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From Fear To Love

2022-01-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 20:18-26.  Let’s go!

Exodus 20:18-21 (NIV)
18  When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance
19  and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”
20  Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”
21  The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

On verses 18-21:  After hearing the voice of God directly for the first time, together with thunder, lightning, a trumpet blast and a mountain on fire, the Israelites are freaking out in fear.  They stay at a distance from God.  They tell Moses that instead of hearing God’s voice directly they would prefer that Moses hear from God directly and then tell the Israelites what the LORD is saying.  Moses reassures the Israelites that this encounter was a test (v20), so that they would fear God and not sin against Him.  

This passage marked the first time in the Old Testament a large group of people got to hear the voice of God directly.  In the New Testament, the first time a large group of people get to hear the voice of God directly, it’s when Jesus the Son of God is speaking to them.  The contrast is stark: in Exodus 20:18-26, God comes with terrifying thunder.  In the New Testament, God comes as a baby.  In Exodus 20:18-26, God motivates with fear.  In the New Testament, God motivates with love.  It’s the same God, but Jesus Christ changes everything, extinguishing the wrath of God with his blood shed on the cross, emphasizing God’s love and compassion for sinners, and expressing the power of God with his resurrection.  In Exodus 20:18-26, the atmosphere is dominated by overwhelming fear.  In the New Testament and in heaven today, because of Jesus, the atmosphere is dominated by overwhelming love.

哈曼謀滅猶太人

2022-01-16 in , /by

〈以斯帖記〉3:5 哈曼見末底改不跪不拜，他就怒氣填胸。

閱讀經文：〈以斯帖記〉3

因此耶和華神曾經下令要滅絕亞瑪力人，從天下塗抹他們的名號，但是掃羅並沒有按著神的心意去做。這個哈曼在朝庭中得勢了，王抬舉他，使他高升，吩咐一切臣僕都跪拜哈曼。唯有末底改不跪也不拜。當哈曼知道原來末底改是猶大人時，他就開始有了壞心眼。他不僅要對付末底改一人，更要消滅整個猶大民族，以雪被滅族的仇恨。

為何末底改不肯跪拜哈曼呢？因為他是猶大人，猶大人己經從亡國學到功課，開始明白除了耶和華神，誰都不能拜。這又是一個很有趣的對照。在猶大尚未亡國之時，君王和百姓都不肯停止拜假神和偶像。但是亡國之後，猶大魂就顯現了。猶大魂就是代表猶大人的民族精神。但以理和他的朋友在巴比倫的表現可圈可點，尤其是他的三個朋友寧可被丟進火窯中，也不肯跪拜尼布甲尼撒做的金像；現在末底改也不肯跪拜哈曼。神對猶大人的管教總算有了一點成果。但願我們不必受管教，就離棄偶像和假神。

“普珥”是一個亞述文字，意思是“籤”；掣普珥就是掣籤，用來決定何月何日為吉。不管是巴比倫王或波斯王都有這種迷信的習俗。在巴比倫王要進攻亞捫或猶大之前，他也曾經拿犧牲的肝去占卜，決定要攻打的國家（結21:21）。在波斯的王室裡也用掣籤來選擇何時是做事的最好時日。那時是正月，掣籤出來是十二月。掣籤之後，哈曼對王進讒言，用一萬他連得銀子買到了亞哈隨魯王（以下簡稱：亞王）的同意。在這裡，亞王並沒有問清楚他想滅絕什麼人，有何原因。可能因為已經打敗了太多國家，太多民族，對亞王而言，少一個民族算得了什麼？亞王不要銀子，只要哈曼高興，真是一個糊塗之君。真正的明君實在不多。

The Ten Commandments and Jesus

2022-01-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 20:1-17.  Let’s go!

