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Where Saint and Sinner Meet

2021-01-18 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 21:13-22.   Let’s go!

Joshua 21:13-22 (NIV) 
13  So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Libnah, 
14  Jattir, Eshtemoa, 
15  Holon, Debir, 
16  Ain, Juttah and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands–nine towns from these two tribes. 
17  And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba, 
18  Anathoth and Almon, together with their pasturelands–four towns. 
19  All the towns for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were thirteen, together with their pasturelands. 
20  The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted towns from the tribe of Ephraim: 
21  In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of refuge for one accused of murder) and Gezer, 
22  Kibzaim and Beth Horon, together with their pasturelands–four towns.

On verses 13-22:  These verses continue to describe the towns given to the Kohathite division of the Levites, starting with the descendants of Aaron (v13-19) and then moving onto to the rest of the Kohathites (v20-22).  Notice that these Levites are given two cities of refuge, Hebron (v13) and Shechem (v21).  As discussed in Joshua 20, cities of refuge were towns where a person accused of murder could flee to for safety until he received a fair trial. 

住棚节当献之祭

2021-01-17 in , /by

〈民数记〉29:12-40七月十五日，你们当有圣会，什么劳碌的工都不可做，要向耶和华守节七日。又要将公牛犊十三只、公绵羊两只、一岁的公羊羔十四只，都要没有残疾的，用火献给耶和华为馨香的燔祭。同献的素祭用调油的细面：为那十三只公牛每只要献伊法十分之三，为那两只公羊每只要献伊法十分之二，为那十四只羊羔每只要献伊法十分之一。并献一只公山羊为赎罪祭，这是在常献的燔祭和同献的素祭并同献的奠祭以外。

和赎罪日的气氛完全相反，住棚节是一个充满了欢乐的节期，把赎罪日的严肃和哀伤一扫而空。在〈利未记〉23章40节里，神要以色列人「在耶和华你们的神面前欢乐七日」，以色列人要住在棚里七日，以记念神带领他们的祖先出埃及时，曾使他们住在棚里。

记念耶和华的恩惠，使人对生命有盼望。有一首歌的副歌歌词这样说：“It is no secret what God can do, What He has done for others, He’ll do for you.”意思是说，神若为别人行了大事，祂也会为你行大事。所以记念神为以色列先祖行的神蹟，便可以明白神也会为现在的以色列人行神蹟。神为以前的圣徒行神蹟，也会为现在信靠祂的人行神蹟。

在《每日研经丛书》里对住棚节有极美的诠释：「住棚节一共有八天。要献的公牛犊从第一天的十三只递减，每天减一只。到了第八天用一只公牛即可。」根据拉比的解释，犹太人传统上在头七日共献上70只公牛，代表全世界的70个民族（基于创十章），借着为他们献祭，期望他们转向以色列的神。而头七日每天献14只羊羔，共98只，是为了避免〈申命记〉28章15至68节中记载的98个咒诅。在第八日的献祭只为以色列自己。在〈利未记〉23章39至43节的经文中，这个节期的名称得到了解释。我们在那里读到：『你们要住在棚里七日；凡以色列家的人都要住在棚里。』它现在变成一个回想和认明上帝在旷野无微不至的照顾和训练祂的百姓的时间──这与〈民数记〉中的事件相关的时间，这就不同于这个节期原来在农业上的目的。

Your Share in the Inheritance

2021-01-17 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 21:1-12.   Let’s go!

Joshua 21:1-12 (NIV) 
1  Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israel
2  at Shiloh in Canaan and said to them, “The LORD commanded through Moses that you give us towns to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock.”
3  So, as the LORD had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance:

On verses 1-12:  When Moses was still alive and leading the Israelites, God had commanded that upon taking possession of the promised land, the Israelites were to give the tribe of Levi towns to live in and to possess.  God even commanded that these towns and pasturelands for the Levites be taken from the Israelites’ own inheritance (see Numbers 35:1-5).  This was quite an act of grace and mercy toward Levi and his descendants.  That’s because when Levi was alive, he was notorious for a vengeful series of killings that he and his brother Simeon committed in Genesis 34.  Levi and Simeon’s sins had the effect of disqualifying their descendants from owning large areas of land for themselves (see Genesis 49:5-7).  By commanding the rest of the Israelite tribes to give towns and pasturelands to the Levites, God was showing great grace and mercy to Levi and his descendants.

