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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

以西結書 3:17人子啊，我立你做以色列家守望的人，所以你要聽我口中的話，替我警戒他們。

閱讀經文: 以西結書 3:16-27

16 過了七日，耶和華的話臨到我說： 17 「人子啊，我立你做以色列家守望的人，所以你要聽我口中的話，替我警戒他們。 18 我何時指著惡人說他必要死，你若不警戒他，也不勸誡他，使他離開惡行，拯救他的性命，這惡人必死在罪孽之中，我卻要向你討他喪命的罪。 19 倘若你警戒惡人，他仍不轉離罪惡，也不離開惡行，他必死在罪孽之中，你卻救自己脫離了罪。

神呼召以西結做守望的人，守望是何意思？在古代城門上都有守望的人，一天廿四小時巡邏，注意有沒有外患來襲。但是神要以西結守望以色列家，不是外患。守望以色列家的義人和惡人，希望他們離開罪孽，持守神的道路；要警戒他們，使他們離開惡行。不管他們聽不聽，只要以西結執行任務，他就救自己脫離了罪。這給我們一個很大的提醒，我們也要如此守望身邊的人。不容易啊？誰喜歡做這種不討好的差事呢？神要以西結怎樣執行呢? 一是要聽神口中的話，不要用自己的標準去警戒別人。這個非常重要，以神口中的話為準則。

神立以西結做以色列家守望的人，他一個人怎麼看得了以色列家那麼多人？他只有一雙眼睛，肯定忙不過來，看上兩天有可能就暈倒了。當然不是這樣“看”法。在這裡，神的意思是替祂去警戒以色列民。神列了四方面：

我何時指著惡人說他必要死，你若不警戒他，也不勸誡他，使他離開惡行，拯救他的性命，這惡人必死在罪孽之中，我卻要向你討他喪命的罪。
倘若你警戒惡人，他仍不轉離罪惡，也不離開惡行，他必死在罪孽之中，你卻救自己脫離了罪。

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.

神聖的呼召

2023-08-21 in , /by

以西結書 3:5 你奉差遣不是往那說話深奧、言語難懂的民那裡去，乃是往以色列家去。

閱讀經文: 以西結書 3:4-15

4 祂對我說：「人子啊，你往以色列家那裡去，將我的話對他們講說。 5 你奉差遣不是往那說話深奧、言語難懂的民那裡去，乃是往以色列家去。 6 不是往那說話深奧、言語難懂的多國去，他們的話語是你不懂得的，我若差你往他們那裡去，他們必聽從你。 7 以色列家卻不肯聽從你，因為他們不肯聽從我，原來以色列全家是額堅心硬的人。 8 看哪，我使你的臉硬過他們的臉，使你的額硬過他們的額。 9 我使你的額像金鋼鑽，比火石更硬。他們雖是悖逆之家，你不要怕他們，也不要因他們的臉色驚惶。」

神在每一個人的生命中都有特別的計劃，即使是失去自由，成為被擄之人，神也可以照樣使用他。保羅在獄中可以傳福音，以西結雖然被擄，也可以傳神的話語。因為神的信息充滿生命和能力，是無法阻擋的。所以現在雖然有很多地方不能公開傳福音，在公共場合、機構，甚至學校，都有嚴格限制，但是我們不必喪志，因為神的智慧超越一切，神的話語也不能被拘禁。

神差遣以西結去傳神的話語，以西結的對象是以色列被擄之民。神特別說明：不是往那說話深奧、言語難懂的多國，而是向自己人傳福音。從六四之後，這個現象就在世界各地出現了。我們不用回到中國，也不用去別的地方，神就把同胞送到我們居住的附近，工作的地方，學習的場所。到處都有中國人，你想傳福音，不用走很遠，只要在身邊，就會碰到言語相通的人。神把中國的門打開了，讓我們知道我們奉差遣向自己人傳神的話語。不用學英語，不用學西班牙語，或法語什麼的，就用自己的語言。

Cracks on the Wall

2023-08-21 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 14:1-20.  Today we begin the story of Samson, one of the most tragic characters in all the Bible.  There are many lessons we can learn from Samson’s life.  Let’s go!

