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神的应许应验了

2020-07-14 in /by

撒母耳记下 五章4-5节   大卫登基的时候年30岁，在位40年。 在希伯仑做犹大王七年零六个月，在耶路撒冷做以色列和犹大王33年。

在以色列的元帅押尼珥被杀之后，以色列的两个军长也想去大卫那里讨个一官半职，因此杀了以色列王伊施波设，拿了他的首级去见大卫。没想到他们的背叛换来的不是高官厚褖，而是死亡和羞辱。大卫最痛恨这样的小人，如此便吓止了小人相傚之风。

现在押尼珥死了，伊施波设死了，两个军长也死了。以色列再没有可以支撑的人，众支派的长老们终于来找大卫，他们举出了三件事来证明他们的诚意。一，他们之间是骨肉的关系，都是雅各的子孙。二，在扫罗作王时，大卫当战士长，所以是大卫率领以色列人出入。他们承认大卫的领袖地位。三，撒母耳曾经膏大卫为王，那是神对大卫的应许。因此大卫在希伯仑和他们立约，他们就膏大卫做以色列的王，此时犹大支派和以色列其他的支派终于统一了。大卫没有采取流血的手段，他耐心等待，直到神的时间来到，神亲自感动以色列人来和他立约，成就了和平统一。这是大卫第三次被膏为王。

大卫作王之后，便思索打耶布斯，因为它座落在以色列中央山脉最高处的平台上，海拔在750公尺左右；东边有汲沦溪，西边和南边是欣嫩溪；东南有俄斐勒山，东有摩利亚山，东北有贝西大山，西北有亚克拉山，西南有锡安山，其东还有橄榄山，真正是群山环绕，外敌难以进入，是个易守难攻，交通却四通八达的地方，拿来做首都正好。大卫是个有眼光有异象的政治家，当他挑选上这个地方做以色列人国的首都时，他心里已经有了策略，要打造出一个让外敌都不敢侵犯的以色列国。

但是正如上面所述，耶布斯是一个很难攻取的地方。当大卫计划要进攻耶布斯时，里面的人嘲笑大卫：就凭瞎眼的和破脚的，就可以抵挡你们了。在〈历代志上〉11章5节，耶布斯人对大卫说：「你决不能进这地方。」大卫便征求勇士：「谁先攻打耶布斯人，必作首领元帅。」在撒下五章，大卫露了一点打仗的秘密：「当上水沟攻打我心里所恨恶的瘸子、瞎子。」上水沟是何意呢？

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.

大卫哀悼押尼珥

2020-07-13 in /by

撒母耳记下 三章39节    我虽然受膏为王，今日还是软弱，这洗鲁雅的两个儿子比我刚强。愿耶和华照着恶人所行的恶报应他！

虽是同一个团队，但是每个人对同一件事也会有不同的看法。好像乾隆同时使用和珅和纪晓岚，和珅是大贪官，纪晓岚是大清官，但是乾隆的帝王术就是要让两者并存在他的朝中，才能起制衡的作用。所以即使押尼珥的人品不怎么样，大卫也会考虑用他。大卫作了犹大王之后，他的心志就是要统一以色列，但是他并不心急，他耐性等候时机的来临。

时机终于来临，大卫家日见强盛，扫罗日渐衰微。押尼珥审度时势，若与大卫谈条件，他还有可能谋到高官肥缺，若再等下去，只剩个烂摊子时，谁还跟他谈条件？一下子就可以把他给收拾掉，他就什么也捞不到了。因此他越过伊施波设，这个形同虚设的王，竟自去跟大卫谈判。押尼珥在为自己舖路，但是他也需要得到以色列长老们的同意。他在犹大和以色列之间来回奔跑，发挥三寸不烂之舌的功用，使大卫和以色列长老们都频频点头。

约押是大卫的元帅，与押尼珥有杀弟之仇。因此他对大卫说：「尼珥的儿子押尼珥来是要诓哄你，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于好意，他觉得押尼珥来做间谍。虽然大卫和约押曾经是出生入死的伙伴，但此时他们看事情的角度已经有很大的区别。大卫从一个王的角度去审度形势，他要的是犹大和以色列的统一，他要做全以色列的王；但是约押只记得押尼珥杀了他弟弟，此仇不报非君子。大卫看到的是在两个国度的统一中，需要押尼珥这个棋子，他的人品好不好是次要的，他在统一这事上能发挥什么作用，那才是主要的。

约押被自己的仇恨控制了，他追赶押尼珥，领他到城门的瓮洞，假装要和他说机密话，就在那里刺透他的肚腹，押尼珥死了。约押痛快地报了仇，大卫却立刻明白他有祸了。押尼珥死在犹大，死在约押的刀下。约押是大卫的元帅，以色列长老们有谁会再信任大卫？有谁会相信那不是出自大卫的意思？大卫是王，约押是他的部下，谁都会认为那是大卫叫约押做的。

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.

