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You Are Blessed Because Jesus Obeyed

2021-11-17 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 26:1-13.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 26:1-2 (NIV)
1  “‘Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the LORD your God.
2  “‘Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the LORD.

On verses 1-2:  While verses 3-13 will show us all the blessings that the Lord promised to give the Israelites if they would only obey Him, verses 1-2 teach us an important, counterbalancing truth: we are to obey God and worship Him only – and not any idol – not simply because of what God will do for us in return, but because of who God is.  That is why after both verses 1 and 2, God follows up His commands with a statement about who He is: “I am the Lord yur God” (v1), “I am the Lord” (v2).  Regardless of what God does for us, the fact that God is God, the King over everything, is reason enough to worship and obey Him. 

Leviticus 26:3-13 (NIV)
3  “‘If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands,
4  I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit.
5  Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land.

求祢使我能看見

2021-11-17 in , /by

〈列王紀〉下 6:16 神人說：「不要懼怕，與我們同在的比與他們同在的更多。」

閱讀經文：〈列王紀〉下6:1-23

當我們看到以利沙行神蹟幫助別人時，他的話語往往很少。門徒砍伐樹木想蓋大一點的地方居住，有個人在砍樹時，不小心斧頭掉進水裡。當他呼叫時，他指出連斧頭都是借來的，不見了斧頭怎麼賠人家？以利沙知道後，不是大聲地罵那人不小心，也不是開口就教訓他，借人家的東西怎麼那麼不小心。以利沙的直接反應是採取行動。很多時候，意外無法避免，但是我們可以控制自己的舌頭，不要逞口舌之快，落井下石，給人更多的痛苦。以利沙砍了一根木頭，拋在水裡，斧頭就漂上來了，他就叫那個人把斧頭拿上來。這個行動充份表明以利沙明白他人的需要。

有的人會說，不教訓他，他下次怎麼會小心？但是我們要明白，當意外發生時，往往是連當事人也不願意的。你再罵也於事無補，反而讓人家更難過，無疑雪上加霜。所以最好的應對之道，就是看自己能幫上什麼忙。有個小孩拿牛奶時，因為手小，在關冰箱時，牛奶瓶掉下去了，牛奶撒了一地。當他正在驚慌時，媽媽來了。媽媽說：“哇，我從來沒看過這樣漂亮的牛奶大海啊！”孩子的心一下就安定下來了。此時媽媽再說，“我們一起來收拾這牛奶大海，好不好？”孩子立刻很高興地答應了，和媽媽一起把牛奶清理乾淨。然後，媽媽再教他下次要怎樣拿，就可以避免這樣的事發生。假如媽媽一來就開罵：“你怎麼這樣不小心，不是教了你很多次要怎樣怎樣”，後果一樣要清理廚房，但是就很不快樂了。意外發生，大家都不喜歡，但是我們若能控制自己的舌頭，便可以減輕意外所帶來的不快和痛苦。

亞蘭和以色列因為比隣，所以戰事頻傳，即使乃縵得到醫治，也無法制止兩國不發生戰事。亞蘭王在他的王宮和臣僕密謀攻打以色列，但是每一次以色列王都有所防備，讓他偷襲不成。亞蘭王懷疑自己的臣僕中有間諜，但是比間諜更厲害的是，連亞蘭王臥房的秘密都能知道的以利沙先知。以利沙先知把“聽到”的秘密都去告訴以色列王，使他有所防備。亞蘭王立刻想派人去把以利沙抓起來。可是他沒想到，假如以利沙都能知道他的戰略機密，那麼，他想抓以利沙的陰謀，以利沙會不知道嗎？他以為派大軍去捉拿，那以利沙不管多麼厲害，也無法抵擋亞蘭大軍吧！

Now That You’re Free, Live Free

2021-11-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 25:35-55.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 25:35-38 (NIV)
35  “‘If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so he can continue to live among you.
36  Do not take interest of any kind from him, but fear your God, so that your countryman may continue to live among you.
37  You must not lend him money at interest or sell him food at a profit.
38  I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.

