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The One Who Goes Before You

2021-12-31 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 13:11-22.  Let’s go!

Exodus 13:11-16 (NIV)
11  “After the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as he promised on oath to you and your forefathers,
12  you are to give over to the LORD the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the LORD.
13  Redeem with a lamb every firstborn donkey, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem every firstborn among your sons.
14  “In days to come, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
15  When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in Egypt, both man and animal. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.’
16  And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the LORD brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand.”

On verses 11-16:  Here the LORD reiterates that every firstborn belongs to Him, whether it’s a firstborn child or the firstborn male among one’s livestock.  To get that firstborn back, an Israelite would need to redeem (i.e. buy back) that firstborn by sacrificing something in the firstborn’s place.  This system of redeeming (buying back) the firstborn was to be an obvious reminder (“like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead”) of how the Lord saved the Israelites from slavery in Egypt with the death of Egypt’s firstborn.  But this system of redeeming (buying back) the firstborn with the life of something else was also pointing forward to the day that God would redeem us by giving up His Son Jesus Christ.  That is why Paul would later say to the Christians in Corinth: “you are not your own; were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19b-20a).  It is because you and I have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb.

尼布甲尼撒的大树梦

2021-12-30 in , /by

〈但以理书〉 4:3 祂的神蹟何其大，祂的奇事何其盛！祂的国是永远的，祂的权柄存到万代！

阅读经文：〈但以理书〉4:1-37

尼布甲尼撒（以下简称：尼王）把但以理的三个朋友丢入烈火窑中，却看到神子释放他们，并与他们同行。他惊讶万分地把那三位叫出火窑。再次晓喻住在全地各方、各国、各族的人，至高的神向他所行的神蹟奇事；终于愿意承认唯有至高神的国是永远的，祂的权柄存到万代。但是尼王正处在他人生的颠峰，世界诸国向他称臣，又建造了世界一大奇蹟的空中花园。巴比伦城以两道围墙围绕．外墙以外，还有一道护城河，城内的主干道中央以白色及玫瑰色石板铺成，另城有八个城门，其中的北门就是著名的伊丝达尔门（狮门），表面用青色琉璃砖装饰，砖上有许多公牛和神话中的怪物等浮雕。巴比伦城被建设得宏伟壮丽，直到100多年后，希腊历史学家，被称为「历史之父」的希罗多德来到巴比伦城时，仍称它为世界上最壮丽的城市。

巴比伦城的空中花园北边就是巴比伦的米罗达神庙，形状和〈创世记〉里的巴别塔很像。尼王把各个战败国的庙殿里的宝物都收到庙里，表示他的神最伟大，胜过其他国家的神。尼王显然是个才华过人的君主，不但在军事战略上十分出色，还是个罕见的建筑天才，但也是一个热衷于宗教的人。他深信占星术、占卜和天象，因此身边总有一群哲士和迦勒底人。在〈以西结书〉廿一章21节里说：“因为巴比伦王站在岔路那里，在两条路口上要占卜（攻打亚扪或犹大）。他摇签求问神像，察看牺牲的肝。” 因为巴比伦人就是利用肝脏来求问吉凶。因此当他做了异梦时，他相信一定是出于神明的指示。

Not Just the What, But the Why

2021-12-30 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 13:1-10.  Let’s go!

Exodus 13:1-2 (NIV)
1  The LORD said to Moses,
2  “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether man or animal.”

On verses 1-2:  To consecrate means to declare that something belongs to God.  The Israelites were expected to consecrate their firstborn child and even the firstborn from among their livestock.  The idea that the first fruits belong to God comes up over and over again in Exodus through Deuteronomy, whether we’re talking about children, livestock, or crops. 

When you see the first fruits of what you produce as belonging to God, it changes the way you look at the people and things God has given to you.  You start seeing yourself as a trustee and a steward, rather than as the centre of your own universe.  

Exodus 13:3-8 (NIV)   
3  Then Moses said to the people, “Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the LORD brought you out of it with a mighty hand. Eat nothing containing yeast.
4  Today, in the month of Abib, you are leaving.

