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安息年和禧年

〈利未记〉25章21-22节    我必在第六年将我所命的福赐给你们,地便生三年的土产。第八年,你们要耕种,也要吃陈粮,等到第九年出产收来的时候,你们还吃陈粮。」

在〈利未记〉24章里记载了一个不幸的例子。有个以色列但支派的妇人嫁给一个埃及人,很有可能是在埃及歌珊地时,埃及人看上以色列女子而娶来为妻。他们跟着以色列人出埃及,有可能因为在十个神蹟里看到耶和华神的大能,因此一起跟着摩西出埃及;也可能在逾越节的神蹟之后,埃及人催赶以色列人离开,众怒难犯,因此那个埃及丈夫不得不跟着出埃及,但是心里并不是真的跟随神。

他们生了一个儿子,有一天这个儿子跟一个以色列人争斗,这以色列妇人的儿子亵渎了圣名,并且咒诅。因此被送到摩西那里。想想看,这个以色列妇人的儿子为何胆敢亵渎神的圣名,并且咒诅?会不会是在家里听到父亲如此说话而学起来呢?父母都是儿女学习的榜样,有好榜样,也有坏榜样。因此在争斗时,他不自觉地就亵渎了圣名,并且咒诅。当然,也有可能是他自己不好,不能都怪父母。

我们看到摩西的谦卑和敬虔,在这样的事上,他先把那人收在监里,再等候神的指示。摩西的谦卑和尊神为大,永远是我们学习的功课。我们都太着急,想要凭著自己的聪明去决定事情,不愿意等候。但我们的神是不着急的神,凡事在祂永不误时。

Give God Your Thoughts

How do I detect God’s unseen hand on my shoulder and his inaudible voice in my ear?

Give God your waking thoughts. Before you face the day, face the Father. Psalm 5:3 (NCV) says, “Every morning, I tell you what I need, and I wait for your answer.”

Give God your waiting thoughts. Spend time with him in silence.

Give God your whispering thoughts. During your lifetime, you will spend six months at stoplights, eight months opening junk mail. Give these moments to God. Simple phrases, such as “Thank you, Father,” can turn a commute into a pilgrimage.

Give God your waning thoughts. Conclude the day as you began it: talking to God. If you fall asleep as you pray, don’t worry. What better place to doze off than in the arms of your Father.

Ever in His Presence

2 Corinthians 6:1 says we are “God’s fellow workers.” Rather than report to God, we work with God. We are always in the presence of God. There is never a nonsacred moment!

Is it possible to live—minute by minute—in the presence of God? Jesus enjoyed unbroken communion with God, and God wants that same abiding intimacy with you and me. He wants to be as close to us as a branch is to a vine. You know it’s impossible to tell where one starts and the other ends. What good news! We are NEVER away from God! And He is NEVER away from us!

As we search the Bible, we realize that unbroken communion with God is the intent and not the exception. Within the reach of every Christian is the unending presence of God.

耶和华的节期

〈利未记〉23章1-3节    耶和华对摩西说:你晓谕以色列人说:耶和华的节期,你们要宣告为圣会的节期。六日要做工,第七日是圣安息日,当有圣会;你们甚么工都不可做。这是在你们一切的住处向耶和华守的安息日。

在〈约翰福音〉第十章22-23节说,在耶路撒冷有修殿节,是冬天的时候。耶稣在殿里所罗门的廊下行走。这修殿节又称为光明节或哈努卡节,在希伯来文是 חנוכה ( Hannukah/ Chanukah )。这是纪念马加比一家人为真理而战,在神的帮助下以寡击众,战胜希腊人,夺回被亵渎的圣殿,赢得将近一百年的独立。但这个节期不算是耶和华的节期,它和普珥节一样,都算是犹太人的民间节日。

哪些节日才算是耶和华的节期呢?

你能把它们的秩序按著日期排一下吗?

1.住棚节    2.无酵节    3.初熟节   4. 吹角节     5.五旬节    6.逾越节     7.赎罪日

我们来回忆一下,摩西领以色列人出埃及前要做何事,法老才终于首肯,让以色列人离开埃及呢?神派死亡的天使杀了埃及所有头生的人和牲畜,却没有杀以色列人头生的人和牲畜。因为神叫他们要杀一只羊,把羊血涂在门楣和两边,死亡的天使看到门上有血,就越过去了。所以就订为逾越节,死亡的天使逾越过去,不杀以色列人,保存他们性命的日子。

祭司要自洁成圣

〈利未记〉21:22   神的食物,无论是圣的、至圣的,他都可以吃。

在旧约里,祭司是指亚伦没有残疾的男性后裔的工作;在新约里,彼得说:「你们来到主面前,也就像活石,被建造成为灵宫,作圣洁的祭司,借着耶稣基督奉献 神所悦纳的灵祭。(彼前2:5)」句首的「你们」是指当时的受信人,也就是分散在本都、加拉太、加帕多家、亚细亚、庇推尼寄居的信徒(彼前1:1)。当然,现在这个「你们」就变成「我们」了,就是照父 神的先见被拣选,借着圣灵得成圣洁,以致顺服耶稣基督,又蒙祂血所洒的人(彼前1:2)。

