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Not Holding onto Wrath and Anger

2020-06-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 14:14-15:8.  Let’s go!

Revelation 14:14-20 (NIV) 
14  I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one “like a son of man” with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.
15  Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 
16  So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested. 
17  Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 
18  Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” 
19  The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. 
20  They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.
 

摩西的禱告

2020-06-14 in /by

民數記十章36-37節     約櫃往前行的時候，摩西就說：「耶和華啊，求祢興起！願祢的仇敵四散，願恨祢的人從祢面前逃跑！」約櫃停住的時候，他就說：「耶和華啊，求祢回到以色列的千萬人中！」

從摩西五經裡我們看到摩西的工作實在繁多，不僅要處理百姓的事務，還要把神的各樣交代鉅細無遺地寫下來。假如你是一個牧者或是小組，團契的組長，就會發現照顧人的工作不容易。我也曾聽過帶旅行團的導遊之種種難處。因為每個人都有情緒，往往以自我為中心，並不是每個人都會聽話或守時守規則，只要有一兩個人不留心，就可以讓帶領的人氣大了頭。

摩西帶領百姓在西乃山下做了會幕，交代了祭司的工作。你可能也會發現，當祭司真不容易，除了要像庖丁般地解牛殺羊，還得懂得分辨各種皮膚病，房子的霉爛怎樣處理，還要背誦神的613條律法，等等，而摩西當時就必須把這些從神教導的知識去教導這班祭司。

摩西也需要人的幫忙，因此當他的岳父的兒子何巴，也就是他的小舅子要離去時，他大力挽留，因為何巴對曠野比摩西熟悉。摩西雖然有神的帶領，他還是知道自己的軟弱和不足。有的人因為領受了一兩個神的特殊恩典就變得十分驕傲，自覺靈性高人一等。但是我們發現摩西完全沒有這樣的驕傲，他越親近神就越謙和。我常常在想在這樣多重的壓力下，他什麼時候會懪發。他究竟只是一個人。

果然，在他們離開西乃曠野，來到巴蘭的曠野時，百姓又開始發怨言了。百姓不像摩西心存遠景，一心為以色列打拚。百姓想要的就是過好日子。對著無肉無魚，也沒有黃瓜、西瓜、韭菜、蔥、蒜的食物，百姓各在各家的帳篷門口哭號。那真是很難形容的景象，他們沒有想到神應許的迦南，也不感激不用再做奴隸，有盼望的生涯，只想換換口味。或許居家隔離了幾個月，我們都有一點體會，好像在曠野，只敢想，卻又不能想。美國有幾州一開放，人群就聚在一起，就又有感染，這是人類的劣根性，被慾望控制就失去理智，一定要患病了在生死邊緣徘徊，才說：「我當初太小看這病毒了。」

God’s Message for Everyone

2020-06-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 14:1-13.  Let’s go!

Revelation 14:1-5 (NIV) 
1  Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 
2  And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 
3  And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 
4  These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 
5  No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
 
On verses 1-5:  After his vision in chapter 13 of earth being controlled by Satan the red dragon, the beast from the sea and the beast from the earth, John’s vision switches to heaven where John once again sees the 144,000 whom he saw earlier in Revelation 7.  These 144,000 are quite possibly Jewish Christians who came from the 12 tribes of Israel.  Here in these verses we learn more about these 144,000 and the role that they play in heaven:

飯前謝恩在聖經中有根據麼?

2020-06-13 in /by

馬可福音8章38節   凡在這淫亂罪惡的世代，把我和我的道當作可恥的，人子在他父的榮耀裡同聖天使降臨的時候，也要把那人當作可恥的。

如果有一位聖徒問我說，“我吃飯以前謝恩，只舉目向天禱告，並不閉眼，可以不可以呢？”我回答他說，“可以。”不過我要問他，他自己在家中吃飯，或是與其他聖徒在一處吃飯，是不是也這樣作？我又要問他，從他信主以後，是否一向就這樣作？如果他從信主以後，在吃飯的時候一向都是舉目望天謝恩，而且自己獨自吃飯的時候也是這樣，當然他可以一直作下去。但如果他以前一向是閉目謝恩，而且在自己單獨吃飯並與其他聖徒一同吃飯的時候也是閉目謝恩，唯獨與不信的人一同吃飯的時候不閉目禱告，只舉目望天謝恩，這就有問題了。

