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Glowing from God’s Presence

2022-02-20 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 34:21-35.  Let’s go!

Exodus 34:21-24 (NIV)
21  “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest.
22  “Celebrate the Feast of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year.
23  Three times a year all your men are to appear before the Sovereign LORD, the God of Israel.
24  I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your territory, and no one will covet your land when you go up three times each year to appear before the LORD your God.

On verses 21-24:  Once again God reiterates His command to the Israelites to work 6 days and to rest on the 7th day, even during plowing season and harvest (v21).  He also reiterates His command that they celebrate the Feast of Weeks, giving God the firstfruits of their wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering (v22).  These two feasts, together with the Feast of the Passover, would mark three times when the Israelites were to appear before the LORD (v23).  There must have been some Israelites who thought “we don’t have time to rest or time to appear before God because we are too busy, especially during plowing season and harvest”, but nonetheless the LORD tells the Israelites to rest on the 7th day and to gather together 3 times before Him.  God wanted the Israelites to trust in Him rather than in themselves, to remember that the LORD is more important than their business of plowing and harvesting, and that the LORD in fact is the ultimate source of their success and prosperity.  God promised that as the Israelites gathered three times before the LORD, He would not just protect their land but enlarge it and drive out the nations before them (v24).

約伯的擁有和失去

2022-02-20 in , /by

〈約伯記〉1:21 我赤身出於母胎，也必赤身歸回；賞賜的是耶和華，收取的也是耶和華。耶和華的名是應當稱頌的！

閱讀經文：〈約伯記〉1章

約伯是什麼時候的人呢？這是許多人很好奇的一個問題，根據李道生牧師的《舊約聖經問題總解（上）》中指出，約伯友人以利法是以掃的後裔（創36:10/11）；比勒達是亞伯拉罕和基土拉的兒子書亞的後裔（創25:2）；以利戶是亞伯拉罕的兄弟拿鶴之子布斯的後裔（創22:21），因此約伯的年代大約是在雅各之後，摩西之前的那一段時間。這個故事對人類的世界產生很大的影響，讓人類知道苦難的來源，有時是出於神的允許。這是人很難接受的一個事實，為何敬虔像約伯這樣的人，竟然成為神和撒旦比試的一個“器皿”？人沒有辦法理解，神怎麼可以讓撒旦把災難加諸於約伯身上，以測驗約伯的信心之真實與否？難道沒有其他更理性的方法去測驗人對神的信心嗎？

讀了約伯的故事，人人自危，深怕自己也成為神和撒旦之間的試驗品。因為人都不喜歡苦難，只希望擁有，永遠地擁有。但這個故事讓我們重新思想人的定位和神、物質的關係。大多數人都希望做王，做自己的王，一想到人只不過是神的受造物，人權在神權之下，那種衝擊之大，使他們不斷地咒罵神，覺得神對約伯的作為十分無理。神知道人的軟弱，人的恐懼和害怕。但是不管撒旦怎樣惡劣，也不敢跨出神給牠規定的範圍；同時，人也始終在神的看顧之下，在神的眼目之中。

世人大多喜愛雅比斯的禱告甚於約伯的苦難：“甚願祢賜福與我、擴張我的境界、常與我同在、保佑我不遭患難、不受艱苦。” （代上 4:10）。約伯其實也怕苦難，因此他非常警醒，他不僅自己遠離惡事，也怕兒女犯罪棄掉神而遭禍患，因此在兒女的筵宴之後，總要替他們獻祭贖罪。就像尼希米，為了避免神再次對以色列人發怒，所以很努力地要讓以色列人遵行律法，守安息日，等等。這是人的本性，不想要有災難。

以色列人重蹈覆轍

2022-02-18 in , /by

〈尼希米記〉13:22b 我的神啊，求祢因這事記念我，照祢的大慈愛憐恤我。

閱讀經文：〈尼希米記〉13章

一幌12年，當尼希米再回到耶路撒冷時，己是物是人非，在這一章裡，我們彷彿看到自己就是以色列人的化身，有那麼多的軟弱。雖然曾經在主前立誓定約，要一生跟隨主，要效法耶穌，要做主所喜悅的事，讓主的旨意成就在我們的身上。可是就像保羅的感嘆：“有誰軟弱我不軟弱呢？（林後11:29a）”也正像他說的：“立志為善由得我，只是行出來由不得我。故此，我所願意的善，我反不做；我所不願意的惡，我倒去做。（羅7:18-19）”

在尼希米做第一任省長時，百姓在先知的激勵和尼希米的榜樣帶領，以斯拉用律法教導時，他們愛神的心何等火熱，首領都去簽約要守律法，百姓也發誓要遵從神的律例典章，但是當尼希米離開耶路撒冷，再從巴比倫回到耶路撒冷時，一切都不再一樣了。最基本的，要與閒雜人絕交的誓言，就像一陣風，無影無蹤。曾經帶領眾祭司建立羊門，安立門扇，又築城牆到哈米亞樓直到哈楠業樓的祭司以利亞實竟然監守自盜。先是和亞捫人多比雅結為親家，又把聖殿裡的一間大屋子給多比雅住。

以利亞實是聖殿中管庫房的，反而把庫房裡敬拜要用的素祭、乳香、器皿，以及供應利未人、歌唱和守門的要吃的五穀、新酒和油都搬到別的地方去了。他很可能把這些東西和食物都貪為己用，以致於那些服侍神的人無糧可吃，只好回去自己的田地去耕種。如此一來，聖殿就形同虛設，因為沒有人做事了。

Don’t Waste Your Life

2022-02-18 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 34:10-20.  Let’s go!

