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所罗门的财宝

2021-10-11 in , /by

〈列王纪〉上 10:23   所罗门王的财宝与智慧胜过天下的列王。

阅读经文：〈列王纪 〉上  10:11-29 

世界上有很多有关古代宝藏的传奇，其中最有名的传奇之一就是所罗门王的宝藏。从《圣经》上对所罗门王财富的记载，我们可以稍微感觉到所罗门王的富足。以前曾听说某些地区的国王，在王宫里的各样用品都镶金戴银，甚至连抽水马桶都是金制的。现在看来，和所罗门王一比，似乎都给比下去了。今天就让我们一起来欣赏一下所罗门王究竟富足到一个怎样的地步。有时候到有钱人家去走走，也是赏心悦目的事，不是吗？

让我们到所罗门王的黎巴嫩林宫（House of the Forest of Lebanon）里走走。黎巴嫩林宫位于圣殿南面，其名字的由来是因为这座宫殿用大量黎巴嫩山的香柏木（雪松）所建，也因为她有许多巨大香柏木柱子，以致于让人进了这宫，就感觉好像进了黎巴嫩的一个森林里。林宫的外墙是用大石头建成，再用香柏木把它们遮盖住。它的主要作用是储存军械。根据希伯来原文，黎巴嫩林宫的上层由四行香柏木柱子所支撑，所以可以想象两行是紧靠旁边的墙壁，另外两行就在这些柱子的对面，形成三条走廊。四行香柏木柱子支撑著香柏木横梁，承托著上层的楼房。三层楼每层有15间房子，用来储存军械。

那三条走廊又称为柱廊，这柱廊连接了黎巴嫩林宫和王室走廊。其中一条柱廊长22 公尺，相等于黎巴嫩宫的宽度，又称为审判廊。所罗门在这里执行审判、宣告训示，接待使节。这柱廊的后院就是所罗门住的宫室。

黎巴嫩林宫里放有金挡牌二百面，每面6.8公斤；金盾牌三百面，每面1.7公斤。有人认为这些挡牌和盾牌都不是拿来上战场用的，因为太重了。当年被大卫杀死的巨人哥利亚，他的铁枪头就是6.8公斤（六百舍客勒），以色列人当中有几个是巨人，像哥利亚那么强壮巨大呢？再想想看所罗门王一切的饮器都是金子的，黎巴嫩林宫里的一切器皿都是精金的；所罗门王的宝座是象牙制造，再用精金包裹。在所罗门年间，不仅银子算不了什么，金子也算不了什么。

The Red Bull of Leviticus

2021-10-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 8:1-17.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 8:1-9 (NIV)
1  The LORD said to Moses,
2  “Bring Aaron and his sons, their garments, the anointing oil, the bull for the sin offering, the two rams and the basket containing bread made without yeast,
3  and gather the entire assembly at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.”
4  Moses did as the LORD commanded him, and the assembly gathered at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
5  Moses said to the assembly, “This is what the LORD has commanded to be done.”
6  Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water.
7  He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him. He also tied the ephod to him by its skillfully woven waistband; so it was fastened on him.
8  He placed the breastpiece on him and put the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece.
9  Then he placed the turban on Aaron’s head and set the gold plate, the sacred diadem, on the front of it, as the LORD commanded Moses.

On verses 1-9:  Here we read of how Moses washed and clothed Aaron and his sons to make them ready to serve as priests.  Likewise through Jesus Christ God has washed us and clothed us so that we would be ready to serve as His priests.  

That’s why Isaiah would say: “I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10)

示巴女王觐所罗门

2021-10-10 in , /by

〈列王纪〉上10:9  耶和华你的神是应当称颂的！祂喜悦你，使你坐以色列的国位。因为祂永远爱以色列，所以立你做王，使你秉公行义。

阅读经文：〈列王纪 〉上  10:1-10  

示巴女王和所罗门，一个充满了美丽传奇的故事。从遥远的非洲东部，她听到了一位年轻而充满智慧的以色列王的事蹟，不惜纡尊降贵，去一探真假。她准备了不少难题给所罗门。比较出名的是判断真花假花的故事。据说，示巴女王预备了两盆花，要所罗门在不可碰触，且有一段距离的情况下，说出哪一盆是真花。所罗门王想了一下，就叫人打开两旁的窗户，让外面花园中的蜜蜂和蝴蝶飞进来。果然，这些美丽的小昆虫很自然地，向着真花飞去，并且停留在真花上享受一番。

