02月21日 一年的第052天 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
讀經:民15-17章
第15章主要在講:「獻祭聖潔的條例」。
神說:你們將來到了迦南地居住,1.逢節期要獻馨香之氣,的燔祭、平安祭,2.若犯了罪要獻贖罪祭,3.人在安息日撿柴,就要在營外,用石頭打死他,4.以色列人要在衣服邊上作繸子,釘一根藍細帶子,作為紀念遵行神的命令,不隨從自己的心意,成為聖潔歸神。
◎心得分享:神事先教導他們,若是到了迦南地要如何過生活,這對在曠野的人來說,是一個盼望,表明只要他們信靠神,他們必能進入應許地,而神對他們的要求是要常常遵行神的命令,就能聖潔將自己歸給神,也就能得到神的祝福,另一方面,神也間接的告訴他們,無論在那裡,神都希望我們聖潔,這樣祂才能祝福我們。
第16章主要在講:「可拉黨的叛逆」。
以色列250個首領組黨,有名望的人才能入會,他們就聚集攻擊摩西、亞倫說:「你們太過份了!為甚麼高自己,高過耶和華的會眾呢?」,摩西就俯伏在地,隔天上帝使地開了口,吞了可拉、大坍、亞比蘭的人丁財物都吞下去,有火出來燒滅燒香250個人,第二天會眾攻擊摩西、亞倫,神的雲彩遮蓋了會幕,神開始用瘟疫攻擊百姓,亞倫照著摩西拿著香爐加上香,站在活人、死人中間,瘟疫就止住,遭瘟疫死的人,共有1萬4千7百人。
◎心得分享:這裡看到「民主式」與「神權式」的衝突,神的百姓,任何的決定,不是由投票表決而來的,而是由神的僕人傳導神的話來的,所以教會的開會,不是由是非決定原則,而是由順從原則,在開會中:「不是替神決定旨意,而是發現神的旨意」。人的背逆不順服,最後就是被神擊殺。
第17章主要在講:「亞倫的杖發芽開花」。
神說:1.每一個支派取一根杖,所有首領按支派共取12根杖,2.各人名字寫在各人的杖上,3.這些杖要放在會幕內法櫃前,4.我所揀選人的杖必會發芽。摩西就照神的吩咐作,第二天摩西進法櫃的帳幕去,只有亞倫的杖發芽、生了花苞、結了熟杏,摩西就把所有的杖給眾人看,各首領的杖自己拿去,亞倫的杖放在法櫃前,給背叛之子留作記號,這樣就可使所發的怨言止息,以色人對摩西說:我們死喇、滅亡、都滅亡,誰走近聖幕誰就死亡。
◎心得分享:在這一章神再一次,抬舉了他所揀選的領袖,用杖發芽來顯明,神揀選的是亞倫,12支派的領袖,都要順服,不是由投票來決定,而是由上帝的證明,來說明上帝的心意,上帝要求的順服其實有時,不是透過我們的了解、認知,才能順服,而是按著神的話,在不想順服時,仍然學習要順服。
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"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."(Gal. 6:14)
THEY were living to themselves; self with its hopes, and promises and dreams, still had hold of them; but the Lord began to fulfill their prayers. They had asked for contrition, and had surrendered for it to be given them at any cost, and He sent them sorrow; they had asked for purity, and He sent them thrilling anguish; they had asked to be meek, and He had broken their hearts; they had asked to be dead to the world, and He slew all their living hopes; they had asked to be made like unto Him, and He placed them in the furnace, sitting by "as a refiner and purifier of silver," until they should reflect His image; they had asked to lay hold of His cross, and when He had reached it to them it lacerated their hands.
They had asked they knew not what, nor how, but He had taken them at their word, and granted them all their petitions. They were hardly willing to follow Him so far, or to draw so night to Him. They had upon them an awe and fear, as Jacob at Bethel, or Eliphaz in the night visions, or as the apostles when they thought that they had seen a spirit, and knew not that it was Jesus. They could almost pray Him to depart from them, or to hide His awfulness. They found it easier to obey than to suffer, to do than to give up, to bear the cross than to hang upon it. But they cannot to back, for they have come too near the unseen cross, and its virtues have pierced too deeply within them. He is fulfilling to them His promise, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John 12:32).
But now at last their turn has come. Before, they had only heard of the mystery, but now they feel it. He has fastened on them His look of love, as He did on Mary and Peter, and they can but choose to follow.
