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Do All the Regulations in Leviticus Apply to Christians Today?

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 19:11-22. With a humble heart, see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 19:11-22 (NIV)
11  “‘Do not steal. “‘Do not lie. “‘Do not deceive one another.
12  “‘Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
13  “‘Do not defraud your neighbor or rob him. “‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired man overnight.

On verses 11-22:  What do we do with a passage like Leviticus 19:11-22?  On one hand, the first half (verses 11-18) lists commands that are easy for us to understand and that we can easily see applying just as much today as in Moses’ time: do not steal, do not lie, do not pervert justice, do not slander others, etc. 

其實是神在幫我

路加福音6:38

你們要給人,就必有給你們的,並且用十足的升斗,連搖帶按,上尖下流的倒在你們懷裡;因為你們用什麼量器量給人,也必用什麼量器量給你們。

有一次,我的同事、也是鄰居請我幫忙,她的姪女跟我讀一樣的科系,但因實習不順利而休學。我本來覺得顧好自己的學生已經很累了,還要輔導其他醫院的學生太吃力了。但後來還是和她們碰面,聽這位學生分享,並且一起討論可行的解決方法。

她很積極完成我交給她的任務,接著我就慢慢地忘記這件事了。隨著醫院評鑑的進行,我需要盡快完成院內計畫來符合評鑑的標準,也因為這是我第一次主責,根本不知道找工讀生幫忙也是件麻煩事,短時間內要找到本科的學生真不容易。

這時候我想起來這位學生,她也欣然接受這份工作,過程中表現相當優秀。當她結束四個月的工讀時,她寫了一張卡片感謝我。但我想我才是最該獻上感謝的人,最要感謝的是神,最讚歎的也是神的預備和供應。這麼剛好有位本科學生、剛好在台南、剛好想要參與相關計畫,她協助我完成任務。我以為是我在助人,但其實神知道,我才是最需要幫助的人。

When God Changed His Nature

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 19:1-10. With a humble heart, see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 19:1-4 (NIV)
1  The LORD said to Moses,
2  “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.
3  “‘Each of you must respect his mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the LORD your God.
4  “‘Do not turn to idols or make gods of cast metal for yourselves. I am the LORD your God.

On verses 1-4:  Just as God is holy (i.e. without sin and set apart), we, being made in God’s image, are called to be holy as well.  Here the LORD tells Moses that or the Israelites part of being holy is respecting our parents (v3), observing a Sabbath (a weekly time to rest) (v3) and turning away from idols (v4).

不要怕你做不到

哥林多後書 5:14-15

原來基督的愛激勵我們,因我們想:一人既替眾人死,眾人就都死了; 15 並且祂替眾人死,是叫那些活著的人不再為自己活,乃為替他們死而復活的主活。

有一次在教會敬拜時,唱了「祢寶血為我而流」這首詩歌,當唱到這句「我獻上我全所有,為祢而活」的時候,我跟神說我恐怕會讓祢失望,我不確定我有沒有辦法把自己的全部都獻給神。

以前年輕的時候擁有的不多,想的也不遠,所以很輕易就能回應神說:「我願意獻上全所有」,但現在看著自己過去一次次地失敗,會懷疑自己是不是能做到真實的主權奉獻。

聖靈在詩歌中溫暖的鼓勵我,正是因為我無法做到,所以需要耶穌在十字架上所成就的救恩,是祂捨己的愛讓我在環境不順遂、信心不堅固的時候,有安全感知道有一位神,祂愛我愛到願意捨棄一切為要得著我們的心,為要和我永遠在一起不分離。「祢寶貴十架,為我付上代價,是我得勝的力量」。

立十字架為記號

創世記28:10-22  

雅各出了別是巴,向哈蘭走去。 11 到了一個地方,因為太陽落了,就在那裡住宿,便拾起那地方的一塊石頭枕在頭下,在那裡躺臥睡了。 12 夢見一個梯子立在地上,梯子的頭頂著天,有神的使者在梯子上上去下來。 13 耶和華站在梯子以上,說:「我是耶和華你祖亞伯拉罕的神,也是以撒的神,我要將你現在所躺臥之地賜給你和你的後裔。 14 你的後裔必像地上的塵沙那樣多,必向東西南北開展。地上萬族必因你和你的後裔得福。 15 我也與你同在,你無論往哪裡去,我必保佑你,領你歸回這地,總不離棄你,直到我成全了向你所應許的。」

聖經中,以色列人常用「立石為記」來記念神的作為,這些石頭不只是標記地點,更承載著信仰的見證與對神信實的回應。

雅各逃避哥哥以掃,途經伯特利時夜宿夢見天梯,神向他顯現,應許賜福與後裔。醒來後,雅各將靠枕的石頭立作柱子,澆上油,將那地命名為「伯特利」(意為「神的殿」)(創世記28:10-22)。這是雅各與神的第一次深刻相遇,立石象徵他與神的關係與對神應許的記念。

以色列人過約旦河進入應許之地(迦南地)時,神施行神蹟,使河水斷流,他們得以乾腳過河(約書亞記4章)。約書亞遵照神的吩咐,從河中取出十二塊石頭,立在吉甲,對百姓說:「這些石頭在你們中間可以作為證據(原文אוֹת為記號之意)…」(約書亞記4:6)。這些石頭作為記號代表以色列的十二支派,神用大能的手領他們出埃及、過紅海,如今又帶他們進入應許之地。

The Dangers of an Attitude of Entitlement

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 18:19-30. With a humble heart, see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 18:19-30 (NIV)
19  “‘Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness of her monthly period.
20  “‘Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor’s wife and defile yourself with her.
21  “‘Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
22  “‘Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.

