Entries by

Making An Impression

2020-07-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 4:1-17.  Let’s go!

On verses 1-17:  In 2003, illusionist and endurance artist David Blaine put himself in a transparent box suspended 30 feet over the River Thames while going without food for 44 days.  The city of London and millions around the world watched in curiosity.  Approximately 2,600 years before this, the prophet Ezekiel would perform similar stunts in the city of Babylon, except that his stunts were not simply to test his endurance or to entertain the masses.  Rather these stunts were object lessons that carried a spiritual message for the Israelites exiled in Babylon.

The first part of the object lesson seems simple enough for a child to do with Lego bricks (v1-3): make a mini-model of Jerusalem using a writing tablet (or a brick) and show how the Babylonians besieged Jerusalem.

The second part of the object lesson is much stranger (v4-8): Ezekiel is to lie for 390 days on his left side (facing north to symbolize the Northern Kingdom of Israel, some scholars say) and then for 40 days on his right side (facing south to symbolize the Southern Kingdom of Judah, some scholars say).  Each day that Ezekiel lay on his side was to represent a year of the Israelites’ sin.  In this way Ezekiel was to symbolically “bear their sin” (v4). He would be tied up the whole time (v8).

大卫的流亡(3)

2020-07-01 in /by

诗篇16篇1节  神啊，求祢保佑我，因为我投靠祢。

在〈大卫的流亡〉之一里，笔者的心思逃得比大卫还快，把伊基拉事件放在挪伯事件之后，现在把秩序调过来。

大卫进入哈列的树林后，有人告诉大卫非利士人在攻击基伊拉。哈列的树林和基伊拉都在希伯仑附近，所以显然有人希望可以向大卫求助，究竟他曾是以色列的第一战士，打倒巨人歌利亚的英雄。

但是大卫并没有听了就立刻奔向战场，显示自己的实力。相反地，他先求问神可不可以攻打非利士人。就是这样的特质，让我很敬佩大卫。卢云在耶稣的试探中有一些看法，魔么试探耶稣要求祂把石头变成饼。这个试探表面上看来是说，耶稣禁食了四十天，应该饿了，可以自己满足自己吧。事实上，魔鬼是拿人类的需要来试探耶稣，有那么多穷人，需要帮助的人，只要把石头变饼，就可以救很多人了。

好像现在世界上很多地方有饥荒，联合国就到处分粮食。魔鬼的意思就是要鼓动耶稣去展现能力，因而被骄傲所困。我们会不会也落在这样的迷思里，把自己当成超人，以为自己很有能力去解决别人的问题？大卫有能力，但是他不迷惑。因为他敬畏神，即使有能力，也要看看是否合神的心意。

不把自己当超人，这就是大卫的越人之处。他把这个需求带到神面前，求问神可不可以攻打非利士人？我们常说要谦卑，但是怎样做才是谦卑呢？就是像大卫这样，把事情带到神面前，真的把神当主子，把自己当成神的仆人使女。很多信徒都这样自谦，但是行事为人像不像就不一定了。

大卫的流亡(2)

2020-06-30 in /by

诗篇34篇4节    我曾寻求耶和华，祂就应允我，救我脱离了一切的恐惧。

在大卫离开亚希米勒之后，他的心极为惧怕，不敢再留在以色列的国境内，便逃到了迦特王亚吉那里。迦特是非利士的一座城，亚吉是他个人的名字，亚比米勒是非利士王的称号，所以在〈诗篇〉34篇里所写的亚比米勒便是亚吉。就好像士师基甸，人称他为耶路巴力一样。

〈诗篇〉34篇里，大卫说神救他脱离了一切的恐惧。因为当他到了亚吉那里时，他可能和亚吉有不错的私交，但是亚吉的臣仆提醒亚吉，大卫不是普通人，「这不是以色列国王大卫吗？那里的妇女跳舞唱和，不是指着他说『扫罗杀死千千，大卫杀死万万』吗？(撒上21:11)」

大卫听出了亚吉臣仆的弦外之音，知道自己可能有杀身之祸，为求保命，心生一计，便开始装疯。就在众人面前改变了寻常的举动，在他们手下假装疯癫，在城门的门扇上胡写乱画，使唾沫流在胡子上。亚吉便叫人把大卫赶走了。事实上，我个人认为亚吉也不是那么好骗的，但是为了救大卫，他就借机下台，把大卫赶走，也是救了大卫一命。