Judges 14:1-3 (NIV)
1  Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman.
2  When he returned, he said to his father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.”
3  His father and mother replied, “Isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me. She’s the right one for me.”

On verses 1-3:  Notice that the first recorded words from Samson’s mouth are about him being so intent on doing something that was against God’s commands for Israel (Deuteronomy 7:3-4) and how he wouldn’t be swayed or persuaded otherwise.  Unlike Gideon who grew from immaturity to a more mature faith, Samson’s entire life it seems would unfortunately be characterized by this kind of me-centered attitude.

甜蜜的書卷

2023-08-20 in , /by

以西結書 2:2  祂對我說話的時候，靈就進入我裡面，使我站起來，我便聽見那位對我說話的聲音。

閱讀經文: 以西結書 2:1-3:3

2-1祂對我說：「人子啊，你站起來，我要和你說話。」 2 祂對我說話的時候，靈就進入我裡面，使我站起來，我便聽見那位對我說話的聲音。 3 祂對我說：「人子啊，我差你往悖逆的國民以色列人那裡去。他們是悖逆我的，他們和他們的列祖違背我直到今日。 4 這眾子面無羞恥，心裡剛硬，我差你往他們那裡去，你要對他們說：『主耶和華如此說。』 5 他們或聽或不聽（他們是悖逆之家），必知道在他們中間有了先知。

神稱呼以西結為：人子Son Of man。你可能覺得這個稱呼有點耳熟，因為在新約裡，主耶穌就稱呼祂自己為人子。在這裡，可能只是指以西結是人所生的兒子，沒有其他意義。有意義的是，神叫他站起來。因為以西結俯伏在地，神沒辦法跟他講話。但是以西結站不起來，我想換了是我，也會嚇到站不起來。但是神幫助以西結，讓聖靈進入他裡面，賜他能力站起來。

這一段話讓我心深有同感，當我們來到主面前要事奉時，往往發現心有餘力不足，若不是靠著神的恩典和能力，根本沒有辦法做有效的事奉。好像我寫每日親近神，常常感到靈裡枯竭，我懂什麼？但是每一次來到主前，祂就賜給我靈感，讓我知道如何下筆。好像以前在詩班事奉，那真是每次都像在過紅海。因為我們的詩班員大多不會看譜，有的會走音，有的會變調，更慘的是我們打拍子也打不準，因此我們的司琴以最大的愛心和耐心陪我們度過了一年又一年。奇妙的是，雖然我們沒有水準，每次靠著神的恩典和能力，每次的獻詩都唱得特別好，因此我們自稱為恩典詩班。我們原本是站不起來的，但是神的靈進入我們裡面，給我們有站起來的能力。

His Name is Wonderful

2023-08-20 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 13:15-25.  Let’s go!

Judges 13:15-18 (NIV)
15  Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “We would like you to stay until we prepare a young goat for you.”
16  The angel of the LORD replied, “Even though you detain me, I will not eat any of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the LORD.” (Manoah did not realize that it was the angel of the LORD.)
17  Then Manoah inquired of the angel of the LORD, “What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?”
18  He replied, “Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.”

On verses 15-18:  If scholars are correct and the angel of the LORD is a Christophany (i.e an appearance of Christ), then it’s appropriate that the angel of the LORD says that his name is “beyond understanding” (v18) or, also translated, “wonderful”.  For that is what Christ’s name is.  His name is so far beyond any other name in terms of power, authority and wonder.  As Isaiah 9:6 says, “And he will be called Wonderful, Counselour, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”.

