gilead, who led Israel twenty-two years.
4  He had thirty sons, who rode thirty donkeys. They controlled thirty towns in Gilead, which to this day are called Havvoth Jair.
5  When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon.

On verses 1-5:  Not much information is given about these next two judges, Tola (v1-2) and Jair (v3-5).  We don’t read of any particular trouble or crisis that these judges had to deal with.  In Jair’s case, there is mention of Jair leading 30 sons who rode 30 donkeys.  Some commentators take all this to mean that the reigns of Tola and Jair were likely times of relative peace and stability for the people of Israel.  If that is truly the case, then a lesson we can learn from this is:  Better to be a stable, consistent, not-so-flashy leader who brings security and stability to the people around you than to be a charismatic leader like Abimelech whose weaknesses impact the people you lead much more than your strengths.

倾心如水

2023-08-13 in , /by

耶利米哀歌 2:17a  耶和华成就了祂所定的，应验了祂古时所命定的。

阅读经文:  2:1-22

1 主何竟发怒，使黑云遮蔽锡安城！他将以色列的华美从天扔在地上，在他发怒的日子并不记念自己的脚凳。 2 主吞灭雅各一切的住处，并不顾惜。他发怒倾覆犹大民的保障，使这保障坍倒在地。他辱没这国和其中的首领。 3 他发烈怒把以色列的角全然砍断，在仇敌面前收回右手。他像火焰四围吞灭，将雅各烧毁。 4 他张弓好像仇敌，他站着举起右手如同敌人，将悦人眼目的尽行杀戮。在锡安百姓的帐篷上倒出他的愤怒，像火一样。

这是耶利米的第二首哀歌，其内容对犹大历经的浩劫有更细腻的描写。耶利米身历其境，他看到仇敌吞灭以色列和锡安的一切宫殿，拆毁百姓的保障，毁坏聚会之处，以致于不再有人记念耶和华的节期，连每周的安息日也不再有人遵守了。锡安的君王和首领都被掳到没有律法的国中，可见那时犹大人有点看不起外邦人，称他们是没有律法的列国，也就是没有神为他们订的律法，所以是不够文明的国家。

在耶利米的痛苦中，他知道这一切的败坏都来自神的允许，来自神的审判和处罚。他知道神是公义的，可是他不能不为了家国的没落而伤心欲绝。在第7节，耶利米提到神丢弃自己的祭坛，憎恶自己的圣所。为何神会丢弃自己的祭坛？憎恶自己的圣所？因为祭司、首领和百姓都在圣殿里拜偶像。表面是献祭给神，实际上则暗暗或正大光明地拜偶像，以致于神不得不离开祂的圣殿。

耶和华是公义的

2023-08-11 in , /by

耶利米哀歌 1:6   锡安城的威荣全都失去，她的首领像找不着草场的鹿，在追赶的人前无力行走。

阅读经文:  1:1-22

1 先前满有人民的城，现在何竟独坐！先前在列国中为大的，现在竟如寡妇！先前在诸省中为王后的，现在成为进贡的！ 2 她夜间痛哭，泪流满腮。在一切所亲爱的中间，没有一个安慰她的。她的朋友都以诡诈待她，成为她的仇敌。 3 犹大因遭遇苦难，又因多服劳苦，就迁到外邦。她住在列国中，寻不著安息，追逼她的都在狭窄之地将她追上。 4 锡安的路径因无人来守圣节就悲伤，她的城门凄凉，她的祭司叹息，她的处女受艰难，自己也愁苦。

〈耶利米哀歌〉是诗歌文体，用“离合体”写成的诗，即每节以一个希伯来字母开始，每章二十二节。每行的第一个字母可以依次串连成为一定形式的文体，称为离合体（acrostic）。“字母离合体”的形式是字母按次序出现：第一句的头一个字母是第一个字母，第二句的头一个字母则是第二个字母，依此类推。离合体靠文字表现，不能用口头创作。基于视觉因素，这些作品是给人阅读，不是聆听的。（简录自〈中文基督教大典〉）在我们阅读这一章时，可能很快就会有读诗歌的感觉，虽然不像读希伯来文那样，可以感受到她的字母奇妙的组合，但是借着译者精采的笔法，也能稍微感受到诗歌里的心酸和祈求。

这里的文字在希伯来文里也含有相关语意，在此分享一两句，可使内容更清楚。“进贡”，还有一个意思，就是被掳去做奴工，没有酬劳，像奴隶一样；“独坐”，原文是“变为凄凉”。“王后” ，也可指尊贵的妇女。“何竟”，是惊叹句，“怎么会这样”？好像我们听到巴黎或纽约被恐怖份子袭击，都很愕然，怎么会这样？双子楼怎么会倒了？

The Tower We Hide In

2023-08-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 9:44-57.  For context, we’ll begin at verse 42.  Let’s go!

