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耶和华纳可(Jehovah Nakah)

2025-01-07 in , /by

以西结书 7:1-9

耶和华的话又临到我说： 2 「人子啊，主耶和华对以色列地如此说：结局到了！结局到了地的四境。 3 现在你的结局已经临到，我必使我的怒气归于你，也必按你的行为审判你，照你一切可憎的事刑罚你。 4 我眼必不顾惜你，也不可怜你，却要按你所行的报应你，照你中间可憎的事刑罚你，你就知道我是耶和华。

犹大国后期三个王：约雅敬、约雅斤、西底家，分别经历巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒军队的征伐和掳掠。早先，约雅敬臣服于尼布甲尼撒三年，后来背叛。巴比伦军队联合其他种族攻击约雅敬，毁灭了犹大（列王纪下24:1-2）；尼布甲尼撒用铜链锁住约雅敬，将他和圣殿里的宝物一齐带到巴比伦（历代志下36∶5-6）。

接着，约雅敬的儿子约雅斤继续作犹大王，仍然行耶和华眼中看为恶的事。他作王仅三个月零十天，尼布甲尼撒又把约雅斤和圣殿里的宝贵器皿掳到巴比伦（历代志下36∶9-10；列王纪下24∶8-16)。

最后，尼布甲尼撒另立约雅斤的叔叔西底家作犹大和耶路撒冷王，但是西底家依然行耶和华眼中看为恶的事，后来也背叛了尼布甲尼撒。西元前586年，巴比伦人攻陷耶路撒冷，西底家被剜眼、锁回巴比伦（列王纪下25:1-7），犹太余民逃往埃及。

在前述尼布甲尼撒攻破耶路撒冷，掳走约雅斤及其他战俘时（西元前597年），以西结也一同被掳到迦勒底人之地、迦巴鲁河边。五年后（西元前593年）以西结蒙召，在流亡巴比伦的犹太人当中担任先知。他一方面谴责犹大人的罪恶，并宣告神对罪的惩罚；但也安慰绝望中的犹大人，并预告以色列民至终必蒙复兴。

When You Are Besieged, Do Not Be Afraid

2025-01-07 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 20:14-26.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Samuel 20:14-22 (NIV)
14  Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maacah and through the entire region of the Berites, who gathered together and followed him.
15  All the troops with Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth Maacah. They built a siege ramp up to the city, and it stood against the outer fortifications. While they were battering the wall to bring it down,
16  a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him.”

On verses 14-22:  Being chased by David’s army, Sheba hides in the city of Abel Beth Maakah (v14).  David’s army starts a siege against the city of Abel Beth Maakah.  They build a siege ramp and use a battering ram to try to knock down the city wall (v15).  A wise woman from Abel Beth Maakah calls out to Joab, leader of David’s army, and questions him on why they are trying to destroy their peaceful city (v16-19).  The wise woman and Joab agree that Joab’s troops will withdraw from the city if the people of Abel Beth Maakah will hand Sheba over to them (v20-21). The people of Abel Beth Maakah then execute Sheba, cut off his head and hand it to Joab, who commands the troops to leave the city alone (v22).

耶和华罗伊(Jehovah Roiy)

2025-01-06 in , /by

诗篇23篇 1-6

耶和华是我的牧者，我必不致缺乏。
祂使我躺卧在青草地上，领我在可安歇的水边。
祂使我的灵魂苏醒，为自己的名引导我走义路。
我虽然行过死荫的幽谷，也不怕遭害，因为祢与我同在；
祢的杖，祢的竿，都安慰我。
在我敌人面前，祢为我摆设筵席；
祢用油膏了我的头，使我的福杯满溢。
我一生一世必有恩惠慈爱随着我；
我且要住在耶和华的殿中，直到永远。

诗篇23篇的作者是大卫，他在加入扫罗军队前是个牧羊人，替父亲照顾羊群。大卫拥有好牧人的心志，他自述为了保护羊群，曾追赶、击打狮子和熊，救出被啣去的羊羔，甚至揪著胡子将狮子和熊打死（撒母耳记上17:34-36）。

大卫了解羊群的需要，关心它们，因此当他被赋予牧养以色列百姓的责任时，大卫谈到他按心中的纯正牧养他们，用手中的巧妙引导他们（诗篇78:70-72）。当先知拿单讲述穷人和小母羊羔的故事来质问大卫犯罪时，大卫立时领悟且悔罪（撒母耳记下12:1-14）

大卫早年被扫罗追杀，长期经历逃难和征伐，晚年又遭到儿子押沙龙的叛变，一生都在逃避敌人杀害的日子中渡过。当过牧人的大卫拥有好牧人的心志，了解羊群的需要，自己又经历有如羊群被牧者引领和保护的过程，大卫用「耶和华是我的牧者」诠释了他的一生和神的关系。

Left Unchecked, This Can Kill

2025-01-06 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 20:1-13.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Samuel 20:1-2 (NIV) 
1 Now a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bicri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted, “We have no share in David, no part in Jesse’s son! Every man to his tent, O Israel!” 
2 So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

On verses 1-2:  Just as Sheba led a revolt against David by convincing the people that David was not for them, so Satan wants you to believe that God is not good, that He is not for you but against you, or that you simply don’t need him.  If you believe those lies, you will end up deserting Jesus the Son of David, just like all the men of Israel deserted King David (v2).  May we be like the men of Judah who “stayed by their king all the way” (v2).

