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Depending on the Presence of God

2022-03-03 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 40:17-38, the final passage of Exodus.  Let’s go! 

Exodus 40:17-35 (NIV)
17  So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year.
18  When Moses set up the tabernacle, he put the bases in place, erected the frames, inserted the crossbars and set up the posts.
19  Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering over the tent, as the LORD commanded him.
20  He took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover over it…….

On verses 17-35:  Notice how over and over the words “as the LORD commanded Moses” get repeated when describing how Moses set up the tabernacle.  When Moses had finished the work, a cloud representing the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.  For me it’s a powerful reminder of two things:

First, full obedience ushers in the presence of God.  Moses carefully set up the tabernacle just as the LORD had commanded, and in a similar way Jesus carefully obeyed His Father completely and it is through His perfect obedience that we now have God’s presence in our lives.  Jesus’ perfect obedience ushered the presence of God into our world.

瑣法責約伯自義

2022-03-03 in , /by

〈約伯記〉11:12 空虛的人卻毫無知識，人生在世好像野驢的駒子。

閱讀經文：〈約伯記〉11 章

有一餐廳，開始擺出來的菜並不好吃，

但是，如果嫌菜難吃，轉身離開，就可惜了，

後來端上來的菜，較為可口，原來好吃的在後頭。

「嘿，夥計，你們這家餐廳怎麼如此上菜？

難吃的擺前面，好吃的放後頭。」

「噢，客倌，請不要生氣，

我們店裡的大廚脾氣不好的時候，上菜差，脾氣好的時候，上菜好。」

「那他什麼時刻，脾氣會由不好變成好？」

「當他想到上帝時。」夥計如此答道。

瑣法在提到人時，口舌犀利的很，罵人罵的凶。到了第二段，他提到上帝，口氣就緩和下來，所講的內容就很有深度，他說：「你考察就能測透上帝嗎？你豈能盡情 測透全能者嗎？祂的智慧高於天，你還能做甚麼？深於陰間，你還能知道甚麼？其量比地長，比海寬。」（約伯記十一：7-9）。瑣法這個大廚子，開始在上好菜 了。上帝所在的天有多高？陰間是全然黑暗，毫不透光的所在，那有多深啊？瑣法在問「量度」的問題。

約伯求神示以譴責之故

2022-03-02 in , /by

〈約伯記〉10:2 (約伯)對神說：不要定我有罪，要指示我，祢為何與我爭辯。

閱讀經文：〈約伯記〉10 章

約伯覺得神在欺負他，並且以欺負他為美。他認為他沒有罪惡，只是因為他是被造者，所以受苦也沒有辦法。他在控訴神不公。但最後還是哀求神，至少在他死前，可以寬容他，使他稍得暢快。約伯的子女死了，財產沒了，那些都是身外物，但是他的肉體之煎熬，使他厭煩他的性命。你可曾聽朋友說：“煩死了，天天吵，不如死了算了，來得清靜”。有的說：“活著有什麼意思呢？不如死了算了！”這些話都有個前題：只要不吵，我不煩，就可以活得開心；只要活得有意思，還是要活下去。但有的什麼都不說，就自殺了，那是真的想不開，而不想活的人。

所以口說煩死了，想要死的人，一般都還要活，只是對目前活的狀況不滿意；若是環境有改善，他還是要活的。所以約伯對神說，反正我終歸要死，你就不能讓我在死前快活一下嗎？這是他話裡的意思。“求祢停手寬容我，叫我在往而不返之先，可以稍得暢快”。因為“那地甚是幽暗，是死蔭混沌之地，那裡的光好像幽暗”，所以只要神改善一下，他就要繼續活，因為死蔭混沌之地想起來還挺可怕的。

