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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.

求主使我們回轉

2023-08-17 in , /by

耶利米哀歌  5:21  耶和華啊，求祢使我們向祢回轉，我們便得回轉；求祢復新我們的日子，像古時一樣。

閱讀經文:  5:1-22

1耶和華啊，求你記念我們所遭遇的事，觀看我們所受的凌辱。 2 我們的產業歸於外邦人，我們的房屋歸於外路人。 3 我們是無父的孤兒，我們的母親好像寡婦。 4 我們出錢才得水喝，我們的柴是人賣給我們的。 5 追趕我們的到了我們的頸項上，我們疲乏不得歇息。 6 我們投降埃及人和亞述人，為要得糧吃飽。

耶利米所描述的，是一個戰敗國的形象。土地被佔，生活所需都要仰仗於人，婦女被侵犯，男人不能自保，孩童被抓去做苦工。從每一個國家的歷史，我們都可以找到這種黑暗的歷史，那為什麼以色列和猶大的滅亡會有突出的需要呢？

因為我們讀的是一個屬耶和華神的國家之滅亡。耶和華神是不會失敗的，祂是又真又活的神，不同於列國所拜的偶像和假神，為何祂不保護猶大或以色列呢？為什麼祂要眼睜睜地看著祂的聖城被蹂躝？祂的子民被踐踏？

在神要滅掉所多和蛾摩拉兩城時，是因為“城內罪惡的聲音在耶和華面前甚大  The outcries of victims here to GOD are deafening”（創19:13）。因為作惡太多，被害者的哭喊聲上達天廳，以致於神不得不採取行動，不讓罪惡蔓延。在耶利米書裡，神也一再指出以色列和猶大的罪惡，在“耶路撒冷的街上，連一個行公義、求誠實的人都沒有！（耶5:1）”因為作惡太多，以致於神不不採取行動。但是神並沒有滅絕他們的想法，神只是想管教他們。

A Little Bit of Spirituality Without Wisdom Can Be a Dangerous Thing

2023-08-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 11:28-40.  Let’s go!

Judges 11:28-31 (NIV)
28  The king of Ammon, however, paid no attention to the message Jephthah sent him.
29  Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from there he advanced against the Ammonites.
30  And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands,
31  whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”

On verses 28-31:  The king of Ammon ignores Jephthah’s attempt to resolve their dispute peacefully.  Verse 29 says that, empowered by the Spirit of the LORD, Jephthah advances against the Ammonites.  But whereas Jephthah was thoughtful and measured in the way he first corresponded with the king of the Ammonites (v12-27), Jephthah is not so careful when he makes a vow in verses 30-31.   He vows to the LORD that if the LORD gives the Ammonites into Jephthah’s hands, Jephthah will sacrifice as a burnt offering whatever comes out of the door of his house to meet him when he returns.  Notice that the LORD never required Jephthah to make such a vow.  Rather this was Jephthah trying to strike a bargain with God.  Here’s the thing with trying to strike a bargain with God: you can never win.  God can’t be bought.  And what was God’s response to Jephthah’s offer?  Apparent silence.

罪孽的刑罰！

2023-08-16 in , /by

耶利米哀歌 4:17 我們仰望人來幫助，以至眼目失明，還是枉然。我們所盼望的，竟盼望一個不能救人的國。

閱讀經文:  4:1-22

1黃金何其失光，純金何其變色！聖所的石頭倒在各市口上！ 2 錫安寶貴的眾子好比精金，現在何竟算為窯匠手所做的瓦瓶！ 3 野狗尚且把奶乳哺其子，我民的婦人倒成為殘忍，好像曠野的鴕鳥一般。 4 吃奶孩子的舌頭因乾渴貼住上膛，孩童求餅，無人擘給他們。 5 素來吃美好食物的，現今在街上變為孤寒；素來臥朱紅褥子的，現今躺臥糞堆。 6 都因我眾民的罪孽比所多瑪的罪還大，所多瑪雖然無人加手於她，還是轉眼之間被傾覆。

猶大滅亡的經過在其他書卷很少提起，就是在〈列王記〉和〈歷代志〉也沒有像耶利米這樣細膩的描述，讓讀者能夠如親身經歷，彷彿置身在耶路撒冷的街道上，看到當時的慘狀。在所羅門王的時代，他每年收到兩萬三千公斤以上的黃金，還有商人繳納的稅，阿拉伯諸王和以色列各地區的總督也向他進貢金銀。他造了兩百面大金盾牌，每一面用約七公斤的金子打成；又製造了三百面小盾牌，每一面用約三公斤的金子打成。聖殿裡金燈台就打造了十個。雖然到了耶利米的時候，耶路撒冷已經不再那樣風光，但是舊時的建築還是讓他們引以為榮的。在耶利米的心中，耶路撒冷的光華遠勝於黃金或純金，但是現在都退色了。

當巴比倫大軍攻進耶路撒冷時，為了搶奪聖殿裡的金子，那些敵軍瘋狂也似地去拆聖殿，連石牆都拆。關於耶路撒冷聖殿的榮華傳說，使人以為這是千載難逢的機會，可以大撈一筆，以至聖所的石頭倒在各巿口上。原本是非常神聖的聖殿用石，現在都成了沒人要，被棄置的石頭。耶利米用這樣的方式來形容聖殿的破敗。

First Seek to Understand

2023-08-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 11:12-27.  Let’s go!