Exodus 20:1-2 (NIV)
1  And God spoke all these words:
2  “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

On verse 1:  For the first time the Israelites are hear God’s voice directly.  God’s first words to the Israelites are a declaration of who He is — “I am the LORD your God” – and what He has done “who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”  Before God came to the Israelites as a lawgiver, God first came to the Israelites as a lifegiver, a Saviour.  Similarly, when it comes to all of humanity, God’s first item of business is to save us and give us life.  Once He has done that, His second item of business is to teach us how to live now that we are saved.

Exodus 20:3-5a (NIV)
3  “You shall have no other gods before me.
4  “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
5  You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God…

盼望何處尋

2022-01-14 in , /by

我們處在嚴峻的時期，此刻我正在我的家中，位於劍橋北部的地方，因為英國政府抗疫剛頒布的限制令，你也知道英國是這場瘟疫的重災區，當然全世界的人都陷於這場災難中。這病毒在全世界帶來間接性的傷害非常嚴重，經濟困境使許多人失去他們的工作。我的預感是，在你的國家，貧窮的人是在這場瘟疫中深受傷害的，我們要紀念在這期間所有受苦的人。

盼望短缺的世界

我非常感恩有機會參加這個非常鼓舞人心的研討大會，我要講「訴說我們心中盼望的緣由」，盼望是最切身的題目。對世界各地許多人來說，或許包括一些正在聆聽這個講座的人，我們正在面對盼望的短缺，我們生活中熟悉的事都被搖動了，在這非常時期內是非常容易失去盼望的，例如：這個新冠病毒以一個非常新穎又強大的方式攻擊我們，甚至帶來死亡的威脅。我們都知道我們都會死去，但是這與我們目前所面對的，是完全不同的，因為突然間，我們發現死亡可以突然來臨，而且令人非常痛苦。所以我們要問，「哪裡可以尋見盼望？」

彼得在他的一封書信告訴我們，那封信是寫給那些在逼迫當中跟隨耶穌的門徒，彼得說：「我們若是基督徒，我們已經藉著耶穌基督從死裡復活，被重生，有活潑的盼望」，緊接著這句話，他提醒讀者這並不表示他們不會受苦，這是我們要注意的非常重要的一點，基督徒並不免於受苦。

You Are Consecrated

2022-01-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 19:14-25.  Let’s go!

Exodus 19:14-15 (NIV)
14  After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.
15  Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations.”

On verses 14-15:  In Exodus 19, there is a word that comes up repeatedly which we hardly use today in our daily conversation.  It’s the word “consecrated” (see for example verses 10, 14 and 22).   What does it mean to be “consecrated”? To be consecrated means to be set apart for a special, holy purpose. 

Why would God require the people to consecrate themselves before meeting Him (Exodus 19:10, 22)? And why did God say that He would break out against the people if they approached Him without first being consecrated (v22, 24)? It’s because God is holy. By “holy” we mean morally perfect, without sin, completely righteous and pure in every way. God is so holy, so righteous, and so pure that anything with sin would perish in God’s presence.

That’s why the people had to consecrate themselves. They would wash their clothes and abstain from sexual relations, not because dirty clothes and sex are sinful in God’s eyes, but as a practical way to get the people to focus on seeking God with special intensity and getting ready to encounter Him. 

冊立以斯帖為后

2022-01-13 in , /by

〈以斯帖記〉2:17王愛以斯帖過於愛眾女，她在王眼前蒙寵愛比眾處女更甚。王就把王后的冠冕戴在她頭上，立她為王后，代替瓦實提。

閱讀經文：〈以斯帖記〉2

假如第一章的筵席是為了籌備對希臘的戰爭，那麼第二章很可能就是在主前479年的帕雷提亞（Plataea）之役之後。主前480年亞哈隨魯撤離希臘，在小亞細亞西岸的撒狄過冬。主前479年秋季才回到書珊，那時他開始想念王后瓦實提。回到家卻見不到娘子，心情必然感到寂寞吧！這時王的侍臣緊張了，萬一王想讓瓦實提復位，她會不會報復呢？於是議王去尋找美貌的處女，再立一個王后，代替瓦實提。王以這事為美，有不少人的心臟從喉嚨跌回原來的位置上。