Exodus 34:10-16 (NIV)
10  Then the LORD said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the LORD, will do for you.
11  Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
12  Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you.
13  Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles.
14  Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
15  “Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land; for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will eat their sacrifices.
16  And when you choose some of their daughters as wives for your sons and those daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will lead your sons to do the same.

On verses 10-16:  God was committed to doing wonders among the Israelites never before done in any other nation (v10).  His plan was that other nations would see how awesome is the work that God would do on behalf of the Israelites (v10) and as part of this to drive out six of the nations that the Israelites would encounter (v11).  However, God needed the Israelites’ cooperation for this plan to fully be realized and thus God tells them to “Obey what I command you today” (v11).  In particular, God tells the Israelites not to make treaties with other nations (v12) and not to worship other gods (v13-14).  

Go to God with a Blank Slate

2022-02-17 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 34:1-9.  Let’s go!

Exodus 34:1-4 (NIV)
1  The LORD said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.
2  Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai. Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain.
3  No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain.”
4  So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the LORD had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands.

On verses 1-4:  Moses had broken the first tablets containing the LORD’s writing, and so the LORD take the initiative to instruct Moses to bring to Him new tablets of stone for the LORD to write on again.  What can we learn from this?  First, God is in the business of taking what we have broken and making it new again.  He is a restorer.

Second, just as the LORD told Moses to appear privately before Him with two blank stone tablets for the LORD to write on, every day may we privately appear before the LORD with a blank slate, ready and waiting to hear from God and open to letting Him speak in whatever way He wants. While we have the privilege of coming to God with our cares and our burdens, just as often if not more often, we need to come to God without any agenda, except to simply be with God and to let Him speak into our lives and write into our hearts whatever He thinks we need.

城牆告成之禮

2022-02-17 in , /by

〈尼希米記〉12:27耶路撒冷城牆告成的時候，眾民就把各處的利未人招到耶路撒冷，要稱謝、歌唱、敲鈸、鼓瑟、彈琴，歡歡喜喜地行告成之禮。

閱讀經文：〈尼希米記〉12章

看到今天的經文，你會不會像我一樣，發出一聲哀號慘叫：天啊，又是一堆人名！這些人名好像跟我們一點關係也沒有，可是對以色列人而言，卻是十分重要的記錄。因為安排事工，追尋祖源都要靠它。這些人名也表示了當時記錄的人之工作心態，何等認真一點也不馬虎。我們現在雖然不知道他們是誰，但相信有一天到了天父那裡，還有機會跟他們打招呼，變成好朋友。

從聽到回歸之人的苦境到建立城牆，尼希米和同代之人深深明白為什麼先知撒迦利亞說：“萬軍之耶和華說：不是倚靠勢力，不是倚靠才能，乃是倚靠我的靈方能成事”（亞4:6）。從外邦人對他們的輕視、擾亂，甚至性命的威脅，到城牆的完工，充滿了緊張和壓力的52天，他們終於在神的恩典裡把耶路撒冷的城牆修建好了，敵人不能隨便地進來，他們總算稍微可以喘一口氣，過幾天安心的日子。

因此他們要稱謝，要歡呼，要把心裡的喜樂和苦楚都釋放出來。他們要藉著歌唱、敲鈸、鼓瑟、彈琴，歡歡喜喜地行告成之禮。從這個告成之禮，我們可以看到大衛王所設立的制度對以色列人的影響深遠。以色列的音樂之所以特殊迷人，不在於輕快的樂音，還有許多靈魂深處的傾訴和交托，他們和神之間那種相依相附的親密，飄盪在無數個世代的悖逆與歸回交結中，充滿感傷卻又十分甜蜜。從大衛的詩篇裡，就傳達了這種對神的無比渴慕之情。這稱謝、歌唱、敲鈸、鼓瑟、彈琴的祭禱方式，便是從大衛王開始的。

Experiencing the Rest of God’s Presence

2022-02-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 33:12-23.  Let’s go!

Exodus 33:12-17 (NIV)
12  Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’
13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”……

On verses 12-17:  Here Moses pleads with the LORD, crying out for the LORD to teach him His ways (v13) and pleading for the LORD’s presence to be with them (v16).  When the LORD replies by saying, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (v14), it’s a reminder that with God’s presence comes rest – both for our immediate present and for our long-term future.  There is an almost immediate rest that comes when we are in God’s presence with soft hearts, and there is also a long-term rest that comes with having God’s presence. 