當我們讀著〈約伯記〉時，你會覺得約伯對神沒有不敢說的話，這是一種何等信賴的關係。他相信神聽得到，他相信他可以控訴神而不得罪神。因為他要求的是公義的審判：“不要定我有罪，要指示我，祢為何與我爭辯”。I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me; Show me why You contend with me. Contend在這裡用“爭辯”似乎有點怪，若是用“鬥”，好像比較能表示它的意思。好像神的使者終夜與雅各摔跤，要把雅各打敗一樣。從約伯的感覺來看，一樣接著一樣的打擊，就彷彿神用各樣的方法來打敗他這個人似的。當然，我們知道是撒旦，但是約伯那時不知道。就好像有人患上絕症時，會覺得為何神要這樣對他？他究竟犯了什麼大罪？現在我們曉得，苦難有時不一定是罪的緣故。

It’s All About Jesus

2022-03-02 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 40:1-16.  Let’s go! 

Exodus 40:1-9 (NIV)
1  Then the LORD said to Moses:
2  “Set up the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the first month.
3  Place the ark of the Testimony in it and shield the ark with the curtain.
4  Bring in the table and set out what belongs on it. Then bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps.
5  Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the Testimony and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.
6  “Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting;
7  place the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it.
8  Set up the courtyard around it and put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard.
9  “Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy.
10  Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar, and it will be most holy.
11  Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them.

On verses 1-11:  This past Sunday at THRIVE Church Online we looked at this passage together.  In a message called “He’s There For You: Finding Jesus in Exodus”, I tried to show you that the seven “I am” statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John are reflected in Exodus 40:4-9 in the exact order that they appear in the Gospel of John.

人怎能在神面前稱義

2022-03-01 in , /by

〈約伯記〉9:4 他心裡有智慧，且大有能力，誰向神剛硬而得亨通呢？

閱讀經文：〈約伯記〉9 章

在〈約伯記〉裡，我們可以讀到很多精采的辯論，這些辯論和論述所使用的文句極為精美，光是約伯用來形容人生在世的短暫就有這樣多精采的比喻：我的日子比賽跑的更快，我的日子過去如快船，如急落抓食的鷹，我的生命不過是一口氣，我的日子比梭更快。再看約伯對神的形容，足可顯出他對神的認識：“但人在神面前怎能成為義呢？若願意與他爭辯，千中之一也不能回答。他心裡有智慧，且大有能力，誰向神剛硬而得亨通呢？”很多人在神面前自以為義，但是約伯知道，人在神的面前是無法稱義的。

因為人若想與神爭辯，千中之一也不能回答。 If one wished to contend with Him, He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand. 千中之一的意思是，即使有人想和神爭辯，給他一千個問題，他也回不了一個。這也是在後來發生的事情，神給約伯的每一個問題，約伯都無法回。你若不相信，我就給你一個簡單的：“誰為雨水分道？誰為雷電開路？山巖間的野山羊幾時生產，你知道嗎？母鹿下犢之期，你能察定嗎？”約伯一個問題也答不出來。我們自己以為可以滔滔不絕的理，到了神面前，什麼也不是。

接下來，約伯的形容你看看最有可能發生在何時？“祂發怒把山翻倒挪移，山並不知覺。祂使地震動離其本位，地的柱子就搖撼。祂吩咐日頭不出來，就不出來，又封閉眾星。祂獨自鋪張蒼天，步行在海浪之上。祂造北斗、參星、昴星，並南方的密宮。祂行大事不可測度，行奇事不可勝數。”神在何時發怒把山翻倒挪移呢？何時使地震離本位，使地的柱子搖撼？何吩咐日頭不出來又封閉眾星？何時獨自鋪張蒼天，步行在海浪之上？何時造北斗、參星、昴星，並南方的密宮？這裡彷彿給了我們一點〈創世記〉的影子。〈創世記〉第一章第一節第一節說：“起初，神創造天地。”緊接著第二節就是：“ 地是空虛混沌，淵面黑暗，神的靈運行在水面上”。接著，神就造出空氣，將空氣以下的水、空氣以上的水分開了。神稱空氣為天。然後，神造了兩個大光，大的管晝，小的管夜，又造眾星。約伯的形容開展了我們的視野，彷彿畫出神創造時的精采過程。

You’re Perfectly Blessed Because Jesus Perfectly Obeyed

2022-03-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 39:22-43.  Let’s go! 