歷史上的另一幕在神的主導下開始了。一個在巴比倫出生的猶大小女子悄悄地步上了波斯的大舞台。在亞哈隨魯尋找王后的動機下，以斯帖順理成章進了王宮，她是第二代的以色列流民（流亡之民），就像北美的第二代移民，講話和生活方式都與當地人認同了，人家不問也分不出她的祖籍。但是她的堂兄莫底改的人生閱歷多，可能為了避免猶大人的敵人作對，便要求以斯帖不要暴露猶大人的身份。

有的人奇怪為何以猶大人的身份，以斯帖會去參加選皇后一事。其實在以前一些國家裡，若是王要選秀女，就會有一段禁婚的時期，讓所有適齡的未婚女子都集合起來，經過淘汰之後才可回家，被選上的就繼續參加下一輪的淘汰賽，直到被王看中。王的諭旨一傳出，就招聚許多女子到書珊城，所以這很可能不是以斯帖可以決定的意願。以斯帖自幼父母雙亡，由她的堂兄末底改撫養成人。可能因為彼此年齡相距其大，所以末底改把她收為自己的女兒。

Through Jesus You Are A Priest and God’s Treasured Possession

2022-01-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 19:1-13.  Let’s go!

Exodus 19:1-4 (NIV)
1  In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt–on the very day–they came to the Desert of Sinai.
2  After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.
3  Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel:
4  ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.

On verses 1-4:  Verse 3 suggests that Moses went up to God on the mountain and then God called to Moses from the mountain.  What can we learn from this?  If you want to hear from God, take the initiative, get yourself in position and draw close to God.  Don’t just wait for God to speak to you before you go up to Him.  Come near to God and He will come near to you (James 4:8).

Exodus 19:5-8 (NIV)
5  Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine,
6  you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

亞哈隨魯大設筵宴

2022-01-12 in , /by

〈以斯帖記〉1:1  亞哈隨魯做王，從印度直到古實，統管一百二十七省。

閱讀經文：〈以斯帖記〉1

〈以斯帖記〉是《聖經》裡非常奇特的一本書，裡面沒有提到猶太人和神的關係，也沒有猶太人敬拜神的記錄，可是在每一件事上，讀者可以感覺到猶太人在異地對神默然的仰望，也可以看到神的權能以無比的幽默感在運行。在被流放到巴比倫的猶大人當中，充滿了任人擺佈的無力感。此時但以理應該已經過世，再無位高權重的猶大人為他們出頭，他們好像一群無法自衛的羊，任人宰割。可是在他們的靜默裡，卻有神巨大的力量和保護在暗中運行。當你讀完〈以斯帖記〉裡所發生的許多“巧合”，可能也會猜想，是否神差遣了保護以色列人的米迦勒天使長，在暗地裡佈置著一切？

主前490年8-9月之間，波斯大軍進攻希臘，雅典人雖然人數居於劣勢，卻在馬拉松平原以著重兩翼的平行戰鬥排列，使其中央部分向內凹入，最後呈現幾乎垂直的戰鬥行列，夾擊並大敗深入敵陣的波斯軍。雅典軍大勝之後， 古希臘時代的一位雅典傳令兵費里皮德斯（Pheilippides），由馬拉松平原跑回雅典報捷，中途沒有停頓，當他將勝利的消息轉告雅典人後，隨即倒地死去。為了紀念他，希臘人在1896年舉行了第一次馬拉松賽跑大會。這就是馬拉松賽跑的來源。

亞哈隨魯做波斯王之後，立志洗雪馬拉松戰役之恥，在登位第三年便預備遠征希臘。按照波斯的慣例，出戰之前往往有連日的歡宴，以團結袍澤，激勵士氣，隨後王與文武大臣商議國事軍事。此次慶宴持續六個月，目的在於策劃入侵希臘的戰略，並證明王有足夠的財力來支持戰事。這就是〈以斯帖記〉第一章的背景。書珊城是波斯的京城，有如今日中國的北京和美國的華盛頓，當年許多大事都在這裡發生。尼希米也曾在書珊城的王宮裡擔任酒政。在王宮舉辦的歡宴裡，照例少不了美女與美酒，而亞哈隨魯在此時突發奇想，要以王后瓦實提的美貌來提高眾人的興緻。