Judges 11:12-27 (NIV)
12  Then Jephthah sent messengers to the Ammonite king with the question: “What do you have against us that you have attacked our country?”
13  The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they took away my land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, all the way to the Jordan. Now give it back peaceably.”
14  Jephthah sent back messengers to the Ammonite king,
15  saying: “This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take the land of Moab or the land of the Ammonites.

On verses 12-27:  Before going to war against the Ammonites, Jephthah tries to sort out the dispute peacefully with the king of the Ammonites.  Jephthah sends correspondence to the king of the Ammonites in an effort to understand the situation and explain Israel’s perspective.

Before escalating a dispute and waging war against someone, make sure you understand the situation thoroughly and try to talk it out peacefully.  As Proverbs 19:2 says, “It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.”

不要懼怕！

2023-08-15 in , /by

耶利米哀歌 3:40   我們當深深考察自己的行為，再歸向耶和華。

閱讀經文:  3:26-66

26 人仰望耶和華，靜默等候祂的救恩，這原是好的。 27 人在幼年負軛，這原是好的。 28 他當獨坐無言，因為這是耶和華加在他身上的。 29 他當口貼塵埃，或者有指望。 30 他當由人打他的腮頰，要滿受凌辱。 31 因為主必不永遠丟棄人。 32 主雖使人憂愁，還要照他諸般的慈愛發憐憫。 33 因他並不甘心使人受苦，使人憂愁。 34 人將世上被囚的踹在腳下， 35 或在至高者面前屈枉人， 36 或在人的訟事上顛倒是非，這都是主看不上的。 37 除非主命定，誰能說成就成呢？ 38 禍福不都出於至高者的口嗎？ 39 活人因自己的罪受罰，為何發怨言呢？

當耶利米仰望神的時候，心裡的悲傷就被喜樂取代了。人生難免有苦難，我們應該用怎樣的心態去理解它呢？他說：“活人因自己的罪受罰，為何發怨言呢？(v.39)”他開始跳出埋怨，靈裡有新的領悟。人在苦難中應當仰望耶和華，靜默等候祂的救恩。就好像保羅說的：“在盼望中要歡喜，在患難裡要忍耐，在禱告上要恆切。（羅12:12）”苦難雖然拿去人外面所擁有的，卻拿不走我們心裡的力量。所以在苦難中，我們應該一要仰望神，二要靜默等候神的拯救。

他用另一個角度去看苦難：“人在幼年負軛，這原是好的＂。信息聖經翻譯： It’s a good thing when you’re young to stick it out through the hard times.年輕時吃點苦是有益的。有的人形容這世代的年輕人像草莓族，經不起壓力，一壓就爛了。以前因為戰爭，父母大都比較貧窮，因此孩子們都不可能予索予求，很多事要自己做，家裡的事也要幫忙，因此抗壓性比較高，因為有需要，就不得不忍耐。現在的孩子比較享福，常常到了高中，什麼家務事都不會做。連去考聯考，都是父母相隨，陪讀陪煮，的確像溫室的花朵。

祢的信實極其廣大Great is Thy faithfulness

2023-08-14 in , /by

耶利米哀歌 3:23  每早晨這都是新的，祢的信實極其廣大。

閱讀經文:  3:1-25

1 我是因耶和華憤怒的杖遭遇困苦的人。 2 他引導我，使我行在黑暗中，不行在光明裡。 3 他真是終日再三反手攻擊我。 4 他使我的皮肉枯乾，他折斷我的骨頭。 5 他築壘攻擊我，用苦楚和艱難圍困我。 6 他使我住在幽暗之處，像死了許久的人一樣。 7 他用籬笆圍住我，使我不能出去，他使我的銅鏈沉重。

有一位心理師說：“只有親身經歷過生命驟變後才會明白，沒人有資格教導正遭遇巨大苦難的人該怎麼想或是怎麼做”。當我們讀到耶利米的哀歌時，真的感到沒有人間的言詞可以用來安慰他的痛苦和哀傷。對於在苦難中的人，言語是何等飄渺，不切實際。所以去探望在受苦中的人，不如沉默，免得言詞成為他們的負擔。

巨大的痛苦中，若能用言語把痛苦稍微抒發，也是醫治的開始。所以寧可傾聽，不要自以為聰明地給許多意見，免得造成更多傷害。先知明白，這場苦難來自神的擊打。“祂引導我，使我行在黑暗中，不行在光明裡(v2)”，這句話令人感到徬徨，神會故意把人引導離開光明，進入黑暗嗎？在原文裡此句亦有“祂驅趕我，使我離開光明，進入黑暗”。當人離開神的道，去拜偶像和假神時，其實是人自己離開光明，進入黑暗。先知感受到自己身不由己，在大形勢的逼迫下，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.