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Stretch It Out

2020-12-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 8:18-27.  Let’s go!

Joshua 8:18-27 (NIV) 
18  Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the javelin that is in your hand, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out his javelin toward Ai. 
19  As soon as he did this, the men in the ambush rose quickly from their position and rushed forward. They entered the city and captured it and quickly set it on fire. 
20  The men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke of the city rising against the sky, but they had no chance to escape in any direction, for the Israelites who had been fleeing toward the desert had turned back against their pursuers. 
21  For when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that smoke was going up from the city, they turned around and attacked the men of Ai. 
22  The men of the ambush also came out of the city against them, so that they were caught in the middle, with Israelites on both sides. Israel cut them down, leaving them neither survivors nor fugitives. ……

On verses 18-27:  Here we see Joshua and the Israelites achieving a dominant and overwhelming victory over the city of Ai and its king.  The ambush strategy God gave Joshua works perfectly, as the king of Ai and his troops are caught outside of their city walls and being attacked both from the front and from behind by Israelite forces.

What can we learn from this?  For me the image of Joshua obeying God’s command and stretching out his javelin toward the city of Ai (v18, 26) is a powerful one.  It reminds me of the time when Moses and the Israelites were fleeing from the Egyptians and God tells Moses to “[r]aise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.” (Exodus 14:16)  

挺身而走

2020-12-10 in /by

〈利未记〉26章13节    我是耶和华─你们的　神，曾将你们从埃及地领出来，使你们不作埃及人的奴仆；我也折断你们所负的轭，叫你们挺身而走。

现在我们己经到了〈利未记〉的尾声，你可以猜猜看，以色列人现在在哪里吗？你有没有发现从到了西乃山下之后，以色列人到现在都还没有动。所以〈利未记〉是何意呢？就是在西乃山下，神把律法和典章传给以色列人的一段时期。

为何神要在西乃山下做这件耗时耗力的工作呢？因为这个地方人烟稀少，以后越走，敌人越多，要考虑的事也更多。之前是埃及，之后是迦南，只有在旷野里，神能跟祂的百姓好好交心。

试想神若不把这些典章律例都教他们，那他们中间的判断从何而来？所以神的律法典章就是以色列立国的根基。神做事情很有计划，都先把话讲在前头，顺不顺服由你，后果自付，这就是成长和成熟要付的代价。

有的人不要信神，因为怕束缚。但是提摩太.凯勒牧师说：「To insist doctrine doesn’t matter is really a doctrine itself. 」坚持不要教义(教条或学说)，这本身就是一种教义或教条。另外一种说法是，跟随耶稣要付出代价，不跟随耶稣也要付出代价。你可以想像这两种代价是什么吗？你愿意付出哪种代价？一种是今生远离罪恶的代价，一种是远离神的家，进入撒旦权势领域，最后跟着牠下地狱的代价。

神在〈利未记〉的结束之前也把两种代价诉诸以色列民。神总是给人有选择的权利，因为祂尊重我们，有尊重的爱才是真正的爱。就好像有的父母强制要儿女按着他们安排的「最好计划」去过他们的人生，造成很多年轻人受不了压力而轻生或怨恨或反目的例子。那不是真爱，因为不尊重他们儿女的选择，或根本不给他们选择。但是神真的爱我们，即使我们选得不好，祂还是爱我们，一路引导我们，直到我们回归正路。

Watch Your Back

2020-12-09 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 8:9-17.  Let’s go!

Joshua 8:9-17 (NIV) 
9  Then Joshua sent them off, and they went to the place of ambush and lay in wait between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai–but Joshua spent that night with the people. 
10  Early the next morning Joshua mustered his men, and he and the leaders of Israel marched before them to Ai. 
11  The entire force that was with him marched up and approached the city and arrived in front of it. They set up camp north of Ai, with the valley between them and the city. 
12  Joshua had taken about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city. 
13  They had the soldiers take up their positions–all those in the camp to the north of the city and the ambush to the west of it. That night Joshua went into the valley. ……

On verses 9-17:  When the king of Ai saw that Joshua had stationed troops in front of the city, he hurried to meet them for battle (v14).  Then when Joshua’s men began to retreat (v15), King Ai told all his men to pursue them (v16), thus leaving the city of Ai open and vulnerable to attack from behind (v17).  Because the king of Ai was in a hurry, he made a rushed decision that exposed his city to attack.  Like a quarterback in football who gets sacked from behind, King Ai didn’t watch his back, and thus he didn’t see ambushers coming (v14).