更丰盛的生命(之2)

2021-01-15 in , /by

如同福杯满溢的人生

　　第二，一个有丰盛生命的人，是一个流露生命、分享生命的人，因为他的生命丰盛，他便流露出这丰盛，正像一个杯，你盛水、奶在里面，当这杯充满以后，就流出来了，这是很自然的，一点不勉强的，好像《圣经》所讲的「福杯满溢」。今天为什么有一些人一面事奉上帝，一面很痛苦呢？如果我们的事奉加上忧郁、痛苦，我们的事奉就不正常。一个正常的事奉应当是欢欢喜喜、充满喜乐的事奉，虽然有很多身体上的辛苦劳累，但我们心里的满足、快乐让我们忘记曾经付出的代价。请问，你的事奉是充满喜乐，或是充满不满的痛苦呢?你说：「我怎么可能一面事奉，一面充满喜乐呢？」因为你明白耶稣所讲一句很重要的话：「施比受更为有福」。

为什么世界容纳不下耶稣一切所行的？

　　这句话是耶稣所讲的，但在〈马太福音〉没有，在〈马可福音〉没有，在〈路加福音〉没有，在〈约翰福音〉也没有。耶稣的话不是记载在四福音吗？这句话是从哪里的呢？这句话是在〈使徒行传〉里告诉我们的。换句话说，四福音没有把耶稣讲过的话、做过的事的一切都记下来，这也是为什么〈约翰福音〉最后一章最后一节说：「耶稣所行的事还有许多，若是一一的都写出来，我想，所写的书就是世界也容不下了」（约21:25）。我从小就思想为什么这节经文说如果将耶稣所行的事都记载下来，就连世界都容不下。我想了十多年，最后才想清楚。我想很多基督徒也曾想过却不得其解。

　　为什么说世界都容不下呢?很容易明白的，因为不但地球是祂造的，宇宙千千万万亿的星球也是祂造的，所以如果把祂在宇宙中所做的事都记下来，这世界一定记不下。古代人凭着他们有限的天文知识，以为天上的星是很少的。我们能数的有限，我们知道的有限，我们看见的有限，所以当上帝对亚伯拉罕说：「我要赐福，使你的子孙像天上的星、海边的沙那样多 (创22:17) 」的时候，这两个很不平衡的比喻到底在讲什么呢?你的子孙像天上的星，这有多少呢?你的子孙像地上的沙，这算得出来吗?我们感觉上面的很少，下面的太多，我们就没有办法明白这其间的比例到底是什么。但当人类的天文学知识越来越多的时候，人类发明望远镜，透过望远镜看天上的星的时候，才知道天上的星是千千万万，怎样数都数不清，我们才醒悟过来，「原来上帝的话是没有错的」。

Jesus > Cities of Refuge

2021-01-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 20:1-9.  Let’s go!

Joshua 20:1-9 (NIV) 
1  Then the LORD said to Joshua:
2  “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses,
3  so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.
4  “When he flees to one of these cities, he is to stand in the entrance of the city gate and state his case before the elders of that city. Then they are to admit him into their city and give him a place to live with them…….

On verses 1-9:  When Moses was still leading the Israelites, long before Joshua and the Israelites stepped foot onto the promised land, God gave instructions to the Israelites to set up six towns as “cities of refuge” (v2, see also Numbers 35).  What was the purpose of “cities of refuge”?   Keep in mind that the Jewish law was based on the principle of “an eye for an eye”. Thus, according to the Jewish law, if one person killed another, the killer himself would need to be killed.   The “avenger of blood” (v5) was the individual officially appointed to kill the killer.  However, if the killer killed his victim unintentionally, the killer could run to a city of refuge for safety.  As long as the killer was within the boundaries of the city of refuge, the avenger of blood could not touch him, until such time as he was put on trial and declared guilty of murder.

