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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.
 

摩西的祷告

2020-06-14 in /by

民数记十章36-37节     约柜往前行的时候，摩西就说：「耶和华啊，求祢兴起！愿祢的仇敌四散，愿恨祢的人从祢面前逃跑！」约柜停住的时候，他就说：「耶和华啊，求祢回到以色列的千万人中！」

从摩西五经里我们看到摩西的工作实在繁多，不仅要处理百姓的事务，还要把神的各样交代钜细无遗地写下来。假如你是一个牧者或是小组，团契的组长，就会发现照顾人的工作不容易。我也曾听过带旅行团的导游之种种难处。因为每个人都有情绪，往往以自我为中心，并不是每个人都会听话或守时守规则，只要有一两个人不留心，就可以让带领的人气大了头。

摩西带领百姓在西乃山下做了会幕，交代了祭司的工作。你可能也会发现，当祭司真不容易，除了要像庖丁般地解牛杀羊，还得懂得分辨各种皮肤病，房子的霉烂怎样处理，还要背诵神的613条律法，等等，而摩西当时就必须把这些从神教导的知识去教导这班祭司。

摩西也需要人的帮忙，因此当他的岳父的儿子何巴，也就是他的小舅子要离去时，他大力挽留，因为何巴对旷野比摩西熟悉。摩西虽然有神的带领，他还是知道自己的软弱和不足。有的人因为领受了一两个神的特殊恩典就变得十分骄傲，自觉灵性高人一等。但是我们发现摩西完全没有这样的骄傲，他越亲近神就越谦和。我常常在想在这样多重的压力下，他什么时候会懪发。他究竟只是一个人。

果然，在他们离开西乃旷野，来到巴兰的旷野时，百姓又开始发怨言了。百姓不像摩西心存远景，一心为以色列打拼。百姓想要的就是过好日子。对着无肉无鱼，也没有黄瓜、西瓜、韭菜、葱、蒜的食物，百姓各在各家的帐篷门口哭号。那真是很难形容的景象，他们没有想到神应许的迦南，也不感激不用再做奴隶，有盼望的生涯，只想换换口味。或许居家隔离了几个月，我们都有一点体会，好像在旷野，只敢想，却又不能想。美国有几州一开放，人群就聚在一起，就又有感染，这是人类的劣根性，被欲望控制就失去理智，一定要患病了在生死边缘徘徊，才说：「我当初太小看这病毒了。」

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:

饭前谢恩在圣经中有根据么?

2020-06-13 in /by

马可福音8章38节   凡在这淫乱罪恶的世代，把我和我的道当作可耻的，人子在他父的荣耀里同圣天使降临的时候，也要把那人当作可耻的。

如果有一位圣徒问我说，“我吃饭以前谢恩，只举目向天祷告，并不闭眼，可以不可以呢？”我回答他说，“可以。”不过我要问他，他自己在家中吃饭，或是与其他圣徒在一处吃饭，是不是也这样作？我又要问他，从他信主以后，是否一向就这样作？如果他从信主以后，在吃饭的时候一向都是举目望天谢恩，而且自己独自吃饭的时候也是这样，当然他可以一直作下去。但如果他以前一向是闭目谢恩，而且在自己单独吃饭并与其他圣徒一同吃饭的时候也是闭目谢恩，唯独与不信的人一同吃饭的时候不闭目祷告，只举目望天谢恩，这就有问题了。

主要的一点不是闭目不闭目，乃是闭目和不闭目的动机在哪里？

很多圣徒都能见证说，在不信的人面前吃饭时谢恩，是多么不容易的一件事。如果那些不信的人具有常识，知道尊重别人的信仰，对一个吃饭前祷告谢恩的信徒没有什么表示，比较还容易。不幸有一些不信的人看见一个基督徒吃饭前谢恩，便加以冷嘲热讽，或是对他发出一些问题和他辩论，给他一些难堪，这实在是一场剧烈的战争。而且这种战争不是一次两次就过去的。许多圣徒每日要和不信的人一同吃饭，因此每日要遇见这种战争。吃饭本是一件愉快的事，在他们却像上阵作战一样。这实在不是一件容易的事，但这就是属灵的战争。如果我们在这件事上能得胜，我们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) 

以色列的国家队

2020-06-11 in /by

民数记 2章 34节   以色列人就这样行，各人照他们的家室、宗族归于本纛，安营起行，都是照耶和华所吩咐摩西的。

在《创世记》 里告诉我们「在起初」发生的重大事件，其中「架构出、规范」了人类历史发展的总体方向和路线，包括：耶和华神的创造、人类的犯罪，人离开神、土地受咒诅、人类文明的「自行发展」、耶和华神的毁灭与「历史的终结」。接着，就是「救赎」历史的开展，由亚伯拉罕肩负「修复」世界的任务，再由耶和华神「确立」出一条神圣产业「血脉传承」的系谱，也就是亚伯拉罕–以撒–雅各这条「主线」，以「确保」修复世界、回到起初的总工程可以被「延续」下去，不致中断。