烈火窑中的神子

2021-12-29 in , /by

〈但以理书〉 3:18 即或不然，王啊，你当知道：我们决不侍奉你的神，也不敬拜你所立的金像！

阅读经文：〈但以理书〉3:1-30

在但以理为尼王解梦之后，尼王俯伏在地，向他下拜，又说：“你既能显明这奥祕的事，你们的神诚然是万神之神，万王之主，又是显明奥祕事的。”但是在他的心里是否真的如此想呢？有时向人传福音，人家有困难时为他祷告，当事情解决之后，对方是否会真的认为我们相信的神很厉害，是唯一的真神而投靠祂呢？嘴巴说的和心里想的，往往是不一样的。

当但以理为尼王解释了梦中的人像之后，尼王心里又是怎么想的？从尼王所造的金像，我们可以试着去揣摩一二。在尼王的梦中，巴比伦在尼布甲尼撒的时期代表了像的金头，但以后会有其他的国家相继兴起，虽然都不及巴比伦，不及尼王的伟大，但是对于一个相当自负的尼王而言，这岂是可忍受的？他的国度怎么会就只有一个头呢？就像秦始皇一样，他也希望他的国家可以千秋万世地传下去，永无止尽，所以他派徐福带了五百童男童女去找长生不老药。徐福一去不回头，据说他那批人变成了现在日本人的祖先。

而尼王呢？他造了一座又高又大的金像，很可能不是精金而是镶金的。将两个像一比较，就知道尼王想要表达的心意了，他要他的国度存到永世，而不是只有一个头的时间。这就是人的野心和不知量力。会有非人手凿出来的一块石头从山而出，打碎列国吗？好，尼王现在就差人将总督、钦差、巡抚、臬司、藩司、谋士、法官和各省的官员都召了来，为此像行开光之礼，统一他国内的宗教。这些人有许多是从其他国掳来的，他们有各自的信仰，各自拜的神明，但是尼布甲尼撒打败了诸国，把各神殿中的器皿都放进米罗达的神庙里，所以尼王认为巴比伦所拜的米罗达胜过一切的神明。现在就要求所有的巴比伦子民，无论是巴比伦人或掳来的，通通放弃自己的信仰，都来拜最伟大的米罗达神。这样，会不会安全一点？可以抵挡那块非人手凿出来的石头？

Don’t Break His Legs

2021-12-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 12:43-51.  Let’s go!

Exodus 12:43-51 (NIV)
43  The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “These are the regulations for the Passover: “No foreigner is to eat of it.
44  Any slave you have bought may eat of it after you have circumcised him,
45  but a temporary resident and a hired worker may not eat of it.
46  “It must be eaten inside one house; take none of the meat outside the house. Do not break any of the bones.
47  The whole community of Israel must celebrate it.
48  “An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the LORD’s Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part like one born in the land. No uncircumcised male may eat of it.
49  The same law applies to the native-born and to the alien living among you.”
50  All the Israelites did just what the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron.
51  And on that very day the LORD brought the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions.

On verses 43-51:  In these verses the LORD makes certain distinctions concerning who may eat the Passover meal and who may not.  The distinction goes like this:  if you have placed your faith in the LORD, as evidenced by circumcision (in the case of males) (v48), then you may, in fact you must, partake of the Passover meal.  If your faith is not in Yahweh, you were not to eat the Passover meal; instead, eat something else.  This principle applied regardless of your social status and whether the person was an Israelite by birth or a foreigner who became an Israelite later on in life.

但以理解梦

2021-12-28 in , /by

〈但以理书〉 2:20 但以理说：神的名是应当称颂的，从亘古直到永远！因为智慧能力都属乎祂。

阅读经文：〈但以理书〉2:1-49

很多人都想为神做大事，有这种心志不是不对，却不是神所要的。因为神要不要你为祂做大事是在于神的决定。神常常要我们从小事做起，例如，为祂立志不沾污自己。很多人可以为了健康而不吃油不吃盐不吃糖不吃肉不吃虾不喝酒不抽烟，但是能不能为了神，保守自己口舌言语上的洁净？保罗说过，大户人家里有各样的器皿，若想做贵重的器皿，不做卑贱的器皿，就要自洁，脱离卑贱的事，就必做贵重的器皿，成为圣洁，合乎主用，预备行各样的善事（提后2:20-21）。我们若立志不沾污自己，神才能使用我们。不是先立志做大事，而要先立志过圣洁的生活。

