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神的應許應驗了

2020-07-14 in /by

撒母耳記下 五章4-5節   大衛登基的時候年30歲，在位40年。 在希伯崙做猶大王七年零六個月，在耶路撒冷做以色列和猶大王33年。

在以色列的元帥押尼珥被殺之後，以色列的兩個軍長也想去大衛那裡討個一官半職，因此殺了以色列王伊施波設，拿了他的首級去見大衛。沒想到他們的背叛換來的不是高官厚褖，而是死亡和羞辱。大衛最痛恨這樣的小人，如此便嚇止了小人相傚之風。

現在押尼珥死了，伊施波設死了，兩個軍長也死了。以色列再沒有可以支撐的人，眾支派的長老們終於來找大衛，他們舉出了三件事來證明他們的誠意。一，他們之間是骨肉的關係，都是雅各的子孫。二，在掃羅作王時，大衛當戰士長，所以是大衛率領以色列人出入。他們承認大衛的領袖地位。三，撒母耳曾經膏大衛為王，那是神對大衛的應許。因此大衛在希伯崙和他們立約，他們就膏大衛做以色列的王，此時猶大支派和以色列其他的支派終於統一了。大衛沒有採取流血的手段，他耐心等待，直到神的時間來到，神親自感動以色列人來和他立約，成就了和平統一。這是大衛第三次被膏為王。

大衛作王之後，便思索打耶布斯，因為它座落在以色列中央山脈最高處的平台上，海拔在750公尺左右；東邊有汲淪溪，西邊和南邊是欣嫩溪；東南有俄斐勒山，東有摩利亞山，東北有貝西大山，西北有亞克拉山，西南有錫安山，其東還有橄欖山，真正是群山環繞，外敵難以進入，是個易守難攻，交通卻四通八達的地方，拿來做首都正好。大衛是個有眼光有異象的政治家，當他挑選上這個地方做以色列人國的首都時，他心裡已經有了策略，要打造出一個讓外敵都不敢侵犯的以色列國。

但是正如上面所述，耶布斯是一個很難攻取的地方。當大衛計劃要進攻耶布斯時，裡面的人嘲笑大衛：就憑瞎眼的和破腳的，就可以抵擋你們了。在〈歷代志上〉11章5節，耶布斯人對大衛說：「你決不能進這地方。」大衛便徵求勇士：「誰先攻打耶布斯人，必作首領元帥。」在撒下五章，大衛露了一點打仗的秘密：「當上水溝攻打我心裡所恨惡的瘸子、瞎子。」上水溝是何意呢？

The Exile Symbolized

2020-07-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 12:17-28.  Let’s go!

Ezekiel 12:17-20 (NIV) 
17  The word of the LORD came to me:
18  “Son of man, tremble as you eat your food, and shudder in fear as you drink your water.
19  Say to the people of the land: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says about those living in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel: They will eat their food in anxiety and drink their water in despair, for their land will be stripped of everything in it because of the violence of all who live there.
20  The inhabited towns will be laid waste and the land will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD.'”

On verses 17-20:  The Lord gives Ezekiel a message for the people still living in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel.  The Lord tells Ezekiel to act out the fear and the trembling that these people will experience because of the coming desolation that they will face.  In this case they“will know that I am the LORD” not by His presence but by His absence from the city.

What can we learn from this?  Sometimes, for those who are especially stubborn and slow to learn, the only way to teach them that they have taken a great blessing for granted is to take the blessing away, at least temporarily.  This is what God did with the people living in Jerusalem and the land of Israel, as He removes His presence and protection from them and allows the people living there to feel the fear and trembling of not having God’s presence and protection in the city.

