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When You Sin By Accident

2021-10-04 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 4:1-21.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 4:1-21 (NIV)
1  The LORD said to Moses,
2  “Say to the Israelites: ‘When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD’s commands–
3  “‘If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the LORD a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.
4  He is to present the bull at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before the LORD. He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it before the LORD…….

On verses 1-21:  Leviticus 4:1-21 talks about what happens when a Jew sins against God unintentionally  (v1).  For example, maybe that person did something that was against God’s laws but they were not aware that they did it, or maybe they didn’t know it was something God’s laws prohibited.

Verse 13 shows us that just because we don’t know we sinned doesn’t mean we haven’t sinned.  Sin is sin, whether we do it intentionally or not.  One of the lessons of Leviticus 4 is that when we sin, even if it is by accident, it is still necessary to deal with that sin.  That’s why David would write, “Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.  Keep your servant also from wilful sins; may that not rule over me.” (Psalm 19:12-13)

What should you do when you realized you sinned unintentionally?  As soon as we become aware that we have sinned against God or another person, we should look to God for forgiveness and where necessary make things right with the person we sinned against.

所羅門開始建殿

2021-10-03 in , /by

〈列王紀〉上 6:13 我必住在以色列人中間，並不丟棄我民以色列。

閱讀經文：〈列王紀 〉上 6:1-37           〈歷代志〉下 3:1-15   

以色列人出埃及地後四百八十年，所羅門做以色列王第四年西弗月，就是二月，開工建造耶和華的殿。

雖然神安於會幕，也沒有要求任何人為祂建殿，但是當大衛有了這樣的心願時，神就親自畫出祂的設計，使大衛明白要如何去建這個聖殿（志上28:19）。大衛何等有信心，在尚未有聖殿時，就已經把利未人和祭司的工作都分配好了，以便聖殿一旦建造完成，就可以開始有條理的敬拜神。建聖殿是大衛的夢想，由所羅門去完成。而建殿的地址正是耶布斯人阿珥楠的禾場，在這個禾場上，大衛向神獻燔祭和平安祭，耶和華就應允他，悅納他，使火從天降在燔祭壇上。神又吩咐天使收刀入鞘，停止了瘟疫。所以這個地方是神原諒大衛數點以色列人的驕傲，重新悅納大衛的地方；也是神的怒氣停止，不再降瘟疫，使以色列人逃脫死亡，重新得到神祝福的地方。

阿珥楠的禾場就在摩利亞山上，也就是四千多年前，亞伯拉罕獻以撒的地方。那是亞伯拉罕信心的最高峰。〈希伯來書〉的作者說，因為亞伯拉罕相信神可以使死人復活，所以他毫不猶疑地獻上以撒，他年老時所得的獨生子。但是神讓天使在最後一刻叫亞伯拉罕收刀入鞘，因為神已經知道亞伯拉罕對神的順服，且為他預備了一頭獻祭用的公羊。神沒有讓亞伯拉罕獻上以撒，但是兩千多年後，神獻上了祂的獨生子耶穌，為世人而死。但是正如亞伯拉罕的信心，耶穌死後三天復活了。這塊地現在被稱為聖殿山，也是三個宗教團體（猶太教、回教、基督教）相爭之地，目前由回教的宗教管理局負責保管聖殿山各個門的鑰匙（接近西牆的Mograbi門除外）。

想當年所羅門建造聖殿時，那是何等的壯舉。所有的石頭都在山上的採石場鑿好了，運到聖殿山時建造時，都聽不見錘子、斧子和別樣鐵器的響聲。在安靜中建造，在默默中服侍，只讓人看見神的榮耀，而不為自己的付出誇耀，便是這樣的工作才能顯出神的榮美。那時也已經有旋螺的樓梯，可以一直上到第三層。屋子是用香柏木的棟梁擱在殿牆坎上，不是用釘上去的。香柏木用來貼從地到篷頂的牆，其上刻著野瓜和初開的花；松木板鋪地。貼完木板，又貼金子，所以整個殿內真的是金碧輝煌。