但以理和朋友生活在一群尼布甲尼撒王（以下简称：尼王）掳来的俊杰之中，各个都是年少没有残疾，相貌俊美，通达各样学问，知识、聪明俱备的，每个人都巴不得能够脱颖而出，得到尼王的青睐，一步登天，坐上高位，那就前途无量，锦衣玉食了。个个都知道唯有最优秀的才能被尼王相中，可是但以理和他的三个朋友似乎并不热衷于尼王的权势，而是希望在异域仍然能够保守他们在耶和华神眼前的圣洁。这也是我们和子女面临的考验，究竟是事业第一或是敬畏神第一？是神给人机会或是人自己找机会？当神给的机会来临时，我们是否有能力去回应去承担或表现？

在表面平静的生活中，有一天王宫里传出了尼王的愤怒，因为他做了一个梦，但是他把梦给忘了。他问遍宫里的术士、用法术的、行邪术（巫术）的和迦勒底人，但是没有人能够告诉他，他做了什么梦。些人都是自认有异能的，迦勒底人则是一群看天象的人。他平时养了那么多人，就是为了有需要时可以帮助他，现在他有需要了，这些人却什么都说不出来！平常在他面前吹牛吹马的，现在都成孙子了！这些人平时自诩有能力，但此时在王的面前，却无能为力，他们只能说：“请王将梦告诉仆人，仆人就可以讲解”。王更生气，这么一个梦就把你们难倒了？他们承认：除了不与世人同居的神明，没有人能说出来。他们承认他们的有限，人的有限。尼王气极，要把这一批饭桶通通杀掉。

I’m Not Ready, But Let’s Go

2021-12-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 12:31-42.  Let’s go!

Exodus 12:31-32 (NIV)
31  During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the LORD as you have requested.
32  Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me.”

On verses 31-32:  Pharaoh kept playing games with God and lost.  He lost his firstborn son.  He lost his pride.  Coming to an end to himself, at least for a moment, Pharaoh finally gives Moses and Aaron the go ahead to take the Israelites and their flocks and herds and leave Egypt as they had requested all along.  Then Pharaoh also says a startling thing: “And also bless me” (v32).  The last time the Bible recorded an Israelite blessing Pharaoh, it was 430 years earlier in Genesis 47:7, 10 when Jacob (Israel himself) blessed Pharaoh.  This was a generation before the enslavement of the Israelites had started in Egypt.  Now that the enslavement of the Israelites in Egypt has officially and suddenly ended, Pharaoh asks Moses to bless him. 

Why did Pharaoh ask Moses to bless him?  Probably because he finally acknowledged that God was with Moses and that Pharaoh needed the Lord’s mercy and grace at least in some way.  This is Pharaoh at his most humble and most humbled point in the story of Exodus.  What can we learn from this?  It’s when we are humble, or humbled, that we begin to be open to God working in our lives. 

Jesus, My Unleavened Bread and My Passover Lamb

2021-12-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 12:15-30.  Let’s go!

Exodus 12:15-30 (NIV)
15  For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel.
16  On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and  another one on the seventh day. Do no work at all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat–that is all you may do……

On verses 15-30:  At THRIVE Church online yesterday, I shared a message called “Too Much To Pass Over:  Understanding the Passover” where we looked at this passage together.  If you missed the message or just want to see my painting skills, click HERE.

Wanna check how well you listened to the message this past Sunday as well as your understanding of this passage?  Try to answer the following questions:

–        Pastor JB shared two reasons why God require that the Israelites eat bread without yeast.  What were those two reasons?

–        What was yeast supposed to symbolize in this case?  Does that mean that yeast is in fact bad and that we should avoid eating yeast all the time?

–        In what way is Jesus our unleavened bread?

–        In what way is Jesus our Passover lamb?

–        Why did God tell the Israelites to observe the Passover not just on the week that they actually left Egypt but on every anniversary of that event as well?

