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Don’t Trouble Yourself

2020-08-04 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 22:1-16.  Let’s go!

Ezekiel 22:1-5 (NIV) 
1  The word of the LORD came to me: 
2  “Son of man, will you judge her? Will you judge this city of bloodshed? Then confront her with all her detestable practices 
3  and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O city that brings on herself doom by shedding blood in her midst and defiles herself by making idols, 
4  you have become guilty because of the blood you have shed and have become defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close, and the end of your years has come. Therefore I will make you an object of scorn to the nations and a laughingstock to all the countries. 
5  Those who are near and those who are far away will mock you, O infamous city, full of turmoil.
 
On verses 1-5:  In another message that God gives to Ezekiel for the city of Jerusalem, God confirms that it was the people of Jerusalem who brought trouble upon themselves.  He describes Jerusalem as the “city that brings on herself doom by shedding blood” (v3), that “defiles herself by making idols” (v3), who has “become defiled by the idols you have made” (v4) and “brought your days to a close” (v4).

英雄难过美人关(上)

2020-08-03 in /by

士师记 13章24节   后来妇人生了一个儿子，给他起名叫参孙。孩子渐渐长大，耶和华赐福给他。

和亚比米勒，耶弗他不同，参孙出生在一个非常爱他的家庭里，他的父母都非常敬虔。参孙的出生是出于神的使者之预告，参孙的成长更充满了神的祝福。按人的眼光来看，这样的孩子是含着金汤匙出生的，前途无可限量。

神要求参孙做拿细耳人，也就是母亲怀胎时，胎儿就归于神了。所以参孙的母亲在怀胎时，葡萄树所结的不可吃，清酒烈酒都不可喝，任何不洁之物都不可吃。而参孙从出生到死也都要守这些例，也不可用剃刀剃头，不可接触死物。因为神要使用他拯救以色列人。

从人的眼光来看，这是何等荣耀的拣选；从参孙的眼光来看，这实在是很痛苦的生涯。因为从一出生，他的命运就己经被注定了。有很多人不想信耶稣，就是因为害怕被束缚，不可以做这，不可以做那，虽然明白这都是为了自己的好处，但有的人还是想穿破那一层束缚的感觉，去为心所欲。所以在参孙的一生里，他破坏了所有拿细耳人当守的规矩。我相信他不是故意的，而只是不愿被束缚，不愿成为条例下的被迫者。就好像疫情当中，很多人不肯戴口罩，闹出很多抗议游行，甚至打人杀人事件，因为他们就是不要戴口罩，觉得扼杀了他们的人权。

但是不管参孙怎样违背拿细耳人的条例，神还是按着祂的计划，使用他去拯救以色列人。神的计划，人很难明白。那时以色列人被非利士人辖制，参孙偏偏喜欢上一个非利士女子。作者说，这事出于神。

When There’s a Fork in Your Road

2020-08-03 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 21:18-32.  Let’s go!

Ezekiel 21:18-20 (NIV) 
18  The word of the LORD came to me: 
19  “Son of man, mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same country. Make a signpost where the road branches off to the city. 
20  Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites and another against Judah and fortified Jerusalem.
 
On verses 18-20:  According to scholars, when Jerusalem (led by King Zedekiah) rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in 588 B.C., there were two other cities, also under Babylonian rule, that were rebelling against King Nebuchadnezzar at the same time.  Those other two cities were Rabbah (the capital of Ammon) and Tyre.  Tyre was the most difficult of the three cities to attack, so King Nebuchadnezzar narrowed it down to two options: attack Jerusalem or attack Rabbah.  Which one would he choose? 
 

