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掃羅在吉甲立國

2021-06-28 in , /by

〈撒母耳記上〉 11:14 撒母耳對百姓說：「我們要往吉甲去，在那裡立國。」

閱讀經文：〈撒母耳記上〉 11:1-15

基列雅比，這個名字聽起來耳熟嗎？還記不記得在〈士師記〉裡，當以色列人要和便雅憫人作戰時，曾在主前立誓，若不出來一起作戰的，便要把他們殺死。結果查出雅比人沒有出來應戰，因此便把他們的男人和已婚婦女都殺掉，搶走了他們四百個處女，給剩下的便雅憫人為妻，以留後代。掃羅是便雅憫人，因此他很有可能也是便雅憫人和雅比人聯姻的後代之一。雅比人遇到麻煩了，掃羅會如何？以前他只是一個小老百姓，現在他是以色列王了，雖然還要趕牛耕地，究竟會有何不同？

雖然在舊約聖經裡沒有註明這件事的背景，但是在死海古卷裡找到的撒母耳記卻有這段記載：Nahash, king of the children of Ammon, sorely oppressed the children of Gad and the children of Reuben, and he gouged out a their right eyes and struck terror and dread in Israel. There was not left one among the children of Israel bey[ond the Jordan who]se right eye was not put out by Nahash king of the children of Ammon; except that seven thousand men fled from the children of Ammon and entered Jabesh-Gilead. About a month later Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-Gilead. 這段英文的大意是：當時的亞捫人迫害以色列人，已經戰勝了河東地的魯本和迦得支派，他們的右眼都被剜了，但是其中有七千人逃到基列雅比。這件事使整個以色列都震驚且嚇壞了。大約在一個月後，亞捫人圍攻基列雅比，就是要把那些逃掉的人和基列雅比人的眼睛也都剜出來。（資料取自Wikipedia）

雅比人要求亞捫人給他們七日的期限，亞捫人很爽快地答應了，他們胸有成竹，認定以色列裡沒有人可以來救他們。神的時間就是如此巧妙，掃羅在此時被揀選為王，不找他，還找誰呢？當撒母耳油膏掃羅之後，要他趁時而作，就是有機會時要好好表現一番，使人服他，因為神與他同在。這不就是個機會嗎？一個王的主要職責，不就是保護他的百姓嗎？

Lust vs. Love

2021-06-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 34:1-17.  Let’s go!

Genesis 34:1-4 (NIV)
1  Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land.
2  When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and violated her.
3  His heart was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her.
4  And Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Get me this girl as my wife.”

On verses 1-4:  Shechem was in love with Jacob’s daughter Dinah and wanted her more than anything, but he went about it in completely the wrong way, taking her and raping her (v2).  That is what lust does.  Lust says “now”.  Love says “I’ll wait”.  Lust says “me first”.  Love says “you first”.  Lust takes.  Love gives.  Lust violates.  Love protects.  Lust says “I don’t care if it’s wrong. It’s what I feel like doing.”  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth.

Genesis 34:5-12 (NIV)
5  When Jacob heard that his daughter Dinah had been defiled, his sons were in the fields with his livestock; so he kept quiet about it until they came home.
6  Then Shechem’s father Hamor went out to talk with Jacob.
7  Now Jacob’s sons had come in from the fields as soon as they heard what had happened. They were filled with grief and fury, because Shechem had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter–a thing that should not be done.

撒母耳膏掃羅為王

2021-06-27 in , /by

〈撒母耳記上〉 10: 6 耶和華的靈必大大感動你，你就與他們一同受感說話，你要變為新人。

閱讀經文：〈撒母耳記上〉 10:1-27

撒母耳按著神的帶領，膏掃羅為第一個以色列人的王。在〈申命記〉裡，神已經立下選以色列王的規則：“你總要立耶和華你神所揀選的人為王。必從你弟兄中立一人，不可立你弟兄以外的人為王（申17:15）”。可見神早已知道會有這樣的一天，以色列人會要求立王。但是掃羅的心中踏實嗎？他怎能確定自己不是在作夢？他怎麼找驢找到變成以色列人的王了？這事說出去誰會相信？

撒母耳彷彿知道掃羅心中的意念，他列舉了掃羅在回家的路上會碰到四批人：一, 他要遇見兩個人對他說驢已找到；二, 在他泊的橡樹那裡會碰到三個人各帶著羊、餅和酒，他們會給掃羅兩個餅；三, 到了神的山（何烈山），他會看到非利士人的防兵；四, 進城時會碰到一班先知，掃羅會跟著先知們一起受感說話，神要讓他成為一個新人。這些人和事就像撒母耳親眼看到似的，都一一應驗了。為了讓掃羅明白，這是從神來的揀選，神一連給他四個印證。好讓他知道此事不是出於偶然。

神讓掃羅變為新人，是什麼意思？掃羅本來只是一個無名小卒，現在神把他抬舉成以色列中的至高者，他必須有不同的眼光，不同的心性去面對這個新的身份。曾經有一位傳道人說他的見證，神給了他一個夢，讓他在夢中看到有許多人在海中沉淪呼救。當他醒來之後，神的呼召就成了他一生的目標，他不再是從前那個為自己而活的人，變成了一個為了神而活的傳道人。神的靈感動掃羅，讓他不再為了像找驢這樣的事而活，神給他有一個王的心志，為以色列人而活。

The Gift That Reunites

2021-06-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 33:1-20.  Let’s go!

