以西結書 15:4 看哪，已經拋在火中當做柴燒，火既燒了兩頭，中間也被燒了，還有益於功用嗎？
閱讀經文: 以西結書 15:1-8
1 耶和華的話臨到我說： 2 「人子啊，葡萄樹比別樣樹有什麼強處？葡萄枝比眾樹枝有什麼好處？ 3 其上可以取木料做什麼功用？可以取來做釘子掛什麼器皿嗎？ 4 看哪，已經拋在火中當做柴燒，火既燒了兩頭，中間也被燒了，還有益於功用嗎？ 5 完全的時候尚且不合乎什麼功用，何況被火燒壞，還能合乎什麼功用嗎？
葡萄樹代表以色列。葡萄的枝子一點也不起眼，它之所以成為神的葡萄，只是因為神愛它。它被揀選，不是因為它有很好的條件，是神把它栽種在流奶與蜜之地，使它可以發旺。
我們的生命也是這樣，或者說我們的教會也是這樣。我們的生命是神撿回來的，我們跟救恩遇上，神的福音轉化了我們的生命。我們未信耶穌之前，真的不相信人間有情，我們甚至不相信可以有無條件的愛，我們更加不會相信，因為有人會因為愛我們而付上了連我們自己也付不起的代價。基督十架上的愛，就是這樣滋潤我們的生命。神揀選我們，建立我們，我們在人海中被神撿回來，好像以色列民在曠野被神遇上，將他們帶回來。
Hi GAMErs!
Today we begin the book of 1 Timothy. 1 Timothy is a letter written by Paul in approximately 63-66 AD to his spiritual son Timothy. At the time, Timothy was leading a large church that Paul helped to start in the city of Ephesus. So Paul writes this letter to Timothy to give Timothy some guidance on how to effectively lead the church in Ephesus. Today’s passage is 1 Timothy 1:1-11. Let’s go!
1 Timothy 1:1-2 (NIV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
2 To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
On verses 1-2: In these two verses we see the 3 friends you can’t live without, 3 friends that every Christian needs. First and foremost, we all need Jesus Christ as “our hope” (v1) and “our Lord” (v2). Second, we all need a Paul, a pastor and spiritual father in our lives who teaches us God’s Word and models what it means to follow Jesus. Third, we all need a Timothy, someone younger in the faith than we are and whom we’re leading to Christ and investing in. Do you have a Timothy in your life? If not, it’s time to find one to invest in.
以西結書 14:14 其中雖有挪亞、但以理、約伯這三人，他們只能因他們的義救自己的性命。這是主耶和華說的。
閱讀經文: 以西結書 14:1-23
1 有幾個以色列長老到我這裡來，坐在我面前。 2 耶和華的話就臨到我說： 3 「人子啊，這些人已將他們的假神接到心裡，把陷於罪的絆腳石放在面前，我豈能絲毫被他們求問嗎？ 4 所以你要告訴他們：『主耶和華如此說：以色列家的人中，凡將他的假神接到心裡，把陷於罪的絆腳石放在面前，又就了先知來的，我耶和華在他所求的事上，必按他眾多的假神回答他， 5 好在以色列家的心事上捉住他們，因為他們都藉著假神與我生疏。』
神親自在此解答為何禱告不蒙應允的一個緣由。那就是求問的人心裡不專一，帶著懷疑不信的心來向神求問，神不理會這樣的禱告。耶穌說，我們若有芥菜種一樣的信心，就能挪山，沒有一件事情不能做了（太17:20）；反之，我們若藏著芥菜種般的疑惑和不信，神根本不聽我們的禱告。
有時我們向神禱告，但是心裡另有計劃，預備了萬一神不聽禱告或不應允，我們就有計劃B計劃C。那些計劃就是心裡的假神，我們不過是想看看神是否行個方便，不然的話就自己出手。那些計劃就是陷我們於罪的絆腳石。因為我們心裡驕傲，到了神面前，還是不肯放下自己。
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Judges 21:1-25. Let’s go!
Judges 21:1-4 (NIV)
1 The men of Israel had taken an oath at Mizpah: “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”
2 The people went to Bethel, where they sat before God until evening, raising their voices and weeping bitterly.
3 “O LORD, the God of Israel,” they cried, “why has this happened to Israel? Why should one tribe be missing from Israel today?”