大衛哀悼押尼珥

2020-07-13 in /by

撒母耳記下 三章39節    我雖然受膏為王，今日還是軟弱，這洗魯雅的兩個兒子比我剛強。願耶和華照著惡人所行的惡報應他！

雖是同一個團隊，但是每個人對同一件事也會有不同的看法。好像乾隆同時使用和珅和紀曉嵐，和珅是大貪官，紀曉嵐是大清官，但是乾隆的帝王術就是要讓兩者並存在他的朝中，才能起制衡的作用。所以即使押尼珥的人品不怎麼樣，大衛也會考慮用他。大衛作了猶大王之後，他的心志就是要統一以色列，但是他並不心急，他耐性等候時機的來臨。

時機終於來臨，大衛家日見強盛，掃羅日漸衰微。押尼珥審度時勢，若與大衛談條件，他還有可能謀到高官肥缺，若再等下去，只剩個爛攤子時，誰還跟他談條件？一下子就可以把他給收拾掉，他就什麼也撈不到了。因此他越過伊施波設，這個形同虛設的王，竟自去跟大衛談判。押尼珥在為自己舖路，但是他也需要得到以色列長老們的同意。他在猶大和以色列之間來回奔跑，發揮三寸不爛之舌的功用，使大衛和以色列長老們都頻頻點頭。

約押是大衛的元帥，與押尼珥有殺弟之仇。因此他對大衛說：「尼珥的兒子押尼珥來是要誆哄你，要知道你的出入和你一切所行的事。」他不相信押尼珥的居心是出於好意，他覺得押尼珥來做間諜。雖然大衛和約押曾經是出生入死的伙伴，但此時他們看事情的角度已經有很大的區別。大衛從一個王的角度去審度形勢，他要的是猶大和以色列的統一，他要做全以色列的王；但是約押只記得押尼珥殺了他弟弟，此仇不報非君子。大衛看到的是在兩個國度的統一中，需要押尼珥這個棋子，他的人品好不好是次要的，他在統一這事上能發揮什麼作用，那才是主要的。

約押被自己的仇恨控制了，他追趕押尼珥，領他到城門的甕洞，假裝要和他說機密話，就在那裡刺透他的肚腹，押尼珥死了。約押痛快地報了仇，大衛卻立刻明白他有禍了。押尼珥死在猶大，死在約押的刀下。約押是大衛的元帥，以色列長老們有誰會再信任大衛？有誰會相信那不是出自大衛的意思？大衛是王，約押是他的部下，誰都會認為那是大衛叫約押做的。

While They Are Watching

2020-07-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 12:1-16.  Let’s go!

Ezekiel 12:1-7 (NIV) 
1  The word of the LORD came to me:
2  “Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.
3  “Therefore, son of man, pack your belongings for exile and in the daytime, as they watch, set out and go from where you are to another place. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house.
4  During the daytime, while they watch, bring out your belongings packed for exile. Then in the evening, while they are watching, go out like those who go into exile.
5  While they watch, dig through the wall and take your belongings out through it.
6  Put them on your shoulder as they are watching and carry them out at dusk. Cover your face so that you cannot see the land, for I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.”
7  So I did as I was commanded. During the day I brought out my things packed for exile. Then in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands. I took my belongings out at dusk, carrying them on my shoulders while they watched.

On verses 1-7:  Here God is getting Ezekiel to act out how the Israelites are exiled from their land.  Notice how many times the phrase “while they watch” and variations of it get repeated in these verses.  This shows me that God is a thoughtful communicator who carefully plans out how He will engage His hearers, so as to get the most bang for His effort.

大衛在希伯崙作王

2020-07-12 in /by

歷代志上 11章1-2節   以色列眾人聚集到希伯崙見大衛，說：「我們原是你的骨肉。 從前掃羅做王的時候，率領以色列人出入的是你。耶和華你的神也曾應許你說：『你必牧養我的民以色列，做以色列的君。』」

隨著掃羅的陣亡，大衛的逃亡生涯結束了。他第一件事是求問神：「我上猶大的一個城去可以嗎？」這就是大衛合神心意的做法之一。假如你中了彩票，或是有什麼好處臨到，你第一件事會求問神，怎樣處理嗎？現在新冠疫情比較緩和，有些教會開始有實體聚會了，你有沒有求問神：「我要不要回去教會聚會呢？」