On verses 35-38:   Just as God showed undeserved kindness to the Israelites, God expected the Israelites to show undeserved kindness to one another.  Likewise, just as God has shown undeserved kindness to us, may we show undeserved kindness to one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Leviticus 25:39-55 (NIV)
39  “‘If one of your countrymen becomes poor among you and sells himself to you, do not make him work as a slave.
40  He is to be treated as a hired worker or a temporary resident among you; he is to work for you until the Year of Jubilee.
41  Then he and his children are to be released, and he will go back to his own clan and to the property of his forefathers.

乃縵患大痲瘋得醫治

2021-11-16 in , /by

〈列王紀〉下 5:3 她對主母說：「巴不得我主人去見撒馬利亞的先知，必能治好他的大痲瘋。」

閱讀經文：〈列王紀〉下5:1-27

這是舊約聖經裡一個非常著名的故事，因著一個小女孩的信心，使一個大元帥得到醫治。其實這個故事裡有幾個小人物是關鍵人物，沒有他們，乃縵就無法得到醫治。第一個大家都知道，就是被擄去服侍乃縵妻子的以色列小女子。她在成為奴婢的時候，還依然記得家鄉有個先知，能夠醫治好乃縵的大痲瘋。這個小女子的信心和以色列王的相比，真是太偉大了。以色列王枉為一國之君，連自己國家裡有這麼出色的先知，竟然不以為意，甚至不知道。他應該知道，只是他不把以利沙當回事。

我們很多人都知道有神，但是當我們有困難時，能有那位小女子的信心嗎？還是像以色列王那樣，覺得毫無辦法？只會哀叫？身為以色列王，卻不知道以色列中有神，就好像經常去教會敬拜，有事時卻呼天搶地，不知道自己敬拜的是耶和華神。以利沙還要派人去見王，提醒王，這個王做得真窩囊，我們若經常去教會，卻不認識所敬拜的神，就像以色列王一樣可憐。

乃縵要見的是以利沙，不是以色列王。亞蘭是以色列的對頭，經常和以色列爭戰。但是有需要時，也可以成為朋友，要求幫助。這就是人類的本相，只要有利益關係，不是敵就是友，所以我們不必太在意別人對我們的好惡，這樣我們才能在神面前有一個不改變的心志，不用為了討好人而改變神給我們的感動，我們也不用為了討人的高興而活得很累。

I Sold Out But Jesus Bought Me Back

2021-11-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 25:23-34.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 25:23 (NIV)
23  “‘The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants.

On verse 23:  Verses 23-28 describe a system where the Israelites could get back their land even after they sold it, either by buying it back themselves or, at the latest, receiving it back in the Year of Jubilee (For more on the Year of Jubilee, see my GAME sharing from yesterday On Leviticus 25:8-22.)  Why create such a system?  Why allow people to get back their land even after they had sold it?  There were several reasons: One reason was to keep the land from being owned by only a few to the detriment of everyone else.  It would help ensure that no one would be poor permanently, it gave those who struggled a second chance, and it helped regulate the disparity between the rich and the poor.  Another reason was to remind the Israelites that ultimately the entire land that they occupied ultimately belongs to God.  That is why verse 23 says, “The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants.”

Of course when Israel would no longer be self-governed but would come under foreign rule, this system of redeeming land would go away as well.  However, the concept of God being the ultimate owner of the land would never go away.  In Luke 20:9-19 Jesus tells a parable about a landowner who rents his land to some tenants.  But when the tenants refuse to pay rent, the landowner finally sends his son, whom the tenants they kill.  When Jesus tells this famous parable, his Jewish audience would have thought back to verses like Leviticus 25:23 where it says that God is the ultimate landowner.  His audience would realize that by calling himself the landowner’s son, Jesus was describing himself as the Son of God.