Bring Your Innermost Feelings to God

2021-10-03 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 3:1-17.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 3:1-17 (NIV)
1  “‘If someone’s offering is a fellowship offering, and he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he is to present before the LORD an animal without defect.
2  He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood against the altar on all sides.
3  From the fellowship offering he is to bring a sacrifice made to the LORD by fire: all the fat that covers the inner parts or is connected to them,……

On verses 1-17:  As you read the first few chapters of Leviticus talking about the different offerings that God commanded the Jews to give, maybe you’re thinking, “What do these offerings have anything to do with us today?”  These offerings have much to do with us. They are pictures foreshadowing what Christ would do for us in the New Testament. Each offering described in Leviticus speaks to a unique aspect of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

To review:

– Leviticus 1 speaks of the burnt offering, the killing of a male lamb without defect so that a person’s sins could be forgiven.  This points to the day Jesus would die on the cross for our sins.  Jesus is the perfect lamb whose blood was spilled like a burnt offering so that we could be forgiven.

Forgiveness and Gratitude Go Together

2021-10-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 2:1-16.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 2:1-12 (NIV)
1  “‘When someone brings a grain offering to the LORD, his offering is to be of fine flour. He is to pour oil on it, put incense on it
2  and take it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the fine flour and oil, together with all the incense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.
3  The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the offerings made to the LORD by fire.
4  “‘If you bring a grain offering baked in an oven, it is to consist of fine flour: cakes made without yeast and mixed with oil, or wafers made without yeast and spread with oil.
5  If your grain offering is prepared on a griddle, it is to be made of fine flour mixed with oil, and without yeast.
6  Crumble it and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. ……

On verses 1-12:  Leviticus 2 describes a second type of offering that the Israelites were commanded to give:  the grain offering.  Whereas the burnt offering in Leviticus 1 involved sacrificing animals for the forgiveness of sins, the grain offering in Leviticus 2 involved sacrificing vegetables (i.e. grain) and was for the purpose of giving thanks to God.

If the burnt offering described in Leviticus 1 points us to Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins, what can we learn from the grain offering?  Just as the burnt offering is followed by the grain offering in Leviticus 1-2, God’s forgiveness (represented by the burnt offering) should always be followed by our gratitude (represented by the grain offering). 

《聖經中各種審判》4— 洪水審判全地

2021-10-01 in , /by

上帝主權掌管下的歷史進展

第三個審判是對全世界人類的審判，要透過洪水的審判建造一個新的族類。上帝的審判，是為了彰顯祂的公義。當上帝看見地上的人罪惡很大，終日所想的盡都是惡，上帝定意審判全人類，除了被揀選的人與動物之外，上帝藉此重新整頓整個世界。上帝給了人類生命一百二十年，要人進方舟領受上帝的恩典。挪亞傳道一百二十年，但這不等於人會相信上帝的話，上帝所定的，人不願意它成就，挪亞看似是歷史上最沒有果效的傳道人。往往我們以為只要我們努力、禱告、盡我們的責任，我們一定能達到果效，但上帝最後的主權掌握人的生死，成就事情的成敗，決定歷史的方向怎麼走下去，只有挪亞一家八口度過這個難關，維持整個地球的存在與新種類的延續。

上帝決定的大過人的奮鬥。賣耶穌的猶大是不能得救的，無論給他多少機會，因為他剛硬著心，上帝許可他剛硬的心得逞。新約的教訓也告訴我們：除非上帝自己動工，人不能因自己殷勤的工作達到成就，聖經概括而言：「我要恩待誰就恩待誰，要憐憫誰就憐憫誰」（出33:19），因為一切的一切都在上帝預定的旨意中才有成就的可能。挪亞的方舟預表耶穌基督把我們帶到祂恩典的懷抱中，預表上帝的救恩，挪亞一面建造方舟，一面傳福音，呼籲人進到方舟，領受救恩，得著生命的保障，但除了他一家八口，沒有人接受，因為不信他的權威與講道的內容，更不信他的預言會有怎樣的結果。人以自己的理性、經驗、主觀的判斷推敲他聽見的一切信息。上帝藉著挪亞傳的道，人聽不進去，「你憑什麼告訴我們日後一定會照著你所說的成就」。這世上的人被分為信與不信，信的人就在神的道中領受恩典，不信的人就在自己的過犯中領受審判。