在犹太人的传说里，示巴女王又叫了一群穿着一样，发型年记都相仿的孩童进殿，让所罗门说出哪个是男的，哪个是女的。所罗门王叫人去拿了一盆水进来，叫孩童在盆中洗手，立刻就分出男童和女童。男童洗手之后，甩一甩，在裤子上抹两把；女童要把手放进盆内前，要先把袖子卷起来，洗完后，又向仆人要毛巾擦手。在〈列王纪〉上第四章，说到所罗门王不仅会写诗歌和箴言，还会讲论草木，自黎巴嫩的香柏树直到墙上长的牛膝草，又讲论飞禽走兽、昆虫水族。从他对示巴女王难题的回应里，可以看出他对大自然和人性的理解很深刻，所以可以用很简单的方法去处理难题。

示巴女王带着一群人浩浩荡荡来到耶路撒冷，总算不虚彼行，亲眼看到了所罗门的威仪，和他所展现的智慧。所罗门宫殿里的井井有条，各人知所进退，还有各样的珍馐美味、衣服装饰，都显现了超越他国人的管理和设计。“又见他上耶和华殿的台阶”，指的是所罗门王到耶和华的圣殿里献燔祭一事，可能祭甡甚多，令人咋舌。那种气派震住了示巴女王。

Are Christians Allowed to Eat Blood?

2021-10-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 7:22-38.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 7:22-27 (NIV)
22  The LORD said to Moses,
23  “Say to the Israelites: ‘Do not eat any of the fat of cattle, sheep or goats.
24  The fat of an animal found dead or torn by wild animals may be used for any other purpose, but you must not eat it.
25  Anyone who eats the fat of an animal from which an offering by fire may be made to the LORD must be cut off from his people.
26  And wherever you live, you must not eat the blood of any bird or animal.
27  If anyone eats blood, that person must be cut off from his people.'”

On verses 22-27:  Even as I am writing this I am eating a leftover steak with an obvious layer of fat on it. The day before, I was eating this same steak (medium rare) and there was blood on the steak.  How can I eat like this when Leviticus 7:23 says “Do not eat any of the fat of cattle, sheep or goats” and Leviticus 7:26 says “And wherever you live, you must not eat the blood of any bird or animal”?  It’s because the dietary regulations of Leviticus have been replaced by a new paradigm in the New Testament, where Jesus declares all foods clean (Mark 7:19) and Christians are not bound by the dietary regulations of the Old Testament (Acts 10:9-15).  Thank God for that because I really like steak!

《圣经中各种审判》5— 对以扫的审判

2021-10-08 in , /by

上帝主权的预定

上帝对以扫的审判是一件令人感到非常害怕的事。同样是以撒所生的儿子，这两个儿子还没有生出来以前，两个人还没有任何行为、动作，上帝说：「我爱雅各，我恨以扫」，这不是上帝的偏待，而是上帝按祂绝对的主权与智慧所定的，我们无法完全理解，也不能改变上帝的主权，上帝这个决定是建立在祂永恒的主权上。如果我们说上帝这样不公义，你这样是否定上帝的主权与智慧。在事情发展以后，你发现很多人为的因素是人没有看见的，上帝早就知道。这无穷的智慧与绝对的主权、神决定的事情，是超现象所能看见的。关于圣经的预定论、主权论，上帝按祂意志的自由所定之事的奥祕，引起很多人认为自己比上帝智慧，认为上帝是错的，但事实不是如此。历史的过程显明人的错误。上帝不接纳该隐的祭物，接纳亚伯的祭物，该隐就发脾气，用强健的体力把弟弟杀死，并且向上帝强嘴说：「我岂是看顾我兄弟的吗？」上帝回答亚伯说：「如果你行得好，我难道不会接纳你所献的祭吗？罪正等待向你扑面而来，你要制服罪对你的辖制。你若行得好，我会接纳你；你若行得不好，你要制服罪。」这表示人在道德上，应该有行善的主动，否则的话，罪不会让你平安度过。人应当制服罪恶。

恩典是在神的主权范围下　审判是在人的行为范围下

这不是因为恩典的问题，而是因为罪恶的问题。蒙恩是出于神的主动，神的怜悯不是出于人的行为、人的功劳，更不是人所应当得的。我们明白这两件事的关系：在犯罪的事情，人是主动；在审判的事情上，上帝是主动的；在蒙恩的事情上，人是被动的；在施恩的事情上，上帝是主动的。上帝对该隐说：「你若行得好，岂不蒙悦纳？但你今天行得不好，是因为你是罪人。我今天施恩给亚伯，不是你可以干预的事情。」上帝为什么在雅各以及以扫生下之前，就说：「我爱雅各，我恨以扫」？以扫的行为实实在在不蒙上帝悦纳。雅各蒙恩是因神的主权，以撒被弃是因自己的罪。管教与审判是完全不同的范围。希伯来书第九章说：「基督既然一次被献，担当了多人的罪，将来要向那等候他的人第二次显现，并与罪无关。」（来9:28）罗马书说：「我要怜悯谁就怜悯谁，要恩待谁就恩待谁。」（罗9:15 ）人得救，不是出于人的权柄、资格，也是不靠着人的行为，因为人若按上帝的公义受审判，是应当下地狱的，但是上帝要把恩典赐给一些人，人不能干预神的主权。在审判的事情上，是照着人的行为应当受的审判来审判。神的恩典是祂主权的范围，神的审判是人犯罪的范围。圣经告诉我们上帝的恩典与审判是照着两个不同的范围，让我们看清楚神工作的范围是什么。