掃羅死了，大衛哪裡都可以去，但是他覺得自己是神的人，是神所膏的王，所以他必須聽從神的命令。這是何等的順服！然後他再求問神要上哪一個城去？神指示他上希伯崙，所以他就帶著妻子和跟隨他的人都帶到希伯崙。每次讀到大衛求問神，我都覺得是對自己的一個挑戰，學習對神的敬畏和尊重，在生活裡把自己擺在僕人和使女的位置上，像大衛一樣。

當大衛到了希伯崙之後，他以前所送的禮，所結交的朋友，現在都「發酵」了。猶大人來到希伯崙，在那裡膏大衛作王。大衛知道「建立關係」的重要性，所以他聽到基伊拉的城受困，他就去救基伊拉；在曠野時，他就幫助放羊的，免得他們被擄掠；他打勝仗得了掠物，就拿去送猶大的長老們。在逃亡的生涯中，大衛沒有因而自暴自棄，反而在每一個關鍵時刻去幫助別人，與人建立良好的關係。如此，當他住進希伯崙時，猶大支派就承認了撒母耳曾經膏大衛做王這件事，更同心接受大衛做他們的王。大衛一生中三次被膏為王，這是第二次，第三次是被膏為全以色列的王。

Home Again

2020-07-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 11:14-25.  Let’s go!
 
Ezekiel 11:14-16 (NIV) 
14  The word of the LORD came to me: 
15  “Son of man, your brothers–your brothers who are your blood relatives and the whole house of Israel–are those of whom the people of Jerusalem have said, ‘They are far away from the LORD; this land was given to us as our possession.’
16  “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.’ 

On verses 14-16:  The Jews in Judah were captured and taken to Babylon in three stages: the first group was brought to Babylon in 605 B.C., the second in 597 B.C., and the third in 586 B.C.  According to scholars, Ezekiel was part of the second group that was taken to Babylon in 597 B.C.  When this second group was captured and taken to Babylon, the Jews who remained in Jerusalem assumed that God was giving them the entire land (“They are far away from the Lord; this land was given to us as our possession” – v15b).  Little did they know that another attack was on its way and that many of them would also be captured and deported within the next decade.

珍惜自己的性命

2020-07-10 in /by

以弗所書三章17節  使基督因你們的信住在你們心裡，叫你們的愛心有根有基。

從今年七月以來，開始有教會嚐試著讓會眾回到教堂聚會，原則上不能超50人，而且不可以唱詩歌敬拜，也只能看己經錄好的影像講道，因此有的人表示興趣不大。

主要是一來大家對敬拜的理解己經和以前不一樣。以前非得早起趕去教會，現在過了幾個月的家居敬拜，明白敬拜的本質不在於教堂，而在於自己和神的關係。在家裡敬拜好像更舒服，還可以跟著唱詩歌敬拜。似乎比去教堂敬拜更好。

其二也是因為怕被傳染，國外的疫情還沒受到完全的控制，每天都有幾十來個確診；有時傳來家人團聚，也紛紛被感染，心裡不由得更加謹慎小心，而不敢逾距。

這些原因都讓我們看到自己的膽小和害怕，或是十分珍情自己的性命。珍惜自己的性命，也就是珍惜他人的性命，因為萬一自己被感染而不知道，無形之中就會傳給很多人了。

寇世遠牧師說過一個故事：神在十九世紀所重用的僕人，英國的司布真，自述曾做了多年掛名的基督徒，因為他一直沒有負擔去搶救靈魂。 

他住家的巷口有一個車店，每次騎車出門，都要到店裏打氣。有一天，車店老闆信主了，一看到司布真來了，立刻興高彩烈的說：「朋友，我勸你趕快信耶穌，信耶穌可以得永生，心中有平安，靈裏有喜樂，得到祝福，得到恩典。」 

The Only Real “Pot”

2020-07-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Ezekiel 11:1-13.  Let’s go!

