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神僕警告耶羅波安

2021-10-18 in , /by

〈列王紀〉上13:3 當日，神人設個預兆，說：「這壇必破裂，壇上的灰必傾撒，這是耶和華說的預兆。」

閱讀經文：〈列王紀 〉上  13:1-33 

有的人總問，假如我們離棄神時，神還會與我們同在嗎？從耶羅波安的例子來看，耶羅波安離棄神，而且做了那麼多得罪神的事情，但是神並沒有離棄他，神依然派神人去伯特利警告他，並且讓他曉得有一天大衛的後裔約西亞會拆掉他所建的祭壇。這個預言在大約兩百多年後，約西亞作王時應驗了。約西亞將伯特利的壇拆毀焚燒，打碎成灰，他回頭看見山上的墳墓，就打發人將墳墓裡的骸骨取出來，燒在壇上，污穢了壇；又將丘壇的祭司都殺在壇上，並在壇上燒人的骨頭。正如從前神人宣傳耶和華的話（王下23:16/20）。

為了讓耶羅波安相信那是神的預告，神人又說：“這壇必破裂，壇上的灰必傾撒，這是耶和華說的預兆。” 壇就破裂了，壇上的灰也傾撒了。但是耶羅波安有所警覺嗎？他不但不予理會，還叫人去抓住神人。他伸出的手就枯乾了。那是何等可怕的一剎那，他的手枯乾了。他害怕了。這就是人心剛硬的一面，不等自己的身體受到懲罰不會服軟。他一意孤行，想的只是不能讓以色列人再去敬拜耶和華神，不然有一天他們都會離開他，他就不能再做王了。所以他要想盡辦法去保留他的王權。這就是權勢於人的影響。

許多人在沒有權勢之前，對神十分恭敬謙卑，一旦掌權便害怕失去，因而不再聽神的話，只想用自己的辦法抓住權勢。那種害怕使他誰也不信，只信權勢。這是一些領導者所面對的挑戰，當他擁有了高高在上的權力時，他是否能記得自己依然只是個平凡的人？當我們成為團契的領導者，教會的領導者，主日學的領導者時，甚至是做了父母，我們是否能記得自己只是個人，那個位置是個恩典，為要讓我們更看見自己的不足，而懂得向神尋求帶領和智慧？有的人一旦坐上高位就變成狂人，所作所為都是為了鞏固自己的位置，而忘記了給他位置的神。

耶羅波安陷民於罪

2021-10-17 in , /by

〈列王紀〉上12: 31  耶羅波安在丘壇那裡建殿，將那不屬利未人的凡民立為祭司。

閱讀經文：〈列王紀 〉上  12:20-33 

在所羅門王去世後，本來羅波安要往示劍去，因為以色列人都到了示劍，要立他做王（王上12:1）。沒有想到以色列的百姓背叛他，打死他派去的亞多蘭，他只好逃回耶路撒冷。後來反而是耶羅波安在示劍稱王。人生的變化有時和我們的計劃是不一樣的。羅波安沒有想到他會失去十個支派，只成了猶大和便雅憫支派的王；耶羅波安也沒有想到他是一個寡婦的兒子可以變成以色列王，但是他對此有感激之心嗎？

華人在海外吃自助餐的形象曾經不是很好，因為貪心拿太多，吃不完就浪費了。這種習慣是不是因為以前曾經餓肚子，所以現在看到食物就恨不得一口氣把它們都吃下去，以後兩三年都不用愁？耶羅波安很可能也有這樣的憂心情結。小時候在單親家庭長大，是否經常被人欺負？因而發奮圖強，終於被所羅門王看上，出人頭地。沒想到被先知預言為王的事被所羅門王知道後要殺他，只好逃到埃及。現在終於做了以色列王，在萬人之上，何等榮耀的時刻。但是他的心裡升起的卻不是對神的感恩，而是唯恐失去的恐懼。

他的第一個念頭是：“恐怕這國仍歸大衛家。這民若上耶路撒冷去，在耶和華的殿裡獻祭，他們的心必歸向他們的主猶大王羅波安，就把我殺了，仍歸猶大王羅波安。”他沒有安全感，因為他對神的認識太膚淺了。不然，就是他忘了先知對他說的話，也忘了這個國家是神交付他的，反而以為這是他自己努力得來的。一個沒有安全感，不認識神的人，就會經常活在恐懼和嫉妒、猜疑之中。因為他們總以為只能用自己的能力去把握住自己的一切，他們害怕失去。所以一個認識神的信實之人，就不會患得患失，這種自信來自於對神的信心。因為認識神，才會產生信心。你對神的認識有多少，你的信心就有多大。

Learning to Trust Even When You Don’t Understand

2021-10-17 in /by

Today’s passage is Leviticus 11:1-47.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 11:1-47 (NIV)
1  The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
2  “Say to the Israelites: ‘Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat:
3  You may eat any animal that has a split hoof completely divided and that chews the cud.
4  “‘There are some that only chew the cud or only have a split hoof, but you must not eat them. The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a split hoof; it is ceremonially unclean for you.
5  The coney, though it chews the cud, does not have a split hoof; it is unclean for you.
6  The rabbit, though it chews the cud, does not have a split hoof; it is unclean for you…….