預言封閉至末期

2022-01-11 in , /by

〈但以理書〉12:10必有許多人使自己清淨潔白，且被熬煉，但惡人仍必行惡。一切惡人都不明白，唯獨智慧人能明白。

閱讀經文：〈但以理書〉12

在2015年9月，有兩位可謂人生的勝利者，在最美麗的青春年華時黯然而逝。一位是33歲的杜拜王子拉席德，因心臟病不幸猝死，他的國家將為他哀悼3天。一位是32歲的日本前NHK新聞女主播黑木奈奈，人長得非常漂亮，去年發現患了胃癌，她辭去工作專心求治，今年初還曾重回主播台，鼓勵了許多患癌症的病友，沒想到九月裡病情急轉直下，終於離世。可見人的末時，經常來得比末世還要早。所以我們不要以為末世遙遙無期，反而要為自己的末時做準備。

但以理得到啟示，當末世來臨時，米迦勒要出來保護以色列民。那時以色列民要面臨前所未有的大艱難，比以前任何時候都艱難，那時就要知道分出來誰的名字記錄在（生命）冊上配得拯救。反之，那些名字沒有記錄在生命冊上的，必不被拯救，而要面對滅亡。“睡在塵埃中”，指肉體已經死亡的人要復醒，也就是復活。有的人要得永生，有的人要受羞辱永遠被憎惡。這就是主耶穌提到將來祂要審判時說的話：“時候要到，凡在墳墓裡的，都要聽見祂的聲音，就出來，行善的復活得生，作惡的復活定罪。（約5:28-29）”又像保羅說的：“我們這活著還存留到主降臨的人，斷不能在那已經睡了的人之先。因為主必親自從天降臨，有呼叫的聲音和天使長的聲音，又有神的號吹響，那在基督裡死了的人必先復活”（帖前4:15-16）。

當神預定的大艱難來臨時，保護人的天使也不能違抗神的旨意挪去命定的災害。主耶穌也曾預言：“那時，必有大災難，從世界的起頭，直到如今，沒有這樣的災難，後來也必沒有。若不減少那日子，凡有血氣的，總沒有一個得救的”(太24：21-22)。在災難中，神有憐憫，因此米迦勒必站起來，護衛神的子民，否則有誰能站立得住呢？所以保羅勉勵我們：“自己以為站得穩的須要謹慎，免得跌倒。你們所遇見的試探，無非是人所能受的。神是信實的，必不叫你們受試探過於所能受的，在受試探的時候，總要給你們開一條出路，叫你們能忍受得住。（林前10:12-13）”不管是試探或試煉，信主的人都有神的同在。

Something to Lighten Your Load

2022-01-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 18:13-27.  here are a few other lessons we can learn from this passage.  Let’s go!

Exodus 18:13-23 (NIV)
13  The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening.
14  When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”
15  Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will.
16  Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and laws.”
17  Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good.

On verses 13-23:  Jethro saw that as good intentioned as Moses was, it was not healthy or advisable for Moses to be a one man show and to personally judge every case that the people brought to him.  This would wear Moses out and it would also wear the people out in terms of making them wait far too long.  Jethro saw the inefficiencies in Moses’ system and suggested a better way, encouraging Moses to focus his role on teaching the people (v20) and representing the people before God (v19) and to delegate authority to trustworthy individuals with good character to deal personally with the people’s individual problems (v21-22).  Jethro’s goal was to lighten Moses’ load (“this will make your load lighter”), to raise up leaders who would be accountable to Moses and who could help share the work (“they will share it with you”), and to create a better experience for everyone so that “all these people will go home satisfied” (v23).