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The God Who Searches for You

2021-06-22 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 31:33-44.  Let’s go!

Genesis 31:33-34 (NIV)
33  So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent.
34  Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them inside her camel’s saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched through everything in the tent but found nothing.

On verses 33-34:  Laban painstakingly searches in the tents of his daughters and their maidservants for his household gods but is unable to find them.  Little did Laban know that his daughter Rachel, who had stolen the household gods, was hiding them inside her camel’s saddle and sitting on them.

What can we learn from this?  Here we find Laban frantically searching for his household gods and unable to find them.  But earlier the one true God was searching for Laban and found him, speaking to Laban in a dream (see v24).  That’s a major difference between the God of the Bible and the gods of many other faiths.  With many other faiths, philosophies and religions in the world, it’s about human beings searching for God.  But in the Bible, God searching for human beings.

What Passes Down

2021-06-21 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 31:17-32.  Let’s go!

Genesis 31:17-18 (NIV)
17  Then Jacob put his children and his wives on camels,
18  and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated in Paddan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.

On verses 17-18:  When Jacob first arrived at Paddan Aram, he was single and had nothing to his name except the clothes on his back.  Now he is leaving and going back to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan a married and very wealthy man.

Genesis 31:19-23 (NIV)
19  When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household gods.
20  Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him he was running away.
21  So he fled with all he had, and crossing the River, he headed for the hill country of Gilead.
22  On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled.
23  Taking his relatives with him, he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.

送约柜献陪罪祭

2021-06-21 in , /by

〈撒母耳记上〉 6:19 a    耶和华因伯示麦人擅观他的约柜，就击杀了他们七十人，那时有五万人在那里。

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记上〉 6:1-21

约柜在非利士地七个月，非利士人受尽了折磨，一点也没有得胜的欢乐。他们也有祭司和占卜的，来帮他们询问属灵的怪事。非利士人的祭司和占卜的能够明白神的心意，可见灵界之间是相通的。当年主耶稣赶鬼时，鬼也认得主耶稣是谁。神可以控制术士巴兰，也可以让非利士人的祭司和占卜者知道祂要的是什么。因此有时我们会读到：「你们要称谢万神之神，万主之主（诗136:1,2）」，这并不是说其他的灵也是神，而是说在万人中所崇拜的众多之灵（人口中的神）中，只有耶和华神才是万「神明」中的唯一真神。人虽以为自己拜的是「神」，其实都是一厢情愿罢了。它们何尝自认为神呢？就好像大衮一样，在约柜的面前断头断手，它岂能称得上是「神」？不过是一些叛变的天使出来惊吓人，欺骗人罢了。

非利士人虽然战胜，却哪有战胜的气势，不但自己拜的「神」折头断手，现在还要付上赔罪礼，真是赔了夫人又折兵，真希望没打赢那场仗啊！得罪以色列人的神，真不是好玩的，原想把祂搬来祝福自己，没想到这下不但要送回去，还要赔礼？正在着磨之间，祭司和占卜的说了：「你们为何硬着心像埃及人和法老一样呢？」言下之意，不听这个神的话，就会像埃及人那样吃大亏的。这个小亏就认了吧，金痔疮和金老鼠，都是小事情。自家的田地被那些老鼠已经闹得庄稼不像话了，每个人也都生了痔疮，难道还要等待更大的灾难来临，像埃及一样吗？何苦呢？

这些人的话很有智慧，也很有道理，以历史为明鉴，不重蹈古人之辙。他们教导非利士人要归荣耀给以色列的神，这样祂或许会把手放轻些。因为你看埃及当年的十灾，一灾重过一灾。所以不要觉得打胜仗还要把战利品送回去，太没面子；在耶和华神面前没面子不要紧，重要的是要给神有面子，归荣耀于祂。因为耶和华神也给他们留下了性命，只是稍微警戒而已！有的人觉得放下自尊去信主很没面子，好像自己没本事似的。其实回归到创造宇宙、赐人生命的神那里，怎么会没面子呢？

约柜在非利士地

2021-06-20 in , /by

〈撒母耳记上〉 5:9 运到之后，耶和华的手攻击那城，使那城的人大大惊慌，无论大小都生痔疮。

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记上〉 5:1-12

非利士人竟然敢抢走耶和华神的宝座，他们疯了吗？什么人的东西不好抢，去抢神的椅子？若有人抢你的掎子，你会不会去抢回来呢？那当然囉！只有偶像才会坐着不动，任人搬来搬去！非利士人不认识耶和华神，他们以为约柜就是以色列人的神，所以他们也按着他们偶像崇拜的习惯，把约柜抬到大衮庙里。大衮是迦南人拜的偶像之一，它的形状是一个披着鱼皮的男人，或说是半人半鱼的东西，是非利士人的众神之首，被古代以色列人视为魔鬼，传中主管农业。