4 Early the next day the people built an altar and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.
On verses 1-4: The Israelites weep bitterly before God when they realize that one tribe of Israel, the Benjamites, is nearly extinct. In verse 3 they ask, “O LORD, the God of Israel, why has this happened to Israel? Why should one tribe be missing from Israel today?” According to scholars like Daniel Block from the New American Commentary, the tone of the Israelites’ questioning of God is one of accusation. In other words, rather than seeing how their actions resulted in this heart-breaking result, they blame God. Isn’t that so like us humans to do? We make a mess of our own situation and then we blame God for the mess.
以西結書 13:9 我的手必攻擊那見虛假異象，用謊詐占卜的先知。他們必不列在我百姓的會中，不錄在以色列家的冊上，也不進入以色列地，你們就知道我是主耶和華。
閱讀經文: 以西結書 13:1-23
1 耶和華的話臨到我說： 2 「人子啊，你要說預言攻擊以色列中說預言的先知，對那些本己心發預言的說：『你們當聽耶和華的話！ 3 主耶和華如此說：愚頑的先知有禍了！他們隨從自己的心意，卻一無所見。 4 以色列啊，你的先知好像荒場中的狐狸， 5 沒有上去堵擋破口，也沒有為以色列家重修牆垣，使他們當耶和華的日子在陣上站立得住。 6 這些人所見的是虛假，是謊詐的占卜。他們說「是耶和華說的」，其實耶和華並沒有差遣他們，他們倒使人指望那話必然立定。 7 你們豈不是見了虛假的異象嗎？豈不是說了謊詐的占卜嗎？你們說「這是耶和華說的」，其實我沒有說。
去年十月有一對住在德州的老夫婦想去猶他州包威爾湖旅遊，他們靠著GPS（導航）的指示而行，路越來越難行。妻子勸丈夫不如回頭，丈夫執意繼續開下去，沒想到有個輪胎爆炸。他們只好下車去求援。走了一段路後，76歲的貝勒先生因雙腿疼痛無法繼續。78歲的太太決定繼續往前走找人來幫忙，沒想到走了五天都見不到半個人影。最後有一位牧場主人出門查看放牧的牛時，才在荒野的道路上發現已經嚴重脫水，且意識不清的貝勒太太。幸好這一對老夫婦經過急救後，最後都脫離險境。
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Judges 20:33-48. For context, we’ll start at verse 29.
Judges 20:29-48 (NIV)
29 Then Israel set an ambush around Gibeah.
30 They went up against the Benjamites on the third day and took up positions against Gibeah as they had done before.
31 The Benjamites came out to meet them and were drawn away from the city. They began to inflict casualties on the Israelites as before, so that about thirty men fell in the open field and on the roads–the one leading to Bethel and the other to Gibeah.
On verses 33-48: The Benjamites made this mistake: they were so intent on defeating the Israelites that they directed all or most of their soldiers out of their home base of Gibeah and into the open field, leaving their own city of Gibeah vulnerable. Little did the Benjamites know that the Israelites had other troops waiting for the city of Gibeah to be left alone so that the Israelites could ambush it from different directions. This would lead to the Benjamites losing both their city as well as the war they were fighting outside of it.
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Judges 20:18-32. Let’s go!
Judges 20:18-28 (NIV)
18 The Israelites went up to Bethel and inquired of God. They said, “Who of us shall go first to fight against the Benjamites?” The LORD replied, “Judah shall go first.”
19 The next morning the Israelites got up and pitched camp near Gibeah.
20 The men of Israel went out to fight the Benjamites and took up battle positions against them at Gibeah.
21 The Benjamites came out of Gibeah and cut down twenty-two thousand Israelites on the battlefield that day.
On verses 18-28: There are only a few times in the book of Judges where we see people inquiring of God. In chapter 1 the Israelites inquire of the LORD after the death of Joshua (1:1). In chapter 6 Gideon inquires of God with his famous fleece. In chapter 13, Manoah the father of Samson inquires of the LORD regarding how to honour Him (13:17). Whenever people in Judges inquired of the LORD, it seemed to be a God-pleasing thing, a move that would be followed immediately by a wise decision or an immediate victory. Whenever you’re not sure what to do, the best thing you can do is inquire of the LORD. He will lead the way for you.
But here in Judges 20, even though the Israelites inquire of the LORD repeatedly, notice that the first couple times that they follow the LORD’s directions, they lose, and lose badly. After the first time that the Israelites inquire of the LORD (v18), God tells the tribe of Judah that they will be the first to go up against the Benjamites, and yet that day 22,000 of them are cut down (v21).
