01月15日讀經 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
經文:創47-50章
第47章主要在講:「約瑟帶著家人見法老」。約瑟從他兄弟中挑出5個弟兄,帶他們去見法老,並把他全家來埃及的事告訴法老王,之後又帶他父親雅各到法老王的面前,雅各就為法老祝福,法老把埃及最好的地蘭塞給了雅各全家作產業,約瑟買了埃及所有人的地歸法老,以色列人在歌珊生育眾多,雅各住埃及17年,他一生是147歲,他臨死前叫約瑟手按在他大腿上起誓,不把他葬在埃及,要與他列祖同葬在迦南地,之後雅各就敬拜上帝。
◎心得分享:人生許多遭遇是很奇特,雅各可能從來都沒想過,他會站在埃及法老王面前,而且他還能為法老王祝福,「祝福」通常是「位高」為「位低」作的人禱告,這個事實肯定的告訴我們,在神的眼中,一位「信靠神」的人,他的地位,永遠高過「地上的君王」。
第48章主要在講:「雅各祝福約瑟二個兒子」。雅各病了,約瑟就帶他兩個兒子去給他祝福,雅各就勉強在牀上坐起來,約瑟先領以法蓮(小兒子),在他父親的左手前面,領瑪拿西(大兒子),在他父親的右手前面,雅各就伸出右手,按在左邊以法蓮頭上,再伸出左手,按在右邊瑪拿西頭上,形成雙手交叉,祝福這兩個童子,約瑟見他父親右手按在以法蓮,就不喜悅,要把他父親右手挪到右邊瑪拿西頭上,但是他父親不從,就說:「我知道」,於是立弟弟以法蓮,在哥哥瑪拿西之上,並賜福給約瑟,約瑟要比眾弟兄多得一分。
◎心得分享:「雅各為約瑟兒子的祝福」,讓我們看到雅各的祝福,是根據他自己過去的經驗在祝福,因為他也是小兒子。從另一個屬靈的經驗來看,在神的眼中,從「痛苦中昌盛的(以法蓮)」,要比從「痛苦中忘記(瑪拿西)」,更尊榮,忘記痛苦是很難,從痛苦中得到昌盛更難,求神幫助我們,每一個受苦都是與我們有益,是為我們效力,透過苦難,叫我們得到神的祝福,這就「以法蓮」,痛苦中求神讓我們昌盛。
第49章主要在講:「雅各為他12兒子祝福」。雅各叫他的兒子們來,給他們祝福,1.「流便」,是長子但因為放縱情慾,不得居首位。2.「西緬」和3.「利未」,怒氣暴烈,刀劍殘忍,散住在以色列地中,4.「猶大」是小獅子,掌握王權;他的後代要長久統治。萬國要向他進貢;萬民要向他跪拜,5.「西布倫」要住在海邊。將成為船隻停泊的港口;領土伸延到西頓,6.「以薩迦」,喜歡安定的地方,肥美的土地。屈肩負重,被奴役做苦工,要統治自己的子民,7.「但」,是依靠雅各大能的上帝,他的弓仍然堅硬8.「迦得」將被強盜襲擊;他卻要轉身追趕他們,9. 「亞設」的土地是豐富的糧倉;有美食可供奉君王,10.「拿弗他利」像茂盛的樹;伸展可愛的樹枝.11.「約瑟」像泉水旁的樹,多結果子的樹枝爬在牆上,五榖豐收,在兄弟中最卓越的,12「便雅憫」像兇猛的豺狼。清晨吞食獵物,晚間瓜分掠奪品。這12個兒子,就是以色列12支派,雅各再次囑咐他兒子們,要把他葬在麥比拉田間的洞,跟他祖父母、父母親葬在一起,囑咐完了,雙腳放在牀上,氣絕而亡。
◎心得分享:雖然雅各覺得自己一生是苦的,但是「雅各的死」是蒙祝福的,是比他的父親好,因為兒孫滿堂,以撒的一生是平順的蒙福的,但是雅各的一生,就比他父親以撒,經歷更多的痛苦,但也因為這樣,他到老的時候,為兒子們祝福,沒像以撒「眼睛昏花、不能看見」被兒子騙祝福,而是「清清楚楚」為每個孩子祝福。
第50章主要在講:「約瑟埋葬他父親雅各」。約瑟伏在他父親身上哀哭,親他的臉,命令醫生用藥料防止父親屍體腐爛;醫生就照辦了。按照固定的時間,用四十天完成這防腐工作。埃及人為他舉哀七十天,他向法老王請求把他父親帶回迦南安葬,法老王就答應了,約瑟就去葬他父親,法老的臣僕,埃及國的長老,陪同約瑟家下去,他們葬了父親以後就回埃及,約瑟的哥哥,怕約瑟報復,就派人來說:請求約瑟饒恕,約瑟哭了,對他們說:1.不要怕,我豈能代替神,2.你們意思是害我,神的意思是好的,要保全多人的性命成就今日光景,3.你們不要害怕,我必養活你們和你們全家,約瑟110歲死了,他們用藥料防腐,把屍體安放在棺材裏放在埃及。。
◎心得分享:「約瑟的饒恕」,是1.能安慰得罪他的人,不要害怕,2.能從神祝福的角度,來看整個事情的結局,不是一直活在過去,別人對我們的傷害,3.是「以善勝惡」,不是「為惡所勝」的,養活曾經傷害他的哥哥們的全家。求神幫助我們,也能像約瑟一樣,饒恕得罪我們的人。
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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。