吹角节和赎罪日

2021-01-14 in , /by

〈民数记〉29:1 七月初一日，你们当有圣会，什么劳碌的工都不可做，是你们当守为吹角的日子。

以色列人的吹角日，是个很特别的日子。在这日要用弯曲的羊角吹号，不可用牛角或其他角代替。现在的犹太人以吹角日(七月1日)为新年，但是神在〈出埃及记〉12章2节说：「你们要以本月为正月，为一年之首。」又是怎么一回事呢？以色列的新年为何从1月1日变成7月1 日？假如希伯来历的正月一日是新年，那么就会在逾越节（正月十四日）之前，也就是每年阳历的三、四月期间。

根据犹太拉比的解释，因为巴比伦的新年是提斯利月的初一，和希伯来历的吹角日是同一天。被掳的犹太人从巴比伦回归后，在重建圣殿时期，开始以巴比伦的提斯利月为希伯来历的第七月。因为拉比们不想公然接纳阿基图（巴比伦新年节庆的名字），所以他们把异教的节日犹太化，把吹角节改为犹太人的新年。在《圣经》里并没有为吹角节定一个特别的名称，所以拉比比较容易把七月一日定为新年。话虽如此，拉比们无法否定希伯来历的正月初一是新年，而且订七月一日为新年是有点古怪，但是因为巴比伦人一年庆祝两次阿基图，使犹太人的吹角节可以名正言顺地成为犹太人在七月的第二个新年。（以下简称犹太民历为民历，希伯来历为神历）

自犹太人沦为巴比伦的俘虏后，他们接受了巴比伦人的一个观念：新年伊始是神在上天审判世人的日子。《密西拿Mishnah》（犹太教口传律法书）中说：「在新年，世人都要在神面前被审判」，以决定他在新的一年中的命运是好是坏。《密西拿》中讲了三种情况：在新年这一日，完全的好人、义人立即被判以生；完全的坏人、恶人立即被判以死；有好有坏中间状态的人，他的判决悬著直至赎罪日（民历1月10日/神历7月10日）才作出最后的判定：无罪者生，有罪者死。这样，新年就成了审判日（YOM DIN）。虔诚的犹太教徒从年底就开始做忏悔祈祷（SELIHOTH）了。人非圣贤，孰能无过。他们刻苦己心，深刻反思一年中所犯的过失和罪孽，论罪悔改，决志更新。祈求上帝原谅他们的过失，赦免他们的罪孽。因而民历1月1日到10日/神历7月1日到10日，又称为「敬畏神的日子Days Of Awe」。

When Making Big Decisions

2021-01-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 19:40-51.  Let’s go! 

Joshua 19:40-48 (NIV) 
40  The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan, clan by clan. 
41  The territory of their inheritance included: Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh, 
42  Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, 
43  Elon, Timnah, Ekron, 
44  Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, 
45  Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon, 
46  Me Jarkon and Rakkon, with the area facing Joppa. 
47  (But the Danites had difficulty taking possession of their territory, so they went up and attacked Leshem, took it, put it to the sword and occupied it. They settled in Leshem and named it Dan after their forefather.) 
48  These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Dan, clan by clan.

On verses 40-48:  The final tribe to receive its land allotment was the tribe of Dan.  Originally the Danites were assigned a fairly sizable area, located right by the Mediterranean Sea to the west, next to the tribe of Judah (v41-46).  However, the Danites had difficulty taking possession of their assigned land.  So they gave up and instead travel to the northernmost part of the promised land where they attack a city called Leshem and settle there, renaming the city Dan.  The land that was originally supposed to be for the Danites would be occupied by the Philistines, long time enemies of the Israelites.