以西結書 12:28b 主耶和華如此說：我的話沒有一句再耽延的，我所說的必定成就。
閱讀經文: 以西結書 12:1-28
1 耶和華的話又臨到我說： 2 「人子啊，你住在悖逆的家中，他們有眼睛看不見，有耳朵聽不見，因為他們是悖逆之家。 3 所以，人子啊，你要預備擄去使用的物件，在白日當他們眼前，從你所住的地方移到別處去。他們雖是悖逆之家，或者可以揣摩思想。 4 你要在白日當他們眼前帶出你的物件去，好像預備擄去使用的物件。到了晚上，你要在他們眼前親自出去，像被擄的人出去一樣。 5 你要在他們眼前挖通了牆，從其中將物件帶出去。 6 到天黑時，你要當他們眼前搭在肩頭上帶出去，並要蒙住臉看不見地，因為我立你做以色列家的預兆。」
你覺得以西結的演出是啞劇還是默劇？當年最出名的默劇演員是卓別林，看戲的人根本不需要懂英文或什麼文，一看就明白。不過在卓別林的默劇裡有各種聲音的配搭，啞劇裡就不能有聲音了。有人如此分啞劇和默劇：兩個聾啞人見面用手語對話，這個就屬於啞劇。他們無法說話，只能用肢體代替聲音表達。兩個脾氣暴燥的騎單車者不小心相撞，他們二話不說，上來就打架，這個屬於默劇。他們不需要說話，他們的行為就是為了解決衝突。默劇裡可以有啞劇，但啞劇裡不能有默劇（聲音的配搭）。現在你覺得以西結的作法是啞劇還是默劇？
《聖經》真是一本奇妙的書，不僅包含天文地理，醫學科學海洋學，連舞台劇都有，現成的背景。每天讀《聖經》，每天都有驚喜和發現。因為神的手貫穿了整個歷史，從過去到現在和未來，都是祂在主導。為了讓人明白祂的意思，祂真是費盡心思。被擄的猶大人在異鄉流浪，無法忘記家國曾有的榮美，總是盼望有一天猶大的王會帶領遺民打倒巴比倫，那時他們就可以歡喜快樂地返鄉了。不管耶利米在這之前的預言，也不管以西結說什麼，他們就像有眼睛看不見，有耳朵聽不見似的，不能明白先知的話，不肯接受耶路撒冷將被滅亡的現實。
以西結書 11:23 耶和華的榮耀從城中上升，停在城東的那座山上。
閱讀經文: 以西結書 11:1-25
1 靈將我舉起，帶到耶和華殿向東的東門，誰知，在門口有二十五個人，我見其中有民間的首領押朔的兒子雅撒尼亞和比拿雅的兒子毗拉提。 2 耶和華對我說：「人子啊，這就是圖謀罪孽的人，在這城中給人設惡謀。 3 他們說：『蓋房屋的時候尚未臨近，這城是鍋，我們是肉。』 4 人子啊，因此你當說預言，說預言攻擊他們。」
在第八章裡，神帶以西結看到在聖殿裡拜偶像的長老們，還有拜日頭的祭司犯罪的事實；在這一章裡則是民間的領袖給百姓設惡謀，圖謀罪孽，使眾百姓干罪，陷在罪孽之中。他們說：“這城是鍋，我們是肉”。這句話有幾種解釋。根據信息聖經的翻譯：They say, ‘We can make anything happen here. We’re the best. We’re the choice pieces of meat in the soup pot.’(MSG)他們自認可以使任何事發生，因為他們是城裡最聰明最有才幹的人。假如城是個鍋，他們就是鍋裡上好的肉。
也有聖經學者認為這句話的意思是，他們覺得這個城是鍋，他們就是裡面的肉，受到鍋的保護。當然還有第三種解釋，就是在鍋裡的肉怎樣也逃不掉，最後就是一鍋熟，被吃個精光。但是第三種解釋和上下文合不起來，比較不被採用。
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Judges 20:1-17. Let’s go!
Judges 20:1-17 (NIV)
1 Then all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came out as one man and assembled before the LORD in Mizpah.
2 The leaders of all the people of the tribes of Israel took their places in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand soldiers armed with swords.
3 (The Benjamites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.) Then the Israelites said, “Tell us how this awful thing happened.”
4 So the Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, said, “I and my concubine came to Gibeah in Benjamin to spend the night.
On verses 1-17: As a result of Benjamites in Gibeah gang raping the concubine that we read about in Judges 19, all the other tribes of Israel gather together at Mizpah without the tribe of Benjamin, though the Benjamites had heard about this gathering (v3). As a result of that gathering, the other tribes of Israel muster an army against the tribe of Benjamin demanding that the gang rapists be handed over and put to death. When the Benjamites refuse to hand over the gang rapists, both the Benjamites on one hand and the rest of Israel on the other prepare to fight one another.
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