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Take a Moment to Be Still and Worship

2020-12-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 8:28-35.  Let’s go!

Joshua 8:28-29 (NIV) 
28  So Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanent heap of ruins, a desolate place to this day. 
29  He hung the king of Ai on a tree and left him there until evening. At sunset, Joshua ordered them to take his body from the tree and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And they raised a large pile of rocks over it, which remains to this day.

On verses 28-29:  Whenever there is a change in regime, the leader of that old regime must “die”.  In ancient cultures and in times of war, this has been expressed through the king or leader of the losing nation to be killed, as in the case here where the king of Ai is hung and buried under a pile of rocks at the entrance of Ai’s city gate (v29).  In more modern times, the “death” of the old regime’s leader could mean, depending on the context, deposing the incumbent leader in the case of politics, firing the president and CEO in the case of a business, or changing general managers or head coaches in the case of sports. The same goes for the regime change that took place in your heart when you invited Jesus Christ into your life.  On that day, Jesus Christ took over as king of your life and the old leader, the old king – that is, you – died.  Christian, may you always remember who is now the king of your life.

在曠野裡

2020-12-10 in /by

〈民數記〉2:34   以色列人就這樣行，各人照他們的家室、宗族歸於本纛，安營起行，都是照耶和華所吩咐摩西的。

根據維基百科，〈民數記〉（Numbers）這個名字採自《通俗拉丁文本聖經》中紐米利(Numeri)一詞，而這個字詞則從希臘文《七十士譯本》的阿利夫摩依(Arithmoi′)演變而來。然而，猶太人更貼切地將這本書稱為必密巴(Bemidhbar′)，意即「在曠野裏」。密巴(midh•bar′)這個希伯來字是指一個沒有城鎮的曠野之地。這卷書的拉丁名是Numeri，希臘名是Arithmoi「在荒漠」，希伯來語Bemidbar，「in the wilderness of” [Sinai] 」在西乃的曠野。數點民衆這件事發生於此曠野，本書內容講述以色列百姓「在曠野」歷時 38 年漂流遷徙「信心拉扯」的經歷。

〈出埃及記〉的第19章第1節說：「以色列人出埃及地以後，滿了三個月的那一天，就來到西奈的曠野。」而在〈民數記〉的第1章第1節已經是「第二年二月初一日」，他們在西乃山下已經住了整整十個月了。在這段時間裡，神沒有急急忙忙地把他們帶到迦南地，而是要他們停下來，學習神的律法，做好會幕，建立與神的關係。

這是我們在聖靈裡經常要學習的功課，便是停下來。我們渴望成功，巴不得立刻就離開曠野到迦南。但是神要我們先建立和祂的關係，學習聆聽神的聲音，等候神的帶領。神並不把“成功”作為人生的里程碑，因為在神有什麼成功不成功，只要是在神的手裡，就沒有失敗。在今年的疫情裡，我們都在學這個功課，停下來，等待神的帶領。

做好會幕之後，神要摩西計算所有能出去打仗的男丁。神讓以色列人在埃及，從家族變成一個民族，現在要把這個民族變成一個國家。國家需要法律，也需要軍隊；有律法才能建規矩，有軍隊才能禦外侮，保護國民。「耶和華怎樣吩咐摩西，他就怎樣在西奈的曠野數點他們。」摩西在神面前何等謙卑。可能有人會覺得，數點人數有什麼困難，讓我來吧。因而沒辦法聽到神說，數點廿歲以上的就好啊！想要學摩西，不能不學會安靜的聽。

以色列人和華人有一個很相似之處，華人的生肖以動物為記號；以色列人出埃及之後，好幾個支派的徽記都以動物為記號。猶大的旗纛上是獅子，流便的旗纛是水，以法蓮的旗纛是牛，但的旗纛是鷹，以薩迦是驢，便雅憫是狼，拿弗他利是鹿；希布崙是船，迦得和西緬是不一樣的城堡，亞設是糧食，約瑟是結果子的樹枝，等等，都是按著雅各給十二個兒子的祝福而設立的記號。