Genesis 33:1-4 (NIV)
1  Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men; so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two maidservants.
2  He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear.
3  He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.
4  But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.

On verses 1-4:  With his wives and children walking behind him, Jacob goes on ahead to meet Esau.  He humbles himself before Esau, bowing down seven times while approaching him.  Esau also responds with passion and humility.  The way Esau responds – how Esau “ran to meet Jacob…threw his arms around his neck and kissed him” – is so similar to Jesus’ parable of the lost son where the father, seeing his son a long way off, “ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20).  It’s an emotional reunion between two estranged brothers who seemingly decide to put their difficult past behind them.

What can we learn from this?  Whereas our pride keeps the conflict going, humility allows us to put aside our differences and to reconcile.

第五封信：撒狄教會(下)

2021-06-25 in , /by

2.主責備他們的原因，為甚麼責備他們按名是活的，其實是死的？有三個原因：

A.不儆醒──因為不儆醒的緣故，所以造成按名是活的，其實是死的。為甚麼他們不儆醒，因為他們不注重主再來。我們查攷《聖經》，主常叫信徒儆醒，就是題到主再來，應儆醒，不可與主分離。

B.不堅固──不是不堅固自己，乃是不堅固別人，即那些剩下將要衰微的人，或說將死的人。他們完全不知道自己有堅強的力量，必須肯幫助別人，尤其是幫助軟弱的人。

大衛說：「神阿，求祢為我造清潔的心，使我裏面重新有正直的靈。不要丟棄我，使我離開祢的面，不要從我收回祢的聖靈，求祢使我仍得救恩之樂。賜我樂意的靈扶持我，我就把祢的道指教有過犯的人，罪人必歸順祢。」保羅寫信給加拉太人說：「弟兄們，若有人偶然被過犯所勝，你們屬靈的人，就當用溫柔的心把他挽回過來。」各位，你有沒有這樣做？有沒有堅固別人的軟弱。

C.不完全──「因我見你的行為，在我神面前，沒有一樣是完全的。」各位，他們為甚麼按名是活的，其實是死的？就是因為他們不完全，太不完全了。誰看見他們不完全呢？不是人看見他們，乃是主親眼見到的。主看人，不同人看人，人看外貌，主是看內心的。用主眼睛看清楚了撒狄教會，知道他們是不完全的。有甚麼不完全呢？乃是他們的行為不完全。各位弟兄姊妹，撒狄教會這種情形，我們現在自己問一下自己，我們的行為是不是不完全？我們的主要我們完全。我們就要完全。雖然信主得救，但不要在糊塗裏過日子。

The Purpose of God’s Gifts + The Lesson of the Limp

2021-06-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 32:13-32.  Let’s go!

Genesis 32:13-21 (NIV)
13  He spent the night there, and from what he had with him he selected a gift for his brother Esau:
14  two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,
15  thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.
16  He put them in the care of his servants, each herd by itself, and said to his servants, “Go ahead of me, and keep some space between the herds.”……

On verses 13-21:  To hopefully appease Esau’s anger and soften Esau’s heart, Jacob sends a series of lavish gifts to Esau consisting of one herd of animals after another.  The picture of Jacob sending all these gifts to Esau makes me think of the way God sends gift after gift in the form of people and other blessings that God places in our lives.  As John 1:16 says, “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.”  God sends us many gifts so that we would know His heart.  The gifts were always meant to point to the Giver.  Yet our tendency is to focus on the gifts and forget about the Giver.  So the next time you think about the blessings in your life, remember this: God gives us blessings not just for our enjoyment, but even more so that we would know the Giver of those blessings, because knowing the Giver is the greatest blessing of all.

The Comfort of God’s Presence and God’s Word

2021-06-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 32:1-12.  Let’s go!

Genesis 32:1-12 (NIV)
1  Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
2  When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim.

On verses 1-2:  As Jacob continues his journey back to his homeland, he is met by angels, although we are given no details of what those angels looked like or what the angels did or said.  He calls the place “Mahanaim”, which means two camps, which is perhaps a reference to the fact that Jacob’s camp was now met by what Jacob described as “the camp of God”.   

What can we learn from this? 

First, when you move forward in faith trusting in the Lord, you’ll find that you move as two camps. There’s the visible camp consisting of you and the people you are with, but there’s also the invisible camp consisting of the Holy Spirit and God’s angels whom God sends to be with you.  Blessed are those who recognize that wherever they go there are two camps (2 Kings 6:16-17).