安息年和禧年

2020-12-09 in /by

〈利未记〉25章21-22节    我必在第六年将我所命的福赐给你们，地便生三年的土产。第八年，你们要耕种，也要吃陈粮，等到第九年出产收来的时候，你们还吃陈粮。」

在〈利未记〉24章里记载了一个不幸的例子。有个以色列但支派的妇人嫁给一个埃及人，很有可能是在埃及歌珊地时，埃及人看上以色列女子而娶来为妻。他们跟着以色列人出埃及，有可能因为在十个神蹟里看到耶和华神的大能，因此一起跟着摩西出埃及；也可能在逾越节的神蹟之后，埃及人催赶以色列人离开，众怒难犯，因此那个埃及丈夫不得不跟着出埃及，但是心里并不是真的跟随神。

他们生了一个儿子，有一天这个儿子跟一个以色列人争斗，这以色列妇人的儿子亵渎了圣名，并且咒诅。因此被送到摩西那里。想想看，这个以色列妇人的儿子为何胆敢亵渎神的圣名，并且咒诅？会不会是在家里听到父亲如此说话而学起来呢？父母都是儿女学习的榜样，有好榜样，也有坏榜样。因此在争斗时，他不自觉地就亵渎了圣名，并且咒诅。当然，也有可能是他自己不好，不能都怪父母。

我们看到摩西的谦卑和敬虔，在这样的事上，他先把那人收在监里，再等候神的指示。摩西的谦卑和尊神为大，永远是我们学习的功课。我们都太着急，想要凭著自己的聪明去决定事情，不愿意等候。但我们的神是不着急的神，凡事在祂永不误时。

摩西写下神的判决：1. 把那人带到营外，因为营内是大家生活的地方。2. 叫听见的人都把手放在他头上，把这罪归于他自己；也表示有超过两三位的见证人，见证此事的确发生过。3. 确定了他的罪，全会众一起用石头打死他。这是团体执行死刑，见证他的不是；也让大家明白犯这样的罪之下场，因而得到警戒。亵渎耶和华名的，必被治死。

The God of Second Chances

2020-12-08 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 8:1-8.  Let’s go!

Joshua 8:1-8 (NIV) 
1  Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land. 
2  You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city.” 
3  So Joshua and the whole army moved out to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night 
4  with these orders: “Listen carefully. You are to set an ambush behind the city. Don’t go very far from it. All of you be on the alert. ……

On verses 1-8:  Joshua hears God’s command to go attack Ai once again.  Though Ai is a relatively small town, God commands Joshua to take his whole army with him to attack it (v1).  This time they would be allowed to take plunder with them (v2).  God also gives Joshua a new strategy for attacking Ai, which is to set an ambush (v2).  Joshua chooses his 30,000 best fighting men to be part of the ambush (v3).

耶和华的节期

2020-12-08 in /by

〈利未记〉23章1-3节    耶和华对摩西说：你晓谕以色列人说：耶和华的节期，你们要宣告为圣会的节期。六日要做工，第七日是圣安息日，当有圣会；你们甚么工都不可做。这是在你们一切的住处向耶和华守的安息日。

咚咚咚咚，这星期有个犹太人的大节日，你猜猜看是什么节？耶稣当年也有过此节喔! 给你一个大贴示，它的标志也是一个灯台，但是它比圣殿里的金灯台多了两个灯座。

在〈约翰福音〉第十章22-23节说，在耶路撒冷有修殿节，是冬天的时候。耶稣在殿里所罗门的廊下行走。这修殿节又称为光明节或哈努卡节，在希伯来文是 חנוכה ( Hannukah/ Chanukah )。这是纪念马加比一家人为真理而战，在神的帮助下以寡击众，战胜希腊人，夺回被亵渎的圣殿，赢得将近一百年的独立。今年的光明节从12月10日-18日，也就是这个星期四开始。但这个节期不算是耶和华的节期，它和普珥节一样，都算是犹太人的民间节日。

哪些节日才算是耶和华的节期呢？

你能把它们的秩序按著日期排一下吗？

1.住棚节    2.无酵节    3.初熟节   4. 吹角节     5.五旬节    6.逾越节     7.赎罪日

我们来回忆一下，摩西领以色列人出埃及前要做何事，法老才终于首肯，让以色列人离开埃及呢？神派死亡的天使杀了埃及所有头生的人和牲畜，却没有杀以色列人头生的人和牲畜。因为神叫他们要杀一只羊，把羊血涂在门楣和两边，死亡的天使看到门上有血，就越过去了。所以就订为逾越节，死亡的天使逾越过去，不杀以色列人，保存他们性命的日子。

How to Avoid Coveting What Is Not Yours

2020-12-07 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 7:19-26.  Let’s go!

Joshua 7:19 (NIV) 
19  Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and give him the praise. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”

On verse 19:  “Give glory to the Lord” was a Jewish way of saying, “Tell the truth”.  For another example, see John 9:24.   May we give glory to God by living lives of integrity.

Joshua 7:20-23 (NIV) 
20  Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: 
21  When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” 
22  So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. 
23  They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the LORD.