Give God Your Best

2021-10-08 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 7:1-21.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 7:1-4 (NIV)
1  “‘These are the regulations for the guilt offering, which is most holy:
2  The guilt offering is to be slaughtered in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered, and its blood is to be sprinkled against the altar on all sides.
3  All its fat shall be offered: the fat tail and the fat that covers the inner parts,
4  both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the covering of the liver, which is to be removed with the kidneys.

On verses 1-4:  Notice that when the priest offered an animal as a guilt offering, all the fat of the animal was to be burned on the altar as an offering to the Lord (Leviticus 7:3).  Why?  It’s because the fat of the animal represented the best part of the animal.  God was basically saying, “Save your best part for me.”

Likewise, God wants you to save your best for Him.  That means giving God the best part of your day, the best part of your time, the best part of your energy, the first part of your wealth (Proverbs 3:9-10), the fattest part of your love.  Don’t give God the leftovers.  Give your best to God.  

When you give your best to God, God will look with favour on your offering.  That’s what He did with Abel.  “Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock [and] the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering” (Genesis 4:4).

耶和华复与所罗门立约

2021-10-07 in , /by

〈列王纪〉上9:3 对他说：你向我所祷告祈求的，我都应允了。我已将你所建的这殿分别为圣，使我的名永远在其中，我的眼、我的心也必常在那里。

阅读经文：〈列王纪 〉上  9:1-28 

所罗门王献殿时，所有的祭司都不轮班了，通通一起出来。当时负责歌唱的利未人亚萨、希幔、耶杜顿和他们的众子、众弟兄都穿细麻布衣服，站在坛的东边，敲钹、鼓瑟、弹琴，同着他们有一百二十个祭司吹号。吹号的、歌唱的都一齐发声，声合为一，赞美、感谢耶和华。吹号、敲钹，用各种乐器，扬声赞美耶和华说：「耶和华本为善，祂的慈爱永远长存！」（代下5:12-13）耶和华的荣光充满了神的殿。神再次向所罗门显现，定祂的约。神声明所罗门祈求的事祂都应允了，并且神的眼和神的心也必常在那里。

神的约千古不变：以色列王若存诚实正直的心行在我面前，遵行我一切所吩咐你的，谨守我的律例、典章，我就必坚固你的国位在以色列中直到永远；反之，神必将以色列人从祂赐给他们的地上剪除，并且神为己名所分别为圣的殿也必舍弃不顾，使以色列人在万民中做笑谈，被讥诮。圣殿虽然甚高，将来经过的人必惊讶、嗤笑。神在意的不是圣殿的华美尊贵，神在意的永远是祂子民和祂的关系。问题是，神的子民要的往往是神的祝福，而不是神，因此他们对于神所立的约并不放在心里：“遵行神一切所吩咐的，谨守神的律例、典章”，因而遭到被神剪除的命运。

所罗门王用了廿年的时间去建造圣殿和他的宫殿，还有以色列的防御措施。这些措施包括重建在北方的夏琐、具有战略地位纵横南北隘口上的米吉多，米吉多是连贯非洲与亚洲的古代著名地方，位于连贯两洲军事与贸易路线的要冲。所罗门建造旷野里的达莫，又建造哈马所有的积货城。又建造上伯和仑、下伯和仑作为保障，都有墙、有门、有闩。又建造巴拉和所有的积货城，并屯车辆马兵的城，与耶路撒冷、黎巴嫩。在耶路撒冷城内，所罗门建造城墙和米罗（保护城），以增强势力。因此他所用的人极多，他用迦南地的外邦人去服劳役，用以色列人作战士、臣仆、统领、军长、车兵长、马兵长。考古学家在米吉多、夏琐、基色三地发现相似的城门遗迹。

When You Prepare the Sacrifice, the Sacrifice Prepares You

2021-10-07 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 6:14-30.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 6:14-18 (NIV)
14  “‘These are the regulations for the grain offering: Aaron’s sons are to bring it before the LORD, in front of the altar.
15  The priest is to take a handful of fine flour and oil, together with all the incense on the grain offering, and burn the memorial portion on the altar as an aroma pleasing to the LORD.
16  Aaron and his sons shall eat the rest of it, but it is to be eaten without yeast in a holy place; they are to eat it in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.
17  It must not be baked with yeast; I have given it as their share of the offerings made to me by fire. Like the sin offering and the guilt offering, it is most holy.
18  Any male descendant of Aaron may eat it. It is his regular share of the offerings made to the LORD by fire for the generations to come. Whatever touches them will become holy.'”