On verses 1-47:  What was God’s criteria for determining that certain creatures were clean and permissible for the Israelites to eat while calling other creatures unclean and forbidden to eat?  Over the centuries people have tried to come up with different explanations, but it seems that the best explanation for why certain animals were considered clean and certain animals were unclean is simply this:  God said so.  In other words, it wasn’t necessarily because there was anything inherently wrong, evil, inferior or dangerous about the “unclean” animals or anything especially good, healthy or beneficial about the “clean” animals.  Rather, it was simply a distinction God in His wisdom chose to make and expected the Israelites to follow.

What can we learn from this?  The first lesson is that sometimes God will tell us to do something where we do not or cannot understand His reasons why.  That is where faith and humility come in. Instead of insisting that we must understand or agree with God’s reasoning before we will obey, we are to trust God that He knows better than we do.  Our obedience to God’s commands is not conditional on our understanding of God’s commands.

《聖經中各種審判》6 — 對雅各與利百加的審判

2021-10-15 in , /by

上帝主權的預定

上帝對以掃的審判是一件令人感到非常害怕的事。同樣是以撒所生的兒子，這兩個兒子還沒有生出來以前，兩個人還沒有任何行爲、動作，上帝說：「我愛雅各，我恨以掃」，這不是上帝的偏待，而是上帝按祂絕對的主權與智慧所定的，我們無法完全理解，也不能改變上帝的主權，上帝這個決定是建立在祂永恆的主權上。如果我們說上帝這樣不公義，你這樣是否定上帝的主權與智慧。在事情發展以後，你發現很多人為的因素是人沒有看見的，上帝早就知道。這無窮的智慧與絕對的主權、神決定的事情，是超現象所能看見的。關於聖經的預定論、主權論，上帝按祂意志的自由所定之事的奧祕，引起很多人認為自己比上帝智慧，認為上帝是錯的，但事實不是如此。歷史的過程顯明人的錯誤。上帝不接納該隱的祭物，接納亞伯的祭物，該隱就發脾氣，用強健的體力把弟弟殺死，並且向上帝強嘴說：「我豈是看顧我兄弟的嗎？」上帝回答亞伯說：「如果你行得好，我難道不會接納你所獻的祭嗎？罪正等待向你撲面而來，你要制服罪對你的轄制。你若行得好，我會接納你；你若行得不好，你要制服罪。」這表示人在道德上，應該有行善的主動，否則的話，罪不會讓你平安度過。人應當制服罪惡。

恩典是在神的主權範圍下　審判是在人的行為範圍下

這不是因為恩典的問題，而是因為罪惡的問題。蒙恩是出於神的主動，神的憐憫不是出於人的行為、人的功勞，更不是人所應當得的。我們明白這兩件事的關係：在犯罪的事情，人是主動；在審判的事情上，上帝是主動的；在蒙恩的事情上，人是被動的；在施恩的事情上，上帝是主動的。上帝對該隱說：「你若行得好，豈不蒙悅納？但你今天行得不好，是因為你是罪人。我今天施恩給亞伯，不是你可以干預的事情。」上帝為什麼在雅各以及以掃生下之前，就說：「我愛雅各，我恨以掃」？以掃的行為實實在在不蒙上帝悅納。雅各蒙恩是因神的主權，以撒被棄是因自己的罪。管教與審判是完全不同的範圍。希伯來書第九章說：「基督既然一次被獻，擔當了多人的罪，將來要向那等候他的人第二次顯現，並與罪無關。」（來9:28）羅馬書說：「我要憐憫誰就憐憫誰，要恩待誰就恩待誰。」（羅9:15 ）人得救，不是出於人的權柄、資格，也是不靠著人的行為，因為人若按上帝的公義受審判，是應當下地獄的，但是上帝要把恩典賜給一些人，人不能干預神的主權。在審判的事情上，是照著人的行為應當受的審判來審判。神的恩典是祂主權的範圍，神的審判是人犯罪的範圍。聖經告訴我們上帝的恩典與審判是照著兩個不同的範圍，讓我們看清楚神工作的範圍是什麼。

Don’t Impair Your Judgment

2021-10-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 10:8-20.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 10:8-11 (NIV)
8  Then the LORD said to Aaron,
9  “You and your sons are not to drink wine or other fermented drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.
10  You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean,
11  and you must teach the Israelites all the decrees the LORD has given them through Moses.”