挪亞一家八口成為餘種。「餘種」這個詞在《創世記》、《以賽亞書》、《羅馬書》出現過（創45:7，賽1:9，羅9:29）。餘種、上帝的預定、上帝恩典的主權的觀念，就在洪水的審判中顯明出來，因為上帝是公義的，是信實的，是聖潔的，顯明祂自己是神聖的主。挪亞要在一百二十年內建造方舟是很困難的事，無論方舟的容量、建法（參：創6:14-16），上帝都規定了。無論是會幕的尺寸、方舟的容量、揀選的總數，都是上帝所預定的，「你要照著山上指示你的樣式，建造百姓敬拜上帝的會幕」（參：出25:40；26:30；27:8，來8:5），方舟是第一次把上帝要做的事，多大、什麼形式、建造的規矩啟示後，人才去建。

Jesus Your Burnt Offering

2021-09-30 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today we begin the book of Leviticus.  According to many scholars, Leviticus was mostly likely written by Moses himself in approximately the second half of 15th century B.C.  It was apparently the first book that a Jewish child studied and contained many of the sacrificial and ceremonial laws that the Jewish people were to follow.  From the book of Leviticus we can learn a lot about the character of God.

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

Leviticus 1:1-2 (NIV)
1  The LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting. He said,
2  “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When any of you brings an offering to the LORD, bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock.

On verses 1-2:  Where was Moses when God spoke to him and revealed His plans for him and the people he was leading?  Moses was in church, or as it was called then, the Tent of Meeting, the place where God’s people gathered to worship and meet with God.  

Likewise, if you want God to speak to you and to reveal His plans for you, make it your priority to be in church where you can meet with God and with God’s people.  God loves to speak to His people when they are gathered together.  So come to church with a hungry, expectant heart, ready to worship God, to be still in His presence and to listen to His Word.

所羅門與希蘭立約

2021-09-30 in , /by

〈列王紀〉上 5:1-12耶和華照著所應許的賜智慧給所羅門。希蘭與所羅門和好，彼此立約。

閱讀經文：〈列王紀 〉上 5:1-18  

所羅門在〈箴言〉裡寫下：“你的朋友和父親的朋友，你都不可離棄。(箴27:10) ”不知是否因為希蘭的關係？推羅王希蘭因為和大衛一向交好，所以在所羅門做王後，對他倍加照顧。這可以說是所羅門的切身體驗吧，倘若不是希蘭的大力相助，不管是建聖殿或宮殿都拿不到那麼多上等的木材。

希蘭是指腓尼基王希蘭一世（Hiram I BC 980-947），推羅是古代腓尼基人的主要海港之一，位於耶路撒冷北方約150公里的一個小島之上。古代腓尼基人據說是挪亞的兒子閃族的後代，他們住在地中海東岸，善於航海與經商。在希蘭的統治之下，推羅變成當時最重要的腓尼基城巿，更成為當時的一個貿易大國。推羅控制著亞柯灣（Bay of Acre）以北的地中海沿岸，在地中海的四周擁有許多殖民地，也包括了當時的黎巴嫩。推羅與她的殖民地及其他國家的貿易往來名聞遐邇，除了當時的航海業，紡織和染色工業，以及香柏木出口，也都極為著名。

推羅靠海，沒有出產農產品，因此非常仰賴以色列的農產品供應，以色列也控制內陸到推羅的商業大道。因此推羅王是最早承認大衛王的君王，現在更與大衛的兒子所羅門繼續建立交易的合約，願意以香柏本和松木去換取以色列人的農產品。所羅門對黎巴嫩的香柏木最感興趣，還有松木和檀香木，甚至甘願以麥子和清油（壓榨過的橄欖油）交易。在〈歷代志〉下第二章寫得更仔細，推羅王想要的包括了小麥、大麥、酒、油，因此所羅門王答應，在建造的七年中，每年給他打好了的小麥二萬歌珥，大麥二萬歌珥，酒二萬罷特，油二萬罷特，以供給推羅的工人。根據解經家的分析，二萬歌珥小麥、兩萬歌珥大麥；這些麥子可以做成兩萬六千六百六十六歌珥的麵粉，比所羅門王室消耗量還少五分之一。按照《新譯本》，所羅門給了希蘭麥子四百萬公升，純油四十萬公升。

How to Experience More of God’s Love and Peace

2021-09-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Corinthians 13:1-14.  Let’s go!