Exodus 39:22-31 (NIV)
22  They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth–the work of a weaver–
23  with an opening in the center of the robe like the opening of a collar, and a band around this opening, so that it would not tear.
24  They made pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen around the hem of the robe.
25  And they made bells of pure gold and attached them around the hem between the pomegranates.
26  The bells and pomegranates alternated around the hem of the robe to be worn for ministering, as the LORD commanded Moses.
27  For Aaron and his sons, they made tunics of fine linen–the work of a weaver–
28  and the turban of fine linen, the linen headbands and the undergarments of finely twisted linen.
29  The sash was of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn–the work of an embroiderer–as the LORD commanded Moses.
30  They made the plate, the sacred diadem, out of pure gold and engraved on it, like an inscription on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD.
31  Then they fastened a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban, as the LORD commanded Moses.

On verses 22-31:  As we saw with so many of the priestly clothes described in verses 1-21, notice that Aaron’s robe, tunic, and turban were made of fine material, done by a craftsman, and adorned with gold.  It all speaks of how highly God valued the office of the priest.  Since as believers in Jesus Christ, we too are priests in God’s kingdom, let it be a reminder not to take our role as priests lightly or for granted.  May we approach our calling as priests with reverence and respect, and give God service that is of high quality and high value too.

Bling Bling for the King

2022-02-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 39:1-21.  Let’s go!

Exodus 39:1-21 (NIV)   
1  From the blue, purple and scarlet yarn they made woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary. They also made sacred garments for Aaron, as the LORD commanded Moses.
2  They made the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen.
3  They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut strands to be worked into the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen–the work of a skilled craftsman.
4  They made shoulder pieces for the ephod, which were attached to two of its corners, so it could be fastened.
5  Its skillfully woven waistband was like it–of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen, as the LORD commanded Moses……

On verses 1-21:  After describing the building of the tabernacle and all its furniture (Exodus 36-38), Moses goes on to describe in Exodus 39 the making of the clothes for Aaron the high priest and his sons who will all serve as priests.  Exodus 39 is basically the fulfillment of Exodus 28, when the LORD first tells Moses the kind of clothes that the high priest and priests should wear.

Here’s what I notice: notice how blingy the high priest’s clothes are.  Whether it’s the ephod (v2), the waistband (v5), the onyx stones in gold filigree settings (v6), or the breastpiece (v15-21), all of it is decorated with gold.  You only put gold on someone you think is worthy of it.  The fact that God put so much gold on His high priest and saw to it that his clothes were decorated in gold speaks of how valuable the priest was to God.  Likewise, as believers in Jesus Christ, we are priests in God’s kingdom (1 Peter 2:9) and you are precious to God.  God has covered us in something even more precious and, from heaven’s perspective, even blingier than gold; it’s the blood of Jesus.

比勒達言神公義無私

2022-02-28 in , /by

〈約伯記〉8:11 蒲草沒有泥，豈能發長？蘆荻沒有水，豈能生發？

閱讀經文：〈約伯記〉8 章

世上許多有錢的人，
在世的時候，總喜歡出版自己的傳記，
講述自己如何成功、賺大錢，
如何當個富爸爸。
約伯是一個富人，
他年輕的時候很有錢，
年老的時候更有錢，
但是約伯的傳記──約伯記，
初始的有錢只在第一頁，
末時的富有只在最後一頁，
中間所有的內容，都是他一無所有的時候，
他與三個朋友的爭論，
與上帝給他的回應，
反而成為他一生最值得撰寫、
最能幫助人的部分。
這是世界上最獨特的富人傳記，
你猜，是誰教他這樣寫的？