掃羅尋驢

2021-06-24 in , /by

〈撒母耳記上〉 9: 17 撒母耳看見掃羅的時候，耶和華對他說：「看哪，這人就是我對你所說的，他必治理我的民。」

閱讀經文：〈撒母耳記上〉 9:1-27 

在茫茫人海中，你怎樣知道神為你揀選的對象呢？很多人對神的帶領都有很大的好奇心。從神對撒母耳的帶領裡，我們不難發現，要明白神的心意有幾個原則。第一，要保守自己在神的心意裡，像撒母耳一樣留心傾聽神的聲音。假如你很喜歡聽人的聲音，一天到晚都去問別人的意見，那麼你可能聽不見神的聲音，因為你的心已經被人的聲音填滿了。

第二，若是出於神的揀選，神必然有預備，有帶領，讓你不會搞錯，不會感到迷糊或混亂。假如你覺得是出於神的帶領，你一定要求印證。唯有清楚明白神的帶領，才不會三心兩意，患得患失。神在掃羅到達的前一日，就已經指示撒母耳了，所以撒母耳就可以先做預備。

我們再一次看到神奇妙的作為，和祂那無微不致的幽默感。祂用幾頭遺失的驢把掃羅引到撒母耳面前。當掃羅在找驢時，他越過以法蓮山地，又走過以利沙地，又過了沙琳地，再過便雅憫地，一直走到蘇弗地。他以為他是在找驢，其實是神的靈一直讓他往前走，要把他帶到撒母耳那裡去。撒母耳住的拉瑪就在蘇弗地。

所以我們看到，若是出於神的帶領，必然是兩邊的帶領，而不會只有一方有感動。在團契裡，有時自己也會有感動想要做某件事，若是出於神的帶領，神也會準備其他人的心。所以出於自己的熱心和出於神的帶領，是兩回事，我們要把它分清楚。有時我們覺得某件事或某個想法很好，可是別人都沒有同樣的看見或感動，那麼自己就要冷靜下來，再繼續禱告，不要強迫別人跟你有同樣的感動，這是強迫不來的。

以色列人求立王

2021-06-23 in , /by

〈撒母耳記上〉 8:6 撒母耳不喜悅他們說立一個王治理我們，他就禱告耶和華。

閱讀經文：〈撒母耳記上〉 8:1-22

撒母耳在年老時，碰到了一件很不高興的事。他終年奔波，在以色列四境巡行審判，終於把四分五裂的以色列人團結起來，並且國泰民安。原以為以色列人會很感謝他，卻沒有想到，以色列人不要他的兒子繼續做士師，反而想要立王。但是撒母耳處事的方法和摩西一樣，他雖然不高興以色列人的要求，還是把事情呈到耶和華神的面前，讓神去定奪，這就是對神的敬畏。

以色列人想要立王有兩個原因，其一是他們很羨慕別人的國家有王的治理；其二，因為撒母耳的兒子們不行撒母耳的道，所以他們不服。所以人很難完美。撒母耳如此敬畏神，殷勤事奉神，但是他卻看不到兒子們的倒行逆施，就像以利和他的兩個兒子一樣。他的兒子們貪圖財利，收受賄賂，屈枉正直，以色列人怎麼能對他們產生信心？撒母耳在這事上也循私了，每個士師都是神所興起的，怎麼他竟想世襲了呢？

撒母耳和以利一樣，兒子都不爭氣。本來以為撒母耳看到以利和兒子們的關係，他會有所警惕而有所改進，但是他顧得全以色列，就顧不了自己的兒子們了。在老一輩的傳道人家庭裡也偶有這樣的事情發生，因為父母親太專注於教會事工，以致對兒女疏於管教。例如葛培里的兒子就曾經因而叛逆，走入歧途，而身陷囹圄。還好，他後來悔改，現在已經接下了葛牧師的工作。現在的傳道人也因而更加注意到這個問題，不能只顧外面的工作，而忘記自己是丈夫和父親的本份。若是自己的家庭亂七八糟，事工做得再好，也會落入魔鬼的網羅。

Refined By Hardship

2021-06-23 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 31:45-55.  Let’s go!

Genesis 31:45-48 (NIV)
45  So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.
46  He said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and piled them in a heap, and they ate there by the heap.
47  Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.
48  Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” That is why it was called Galeed.

On verses 45-48:  Getting ready to make a covenant with Laban, Jacob and his relatives pile stones in a heap.  (I find it funny that later Laban says that he did it in verse 51.)  Laban calls the heap “Jegar Sahadutha”, which means “witness heap” in Aramaic.  Jacob calls the heap “Galeed”, which means the same thing – “witness heap” – in Hebrew, Jacob’s mother tongue.  It’s a reminder that Jacob and Laban came from two different cultures and spoke two different languages, which likely contributed to the misunderstandings between them.