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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。

　　

Rely on God in the Little Things

2020-12-04 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 7:1-9.  Let’s go!

Joshua 7:1-6 (NIV) 
1  But the Israelites acted unfaithfully in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the LORD’s anger burned against Israel. 
2  Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. 
3  When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the people will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary all the people, for only a few men are there.” ……

On verses 1-6:  Riding the wave of their great victory at Jericho, Joshua uses the same strategy when attacking the next city, Ai. Joshua first sends spies to spy out Ai.  Based on the spies’ report about Ai’s small population, Joshua decides not to send so many troops to Ai (v3).  However, Joshua’s army is routed by the small town of Ai.  It’s the first defeat Israel has experienced under Joshua’s leadership.  The defeat leads Joshua and Israel’s elders to humble themselves before God.

Make Your Heart Jesus’ Hiding Place

2020-12-03 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 6:15-27.  Let’s go!

Joshua 6:15-27 (NIV) 
15  On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. 
16  The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city! 
17  The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. ……

On verses 15-27:  On the seventh day in accordance with God’s instructions, Joshua commands his army to march around the city of Jericho seven times and then, at the sound of a trumpet blast, to shout.  The army does so, and at their shouts the city walls of Jericho come down and the Israelite army charge in and take the city, sparing only Rahab the prostitute and her family “because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho” (v25).

与万民有别

2020-12-03 in /by

〈利未记〉20章26节    你们要归我为圣，因为我─耶和华是圣的，并叫你们与万民有分别，使你们作我的民。

在古老的中国有个传说，大约是主前五世纪，有个人名叫西门豹。因为他很有才能，被派往黄河旁的一个地方邺地作县令。当地有个传说，黄河里住着河神，若不给河神娶媳妇，黄河就会发大水。百姓苦不堪言，因为替河神娶媳妇要强征民女，又征收额外的税捐，但是税捐却由官府和巫婆们私分。那年又到了河神娶媳妇的时候了，西门豹带了士兵也去参加。城里有权势的富人、官府里的衙役及被选中的女孩都到了，还有一个七十多岁的老巫婆和她的弟子们。

西门豹说：「把河神的老婆带过来，看看她漂亮不漂亮。」有人把女孩带过来，站在西门豹面前。西门豹看了一眼，就回头对众人说：「这个女孩不漂亮， 够不上做河神的老婆。可是河神今天一定等著迎亲，就请大巫婆走一趟，到河里通知河神，等找到一个漂亮的女子，过一天再来。」说著，还没等众人明白是怎么回事，就命令士兵抬起老巫婆，抛进河里去了。隔了一会儿，西门豹说：「巫婆怎么走了这么长时间还没有回话，叫个徒弟去催催她。」于是又命令士兵把巫婆的一个徒弟扔进河里，这样前前后后，扔了三个徒弟到河里。

河边站着的富人们、官府里的人和围观的人都惊呆了，再看西门豹，却是毕恭毕敬，一幅虔诚的样子，像是专心等待河神的回话。又过了一会儿，西门豹说 ：「看来河神太好客了，留住了这些使者不让回来，还是再去一个人去催催吧。」说完，他向那些操办这件事的地方富绅和官吏看去，这些人从惊吓中回神过来 ，全都跪在地上求饶，生怕西门豹把自己也扔下河。西门豹宣告：「河神娶媳妇本是骗人的把戏，以 后如果谁再操办这件事，就把谁扔到河里去见河神。」从此，邺地河神娶媳妇的闹剧就绝迹了。

你们要圣洁

2020-12-03 in /by

〈利未记〉19章1-2节     耶和华对摩西说：「你晓谕以色列全会众说：你们要圣洁，因为我耶和华─你们的　神是圣洁的。」

在网路上流行着一个住在北京的小网红，她名叫乔治亚Georgia，父亲是比利时人，母亲是中国人。她才两岁多，却己经会用三个国家的语言流利地沟通。她有两个大大的眼睛，卷曲的头发，十分可爱。她的爸爸经常这样开始：「你今天学到什么了？」