On verses 19-30:  Here we learn one of the reasons why God was ousting out the nations that occupied Canaan and bringing the Israelites to occupy Canaan in their place, which is that these other nations had, in God’s eyes, become defiled by their idol worship (which included sacrificing their children to the god Molech) (v21) and sexual practices which displeased God (v19-20, 22-23). 

得看見且看明白

約翰福音 9 :8-13

他的鄰舍和那素常見他是討飯的,就說:「這不是那從前坐著討飯的人嗎?」 9 有人說:「是他。」又有人說:「不是,卻是像他。」他自己說:「是我。」 10 他們對他說:「你的眼睛是怎樣開的呢?」 11 他回答說:「有一個人名叫耶穌,他和泥抹我的眼睛,對我說:『你往西羅亞池子去洗。』我去一洗,就看見了。」 12 他們說:「那個人在哪裡?」他說:「我不知道。」

13 他們把從前瞎眼的人帶到法利賽人那裡。

生來瞎眼的人清洗自己,且「能看見地」回去(約翰福音9:7),接著他將面對三群看似「明眼」的屬靈瞎子所帶來的一連串信心的挑戰。

第一群瞎子是他的鄰舍和那素常見他是討飯的,他們沒有敏銳的心,「輕易忽視」神的作為,不願意認真思想他們親眼所看見的事實。生來瞎眼的人回應他們的疑惑:他「記得」耶穌的名字和自己被醫治的過程(約翰福音9:8-13)。

第二群瞎子是法利賽人,他們受制於遺傳、教條、宗教模式,「拒絕否定」神的作為。生來瞎眼的人面對他們的質疑,再一次重述眼睛得看見的過程,他揣摩回應說:祂是先知(約翰福音9:13-17)。

第三群瞎子是他的父母,他們受制於權勢、壓力、環境,「畏懼承認」神的作為,避重就輕、轉移目標,要生來瞎眼的人自己面對法利賽人(約翰福音9:18-23)。

Boundaries for Our Good

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 18:1-18. With a humble heart, see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 18:1-18 (NIV)
1  The LORD said to Moses,
2  “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the LORD your God.
3  You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices.

On verses 1-18:  God had taken the Israelites out of the land of Egypt, a powerful empire but also an empire with many incestuous practices.  God was bringing the Israelites into the land of Canaan, a place with even more incestuous practices.  To make it clear that incest was not permissible despite what the Egyptians and Canaanites were practicing, God laid down the laws we find here in Leviticus 18:1-18.

往西羅亞池之路

約翰福音 9 :1-12

耶穌過去的時候,看見一個人生來是瞎眼的。 2 門徒問耶穌說:「拉比,這人生來是瞎眼的,是誰犯了罪?是這人呢,是他父母呢?」 3 耶穌回答說:「也不是這人犯了罪,也不是他父母犯了罪,是要在他身上顯出神的作為來。 4 趁著白日,我們必須做那差我來者的工;黑夜將到,就沒有人能做工了。 5 我在世上的時候,是世上的光。」 6 耶穌說了這話,就吐唾沫在地上,用唾沫和泥抹在瞎子的眼睛上, 7 對他說:「你往西羅亞池子裡去洗。」(「西羅亞」翻出來就是「奉差遣」。)他去一洗,回頭就看見了。

我深愛約翰福音第九章關於「耶穌讓生來瞎眼的人得看見」的記載,它述說一個生來瞎眼的人如何從肉體眼睛「得看見」(眼睛得醫治,約翰福音9:7)到屬靈眼睛「看明白」(與主面對面,約翰福音9:38)的信心旅程。

我們未信主前就像生來瞎眼的人一樣,過去未曾看見、未曾聽見,如今得著福音、領受恩典,這段記載提醒我們學習生來瞎眼的人,如何從「目盲」到「跟隨」,體驗一個「看見、知道、思想、明白」(以賽亞書41:17-20)的天路歷程。

信主的人「因信稱義」,但往往信的迷糊,信的草率,似乎「看見」卻仍然「目盲」,感覺「明白」卻無法「跟隨」,求聖靈激勵我們「認真」走一趟生來瞎眼的人所走過的信心旅程。

「耶穌…吐唾沫在地上,用唾沫和泥抹在瞎子的眼睛上,」(約翰福音9:6)這節經文開啟了生來瞎眼的人的奇妙經歷。「唾沫」代表耶穌口裏所出的話,與神造人所用的塵土(創世記2:7)相和,「唾沫和泥」象徵著神的創造,這新的創造將臨到生來瞎眼的人身上。

You Need to Belong to a Local Church

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 17:1-16. With a humble heart, see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 17:1-9 (NIV)
1  The LORD said to Moses,
2  “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: ‘This is what the LORD has commanded:
3  Any Israelite who sacrifices an ox, a lamb or a goat in the camp or outside of it

On verses 1-9:  In Leviticus 17, some of the Israelites were no longer going to worship with their Israelite brothers and sisters at the Tent of Meeting.  Instead of bringing their worship sacrifices to the Tent of Meeting where they could worship together with other believers and priests, some Israelites may have thought, “Well, isn’t God everywhere?