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Don’t Strain a Gnat and Swallow a Camel

2023-08-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 19:1-15.  Let’s go!

Judges 19:1a (NIV)
1  In those days Israel had no king…

On verse 1:  In chapters 17, 18 and 19 of Judges, this one phrase keeps coming up: “Israel had no king”.  This phrase can be taken in two ways.  First, on a political level, Israel was not yet a monarchy and was not governed by any human king.  Second, on a spiritual level, the phrase “Israel had no king” speaks of how Israel had abandoned the LORD, the very One who was always meant to rule and lead Israel.  Interestingly, in each chapter where Judges says “Israel had no king”, what comes right after or right before that phrase is a story of the Israelites falling deep into spiritual confusion, idolatry and immorality.  When there is an absence of strong, healthy leadership in any family, nation, workplace or other group, the result is confusion, sin and trouble.

神的荣耀离开宝座

2023-08-29 in , /by

以西结书 9:3  以色列神的荣耀本在基路伯上，现今从那里升到殿的门槛。神将那身穿细麻衣、腰间带着墨盒子的人召来。

阅读经文: 以西结书 9:1-11

1 祂向我耳中大声喊叫说：「要使那监管这城的人手中各拿灭命的兵器前来。」 2 忽然有六个人从朝北的上门而来，各人手拿杀人的兵器，内中有一人身穿细麻衣，腰间带着墨盒子。他们进来，站在铜祭坛旁。

这一章里让人有好多惊奇的事。第一，是让我们知道，原来每个城里都有神所派的，监管城的人。想来，在温哥华也有驻守的天使，向神传递这城里所发生的事情。你说是不是很奇妙？！这六个监管城的人，各人手拿杀人的兵器。杀人的兵器，有的译作“战斧”或“铁锤般武器”，表示这六人非同凡响，都很有力气。其中有一人身穿细麻衣，腰间带着墨盒子。细麻衣是祭司穿的衣服，表明他是神的仆人。墨盒子为文士的装备，为书写之用，是一个放在束腰带里，藏有芦苇笔和墨水的盒子。

圣殿院子的建筑是阶梯式的，所以内院较高。“朝北的上门”指第八章里，先知先前所看见进行偶像崇拜的门（结8:5）。铜祭坛是圣殿里献祭的地方，原本是安置在“殿和新坛的中间”，亚哈斯王把它搬到北面，好在原处另立祭偶像之坛（王下16:14）。

Always Be Alert

2023-08-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 18:14-31.  Let’s go!

Judges 18:14-20 (NIV)
14  Then the five men who had spied out the land of Laish said to their brothers, “Do you know that one of these houses has an ephod, other household gods, a carved image and a cast idol? Now you know what to do.”
15  So they turned in there and went to the house of the young Levite at Micah’s place and greeted him.
16  The six hundred Danites, armed for battle, stood at the entrance to the gate.

On verses 14-20:  Earlier when this priest needed a place to stay, Micah gave him a home and a job.  Now, upon being offered more opportunity and prestige by the Danites, this priest quickly abandons Micah and even takes Micah’s idols with him.  Micah must have felt utterly betrayed and sucker punched by this priest’s lack of loyalty and low EQ, as he did not even discuss the matter with Micah.

What’s the lesson here?

–    Before you decide to make a significant investment in someone as Micah did in this priest, make sure you get a good sense of that person’s character.  Otherwise, you may end up betrayed and sucker-punched the way Micah was by this priest.

神为何远离圣殿

2023-08-28 in , /by

 以西结书 8:17  祂对我说：人子啊，你看见了吗？犹大家在此行这可憎的事还算为小吗？他们在这地遍行强暴，再三惹我发怒，他们手拿枝条举向鼻前。

阅读经文: 以西结书 8:1-18

1 第六年六月初五日，我坐在家中，犹大的众长老坐在我面前，在那里主耶和华的灵降在我身上。 2 我观看，见有形象仿佛火的形状，从他腰以下的形状有火，从他腰以上有光辉的形状，仿佛光耀的精金。 3 他伸出仿佛一只手的样式，抓住我的一绺头发，灵就将我举到天地中间，在神的异象中，带我到耶路撒冷朝北的内院门口，在那里有触动主怒偶像的座位，就是惹动忌邪的。 4 谁知，在那里有以色列神的荣耀，形状与我在平原所见的一样。

