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God-Given Momentum

2020-12-18 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 10:33-43.  While we’re at it, let’s also look at verses 28-32, since they go together well.  Let’s go!

Joshua 10:28-43 (NIV) 
28  That day Joshua took Makkedah. He put the city and its king to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it. He left no survivors. And he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho. 
29  Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah and attacked it. 
30  The LORD also gave that city and its king into Israel’s hand. The city and everyone in it Joshua put to the sword. He left no survivors there. And he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho. 
31  Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish; he took up positions against it and attacked it. 
32  The LORD handed Lachish over to Israel, and Joshua took it on the second day. The city and everyone in it he put to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah….

On verses 28-43:  After first taking over the middle portion of the promised land, in verses 28-39 we see Joshua and the Israelites taking over 7 cities in the southern part of the promised land, conquering many different kings and regions in the process.  Later in Joshua 11 they will start taking over the northern part.  Verses 40 to 42 summarize the incredible military success Joshua and the Israelites experienced before returning to their base camp at Gilgal (v43).  Verse 42 explains the reason for Israel’s success: it was because “the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.” (v42)

不忧虑的秘诀(下)

2020-12-18 in /by

马太福音6章33-34节    你们要先求祂的国和他的义，这些东西都要加给你们了。所以，不要为明天忧虑，因为明天自有明天的忧虑；一天的难处一天当就够了。

什么是上帝的国、上帝的义？

请问你什么叫做「国」?你说：「我不知道，我知道我住在印尼。」「为什么你不住在中国，到印尼来？」「这里比较好生活，比较少挂虑。我们的苦难太多，中国两千年来内乱不断，我买了船票，身上带着一点点产业，就向无限的大海走出去。」很多中国人到印尼，到死的时候不要学印尼文，他只要享受安居乐业的生活，不要顾念当地人民的需要，也不要学习当地的文化风俗，一生一世到这里只盼望得到别人的好处，这种是很自私的心理，很不公平对待别的民族。我们住在这里的人，我们要对印尼民族有贡献，我们才是好的普世公民。

我是生在中国、长在印尼的华侨。既然我们住在印尼，我们在印尼得到的好处是他们给我们的，很多产品是印尼工人做的，我们应当自问：「我对印尼有什么贡献？」我要在印尼贡献基督教伟大的真理的思想、公正的思想、人与人之间关系的思想，把福音的好处带给他们，使这个民族因为我更明白什么叫做公正、诚实、殷勤，我就平平安安地好好活在世上。

耶稣基督说你在世界上有一个优先的次序，就是求上帝的国、上帝的义。国是什么意思？上帝的国在哪里，世界看不见，但耶稣说：「愿人都尊祢的名为圣，愿祢的国降临，愿祢的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上」，这是我们一生最重要的三大祷愿，「这世界的国度乱七八糟，这世界的政治很多虚假，这世界的政权争夺不停，这世界的政局动荡不安，我盼望祢的平安降下来，祢的公义降下来，祢的正直、诚实、慈爱成为统治万民的总原则，我在其中就享受天国的平安」。

国有几样最重要的元素：首先，要有一个管理的君王，天国的君王就是创造天地的上帝，耶稣基督要把食物分给别人的时候，他先祷告：「天地的主啊」，他不是孤苦伶仃，他乃是活在天地的主宰所管理、赐福、带领的生活中；除了有统治者外，国度一定有百姓，「世界纵然败坏，我的父、我的主是坐在天上、公平的上帝，我是天国的子民，这位公正的上帝是我的天父」；国的第三方面有法律，没有国家没有宪法。

Share the Honour

2020-12-17 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 10:22-32.   Let’s go!

Joshua 10:22-25 (NIV) 
22  Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.” 
23  So they brought the five kings out of the cave–the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon. 
24  When they had brought these kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and placed their feet on their necks. 
25  Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the LORD will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.”

On verses 22-25:  Joshua bring out the five Amorite kings who were hiding in the cave and in the presence of all the Israelite men he allows his army commanders to place their feet on the necks of these kings.  In doing so, Joshua was sharing his honour, authority and power with his army commanders.  What can we learn from this?

When you experience victory or success in life, be sure not to hoard all the credit for yourself, but share the honour and credit with those who have worked hard alongside you and helped you to get you to where you are.