祭司要自洁成圣

2020-12-07 in /by

〈利未记〉21:22   神的食物，无论是圣的、至圣的，他都可以吃，

在旧约里，祭司是指亚伦没有残疾的男性后裔；在新约里，彼得说：「你们来到主面前，也就像活石，被建造成为灵宫，作圣洁的祭司，借着耶稣基督奉献　神所悦纳的灵祭。(彼前2:5)」句首的「你们」是指当时的受信人，也就是分散在本都、加拉太、加帕多家、亚细亚、庇推尼寄居的信徒(彼前1:1)。当然，现在这个「你们」就变成「我们」了，就是照父　神的先见被拣选，借着圣灵得成圣洁，以致顺服耶稣基督，又蒙祂血所洒的人(彼前1:2)。

那么，以前的祭司该守的圣洁条例，我们是不是也要遵守呢？不要害怕，因为在〈使徒行传〉15章的耶路撒冷会议里，己经决定不把「我们祖宗和我们所不能负的轭」加在外邦使徒身上，所以我们大可不必惊慌。但是从这一章里，我们又可以明白一些旧约的事蹟。

例如在亚伦和四个儿子承接祭司之职的第八天，亚伦的两个儿子拿答和亚比户各拿自己的香炉，盛上火，加上香，在耶和华面前献上凡火，是耶和华没有吩咐他们的。有火从耶和华面前出来，把他们烧灭，他们就死在耶和华面前(利10:1-2)。

事情发生后，摩西对亚伦和他儿子以利亚撒、以他玛说：「不可蓬头散发，也不可撕裂衣裳，免得你们死亡，又免得耶和华向会众发怒；只要你们的弟兄以色列全家为耶和华所发的火哀哭。 你们也不可出会幕的门，恐怕你们死亡，因为耶和华的膏油在你们的身上。」

摩西所说的便是按著神的律法去提醒亚伦，因为「在弟兄中作大祭司、头上倒了膏油、又承接圣职，穿了圣衣的，不可蓬头散发，也不可撕裂衣服。不可挨近死尸，也不可为父母沾染自己。不可出圣所，也不可亵渎神的圣所，因为神膏油的冠冕在他头上。我是耶和华。(利21:10-12)」

You Can’t Hide From God Forever

2020-12-06 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 7:10-18.  Let’s go!

Joshua 7:10-18 (NIV) 
10  The LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 
11  Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions.
12  That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction. ……

On verses 10-18:  Earlier God had specifically commanded that the Israelites were not to take any loot from the city of Jericho for themselves (Joshua 6:18).  However, God tells Joshua that Israel violated God’s command by taking for themselves some of Jericho’s riches (v11).  Until this sin was confessed and dealt with, the Israelites could not be victorious in battle (v12).  So God tells Joshua to present all of Israel before Him and initiate a process by which Israel’s population would be widdled down tribe by tribe, clan by clan, family by family, until eventually they came to the man who was responsible for this sin.  They go through this process and find that Achan is chosen.

找到真正的价值

2020-12-04 in /by

登山宝训：找到真正的价值（太6:25-32）

从一个社会现象看起＿＿关于行乞

　　这段经文很大篇幅地提到我们生活基本的吃喝与穿着。人的吃喝与穿着并不是生命中最重要，而是非常次要的事情。计志文牧师说：「一个人不能供应自己生活需要的人，连蚂蚁都不如，因为连蚂蚁都能供应自己生活的需要。」他把人的价值、责任与需要配合起来，跟蚂蚁做一个重要的对比，他说：「有上帝形象的人有智慧、知识、计画、工作的能力，可以好好解决我们生活的需要，但如果人连这一点都达不到，要怎样好好做人呢？」

　　有时候你看人在路边行乞，便伸出手来帮助他们，这些帮助使你感到自己做了善事，觉得自己在社会上有贡献，从另一方面来看，你是帮助人更懒惰、不做工，变成社会的寄生虫，变成拖累别人的人。贫富悬殊是人间最大的困难之一。你到旧金山的市政厅，会发现周围都是无家可归的游民。有一次我经过那边，心想：「连美国路上都有这么多乞丐」。但有些社会现象是我们难以理解的，正像有些旧金山的游民在银行有上万美金的存款，既然他有这么多的存款，为什么需要透过行乞来供应生活的所需？（并不是每个游民都是如此）

不要轻重不分、本末倒置

　　耶稣在这段经文提到花、鸟、树木有令人欣赏漂亮的地方，最后不存在了，究竟要讲什么呢？每段《圣经》都有不同的地方，这段经文是很难解释。特别在新冠肺炎蔓延全球的时代，很多人死了、破产了、失业了，不能重操旧业，特别是音乐家的生活变得相当困难，因为多数人认为音乐与果腹没有多大关系，也不认为音乐是生命的必需。耶稣在这里所要说的，是贵贱、本末、轻重的价值排列。