Geo Geo，他这样称呼她，就会开始回想：「不可以把双手放在桌上……吃饭……要洗手……」有时利用小朋友，教大家怎样分垃圾。有一次Geo Geo在公园玩不开心，嘟著嘴找爸爸，因为有几个阿姨看她太可爱，猛拍照。爸爸就问：「Geo Geo不高兴，因为这是不礼貌的，对不对？她们要先问Geo Geo可不可以拍，对不对？」小Geo Geo听了猛点头。

这个连续的影集叫「家有萌娃」，每一次我都觉得这个比利时爸爸好有智慧地在教导，引导他的小女儿，让她知道对与错，建立是与非的观念。我有时就觉得，神也是如此在引导，教导以色列人。在埃及生活了四百年的以色列人，做了四百年的奴隶，除了以色列人一些家传的观念，很多事情都受到埃及人的影响，他们其实非常单纯。

一旦出了埃及，要成立自己的国家，却什么都不懂，神就让摩西一步步地教他们。〈利未记〉19章其实是十诫的引申，看起来似乎东一句西一句，一点章法也没有，实际上稍微分析一下，轮廓就出来了。

神一开始跟会众说：「你们要圣洁，因为我耶和华─你们的　神是圣洁的。」结尾说：「你们要谨守遵行我一切的律例典章。我是耶和华。」所以圣洁的意思不是叫我们活得像一张白纸，通通去当不沾世俗的道人，而是分别为圣，遵守神的律例典章，弃绝外邦人行事为人的做法。

When God’s Way Doesn’t Make Sense to You

2020-12-02 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 6:1-14.  Let’s go!

Joshua 6:1-14 (NIV) 
1  Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. 
2  Then the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 
3  March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 
4  Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. ……

On verses 1-14:  Why would God tell Joshua and his army to do nothing except march around Jericho city once each day blowing trumpets until the seventh day? Was it a scare tactic meant to intimidate an already freaked out enemy, like a shark encircling its prey before it attacks? Wouldn’t Joshua and the Israelites eventually look a little foolish and be wasting resources, at the same time letting the people of Jericho take a good look at their army? It’s not clear why God commanded Israel to do this, or how marching around the city once each day would advance Israel’s cause. Yet Joshua did as the Lord commanded.

我可以试婚或同居吗？

2020-12-02 in /by

〈利未记〉 18:4 你们要遵守我的典章，守我的律例，按此而行。我是耶和华你们的神。

读〈利未记〉 18章时，我恍惚有种错觉，这不是时空转移，而是神透过时空，向人类发出的宣告。现代人以为他们要求的性自由是新运动，但是好像在远古就有人在这样做了，日光之下没有新鲜的事。

我们总以为神的诫命是制止人的自由，更正确的说法，应该是神在教导人怎样尊重自己，彼此尊重，也尊重动物和动物的生命。要做回一个神所造的人，就要先找回对自己的尊重，尊重神赐给自己的生命，性别，性情和天份，等等。

性是神赐给人在婚姻里的美好礼物，当人把它用在不当的关系里，就会产生许多问题。它最先会影响健康，有许多疾病都因为滥性而引起；它影响到家庭的和谐，破坏信任，甚至使孩子们成长后对婚姻产生惧怕。它甚至会召来神的审判而至灭亡，像所多玛和蛾摩拉一样；有许多个人的生命或社区都受到相当大的影响。

从一句「只要我喜欢，有什么不可以」，到一夜情，到约炮，同居，试婚，换夫换妻派对，我们可以看到滥性使现代人己经无法彼此信任，他们要偷偷查对方的手机，要跟踪，甚至请私家探，有的甚至在婚前约定彼此都可以有其他的性伴侣。现代人用性取代了对爱的要求，只求情欲的发泄，拒绝任何的责任和义务。

因此试婚和同居便成了时尚的趋势，你不试试看，怎么知道合得来合不来？要试多久呢？不知道。不满意就撤，再试另一个。要试多少次，才能找到一个满意的呢？万一结婚后，你又不满意了呢？你愿意像货物一样，被人试来试去，还退货吗？你可以把对方当货物来试用，不合则退吗？在试用期间，你的心情又如何？要以真面目相待，还是虚以伪情，免得被退货时，太过伤心。在这种情形上，谁敢真心相待？