亚实突人指的是住在非利士地的亚实突城里的非利士人。让他们十分惊讶的是，第二天他们一进到庙里，愕然见到大衮仆倒在耶和华的约柜前，脸伏于地。这事非同小可，大衮竟然会自己跑下来，并且跪在耶和华的约柜前；表示非利士人的神跪拜以色列人的神。非利士人看了不明所以，就把大衮放回原处。大衮需要人搬动才能回到原处，那么，是谁把它搬下来的？

第三天，他们一进庙里，这次更糟，大衮不仅仆倒在约柜前面，它的头和手都丢在别处了，只留在残体仆在那里。好像在告诉非利士人，你们拜的究竟是什么东西？连自己都保护不了！怎能保护你们呢？到这样的景像，再没有人要拜大衮了。神特意给他们看这样的景像，有何用意？岂不是在向非利士人宣告，唯有祂才是真神吗？

The Father Who Protects You From All Harm

2021-06-20 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 31:1-16.  Let’s go!

Genesis 31:1-5 (NIV)
1  Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.”
2  And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been.
3  Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”
4  So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were.
5  He said to them, “I see that your father’s attitude toward me is not what it was before, but the God of my father has been with me.

On verses 1-5:   Jacob hears God’s Word telling him to go back to the land of his fathers and to his relatives.  In response to God’s Word, Jacob speaks to his wives Rachel and Leah about going back. 

As part of his pitch to go back, Jacob tells of how his father-in-law Laban had acted deceitfully toward Jacob.  His attitude toward Jacob changed from one of welcoming and warmth to one of coldness.  But Jacob also had a Heavenly Father who acted faithfully toward him.  As Jacob says in verse 5, “your father’s attitude toward is not what it was before, but the God of my father has been with me.” 

第五封信：撒狄教会(上)

2021-06-18 in , /by

撒狄教会是代表教会第五个时代（主后1517－1750年）。那时的教会情形，起先推雅推喇教会腐败了，神给他们悔改的机会，在这一千多年的时间，推雅推喇教会始终不悔改。神乃从黑暗败坏的教会中，兴起了马丁路德起来改革教会，所以撒狄教会，就是代表这时的教会情形。

「撒狄」二字，原文是「恢复」，「复兴」之意。这是告诉我们，复兴原有的教会，恢复失去的宝贝。如把「因信称义」恢复过来，将隐藏的《圣经》恢复有机会来读，原来神在一千五百多年的时候，拣选了马丁路德有权力呼召神的儿女，告诉他们，人是借着信可以称义。那时的人看见罗马教的工作，不能叫人称义，因为人在神面前，无论工作多好，多完美，但在神面前如污秽的衣服，惟有披上神所给的义，才能称义，才可靠。至于《圣经》方面，在罗马教的时候是隐藏的，教王严禁信徒读《圣经》。而且那时只有拉丁文，希腊文《圣经》，普通人不易懂。所以教王、主教、神父随着自己的意思去教训人。

神在那时借着马丁路德呼召神的儿女们，脱离天主教，且把《圣经》译成德文，使人可以自由阅读。《圣经》在这种亮光之下，好像黑暗中得着光明，神的儿女们，用不着跟从罗马教在黑暗中摸索。所以历史告诉我们，千千万万人在那时加入更正教大运动，这固然是好现象，但可惜更正教工作不完全，不澈底。因为更正教之后，所有见到的，不过为道热心，与及神奇妙的祝福。后来就渐渐冷淡，那时更正教有很大的势力，因此许多人是为著利用这大势力而已，也就失去了属灵的能力。后来复原教的意思，只不过反对罗马教而已。总括一句话讲，从马丁路德起来改革的时候，教会似乎很好，但后来渐渐退后，成为有名无实的教会了。

一、主耶稣的自称─13章一节的上半节「你要写信给撒狄教会的使者说，那有神的七灵和七星的，说。」主的自称是因着每个教会的情形而定。现在主对撒狄教会说：「那有神的七灵和七星的说。」因撒狄教会与所代表的复原教相同。

Never Forget the Vision

2021-06-18 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 30:25-43.  Let’s go!

Genesis 30:25-26 (NIV)
25  After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way so I can go back to my own homeland.
26  Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you, and I will be on my way. You know how much work I’ve done for you.”

On verses 25-26:  Jacob has already completed the 14 years he agreed to work for Laban in exchange for his two wives Leah and Rachel.  Throughout these 14 years, Jacob never forgot God’s promise to him in Genesis 28:13-15 as well as his own prayer that God would bring him back safely to his father’s house (Genesis 28:20-22).  He is now taking steps to go back and requests Laban to let him go.  What can we learn from this?  Wherever you are, never forget God’s vision for your life and the dream God has placed in your heart.