圣殿是神在地上的家，祂的宝座也在至圣所里。假如神会被逼到远离自己的圣所，那该是一件何等令人痛心的事。有何事会把神赶离祂自己的家？有何事会把你自己逼离自己的家？当你的家人都不要你，视你为无物，甚至不理会你的存在，丈夫带小三回来过夜，妻子带老王回来狂欢，那时你会不会选择离开？或是留下来接受不必要的羞辱？

在这一章里，神借着祂的灵把以西结带到耶路撒冷。这里有个异想，不知只是以西结的灵被提，或是连身体一起被提。我个人的想法，很可能只是他的灵被提，因为在场的还有犹大的长老们，倘若以西结不见了，一定会引起一场骚动。但是因为神本来就不给他说话，除了传神给他的信息之外，他的舌头贴在上膛，也不能说话。所以即使他魂游象外，别人也不会查觉，只当他在休息。这样也让我们明白，人是有灵魂的。其实这样的作法在一些宗教里也有，甚至气功、瑜伽、冥想、打坐，等等，有些人也有灵魂出窍的现象。

最后机会

2023-08-27 in , /by

 以西结书 7:6 结局来了，结局来了，向你兴起。看哪，来到了！

阅读经文: 以西结书 7:1-27

1 耶和华的话又临到我说： 2 「人子啊，主耶和华对以色列地如此说：结局到了！结局到了地的四境。 3 现在你的结局已经临到，我必使我的怒气归于你，也必按你的行为审判你，照你一切可憎的事刑罚你。 4 我眼必不顾惜你，也不可怜你，却要按你所行的报应你，照你中间可憎的事刑罚你，你就知道我是耶和华。

以西结书第7章，先知以西结口被「封住」，禁口不说话超过一年，他痛苦，大家都痛苦。神不让他与人说话，但祂向他说话，虽然苦，又好像不苦。神不让他向以色列百姓说话，因为说了也没用，用演的反而更有果效。第7章，神对以西结说话，神不向以色列百姓说，只向先知说，这可算是神的心事。神一直在说话，他一直陪伴着以西结，神也等候以色列百姓悔改。

以西结书5至7章的思路很清楚。5章，耶城被围困、缺粮缺水；耶城被审判，三分之一被杀，三分之一在城外被杀，三分之一人逃脱被追杀。第6章，说到问题核心，因以色列百姓心思淫乱，重点是淫乱，偶像、祭坛将要被毁坏。到了7章，应该无甚么可说了。然而，神不是这样，每一章仍可以说得更仔细、更深入，并且每一章的信息都似在等人悔改，到了今天，我们更深体会神的心。

When You Prey Instead of Pray

2023-08-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 18:1-13.  Let’s go!

Judges 18:1 (NIV)
1  In those days Israel had no king. And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking a place of their own where they might settle, because they had not yet come into an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.

On verse 1:  Although the Danites were allotted land as their inheritance (Joshua 19:40-48), the Danites had not taken over that land.  They were slow to take over the inheritance that God had allotted to them, so they end up searching for other land instead.   Likewise, when we are slow to take possession of all that God has for us, we will end up looking for and settling for something else.

他们就知道我是耶和华

2023-08-25 in , /by

以西结书 6:7 被杀的人必倒在你们中间，你们就知道我是耶和华。

阅读经文: 以西结书 6:1-14

1 耶和华的话临到我说： 2 「人子啊，你要面向以色列的众山说预言， 3 说：『以色列的众山哪，要听主耶和华的话！主耶和华对大山、小冈、水沟、山谷如此说：我必使刀剑临到你们，也必毁灭你们的丘坛。 4 你们的祭坛必然荒凉，你们的日像必被打碎，我要使你们被杀的人倒在你们的偶像面前。 5 我也要将以色列人的尸首放在他们的偶像面前，将你们的骸骨抛散在你们祭坛的四围。

