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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. 

其实是神在帮我

路加福音6:38

你们要给人,就必有给你们的,并且用十足的升斗,连摇带按,上尖下流的倒在你们怀里;因为你们用什么量器量给人,也必用什么量器量给你们。

有一次,我的同事、也是邻居请我帮忙,她的姪女跟我读一样的科系,但因实习不顺利而休学。我本来觉得顾好自己的学生已经很累了,还要辅导其他医院的学生太吃力了。但后来还是和她们碰面,听这位学生分享,并且一起讨论可行的解决方法。

她很积极完成我交给她的任务,接着我就慢慢地忘记这件事了。随着医院评鉴的进行,我需要尽快完成院内计画来符合评鉴的标准,也因为这是我第一次主责,根本不知道找工读生帮忙也是件麻烦事,短时间内要找到本科的学生真不容易。

这时候我想起来这位学生,她也欣然接受这份工作,过程中表现相当优秀。当她结束四个月的工读时,她写了一张卡片感谢我。但我想我才是最该献上感谢的人,最要感谢的是神,最赞叹的也是神的预备和供应。这么刚好有位本科学生、刚好在台南、刚好想要参与相关计画,她协助我完成任务。我以为是我在助人,但其实神知道,我才是最需要帮助的人。

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

哥林多后书 5:14-15

原来基督的爱激励我们,因我们想:一人既替众人死,众人就都死了; 15 并且祂替众人死,是叫那些活着的人不再为自己活,乃为替他们死而复活的主活。

有一次在教会敬拜时,唱了「祢宝血为我而流」这首诗歌,当唱到这句「我献上我全所有,为祢而活」的时候,我跟神说我恐怕会让祢失望,我不确定我有没有办法把自己的全部都献给神。

以前年轻的时候拥有的不多,想的也不远,所以很轻易就能回应神说:「我愿意献上全所有」,但现在看着自己过去一次次地失败,会怀疑自己是不是能做到真实的主权奉献。

圣灵在诗歌中温暖的鼓励我,正是因为我无法做到,所以需要耶稣在十字架上所成就的救恩,是祂舍己的爱让我在环境不顺遂、信心不坚固的时候,有安全感知道有一位神,祂爱我爱到愿意舍弃一切为要得着我们的心,为要和我永远在一起不分离。「祢宝贵十架,为我付上代价,是我得胜的力量」。

立十字架为记号

创世记28:10-22  

雅各出了别是巴,向哈兰走去。 11 到了一个地方,因为太阳落了,就在那里住宿,便拾起那地方的一块石头枕在头下,在那里躺卧睡了。 12 梦见一个梯子立在地上,梯子的头顶着天,有神的使者在梯子上上去下来。 13 耶和华站在梯子以上,说:「我是耶和华你祖亚伯拉罕的神,也是以撒的神,我要将你现在所躺卧之地赐给你和你的后裔。 14 你的后裔必像地上的尘沙那样多,必向东西南北开展。地上万族必因你和你的后裔得福。 15 我也与你同在,你无论往哪里去,我必保佑你,领你归回这地,总不离弃你,直到我成全了向你所应许的。」

圣经中,以色列人常用「立石为记」来记念神的作为,这些石头不只是标记地点,更承载着信仰的见证与对神信实的回应。

雅各逃避哥哥以扫,途经伯特利时夜宿梦见天梯,神向他显现,应许赐福与后裔。醒来后,雅各将靠枕的石头立作柱子,浇上油,将那地命名为「伯特利」(意为「神的殿」)(创世记28:10-22)。这是雅各与神的第一次深刻相遇,立石象征他与神的关系与对神应许的记念。

以色列人过约旦河进入应许之地(迦南地)时,神施行神蹟,使河水断流,他们得以干脚过河(约书亚记4章)。约书亚遵照神的吩咐,从河中取出十二块石头,立在吉甲,对百姓说:「这些石头在你们中间可以作为证据(原文אוֹת为记号之意)…」(约书亚记4:6)。这些石头作为记号代表以色列的十二支派,神用大能的手领他们出埃及、过红海,如今又带他们进入应许之地。

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). 

得看见且看明白

约翰福音 9 :8-13

他的邻舍和那素常见他是讨饭的,就说:「这不是那从前坐着讨饭的人吗?」 9 有人说:「是他。」又有人说:「不是,却是像他。」他自己说:「是我。」 10 他们对他说:「你的眼睛是怎样开的呢?」 11 他回答说:「有一个人名叫耶稣,他和泥抹我的眼睛,对我说:『你往西罗亚池子去洗。』我去一洗,就看见了。」 12 他们说:「那个人在哪里?」他说:「我不知道。」

13 他们把从前瞎眼的人带到法利赛人那里。

生来瞎眼的人清洗自己,且「能看见地」回去(约翰福音9:7),接着他将面对三群看似「明眼」的属灵瞎子所带来的一连串信心的挑战。

第一群瞎子是他的邻舍和那素常见他是讨饭的,他们没有敏锐的心,「轻易忽视」神的作为,不愿意认真思想他们亲眼所看见的事实。生来瞎眼的人回应他们的疑惑:他「记得」耶稣的名字和自己被医治的过程(约翰福音9:8-13)。

第二群瞎子是法利赛人,他们受制于遗传、教条、宗教模式,「拒绝否定」神的作为。生来瞎眼的人面对他们的质疑,再一次重述眼睛得看见的过程,他揣摩回应说:祂是先知(约翰福音9:13-17)。

第三群瞎子是他的父母,他们受制于权势、压力、环境,「畏惧承认」神的作为,避重就轻、转移目标,要生来瞎眼的人自己面对法利赛人(约翰福音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.

往西罗亚池之路

约翰福音 9 :1-12

耶稣过去的时候,看见一个人生来是瞎眼的。 2 门徒问耶稣说:「拉比,这人生来是瞎眼的,是谁犯了罪?是这人呢,是他父母呢?」 3 耶稣回答说:「也不是这人犯了罪,也不是他父母犯了罪,是要在他身上显出神的作为来。 4 趁着白日,我们必须做那差我来者的工;黑夜将到,就没有人能做工了。 5 我在世上的时候,是世上的光。」 6 耶稣说了这话,就吐唾沫在地上,用唾沫和泥抹在瞎子的眼睛上, 7 对他说:「你往西罗亚池子里去洗。」(「西罗亚」翻出来就是「奉差遣」。)他去一洗,回头就看见了。

我深爱约翰福音第九章关于「耶稣让生来瞎眼的人得看见」的记载,它述说一个生来瞎眼的人如何从肉体眼睛「得看见」(眼睛得医治,约翰福音9:7)到属灵眼睛「看明白」(与主面对面,约翰福音9:38)的信心旅程。

我们未信主前就像生来瞎眼的人一样,过去未曾看见、未曾听见,如今得着福音、领受恩典,这段记载提醒我们学习生来瞎眼的人,如何从「目盲」到「跟随」,体验一个「看见、知道、思想、明白」(以赛亚书41:17-20)的天路历程。

信主的人「因信称义」,但往往信的迷糊,信的草率,似乎「看见」却仍然「目盲」,感觉「明白」却无法「跟随」,求圣灵激励我们「认真」走一趟生来瞎眼的人所走过的信心旅程。

「耶稣…吐唾沫在地上,用唾沫和泥抹在瞎子的眼睛上,」(约翰福音9:6)这节经文开启了生来瞎眼的人的奇妙经历。「唾沫」代表耶稣口里所出的话,与神造人所用的尘土(创世记2:7)相和,「唾沫和泥」象征著神的创造,这新的创造将临到生来瞎眼的人身上。

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?