那么,以前的祭司该守的圣洁条例,我们是不是也要遵守呢?不要害怕,因为在〈使徒行传〉15章的耶路撒冷会议里,己经决定不把「我们祖宗和我们所不能负的轭」加在外邦使徒身上,所以我们大可不必惊慌。但是从这一章里,我们又可以明白一些旧约的事蹟。

例如在亚伦和四个儿子承接祭司之职的第八天,亚伦的两个儿子拿答和亚比户各拿自己的香炉,盛上火,加上香,在耶和华面前献上凡火,是耶和华没有吩咐他们的。有火从耶和华面前出来,把他们烧灭,他们就死在耶和华面前(利10:1-2)。

Learning to Listen

I believe we can learn to listen to God if we are equipped with the right tools. The first tool is a regular time and place. Select a slot on your schedule and in a corner of your world, and claim it for God. Take enough time to say what you want and for God to say what he wants.

The second tool is an open Bible. Pray first, asking God to help you understand it. Study the Bible a little at a time. Read until a verse “hits” you. Then meditate on it and write it down.

The third tool is a listening heart. We know we’re listening when what we read in the Bible is what others see in our lives. If you want to be just like Jesus, spend time listening for him until you receive your lesson for the day, and then apply it.

God’s Invitation

Some of us have tried to have a daily quiet time with God and have not been successful. And all of us are busy. So we let others tell us what God is saying. Isn’t that why we pay preachers? Isn’t that why we read Christian books? If that is your approach, your spiritual experiences are second-hand. Do you do that with other parts of your life—vacation, romance, eating? I don’t think so. There are certain things no one can do for you.

When God asks for your attention, he doesn’t want you to send a substitute. He invites you to vacation in his splendor. He invites you to feel the touch of his hand. He invites you to feast at his table. He wants to spend time with you. And with a little training, your time with God can be the highlight of your day.

与万民有别

〈利未记〉20章26节    你们要归我为圣,因为我─耶和华是圣的,并叫你们与万民有分别,使你们作我的民。

在古老的中国有个传说,大约是主前五世纪,有个人名叫西门豹。因为他很有才能,被派往黄河旁的一个地方邺地作县令。当地有个传说,黄河里住着河神,若不给河神娶媳妇,黄河就会发大水。百姓苦不堪言,因为替河神娶媳妇要强征民女,又征收额外的税捐,但是税捐却由官府和巫婆们私分。那年又到了河神娶媳妇的时候了,西门豹带了士兵也去参加。城里有权势的富人、官府里的衙役及被选中的女孩都到了,还有一个七十多岁的老巫婆和她的弟子们。

西门豹说:「把河神的老婆带过来,看看她漂亮不漂亮。」有人把女孩带过来,站在西门豹面前。西门豹看了一眼,就回头对众人说:「这个女孩不漂亮, 够不上做河神的老婆。可是河神今天一定等著迎亲,就请大巫婆走一趟,到河里通知河神,等找到一个漂亮的女子,过一天再来。」说著,还没等众人明白是怎么回事,就命令士兵抬起老巫婆,抛进河里去了。隔了一会儿,西门豹说:「巫婆怎么走了这么长时间还没有回话,叫个徒弟去催催她。」于是又命令士兵把巫婆的一个徒弟扔进河里,这样前前后后,扔了三个徒弟到河里。

A Listening Heart

“Let he who has ears to hear, use them.” Eight times in the Gospels and eight times in the book of Revelation we are reminded that it’s not enough just to have ears—it’s necessary to use them.

Jesus spent regular time with God, praying and listening. Luke 5:16 (NIV) tells us, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” If Jesus, the Son of God, the sinless Savior of humankind, thought it worthwhile to clear his calendar to pray, wouldn’t we be wise to do the same? Jesus also spent regular time in God’s Word. Three times in the wilderness temptation he used the Word of God to repel the attack of Satan.

If we are to be just like Jesus, then we need to imitate his habits of prayer and Bible reading.

你们要圣洁

〈利未记〉19章1-2节     耶和华对摩西说:「你晓谕以色列全会众说:你们要圣洁,因为我耶和华─你们的 神是圣洁的。」

在网路上流行着一个住在北京的小网红,她名叫乔治亚Georgia,父亲是比利时人,母亲是中国人。她才两岁多,却己经会用三个国家的语言流利地沟通。她有两个大大的眼睛,卷曲的头发,十分可爱。她的爸爸经常这样开始:「你今天学到什么了?」

Geo Geo,他这样称呼她,就会开始回想:「不可以把双手放在桌上……吃饭……要洗手……」有时利用小朋友,教大家怎样分垃圾。有一次Geo Geo在公园玩不开心,嘟著嘴找爸爸,因为有几个阿姨看她太可爱,猛拍照。爸爸就问:「Geo Geo不高兴,因为这是不礼貌的,对不对?她们要先问Geo Geo可不可以拍,对不对?」小Geo Geo听了猛点头。

这个连续的影集叫「家有萌娃」,每一次我都觉得这个比利时爸爸好有智慧地在教导,引导他的小女儿,让她知道对与错,建立是与非的观念。我有时就觉得,神也是如此在引导,教导以色列人。在埃及生活了四百年的以色列人,做了四百年的奴隶,除了以色列人一些家传的观念,很多事情都受到埃及人的影响,他们其实非常单纯。