2 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NIV)
1  This will be my third visit to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
2  I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others,
3  since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me…

On verses 1-3a:  Paul naturally preferred to take a gentle approach with his congregation in person (see for example verse 10).  However, the Christians in the church in Corinth were continuing to engage in the sinful behaviours that Paul had repeatedly warned them about in the past (see 2 Corinthians 12:20-21).  In addition, people in the church in Corinth had been criticizing Paul for being strong and aggressive in his letters but weak and mild in person.  They even questioned whether Christ was really speaking through Paul (v3).  So with all that in mind, Paul says that he now plans to take a stern, disciplinarian approach toward the people in his church, just as he had warned them before on his second visit to them (v2).  In verse 1 Paul quotes Deuteronomy 19:15 as a way to say he is getting ready to exercise some church discipline when he visits them next.

所羅門之富強和智慧

2021-09-29 in , /by

〈列王紀〉上 4:20 猶大人和以色列人如同海邊的沙那樣多，都吃喝快樂。

閱讀經文：〈列王紀 〉上 4:1-34  

神曾經對亞伯蘭說：“從你所在的地方，你舉目向東西南北觀看，凡你所看見的一切地，我都要賜給你和你的後裔，直到永遠。我也要使你的後裔如同地上的塵沙那樣多，人若能數算地上的塵沙，才能數算你的後裔。 你起來，縱橫走遍這地，因為我必把這地賜給你。（創13:14-17）”這些應許到了所羅門的時代，終於應驗了：“猶大人和以色列人如同海邊的沙那樣多，都吃喝快樂”，“所羅門統管諸國，從大河到非利士地，直到埃及的邊界”。神的應許一句也不落空。一千多年，在人看來不可能的事，在神凡事都能。

曾經在埃及做過四百多年奴隸的以色列人，竟然可以建立起一個如此富強的國家。怎樣從四百年已經養成的奴性中，飛躍出剛強壯膽的信念？怎樣從一個希伯來人亞伯蘭的彈丸之地，變成擁有整個迦南地的國家？神的手那樣奇妙而堅定地帶領著祂呼召的人，在祂的旨意裡不斷地向前走，終於走出來了。所以我們倚靠神的人，要看得見、信得過這位耶和華神，因為祂是如此信實，即使在人的絕望中，因為有祂，就必然有希望。

在大衛所立的根基和制度上，所羅門又更新了一些人事，因為以前服侍大衛的人都老了，他需要一批新血。但他不是隨便去找人，都是從可靠的老臣中，提拔他們的子嗣。這是很聰明的作法，一來父親可以教兒子，也可以順便管兒子，讓他們可以忠心職守。例如：撒督的兒子亞撒利雅做祭司，示沙的兩個兒子以利何烈、亞希亞做書記，亞希律的兒子約沙法做史官，耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅做元帥，等等，依此類推。在這裡還載亞比亞他和撒都是祭司長，可能那時還沒有叫亞比亞他歸鄉。

Love, Loyalty and Respect

2021-09-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Corinthians 12:11-21.  Let’s go!

2 Corinthians 12:11-19 (NIV)
11  I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.
12  The things that mark an apostle–signs, wonders and miracles–were done among you with great perseverance.
13  How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!
14  Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.
15  So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less?
16  Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery!
17  Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent you?
18  I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not act in the same spirit and follow the same course?
19  Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening.

On verses 11-19:  Paul was hurt that the Christians at the church in Corinth, which he had helped to start, had so quickly shifted their loyalty to this new, heretical group called the “super apostles”.  Under the influence of these “super apostles”, the Christians in Corinth had begun to question Paul’s authority as an apostle, his ability as a leader, his character as a man and his love for them as their pastor and spiritual father.  These were very personal attacks.