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The God of Revival

2019-06-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs,
 
Today’s passage is 2 Kings 23:1-20.  In this passage, King Josiah of Judah has just discovered the long lost Book of the Law (consisting of the first five books of the Old Testament, also known as the Pentateuch).  He realizes that he and his nation of Judah have not lived up to God’s commands contained inside that book.  So King Josiah assembles the nation of Judah, reads the Book of the Law to them, has them pray and pledge in the presence of God that they will obey God’s commands.  He then proceeds to get rid of all the shrines, altars and sites used to worship idols in Judah. 
 
It’s worth noting that before Josiah, three other kings of Judah had tried to cleanse Judah of these idolatrous shrines, altars and sites — Asa in 1 Kings 15, Jehoshaphat in 1 Kings 22 and his grandfather Hezekiah in 2 Kings 18.  But Josiah’s efforts are far more extensive. 
 
What is happening here?  God is using Josiah to usher in a time of revival in the land of Judah.  What is revival?  Revival is a spiritual awakening that takes place in a group of people, such as a family, church, city or country.  When there is revival, people are more passionate about worshiping God, more focused on pleasing God with their lives, more inclined to confess their sins and seek God’s help, and more courageous in sharing Christ with others. 

Have a Soft and Responsive Heart toward God’s Word

2019-06-09 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 22:1-20.  Let’s go!

On verses 1-20:  At just eight years old Josiah becomes king of Judah.  At age 26, Josiah leads a campaign to repair the temple of the Lord.  As the temple is being repaired, workers in the temple recover an old Book of the Law, which most likely contained the first five books of the Bible, also known as the Pentateuch.  (Some scholars say that during the reign of Josiah’s father King Manasseh, Manasseh tried to destroy all copies of the Pentateuch, and this one copy may have been the only one left.)  

As Josiah reads this Book of the Law, his heart is moved.  In an act of repentance and mourning, Josiah tears his robes and weeps.  Josiah realizes that his nation is incurring the wrath of God because they and their ancestors have not lived in accordance with God’s commands found in this book.  

So Josiah inquires of the Lord by seeking the advice of Huldah, a prophetess.  Huldah informs Josiah that, just as Josiah suspected, disaster is awaiting the people of Judah because they have turned to worship other gods and disobeyed God’s commands.  Huldah also tells Josiah that because Josiah humbled himself in response to God’s Word, tearing his robes and weeping in God’s presence, his generation would not see the disaster that would come to the people of Judah in their lifetime.

两个儿子的比喻

2019-06-07 in /by

马太福音21: 28_32_两个儿子的比喻

28 又说：「一个人有两个儿子。他来对大儿子说：『我儿，你今天到葡萄园里去做工。』 29 他回答说『我不去』，以后自己懊悔，就去了。 30 又来对小儿子也是这样说，他回答说『父啊，我去』，他却不去。 31 你们想这两个儿子是哪一个遵行父命呢？」他们说：「大儿子。」耶稣说：「我实在告诉你们：税吏和娼妓倒比你们先进神的国。 32 因为约翰遵著义路到你们这里来，你们却不信他，税吏和娼妓倒信他。你们看见了，后来还是不懊悔去信他。

根据犹太传统，七七节是神赐下妥拉的日子，在这天在西乃山上的摩西，得到了妥拉(Matan Torah) (摩西五经)，在这天以色列正式成为一个民族。这是三大耶和华的节期之中的第二个，百姓必须上耶路撒冷，这也是为何有虔诚的犹太人从天下各国来，住在耶路撒冷。七七节是「Matan」的日子，Matan的意思是当新娘和新郎分开时，新郎所送给新娘的订婚礼物，让她能受到鼓励、能变美、能确定这段关系，而这份礼物就是圣灵(也就是耶稣送给信徒的礼物)。(摘自〈以色列美角〉

为何今天要谈到七七节呢？因为明天6月9日就是以色列人的五旬节，也是基督徒的圣灵降临节。在前一晚上十点开始到第二天的六、七点，以色列人就会整夜读《圣经》，然后才去睡觉。因为传说上帝给摩西妥拉(摩西五经)时，以色列百姓都在睡觉。所以现在大家不睡觉，会一起读圣经～代表对领受神话语的渴望。

Even When You’ve Lost Everything, There Is Still Hope

2019-06-07 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 21:1-26.  Let’s go!

