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祭司的一天

2021-09-13 in , /by

〈历代志〉上 24:19  这就是他们的班次，要照耶和华以色列的神藉他们祖宗亚伦所吩咐的条例，进入耶和华的殿办理事务。

阅读经文：〈历代志 〉上 24章

亚伦和子孙被神拣选去供祭司的职份。在西乃旷野时，亚伦和儿子们承接圣职，因为拿答和亚比户没有按著神的吩咐，擅自取用凡火献给神，当场被从神那里出来的火烧死（利10:2）。拿答和亚比户那时还年轻，没有儿子；因此亚伦只剩两个儿子以利亚撒和以他玛，及其后裔来服侍神。以利亚撒的子孙中有十六个族长，以他玛的子孙中有八个族长，加起来共有廿四个族长，负责带领各族在每周和安息日时，轮流进去圣殿中服侍。他们采用掣签的方式来安排各班（族）的工作时间，因为用掣签的方式可以避免纷争和不满。

在前一章（代上23章）里有提到，大卫数点了卅岁以上的利未人共有三万八千人，其中有二万四千人管理耶和华殿的事，有六千人做官长和士师，有四千人做守门的，又有四千人用大卫所做的乐器颂赞耶和华。 圣殿究竟有多少工作，需要用这么多人呢？今天我们要借用以色列圣殿学院的一些资料，和大家一起来看看祭司的工作内容。所以我们称其为“祭司的一天”。祭司的一天从轮班前住进去开始。圣殿两旁有祭司的宿舍供值班的祭司们住宿。

祭司起床后，要漱洗洁净自己，然后彼此帮助，换上祭司服。我们来看看祭司们的工作有哪几方面。昨天我们也谈到为何有的经文说利未人廿岁就要去参与耶和华殿的事务，有的经文说卅岁。有的圣经学者指出，那是因为廿岁是开始当“学徒”，卅岁才能正式任职的原因。那么他们要学哪些事情呢？从他们早上起床后就要掣签分工开始，就晓得工作的分配十分公平，必须什么都会做，不能只会一两样，抽到什么工作都要去做。

Find The Big BUT In Every Problem

2021-09-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Corinthians 4:7-12.  Let’s go!

2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV)
7  But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

On verse 7:   The Corinthians were aware to some degree of Paul’s trials, hardships and weaknesses and some Corinthians would even say that these trials, hardships and weaknesses are evidence that Paul is not a “super apostle”.  Paul responds by likening his faith and God’s Holy Spirit inside to a treasure that resides in a weak, brittle jar of clay – i.e. himself.  This is consistent with Paul’s point in verse 5 that he is not here to preach about how good and strong he is but about how great and strong God is.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NIV) 
8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 
9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 

On verses 8-9:  I love Paul’s attitude.  No matter how many problems Paul faced, Paul was found a big BUT in every problem. “We are hard pressed on every side, BUT not crushed; perplexed, BUT no in despair; persecuted, BUT not abandoned; struck down, BUT not destroyed.”

利未人之职任

2021-09-12 in , /by

〈历代志上〉  上 23:26 利未人不必再抬帐幕和其中所用的一切器皿了。

阅读经文：〈历代志 〉上 23章

在〈历代志上〉的廿三章里给了我们一个明确的概念，以色列人面临一个敬拜的转型，利未人面临新的事奉方式的挑战。这些组织和重整都是大卫在位时所做的安排。大卫王不仅是军事家，使外邦各国都臣服，对内他也有很周密的思考，使利未人的事奉比以前更加的完备。大卫既然有建造圣殿的计划，就不能不考虑到利未人在事奉上的转型。以前约柜在会幕里，每到一处，利未人就要负责抬帐幕和其中所用的一切器皿；但是现在大卫已经把会幕搬到耶路撒冷，而且要盖圣殿作为约柜永久的居所，因此事奉的转型是无可避免的。