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

〈利未記〉26章13節    我是耶和華─你們的　神，曾將你們從埃及地領出來，使你們不作埃及人的奴僕；我也折斷你們所負的軛，叫你們挺身而走。

現在我們己經到了〈利未記〉的尾聲，你可以猜猜看，以色列人現在在哪裡嗎？你有沒有發現從到了西乃山下之後，以色列人到現在都還沒有動。所以〈利未記〉是何意呢？就是在西乃山下，神把律法和典章傳給以色列人的一段時期。

為何神要在西乃山下做這件耗時耗力的工作呢？因為這個地方人煙稀少，以後越走，敵人越多，要考慮的事也更多。之前是埃及，之後是迦南，只有在曠野裡，神能跟祂的百姓好好交心。

試想神若不把這些典章律例都教他們，那他們中間的判斷從何而來？所以神的律法典章就是以色列立國的根基。神做事情很有計劃，都先把話講在前頭，順不順服由你，後果自付，這就是成長和成熟要付的代價。

有的人不要信神，因為怕束縛。但是提摩太.凱勒牧師說：「To insist doctrine doesn’t matter is really a doctrine itself. 」堅持不要教義(教條或學說)，這本身就是一種教義或教條。另外一種說法是，跟隨耶穌要付出代價，不跟隨耶穌也要付出代價。你可以想像這兩種代價是什麼嗎？你願意付出哪種代價？一種是今生遠離罪惡的代價，一種是遠離神的家，進入撒旦權勢領域，最後跟著牠下地獄的代價。

神在〈利未記〉的結束之前也把兩種代價訴諸以色列民。神總是給人有選擇的權利，因為祂尊重我們，有尊重的愛才是真正的愛。就好像有的父母強制要兒女按著他們安排的「最好計劃」去過他們的人生，造成很多年輕人受不了壓力而輕生或怨恨或反目的例子。那不是真愛，因為不尊重他們兒女的選擇，或根本不給他們選擇。但是神真的愛我們，即使我們選得不好，祂還是愛我們，一路引導我們，直到我們回歸正路。

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

〈利未記〉25章21-22節    我必在第六年將我所命的福賜給你們，地便生三年的土產。第八年，你們要耕種，也要吃陳糧，等到第九年出產收來的時候，你們還吃陳糧。」

在〈利未記〉24章裡記載了一個不幸的例子。有個以色列但支派的婦人嫁給一個埃及人，很有可能是在埃及歌珊地時，埃及人看上以色列女子而娶來為妻。他們跟著以色列人出埃及，有可能因為在十個神蹟裡看到耶和華神的大能，因此一起跟著摩西出埃及；也可能在逾越節的神蹟之後，埃及人催趕以色列人離開，眾怒難犯，因此那個埃及丈夫不得不跟著出埃及，但是心裡並不是真的跟隨神。

他們生了一個兒子，有一天這個兒子跟一個以色列人爭鬥，這以色列婦人的兒子褻瀆了聖名，並且咒詛。因此被送到摩西那裡。想想看，這個以色列婦人的兒子為何膽敢褻瀆神的聖名，並且咒詛？會不會是在家裡聽到父親如此說話而學起來呢？父母都是兒女學習的榜樣，有好榜樣，也有壞榜樣。因此在爭鬥時，他不自覺地就褻瀆了聖名，並且咒詛。當然，也有可能是他自己不好，不能都怪父母。

我們看到摩西的謙卑和敬虔，在這樣的事上，他先把那人收在監裡，再等候神的指示。摩西的謙卑和尊神為大，永遠是我們學習的功課。我們都太著急，想要憑著自己的聰明去決定事情，不願意等候。但我們的神是不著急的神，凡事在祂永不誤時。

摩西寫下神的判決：1. 把那人帶到營外，因為營內是大家生活的地方。2. 叫聽見的人都把手放在他頭上，把這罪歸於他自己；也表示有超過兩三位的見證人，見證此事的確發生過。3. 確定了他的罪，全會眾一起用石頭打死他。這是團體執行死刑，見證他的不是；也讓大家明白犯這樣的罪之下場，因而得到警戒。褻瀆耶和華名的，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).

