以西结书 15:4 看哪，已经抛在火中当做柴烧，火既烧了两头，中间也被烧了，还有益于功用吗？
阅读经文: 以西结书 15:1-8
1 耶和华的话临到我说： 2 「人子啊，葡萄树比别样树有什么强处？葡萄枝比众树枝有什么好处？ 3 其上可以取木料做什么功用？可以取来做钉子挂什么器皿吗？ 4 看哪，已经抛在火中当做柴烧，火既烧了两头，中间也被烧了，还有益于功用吗？ 5 完全的时候尚且不合乎什么功用，何况被火烧坏，还能合乎什么功用吗？
葡萄树代表以色列。葡萄的枝子一点也不起眼，它之所以成为神的葡萄，只是因为神爱它。它被拣选，不是因为它有很好的条件，是神把它栽种在流奶与蜜之地，使它可以发旺。
我们的生命也是这样，或者说我们的教会也是这样。我们的生命是神捡回来的，我们跟救恩遇上，神的福音转化了我们的生命。我们未信耶稣之前，真的不相信人间有情，我们甚至不相信可以有无条件的爱，我们更加不会相信，因为有人会因为爱我们而付上了连我们自己也付不起的代价。基督十架上的爱，就是这样滋润我们的生命。神拣选我们，建立我们，我们在人海中被神捡回来，好像以色列民在旷野被神遇上，将他们带回来。
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.
以西结书 14:14 其中虽有挪亚、但以理、约伯这三人，他们只能因他们的义救自己的性命。这是主耶和华说的。
阅读经文: 以西结书 14:1-23
1 有几个以色列长老到我这里来，坐在我面前。 2 耶和华的话就临到我说： 3 「人子啊，这些人已将他们的假神接到心里，把陷于罪的绊脚石放在面前，我岂能丝毫被他们求问吗？ 4 所以你要告诉他们：『主耶和华如此说：以色列家的人中，凡将他的假神接到心里，把陷于罪的绊脚石放在面前，又就了先知来的，我耶和华在他所求的事上，必按他众多的假神回答他， 5 好在以色列家的心事上捉住他们，因为他们都借着假神与我生疏。』
神亲自在此解答为何祷告不蒙应允的一个缘由。那就是求问的人心里不专一，带着怀疑不信的心来向神求问，神不理会这样的祷告。耶稣说，我们若有芥菜种一样的信心，就能挪山，没有一件事情不能做了（太17:20）；反之，我们若藏着芥菜种般的疑惑和不信，神根本不听我们的祷告。
有时我们向神祷告，但是心里另有计划，预备了万一神不听祷告或不应允，我们就有计划B计划C。那些计划就是心里的假神，我们不过是想看看神是否行个方便，不然的话就自己出手。那些计划就是陷我们于罪的绊脚石。因为我们心里骄傲，到了神面前，还是不肯放下自己。
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.
以西结书 13:9 我的手必攻击那见虚假异象，用谎诈占卜的先知。他们必不列在我百姓的会中，不录在以色列家的册上，也不进入以色列地，你们就知道我是主耶和华。
阅读经文: 以西结书 13:1-23
1 耶和华的话临到我说： 2 「人子啊，你要说预言攻击以色列中说预言的先知，对那些本己心发预言的说：『你们当听耶和华的话！ 3 主耶和华如此说：愚顽的先知有祸了！他们随从自己的心意，却一无所见。 4 以色列啊，你的先知好像荒场中的狐狸， 5 没有上去堵挡破口，也没有为以色列家重修墙垣，使他们当耶和华的日子在阵上站立得住。 6 这些人所见的是虚假，是谎诈的占卜。他们说「是耶和华说的」，其实耶和华并没有差遣他们，他们倒使人指望那话必然立定。 7 你们岂不是见了虚假的异象吗？岂不是说了谎诈的占卜吗？你们说「这是耶和华说的」，其实我没有说。
去年十月有一对住在德州的老夫妇想去犹他州包威尔湖旅游，他们靠着GPS（导航）的指示而行，路越来越难行。妻子劝丈夫不如回头，丈夫执意继续开下去，没想到有个轮胎爆炸。他们只好下车去求援。走了一段路后，76岁的贝勒先生因双腿疼痛无法继续。78岁的太太决定继续往前走找人来帮忙，没想到走了五天都见不到半个人影。最后有一位牧场主人出门查看放牧的牛时，才在荒野的道路上发现已经严重脱水，且意识不清的贝勒太太。幸好这一对老夫妇经过急救后，最后都脱离险境。
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).