Cross Over with Your King

2025-01-05 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 19:31-43.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

2 Samuel 19:31-40 (NIV)
31  Barzillai the Gileadite also came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and to send him on his way from there.
32  Now Barzillai was a very old man, eighty years of age. He had provided for the king during his stay in Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man.
33  The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me and stay with me in Jerusalem, and I will provide for you.”
34  But Barzillai answered the king, “How many more years will I live, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king?

On verses 31-40:  King David was so appreciative of the way Barzallai took care of him when he was in Mahanaim (v32).  So King David invites Barzillai to cross over to Jerusalem and let David take care of Barzillai in his old age (v33).  But rather than crossing over and stay with David in Jerusalem (v34-36), Barzillai requests that David extend that favour to his servant Kimham instead (v37).  David promises to do so, saying, “Kimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever you wish.  And anything you desire from me I will do for you.” (v38)

耶和华沙龙(Jehovah Shalom)

2025-01-05 in , /by

士师记 6:11-24

11 耶和华的使者到了俄弗拉，坐在亚比以谢族人约阿施的橡树下。约阿施的儿子基甸正在酒榨那里打麦子，为要防备米甸人。 12 耶和华的使者向基甸显现，对他说：「大能的勇士啊，耶和华与你同在！」 13 基甸说：「主啊！耶和华若与我们同在，我们何至遭遇这一切事呢？我们的列祖不是向我们说，耶和华领我们从埃及上来吗？他那样奇妙的作为在哪里呢？现在他却丢弃我们，将我们交在米甸人手里。」 14 耶和华观看基甸，说：「你靠着你这能力，去从米甸人手里拯救以色列人。不是我差遣你去的吗？」 15 基甸说：「主啊，我有何能拯救以色列人呢？我家在玛拿西支派中是至贫穷的，我在我父家是至微小的。」 16 耶和华对他说：「我与你同在，你就必击打米甸人，如击打一人一样。」 17 基甸说：「我若在你眼前蒙恩，求你给我一个证据，使我知道与我说话的就是主。 18 求你不要离开这里，等我归回将礼物带来供在你面前。」主说：「我必等你回来。」

士师时代，米甸人压制以色列人，每逢撒种之后，就上来攻打他们，毁坏全地。以色列人因为米甸人的缘故，极其穷乏，就在山中挖穴、挖洞、建造营寨。（士师记6:1-6）

耶和华的使者呼召躲在酒醡里打麦子的基甸，带领以色列人脱离米甸人的辖制，对基甸说：「大能的勇士啊，耶和华与你同在！…我与你同在，你就必击打米甸人，如击打一人一样。」基甸向神的使者寻求证据，并献上山羊羔和无酵饼为礼物。（士师记6:11-20）

神的使者用杖头挨近肉和无酵饼，火从磐石中出来，烧尽了肉和无酵饼。基甸见他是耶和华的使者，就说：「哀哉！主耶和华啊，我不好了，因为我觌面看见耶和华的使者。」耶和华对他说：「你放心，不要惧怕，你必不致死。」于是基甸在那里为耶和华筑了一座坛，起名叫「耶和华沙龙」（就是耶和华赐平安的意思）。（士师记6:21-24）

耶和华尼西(Jehovah Nissi)

2025-01-03 in , /by

出埃及记 17:8-16

8 那时，亚玛力人来在利非订，和以色列人争战。 9 摩西对约书亚说：「你为我们选出人来，出去和亚玛力人争战。明天我手里要拿着神的杖，站在山顶上。」 10 于是约书亚照着摩西对他所说的话行，和亚玛力人争战。摩西、亚伦与户珥都上了山顶。 11 摩西何时举手，以色列人就得胜；何时垂手，亚玛力人就得胜。 12 但摩西的手发沉，他们就搬石头来，放在他以下，他就坐在上面。亚伦与户珥扶着他的手，一个在这边，一个在那边，他的手就稳住，直到日落的时候。 13 约书亚用刀杀了亚玛力王和他的百姓。 14 耶和华对摩西说：「我要将亚玛力的名号从天下全然涂抹了，你要将这话写在书上做纪念，又念给约书亚听。」 15 摩西筑了一座坛，起名叫耶和华尼西， 16 又说：「耶和华已经起了誓，必世世代代和亚玛力人争战。」