Judges 9:42-49 (NIV)
42  The next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields, and this was reported to Abimelech.
43  So he took his men, divided them into three companies and set an ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose to attack them.
44  Abimelech and the companies with him rushed forward to a position at the entrance to the city gate. Then two companies rushed upon those in the fields and struck them down.
45  All that day Abimelech pressed his attack against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he destroyed the city and scattered salt over it.
46  On hearing this, the citizens in the tower of Shechem went into the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith.
47  When Abimelech heard that they had assembled there,

On verses 42-49: What a solemn and dramatic way for the feud between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem to end.  After destroying most of the city and the people of Shechem (v42-45), Abimelech burns the remaining 1,000 citizens of Shechem alive while they are hiding in the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith.  Ironically, this is possibly the same temple where the citizens of Shechem first cursed Abimelech and started their revolt against him (see Judges 9:27).  As verse 57 notes, it’s also an uncanny fulfillment of the curse Jotham enunciated in Judges 9:20 (“let fire come out from Abimelech and consume you, citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and let fire come out from you, citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and consume Abimelech!”)

No Rivals To His Throne

2023-08-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 9:30-43.  For context, we’ll begin at verse 26.  Let’s go!

Judges 9:26-41 (NIV)
26  Now Gaal son of Ebed moved with his brothers into Shechem, and its citizens put their confidence in him.
27  After they had gone out into the fields and gathered the grapes and trodden them, they held a festival in the temple of their god. While they were eating and drinking, they cursed Abimelech.
28  Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should be subject to him? Isn’t he Jerub-Baal’s son, and isn’t Zebul his deputy? Serve the men of Hamor, Shechem’s father! Why should we serve Abimelech?

On verses 26-41:  A politically ambitious, power hungry Gaal moves into Shechem city with his brothers and begins to talk with the citizens of Shechem city about usurping Abimelech as ruler of Israel.  With intel from Zebul, the governor of Shechem city, Abimelech hears what Gaal has been saying and plans an ambush against Gaal.  A fight ensues between Abimelech, Governor Zebul and Abimelech’s army on one side and Gaal and the citizens of Shechem on the other.  The result is that Abimelech and Governor Zebul successfully drive Gaal and his brothers out from Shechem.

耶路撒冷沦陷

2023-08-10 in , /by

耶利米书 52:2   西底家行耶和华眼中看为恶的事，是照约雅敬一切所行的。

阅读经文:  52:1-34

1 西底家登基的时候年二十一岁，在耶路撒冷做王十一年。他母亲名叫哈慕她，是立拿人耶利米的女儿。 2 西底家行耶和华眼中看为恶的事，是照约雅敬一切所行的。 3 因此耶和华的怒气在耶路撒冷和犹大发作，以致将人民从自己的面前赶出。

4 西底家背叛巴比伦王。他做王第九年十月初十日，巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒率领全军来攻击耶路撒冷，对城安营，四围筑垒攻城。 5 于是城被围困，直到西底家王十一年。 6 四月初九日，城里有大饥荒，甚至百姓都没有粮食。 7 城被攻破，一切兵丁就在夜间从靠近王园两城中间的门出城逃跑。迦勒底人正在四围攻城，他们就往亚拉巴逃去。 8 迦勒底的军队追赶西底家王，在耶利哥的平原追上他；他的全军都离开他四散了。 9 迦勒底人就拿住王，带他到哈马地的利比拉巴比伦王那里。巴比伦王便审判他。

假如你是西底家王，你会不会有不一样的选择？记不记得，他曾经私底下问过耶利米，在巴比伦大军来袭时，他该怎么做？耶利米跟他说什么呢？你记得吗？耶利米对西底家说：“耶和华万军之神，以色列的神如此说：你若出去归降巴比伦王的首领，你的命就必存活，这城也不致被火焚烧，你和你的全家都必存活。你若不出去归降巴比伦王的首领，这城必交在迦勒底人手中。他们必用火焚烧，你也不得脱离他们的手。（耶38:17-18）”

神把生死两条路摆在西底面前，让他自己选择。第一个选择是出去归降巴比伦王的首领，西底家的命就必存活，这城也不致被火焚烧，王和他的全家都必存活。你觉得这个选择好不好？这个选择的结果有三个好处，一，王自己可以存活；二，耶路撒冷不致被火焚烧，表示耶路撒冷不必死更多人，城也不致被毁坏。做君王的，岂不当为子民着想吗？三，王和全家都必存活。这么好的选择，西底家害怕的却是：“我怕那些投降迦勒底人的犹大人，恐怕迦勒底人将我交在他们手中，他们戏弄我。”

Two Keys to Living Honourably

2023-08-09 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 9:16-29.  Let’s go!
 
Judges 9:16-20 (NIV)
16  “Now if you have acted honorably and in good faith when you made Abimelech king, and if you have been fair to Jerub-Baal and his family, and if you have treated him as he deserves–
17  and to think that my father fought for you, risked his life to rescue you from the hand of Midian
18  (but today you have revolted against my father’s family, murdered his seventy sons on a single stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his slave girl, king over the citizens of Shechem because he is your brother)—
19  if then you have acted honorably and in good faith toward Jerub-Baal and his family today, may Abimelech be your joy, and may you be his, too!
20  But if you have not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume you, citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and let fire come out from you, citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and consume Abimelech!”
 
On verses 16-20:  Here Jotham calls out Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem on how they treated his father Gideon and his whole family.  He spotlights how in return for Gideon risking his life to save the Israelites from the hand of Midian, Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem murdered all but two of Gideon’s sons.  Jotham shows how wicked, unjust and dishonorable their actions were.  In a diplomatic way, Jotham gives Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem both a conditional blessing and a conditional curse.  He says that if Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem have acted honourably and in good faith, may Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem have a joyful relationship together (v19).  But if they have not acted honourably and in good faith, may they end up turning on each other and burning one another (v20).