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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.

求主使我们回转

2023-08-17 in , /by

耶利米哀歌  5:21  耶和华啊，求祢使我们向祢回转，我们便得回转；求祢复新我们的日子，像古时一样。

阅读经文:  5:1-22

1耶和华啊，求你记念我们所遭遇的事，观看我们所受的凌辱。 2 我们的产业归于外邦人，我们的房屋归于外路人。 3 我们是无父的孤儿，我们的母亲好像寡妇。 4 我们出钱才得水喝，我们的柴是人卖给我们的。 5 追赶我们的到了我们的颈项上，我们疲乏不得歇息。 6 我们投降埃及人和亚述人，为要得粮吃饱。

耶利米所描述的，是一个战败国的形象。土地被占，生活所需都要仰仗于人，妇女被侵犯，男人不能自保，孩童被抓去做苦工。从每一个国家的历史，我们都可以找到这种黑暗的历史，那为什么以色列和犹大的灭亡会有突出的需要呢？

因为我们读的是一个属耶和华神的国家之灭亡。耶和华神是不会失败的，祂是又真又活的神，不同于列国所拜的偶像和假神，为何祂不保护犹大或以色列呢？为什么祂要眼睁睁地看着祂的圣城被蹂躝？祂的子民被践踏？

在神要灭掉所多和蛾摩拉两城时，是因为“城内罪恶的声音在耶和华面前甚大  The outcries of victims here to GOD are deafening”（创19:13）。因为作恶太多，被害者的哭喊声上达天厅，以致于神不得不采取行动，不让罪恶蔓延。在耶利米书里，神也一再指出以色列和犹大的罪恶，在“耶路撒冷的街上，连一个行公义、求诚实的人都没有！（耶5:1）”因为作恶太多，以致于神不不采取行动。但是神并没有灭绝他们的想法，神只是想管教他们。

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.

罪孽的刑罚！

2023-08-16 in , /by

耶利米哀歌 4:17 我们仰望人来帮助，以至眼目失明，还是枉然。我们所盼望的，竟盼望一个不能救人的国。

阅读经文:  4:1-22

1黄金何其失光，纯金何其变色！圣所的石头倒在各市口上！ 2 锡安宝贵的众子好比精金，现在何竟算为窑匠手所做的瓦瓶！ 3 野狗尚且把奶乳哺其子，我民的妇人倒成为残忍，好像旷野的鸵鸟一般。 4 吃奶孩子的舌头因干渴贴住上膛，孩童求饼，无人擘给他们。 5 素来吃美好食物的，现今在街上变为孤寒；素来卧朱红褥子的，现今躺卧粪堆。 6 都因我众民的罪孽比所多玛的罪还大，所多玛虽然无人加手于她，还是转眼之间被倾覆。

犹大灭亡的经过在其他书卷很少提起，就是在〈列王记〉和〈历代志〉也没有像耶利米这样细腻的描述，让读者能够如亲身经历，仿佛置身在耶路撒冷的街道上，看到当时的惨状。在所罗门王的时代，他每年收到两万三千公斤以上的黄金，还有商人缴纳的税，阿拉伯诸王和以色列各地区的总督也向他进贡金银。他造了两百面大金盾牌，每一面用约七公斤的金子打成；又制造了三百面小盾牌，每一面用约三公斤的金子打成。圣殿里金灯台就打造了十个。虽然到了耶利米的时候，耶路撒冷已经不再那样风光，但是旧时的建筑还是让他们引以为荣的。在耶利米的心中，耶路撒冷的光华远胜于黄金或纯金，但是现在都退色了。

当巴比伦大军攻进耶路撒冷时，为了抢夺圣殿里的金子，那些敌军疯狂也似地去拆圣殿，连石墙都拆。关于耶路撒冷圣殿的荣华传说，使人以为这是千载难逢的机会，可以大捞一笔，以至圣所的石头倒在各巿口上。原本是非常神圣的圣殿用石，现在都成了没人要，被弃置的石头。耶利米用这样的方式来形容圣殿的破败。

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.”

