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第四封信：给推雅推喇教会(上)

2021-06-04 in , /by

推雅推喇又译非拉铁非，这名是指兄弟之爱。当初建这座城是为了将希腊文化传到这地，再传往亚洲，人称「通往东方之门」，为宣扬古希腊文化和生活方式。这里的土壤十分肥沃，适合种葡萄树，但永远不知何时会发生地震，居民常必须在地震过后重建，特别重视建筑物的品质，因此信中提到门、钥匙和柱子等有关建筑的物品，都是他们熟知的。

非拉铁非教会很小，他们自卑地努力求生存；充满活力的撒狄教会就在附近，多半的人都想去撒狄。这个忠心但弱小的教会，信徒对所在的城市显然没有太大的影响力，增长的速度也不快。但耶稣却不用严厉的语气向他们说话，也不想挫败他们的信心。耶稣在这封信上的自我介绍最长，因为祂似乎想表明，他们在这七个教会中最但最重要；鼓励他们也许不起眼、没有影响力，但所需要的一切，都在耶稣里面。

耶稣提到自己是圣洁、真实，是那位圣者，这是上帝的称号，在启示录中有用相同的称号，来称呼上帝和耶稣，表明耶稣就是上帝，如阿拉法、俄梅戛；首先的、末后的，启示录一章如此称呼上帝，最后一章也这样称呼耶稣。

〈以赛亚书〉廿二章曾提到掌银库的家宰权力最大，有大卫王宫的钥匙，权力仅次于王。当时家宰舍伯那骄傲，以为自己的地位比王还重要，开始为自己凿皇家规格的墓穴，后来上帝刻意将此人驱逐出境，他在国外某处死了。以利亚敬取代他的地位，这是个谦卑可靠的人、值得信赖，他开的门无人能关，他关的门无人能开。耶稣在这里如此说，为了相较这世上的统治者趾高气扬，为自己盖巨大的坟墓，耶稣是谦卑可靠掌管王宫的那位。〈启示录〉提到旧约圣经约四百多次，若不了解旧约圣经，很难了解〈启示录〉。

You Are Set Apart

2021-06-03 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 25:1-18.  Let’s go!

Genesis 25:12-18 (NIV)
1  Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah.
2  She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah.
3  Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan; the descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, the Letushites and the Leummites.
4  The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.
5  Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac.
6  But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east.

On verses 1-6:  Here we learn that after Sarah died Abraham took another wife called Keturah who bore children as well.  However, to go in line with God’s words about Isaac and how through Isaac Abraham would become the father of many nations and how his descendants would take over the land of Canaan, Abraham sent away his and Keturah’s children eastward with gifts, so that none of them would compete with Isaac for the land of Canaan.

以色列人攻讨基比亚

2021-06-03 in , /by

〈士师记〉   20:46 那日便雅悯死了的共有二万五千人，都是拿刀的勇士。

阅读经文：〈士师记〉  20:1-48 

「但」是指但族人定居的拉亿。「别是巴」这名字的意思是「七之井」（七是指七只母羊羔）。亚伯拉罕和以撒都曾居住于此地，亚伯拉罕与基拉耳王亚比米勒曾在别是巴井旁起誓，所以又解作「盟誓的井」（创21:31），位于耶路撒冷的西南边77公里，是现今以色列南区的行政中心。南地就是指别是巴和其附近的地区。别是巴的居民在波斯时代迁离原址，定居在它东边之地，开发了另一个别是巴城，就是今日别是巴的所在。教会史之父优西比乌描绘它为一个位于希伯仑南边40公里的大乡村。旧约描绘以色列的国界，一般都说「从但到别是巴」，意思即全以色列。「基列地」从广义来说，可以包括整个（属以色列）的外约但地区，也就是约但河东的以色列人地区。

米斯巴是便雅悯人的一座城。以色列四十万拿刀的步兵和领及军长，都如同一人来到米斯巴，同心一意要求便雅悯人将作恶的基比亚人交出来接受审判，但是便雅悯人不肯。我们不知道为何便雅悯人不肯交出那些作恶的基比亚人，可能他们之间有姻亲关系，或是因为基比亚人一直居住在他们中间，已经建立了深厚的感情。但是这次内战的后果，便雅悯人只剩六百个男人，可见包容罪恶的代价十分惨重。便雅悯人执意不肯交出犯罪的人，可能也是仗着自己有能力吧。他们拿刀的共有二万六千，基比亚人也有七百精兵；在众兵之中还有七百精兵，都是用左手的，能用机弦甩石打人，毫发不差。所以他们丝毫不在乎要打仗，很可能还想借机会试试身手。