因此大卫说：「义人呼求，耶和华听见了，便救他们脱离一切患难。耶和华靠近伤心的人，拯救灵性痛悔的人。义人多有苦难，但耶和华救他脱离这一切，又保全他一身的骨头，连一根也不折断。(诗34:17-20)」

大卫那时十分落魄，从他的诗里，我们看到他在苦难中竭力亲近神，寻求神的恩典；在神的应许里，虽然还在患难中，依然发出赞美：「我要时时称颂耶和华，赞美他的话必常在我口中。我的心必因耶和华夸耀，谦卑人听见，就要喜乐。你们和我当称耶和华为大，一同高举祂的名。(诗34:1-3)」所以基督徒的喜乐不是因为凡事顺利才能喜乐，是因为知道有神的同在，即使在患难中，也有信心与神应对，在苦难中也能看到神的恩典。

A Serious Responsibility

2020-06-30 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 3:16-27.  Let’s go!

Ezekiel 3:16-21 (NIV) 
16  At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me: 
17  “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 
18  When I say to a wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 
19  But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself. 
20  “Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 
21  But if you do warn the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning, and you will have saved yourself.”
 
On verses 16-21:  No pressure there Ezekiel.  When God says that He has made Ezekiel a watchman for the house of Israel, what does He mean?  A watchman is a soldier who stands guard in a watch tower and watches for any danger coming on the horizon against his city and warns the people accordingly. 

大卫的流亡(1)

2020-06-29 in /by

诗篇57篇1节   神啊，求祢怜悯我，怜悯我，因为我的心投靠祢。我要投靠在祢翅膀的荫下，等到灾害过去。

从英雄变狗熊，在大卫是再切身不过的经验了。在他杀死巨人歌利亚后，他成了以色列的英雄；但是当扫罗大王开始追杀他之后，他就变成了过街的老鼠，猖狂四逃。比狗熊还不如。到处都有扫罗大王的密探，只要大卫到了哪里，扫罗大王就带人追踪而至。扫罗大王立意杀掉大卫，而且要亲自动手，以绝后患。

在米甲的帮助下，大卫成功地逃离基比亚，扫罗的居住地。在仓皇之中，他选择投奔在拉玛的撒母耳，那个用油膏他的先知。撒母耳就带着大卫去拿约，拿约可能是一个比较隐敝的地方，也有人说「拿约」是「住所」、 「学校」或「圣坛」的意思，是专有名词。但是有人告诉扫罗，扫罗三次打发人去捉大卫，都因为撒母耳在教一班先知受灵的感动说话，派去的人也都受感说话，徒劳而归。后来扫罗亲自过去，也受感说话，就不了了之地回去了。扫罗虽然受感说话，而且一昼一夜露体躺卧，但是当他离开了圣灵运行的地方时，他又变回了自己，没有生命上的改变。

因为扫罗没有下手捉大卫，而且他的行踪也泄露了，他选择回去把事情弄清楚。这次是约拿单帮他弄清楚扫罗的心思。原来每到初一，王坐席要吃饭，大卫也是座上客之一。大卫连续两天没有露面，约拿单替大卫找借口。这时扫罗骂他: 「耶西的儿子若在世间活着，你和你的国位必站立不住。现在你要打发人去，将他捉拿交给我。他是该死的！(撒上20:31)」确定扫罗的心意后，约拿单告诉大卫。大卫开始逃亡。

When Being Hard-Headed Is A Good Thing

2020-06-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 3:1-15.  Let’s go!

Ezekiel 3:1-3 (NIV) 
1  And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel.”
2  So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.
3  Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth. 

On verses 1-3:  Here are just a few lessons we can learn from these verses:

God gave Ezekiel an edible scroll containing His words for Ezekiel to eat.  Likewise, Scripture is food for your soul.  Jesus says, “Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)  Don’t starve yourself spiritually but eat of God’s Word every day.
Ezekiel was told to eat God’s Word before going to speak to the house of Israel (v1).  Likewise, if we want to have something good to share with those around us, we need to eat God’s Word and fill ourselves with it.

