〈士師記〉 21:25 那時以色列中沒有王，各人任意而行。
閱讀經文：〈士師記〉 21:1-25
在〈士師記〉 的初期，以色列人還可以為了征討不法之人而同心敵愾；在底波拉時，有的支派各自營生，已經無法同心；到了參孫時，神只能用他單打獨鬥非利士人。在〈士師記〉 裡，以色列人猶如一盤散沙，沒有王，各人任意而行。以色列人攻打便雅憫人時，正是亞倫的孫子，以利亞撒的兒子非尼哈做大祭司的時候，所以這場內戰應發生在〈士師記〉的早期。以色列人在米斯巴集合，如同一人去攻打便雅憫人，但是他們打勝仗之後，卻痛哭不止，為什麼？
〈士師記〉 20:46 那日便雅憫死了的共有二萬五千人，都是拿刀的勇士。
閱讀經文：〈士師記〉 20:1-48
「但」是指但族人定居的拉億。「別是巴」這名字的意思是「七之井」（七是指七隻母羊羔）。亞伯拉罕和以撒都曾居住於此地，亞伯拉罕與基拉耳王亞比米勒曾在別是巴井旁起誓，所以又解作「盟誓的井」（創21:31），位於耶路撒冷的西南邊77公里，是現今以色列南區的行政中心。南地就是指別是巴和其附近的地區。別是巴的居民在波斯時代遷離原址，定居在它東邊之地，開發了另一個別是巴城，就是今日別是巴的所在。教會史之父優西比烏描繪它為一個位於希伯崙南邊40公里的大鄉村。舊約描繪以色列的國界，一般都說「從但到別是巴」，意思即全以色列。「基列地」從廣義來說，可以包括整個（屬以色列）的外約但地區，也就是約但河東的以色列人地區。
Do your days feel like a hike on an Appalachian Trail in winter? A struggle to place one foot in front of the other? If so, I urge you friend, hang on, hang on. Don’t give up. Help is here. It may not come in the manner you requested or as quickly as you desire, but it will come.
Assume that something good is going to happen. The door of tomorrow is unlocked from the inside. Just turn the knob and step out. The divine artist isn’t finished. The earth is his studio. Every person on earth is one of his projects. Every event on earth is a part of his great mural. He is not finished. The scripture says in Philippians 1:6 (NCV), “God began doing a good work in you, and I’m sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again.” Remember friend, you are never alone.
The father may have thought he was walking the road to Capernaum all alone. Quite the contrary. Christ had supernaturally gone into the nobleman’s residence and not only healed the son, but also won the hearts of the entire household. Was the father’s prayer answered? By all means! It was answered in a manner greater than he had requested.
Yours will be as well. Perhaps the answer will come this side of heaven. Perhaps it awaits you on the other side. Either way, this story urges you and me to keep walking and believing in our God who is our ever-present help in trouble.
Ever-present. You’ll never be put on hold or told to check back later. Ever-present. As near as your next breath. Ever-present help. He is here to help. That’s the message of this miracle. That’s the message of the Gospel. Remember friends, you are never alone.
〈士師記〉 19:30凡看見的人都說：「從以色列人出埃及地直到今日，這樣的事沒有行過，也沒有見過！現在應當思想，大家商議當怎樣辦理。」
閱讀經文：〈士師記〉 19:1-30
「當以色列中沒有王的時候」，〈士師記〉作者列舉一些發生過的事情，讓我們明白，在心中沒有王的年代裡，人可以做出何等無道之事。有一個住在以法蓮山地的利未人，他娶了一個妾。沒想到這個妾與人行淫，可能因而被趕回伯利恒的父家。按照律法，行淫之人當用石頭打死，但是這個利未人可能對他的妾還有感情，所以不但沒讓人用石頭把她打死，還要親自去她的父家把她迎接回來。
沒想到他的親家十分熱情，天天留請他吃飯。住到第五天，吃完飯，這人就堅持要走了。雖然行夜路十分危險，他還是去意已決。那時耶路撒冷尚未成為以色列人的地方，還是由耶布斯人所住，名字也還是叫做耶布斯。
The Gospel of John tells the story about a man from Capernaum who approached Jesus in Cana. “Come heal my son?” the man asked. Jesus said the boy would be healed, and the man set out for Capernaum.
