03月18日 一年的第078天 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
讀經:書22-24章
第22章主要在講:「二個半支派,築一高大《在人中間作證據》的祭壇」。
1.約書亞召了流便、迦得、瑪拿西半支派的人來,祝福他們,他們就回去,2.他們回去後,就在約旦河西築了一座高大的壇,3.以色列全會眾,一聽到見就聚集在示羅要攻打他們,4.以色列人派祭司、首領們,去問流便、迦得、瑪拿西半支派的人,他們回答說:「我們不是背逆,為自己築壇,轉去不跟從耶和華獻祭,親自討自己的罪,乃是為後人中間作證據,提醒我們子孫,耶和華的神是與我們有關係,証明耶和華是神」,4.祭司與首領聽見他們說的話,就以為美,5.祭司和領袖們回迦南地將這事告訴以色人,以色列人就以這事為美,就稱頌神,不再題上去攻打的事。
◎心得分享:「二個半支派的人」從摩西的時代,就選擇把妻子孩子放在約旦河東,「先保家再衛國」,摩西勉強答應了,在約書亞當領袖的初期,也對他們投以懷疑的眼光,在他們宣誓効忠約書亞之後,也就不了了之,到了這一章戰都打完了,他們接受祝福後,回到約旦河東,就在那裡築了高大的祭壇,因為之前給人不好「自私」的印象,這時不免讓人聯想到他們築祭壇的目的,是不是要「獨立」脫離以色列國,難怪以色列人看到以後,大家一起想要來攻打他們,事後他們說明,這不是要「宣告獨立的祭壇」,而是「宣告統一的祭壇」,是作證據用的,要教導他們的子孫,證明雖然他們是在約旦河西,但是他們跟以色列人是一國的,都是神的兒女,事後也平息這可能發生的戰爭,「二個半支派的人」給我們學習到,他們雖然給人不好的自私印象,事實上他們不是這樣的人,他們是有不得已的苦衷,雖然別人誤解他們,他們還是用具體行動和溝通,來證明他們的真誠,求神也把這樣「不畏人誤解,堅持證明自己清白的毅力」給我們。
第23章主要在講:「約書亞警誡,眾長老、族長、審判官」。
神使以色人安靜,不與仇敵爭戰,已經多日,約書亞年紀老邁,約書亞向長老、族長、審判官說:1.你們親眼看見為你們爭戰的是耶和華,所以你們要大大壯膽,遵行律法書上的一切話,2.我現在要走世人必走的路,神所應許賜福與你們的話,沒有一句落空都應驗在你們身上,3.神應許一切福氣臨到,也必照樣使禍患臨到你們身上,你們若違背神所吩咐守的約,去事奉別神,必在美地速速滅亡。
◎心得分享:這一章是約書亞最後的勉勵,提醒他們過去上帝的帶領,上帝所應許賜福與他們的話,沒有一句落空都應驗,上帝雖然會賜福也會降禍,關鍵在於他們是否聽從上帝的話,求神幫助我們要聽從上帝的話,遵守與神的約定,領受上帝的祝福。
第24章主要在講:「約書亞與百姓立約在示劍」。
一.約書亞召了長老、族長、審判官來,對他們說:1.神呼召亞伯拉罕,領到迦南地,雅各下埃及,摩西領你們去埃及、過紅海,我領你們與亞摩利人爭戰,神把巴蘭的咒詛變成祝福,你們過約旦河,與迦南人爭戰,得勝,你們吃非你們所栽種的葡萄園、橄欖園的果子,2.你們要敬畏耶和華,若是你們以為事奉耶和華不好,就可以選擇所事奉的,至於我和我家,必定事奉耶和華,二.百姓回答說:我們斷不敢離棄耶和華,我們必事奉耶和華,三.約書亞說:「你們不能事奉耶和華,因為祂是聖潔忌邪的」,百姓回答說:「我們定要事奉耶和華」,當日約書亞與百姓立約在示劍,定律例典章,立石頭作為你們見證,約是是百姓回到自己的地業,四.約書亞110歲就死了,葬在以法蓮山地,約瑟的骸骨葬埋在示劍地,亞倫的兒子以利亞撒也死了,葬在以法蓮的山地。
◎心得分享:約書亞給百姓一個挑戰,說他和他全家必定事奉耶和華,百姓也要事奉耶和華,這時約書亞竟然話鋒一轉,叫他們不能事奉神,因為神是聖潔忌邪的,隨時可能一怒就把他們殺了,百姓就說:「他們立定心志要事奉耶和華」,約書亞就與他們立約,這在提醒我們事奉耶和華,不是隨便說一說就好了,是要能夠「禁得起別人的拒絕」,更要有「立定心志,事奉到底的決心」。
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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。