约柜被掳

2021-06-17 in , /by

〈撒母耳记上〉    4:22   她又说：「荣耀离开以色列，因为神的约柜被掳去了。」

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记上〉   4:1-22

这是以利当士师的最后一役，以色列人出去与非利士人打仗。根据以斯拉网的资料：当以色列人离开埃及时，非利士人已经大量定居于埃及与迦萨之间沿岸一带，因此以色列人被迫绕道内陆，以避开「非利士地的道路」（出13:17）。事实上，与非利士地毗连的地中海被称为「非利士海」（出23:31）。〈申命记〉2:23所指的迦斐托人也应该是这地区的非利士人。在约书亚的晚年，非利士人已经在迦萨、亚实基伦、亚实突、以革伦及迦特这五个城市建立了稳固的势力（书13:2-3）。

士师时代，非利士人欺压以色列人已有40年（士13:1）。士师参孙的一生都与非利士人有关，最终他跟众多非利士人同归于尽（士14:19, 15:14-15, 16:4-30）。《圣经》提过三个非利士神名：大衮（撒上5:2）、亚斯他录（撒上31:10）及巴力西卜，非利士人向这些神明献祭（士16:23），在战争时带有护身符（撒下5:21）。他们的异教信仰往往成为以色列人的网罗 (士2:3)。从这时候起，神经常以这些人责打以色列人（士3:2-3）。

当以色列人在战场上失利时，痛中思痛，也想找出失败的原因。他们也想到神的同在是得胜的关键。但是他们心中的神是谁呢？

在你生命中最重要的，不可遗失的东西是什么？在这章经文里，有一个很重要的东西不见了，这个东西被提到了九次，你找得出来吗？可能你已经猜到了，那就是约柜。从以色列人打仗，败得不知如何是好时，以色列的长老们想起了约柜，而不是想起神。这两者之间有一个很大的差别，这约柜是神的宝座所在之处，但耶和华神不是偶像，祂是不是坐在那里，等着人家去抬呢？能够帮助以色列人得胜的，是神的座位，还是神呢？这件事他们竟然没想清楚。

The Son Who Takes Away Disgrace

2021-06-17 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 30:14-24.  Let’s go!

Genesis 30:14-18 (NIV)
14  During wheat harvest, Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants, which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”
15  But she said to her, “Wasn’t it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?” “Very well,” Rachel said, “he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.”
16  So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. “You must sleep with me,” she said. “I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he slept with her that night.
17  God listened to Leah, and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son.
18  Then Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.

On verses 14-18:  “Mandrakes” were a rare Middle Eastern plant that were traditionally thought to be an aphrodisiac, and were known among Greeks as “love apples” and among Arabs as the “devil’s apples”.  Leah’s son Reuben finds some mandrakes and brings them to his mom.  Rachel wants some of the mandrakes, so Rachel and Leah strike a bargain where Leah gets to sleep with Jacob that night and Rachel gets the mandrakes.  Later Leah gets pregnant and bears a fifth son, whom she calls Issachar, meaning “reward”.  Leah sees her fifth son as a reward from God for her giving her maidservant Zilpah to her husband.

撒母耳得启示

2021-06-16 in , /by

〈撒母耳记上〉    3:19  撒母耳长大了，耶和华与他同在，使他所说的话一句都不落空。

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记上〉   3:1-21

在撒母耳蒙召时，正值〈士师记〉的末期，也是以色列人信仰极其荒凉的时候。以利当大祭司，又做士师，却无法尽职，竟让他的儿子们在会幕里亵渎神、渺视神，以致百姓不愿意到会幕献祭，与神隔绝。假如牧者不尽职，讲道都随便讲，会友会不会一个个跑掉呢？这是必然的，因为百姓去会幕是想亲近神，却看到祭司有如强盗般的行为，无法亲近神，只好就不去了，也免得受气。牧者若不专心牧养会众，会众有如羊群，便会去别的地方找属灵的「草」吃了。

以利既然不体贴神的心意，神也就不跟他说话了，所以耶和华的言语稀少。不只稀少，而是不跟他讲了。神派神人，甚至借着小小的撒母耳去警告以利，可是以利还是无动于衷。他有权柄可以禁止他们行恶，可是他舍不得管教那两个逆子。所以神对撒母耳说：「因他知道儿子作孽，自招咒诅，却不禁止他们。」神为何要派人，甚至借着小撒母耳传话呢？假如我们这样做，会有何用意？岂不是希望他能有所作为，有所悔改，有所行动吗？可是以利什么也不做。他已经98岁了，什么都不想做了。换了是我98岁，还会有所作为吗？不过，我记得我婆婆去世前是96岁，她头脑很清楚，还是大是大非的。若头脑清醒，不管岁数多少，我们都要尽量尊重神，也教导儿女尊重神。希望我们都不要像以利那样，神已经再三遣人警告他，他依然以儿子们为重，他有权柄，却不肯禁止儿子们作恶。

以利觉得无能为力，只好凭主旨意。但是在〈以西结书〉卅三章11节，神说：「我指着我的永生起誓，我断不喜悦恶人死亡，唯喜悦恶人转离所行的道而活。」神让以利活到98岁，已经给他比常人更多的机会去悔改，可惜他浪费了神给他的所有年日。但愿我们都能像摩西那样祷告：「求祢指教我们怎样数算自己的日子，好叫我们得着智慧的心（诗90:12）。」有了从神来的智慧，我们才能好好把握今生的日子，不会虚度一生。不管多大岁数，只要还有一口气，我们都可以悔改，求神的怜悯。不要轻易放弃自己和儿女们。