利未人的洁净礼

2020-12-17 in /by

〈民数记〉8:16 因为他们是从以色列人中全然给我的，我拣选他们归我，是代替以色列人中一切头生的。

摩西进会幕的至圣所，听见法柜的施恩座以上、二基路伯中间，有与他说话的声音，就是耶和华与他说话。有了会幕，摩西不必再上山下山了，只要进了至圣所就能听到神的吩咐，真的方便许多。神跟摩西说了什么？你想知道吗？我也想知道。

原来神要摩西教导亚伦怎样点亮金灯台。这里的「灯台」指的是会幕里的「金灯台」，希伯来文是  מְנוֹרָה (menorah, lampstand)。在会幕里，金灯台和陈设饼桌  ( שֻׁלְחָ , shulchan, table) 的位置是相对的，陈设饼的桌上排列了12个陈设饼 ( לֶחֶם פָּנִים, lechem panim, bread of the presence), 代表以色列12支派。因此， 当神吩咐「七盏灯都要向灯台前面发光」，这七盏灯的光就照在陈设桌的陈设饼上面，象征著神对以色列12支派的持续光照，会幕在以色列人中间， 而金灯台的光照在会幕的圣所里面，从会幕外面根本看不见，象征神在以色列当中隐密的，不止息的眷顾和指引。

神从以色列人当中选出利未人来服侍神和人，这批服侍神的人被分别出来，要守各样的洁净之礼，要在会幕里工作，还要帮助以色列人亲近神。在这里神很清楚让我们看到，服侍神的人应该要知道的事情。

第一便是要洁净利未人。洁净他们的第一步，要用除罪水弹在他们身上。除罪水是指把一只没有残疾、未曾负轭、纯红的母牛和香柏木、牛膝草、朱红色线焚烧成灰，这叫做除罪灰。把除罪灰放在器皿里，倒上活水（流动的水），由一个洁净的人拿牛膝草蘸在这水中，弹在他们身上，利未人才算被洁净了，才可以服侍。据说以色列人已经准备好了盖新圣殿的一切事宜，只是还没有找到一只全红的母牛，做不出除罪灰，调不出除罪水，利未人就不得洁净，不能进去圣殿服侍。

会幕建成族长献礼

2020-12-16 in /by

〈民数记〉7:1  摩西立完了帐幕，就把帐幕用膏抹了，使它成圣；又把其中的器具和坛，并坛上的器具，都抹了，使它成圣。

摩西立完了帐幕，就把帐幕用膏抹了，使它成圣；又把其中的器具和坛，并坛上的器具，都抹了，使它成圣。成圣的意思就是指这帐幕(会幕)只能用在属神的事上，不可以用在别的事情上。

当巴比伦灭了犹大之后，把圣殿的器皿也都掳掠到巴比伦。巴比伦最后的一个王伯沙撒在饮酒作乐之时，吩咐人将他父(或:祖)尼布甲尼撒从耶路撒冷殿中所掠的金银器皿拿来，王与大臣、皇后、妃嫔好用这器皿饮酒。当时，忽有人的指头显出，在王宫与灯台相对的粉墙上写字。王看见写字的指头，就变了脸色，心意惊惶，腰骨好像脱节，双膝彼此相碰。王的一切哲士都不能解读指头在墙上写的字。

后来也只有但以理才能解释墙上的字，但以理对王说：「所写的文字是：『弥尼，弥尼，提客勒，乌法珥新。』讲解是这样：弥尼，就是　神已经数算你国的年日到此完毕。提客勒，就是你被称在天平里，显出你的亏欠。毘勒斯，就是你的国分裂，归与玛代人和波斯人。」所以把神分别为圣的器册拿去使用，就是一种不敬神，亵渎的行为。

我相信很少人会把这一章的经文逐字读完，因为从第一日到第十二日，每个首领所献的供物内容都是一样的。全部都是：一个银盘子，重一百三十舍客勒，一个银碗，重七十舍客勒，都是按圣所的平，也都盛满了调油的细面做素祭。一个金盂，重十舍客勒，盛满了香。一只公牛犊，一只公绵羊，一只一岁的公羊羔做燔祭；一只公山羊做赎罪祭；两只公牛，五只公绵羊，五只公山羊，五只一岁的公羊羔做平安祭。

Aim High

2020-12-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 10:12-21.   Let’s go!