当献之祭

2021-01-13 in , /by

〈民数记〉28:25 第七日当有圣会，什么劳碌的工都不可做。

祭祀对犹太人而言是很重要而严肃的事情，因为它代表了与神的沟通和交流。所以从〈出埃及记〉开始，我们就看到摩西不停地在重复神的交代。这些祭典，也成了以色列人生活中不可分割的礼仪。

这章讲到的当献之祭，包括了每天早晚的燔祭，安息日，月朔，逾越节，初熟节，等等的祭祀。

祭礼是每天进行的，每天早晨和黄昏各一次，这表示神是真的像祂所说的，要和以色列人同在。若没有这些祭礼，以色列人怎样明白神与他们同在呢？所以我们也要如此到主面前，我们的灵修便是每天到神面前所献的馨香之祭。

燔祭，是先献上自己；然后，神接纳，并赐下能力和恩典。灵修，也是如此，每天先献上自己，完全交托，然后领受神赐下的能力和恩典，才能过得胜的生活。每天的开始都要从敬拜神开始。

安息日要加献两只一岁无残疾的羊羔。现在一周七天的由来，是神在创世时所订的。那时神把第七天作为祂的安息日，歇了创造之工；又把这安息日赐给以色列人。现在世界上也都沿用这一周七天的生活方式。犹太人守安息日，基督徒是否一定也要守安息日敬拜？

保罗对犹太人说：「你们谨守日子、月份、节期、年份，我为你们害怕，惟恐我在你们身上是枉费了工夫。(加4:11-12)」又说：「有人看这日比那日强，有人看日日都是一样，只是各人心里要意见坚定。守日的人是为主守的；吃的人是为主吃的，因他感谢神；不吃的人是为主不吃的，也感谢神。(罗14:5-6)」新约后，使徒们守主复活之日行敬拜之仪，也有主所赐的安息之实。每个星期的第一天都是从敬拜神开始。

Honoured By His Presence

2021-01-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 19:24-39.  Let’s go!

Joshua 19:24-39 (NIV) 
24  The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher, clan by clan.
25  Their territory included: Helkath, Hali, Beten, Acshaph,
26  Allammelech, Amad and Mishal. On the west the boundary touched Carmel and Shihor Libnath.
27  It then turned east toward Beth Dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El, and went north to Beth Emek and Neiel, passing Cabul on the left.
28  It went to Abdon, Rehob, Hammon and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon.
29  The boundary then turned back toward Ramah and went to the fortified city of Tyre, turned toward Hosah and came out at the sea in the region of Aczib,
30  Ummah, Aphek and Rehob. There were twenty-two towns and their villages.
31  These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Asher, clan by clan.

On verses 24-31:  These verses describe the territory given to the tribe of Asher.  Asher’s long territory ran along the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.

摩西和约书亚的交接

2021-01-12 in , /by

〈民数记〉27:18-20  耶和华对摩西说：「嫩的儿子约书亚是心中有圣灵的；你将他领来，按手在他头上，使他站在祭司以利亚撒和全会众面前，嘱咐他，又将你的尊荣给他几分，使以色列全会众都听从他。」

在美国大选尘埃刚落定的此际，看到摩西和约书亚的交接，心里特别有感触。虽然说民主有民主的好处，但是因为人的罪，使再好的制度都充满了邪恶与纷争。看到神带领摩西把权柄交给约书亚，完成了一个非常平和而顺利的交接，对以色列人而言，那真是很有福气的一个过程。

人的生命何等有限，伟大如摩西，也有一天要归回他列祖之地。而神对摩西的定论是，他在米利巴时，没有按著神的吩咐叫磐石出水，而是因为被百姓激动，极为愤怒的情况下，击打磐石出水。因此神说，摩西和亚伦不信祂的话，没有在百姓之前尊神为大，因此他和亚伦都不能进迦南地。相比之下，我们的一生中有多少次渺视神的命令呢？摩西只有一次违背神的命令，就进不了迦南地；那么我们是否也因为违背神的命令，而失去许多神曾经预备要给我们的福气？

摩西没有任何怨言，他接受神的处治。虽然他曾经为了这个进迦南的使命而付出四十年的光阴，但是他没有呼天抢地：「这是为什么啊？太残酷了！我走了四十年的旷野，受了那么多苦，竟然只因为一次错误，就不能进迦南！」我们有时会因为自己的付出得不到想像中的回报而心怀不平，但是比起摩西的付出和牺牲，我们的付出又算得了什么？难怪神说，摩西是在祂全家尽忠的，换句话说，摩西做一切都是为了神，不是为了自己。我们会想到自己的面子，自己的自尊心，自己的损失，自己的报酬，因此我们从来没有办法像摩西那样，在人或神面前俯伏于地。