Little by little, from time to time, by fitting gleams, the mystery of His cross shines out upon them. They behold Him lifted up, they gaze on the glory which rays from the wounds of His holy passion; and as they gaze they advance, and are changed into His likeness, and His name shines out throught them, for He dwells in them. They live alone with Him above, in unspeakable fellowship; willing to lack what others own (and what they might have had), and to be unlike all, so that they are only like Him.
Such, are they in all ages, "who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth."
Had they chosen for themselves, or their friends chosen for them, they would have chosen otherwise. They would have been brighter here, but less glorious in His Kingdom. They would have had Lot's portion, not Abraham's. If they had halted anywhere-if God had taken off His hand and let them stray back-what would they not have lost? What forfeits in the resurrection?
But He stayed them up, even against themselves. Many a time their foot had well night slipped; but He in mercy held them up. Now, even in this life, they know that all He did was done well. It was good to suffer here, that they might reign hereafter; to bear the cross below, for they shall wear the crown above; and that not their will but His was done on them and in them.
-Anonymous.
基督曾說過:「我心柔和謙卑,你們當學我的樣式,這樣你們心裏就必得享安息。」這兒有雙重的真理,有忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好的美德,這與傚法基督或信靠祂有相同的意義;同時因著你有這些美德,可以完全脫離亞當墮落的本性而有信靠主高尚的行為。
連帶而有的福份,是因著脫離罪惡和對基督初步信仰、期望,受基督忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好的靈引導並管理;當你具有這些德性,你的生命就有目的,是真理和生命的基督才會在你裏面,你不再掌權,而是基督在你裏面活著。除非你願在忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好裏治死老我,否則神聖愛的靈,因無立足之地而不能在你裏面產生;而當你又為不忍耐、驕傲所困擾之際,馬上完全捨己,求神施恩幫助。當你遇到難處就促使與神親近,最能使你忍耐接受神的幫助,我們對神有多少信心和期望就可得多少的啟示。
「這些雖然很簡短,但是真正確的教義,使我們因賜下的救恩而真正完全順服神的啟示下,也真正宣告承認三而一的真神。」現在願你有個思想:完全將我的心靈獻上,單單尋求救恩,直接藉著溫柔、謙卑、忍耐和與神和好的力量,使我的生命有屬天的德性。
「並且要作這更大的事,因為我往父那裡去。」約翰福音十四章12節
祈禱不是叫我們適於那偉大的工作;祈禱本身就是偉大的工作。我們以為祈禱,是叫我們得到較高的能力,去應付神的工作。但按照耶穌基督的眼光看,祈禱是我本已救贖的奇蹟,藉著神的能力,同時也是別人救贖的奇蹟。結果子之方法,是祈禱,但須記取的,這種祈禱是建立在救贖的痛苦,不是建立於我的痛苦。一個小孩能獲得祈禱的答覆,一個聰明人反而得不著。
你無論在那裡祈禱總是一種戰爭。不管神製造環境的方法怎樣,本分就是祈禱。切不可如此作想──「我所在的地方,不見得有用;」因為你不在的地方,你必沒有有用。無論神安排你在那裡,祈禱,常常向祂祈禱。「你們若奉我的名求甚麼,我必成就。」(約十四13)我們不肯祈禱,我們得不著奮興,就不肯祈禱,那就是靈性自私的極度形態。我們要依照神的指導而勞動,但祂指導我們的是祈禱,「所以你們當求莊稼的主,打發工人出去,收祂的莊稼。
通常的工人對於工作,是沒有興奮的,但是成功通常是工作勞作出來的;同樣基督的概念,沒有那些勞苦的聖徒是不會發現的。你慇勤祈禱,從神的立場看,是無時不發生效果的。當帕子揭開,一種說不出的驚奇必然發現,你可以看出你是慣於接受耶穌基督的命令的,已經為祂收穫了不少的靈魂。
「……亞伯拉罕信神……」羅馬書四章3節
亞伯拉罕的信心是向著神本身的,他認識帶領他的神,所以他對神有絕對的信心。
亞伯拉罕一生的秘訣在於他與神的友誼。他所認識的神是一位偉大、良善、信實的朋友。無怪乎他能聽神的話,從他自身所愛的本家本族出來,走向一條未知的道路。
除了信靠神的話語,我們是否已學會把自己全然交給神呢?神有無限的愛及力量,祂是與我們立約的主並永遠的好朋友。
經上告訴我們,亞伯拉罕因著信心而榮耀了神。最能榮耀神的辦法,乃是讓世人看見神是誰,以及祂的大能力。神並不希望藉著我們所能做的事,讓世人知道祂能做什麼;神也不用那些有乖謬性格的器皿。相反的,祂一直在找尋那些謙卑的人,並用這些人在世世代代中榮耀祂。