以色列人出埃及后第二个月十五日到了汛旷野，神降吗哪和鹌鹑给他们食用（出埃及记16章），接着他们来到利非订，却突然面对亚玛力人来攻击，这是他们出埃及后第一次面对军事挑战。

那时，摩西告诉约书亚选出人来和亚玛力人争战，他则手里拿着神的杖，邀集亚伦与户珥站在山顶上。摩西何时举手，以色列人就得胜，何时垂手，亚玛力人就得胜。他们让摩西坐在石头上面，亚伦与户珥扶着他的手，一个在这边，一个在那边，他的手就稳住，直到日落的时候。约书亚用刀杀了亚玛力王和他的百姓。征战过后，摩西筑了一座坛，起名叫「耶和华尼西」（就是耶和华是我旌旗的意思）。（出埃及记17:8-16）

这是场特别的战役，以色列人出埃及没多久，正处于缺水、缺食物、缅怀过去、不断抱怨的颓丧时期，有如跑马拉松比赛身体正处于需要调适进入稳定的阶段（以色列人在旷野有四十年之久，这时刚开始而已）；他们匆忙逃离埃及，携家带眷、餐风露宿，是一群难民，不是一支军队，他们不堪一击。

God’s All-Surpassing Mercy On You

2025-01-03 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 19:16-30.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

Here we see how David deals with two men who had hurt David badly while David was going through one of his most difficult seasons.  So much so that these two men both deserved death, and yet David shows them mercy.  Let’s learn how God’s mercy toward us exceeds even David’s mercy toward these two men.

2 Samuel 19:16-23 (NIV)
16  Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David.
17  With him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba, the steward of Saul’s household, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan, where the king was.
18  They crossed at the ford to take the king’s household over and to do whatever he wished. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king

On verses 16-23:  When David was leaving Israel because his son Absalom had usurped the throne, Shimei hurled stones at David, called him a murderer and a scoundrel and told him to get out.  At that time, Abishai the brother of Joab offered to cut off Shimei’s head, but David told him not to (2 Samuel 16:5-14).  Now that David has returned to Israel and reclaimed his throne, Shimei begs David for mercy, and a similar scene takes place: Abishai suggests that Shimei should be put to death (v21), but David again has mercy on Shimei (v22-23).

耶和华拉法(Jehovah Rapha)

2025-01-02 in , /by

出埃及记15:22-26

22 摩西领以色列人从红海往前行，到了书珥的旷野，在旷野走了三天，找不着水。 23 到了玛拉，不能喝那里的水，因为水苦，所以那地名叫玛拉。 24 百姓就向摩西发怨言，说：「我们喝什么呢？」 25 摩西呼求耶和华，耶和华指示他一棵树。他把树丢在水里，水就变甜了。耶和华在那里为他们定了律例、典章，在那里试验他们。 26 又说：「你若留意听耶和华你神的话，又行我眼中看为正的事，留心听我的诫命，守我一切的律例，我就不将所加于埃及人的疾病加在你身上，因为我耶和华是医治你的。」

「拉法」的字意是医治、痊愈，这个字在旧约通常是指医治病人身体上、或灵性上的疾病。神用苦水变甜的神蹟来表明祂是医治的水源，先知以利沙用盐治水，也是用同样的字眼。

耶利哥城的人对以利沙说：「这城的地势美好，我主看见了；只是水恶劣，土产不熟而落。」以利沙说：「你们拿一个新瓶来，装盐给我」；他们就拿来给他。
他出到水源，将盐倒在水中，说：「耶和华如此说：『我治好了这水，从此必不再使人死，也不再使地土不生产。』」于是那水治好了，直到今日，正如以利沙所说的。（列王纪下2:19-22）

「耶和华拉法」：留意听神的话，行祂眼中看为正的事，听诫命，守律例，神保守我们远离疾病，得着医治。

When You’ve Promoted the Wrong Person

2025-01-02 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 19:1-15.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Samuel 19:1-15 (NIV)
1  Joab was told, “The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.”
2  And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, “The king is grieving for his son.”
3  The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle.
4  The king covered his face and cried aloud, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

On verses 1-15:  It was a complicated situation for David.  On one hand, he had just lost his son.  On the other hand, because that son had committed the highest act of treason and was bent on killing the king, David did mobilize his troops to go to war against that son.  So while it was natural and expected for David to grieve for his son, it was complicated by the fact that Absalom was an enemy whose death, under normal circumstances, would have been a cause for rejoicing.