大卫在希伯仑作王

2020-07-12 in /by

历代志上 11章1-2节   以色列众人聚集到希伯仑见大卫，说：「我们原是你的骨肉。 从前扫罗做王的时候，率领以色列人出入的是你。耶和华你的神也曾应许你说：『你必牧养我的民以色列，做以色列的君。』」

随着扫罗的阵亡，大卫的逃亡生涯结束了。他第一件事是求问神：「我上犹大的一个城去可以吗？」这就是大卫合神心意的做法之一。假如你中了彩票，或是有什么好处临到，你第一件事会求问神，怎样处理吗？现在新冠疫情比较缓和，有些教会开始有实体聚会了，你有没有求问神：「我要不要回去教会聚会呢？」

扫罗死了，大卫哪里都可以去，但是他觉得自己是神的人，是神所膏的王，所以他必须听从神的命令。这是何等的顺服！然后他再求问神要上哪一个城去？神指示他上希伯仑，所以他就带着妻子和跟随他的人都带到希伯仑。每次读到大卫求问神，我都觉得是对自己的一个挑战，学习对神的敬畏和尊重，在生活里把自己摆在仆人和使女的位置上，像大卫一样。

当大卫到了希伯仑之后，他以前所送的礼，所结交的朋友，现在都「发酵」了。犹大人来到希伯仑，在那里膏大卫作王。大卫知道「建立关系」的重要性，所以他听到基伊拉的城受困，他就去救基伊拉；在旷野时，他就帮助放羊的，免得他们被掳掠；他打胜仗得了掠物，就拿去送犹大的长老们。在逃亡的生涯中，大卫没有因而自暴自弃，反而在每一个关键时刻去帮助别人，与人建立良好的关系。如此，当他住进希伯仑时，犹大支派就承认了撒母耳曾经膏大卫做王这件事，更同心接受大卫做他们的王。大卫一生中三次被膏为王，这是第二次，第三次是被膏为全以色列的王。

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

以弗所书三章17节  使基督因你们的信住在你们心里，叫你们的爱心有根有基。

从今年七月以来，开始有教会尝试着让会众回到教堂聚会，原则上不能超50人，而且不可以唱诗歌敬拜，也只能看己经录好的影像讲道，因此有的人表示兴趣不大。

主要是一来大家对敬拜的理解己经和以前不一样。以前非得早起赶去教会，现在过了几个月的家居敬拜，明白敬拜的本质不在于教堂，而在于自己和神的关系。在家里敬拜好像更舒服，还可以跟着唱诗歌敬拜。似乎比去教堂敬拜更好。

其二也是因为怕被传染，国外的疫情还没受到完全的控制，每天都有几十来个确诊；有时传来家人团聚，也纷纷被感染，心里不由得更加谨慎小心，而不敢逾距。

这些原因都让我们看到自己的胆小和害怕，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，因为万一自己被感染而不知道，无形之中就会传给很多人了。

寇世远牧师说过一个故事：神在十九世纪所重用的仆人，英国的司布真，自述曾做了多年挂名的基督徒，因为他一直没有负担去抢救灵魂。 

他住家的巷口有一个车店，每次骑车出门，都要到店里打气。有一天，车店老板信主了，一看到司布真来了，立刻兴高彩烈的说：「朋友，我劝你赶快信耶稣，信耶稣可以得永生，心中有平安，灵里有喜乐，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. 
 

大卫的〈弓歌〉

2020-07-09 in /by

撒母耳记下一章27节    英雄何竟仆倒！战具何竟灭没！

就在大卫去追赶亚玛力人，夺回自己和众人的妻儿、财物和牲畜之际，也正是扫罗带领以色列人和非利士人大战之时。大卫和跟随他的人正在庆幸找回了家人和财物时，扫罗和约拿单都战死了，以色列人大败。

那时没有电视，没有伊妹儿(email)，也没有爱凤(iphone)或其他手机，消息传得相当慢。到了第三天，才有人来讨赏。

那是一个住在以色列人中的亚玛力人，可能是作为雇佣兵而参战的。他把扫罗临死的情形告诉大卫，并取来扫罗头上的冠冕、臂上的镯子以作证据。他可能知道大卫已被撒母耳膏立为以色列的下一任王，也知道扫罗追杀大卫的事，所以他认为大卫知道扫罗被杀一定很高兴，因为他的仇敌死了，大卫就可以作王了。因此他觉得自己一定可以领到不少奖赏。

出乎意料之外，大卫不但不感激他，把他训了一顿，还叫人把他杀了。

这就是大卫。可能有人觉得他矫情，扫罗死了，他岂有不高兴之理？他不是终于不必东躲西逃了吗？但是大卫的过人之处就在于他敬畏神，所以他一直很尊重扫罗。他在吊扫罗和约拿单所写的哀歌里，把他对扫罗的尊重和对约拿单表露无遗。

虽然扫罗对大卫充满嫉恨残酷，但是大卫不看私人恩怨，只看扫罗在国中所做的。他称扫罗为尊荣者、大英雄。扫罗起初的作为的确是以色列的尊荣者、大英雄。大卫记得扫罗为以色列人做过的好事。