利未是雅各的第三个儿子，原本性情十分暴躁凶狠。当示剑沾污他的妹妹底拿后，他和西缅欺骗了示剑的家人，叫他们的男人全部要行割礼。趁着他们在疼痛之际，把他们全部杀掉。因此雅各论到利未时说：“西缅和利未是弟兄；他们的刀剑是强暴的器械。 我的荣耀阿，不要与他们联合聚集；因为他们趁怒杀害人命，任意砍断牛腿大筋。”但是这个咒诅在摩西时被更改为祝福：“耶和华啊，你的土明和乌陵都在你的虔诚人那里。这是因利未人遵行你的话，谨守你的约。他们要将你的典章教训雅各，将你的律法教训以色列。他们要把香焚在你面前，把全牲的燔祭献在你的坛上。求耶和华降福在他的财物上，悦纳他手里所办的事。那些起来攻击他和恨恶他的人，愿你刺透他们的腰，使他们不得再起来。（节录自申33:8-11）”

土明和乌陵是祭司用来寻求神的心意之物，“把香焚在你面前，把全牲的燔祭献在你的坛上”，更是祭司的职责。神把为以色列人事奉神的责任交给利未人，把利未人从一个被咒诅的景况下，变成蒙祝福的一个支派，并且还成为教导以色列民遵循神的典章和律法的支派。因为利未人遵行神的话，谨守神的约，就有这样的转变。所以我们不要因为自己的祖辈曾做过何事而在神面前自惭形秽。事实上，有越来越多曾经服事假神或偶像的人，因着神的救恩而变成传道人，到处宣扬主的福音。

When God Turned On The Lights

2021-09-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Corinthians 4:1-6.  Let’s go!

2 Corinthians 4:1 (NIV) 
1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 

On verse 1:  It’s only because of God’s mercy that we get to serve God and represent Him on this earth.  It’s a privilege and an honour that we never earned or deserved, just one of the many benefits that comes from receiving God’s gift — Jesus Christ — by faith.  If don’t feel worthy to serve God or you feel inadequate, remember: God in His mercy has saved you, chosen you and qualified you to serve Him.  So serve Him with confidence, joy, perseverance and without fear.

2 Corinthians 4:2 (NIV) 
2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 

On verse 2:  Since it is because of God’s mercy that we can serve God and be called ministers in His kingdom, we don’t need to pretend to be someone we’re not, or act as if it all depends on us.  Rather, we can just “set forth the truth plainly”.  The truth of what?  The truth of who God is as revealed in Jesus Christ and the truth of who we are, mere sinners who have been saved by His grace, who still make mistakes but who are loved, accepted and chosen by God through Jesus Christ.

《圣经中各种审判》—— 导论

2021-09-10 in , /by

审判、畏惧与改变

真神所行的真正的审判，谁能担当得住呢？当主显现的时候，谁能站立得住呢？真正了解这句话的人，知道审判这件事是很可怕的，因有了警戒，产生非常机动性生活上的改变。这不是在宗教中想像空无一物的神话，而是实际与上帝有一个相对性存在的关系，在互动上有应尽的责任，因敬畏上帝产生行为上的果子。

真实的上帝执行真正的审判的时候，人会产生惧怕、敬畏与改善的动力。我们没有办法因为动机上的敬畏改变我们的生活，我们要恐惧颤惊来到上帝面前，因上帝的审判产生的畏惧而有改变。摩西写下最古老的人生之诗──〈诗篇〉九十篇，比大卫所写的诗早五百年，「有谁按你当受的敬畏惧怕你，照你公义审判有所觉悟，过一个该有的公义生活呢？」（参：诗 90:11）盼望上帝借着这项真理带给你我生命的改变，成为我们活在上帝面前的一大动力。

上帝不仅是有公义、有真理的上帝，上帝乃是公义的本体、真理的本体，这不是本质上与上帝迥然有别的被造者所能想像的。上帝就是那圣者、那义者，祂不是有圣洁、有公义而已。〈使徒行传〉第七章，司提反说：「那义者到你们中间来，你们竟然杀死他」（徒 7:52），表示人多么痛恨上帝，不敬畏上帝；袒护犯罪的自己，抗拒上帝干涉我们的生命，这就是我们因不敬畏上帝所产生的态度。

上帝不但有公义、有圣洁，祂是那圣者、那义者。本体与客体不同的地方，在于追求真理的人，应当降服于公义的上帝，作为降服于上帝权威之下的敬拜者。当上帝的公义发出光来，我们从祂的审判得着警惕、光照与改正，也得到上帝的悦纳。

Why You Can Be Bold and Hopeful

2021-09-09 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Corinthians 3:7-18.  Let’s go!