以西结书 12:28b 主耶和华如此说：我的话没有一句再耽延的，我所说的必定成就。
阅读经文: 以西结书 12:1-28
1 耶和华的话又临到我说： 2 「人子啊，你住在悖逆的家中，他们有眼睛看不见，有耳朵听不见，因为他们是悖逆之家。 3 所以，人子啊，你要预备掳去使用的物件，在白日当他们眼前，从你所住的地方移到别处去。他们虽是悖逆之家，或者可以揣摩思想。 4 你要在白日当他们眼前带出你的物件去，好像预备掳去使用的物件。到了晚上，你要在他们眼前亲自出去，像被掳的人出去一样。 5 你要在他们眼前挖通了墙，从其中将物件带出去。 6 到天黑时，你要当他们眼前搭在肩头上带出去，并要蒙住脸看不见地，因为我立你做以色列家的预兆。」
你觉得以西结的演出是哑剧还是默剧？当年最出名的默剧演员是卓别林，看戏的人根本不需要懂英文或什么文，一看就明白。不过在卓别林的默剧里有各种声音的配搭，哑剧里就不能有声音了。有人如此分哑剧和默剧：两个聋哑人见面用手语对话，这个就属于哑剧。他们无法说话，只能用肢体代替声音表达。两个脾气暴燥的骑单车者不小心相撞，他们二话不说，上来就打架，这个属于默剧。他们不需要说话，他们的行为就是为了解决冲突。默剧里可以有哑剧，但哑剧里不能有默剧（声音的配搭）。现在你觉得以西结的作法是哑剧还是默剧？
《圣经》真是一本奇妙的书，不仅包含天文地理，医学科学海洋学，连舞台剧都有，现成的背景。每天读《圣经》，每天都有惊喜和发现。因为神的手贯穿了整个历史，从过去到现在和未来，都是祂在主导。为了让人明白祂的意思，祂真是费尽心思。被掳的犹大人在异乡流浪，无法忘记家国曾有的荣美，总是盼望有一天犹大的王会带领遗民打倒巴比伦，那时他们就可以欢喜快乐地返乡了。不管耶利米在这之前的预言，也不管以西结说什么，他们就像有眼睛看不见，有耳朵听不见似的，不能明白先知的话，不肯接受耶路撒冷将被灭亡的现实。
以西结书 11:23 耶和华的荣耀从城中上升，停在城东的那座山上。
阅读经文: 以西结书 11:1-25
1 灵将我举起，带到耶和华殿向东的东门，谁知，在门口有二十五个人，我见其中有民间的首领押朔的儿子雅撒尼亚和比拿雅的儿子毗拉提。 2 耶和华对我说：「人子啊，这就是图谋罪孽的人，在这城中给人设恶谋。 3 他们说：『盖房屋的时候尚未临近，这城是锅，我们是肉。』 4 人子啊，因此你当说预言，说预言攻击他们。」
在第八章里，神带以西结看到在圣殿里拜偶像的长老们，还有拜日头的祭司犯罪的事实；在这一章里则是民间的领袖给百姓设恶谋，图谋罪孽，使众百姓干罪，陷在罪孽之中。他们说：“这城是锅，我们是肉”。这句话有几种解释。根据信息圣经的翻译：They say, ‘We can make anything happen here. We’re the best. We’re the choice pieces of meat in the soup pot.’(MSG)他们自认可以使任何事发生，因为他们是城里最聪明最有才干的人。假如城是个锅，他们就是锅里上好的肉。
也有圣经学者认为这句话的意思是，他们觉得这个城是锅，他们就是里面的肉，受到锅的保护。当然还有第三种解释，就是在锅里的肉怎样也逃不掉，最后就是一锅熟，被吃个精光。但是第三种解释和上下文合不起来，比较不被采用。
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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