在〈以西结书〉里，他用了“他们就知道我是耶和华”这句话大约65次，“至高主宰耶和华”217次，这也成了〈以西结书〉的主题，关乎神的荣耀的一本书。在〈罗马书〉里，保罗让我们知道，我们都亏欠（缺）了神的荣耀，意思是神造我们是按着祂荣耀的形像，可是我们没有能力在生活和生命里彰显出神的荣耀。以西结之所以会如此注重神的荣耀，是因为他亲眼见到神是何等荣耀的神，人若不认识耶和华，怎能专心跟随祂？

以西结所传的信息分成两部份，第一部份是谴责以色列人的罪恶，并宣告神对罪恶的刑罚；第二部份是安慰在绝望中被掳的子民，宣告神的安慰和应许。在这章里是属于第一部份的信息。因为神说，神把信息给以西结，他才可以开口说话，不然神使他的舌头贴于上膛，他是说不了话的（结3:26）。

The Dangers of DIY Religion

2023-08-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 17:1-13.  Let’s go!

Judges 17:1-6 (NIV)
1  Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim
2  said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse–I have that silver with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “The LORD bless you, my son!”
3  When he returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I solemnly consecrate my silver to the LORD for my son to make a carved image and a cast idol. I will give it back to you.”
4  So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into the image and the idol. And they were put in Micah’s house.
5  Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some idols and installed one of his sons as his priest.
6  In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.

On verses 1-6:  Verses 1-5 describe a man called Micah and his mother and how spiritually confused they were.  Here Micah’s mother says that she is consecrating silver to the LORD by making idols with the silver? (v3)  Apparently at this time in Israel’s history, spiritual confusion and religious syncretism were rampant throughout Israel (v6) and the worship of the LORD as the LORD had commanded has all but disappeared.

God’s Mercy Over Our Mistakes

2023-08-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 16:18-31.  Let’s go!

Judges 16:18-20 (NIV)
18  When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, “Come back once more; he has told me everything.” So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands.
19  Having put him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him.
20  Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had left him.

On verses 18-20:  Verse 19 says “his strength left him” and verse 20 says “the LORD had left him”. In many ways verses 19 and 20 are talking about the same thing.  After Samson had ignored God for so long, finally God, who was the source of Samson’s strength, removed His hand of protection from Samson’s life.

剃发须的预言

2023-08-24 in , /by

以西结书 5:1 人子啊，你要拿一把快刀当做剃头刀，用这刀剃你的头发和你的胡须，用天平将须发平分。

阅读经文: 以西结书 5:1-17

1 「人子啊，你要拿一把快刀当做剃头刀，用这刀剃你的头发和你的胡须，用天平将须发平分。 2 围困城的日子满了，你要将三分之一在城中用火焚烧，将三分之一在城的四围用刀砍碎，将三分之一任风吹散，我也要拔刀追赶。 3 你要从其中取几根包在衣襟里， 4 再从这几根中取些扔在火中焚烧，从里面必有火出来烧入以色列全家。」

5 主耶和华如此说：「这就是耶路撒冷。我曾将她安置在列邦之中，列国都在她的四围。 6 她行恶违背我的典章过于列国，干犯我的律例过于四围的列邦，因为她弃掉我的典章，至于我的律例，她并没有遵行。

在利未记的21章第5节，神对摩西说，要告诉亚伦那些作祭司的子孙，不可剃头，也不可修他们的胡须must not shave their heads or trim their beards 。以西结出生于祭司家族，应该也是个祭司，深知祭司的规矩。但是在经过前面的经历后，以西结不再抗议任何他觉得有违背律法的事。究竟，律法是神订的，所以神要他做任何事，都有祂的道理。

神用以西结的头发和胡须代表犹大子民。祂还要以西结用天平将须发平分，分成四种战争中的遭遇。当巴比伦人攻进城时，也就是围困城的日子满了之时。那时耶路撒冷里，有三分之一的人在城中会被火焚烧，死亡。有三分之一在城的困围被刀砍碎，指有的人逃亡出城，就被在城外的士兵杀死了。另外三分之一任风吹散，神也要拔刀追赶。这里指的是否西底家和其家人、侍从，他们急急逃亡，在耶利哥平原被追上。西底家的众子都被杀死，他的眼睛也被挖出来，又用铜炼把他锁住带往巴比伦。