2 Kings 21:11-12 (NIV) 
11  “Manasseh king of Judah has committed these detestable sins. He has done more evil than the Amorites who preceded him and has led Judah into sin with his idols. 
12  Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. 

On verses 1-18:  Manasseh replaces his father Hezekiah as the king of Judah.  But rather than following the Lord like his father Hezekiah did, Manasseh goes headlong into worshiping idols, committing violent crimes and even sacrificing his own son in the fire as part of idol worship.  Manasseh leads the rest of Judah to commit the same sins such that the nation of Judah ends up committing more evil than any nation that had previously occupied their land.  God’s response to Manasseh’s sins and Judah’s sins is clear and stern:  Judah would be looted, plundered and handed over to their enemies, thereby following in the footsteps of Samaria and the house of Ahab, who had also persistently sinned against Him.

When You’re Facing a Wall, Look Up and Look to God

2019-06-06 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 20:1-21.  Let’s go!

2 Kings 20:1-3 (NIV) 
1  In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” 
2  Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 
3  “Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

On verses 1-3:  Hezekiah is suffering from a life-threatening illness.  Initially Isaiah brings a message to Hezekiah from the Lord saying that he must get ready to die.  Turning his face to the wall, Hezekiah prays, weeps, and pleads with God for mercy.

What can we learn from this?  Just as Hezekiah turned and faced a wall and then prayed, when you’re facing a wall — no matter how insurmountable it may seem — let your first instinct be to go to God in prayer.  Pour out your heart to God.  

辩驳耶稣的权柄

2019-06-06 in /by

马太福音21: 23_27_辩驳耶稣的权柄

23 耶稣进了殿，正教训人的时候，祭司长和民间的长老来，问他说：「你仗着什么权柄做这些事？给你这权柄的是谁呢？」 24 耶稣回答说：「我也要问你们一句话，你们若告诉我，我就告诉你们我仗着什么权柄做这些事。 25 约翰的洗礼是从哪里来的？是从天上来的，是从人间来的呢？」他们彼此商议说：「我们若说从天上来，他必对我们说：『这样，你们为什么不信他呢？』 26 若说从人间来，我们又怕百姓，因为他们都以约翰为先知。」 27 于是回答耶稣说：「我们不知道。」耶稣说：「我也不告诉你们我仗着什么权柄做这些事。」

说实在的，我特别喜欢读耶稣被法利赛人或文士刁难的事蹟，因为从每次主耶稣的回答里都可以学到一些智慧。你有没有被人刁难过，或是碰到很难处理的事情，你都可以从耶稣处理事情的方法上学到一点东西。在这段经文里，祭司长和长老来挑战耶稣的权柄。想想看也是，在当时耶稣在众人眼中不过是个拉比或先知，有什么权柄来插手圣殿怎样使用之事？祭司长和民间的长老来兴师问罪是理所当然。

那些商人能够在圣殿的外院里做生意很显然是得到了大祭司的同意，因为大祭司是犹太人的最高宗教领袖，圣殿里要做什么事情，他说了算！耶稣是谁呢？难道比大祭司还大吗？大祭司同意的事，谁敢出来反对？他们的意思其实就是在告诉耶稣：你无权过问此事。

无花果树被咒诅

2019-06-05 in /by

马太福音21: 18_22_无花果树被咒诅

18 早晨回城的时候，他饿了。 19 看见路旁有一棵无花果树，就走到跟前，在树上找不着什么，不过有叶子，就对树说：「从今以后，你永不结果子！」那无花果树就立刻枯干了。 20 门徒看见了，便稀奇说：「无花果树怎么立刻枯干了呢？」 21 耶稣回答说：「我实在告诉你们：你们若有信心，不疑惑，不但能行无花果树上所行的事，就是对这座山说：『你挪开此地，投在海里！』，也必成就。 22 你们祷告，无论求什么，只要信，就必得着。」

现在己经是六月，温哥华一些无花果树都己经结了好些果子，但是要到八月中才会成熟可以食用。耶稣此时到耶路撒冷是为了过逾越节，也就是三、四月，想当然无花果树不会有果子，为何主耶稣会咒诅这棵没有果子的无花果树，感觉这棵树很寃枉？

在《圣经》里无花果树经常被提及它的用处：在〈创世记〉里，亚当和夏娃用无花果的叶子作衣服；希西王的病是用无花果饼贴在疮上，他的病就痊愈了；在耶利米的异象里有两筐无花果，一筐是极好的无花果，好像是初熟的；一筐是极坏的无花果，坏得不可吃。代表以色列民顺服神和不顺服神的后果。