百姓掣籤住耶路撒冷

2022-02-16 in , /by

〈尼希米記〉11:2 凡甘心樂意住在耶路撒冷的，百姓都為他們祝福。

閱讀經文：〈尼希米記〉11章

在這一章裡，我們看到尼希米面臨一種困境，大家都不想住耶路撒冷。此時的耶路撒冷十分荒涼，又有許多外邦人雜居在此。回歸的猶大人都想回到自己支派的屬地住，安安靜靜地過日子，重打根基。誰也不想在耶路撒冷戰戰兢兢，過著擔心受怕的日子。但是耶路撒冷不能沒有人住，更不能沒有人防守，區區五萬回歸的人根本就不夠用，要是大家都只為自己著想，那麼耶路撒冷就會再度淪入外邦人的手裡。

因此他們採用掣籤的方法，十個抽一個，被抽到的人就留住耶路撒冷。掣籤的方法使人認為結果是出於天命，天命不可違，便沒有紛爭了。就好像台灣的服兵役，也是用掣籤的方法，海陸空抽到哪個就去那裡服役。但是還有另一種留在耶路撒冷的人，他們是甘心樂意住在耶路撒冷，他們也是為了興旺耶路撒冷才回來的。這樣的人，百姓都為他們祝福。祝福是希望神與他們同在，有神的保守，神的預備和供應。

還有另一批人也是心甘情願地留在耶路撒冷，便是一些首領、祭司和利未人，他們的名字都記錄下來了。因為聖殿若沒有祭司、利未人和尼提寧（在聖殿工作者），敬拜和獻祭的事便無法按章進行。這些人當中還包括了不少大能的勇士，表示他們當中有善戰者，可以負起打仗之責。

簽名誓遵摩西所傳律法

2022-02-15 in , /by

〈尼希米記〉10:32 我們又為自己定例，每年各人捐銀一舍客勒三分之一，為我們神殿的使用。

閱讀經文：〈尼希米記〉10章

想到以色列的首領、祭司和利未人一個個到台上簽名，與神重新立約，要守神的律法時，那種心裡的感動真是難以平復。彷彿看到一對對婚姻破裂的夫妻，重新到神的面前立約，要照主的話彼此相愛。重燃愛火，被神那永不改變的愛感動，因而願意重新獻上自己，再次為主而活。這樣的愛讓他們願意多走一里路，不僅守律法，更願意每年多捐銀一舍客勒三分之一，作為聖殿的使用。

別小看了這多捐的銀一舍客勒三分之一，換算起來大概只有現在的3美元，因為一舍克勒的銀子大約是2.2美元。但是對於當時的人是一筆不少的錢，因為每個人的贖罪銀也只收半舍克勒，好讓窮人也可以付得起。更重要的是，這是他們自發要給神的，神沒有向他們要，但是他們自願在神所定的十分之一之外，加上這筆錢。這自發的心意要比錢的多少更加使神喜悅。就好像有的孩子放學回家後會自動替父母分擔家務，不必叫他，就會幫母親把地板掃一掃，幫父親把垃圾倒掉。這些雖然不是大事，都是雞毛蒜皮的家務。但是看在父母的眼裡，該是何等欣慰！

因為心裡有愛，才會心甘情願地付出。雅各說，沒有行為的信心是死的；換個說法，沒有行為的愛也是死的。父母愛孩子，所以再多的付出也不心疼；夫妻之間若彼此相愛，也會勇於付出。因為只有愛，可以使金錢眨值。假如夫妻之間有一方把金錢看得比配偶還重要時，配偶會有怎樣的感覺？能夠感受到對方的愛嗎？不可能。如此生活下去，必然越走越分歧，失去了起初的真心。人若把錢看得太重，必然使愛他的人感到傷心和不值。因此主耶穌在復活之後問彼得：“你愛我比這些更深嗎？” “這些”指的便是世上的財物、事業和養生的一切。人若不能分別“這些”的價值，和神與人何者為重，便無法享有真愛的甘美。

Go Out of Your Way to Meet with God

2022-02-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 33:1-11.  Let’s go!

Exodus 33:1-6 (NIV)
1  Then the LORD said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’
2  I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
3  Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”
4  When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn and no one put on any ornaments.
5  For the LORD had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.'”
6  So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.

On verses 1-6: In His mercy the LORD allowed the Israelites to proceed to the promised land even after they had broken His law by committing idolatry. In His anger the LORD proposed that He not join them on the rest of their journey lest the Israelites in their stubbornness sin again and compel Him to strike them down in His anger. Instead, the LORD would send His angel to go before them.  Yet the prospect of going forward without the LORD’s personal presence was a depressing and sad one for Moses and the Israelites. Even if they were to reach the promised land, what good would it be if they didn’t have the personal presence of God?