主要的一點不是閉目不閉目，乃是閉目和不閉目的動機在哪裡？

很多聖徒都能見證說，在不信的人面前吃飯時謝恩，是多麼不容易的一件事。如果那些不信的人具有常識，知道尊重別人的信仰，對一個吃飯前禱告謝恩的信徒沒有什麼表示，比較還容易。不幸有一些不信的人看見一個基督徒吃飯前謝恩，便加以冷嘲熱諷，或是對他發出一些問題和他辯論，給他一些難堪，這實在是一場劇烈的戰爭。而且這種戰爭不是一次兩次就過去的。許多聖徒每日要和不信的人一同吃飯，因此每日要遇見這種戰爭。吃飯本是一件愉快的事，在他們卻像上陣作戰一樣。這實在不是一件容易的事，但這就是屬靈的戰爭。如果我們在這件事上能得勝，我們就能多得恩典和能力。

An Unholy Trinity

2020-06-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 13:1-18.  Let’s go!

Revelation 13:1-2 (NIV) 
1  And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.
2  The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.

On verses 1-2:  Picture this: While the red dragon representing Satan stands on the sea shore, a beast rises out of the sea.  Like the dragon, this beast from the sea has 7 heads and 10 horns (compare Revelation 12:3 with 13:1).   Resembling a leopard but also having feet like a bear and a mouth like a lion, this beast is not for God but against God.  Each of the beast’s 7 heads displays a blasphemous name, making a false statement about God (v1b).  The dragon and the beast are clearly affiliated as the dragon gives the beast his power, his throne and great authority.

Heaven Always Gets the Last Laugh

2020-06-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 11:1-19.  Many consider this chapter to be the most difficult chapter in the book of Revelation to interpret.  Let’s go!

Revelation 11:1-2 (NIV) 
1  I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there.
2  But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.

On verses 1-2:  In John’s vision John receives a reed like a measuring rod and is told to measure the temple of God and the altar as well as to count the worshipers there (v1).  John is told not to include the outer court in his measurements, because “it has been given to the Gentiles” who “will trample on the holy city for 42 months” (v2).  The holy city is most likely a reference to the city of Jerusalem.

What does this mean?   When a person is told by God to measure something in the Bible, often it means that either that person or God (or both) will own and take possession of the thing being measured.  For example, “God told Abram to walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you” (Genesis 13:17) 

以色列的國家隊

2020-06-11 in /by

民數記 2章 34節   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。

在《創世記》 裡告訴我們「在起初」發生的重大事件，其中「架構出、規範」了人類歷史發展的總體方向和路線，包括：耶和華神的創造、人類的犯罪，人離開神、土地受咒詛、人類文明的「自行發展」、耶和華神的毀滅與「歷史的終結」。接著，就是「救贖」歷史的開展，由亞伯拉罕肩負「修復」世界的任務，再由耶和華神「確立」出一條神聖產業「血脈傳承」的系譜，也就是亞伯拉罕–以撒–雅各這條「主線」，以「確保」修復世界、回到起初的總工程可以被「延續」下去，不致中斷。

在《出埃及記》裡，再次強力證明了《創世記》的信息：耶和華神是創造天地宇宙萬物的主宰，祂定意要執行「修復」世界的國度計畫。所以，以色列百姓被領出埃及後，很快地來到西奈山與耶和華神「相認」，拿到一張新的「國民身分證」，要成為『祭司的國度，聖潔的子民，在萬民中做專屬耶和華的子民』；另外還領取一份「永恆的婚約」，就是神的聖法：十誡及一切的典章、律例、法度，統稱為「妥拉」。

這是人類歷史上，耶和華神 (首度) 將祂的「整套聖法」系統性地授予一個特定的人類社群。因此《出埃及記》的結尾，也是《出埃及記》的巔峰和「完成」，就提到了會幕的豎立和完工，讓神的榮耀 (在人類犯罪以後)，首次得以在一個人類團體裡面「居住和同在」，這代表耶和華神初步「恢復」了祂與人類「在起初」的同住狀態。

Born to Be a Blessing

2020-06-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 10:1-7.  Let’s go!