Ezekiel 11:1-4 (NIV) 
1  Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate of the house of the LORD that faces east. There at the entrance to the gate were twenty-five men, and I saw among them Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people.
2  The LORD said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who are plotting evil and giving wicked advice in this city.
3  They say, ‘Will it not soon be time to build houses? This city is a cooking pot, and we are the meat.’
4  Therefore prophesy against them; prophesy, son of man.” 
On verses 1-4:  What do Jaazaniah, Pelatiah and these other 23 men mean when they say, “This city is a cooking pot, and we are the meat” (v3)?  This is them bragging that they believe they are safe and secure within the walls of Jerusalem, like meat safely kept in a pot.  Despite the fact that the people of Judah have already suffered attacks, invasions and deportations at the hand of the Babylonians, these 25 leaders in Jerusalem scoff at the idea that a foreign enemy would take them down again.  Rather they believe it will soon be time for them to look at building houses and making long term investments in Jerusalem.  As we will see, theirs was a false sense of security.

I Just Want To Be Where You Are

2020-07-09 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 9:1-11.  Let’s go!

Ezekiel 10:1-2 (NIV) 
1  I looked, and I saw the likeness of a throne of sapphire above the expanse that was over the heads of the cherubim. 
2  The LORD said to the man clothed in linen, “Go in among the wheels beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And as I watched, he went in.
 
On verses 1-2:  This part of Ezekiel’s vision reminds me of a scene from Isaiah 6.  In Isaiah 6, the prophet Isaiah sees a vision of God seated on his throne in the temple.  In his vision, Isaiah is dismayed because he realizes that he is a sinner who cannot stand in the presence of a holy God.  All of a sudden one of the angels takes a live coal from the altar, touches Isaiah’s lips with it, and tells him that his guilt is taken away and his sin atoned for.
 
I believe a similar thing may be happening here in Ezekiel’s vision.  God tells a man clothed in linen (the same man whom God instructed in Ezekiel 9 to mark those who did not worship idols) to fill his hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city (v2).  What is God doing?  Since all the idolaters in the city have been exterminated in Ezekiel 9, God is now sanctifying and purifying those who are left. 
 

大衛的〈弓歌〉

2020-07-09 in /by

撒母耳記下一章27節    英雄何竟仆倒！戰具何竟滅沒！

就在大衛去追趕亞瑪力人，奪回自己和眾人的妻兒、財物和牲畜之際，也正是掃羅帶領以色列人和非利士人大戰之時。大衛和跟隨他的人正在慶幸找回了家人和財物時，掃羅和約拿單都戰死了，以色列人大敗。

那時沒有電視，沒有伊妹兒(email)，也沒有愛鳳(iphone)或其他手機，消息傳得相當慢。到了第三天，才有人來討賞。

那是一個住在以色列人中的亞瑪力人，可能是作為僱佣兵而參戰的。他把掃羅臨死的情形告訴大衛，並取來掃羅頭上的冠冕、臂上的鐲子以作證據。他可能知道大衛已被撒母耳膏立為以色列的下一任王，也知道掃羅追殺大衛的事，所以他認為大衛知道掃羅被殺一定很高興，因為他的仇敵死了，大衛就可以作王了。因此他覺得自己一定可以領到不少獎賞。

出乎意料之外，大衛不但不感激他，把他訓了一頓，還叫人把他殺了。

這就是大衛。可能有人覺得他矯情，掃羅死了，他豈有不高興之理？他不是終於不必東躲西逃了嗎？但是大衛的過人之處就在於他敬畏神，所以他一直很尊重掃羅。他在弔掃羅和約拿單所寫的哀歌裡，把他對掃羅的尊重和對約拿單表露無遺。

雖然掃羅對大衛充滿嫉恨殘酷，但是大衛不看私人恩怨，只看掃羅在國中所做的。他稱掃羅為尊榮者、大英雄。掃羅起初的作為的確是以色列的尊榮者、大英雄。大衛記得掃羅為以色列人做過的好事。