两个被父家拒绝的男人

2020-08-02 in /by

士师记 11章1节   基列人耶弗他是个大能的勇士，是妓女的儿子。基列生了耶弗他。

有许多男人不知道自己为父的重要性，到处留种，结果种下了好多祸根。因为有了孩子而不教养，以致于自己的家都破碎了。基甸就是一个这样的例子，神虽然呼召他，他打了个胜仗后就到处风流。不仅有了七十个亲生的儿子，在示剑也有个不带回家的妾，给他生了儿子亚比米勒。亚比米勒在基甸死后，就杀掉了69个兄弟，只有一个约坦逃出去。他自立为王三年，却不算是以色列人的士师，后来也被自己人杀死。

大约过了六十几年后，有一个名叫基列的基列人，己有妻子儿子，又和一个妓女生下一个儿子耶弗他。基列的儿子们长大后就把耶弗他赶出门，免得他也要继承产业。耶弗他便出去和一些无赖混在一起。

但是耶弗他可能很有智慧和能力，所以当亚扪人辖制以色列人时，基列人在没有选择的余地下，只好去请耶弗他回来帮助他们。耶弗他懂得敬畏神，一接下任务，便到米斯巴将他一切的事陈述在耶和华面前。

耶弗他的智慧表现在敬畏神和论事的智慧上，他一开始想以德服人，跟亚扪人据理力争，表现出他对以色列人的历史十分清楚，不是只有猛力。当亚扪人不讲理时，他就与他们争战。耶和华的灵在他身上，但是出征前他还是有太多担心。他担心什么呢？

他害怕战事失利，好不容易重新被接纳，何等担心因为失败又被踢出去! 他相信耶和华神，但是他觉得若许个愿会更可靠。你有没有这样的想法？在民间信仰里，那些人去拜托偶像帮忙时都会许愿，要为偶像修金身或送台戏，反正就觉得有许愿，邪灵会比较肯帮忙。信徒也经常也有这样的想法，有的人患了癌症求神医治，便许愿病好了去读神学；有的人有难关求神帮忙，许愿难关一过便奉献多少钱给教会，有的人更许愿去全世界传福音，夸下很难做到的宏愿。

Let It Run Through You

2020-08-02 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 21:1-17.  Let’s go!

Ezekiel 21:1-7 (NIV) 
1  The word of the LORD came to me: 
2  “Son of man, set your face against Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuary. Prophesy against the land of Israel 
3  and say to her: ‘This is what the LORD says: I am against you. I will draw my sword from its scabbard and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked. 
4  Because I am going to cut off the righteous and the wicked, my sword will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north. 
5  Then all people will know that I the LORD have drawn my sword from its scabbard; it will not return again.’ 
6  “Therefore groan, son of man! Groan before them with broken heart and bitter grief. 
7  And when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt and every hand go limp; every spirit will become faint and every knee become as weak as water.’ It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign LORD.”
 
On verses 1-7:  In case the Israelites did not understand the message Ezekiel was sharing in Ezekiel 20:45-48, God gives Ezekiel an even clearer and more direct message to give the Israelites about the destruction that was coming to Jerusalem and Judah (the kingdom in which Jerusalem was situated). 

安慰的安息日

2020-07-31 in /by

<安慰的安息日 (שבת נחמו)>

由塔模斯月 17 号开始 (今年阳历7/9)，一直到埃波月 9 号 (阳历 7/30)，中间经过的三周安息日，会有三份「责备」的先知书伴读经文 (Haftarat of Rebuke/פרשיות הפורענות)，内容主要是关于「谴责、训斥」以色列百姓的犯罪、偏行己路、离弃神的控诉，直到「圣殿被毁日」达到高峰。

但紧接在「圣殿被毁日」 “之后” 的第一个安息日，也就是本周的这个安息日 (7/31)，犹太人称之为「安慰的安息日」(שבת נחמו) Shabbat Nachamu。

因为在这个安息日的 (先知书伴读)，犹太人会诵读《以赛亚书》40:1-26 的经文，并且，从这个安息日开始，接连的七个安息日 (包括本周)，都会诵读关于「安慰」信息的先知书经文伴读，以此预备心，来迎接「吹角节/犹太新年」的到来。这七份的「安慰」经文全部都在《以赛亚书》。

《以赛亚书》40章1节说: 你们的上帝说： 你们『要安慰，安慰我的百姓。』

40:2 要对耶路撒冷的心说话，向她宣告，她的苦役已结束，她的罪孽已偿还；她为自己一切的罪，已经从耶和华手中加倍地领受了。(妥拉坊，钟盐光老师)

读了<安慰的安息日 (שבת נחמו)>，你可能会想知道什么是〈圣殿被毁日〉。今年(2020)的7月29-30日是犹太日历最悲伤的一天，因为在距离646年之间，两座圣殿在同一天被毁。现在我们来看看约阿咪介绍的〈圣殿被毁日〉(Tisha B’Av)：

No Matter What the World Around You Does, Trust God

2020-07-31 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 20:30-49. Let’s go!