不要惧怕！

2023-08-15 in , /by

耶利米哀歌 3:40   我们当深深考察自己的行为，再归向耶和华。

阅读经文:  3:26-66

26 人仰望耶和华，静默等候祂的救恩，这原是好的。 27 人在幼年负轭，这原是好的。 28 他当独坐无言，因为这是耶和华加在他身上的。 29 他当口贴尘埃，或者有指望。 30 他当由人打他的腮颊，要满受凌辱。 31 因为主必不永远丢弃人。 32 主虽使人忧愁，还要照他诸般的慈爱发怜悯。 33 因他并不甘心使人受苦，使人忧愁。 34 人将世上被囚的踹在脚下， 35 或在至高者面前屈枉人， 36 或在人的讼事上颠倒是非，这都是主看不上的。 37 除非主命定，谁能说成就成呢？ 38 祸福不都出于至高者的口吗？ 39 活人因自己的罪受罚，为何发怨言呢？

当耶利米仰望神的时候，心里的悲伤就被喜乐取代了。人生难免有苦难，我们应该用怎样的心态去理解它呢？他说：“活人因自己的罪受罚，为何发怨言呢？(v.39)”他开始跳出埋怨，灵里有新的领悟。人在苦难中应当仰望耶和华，静默等候祂的救恩。就好像保罗说的：“在盼望中要欢喜，在患难里要忍耐，在祷告上要恒切。（罗12:12）”苦难虽然拿去人外面所拥有的，却拿不走我们心里的力量。所以在苦难中，我们应该一要仰望神，二要静默等候神的拯救。

他用另一个角度去看苦难：“人在幼年负轭，这原是好的＂。信息圣经翻译： It’s a good thing when you’re young to stick it out through the hard times.年轻时吃点苦是有益的。有的人形容这世代的年轻人像草莓族，经不起压力，一压就烂了。以前因为战争，父母大都比较贫穷，因此孩子们都不可能予索予求，很多事要自己做，家里的事也要帮忙，因此抗压性比较高，因为有需要，就不得不忍耐。现在的孩子比较享福，常常到了高中，什么家务事都不会做。连去考联考，都是父母相随，陪读陪煮，的确像温室的花朵。

祢的信实极其广大Great is Thy faithfulness

2023-08-14 in , /by

耶利米哀歌 3:23  每早晨这都是新的，祢的信实极其广大。

阅读经文:  3:1-25

1 我是因耶和华愤怒的杖遭遇困苦的人。 2 他引导我，使我行在黑暗中，不行在光明里。 3 他真是终日再三反手攻击我。 4 他使我的皮肉枯干，他折断我的骨头。 5 他筑垒攻击我，用苦楚和艰难围困我。 6 他使我住在幽暗之处，像死了许久的人一样。 7 他用篱笆围住我，使我不能出去，他使我的铜链沉重。

有一位心理师说：“只有亲身经历过生命骤变后才会明白，没人有资格教导正遭遇巨大苦难的人该怎么想或是怎么做”。当我们读到耶利米的哀歌时，真的感到没有人间的言词可以用来安慰他的痛苦和哀伤。对于在苦难中的人，言语是何等飘渺，不切实际。所以去探望在受苦中的人，不如沉默，免得言词成为他们的负担。

巨大的痛苦中，若能用言语把痛苦稍微抒发，也是医治的开始。所以宁可倾听，不要自以为聪明地给许多意见，免得造成更多伤害。先知明白，这场苦难来自神的击打。“祂引导我，使我行在黑暗中，不行在光明里(v2)”，这句话令人感到徬徨，神会故意把人引导离开光明，进入黑暗吗？在原文里此句亦有“祂驱赶我，使我离开光明，进入黑暗”。当人离开神的道，去拜偶像和假神时，其实是人自己离开光明，进入黑暗。先知感受到自己身不由己，在大形势的逼迫下，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.

God Made You To Grow, Not Just To Be Rescued

2023-08-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 10:1-18.  Let’s go!

Judges 10:1-5 (NIV)
1  After the time of Abimelech a man of Issachar, Tola son of Puah, the son of Dodo, rose to save Israel. He lived in Shamir, in the hill country of Ephraim.
2  He led Israel twenty-three years; then he died, and was buried in Shamir.
3  He was followed by Jair of Gilead, who led Israel twenty-two years.
4  He had thirty sons, who rode thirty donkeys. They controlled thirty towns in Gilead, which to this day are called Havvoth Jair.
5  When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon.

On verses 1-5:  Not much information is given about these next two judges, Tola (v1-2) and Jair (v3-5).  We don’t read of any particular trouble or crisis that these judges had to deal with.  In Jair’s case, there is mention of Jair leading 30 sons who rode 30 donkeys.  Some commentators take all this to mean that the reigns of Tola and Jair were likely times of relative peace and stability for the people of Israel.  If that is truly the case, then a lesson we can learn from this is:  Better to be a stable, consistent, not-so-flashy leader who brings security and stability to the people around you than to be a charismatic leader like Abimelech whose weaknesses impact the people you lead much more than your strengths.