以利沙的神蹟奇事

2021-11-15 in , /by

〈列王紀〉下 4:3 以利沙說：你去，向你眾鄰舍借空器皿，不要少借。

閱讀經文：〈列王紀〉下4:1-44

你可曾希望擁有像以利沙一樣的神力呢？那麼別人有困難請你幫忙時，你就可以拿點鹽加點水，倒在這裡倒在那裡，造福人群，那該有多好。與此同時，你也會名聲大燥，成為一時的網紅，網羅一堆粉絲。當耶穌受洗之後要開始服侍之前，他所遭遇的第一個試探就是這方面的試探。魔鬼要耶穌把石頭變成麵包。每個時代每個地區都有窮人，若能把石頭變成麵包，是不是就能解決所有的問題？這是一個假像，有了麵包之後，人會想要更多的東西，不斷地追求物質的滿足，反而失去了應該注視的目標。因此耶穌以經上的話來拒絕這個試探：“人活著不是單靠食物，乃是靠神口裡所出的一切話”。因此記住神的話語比擁有神的能力更加重要。有了神的話語會保守我們走在正路上，但是擁有不該有的能力，反而會使人驕傲，甚至迷失。所以在舊約裡有施行神蹟能力的先知不多，在摩西、以利亞和以利沙之外，連以賽亞大先知都沒行過神蹟奇事。

以利亞和以利沙所敬拜的神，也是我們所敬拜的同一位神。所記的這些神蹟奇事，是為了讓以色列人，包括我們這些外邦人，明白耶和華神是一位怎樣的神，祂的權能概括在這世界的每一方面。祂有能力解決我們的問題，祂能幫助我們，挪去我們的困難。以利亞工作的範圍大都是和亞哈王週旋，希望他能回轉歸向神；但是以利沙的工作大都是解決平民老百姓及門徒們的困難。以利沙不像耶穌走入群眾中間，反而都是人有困難時，才來向他求助。所以神蹟奇事不是變魔術，而是為了讓人知道神的同在，神的憐憫，神的心腸，神的慈愛，而顯明的神的恩典。

在這章的第一個例子裡，以利沙為門徒的妻解決了生活的問題。藉著她還有的一瓶油，神讓她擁有足夠生活的油，用這些油可以去換錢還債，解決生活所需。在我們以為自己什麼都沒有時，神往往讓我們看到我們的“還有”。神不會從天上丟錢下來，但是祂讓我們在祂的恩典之下，有足夠的能力賺到生活所需，使我們覺得有價值。做神的門徒，也會碰到生活上不夠用的時候，但無論何時，只要我們轉向神，祂的恩典就會臨到我們。神的門徒應該比一般人更懂得仰望神。

三王合攻摩押

2021-11-14 in , /by

〈列王紀〉下 3:17 因為耶和華如此說：你們雖不見風，不見雨，這谷必滿了水，使你們和牲畜有水喝。

閱讀經文：〈列王紀〉下3:1-27

猶大王：羅波安→亞比央→亞撒→約沙法

以色列王：耶羅波安（一世）→拿答→巴沙→以拉→心利→暗利→亞哈→亞哈謝→約蘭

亞哈的兒子亞哈謝做王兩年就死了，因為沒有兒子，因此由他的兄弟約蘭接續他做王。因此說是亞哈的兒子約蘭在撒瑪利亞登基。作者對他的評語是，約蘭比他老爸好一點點，因為除掉亞哈和耶洗別所立的巴立柱像，但還是拜金牛犢。作者何等細心，讓我們知道即使是小小的功過，神都鑒察。

這是約沙法還在世時的一場聯合戰事。根據考古學家在18世紀，曾於亞嫩河發現摩押王米沙在主前九世紀刻的石碑。那時以色列人由暗利和其子孫作王，他們曾統治摩押。大約在亞哈謝作王的第二年，摩押王背叛，石碑上記載那時開始不再進貢。亞哈謝死後，他的兒子約蘭要去攻打摩押，重新叫摩押納貢，但是自知兵力不足，因此邀請猶大王約沙法一起進攻摩押。