On verses 8-11:  Why did God tell Aaron in verses 8-9 that he and his sons must not drink wine when they go to meet with Him in the Tent of Meeting?  It’s because as priests Aaron and his sons could not afford to have their judgment impaired by anything, including alcohol.  As worship leaders, they needed a clear mind to distinguish what God considered clean from what God considered unclean (verse 10).  As teachers of God’s decrees, they needed a clear mind to instruct the people wisely and effectively (verse 11).  

In fact, yesterday in Leviticus 10:1-2, we read about a lapse in judgment by Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu.  Was that lapse of judgment because Nadab and Abihu were drunk on wine while they served in the worship service?  It’s not clear.  

羅波安和耶羅波安

2021-10-14 in , /by

〈列王紀〉上12:15  王不肯依從百姓，這事乃出於耶和華，為要應驗他藉示羅人亞希雅對尼八的兒子耶羅波安所說的話。

閱讀經文：〈列王紀 〉上  12:1-19 

在羅波安尚未做王時，要被按立之前，他碰到一個很大的考驗。羅波安，所羅門的兒子，在王宮中長大的王子，享受了大半生的榮華富貴。他能明白民生的疾苦嗎？耶羅波安，一個寡婦的兒子，殷勤工作而得到所羅門的賞賜，成為管理所有以色列家工程的總管，他對於百姓的理解又如何？當所羅門過世之後，以色列人去埃及請耶羅波安回來，可見在百姓心中，耶羅波安是他們推舉的領袖，也是可以替他們說話的人。百姓請耶羅波安去見羅波安，希望羅波安可以減輕他們的重擔。可見所羅門做了四十年的王，老百姓也幹了四十年的苦工雜役，實在苦不堪言。所羅門忙著建設各樣的工事，以及後宮的享樂，卻沒有想到百姓已經叫苦連天。

大衛交待下來的只是建造聖殿，只用了七年的時間，其他的時間都是為了所羅門的宮殿，以及成就所羅門的野心和王室的慾望。只是奴役百姓，卻沒有付代價的工作，百姓怎能不叫苦連天？在〈撒母耳記〉第八章，神已經警告以色列人：「管轄你們的王必這樣行，他必派你們的兒子為他趕車，跟馬，奔走在車前；又派他們做千夫長、五十夫長，為他耕種田地，收割莊稼，打造軍器和車上的器械。必取你們的女兒為他製造香膏，做飯烤餅。也必取你們最好的田地、葡萄園、橄欖園賜給他的臣僕。你們的糧食和葡萄園所出的，他必取十分之一給他的太監和臣僕。又必取你們的僕人婢女，健壯的少年人和你們的驢，供他的差役。你們的羊群他必取十分之一，你們也必做他的僕人。那時你們必因所選的王哀求耶和華，耶和華卻不應允你們。」所羅門所取之於百姓的，比神所形容的更有過之而無不及。

When Our Plans Backfire

2021-10-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 10:1-7.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 10:1-2 (NIV)
1  Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command.
2  So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.

On verses 1-2:  In Leviticus 9, we saw that when the Israelites assembled together and collectively acknowledged their sin, and when Aaron the high priest painstakingly obeyed God in giving the required offerings and had a heart to bless the people, that’s when the glory of the Lord appeared to them all.  Fire from God’s presence, representing God’s favour and blessing, consumed the offerings.  In other words, what led to God powerfully showing up among His people was unity and humility on the part of the people, and obedience and a heart to bless on the part of the high priest.  And when God showed up, the people rejoiced and fell down in worship.

Isn’t that the result every church leader wants?  Don’t we all want God’s glory to show up and for everyone at church to rejoice and fall down in worship?  But Leviticus 10 teaches us an important lesson: HOW you get there is important.

所羅門的內憂外患

2021-10-13 in , /by

〈列王紀〉上 11:30   亞希雅將自己穿的那件新衣撕成十二片。

閱讀經文：〈列王紀 〉上  11:14-43 

以東人哈達的故事真是讓人著迷。他原是以東王的後裔，但是因為以東王輸給大衛王，所有的男丁都被約押帶人去殺死了。約押在以東停留了六個月，為要剪除所有以東的男人。目的是讓他們在短期內不能報仇，但是沒有殺他們的幼童。我們看以東的地形，就明白為何約押必須在以東六個月，才能把所有的男丁殺死，因為那麼多山洞的地方，要找到所有的人還真不容易。以東王的僕人帶著幼童王子哈達逃到埃及，埃及王對哈達極為賞識，把自己的妻妹給他做妻子，生了兒子，又讓他和王子們一起成長，以王子的待遇相待。當所羅門做王時，哈達聽到約押這個讓人聞之膽寒的仇人死了，於是決定回去重建以東。回去以東之後，哈達卧薪嚐膽、努力不懈，終於建立了自己的軍隊，開始向所羅門王挑戰。