但以理被掳到巴比伦

2021-12-27 in , /by

〈但以理书〉 1:17这四个少年人，神在各样文字、学问上赐给他们聪明、知识，但以理又明白各样的异象和梦兆。

阅读经文：〈但以理书〉1:1-21 

按照旧约的秩序，似乎应该续读〈以斯拉记〉，但是在犹大人回归耶路撒冷之前，有好多故事发生，所以我们先读〈但以理书〉，因为在但以理年老时，正是犹大人回归之时。在〈但以理书〉第1章第1节指出犹大王约亚敬第三年时，巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒第一次围困耶路撒冷，但是在〈耶利米书〉46章2节说这事发生在约雅敬作王第四年。那是因为犹大的记法和巴比伦的计算法有异，犹大的计算是登基做王的那年为第一年，而巴比伦的算法是要登基满一年才算一年，登基那年则称为加冕 年。

约西亚和埃及作战，战死沙场之后，百姓拥立他的幼子约哈斯为王。可能因为约西亚死于埃及人之手，因此约哈斯对埃及极为不满。那时巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒 （以下简称：尼王）正在叙利亚的哈兰和亚述决战，无法抽身去顾犹大，因此约哈斯被埃及王尼哥二世罢黜，并俘虏到埃及；尼哥二世立亲埃及的约雅敬为王。但是不久，连接尼尼微和地中海东西商道及沿河而行的南北商道的重镇迦基米施失陷于巴比伦，亚述和埃及都败于巴比伦，尼王控制了整个地区，约雅敬很不情愿地变成 了巴比伦的蕃属。

在主前601年，巴比伦想征服埃及却未成功，约雅敬趁机和巴比伦决裂，转向埃及求援。这种背叛的行径导致尼王在主前597年前来围攻耶路撒冷，并掳走了第一批年少没有残疾，相貌俊美，通达各样学问，知识、聪明俱备的犹大贵族青年，为让他们将来可以侍立在巴比伦王宫冑，服侍巴比伦王。尼王有野心要征服犹大国，因此要预备人才帮他管理将来的犹大子民。但以理和他的三个好朋友就这样被掳到巴比伦，但他们并没有受到俘虏的待遇，反而是被服侍得极为周到。尼王 派定用他所用的膳和所饮的酒每日赐他们一份，也就是说，他们吃的就像王一样。

巴比伦之囚

2021-12-26 in , /by

〈历代志〉下 36:21这就应验耶和华藉耶利米口所说的话，地享受安息，因为地土荒凉便守安息，直满了七十年。

阅读经文：〈列王纪〉下 25:1-30   /   〈历代志〉下 36:17-23

犹大王：罗波安→亚比央→亚撒→约沙法→约兰→亚哈谢→（亚她利雅）→约阿施→亚玛谢→亚撒利雅（乌西雅）→约坦→亚哈斯→希西家→玛拿西→亚扪→约西亚→约哈斯→约雅敬（以利亚敬，约哈斯的哥哥）→约雅斤→西底家

像清朝的末代皇帝一样，犹大国最后一任王西底家，也面临了最大的耻辱。西底家原是巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒（简称:尼王）所立的王，可是由于他性格优柔寡断，后来又想倚靠埃及独立，他的背叛招致巴比伦进军，虽有埃及出兵暂解耶路撒冷之围，但耶利米预言巴比伦必然倾覆犹大（耶37:5）。在亡国之前，西底家请求耶利米为他祷告，这本来是一件好事。可惜西底家并不是真的想悔改，以求得神的怜悯，他只想利用祷告，利用神来缓解当时的困局。

耶利米一直向西底家进言，因为“耶和华如此说：住在这城里的必遭刀剑、饥荒、瘟疫而死，但出去归降迦勒底人的必得存活，就是以自己命为掠物的，必得存活。（耶38:2）”虽然神要惩罚犹大人，但是祂依然为他们开一条路，要看他们肯不肯听从神的话。就好像当年在旷野，百姓因为发怨言惹动神的怒气，神就让火蛇去咬他们。后来神叫摩西做了一条铜蛇，凡是被蛇咬，却肯仰望铜蛇的人，就必得活。神要的就是人对祂的信心，不管神的方法在人的眼中是何等不可思议，何等奇怪，神并不跟我们讨论得救的方法是否合理，而是要我们凭信心去接受。人若没有信心，怀疑神的话，那么再合理的方法，也可以找出很多理由去拒绝顺服。