以色列人此时面临僵局，便雅悯人不肯交出恶人，那他们真的要向自己人开战吗？这时他们才想到要求问神。他们不像摩西求问，是把主权交给神，让神告诉他怎样做。以色列人是已经自己决定要打仗了，才问神，谁让先出去打，因为这时谁都不想先出去，所以只好求问神了。我们看到这样的结局有很大的不同。当神做以色列军队的元帅时，神会把作仗的方法告诉约书亚，约书亚就按著神的计划去做。这里的以色列人不是，他们并没有求神作他们的元帅，他们自己做自己的元帅，一出阵就死了二万二千人。打输了之后，再去神面前哭号。

利未人迎其妾

2021-06-02 in , /by

〈士师记〉 19:30凡看见的人都说：「从以色列人出埃及地直到今日，这样的事没有行过，也没有见过！现在应当思想，大家商议当怎样办理。」

阅读经文：〈士师记〉 19:1-30

「当以色列中没有王的时候」，〈士师记〉作者列举一些发生过的事情，让我们明白，在心中没有王的年代里，人可以做出何等无道之事。有一个住在以法莲山地的利未人，他娶了一个妾。没想到这个妾与人行淫，可能因而被赶回伯利恒的父家。按照律法，行淫之人当用石头打死，但是这个利未人可能对他的妾还有感情，所以不但没让人用石头把她打死，还要亲自去她的父家把她迎接回来。

没想到他的亲家十分热情，天天留请他吃饭。住到第五天，吃完饭，这人就坚持要走了。虽然行夜路十分危险，他还是去意已决。那时耶路撒冷尚未成为以色列人的地方，还是由耶布斯人所住，名字也还是叫做耶布斯。这个利未人对外邦的耶布斯人有忌讳，选择到以色列人居住的基比亚和拉玛。基比亚是便雅悯支派所得为业的十四座城之一，在耶路撒冷以北约五公里；拉玛在耶路撒冷北方约九公里处。他以为这是以色列人住的地方，应当比较安全。

他们进到基比亚，就坐在城里的街上。当时好像没有旅馆，都像亚伯拉罕那样，看到有外人，就去迎接他们到家里住宿，这是犹太人一种不成文的礼节。他们相信，像亚伯拉罕那样好客，也会像他那样，在不知不觉中就接待了天使，那是何等的福气啊！但是利未人在城里的街上坐了半天，太阳都下山了，竟然没有人来理会他们。这里说的「街上」，其实是「广场」，指的是进入城门之后的那块空地，那块空地也是当时社交和商业交易的地方。他们是外人，对城里不了解，不能乱闯，所以等在广场上，看看有没有人愿意接待他们。

Just Take the Next Step + God Provides in the Mourning

2021-06-02 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 24:52-67.  Let’s go!

Genesis 24:52-61 (NIV)
52  When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD.
53  Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother.
54  Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there. When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way to my master.”……

On verses 52-61:  Willingly Rebekah leaves her home and goes back with Abraham’s servant to become Isaac’s wife.  To leave her family, friends and homeland and to move to a new land to marry a stranger was no easy task.  Earlier in Genesis 24 we learned that Rebekah had the heart of an excellent and humble servant.  Here in these verses we see that Rebekah was also brave.  It’s no wonder God used Rebekah to help accomplish God’s plan of building a family of nations through Abraham, a family which would ultimately include you and me and everyone else who places their trust in Jesus Christ.  Nothing in Genesis so far seems to suggests that Rebekah had any idea of God’s bigger plan to use her life in this way.  Most likely, Rebekah was just faithfully taking the next step that she believed God was showing her and had no idea how much God would end up using her decision to become Isaac’s wife.

但族遣人觅地

2021-06-01 in , /by

〈士师记〉  18:31 神的殿在示罗多少日子，但人为自己设立米迦所雕刻的像也在但多少日子。

阅读经文：〈士师记〉  18:1-31

「那时以色列中没有王」，这句话在〈士师记〉中一共出现了四次（17:6/18:1/19:1/21:25），表示作者在写此书时，以色列中已经有王治理。所以他认为，以色列人的问题，是因为以色列中没有王的原因。其实「王」只是领导者的代名词，但是以色列人想的并不是这样，他们渴望的是像外邦人一样有个耀武扬威的王，使人产生敬畏的王。因为摩西、约书亚和一些士师，其实都起了很好的带领作用，使他们远离偶像，敬拜耶和华，在许多方面蒙福。因此我们可以看到，以色列人一直没有找出他们得罪神和失败的根源。