大卫和约拿单

2020-06-28 in /by

撒母耳记上 18章1节    大卫对扫罗说完了话，约拿单的心与大卫的心深相契合，约拿单爱大卫，如同爱自己的性命。

在大卫的生命中有一些特别重要的人，其中一个是大王子约拿单。因为以一个牧童的出身，大卫断不敢高攀，与王子为友。但是当约拿单听完大卫和扫罗的对话后，他的心与大卫的心深相契合。究竟大卫说的哪些话打动了约拿单呢？那时约拿单是扫罗的大儿子，大卫是耶西的么儿，想来约拿单的年记会比大卫要大一些。为何他对大卫的话会产生那样大的感动呢？

我们来看一下约拿单做过的一件事，就明白为何约拿单和大卫的心会深相契合。在〈撒母耳记上〉14章，在大卫尚未击杀歌利亚之前，有一日约拿单对拿他兵器的少年人说：「我们不如过到那边，到非利士人的防营那里去。」他去那里做何事呢？

约拿单对拿兵器的少年人说：「我们不如过到未受割礼人的防营那里去，或者耶和华为我们施展能力。因为耶和华使人得胜，不在乎人多人少。」这句话让我们知道约拿单想要偷击非利士人。原来两军正坚持不下，扫罗带了六百人，但是不敢论战。

约拿单说：「我们要过到那些人那里去，使他们看见我们。他们若对我们说『你们站住，等我们到你们那里去』，我们就站住，不上他们那里去。 他们若说『你们上到我们这里来』，这话就是我们的证据，我们便上去，因为耶和华将他们交在我们手里了。」在约拿单行事之前，他先确定一下神是否给他有印证。果然非利士人的防兵看到他们就叫他们上去。他们一上去就开打，一下子就杀了廿几个人；扫罗他们听到动静，也加入战场，那天以色列人得了大胜。其中有些细节改天再说。但是在这个事情里，我们看到约拿单是一个心里尊主为大的人。

Let God’s Word Move You

2020-06-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 2:1-10.  Let’s go!

Ezekiel 2:1-2 (NIV) 
1  He said to me, “Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.” 
2  As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

On verses 1-2:  Sometimes God’s Word will bring us to our knees.  Sometimes God’s Word will raise us to our feet.  One way or the other, when your heart is humble and open to God, God’s Word will move you. 

Ezekiel 2:3-7 (NIV) 
3  He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day. 
4  The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says.’ 
5  And whether they listen or fail to listen–for they are a rebellious house–they will know that a prophet has been among them. 
6  And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. 

活出敬拜的生命

2020-06-26 in /by

马可福音12章30节      你要尽心、尽性、尽意、尽力爱主你的神。

在这个世界，每个人都有他崇拜的一些东西。崇拜与否不是一种选择，因为每一人都崇拜，唯一你可以选择的是你所敬拜的对象。

同时，崇拜不是基督徒的专利品，非基督徒也可以崇拜一些东西。最近，有一个名为《美国偶像》（American Idol）的流行节目，这个节目很受欢迎。在基督教圈子之外，「偶像」一词常常被用作正面术语。我们必须非常小心因着术语的定义被劫持而做出的改变。

此外我们必须认识到在我们的社会中（包括基督徒和非基督徒），有人崇拜金钱，有人崇拜健康，有人崇拜权力，有人崇拜性，有人崇拜资讯等等。而更重要的，是我们必须认识到我们也会被我们敬拜的东西所改变。

而对于基督徒，三一神当然应该就是我们唯一的敬拜对象，因为这是圣经的命令：「你要尽心、尽性、尽意、尽力爱主你的神。」（马可福音12:30）上帝不是只要你生命的某一部分，祂要你使用你的全心、全性、全意、全力去敬拜祂。如果你对神只有部分时间的顺服及三心二意的委身，相信你可能不知道你敬拜的是谁，因为祂只是你生命的一小部分，而不是你完全的摆上。

信徒集合一起敬拜神，有三方面基本的意义：（一）与神对话，正面回应三位一体真神对人的自我启示。（二）对神表达完全的奉献。（三）成为神的形象，成为像基督的生命，在思想、感情、意志、行动上让基督进入自己生命。

Heaven Ain’t No Boring Place (Part 2)

2020-06-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 1:15-28.  Apparently I ran a little further ahead by writing on yesterday’s passage and today’s passage in my GAME sharing for yesterday.  In case you missed it, below is my GAME sharing concerning Ezekiel 1:15-28.  Let’s go!

Ezekiel 1:15-21 (NIV)
15  As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 
16  This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like chrysolite, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 
17  As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not turn about as the creatures went. 
18  Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around. 
19  When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. 
20  Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.