耶和華的節期

2020-12-08 in /by

〈利未記〉23章1-3節    耶和華對摩西說：你曉諭以色列人說：耶和華的節期，你們要宣告為聖會的節期。六日要做工，第七日是聖安息日，當有聖會；你們甚麼工都不可做。這是在你們一切的住處向耶和華守的安息日。

咚咚咚咚，這星期有個猶太人的大節日，你猜猜看是什麼節？耶穌當年也有過此節喔! 給你一個大貼示，它的標誌也是一個燈台，但是它比聖殿裡的金燈台多了兩個燈座。

在〈約翰福音〉第十章22-23節說，在耶路撒冷有修殿節，是冬天的時候。耶穌在殿裡所羅門的廊下行走。這修殿節又稱為光明節或哈努卡節，在希伯來文是 חנוכה ( Hannukah/ Chanukah )。這是紀念馬加比一家人為真理而戰，在神的幫助下以寡擊眾，戰勝希臘人，奪回被褻瀆的聖殿，贏得將近一百年的獨立。今年的光明節從12月10日-18日，也就是這個星期四開始。但這個節期不算是耶和華的節期，它和普珥節一樣，都算是猶太人的民間節日。

哪些節日才算是耶和華的節期呢？

你能把它們的秩序按著日期排一下嗎？

1.住棚節    2.無酵節    3.初熟節   4. 吹角節     5.五旬節    6.逾越節     7.贖罪日

我們來回憶一下，摩西領以色列人出埃及前要做何事，法老才終於首肯，讓以色列人離開埃及呢？神派死亡的天使殺了埃及所有頭生的人和牲畜，卻沒有殺以色列人頭生的人和牲畜。因為神叫他們要殺一隻羊，把羊血塗在門楣和兩邊，死亡的天使看到門上有血，就越過去了。所以就訂為逾越節，死亡的天使逾越過去，不殺以色列人，保存他們性命的日子。

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.

祭司要自潔成聖

2020-12-07 in /by

〈利未記〉21:22   神的食物，無論是聖的、至聖的，他都可以吃，

在舊約裡，祭司是指亞倫沒有殘疾的男性後裔；在新約裡，彼得說：「你們來到主面前，也就像活石，被建造成為靈宮，作聖潔的祭司，藉著耶穌基督奉獻　神所悅納的靈祭。(彼前2:5)」句首的「你們」是指當時的受信人，也就是分散在本都、加拉太、加帕多家、亞細亞、庇推尼寄居的信徒(彼前1:1)。當然，現在這個「你們」就變成「我們」了，就是照父　神的先見被揀選，藉著聖靈得成聖潔，以致順服耶穌基督，又蒙祂血所灑的人(彼前1:2)。

那麼，以前的祭司該守的聖潔條例，我們是不是也要遵守呢？不要害怕，因為在〈使徒行傳〉15章的耶路撒冷會議裡，己經決定不把「我們祖宗和我們所不能負的軛」加在外邦使徒身上，所以我們大可不必驚慌。但是從這一章裡，我們又可以明白一些舊約的事蹟。

例如在亞倫和四個兒子承接祭司之職的第八天，亞倫的兩個兒子拿答和亞比戶各拿自己的香爐，盛上火，加上香，在耶和華面前獻上凡火，是耶和華沒有吩咐他們的。有火從耶和華面前出來，把他們燒滅，他們就死在耶和華面前(利10:1-2)。

事情發生後，摩西對亞倫和他兒子以利亞撒、以他瑪說：「不可蓬頭散髮，也不可撕裂衣裳，免得你們死亡，又免得耶和華向會眾發怒；只要你們的弟兄以色列全家為耶和華所發的火哀哭。 你們也不可出會幕的門，恐怕你們死亡，因為耶和華的膏油在你們的身上。」

摩西所說的便是按著神的律法去提醒亞倫，因為「在弟兄中作大祭司、頭上倒了膏油、又承接聖職，穿了聖衣的，不可蓬頭散髮，也不可撕裂衣服。不可挨近死屍，也不可為父母沾染自己。不可出聖所，也不可褻瀆神的聖所，因為神膏油的冠冕在他頭上。我是耶和華。(利21:10-12)」