Ezekiel 20:30-31 (NIV)
30 “Therefore say to the house of Israel: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Will you defile yourselves the way your fathers did and lust after their vile images?
31 When you offer your gifts–the sacrifice of your sons in the fire–you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. Am I to let you inquire of me, O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will not let you inquire of me.

On verses 30-31: As part of their idol worship, the Israelites adopted the wicked and horrific practice of sacrificing their children to the idol Molech by burning their infant children in a massive fire pit. The Israelites hoped that by sacrificing their children to Molech, Molech would bless them with prosperity. In response to this heinous crime and horrific sin, God refused to let the elders of Israel inquire of Him.

虽然疲乏，还是追赶

2020-07-30 in /by

士师记八章4节    他们虽然疲乏，还是追赶。

在神主导的战役中，真正的主帅永远是神。祂只给基甸留下三百人，要去对付13万5千的敌军，还有无数的骆驼。换了是你，会不会想逃回家？那夜，耶和华对基甸说：「起来，下去攻营，因我已把它交在你手中。」

我们仔细听神的用语：「起来」，意思是别休息了。「下去攻营」，就是现在，要打仗了。「因我己把它交在你手中」，你己经得胜了，去领奖吧! 整去加起来，就是我己经帮你打完仗了，去领奖吧! 也知道基甸听不懂，又加了一句：「倘若你害怕下去，可以带你的仆人普拉下到那营里去， 你必听见他们所说的，这样你的手就有力量下去攻营。」

神知道基甸心里害怕，神也知道我们心里的害怕。所以祂用方法去鼓励基甸。基甸真的害怕，所以他真的带着普拉去探敌营。到了敌营，看到敌人如同蝗虫那样多；他们的骆驼无数，多如海边的沙。但是他听到另一件事：有一人把梦告诉同伴说：「看哪，我做了一个梦。看哪，一个大麦饼滚入米甸营中，来到帐幕，把帐幕撞倒，帐幕就翻转倒塌了。」同伴回答说：「这不是别的，而是以色列人约阿施的儿子基甸的刀。　神已把米甸和全军都交在他手中了。」基甸看到的是环境，听到的是神的应许，他终于愿意放手一搏。

以色列人没有刀也没有枪，三百人要对付13万5千的敌军和无数的骆驼，这仗怎么打呢？我相信《孙子兵法》里绝对没有这一招。基甸将三百人分成三队，把角和空瓶交在每个人手中，瓶内有火把。 他对他们说：「看着我，你们要照样做。看哪，我来到营边，我怎样做，你们也要照样做。我和所有跟随我的人吹角的时候，你们也要在营的四围吹角，喊叫：『为耶和华！为基甸！』」

Rebellious Israel Purged

2020-07-30 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 20:1-29. There are many lessons we can learn from this passage. Let’s go!

Ezekiel 20:1-3 (NIV)
1 In the seventh year, in the fifth month on the tenth day, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and they sat down in front of me.
2 Then the word of the LORD came to me:
3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Have you come to inquire of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me, declares the Sovereign LORD.’

On verses 1-3: According to many scholars, the date Ezekiel describes in verse 1 can be equated to sometime in August 591 B.C. At that time some elders of Israel come to Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord. However, the Lord tells Ezekiel that He refuses to let the elders inquire of Him (v3).

Why would the Lord not let the elders of Israel inquire of Him? In the rest of chapter 20, God will explain in an indirect way His reason for not letting the Israelite elders inquire of Him: it’s because of the Israelites’ tendency to rebel against what God says. Why would God bother telling the Israelites what they should do when the Israelites would refuse to do it?