Do you find yourself somewhere between Cana and Capernaum? Like the official, you begged Jesus for help. And like the official you didn’t receive the answer in the way you wanted. This is the issue of the not yet answered prayer, or the not answered in the way I asked prayer.
How should we react? I’m sorry that the job did not materialize or the cancer chose to metastasize. Life has its share of dark, dank moments. Read the Bible from the table of contents in the front to the maps in the back, and you will not find any promise of a pain-free life on this side of heaven. But you will find this assurance, “Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.” You are never alone.
〈士師記〉 18:31 神的殿在示羅多少日子，但人為自己設立米迦所雕刻的像也在但多少日子。
閱讀經文：〈士師記〉 18:1-31
「那時以色列中沒有王」，這句話在〈士師記〉中一共出現了四次（17:6/18:1/19:1/21:25），表示作者在寫此書時，以色列中已經有王治理。所以他認為，以色列人的問題，是因為以色列中沒有王的原因。其實「王」只是領導者的代名詞，但是以色列人想的並不是這樣，他們渴望的是像外邦人一樣有個耀武揚威的王，使人產生敬畏的王。因為摩西、約書亞和一些士師，其實都起了很好的帶領作用，使他們遠離偶像，敬拜耶和華，在許多方面蒙福。因此我們可以看到，以色列人一直沒有找出他們得罪神和失敗的根源。
When we go out in God’s name, Satan makes a dash for the nearest exit. We have weapons he cannot match. What are our weapons? 2 Corinthians 10:4: Prayer, worship, and Scripture. Prayer invites God, praise dethrones Satan, Scripture discloses truth. And Satan hates the truth.
Flee sexual immorality. Let no evil come from your mouth. Make sure the demons of hell know that you are on God’s side, not theirs. People of unbreakable courage know what Elijah knew. “The Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand” (1 Kings 17:1 NKJV).
Victims? Not on your life. Victors? You can count on it!
〈士師記〉 17:6 那時以色列中沒有王，各人任意而行。
閱讀經文：〈士師記〉 17:1-13
雖然〈士師記〉 裡參孫是最後一個士師，但是真正最後的一個士師是撒母耳。在〈士師記〉 裡最後幾章都是描寫以色列中沒有王，各人任意而行的幾個例子，讓我們明白在一個心中沒有王的社會裡，會產生的奇怪現象和許多悲劇。
第一個例子說到有一個叫做米迦的人的家中所發生的事情。有一天，米迦的母親丟了一千一百舍客勒銀子，米母（簡稱）非常生氣，可能大罵小偷無恥無道，又咒詛他絕子絕孫的。假如你丟了那麼多錢，你會怎樣罵小偷，你想得到的，她可能都罵出來了。
〈士師記〉 16:28 參孫求告耶和華說：「主耶和華啊，求你眷念我！神啊，求你賜我這一次的力量，使我在非利士人身上報那剜我雙眼的仇！」
閱讀經文：〈士師記〉 16:1-31
在這一章的經文裡，我們看不到「耶和華的靈感動參孫」這句話了。有的人質疑，參孫身為士師，竟然去找妓女，而且愛上妓女，難道也是出於神的旨意嗎？〈士師記〉的作者在寫書時，一點不含糊，在這些事上，完全沒有神的靈在作工的跡象，參孫被情慾所操縱了。參孫出生時的身份是拿細耳人，但是他破壞了所有拿細耳人的規矩，這就是參孫失敗的真正原因。
如果您希望通過電子郵件，收看我們的最新文章，我們將會為您訂閱『福音快訊』，每週五發送。