On verses 14-18:  In these verses God stipulates that after a select portion of the grain offering was burned on the altar, the rest of the grain offering was for the priests to eat.  Here we see God’s heart to provide materially for those who dedicated their working hours and working lives to serving God “full time”.  The timeless principle here is that God intended that those who serve Him full time in the church should be able to live off of the offerings given by the people.  That’s a very practical reason why it is so important for Christians to be faithful in giving their tithes (10% of their income to the church).  If Christians are not faithful in tithing to the church, those who work hard to serve God and God’s people in the church on a full-time basis are the ones who will suffer, not to mention their families. 

万民祷告的殿

2021-10-06 in , /by

〈列王纪〉上 8:60  使地上的万民都知道唯独耶和华是神，并无别神。

阅读经文：〈列王纪 〉上  8:35-66 

目前耶路撒冷有个“距离上帝最近的地方”，那就是举世闻名的西墙，又称哭墙。据说那是第二圣殿，也就是希律重建的圣殿，其基座挡土墙的一部份。既不是所罗门建的圣殿，也不是希律建的圣殿，只是一片圣殿旁边的挡土墙，为何会人潮汹涌，每天都有无数的观光客或以色列人去那里呢？并且进去西墙的男子一律要戴传统帽子，如果没有帽子，入口处亦备有纸帽供应，因为他们认为让脑袋直接见上帝是不敬的行为；女人祷告后则要倒退著离开，以示恭敬。那是因为西墙是目前仅剩和以前的圣殿有关系的一片墙，而所罗门在献殿时，已经澄明这是给万民来向耶和华神祷告的地方，所以不管是第一圣殿或第二圣殿，百姓都相信，神依然会在这片属圣殿的墙上，垂听众人的祈求。

据说犹太人认为只要把心愿写下来塞进墙里，耶和华神就会让你如愿。来此朝圣的犹太信徒把给神的祈祷词写在纸条上塞进哭墙缝里。世界各地的旅游者不管是否信教，也都凑热闹给神写个心愿纸条，塞进墙缝。甚至教皇、美国总统等政要访问耶路撒冷时也要写张纸条塞进墙缝。关于塞进墙缝的纸条，有个不成文规矩：尊重隐私，不可翻看别人的纸条。因为哭墙纸条是和神的对话，禁止别人窥视或用于任何其他目的。不过欧巴马2012年大选前访问以色列，在会晤以色列和巴勒斯坦领导人后，凌晨访哭墙，塞纸条后祈祷。不料这张纸条被一名学生发现，刊登于当地《晚报》上。后来该晚报遭受许多评击。

所罗门献殿的祷告有几个方面，最主要的是指出，这是要给神居住的殿，也是神在地上和人相交之处，也就是众人向神祷告的地方。在〈以赛亚书〉56章7节，神说：“因我的殿必称为万民祷告的殿”。耶稣在洁净圣殿时，也曾提及这一经文。在第一部份，主要是为以色列人祷告。所罗门似乎已经预见，以色列人会因为得罪神，而败在仇敌面前，甚至失去家园，或者遭遇神的各样惩罚，但是只要以色列人到神面前忏悔，求神就怜悯他们，带他们回来，并且赦免他们、教导他们行善。使他们在神赐给我们列祖之地上一生一世敬畏神。

How God Restores You

2021-10-06 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 6:1-13.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 6:1-7 (NIV)
1  The LORD said to Moses:
2  “If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the LORD by deceiving his neighbor about something entrusted to him or left in his care or stolen, or if he cheats him,
3  or if he finds lost property and lies about it, or if he swears falsely, or if he commits any such sin that people may do–
4  when he thus sins and becomes guilty, he must return what he has stolen or taken by extortion, or what was entrusted to him, or the lost property he found,
5  or whatever it was he swore falsely about. He must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day he presents his guilt offering.
6  And as a penalty he must bring to the priest, that is, to the LORD, his guilt offering, a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value.
7  In this way the priest will make atonement for him before the LORD, and he will be forgiven for any of these things he did that made him guilty.”

On verses 1-7:  In these verses God speaks to Moses about what happens when an Israelite sins against their neighbor.  God commands that the offending Israelite must return to their neighbor what they had stolen or lost.  This process of making a victim whole is called (in legal terms) “restitution” (v5).  Notice that for God it wasn’t enough to make the person you offended whole by bring them back to 100%; God’s command was that the offender add a fifth; in other words, the offender had to give back 120%.  In addition, the offender must also bring a ram without defect as an atoning sacrifice for sin.