約沙法很快就答應了約蘭的邀請：“我肯上去。你我不分彼此，我的民與你的民一樣，我的馬與你的馬一樣。”可能那時約沙法剛剛戰勝摩押和亞捫等國的攻擊，有了戰勝的經歷，因此信心滿滿。更何況他已經娶了亞哈的女兒為媳婦，於情於理都不能不去幫忙。摩押王米沙在北方邊築有堅固的防禦工事，因此約沙法選了一條繞過曠野的路去攻打摩押。這條路得從撒瑪利亞經過耶路撒冷、希伯崙、亞得拉，再經以東的曠野才能進攻摩押。因此他們也邀請了以東王一起去進攻摩押。

Resting Takes Faith

2021-11-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 25:8-22.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 25:8-12 (NIV)
8  “‘Count off seven sabbaths of years–seven times seven years–so that the seven sabbaths of years amount to a period of forty-nine years.
9  Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land.
10  Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan.
11  The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines.
12  For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields.

On verses 8-12:  Starting at Leviticus 25:8 we read about how every 50th year the Israelites were to proclaim it a Year of Jubilee.  The Year of Jubilee was meant to be:

– a time of reunion when Israelites would return to their family clans and to the places where they grew up (v10, 13);

– a time of rest when the people would not sow or reap (v11);

《聖經中各種審判》10 — 對埃及的審判 之四

2021-11-12 in , /by

出埃及記  7-11章

《聖經》告訴我們所有的政權都是從上帝來的，因此基督徒明白上帝比政權高，因為政權事從上帝而來，政權不是自我獨立、成全，基督徒相信有一天上帝要審判政府，政府要向上帝負責。我們從《聖經》的總原則看見神權、人權、政權的次序，讓我們明白人民比政府更大。如果不從總原則來處理，我們就以為我們要怕政府，事實上我們要怕的是上帝，政府應該要怕人民。孟子說：「民為貴，社稷次之，君為輕」（《孟子．盡心》），意即：人權是最高的，政權是最低的，這是最靠近民主政治的中國大哲學家，但可惜孟子並沒有改變中國文化以君權神授為統治整個中國的政治哲學思想，但西方國家不認為如此。法國大革命帶來民權至上的思想，但從《聖經》的思想，我們看見英國的《大憲章》才是帶來真正的民主 。

神的作為與祂的子民有關係

埃及以前有幾個大政體，但第一個被上帝審判的是埃及的政權，因為埃及的政權妨礙上帝在救贖歷史之中要做的事情，逼害亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的後代。神的作為與祂的子民有關係。如果地上有真正敬畏上帝的人，正如上帝應許亞伯拉罕：「如果這城有五十個義人」，表示基督徒如果敬虔度日，上帝一定賜福那個國家。上帝賜福祂的子民，也賜福祂的子民所在的地方。我嚴格講一句話，是很多神學家沒有看見的。當埃及人逼迫在他們當中的以色列民族，當以色列人離開埃及，埃及已經不重要了。埃及的信仰是古代最為宏偉與具影響力。如果你把其他帝國的信仰與埃及的信仰相比，其他帝國完全不能與埃及帝國相比。埃及有龐大的祭司體系，法老王與宗教領袖的關係密切，埃及的宗教禮儀弘大，但上帝看虛假的宗教綑綁人、違背祂的旨意。

聖經對宗教自由的定義——離開假宗教、進到真宗教

Work Hard, Rest Well

2021-11-12 in /by

i GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 25:1-7.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 25:1-7 (NIV)
1  The LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai,
2  “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the LORD.
3  For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops.
4  But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards.
5  Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest.
6  Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you–for yourself, your manservant and maidservant, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you,
7  as well as for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten.

On verses 1-7:  Here God prepares the Israelites for when they enter the promised land.  He commands the Israelites to work the land they have been given (i.e. sow the fields, prune the vineyards and gather the crops for six years) (v2-3), but in the seventh year they are to give their land a rest and to live off of what the land produces that year (v4-7).