在先知书里，先知警诫以色列民，若去敬拜事奉别神，在灾难的日子里，「无花果树上必没有果子，叶子也必枯干。（耶8:13；珥1:12）」甚至因敌人一再侵犯，进行彻底的毁坏，而「剥了无花果树的皮，剥尽而丢弃，使条枝露白。（珥1:7）」表示以色列极度的穷困，连神最基本的祝福都失去了。

It’s God Who Decides

2019-06-05 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 19:20-37. Let’s go!

2 Kings 19:20 (NIV) 
20  Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria. 

On verses 20-21:  Here God responds to King Hezekiah’s plea for help against King Sennacherib of Assyria.  Through the prophet Isaiah, God sends a reassuring message to Hezekiah.  First, the Lord tells Hezekiah that He has heard Hezekiah’s prayer (v20).  Second, the Lord tells Hezekiah what He has spoken against Sennacherib.  The Lord’s message to Sennacherib begins with the words:  “The Virgin Daughter of Zion despises you and mocks you. The Daughter of Jerusalem tosses her head as you flee.” (v21)X

What can we learn from this?

1. God hears the prayers of His people.
2. God is committed to defending His people when they are under attack.

耶稣洁净圣殿

2019-06-04 in /by

马太福音21: 12_17_耶稣洁净圣殿

12 耶稣进了神的殿，赶出殿里一切做买卖的人，推倒兑换银钱之人的桌子和卖鸽子之人的凳子， 13 对他们说：「经上记着说：『我的殿必称为祷告的殿』，你们倒使它成为贼窝了！」 14 在殿里有瞎子、瘸子到耶稣跟前，他就治好了他们。 15 祭司长和文士看见耶稣所行的奇事，又见小孩子在殿里喊著说「和散那归于大卫的子孙」，就甚恼怒， 16 对他说：「这些人所说的，你听见了吗？」耶稣说：「是的。经上说『你从婴孩和吃奶的口中完全了赞美』的话，你们没有念过吗？」 17 于是离开他们，出城到伯大尼去，在那里住宿。

陈终道牧师在《金灯台活页刊》曾对这段经文有所解释：主耶稣曾经两次洁净圣殿。第一次是祂出来传道的时候。记载在〈约翰福音〉第二章。其余三福音所记载的是第二次洁净圣殿，是祂受死前一周所作的事。为甚么两次的事这么相似﹖那正好证明犹太人并没有因耶稣第一次洁净圣殿而悔改。主耶稣拿绳子作鞭子，把卖牛羊鸽子的人都赶出去，推翻兑换银钱之人的桌子，那些人的情形必然十分狼狈。后来主又得再次洁净圣殿，因为那些受责备的人依然如故！

人如果受了责备而不肯悔改，必不会因所受的责备难过，反而使他们怀恨在心，设法报复。所以在第一次洁净圣殿之后，犹太人对耶稣说：“你既作这些事，还显甚么神蹟给我们看呢﹖”（约2:18）意思是说，你既这样没有爱心对待那些人，叫他们血本无归，还行甚么神蹟呢﹖但在主耶稣第二次洁净圣殿时，犹太人就不单埋怨耶稣没有爱心，而且商量怎样去除灭耶稣了！（可11:18）

When You’re Under Pressure

2019-06-04 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 19:1-19.  Let’s go!

2 Kings 19:1-2 (NIV) 
1  When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the temple of the LORD. 
2  He sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.
 
On verses 1-4:   King Hezekiah’s officials deliver Assyria’s intimidating message to Hezekiah.  In response, Hezekiah does a wise thing: (1) he pours his heart out to God, spending time in His presence; and (2) he seeks counsel from the prophet Isaiah.  What can we learn from this?  Whenever you are under great pressure or receive bad news, the best thing you can do is to go to God and spend time in His presence.  If necessary, seek godly counsel too.
 
On verses 5-13:  Isaiah gives Hezekiah an encouraging, reassuring message from the Lord, promising that the Lord will cut down Assyria’s king Sennacherib.  Shortly after that, Hezekiah receives a letter from King Sennacherib trying to shake Hezekiah’s confidence in God’s Word and trying to show that Israel is no different from all the other nations that Assyria has laid to waste.