Joshua 10:12-15 (NIV) 
12  On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” 
13  So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. 
14  There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a man. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel! 
15  Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

On verses 12-15:  So far in the book of Joshua, whenever Joshua experienced a miracle, it was because he heard the Lord speak and responded in faith.  This time, however, Joshua takes the initiative and God responds, as verse 14 suggests.  Joshua says to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon” (v12).  According to these verses, the sun and moon obeyed Joshua’s voice. 

The Most Powerful Alliance You Can Form

2020-12-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 10:1-11.  Let’s go!

Joshua 10:1-5 (NIV) 
1  Now Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and totally destroyed it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeon had made a treaty of peace with Israel and were living near them. 
2  He and his people were very much alarmed at this, because Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters. 
3  So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and Debir king of Eglon. 
4  “Come up and help me attack Gibeon,” he said, “because it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.” 
5  Then the five kings of the Amorites–the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon–joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.

On verses 1-5: Upon hearing that the Gibeonites had formed a peace treaty (or an alliance) with Joshua, five Amorite kings led by Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem form an alliance against the Gibeonites. Why? It’s because the Gibeonites were already a significant force to be reckoned with in their own right (v2). The Amorite kings were probably scared of what the Gibeonites could do if allied with Joshua. So this alliance of Amorite kings decides to attack the Gibeonites.

拿细耳人之愿

2020-12-15 in /by

〈民数记〉6:1-2     耶和华对摩西说：「你晓谕以色列人说：无论男女许了特别的愿，就是拿细耳人的愿，要离俗归耶和华。」

在〈民数记〉之前，《圣经》一般都偏重于神和男人的立约。但是在这里，神立了一个特别的约，就是男人和女人都可许的愿，就是拿细耳人之愿。拿细耳就是归主的意思，归主就是与世俗分开，即分别为圣。

神拣选利未人去服侍祂，那么若有其他人也想要服侍神，岂不是没办法了吗？这会不会是神立下拿细耳人之例的原因呢? 神看到在其他支派中也有许多爱祂的人，因此立下这个约，让所有爱祂的人，都可以一偿服事神的心愿。

从利未人身上，我们看到分别为圣的生活并不容易，是要付代价的。利未人不能为自己选工作，他们的工作都已经被指定了；利未人不能有自己的产业，要等其他人分给他们。如雅各临终的预言，他们被分散在各支派之中，不能联合在一起生活；利未人要分别为圣，所以他们的生活必须比其他人更严谨，等等。

因此想做拿细耳人，离俗归耶和华的人要有心理准备：一，要远离一切葡萄树上所结的果子，自核至皮所做的物，都不可吃，也不可喝。二，在他一切许愿离俗的日子，不可用剃头刀剃头，要由发绺长长了。三，不可挨近死尸。即使父母或兄弟姐妹死了，也不可以挨近死尸，而使自己不洁净。若是他旁边出其不意，有人死了，那么他的愿就必须重头再算起。

对于犹太人而言，这三件事都很困难。1. 在中东地区的水源经常被污染，因此人们经常以酒代水，免得生病。但是拿细耳人不可以清酒或浓酒，因此他们必须凭信心只喝水。2. 在古时候，长头发很容易生蝨子和跳蚤，要清洁很不方便；3. 不碰死尸也有点困难，因为瘟疫一旦发作，很可能忽然就有人死在旁边，谁能预料？因此拿细耳人之愿，又称为the vow of separation（离俗之愿）。离俗之愿的意思就是把自己和众人分开，免得沾染不洁，才有可能分别为圣。

No Longer a Slave to Fear

2020-12-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 9:15-27.  Let’s go!

Joshua 9:15-21 (NIV) 
15  Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath. 
16  Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them. 
17  So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. 
18  But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, 
19  but all the leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the LORD, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. 
20  This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.”
21  They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the entire community.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept. 

On verses 15-21:  Just as the Israelites kept their promise not to attack the Gibeonites, you and I should do everything we can to be those who keep our word or fulfill our promises, even when it hurts (Psalm 15:4).