Revelation 10:1-4 (NIV) 
1  Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars.
2  He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,
3  and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke.
4  And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”

On verses 1-4:  Revelation is full of strange and awesome creatures: living creatures, fallen angels, the scariest locusts ever conceived, crazy “horses”, the list goes on.  Sometimes I think that if Pokemon could be transported into the world of Revelation, Pikachu, Charmander and all their Pokemon friends would look at some of the creatures in Revelation and think, “They’re so weird.” 

潔淨與不潔淨之動物

2020-06-10 in /by

利未記11章45節   我是把你們從埃及地領出來的耶和華，要做你們的神，所以你們要聖潔，因為我是聖潔的。

民以食為天，談到飲食精神就來了。在起初，神把蔬菜和水果賜人為食物；滅世洪水後，神又把魚和動物賜給人為食物。在《創世記》一章29-30節，神說：「看哪，我將遍地上一切結種子的菜蔬和一切樹上所結有核的果子，全賜給你們做食物。至於地上的走獸和空中的飛鳥，並各樣爬在地上有生命的物，我將青草賜給牠們做食物。」

《創世記》9章2-4節，神對挪亞和他的兒子們說：「凡地上的走獸和空中的飛鳥，都必驚恐，懼怕你們，連地上一切的昆蟲並海裡一切的魚，都交付你們的手。凡活著的動物，都可以做你們的食物，這一切我都賜給你們，如同菜蔬一樣。唯獨肉帶著血，那就是牠的生命，你們不可吃。」

一直到以色列人出埃及後，摩西才在《利未記》11章記載神在食物方面的要求，神才告訴世人原來動物和魚類有潔淨不潔淨之分別。潔淨不潔淨究竟是指什麼呢？神沒有明示，但是我相信若要一一列出原因，可能再給摩西120年的性命也寫不完。我們在神的面前都像個幼童，在神那浩瀚的知識領域裡驚訝不己。多數時候，選擇順服比抗議有智慧，因為在專家面前逞強有什麼意思？

最近張文亮教授寫了幾篇文章，讓我們可以稍微明白動物不潔淨的意思。在此節錄一些與大家分享。上帝為什麼不要人吃「駱駝」？/ 為什麼不能吃沙番？/ 為什麼上帝認為兔子不潔淨？

膏立祭司

2020-06-09 in /by

利未記8章5節     摩西告訴會眾說：「這就是耶和華所吩咐當行的事。」

有人問，在居家隔離這段時間裡，除了睡覺吃飯，你有沒有利用時間提升自己？有的人覺得居家隔離就好像在曠野裡，想要什麼沒有什麼，想做什麼也都提不起勁。但也有些人利用這段時間做了一些平常沒有時間做的事，把在曠野的生活過得充實又有意義。有的人快樂地陪伴家人，享受與父母或兒女的相處，有的人拚命玩遊戲，有的人和配偶吵架大打出手而離異。

曠野是一樣的，但是怎樣面對它的心態非常重要。有的人以為當基督徒不能做很多世俗的事很無聊，可是當你看摩西被神使用時之忙碌，你就曉得無聊不在跟隨神的人之字典裡。摩西做好會幕之後，下一步會是什麼？

神對摩西說：「你將亞倫和他兒子一同帶來，並將聖衣，膏油，與贖罪祭的一隻公牛，兩隻公綿羊，一筐無酵餅都帶來，又招聚會眾到會幕門口。」摩西就照耶和華所吩咐的行了，於是會眾聚集在會幕門口，告訴會眾：「這就是耶和華所吩咐當行的事。」。神要摩西去膏立亞倫和他的兒子們承接祭司的職份。

神沒有揀選摩西和其後裔作為祭司，摩西的後裔和其他利未人一樣負責幫助祭司，照顧會幕的事。假如換了別人，會不會想為自己的兒女或後裔爭取比較好的職位或差事呢？人總是要計較自己的工作或收入，夫妻之間也要計較誰是頭，但是神的安排讓人明白，每一種工作和職份都是平等的，只是工作的性質不同。

所以在摩西膏立祭司這件事，每一件事都帶著這一句話：「都是照耶和華所吩咐摩西的。」摩西完完全全地順服神的每一句話，讓我們看到摩西對神的敬畏和忠心，表現在每一件事的細心上。從把把冠冕戴在亞倫頭上，在冠冕的前面釘上金牌；為亞倫的兒子們洗身，給他們穿上內袍，束上腰帶，包上裹頭巾，都是照耶和華所吩咐摩西的。