在约书亚为以色列人分地时，但支派似乎没有像其他支派那样，得到又大又美的地界。他们分到了十七个城邑，散住在迦南各地（地图上有红点的便是但人原分得的城）。在〈士师记〉第一章34 节说：「亚摩利人强逼但人住在山地，不容他们下到平原」，加上在参孙做士师前后受到非利士人的压迫，所以但支派的人一直在为寻找一个可以定居的地方而努力。从约书亚死后到参孙做士师的时期结束，可以算出的大约是410年，当然其中有一些年数是我们无法统计的，因为作者没有把它们列出来。但支派找到拉亿定居是否是在参孙死后，因为无法抵抗非利士人，所以更积极地寻找长久的定居之地呢？因为参孙被耶和华的灵感动时，但的军营或者说但的营地，尚在玛哈尼但，琐拉和以实陶之间。

Made to Love and Be Loved

2021-06-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 24:15-33.  Let’s go!

Genesis 24:15-17 (NIV)
15  Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.
16  The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
17  The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”

On verses 15-17:  Just as God brought Rebekah to Abraham’s servant even before Abraham’s servant finished praying, God knows your need even before you express it.  So why ask God if He already knows what we need?  Even though He already knows what we need, we ask God because asking is part of growing in our relationship with God, learning to rely on Him and experiencing the power of faith.  Faith is like a muscle that grows with use.  So use your faith muscles and ask God for what you need.

米迦造偶像

2021-05-31 in , /by

〈士师记〉   17:6  那时以色列中没有王，各人任意而行。

阅读经文：〈士师记〉  17:1-13

虽然〈士师记〉  里参孙是最后一个士师，但是真正最后的一个士师是撒母耳。在〈士师记〉  里最后几章都是描写以色列中没有王，各人任意而行的几个例子，让我们明白在一个心中没有王的社会里，会产生的奇怪现象和许多悲剧。

第一个例子说到有一个叫做米迦的人的家中所发生的事情。有一天，米迦的母亲丢了一千一百舍客勒银子，米母（简称）非常生气，可能大骂小偷无耻无道，又咒诅他绝子绝孙的。假如你丢了那么多钱，你会怎样骂小偷，你想得到的，她可能都骂出来了。

没想到偷她钱的小偷听到了，这个小偷天天听她咒诅，越听越不是滋味，更深怕那咒诅在自己身上应验。于是他自首了。迦母没想到偷钱的是自己的儿子，立刻改口：「我儿啊，愿耶和华赐福于你！」那时她多么希望能收回那些咒诅的话啊！怎能让那些咒诅落到至爱的儿子身上呢？只好求神赐福，希望可以盖过那些咒诅。别人偷钱该死，自己儿子偷钱骂两声也够了。这就是人的标准，别人做错事，就要下十八层地狱，若是自己人，陪个不是就可以了。

为了消除自己的咒诅，米母就想为儿子雕个神像，她以为这样可以讨耶和华神的高兴。她虽然知道耶和华神，对于律法却一无所知。以为雕像当作神来拜，就是在敬拜耶和华了，却没想到她的作法正好与神的教导相悖，她做了神最讨厌的事。我们会不会这样呢？有时凭著一股热心，要为神做这个做那个，却没想到反而得罪神。

Serve with Excellence

2021-05-31 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 24:15-33.  Let’s go!

Genesis 24:15-17 (NIV)
15  Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.
16  The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
17  The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”

On verses 15-17:  Just as God brought Rebekah to Abraham’s servant even before Abraham’s servant finished praying, God knows your need even before you express it.  So why ask God if He already knows what we need?  Even though He already knows what we need, we ask God because asking is part of growing in our relationship with God, learning to rely on Him and experiencing the power of faith.  Faith is like a muscle that grows with use.  So use your faith muscles and ask God for what you need.

When Looking For That Special Someone

2021-05-30 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 24:1-14.  Let’s go!

Genesis 24:1-4 (NIV)
1  Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.
2  He said to the chief servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh.
3  I want you to swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living,
4  but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac.”

On verses 1-4:  Even in Abraham’s old age, Abraham still had goals to accomplish and things he wanted to get done.  A top priority for Abraham was finding a good wife for his son Isaac, as per the traditions of his culture where parents would arrange the marriage for their child.  Since Abraham could not do this himself in his old age, he delegated this responsibility to his chief servant and placed him under a strict oath to go back to Abraham’s home country and find for Isaac a wife that met Abraham’s criteria.