2 Corinthians 3:7-12 (NIV)
7  Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was,
8  will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?
9  If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!
10  For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory.
11  And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
12  Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.

On verses 7-12:  What is Paul talking about in verse 7?  Paul is alluding to an incident from Exodus 34:29-35 where Moses carried two stone tablets containing God’s law (in particular, the Ten Commandments) to the people.  As Moses came down the mountain carrying God’s law, Moses’ face radiated with God’s glory so much so that the people were afraid and asked him to cover his face with a veil.  

Paul recalls this incident as a way to say that the old covenant, represented by Moses and the Ten Commandments, was glorious even though it was temporary (v7, 11), performance-based, and brought death (v7) and condemnation (v9) to people. 

大卫嘱所罗门建殿

2021-09-09 in , /by

〈历代志〉上 22:11 但愿耶和华赐你聪明、智慧，好治理以色列国，遵行耶和华你神的律法。

阅读经文：〈历代志 〉上 22章

因为〈撒母耳记〉／〈列王纪〉／〈历代志〉这三卷书有的记载同样的事情，所以我们读完〈撒母耳记〉／〈列王纪〉之后，不会再去读〈历代志〉。因此〈历代志〉有记载，而〈撒母耳记〉／〈列王纪〉没有记载的，我们会在此补充。〈历代志上〉22-29章可以帮助我们对圣殿有更深一层的认识。因此在进入〈列王纪〉之前，我们会先把〈历代志上〉这几章也稍微读一遍。在这一章里记载了大卫对建造圣殿所做的预备。

在〈撒母耳记下〉七章里，大卫住在自己的宫殿，想到神的约柜尚在会幕之中，便兴起想为神建殿的心意。先知拿单也觉得这是一件美事，以为神必喜悦。没想到，神告诉拿单，祂不要大卫为祂建殿，因为大卫在多次的战争里流了多人的血，因此神要大卫的儿子所罗门做和平之王，在和平的时代里为祂建殿。大卫虽然有遗憾，却并不气馁。反而更积极地为建殿的事工做各方面的准备。

大卫的心态很值我们学习，有时我们有热心，想为主做一些事，但那些事是不是主要我们去做的？以前有位朋友和他的太太每年都去大陆传福音，后来有一年，他们突然发现，神已经把许多国内的同胞都送到温哥华了，为何舍近求远？当他们开始在本地传福音后，发现那些信主的人很自然就回去向家人和朋友传福音了，这样的效果是他们始料未及的。我们想做的事，不一定就是神要我们做的；所以我们有什么感动，都要在神面前好好祷告，求印证。若是凭热心事奉，一旦热度减低，就很难继续事奉；反而是寻求了神的印证和带领的事奉，即使受到挫折，也能持续下去。

“New Covenant” Versus “Old Covenant” – What’s the Difference and Why Does It Matter?

2021-09-08 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Corinthians 3:1-6.  Let’s go!

2 Corinthians 3:1-3 (NIV)
1  Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you?
2  You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody.
3  You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

On verses 1 to 3:  When Paul wrote 2 Corinthians, a number of people in his church were questioning his authority as an “apostle”, that is, as a leader who plants and leads a church. They compared Paul to other individuals who were known as “super apostles” (2 Corinthians 11:5 and 12:11), who looked more impressive than Paul was, and who brought with them letters of recommendation talking about their credentials.  They thought, “Look at Paul.  He faces problems, defeats and disappointments all the time, and he doesn’t have any letters of recommendation.  So he mustn’t be a legitimate apostle.”  Paul understandably was hurt that the very church he planted was now questioning his authority and competence as an apostle.