神榮耀的形像

2023-08-18 in , /by

以西結書 1:28 下雨的日子雲中虹的形狀怎樣，周圍光輝的形狀也是怎樣。這就是耶和華榮耀的形象。

閱讀經文: 以西結書1:1-28

1當三十年四月初五日，以西結在迦巴魯河邊被擄的人中，天就開了，得見神的異象。 2 正是約雅斤王被擄去第五年四月初五日， 3 在迦勒底人之地迦巴魯河邊，耶和華的話特特臨到布西的兒子祭司以西結，耶和華的靈降在他身上。

第一節的“當三十年四月初五日”，在英文是When I was thirty years of age，是指以西結三十歲那年的四月五日。那時以西結已經被擄到巴比倫五年了。巴比倫把被擄來的人分配在不同的地方居住，以西結和一些猶大人就被分派到迦巴魯河邊。迦巴魯河現在改名為迦博河，是幼發拉底河的一條支流，行經現在的土耳其和伊拉克。

猶大人被擄到巴比倫，心懷故國，從〈詩篇〉137篇可以感受到他們的心情：“我們曾在巴比倫的河邊坐下，一追想錫安就哭了。我們把琴掛在那裡的柳樹上。因為在那裡，擄掠我們的要我們唱歌，搶奪我們的要我們作樂，說：「給我們唱一首錫安歌吧！」 我們怎能在外邦唱耶和華的歌呢？耶路撒冷啊，我若忘記你，情願我的右手忘記技巧！我若不記念你，若不看耶路撒冷過於我所最喜樂的，情願我的舌頭貼於上膛！(vv.1-6)”﹝我心旋律﹞聖樂事工把它改成〈給我一顆中國心〉：“給我一顆中國心，一顆中國心，每當我在寄居地歌唱，想到你就哭了，中國啊，中國啊，我心所愛，願你不再哭泣。中國啊，中國啊，若我忘記你，情願右手忘記技巧；中國啊，中國啊，若不紀念你，情願舌頭貼於上膛。”

What Faith Looks Like

2023-08-18 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 13:1-14.  Let’s go!

Judges 13:1-5 (NIV)
1  Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, so the LORD delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.
2  A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was sterile and remained childless.
3  The angel of the LORD appeared to her and said, “You are sterile and childless, but you are going to conceive and have a son.
4  Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean,
5  because you will conceive and give birth to a son. No razor may be used on his head, because the boy is to be a Nazirite, set apart to God from birth, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines.”

On verses 1-5:  The purpose of a Nazirite vow was to live a life that was specially set apart for God for a short period of time.  According to Numbers 6:1-8, a person making a Nazirite vow must abstain from wine, haircuts, and touching dead bodies.  Usually a Nazirite vow was something that a person took voluntarily for a set period of time.  In the case of this child to be born in Judges 13, the Nazirite vow was a calling he was given by God (it wasn’t voluntary) and it was to last all his life.

What’s the Password?

2023-08-17 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 12:1-15.  Let’s go!

Judges 12:1-4 (NIV)
1  The men of Ephraim called out their forces, crossed over to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you go to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We’re going to burn down your house over your head.”
2  Jephthah answered, “I and my people were engaged in a great struggle with the Ammonites, and although I called, you didn’t save me out of their hands.
3  When I saw that you wouldn’t help, I took my life in my hands and crossed over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave me the victory over them. Now why have you come up today to fight me?”
4  Jephthah then called together the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. The Gileadites struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are renegades from Ephraim and Manasseh.”

On verses 1-4:  In the book of Judges so far, the Ephraimites come across repeatedly as complainers.  When Gideon defeated the Midianites, the Ephraimites complained as to why they did not participate more (Judges 8:1).  When Jephthah defeated the Ammonites, the Ephraimites complained as to why Jephthah didn’t involve them (Judges 12:1).  They even call Jephthah and the Gileadites “nothing but half-breeds and rejects from Ephraim and Manasseh” (Judges 12:4, MSG).  The Ephraimites would pay for their complaining and trash talking, as Jephthah decides to attack the Ephraimites.