而此時的所羅門王已經失去了猛將約押，其他的戰士也因為太平了幾十年，而不再像大衛王時期的勇士們那麼精悍勇猛。因此以東時時的犯境成為以色列國境的一個大問題。以東在以色列的南邊；而神也在以色列的北邊興起另一個敵人利遜。利遜曾經伺候瑣巴王哈達德謝，在大衛王攻擊瑣巴人時，這個心懷異軌的僕人背叛了他的主人，招聚了一群人，跑到大馬士革自立為王。有學者認為，利遜就是〈列王紀〉上15:18所説的希旬，若是如此，那利遜就是叙利亞王朝的開國君主，亞蘭就是叙利亞。哈達和利遜一在南一在北，時時進犯以色列，南北交攻，使所羅門不堪其擾。對大衛而言，治服這兩個小賊可能只是小菜一碟，但是對未經戰事的所羅門而言，卻如芒刺在身，苦不堪言。這是所羅門的外患。

所羅門有何內憂呢？所羅門曾經看中一個年輕人耶羅波安，看他做事殷勤，就派他監管約瑟家的一切工程。約瑟家是以色列的另一稱號。可能在修建米羅時，耶羅波安和所羅門有不同的意見，所以他對所羅門有所不滿。作者甚至用：「他舉手攻擊王」來表示當時衝突之嚴重性。然後，先知亞希雅在路上遇見耶羅波安時，就把自己的新衣撕成十二片，交給耶羅波安十片。預表神要把十個支派交給耶羅波安管理。這件事被所羅門王知道了，當然不能容忍此事的發生。事情又回到好像掃羅知道撒母耳膏大衛做王之後，就不斷地追捕大衛，要把他去之而後快。所羅門也因而要殺耶羅波安，後者便逃到埃及。

How to Experience More of God’s Presence

2021-10-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 9:1-24.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 9:1-6 (NIV)
1  On the eighth day Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel.
2  He said to Aaron, “Take a bull calf for your sin offering and a ram for your burnt offering, both without defect, and present them before the LORD.
3  Then say to the Israelites: ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, a calf and a lamb–both a year old and without defect–for a burnt offering,
4  and an ox and a ram for a fellowship offering to sacrifice before the LORD, together with a grain offering mixed with oil. For today the LORD will appear to you.'”
5  They took the things Moses commanded to the front of the Tent of Meeting, and the entire assembly came near and stood before the LORD.
6  Then Moses said, “This is what the LORD has commanded you to do, so that the glory of the LORD may appear to you.”

On verses 1-6:  Seven days after Aaron has been ordained to serve as the high priest (Leviticus 8), Moses tells Aaron to present a number of offerings.  First, he is to present a sin offering and a burnt offering for his own sins.  Second, he is to present a sin offering and a burnt offering for the sins of the people (v3). Third, he is to present a fellowship offering and a grain offering to God (v4).  The reason Moses tells Aaron to present all these offerings is because: “For today the Lord will appear to you” (v4), and “so that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.” (v6)   

What Is The Difference Between A Sin Offering, Guilt Offering and Burnt Offering?

2021-10-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 8:18-36.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 8:18-21 (NIV)
18  He then presented the ram for the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.
19  Then Moses slaughtered the ram and sprinkled the blood against the altar on all sides.
20  He cut the ram into pieces and burned the head, the pieces and the fat.
21  He washed the inner parts and the legs with water and burned the whole ram on the altar as a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the LORD by fire, as the LORD commanded Moses.

On verses 18-21:  After sacrificing a bull as a sin offering on behalf of Aaron and his sons (v14-17), here Moses presents a ram as a burnt offering for Aaron and his sons.  You may be wondering: what is the difference between the sin offering, the burnt offering and the guilt offering in terms of their purposes?  When you read Leviticus 1-7, the purposes and effects of these 3 types of sacrifices do seem to overlap.  All 3 types are used to make atonement for a person’s sins (see Leviticus 1:4 (burnt offering); 4:20, 26, 31, 35 and 5:6 (sin offering); 5:16 (guilt offering)).  The burnt offering (see Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17) and the sin offering (see Leviticus 4:31), as well as the grain offering described in Leviticus 2 and the fellowship offering described in Leviticus 3, all result in “an aroma pleasing to the Lord”.