In response, Paul says, “We don’t need letters of recommendation, degrees or certificates, because the best proof of our competence as apostles is you!  The fact that you continue to follow Christ as a community — is that not proof that God has been working through us?” (vv2-3).

Ironically, in the end it was Paul — the guy whose authority was questioned because he went through so much criticism, opposition and difficulty and wasn’t afraid to share about it  — who ended up having the lasting legacy, whereas those super apostles faded out of history.

大卫数点百姓

2021-09-08 in , /by

〈撒母耳记〉下 24:14 大卫对迦得说：「我甚为难。我愿落在耶和华的手里，因为他有丰盛的怜悯，我不愿落在人的手里。」

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记〉下 24章

我们要先思考一个问题，因为〈撒母耳记〉／〈列王记〉和〈历代志〉上下这几卷书都有许多记载雷同之处，所以读这几卷书时，若互相对照，就可以有更清楚的理解。当然其中也有的记载同一件事，但有不同的角度和看法。例如在本章中，大卫数点人数后的数目和〈历代志〉上21章的数目不一样。根据圣经学者的看法：由于代上21:6 特别提到利未人和便雅悯人没有数在其中，所以我们可以推断两本书在记载上有的包括某些人，有的不包括某些人。代上21:5 的数字包括了以色列的常备军，288,000人（代上27:1 – 15 的十二班，每班24000人），以及守卫耶路撒冷的特别部队，和在屯车的城邑里的12000人（代下一：14）。从一百一十万减去这些数字，就得到撒下24:5 的八十万了。代上21:5的犹大人可能没有包括正规军三万（撒下六：1）。

第二个要思考的问题是，在本章里说是神向以色列人发怒，所以激动大卫去数点百姓；在代上21章则记载是撒旦起来攻击以色列人，所以激动大卫去数点百姓。新译本把此处的“激动”，译为“引诱”。既然不是神就是撒旦，那怎么可以处罚大卫或百姓呢？这是一个很困难的问题，笔者也不打算在这里解释，因为我不是他们当中的任何一位，无法代答。但是有一件事，本章里提到神向以色列人发怒。为何神会向以色列人发怒呢？从历史（例如：士师记）来看，都是在以色列人开始拜偶像时，神就会向他们发怒。撒旦又怎样能引诱大卫呢？最简单的就是大卫的骄傲。神也曾经要摩西数点以色列人，以便划分军队；但是当大卫要数算时，连约押都反对，以致于没有去算利未人和便雅悯人。连约押都觉得不该去做的事，可见当中有问题，动机的问题。不是为了需要，而是为了自己的荣耀。当一个人功成名就时，要不骄傲还真的很困难。以色列人和大卫有没有罪，大家一起想想看。

How to Serve God Well

2021-09-07 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Corinthians 2:12-17.  Let’s go!

2 Corinthians 2:12-13 (NIV)
12  Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me,
13  I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-by to them and went on to Macedonia.

On verses 12-13:  Have you ever anxiously awaited a response from someone – maybe a text, an e-mail, a phone call – and found yourself unable to focus much on anything else until you get their response?  That was Paul’s situation.  Paul had gone to the city of Troas to preach the gospel and found that people were responding positively to his message (“the Lord had opened a door for me” – v12).  But Paul was distracted because at the same time he was waiting for Titus to give him an update on how the Corinthian church was doing, especially after Paul had written a strong letter rebuking them.   When he did not Titus in Troas, Paul decided to leave Troas despite the good work that was going on there, and go to Macedonia. 

What can we learn from this?  Because Paul was distracted by the state of his relationship with the Corinthian church, Paul couldn’t really focus on the mission to share the gospel with people in Troas.  The state of our relationships can have a real impact on our ability to focus on our work and do our work well.  It can also affect our ability to bless and lead others.  It’s no wonder that Jesus tells us to seek reconciliation and peace in our relationships before offering our gift at the altar.  It’s also no wonder that Paul says that an overseer of a church needs to have a good and healthy life at home, for if my private life is out of order, I will not last or be as effective as I could be in helping others.