約伯向神傾訴

2022-02-27 in , /by

〈約伯記〉7:7 求祢想念我的生命不過是一口氣！我的眼睛必不再見福樂。

閱讀經文：〈約伯記〉7 章

與其說約伯在回答朋友們，倒不如說，他傾訴的對象其實是神，他一向仰望的神。這是人的本性，有不幸的事發生，總是先叫：“天啊！”有壞人遭報應，也會說：“老天有眼！”沒有人教我們，我們就會呼天喚地了。那是不是一種心靈的感應呢？最近有個朋友癌症漫延全身，被送到安寧病房。當她被發現患了癌症時，她非常努力地按著各種自然療法去幫助自己，吃的全是有機食品，每天按時走路運動、休息。現在她說，什麼人為的方法她都不相信了，她只相信只有神能醫治她。若神許可，她才能得醫治。在人的盡頭，人才能明白只有神才有掌管生死的權柄。所以在人的盡頭，很多話都只能跟神說了。

約伯的言語其實是一連串詩句組成的，我試著把1-5節譯得白話一點：“人生在世豈不是勞勞碌碌，終日煩累？他的日子都像雇工，不斷地被催逼作息。就好像一個僕人渴望得到遮蔭，又像雇工盼望得到工價，我也是活在無盡的指望裡，每晚卻疲倦地掙扎。當我躺下時，我就自問：何時才到天亮？黑夜何時結束？因為我輾轉反覆，直到黎明。我的肉體爬滿蟲子，且被塵土所覆蓋，我的皮膚一收口就又破裂。”約伯雖然只是坐在爐灰之中，心裡卻很疲累。白天要刮膿，還要忍受難吃的食物和別人的歧視嘲笑，巴不得夜晚來臨可以休息；夜晚來臨了，他也睡不著，因為肉體承受著各樣的折磨，想睡睡不了，夜晚比白天更難挨，只能期待黎明來臨。日復一日，夜復一夜，都是無止盡的痛苦。

有失眠經驗的人大約都能體會約伯躺下去後，翻來覆去的無奈。睡不著是一種很難受的經驗，所以巿面上有很多種幫助睡眠的藥物和方法。有不少人在見證時提到原本失眠很厲害，信耶穌時求主讓他一夜好睡，神就應允，讓他（她）能得安眠。但是像約伯這樣虔誠的人也睡不著，那怎麼辦？難道神不愛他了嗎？信耶穌而睡不著的人也不少，一是覺得問題太小，不用向神求，所以不得醫治；二是自己習慣不好，沒有調整自己的作息；三是到了某個年齡，身體的內分泌失去平衡；四是心裡有事，擔心的事太多，沒有交託；五呢，身體的疼痛，疾病的影響。當然還有其他原因。不過，假如我們把它當回事，不斷在神面前祈求，神總會幫助我們。

Lay Down Your Mirror

2022-02-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 38:1-31.  Let’s go! 

Exodus 38:1-7 (NIV)
1  They built the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, three cubits high; it was square, five cubits long and five cubits wide.
2  They made a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar were of one piece, and they overlaid the altar with bronze.
3  They made all its utensils of bronze–its pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans.
4  They made a grating for the altar, a bronze network, to be under its ledge, halfway up the altar.
5  They cast bronze rings to hold the poles for the four corners of the bronze grating.
6  They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze.
7  They inserted the poles into the rings so they would be on the sides of the altar for carrying it. They made it hollow, out of boards.
 
On verses 1-7:  The altar of burnt offering, which was used to sacrifice animals, was made of bronze, as were the utensils (v3), the grating (v4), the poles for carrying the altar (v6) as well as the rings that the poles went through (v5).  Why bronze?  A pretty good argument can be made that in the Law of Moses (contained the first five books of the Bible) bronze symbolizes God’s judgment.  See for example Deuteronomy 28:23 where God says that if the Israelites do not obey the LORD, the Israelites will be under God’s curse and as part of that “The sky over your head will be bronze, the ground beneath you iron.”  Similarly, in Leviticus 26:18-19, the LORD’s message to the Israelites is that if they do not listen to Him, He will punish them and, as part of this, the LORD says, “If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over.  I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze.”