在《出埃及记》里，再次强力证明了《创世记》的信息：耶和华神是创造天地宇宙万物的主宰，祂定意要执行「修复」世界的国度计画。所以，以色列百姓被领出埃及后，很快地来到西奈山与耶和华神「相认」，拿到一张新的「国民身分证」，要成为『祭司的国度，圣洁的子民，在万民中做专属耶和华的子民』；另外还领取一份「永恒的婚约」，就是神的圣法：十诫及一切的典章、律例、法度，统称为「妥拉」。

这是人类历史上，耶和华神 (首度) 将祂的「整套圣法」系统性地授予一个特定的人类社群。因此《出埃及记》的结尾，也是《出埃及记》的巅峰和「完成」，就提到了会幕的竖立和完工，让神的荣耀 (在人类犯罪以后)，首次得以在一个人类团体里面「居住和同在」，这代表耶和华神初步「恢复」了祂与人类「在起初」的同住状态。

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.” 

洁净与不洁净之动物

2020-06-10 in /by

利未记11章45节   我是把你们从埃及地领出来的耶和华，要做你们的神，所以你们要圣洁，因为我是圣洁的。

民以食为天，谈到饮食精神就来了。在起初，神把蔬菜和水果赐人为食物；灭世洪水后，神又把鱼和动物赐给人为食物。在《创世记》一章29-30节，神说：「看哪，我将遍地上一切结种子的菜蔬和一切树上所结有核的果子，全赐给你们做食物。至于地上的走兽和空中的飞鸟，并各样爬在地上有生命的物，我将青草赐给牠们做食物。」

《创世记》9章2-4节，神对挪亚和他的儿子们说：「凡地上的走兽和空中的飞鸟，都必惊恐，惧怕你们，连地上一切的昆虫并海里一切的鱼，都交付你们的手。凡活着的动物，都可以做你们的食物，这一切我都赐给你们，如同菜蔬一样。唯独肉带着血，那就是牠的生命，你们不可吃。」

一直到以色列人出埃及后，摩西才在《利未记》11章记载神在食物方面的要求，神才告诉世人原来动物和鱼类有洁净不洁净之分别。洁净不洁净究竟是指什么呢？神没有明示，但是我相信若要一一列出原因，可能再给摩西120年的性命也写不完。我们在神的面前都像个幼童，在神那浩瀚的知识领域里惊讶不己。多数时候，选择顺服比抗议有智慧，因为在专家面前逞强有什么意思？

最近张文亮教授写了几篇文章，让我们可以稍微明白动物不洁净的意思。在此节录一些与大家分享。上帝为什么不要人吃「骆驼」？/ 为什么不能吃沙番？/ 为什么上帝认为兔子不洁净？

膏立祭司

2020-06-09 in /by

利未记8章5节     摩西告诉会众说：「这就是耶和华所吩咐当行的事。」

有人问，在居家隔离这段时间里，除了睡觉吃饭，你有没有利用时间提升自己？有的人觉得居家隔离就好像在旷野里，想要什么没有什么，想做什么也都提不起劲。但也有些人利用这段时间做了一些平常没有时间做的事，把在旷野的生活过得充实又有意义。有的人快乐地陪伴家人，享受与父母或儿女的相处，有的人拚命玩游戏，有的人和配偶吵架大打出手而离异。

旷野是一样的，但是怎样面对它的心态非常重要。有的人以为当基督徒不能做很多世俗的事很无聊，可是当你看摩西被神使用时之忙碌，你就晓得无聊不在跟随神的人之字典里。摩西做好会幕之后，下一步会是什么？

神对摩西说：「你将亚伦和他儿子一同带来，并将圣衣，膏油，与赎罪祭的一只公牛，两只公绵羊，一筐无酵饼都带来，又招聚会众到会幕门口。」摩西就照耶和华所吩咐的行了，于是会众聚集在会幕门口，告诉会众：「这就是耶和华所吩咐当行的事。」。神要摩西去膏立亚伦和他的儿子们承接祭司的职份。

神没有拣选摩西和其后裔作为祭司，摩西的后裔和其他利未人一样负责帮助祭司，照顾会幕的事。假如换了别人，会不会想为自己的儿女或后裔争取比较好的职位或差事呢？人总是要计较自己的工作或收入，夫妻之间也要计较谁是头，但是神的安排让人明白，每一种工作和职份都是平等的，只是工作的性质不同。

所以在摩西膏立祭司这件事，每一件事都带着这一句话：「都是照耶和华所吩咐摩西的。」摩西完完全全地顺服神的每一句话，让我们看到摩西对神的敬畏和忠心，表现在每一件事的细心上。从把把冠冕戴在亚伦头上，在冠冕的前面钉上金牌；为亚伦的儿子们洗身，给他们穿上内袍，束上腰带，包上裹头巾，都是照耶和华所吩咐摩西的。